Check Mate

Chapter 2

When Marinette went home for lunch break later that day, she went straight to her room. She sat on her chaise and pulled out the new sketchbook she bought when Al-

When her classmates destroyed the old one. The new one was leather bound, hopefully harder to destroy, and instead of being covered in pink this one was black, much like the hoodie she was wearing. Inky black and smooth and the perfect size to try new styles of artwork. She wanted to be at the top of her game when Jagged Stone next commissioned her, which he said would be soon. She'd done work from him ranging from accessories to album art to even his stage clothes as of her last commission with him. She never knew what to expect from him, and it kept her on her toes.

But she also just liked drawing, after losing Master Fu and her classmates she decided drawing would be a good emotional outlet. So that's what she did now.

She got lost in her sketch, a bunch of puppets held up by strings, their maestro holding all the strings above them with a wicked grin, but two puppets were different from the rest. One was front and center, away from the rest of the puppets on her knees on the floor of a patterned grid, a chessboard. Unlike the others who had their mouths open and were able to talk freely this one had her mouth sewn shut, her eyes wide and lifeless, and rather than thin strings keeping her up, she was in chains, being forced to play a twisted game where she could only ever lose.

The other puppet had strings, but he was held in the air, suspended above the others slightly. He was at the front of the puppet hoard, one finger against his lips in a silencing gesture as he looked down upon the puppet in chains, a disapproving frown on his face, and exhausted eyes.

The rest of the puppets had their backs turned on them, mostly facing towards the maestro with their heads slightly turned over their shoulders, expressions varied from disgust to bitterness, rage and even hatred. They left their brethren behind, and turned instead to the Maestro.

"Is that how you're feeling Marinette?"

The question startled her out of her daze. She had a habit of being too absorbed in her work. She looked at her kwami, who had been sitting on the edge of her paper as she drew.

She took a deep breath in, and let it go as Master Fu had instructed. She couldn't meet her kwami's gaze, instead keeping her eyes focused on the chained up puppet in her sketch. She nodded.

Her kwami looked distressed, and Marinette lightly patted the poor kwami's head, "It's alright Tikki. It's almost winter break, just a few more weeks and then we can eat our weight in cookies and watch horrible movies and prepare for the rest of the school year."

That seemed to spark something in the small god's brain, and she suddenly seemed that much more determined.

"You're right Marinette. Winter break isn't that far away, and I'll be with you every step of the way." Tikki chirped, and Marinette gave her a halfhearted smile.

"I know Tikki. No matter what happens, at least I'll have you."

"Of course! Who else will remind you that class starts in five minutes~" The kwami teased knowingly.

Marinette pouted at that, "Oh, come on Tikki, it's not that- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! I'm going to be late!" She shut the sketch book and shoved it into her bag, and for the second time that day raced to school to beat the bell.

She didn't necessarily want to go to class, but she had to for appearances sake. But she held on to the small hope that Lila wouldn't pull anything else today. She had won. She had no friends left. Everyone hated her, and the one person who knew the truth refused to stand up for her. Thinking about it left a bitter taste in her mouth, but she slid into her seat, once again sliding on her blank expression and tuning everything but Mme. Bustier's voice.