Stray ~ A MariChat Love Story (Complete)

Chapter 11: Trickster

Alya walked through the park with Marinette, smiling down at her phone. She'd occasionally mumble something, but Marinette was too distracted by her thoughts to concentrate.

"...Marinette? Are you even listening to me?" asked Alya.

Marinette snapped her head towards her best friend and smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, Alya. Guess I'm just thinking too hard."

Alya sent her a sly smirk, "It wouldn't happen to be about a certain model now, would it?"

She rolled her eyes, her cheeks burning. "Knock it off, Alya." Alya had invited her to go with the boys to the zoo, but neither had shown and it ended up being a girl's day instead. Not that she minded. She desperately needed something to get her mind off of the leather clad superhero.

His constant appearance was unprofessional and dangerous if Hawk Moth found out. But a part of her couldn't help but miss him. Though he made terrible puns, he was sympathetic and reliable –something she'd never realized before. It would just be better if she stopped thinking of him at all.

A loud shriek sounded behind them and in an instant the park gates were blown off their hinges. Alya pushed Marinette behind a nearby tree and the metal groaned as it slammed against the ground beside them. Instead of running, the brunette raised her phone and aimed it in the direction of the chaos.

People ran down the streets away from the entrance of the park, fearing for their lives and a figure stepped forward into the sunlight. The akumatised woman had short, cropped red hair and a top hat in her hands. Green stripes lined her topcoat and her skin was tinted lilac.

"Alya!" Marinette reached for her friend's shoulder and tried ineffectively to pull her back, "We have to get out of here!"

She whipped her head to Marinette and frowned, "What? No way! Do you even understand how many views this will get? I already got more views than the news and this will double –no triple that."

"But you could die!" she hissed. She managed to budge Alya an inch, but the brunette was determined and it was obvious Marinette was only wasting her strength. Nothing could change her mind.

Alya pulled back. "I was fine with Pharaoh, I'll be fine now. If I need help Ladybug will come for me." Her eyes brightened and she smiled, "Maybe I can even get an interview afterwards."

Her best friend ran out from behind the tree before she could stop her and Marinette choked on her own spit, "Alya!" She watched helplessly as her friend inched closer to the akuma, recording every move from behind a cluster of closely knit trees.

Then the villain's eyes fell on Alya. And Marinette's heart stopped.

"You want a show?" she rasped, reaching into her hat. "Let's she was your audience thinks of this, little girl." She retracted her hand and millions of cards flew out into the air. Alya tried to move, but the cards swarmed around her, caging her. The villain clenched her fists, placing her hat back on her head and Marinette heard Alya scream.

"Marinette!" hissed Tikki, "You need to transform. She needs Ladybug." But Marinette wasn't listening. She picked up a rock beside her feet and ran out into the open.

"Hey!" She threw it forward and it slammed against a transparent barrier surrounding her. The villain's dark eyes roamed to her. "You call that a show? Anyone can do a lame card trick!"

A purple butterfly outline appeared on the woman's face and she unclenched her fist. The cards fell lifelessly around Alya and Marinette caught glimpse of the cuts along her sleeves.

"You think my tricks are out of style, little girl?" The villain cackled, "Allow me to rectify that mistake." She reached for her hat again and Marinette didn't stick around to see what else she had planned. She'd diverted her attention from Alya. All she had to do now was transform.