"So, how was last night?" Marinette teased.

Alya didn't take the bait. "Fine. Oh, look, is that Adrien?"

"A-Adrien? Where?" Marinette frantically scanned the room and Alya laughed.

"Girl, relax. You know that we're in the girls' locker room, right?"

"Oh, right." Marinette sat down on the bench with a sigh. "I just wish I could actually talk to him without getting so nervous."

"I can help you with that!"

"Oh, no!" Marinette protested. "I think we both know that this will just end with me humiliating myself! What if he thinks I'm crazy? What if he never talks to me again? What if he moves to Antarctica to avoid me!?"

"Girl, relax."

Marinette opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, someone came up behind them.

"Hey Marinette, Alya!"

"Hey, Adrien!" Alya said. She nudged Marinette.

"I-uh-hi!"

Alya facepalmed.

"So what about that big superhero battle last week? What did you two think of that?"

"Uh-ah-cool! It was cool!" Said Marinette.

"Definitely." Adrien agreed. He turned his back on Marinette and faced Alya. A hurt expression flickered over Marinette's face, but he didn't notice. "What do you think, Alya?"

"I think it was pretty cool too," Alya said. "Marinette and I love to watch the superheroes. In fact, Marinette loves to talk about superheros!"

"I do?" Marinette squeaked. "I mean, I do!"

"That's great!" Adrien said enthusiastically. "Who's your favorite superhero, Alya?"

Marinette glared at his back.

"Um, Ladybug." Alya said, uncomfortable. "What do you think, Marinette?"

"What do you think of Carapace?" Adrien said before Marinette could answer.

Alya crossed her arms. "Fine. Look, if you're just going to interrupt us..."

Adrien had the decency to blush. "I'm really sorry. I guess I was just overexcited."

"About what?" Marinette asked, sans stammer.

"Well... superheroes, I guess. Who's your favorite, Marinette?"

"I like them all," she replied, "Rena Rouge is so cool, and Carapace is always so calm, and, well, I think that Ladybug always tries her best even when it doesn't work out."

"Ladybug is great!" Adrien said. "Her ideas always work out!"

"Sometimes." Marinette muttered.

"What about Chat Noir?" Adrien asked. "What do you think of him?"

"I-well, he seems like a handful. But he's also very loyal and brave."

"I agree." Adrien said. "He seems like a good guy."

Mme Bustier walked in and called "take your seats, class!"

All during attendance, Marinette doodled pictures of the superheroes and what she assumed their kwamis would look like.

For Chat's kwamii, she drew a little black and grey cat with long fur and a tiny collar. Rena's kwamii she imagined as a red fox, and Carapace's was a turtle with a shell made of gleaming jade.

Mme Bustier began to pass out papers, and the class tittered to each other. "What's that?" Adrien asked, turning around. He squinted at her drawings.

"I-ah-uh," Marinette tried to shove the papers under her notebook, but he had already snagged the one of Rena's imaginary kwamii. Internally, she screamed.

Please don't ask about the kwamii. Please don't ask about the kwamii.

"What's this?" He pointed at the kwamii.

Marinette's heart sank. "I-uh-well, I don't really know- it's just a rumor- I heard the superheroes had tiny animals."

"That would be so cool!" Adrien said enthusiastically, and she released a breath.

"I-," she began, but she was interrupted by Mme Bustier calling the class to order again. They began copying words and phrases in their notebooks, but Marinette kept one eye focused on Adrien's back.

Suddenly, a scream could be heard from the lower floor. Everyone looked at each other, and Mme Bustier frowned. "Stay in your seats," she instructed. "I'll be back shortly."

Marinette and Alya looked at each other as the class craned their necks to see out of the door.

Someone else screamed, and Marinette stood up.

They waited two more long minutes for Mme Bustier, but she didn't return. "I'm going to look for her." Marinette declared.

"But Mme Bustier said to stay!" Rose said worriedly.

"She might be in danger!" Marinette said. "She said that she'd be right back!"

"I'll come too." Alya said.

"And me!" Said Nino.

Marinette's heart leaped when Adrien stood as well and grinned crookedly.

"All right," She said. "Let's go."

***

"I'm going to check down this hallway," Marinette said.

"I'll come too!" Alya said.

"No... that's fine, I'm good..." Marinette couldn't transform if Alya was there.

"No, really, don't be silly Marinette. What if you run into a super villain?"

Marinette sighed. "You're right."

Nino and Adrien each took a hallway, and Alya and Marinette headed down a third together.

One of the older lights flickered. A fly landed on it, just for a second. The wood window frames were old and peeling. The hallway was silent.

"I don't think anyone's down here," Alya murmured, her muscles tense.

Suddenly, they heard another scream from the courtyard. Without even glancing at each other, they sprinted towards the sound. When they neared the courtyard, Alya peeled away. "I'm going to go get help! I'll meet you there!"

Marinette ran around a corner and skidded to a stop. The villain- a purple-haired woman who clutched a beaker- glared at her.

"Who are you?" Marinette yelled. She was acutely aware that she didn't have her yo-yo.

"I am the Scientist!" The woman declared. She poured a green solution from the beaker into a test tube and threw it at a group of students who were running away. They immediately turned to metal, their faces frozen in a scream.

The Scientist laughed. "What do you want with our school?" Marinette yelled.

"Nothing! I have business only with its  disrespectful students! Where is Kim?"

"Oh no," Marinette said. "Mme Mendeleiev?"

The villain scowled. "I am not Mme Mendeleiev anymore! I'm the Scientist!"

The Scientist glared at Marinette. "You're trying to distract me."

Marinette backed up slowly, hands up. "N-no Mme..."

The Scientist began to mix something in her beaker, and Marinette turned to run. "Over here!" A familiar voice called.

Carapace was frantically waving at the Scientist, who grunted in surprise. "Yelling in the courtyard? So disrespectful!" She turned towards Carapace, preparing to throw a beaker.

A gloved hand slipped onto Marinette's shoulder, and she gasped in surprise. "Shhh!" Chat Noir said. "It's only me. C'mon!"

He grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him as he ran. The Scientist was too busy throwing beakers at Jade, who continued to dodge them.

"Stay here!" Ordered Chat, pushing her into the hallway.

She nodded. "I will, I promise."

He winked at her. "I'll be done as soon as pawssible."

Marinette rolled her eyes as he sprinted back towards the Scientist. She was mixing chemicals feverishly, creating a new beaker every few seconds. Carapace was still dodging resolutely, but she could tell he was getting tired.

"Tikki, spots on!" She whispered.