Roses and Knives

Chapter 13: Marinette's Birthday Disaster

Tikki: "A Kwagatama. A great symbol of friendship among us kwamis. We take a hair from our Miraculous holder and join it to the hairs of all the former Miraculous holders. And with them we grow a magic resin for a few months and-"

She notices Marinette is on her phone not listening and looks disappointed.

Tikki: "I know you don't wanna tell me because you don't want to hurt my feelings but it's obvious you don't like it."

Marinette: "I'm sorry, Tikki! I-I really love your gift. It's just that Alya should already have called me by now. We're supposed to be taking her little sister to the (she mimes air quotes) "dentist" (she winks) at four o'clock today."

Tikki: (puzzled) "Do you humans always celebrate your birthday by going to the dentist?"

Marinette: "No, of course not, Tikki. It's a secret code. They're actually throwing me a surprise birthday party."

Tikki: "But how can it be a surprise if you know about it?"

Marinette: "The thing about surprises is you know about it but pretend you don't so you won't spoil it for the people who are organising it."

Tikki: "What about the dentist?"

Marinette: "It's a fake-out! See, Alya's gonna pretend to take me to the dentist, but she'll really be taking me to my surprise party."

Tikki: "What if you're wrong?"

Marinette: "Impossible. All the signs are there, Tikki. (As she talks, the scene she describes is shown) Juleka totally jumped when I caught her holding a bicycle pump."

In the flashback, Juleka stammers wordlessly and Marinette walks off, humming. The flashback ends. Tikki and Marinette continue their conversation as they come down from outside.

Tikki: "Perhaps Juleka has a bicycle."

Marinette: "No, Tikki. Obviously she was planning to use the pump to blow up balloons. A surprise birthday party always has balloons. Also, yesterday (again the scene she describes plays as she talks, Marinette is sitting beside Nino on a bench to listen to his headphones) I caught Nino listening to my favourite song." (the flashback ends)

Tikki: "Perhaps it's his favorite song, too."

Marinette: "Are you kidding? He hates it. He has no reason to listen to it unless... He's making a playlist for my surprise party. Elementary."

Tikki gives Marinette a sceptical look and a third scene plays as Marinette describes it.

Marinette: "Ok. If you don't believe me, why was Alya having a secret convo with Dante, huh?

Dante and Alya see Marinette then they continue their conversation.

Dante: (just loud enough for Marinette to hear, in the flashback) "Yes Alya, I know a very good dentist, here's the number." (he holds out a paper to Alya and the flashback ends)

Marinette: "Which means... He's going to be there!"

Tikki: "Or it means Alya is taking her sisters to see Dante's dentist."