Lost Little Kitty

Chapter 2

(The next day at school)

Marinette walked into the locker room with her head down. She had given up on waiting for Chat Noir sometime after midnight. She tried to brush it off and pretend that it really didn't bother her, but her puffy eyes and the way she hung her head gave her away. She opened her locker and pulled out her books silently and stuffed them in her bag. She didn't notice Alya come up to her.

"Marinette, I just want to apologize for yesterday. I know I was really pushy, but I got excited for you. I understand that you want to keep this a secret and-" she stopped mid sentence when Marinette turned to face her. 

"Girl! Are you okay? You look like you've been crying."

"I'm fine, I just stayed up late and I'm tired."

"Did your secret boyfriend do something to hurt you? I swear, all you have to do is tell me who it is and I'll beat the snot out of him." She said, balling up her fists.

"I said I'm fine." she looked down at the floor.

"Marinette, I know you better than that." She pulled Marinette into a hug. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I'm here if you do."

She let out a muffled sob into Alya's shoulder. "He stood me up."

"It's his loss girl. Whoever he is, he doesn't deserve you."

"Thanks." She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. "I think I'm okay now."

"It's okay if you aren't. I hate that this happened to you, Marinette. You deserve so much better."

"Come on, let's just go to class. Maybe it'll distract me."

Marinette sat down behind Adrien's empty seat. Weird. He was normally there by then. He probably had a photoshoot or something.

Nino turned around, "Have you guys heard from Adrien? He usually tells me when he won't be here."

Marinette and Alya looked at each other expectantly. They both shook their heads.

"He left me on read last night when I asked him about our homework." Alya said, a frown appearing on her face.

"I hope he's alright." Marinette added as she tried to think of the last time she had seen him.

Miss Bustier walked in with Officer Raincomprix, her lips were pursed tightly. "Class," she began. "I know this is rather unconventional, but Officer Raincomprix needs to ask you a few questions."

The room filled with murmering from the students.

"As you may have noticed, Adrien Agreste is not here this morning." The officer said. "He did not come home last night and his father is quite worried. If any of you have any idea of what has happened to him or where he could be, please let me know." He scanned the classroom and met the eyes of every single student. 

No one said anything, except Chloe, of course.

"Adrikins is missing?! You guys probably made his life so miserable that he had no choice but to run away." She looked directly at Marinette as she said this. 

"Chloe, that's the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Just sit down." Alya said.

Chloe huffed and sat back down.

Marinette's heart started to beat faster. What if something terrible happened to him? She made up her mind that Ladybug would investigate as soon as school was over, she would get Chat Noir to help too. And since she was Ladybug, she would have to pretend like she wasn't mad at him, which would be terrible and... why was she thinking about Chat Noir at a time like this? Adrien was missing!

"As far as we know right now, Adrien asked his driver to take him to a flower shop on the way home. Adrien went in and never came out. Has anyone seen or heard from him after that?" Officer Raincomprix asked.

The room flooded with a series of no's. 

"Well, thank you for your time." He nodded and started towards the door.

"Wait!" Lila yelled. He turned to face her. "Is there anything we can do to help? I just hate that something so horrible has happened to poor Adrien."

"If anyone hears anything from him, phone the police ASAP."

"Of course officer." Lila said sweetly.

"Okay class, I know we are all worried about Adrien, but I need you to do your best to focus while I teach today."

Marinette could barely focus on her work all day. As soon as the bell rang, she grabbed her stuff and ran out the door. She found an empty alleyway and let Tikki out of her bag. 

"Do you think Adrien is okay?" She asked her Kwami.

"I hope so."

"Spots on," she called and a flash of pink surrounded her.

She pulled up Chat Noir's contact on her yoyo. She cringed a little at the idea of talking to him, but she needed to stay professional.

There was no answer. Great. He was even ignoring her as Ladybug. What did she do to him?

"I guess I'll have to handle this myself," she huffed before making her way to the flower shop to interrogate the owner.

"He came in and I sent him to the back to talk to Maurice about making a custom bouquet. He never came back through, and Maurice never saw him." The shopkeeper said, scratching his chin. 'Maurice thought I was crazy until I showed him the security tape."

"Can I see it?"

"Why sure." He pulled it up on his computer and stood back as she watched. 

It showed Adrien getting out of his car and walking into the store. It looked like he was talking to someone, but there wasn't anyone around. Strange. 

Once inside, he made his way to the counter.

"He asked me if I had any pink bouquets. That's when I told him to go talk to Maurice."

"I see." Ladybug scrunched her nose at the thought of Adrien buying flowers for someone. She quickly shook that thought from her head and brought her attention back to the tape.

Adrien thanked the owner and went to find the back room, then he was gone. In the short space that the cameras didn't record, Adrien had disappeared. 

"And you never saw him again?"

"That's right."

"Do you mind if I take look around?"

"Go right ahead miss Ladybug."

There didn't seem to be anything unusual. She was stumped. After a short conversation with Maurice to confirm the facts, she left. 

She tried to call Chat Noir again, with no luck. 

...........................................................

Marinette fell face forward onto her bed and let out a scream into her pillow. "Tikki, I feel so useless. I have no idea what happened to Adrien. What if he's hurt? I can't get a hold of Chat Noir. As mad as I am at him, I could really use his help. I don't understand!"

"Marinette, do you think maybe Chat Noir has gone missing too?" Tikki said, patting her holder's head.

"Do you really think so?"

"I wouldn't doubt it. Especially since so many other people have gone missing."

"You're right Tikki, and I'm willing to bet that there's probably an akuma behind all of this." She sat up with newfound resolution

"So what's your plan?"

"I have no idea." She let her shoulders slump.