The Missing Purrincess

Chapter 4: A New Home and An Old One

All he could think about at that moment was Marinette. They weren't the closest of friends, but they had known each other their whole lives.

---Marinette's POV---

I had no idea why Tikki was so on board with me leaving, but I was grateful nonetheless. I needed time away from Marinette Dupain-Cheng. A double life takes it's toll on anyone. Especially if that someone is a 15 year old girl.

My parents faces came into my mind as I swung across Paris as Ladybug. Countless scenarios of how they would react when they found my room the way I left it. Maybe they would call the police? What if they don't notice for a while. Would they call Alya?

Alya. My best friend. Someone who was supposed to be by my side no matter what. One lie was all it took for her to abandon me. For everyone to abandon me. Nobody believed me, and it was all Lila's fault.

I pushed those thoughts out of my head as I ducked behind a building to rest. I had no idea where I was going, but I had been swinging around Paris for a while and Tikki would be exhausted by now. I needed a place to go. 

"Tikki, Spots Off."

The red Kwami flew out of my earrings as I released my transformation. She flopped onto my bag that appeared around my shoulder and I brought out one of the cookies I had brought with me.

"Where are we going?" Tikki asked me, while munching on her treat.

"I'm not sure. I need a place where I can detransform without anyone seeing me."

Tikki was silent for a minute before speaking.

"What about Master Fu's?"

I looked at the Kwami in front of me and instantly remembered my old Master. A picture of a short old man came into my mind, as well as the silly red Hawaiian shirts he always wore. He had remained hidden in Paris for years in his home, protecting the miraculous jewels until the end.

"That could work." I stated, then stood up and gathered what little belongings I had.

"You ready Marinette?"

"Too late to back out now."  I said. "Tikki, SPOTS ON"

---Nino's POV---

I stood in silence as my best dude Adrien and my girlfriend Alya were discussing various ways to contact the masked heroine. Trying to convince the other person that their ideas would work.

All I could think about at that moment was Marinette. We weren't the closest of friends, but I had known her my whole life. Her silly smile, the way she stutters around Adrien. Heck, I even had a crush on her at one point. Of course, that led to Alya and I getting together so I guess I have Marinette to thank for that.

Actually, Marinette was a source of joy to most Parisians. She was willing to give up her spot in the game tournament that she rightfully earned just to make a friend happy. She made costumes for Kitty Section and would often help promote their gigs. She even managed to convince the worst dude in Paris (other than Hawkmoth himself) to keep letting my man go to school! 

While Adrien and Alya kept debating whether or not to just post something about the trapped akuma to the Ladyblog, I looked over her room again. Small details tended to be Alya's thing, but any help counted right?

---Adrien's POV---

"Alya, we can't just post on the Ladyblog that we have an akuma!"

"Well why not? WE need Ladybug to purify it right?"

"What if Hawkmoth sees?"

"I doubt Hawkmoth follows a blog about his worst enemies triumphs"

"Yes Alya, because you totally wouldn't follow a Hawkmoth blog to try to figure out anything you could about him."

That shut her up. I knew how to get in contact with Ladybug of course, but I would have to transform for that. Even if I did that, Ladybug would be expecting Cat Noir, not Adrien, Alya, and Nino in some poor girls bedroom.

"What if we get Chloe to help?"

"Are you kidding me?" Alya retorted. "She would take the opportunity to be a her and try to purify the akuma herself."

The idea of a helpless Chloe chasing an akuma around with a butterfly net amused me, but not enough to risk letting her over.

"Alya, do you think you can keep it safe until tonight?"

"Yeah I guess. Why?"

"I think I know where Cat Noir is patrolling tonight."  I answer, trying to give myself an excuse to call her myself. "I can tell him to let her know to purify it."

"I guess that could work. But I would have to be really careful not to touch the jar. I don't trust my emotions right now to go anywhere near that thing if I can help it."

I nodded and turned to Nino to get his opinion. To my surprise, he wasn't standing by Alya anymore, but up in Marinette's loft.

"Nino what are you doing?" I ask him confused.

"Trying to figure out where she would have gone!"

I exchanged a confused look with Alya and we both climbed up to where he was. 

We see Nino had Marinette's cell phone, her laptop, and an old sketchbook she had filled up in a pile next to him and he was looking under the bed.

"She didn't even bring her phone with her?" Alya wondered aloud, picking up Marinette's cell and seeing the dozens of missed calls from when we were searching for her.

"Probably didn't want location to ping off something."

"Dude, what's this for?"

Nino pulled out a strange, large box from under the farthest corner of Marinette's bed. Slowly he opened it, but Alya and I were to engrossed in trying to figure out her phone password.

"I think she showed me once, It starts with a 1 I think."

"No way dude!"

Me and Alya turn back to Nino, who is now holding a much, much smaller black box in his hand. Familiar markings engraved along the top in an intricate red design. It fit in Nino's hand pretty well. I couldn't do anything but stare for a count of 3. I had only seen boxes like that before in specific situation.

"Did," I could hear Nino's voice fill the room. "Did she have a Miraculous?"