Cataclysmed: A Miraculous Story

Chapter 2: Worry

"Nice of you to join us, Marinette," the teacher commented.

"Sorry, Ms. Bustier." the girl mumbled.

She began wiping some of the sweat off her forehead. As the teacher continued with her class, Alya leaned in closer.

"Hey, girl, are you okay?" she whispered.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Marinette breathed.

"Are you sure? Because you're sweating like crazy."

Marinette waved her hand dismissively. She knew she needed to get out soon, but she couldn't do it too soon. She had to first make sure at least two people suggested her to go home. That way, it wouldn't seem like she was doing it on purpose.

Although, in all honesty, she actually did feel pretty all yucky inside. Marinette took a quick scan of the room, noticing how refreshed everyone looked. From the looks of it, she seemed to be the only one drenched in sweat. When her vision started swimming, she looked back to the front, hoping to hear, at least, five minutes of the lesson.

"Girl, seriously, you look awful," Alya whispered again.

"I'm...I-I..." But she couldn't finish the sentence.

Instead, she felt additional saliva form in her mouth. When her stomach did an uncomfortable lurch, she clapped a hand to her mouth. Pushed by adrenaline, Marinette rushed out of her chair, directly to the trash can next to Ms. Bustier's desk. Where she retched her guts out.

She heard a collective groan of disgust behind her, but a second round of vomit drowned the noise.

"Enough!" she heard Ms. Bustier, "Marinette is obviously sick, and you would do better helping than complaining."

Marinette took a breath, finally able to draw back from the trash can. It allowed her time to look at the mess she made...which did not look like vomit. It looked more like black ink splashed all over the contents of the trash can.

"Mari—" a voice said.

The girl startled, quickly covering the crime scene from Alya, who had gotten up to assist her.

"Hey, girl, it's okay." she said quietly, "It's just me. Can you walk?"

"I-I...I'm not sure." the girl on the floor responded honestly, remembering the incident in the locker room.

"Ms. Bustier, I need help taking Marinette home." Alya spoke to the teacher.

The haze was returning. The pain of a thousand knives was there again, but she tried her best to not show it. The last thing she needed was for anyone to take her to the hospital and be questioned about the black spots on her body. She had to make sure they thought she had the flu, or something similar.

Marinette felt herself leave the ground, carried by two sets of hands. The noises around her were jumbled, only Chloe's screeches about germs making it through the mess. But she didn't care about what her classmates thought. She was more concerned about what came out of her. And how to fix it.

...

Many steps later, her vision started clearing, Alya's red hair quickly invading it. The ground felt less like fluffy clouds and more like solid concrete. She looked to her other side, seeing a mop of blond hair. Adrien? Wait, no, Adrien wasn't in her class. Or that's what she thought.

"We're almost there," a boy's voice said.

Marinette blinked, her vision slightly clearer. She could now make out Adrien's face, watching her in concern, he was her friend after all. The girl would have freaked out, if it weren't because of her current condition. She barely had the strength to make it to her house on her own, as it was.

And just as she thought that, she tripped on the last step to the apartment. Luckily, Alya and Adrien managed to hold her up.

"Mari—" she said.

"Clumsy me," Marinette forced out a giggle, "You know me. I'm actually feeling a bit better."

"We're still not leaving you until we know you're safe," Adrien assured.

The girl's cheeks couldn't help but feel warm at his words. And just as he promised, both he and Alya made sure Marinette was safely lying back on the couch before letting go and placing her bookbag in the kitchen.

"You want me to bring your Maman here?" Alya asked.

"No!" Marinette yelped, sitting up so quickly she got head rush, "No, I'm fine. I just need rest."

Alya and Adrien looked at each other, unsure. Nevertheless, they shared hesitant shrugs and bid her farewell. As they were exiting the apartment, Adrien stopped under the door frame.

"Marinette," he called, turning back to her, "Let us know if anything else comes up, please. We care about you, you know?"

The girl couldn't help but crack a smile.

"Will do." she responded, but almost immediately felt a sense of déjà vu.

Like last time she said that, everything went completely wrong.

Before she could say anything else, though, Adrien gave her one last wave and closed the door. Marinette let out a breath of relief and sat back, accidentally turning the television on. With the new noise, she groaned and plucked the remote from underneath her. She was about to turn it off, but the news distracted her.

She could hear Tikki had started talking to her, but her eyes were trained on the images of a tour bus with no brakes running amok in the streets of Paris. Absentmindedly, she stood up.

"What are you doing?" the Kwami asked.

"They need help," Marinette breathed, "I think I can make one rescue before straightening this thing out."

"Marinette, no." Tikki pleaded once again. "You have to call Master Fu."

"I can't stand by while people get hurt!"

"But—"

"Tikki, spots on!"

Okay, maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Ladybug couldn't help but think, as sweat continued to drip from her chin as she ran on rooftops. She only hoped to do this as quickly as possible, to get back home and call Master Fu. And she was so lost in thought, she didn't notice the cat boy in her path, crashing against his back with a loud "oof."

"Nice bumping into you too." Cat Noir quipped as Ladybug rubbed her nose.

"Isn't it a school day, Kitty?" she teased back.

"I could lecture you about that too, My Lady." the boy retorted with a smirk.

"Please, no puns today."

She stepping aside to continue their path, ignoring the irony. But on her way, she tripped over...nothing.

"You seem clumsier than usual," Cat Noir commented from behind her. "Something bugging you?"

"What did I say about the puns?" asked Ladybug, annoyed like a mother.

Cat Noir opened his mouth to say something, but Ladybug jumped from the building before he did. Unfortunately, the stabbing pain returned on full force, and with the jerk her body made, she ended up crashing against a lamppost.

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