The Missing Purrincess

Chapter 52: Tiny Brained Human

Okay, award for biggest dang idiotic moron in the entirety of Paris goes right here. 

---Adrien's POV---

My brain just seemed to shut down. Marinette was Ladybug. MARINETTE was LADYBUG. I sat near Ladybug in class, I played videogames with Ladybug.

I was there when Ladybug was being bullied. The whole time Marinette was missing, she had been right next to me.

Marinette quickly glanced up at the roof, then ran straight in the opposite direction of me and into a mostly intact building. She hadn't seen me.

"Tell me I didn't just see what I thought I saw."

I knew what I saw, sure I could be a little dense at times, but I wasn't completely blind. That was Marinette. Marinette was Ladybug. 

"Yeah, I don't know how I could possibly cover that up..." Plagg responded quietly, almost hesitantly.

"The whole time?"

"Yeah. Told you she wasn't just a friend. Shoulda listened to me sooner." 

...

I take it back. I may literally be blind. 

I looked her in the eye and called her our everyday ladybug. I called LADYBUG our everyday LADYBUG. HOW STUPID AM I?!?!

"Look, it's not exactly the best timing, but we kinda gots to go if we want to avoid big ugly up there." Plagg gestured to the building's roof where Monarch was. 

As if on cue, a single marble fell off the roof and I had to duck around the building I was hiding behind as Monarch poked her head over the ledge.

"Right. Okay, we can process this later." I mumbled. "Claws out."

I glanced back at the building Marinette had ran into, hoping she was ok. At this point, she would probably be as freaked out as I was if I ended up face to face with her given how I was not hiding how much I wanted to find her. Just one more thing to add to my list of times I was a massive idiot.

Quietly, I snuck down a few buildings before I pulled out my staff to leap away. 

I stopped and looked at it. It would probably be best to message her. Not to tell her what I saw, but just to check on her. As far as she knew, I the last I saw her was running away and leaving her with the akuma. 

I opened her contact and cringed. The last message I had sent her was clearly visible on my screen. 

[ You: Milady Look. I know you're mad about the thing with Marinette, and your reasoning does make sense. It is risky to look for her as super heroes. That does not mean however, that I will give up on my search. You are welcome to join me if you want, but you can't stop me. You see, your excuse only works if nobody specifically asks you to look for her. Akumas related to her disappearance combined with a personal request from a few high standing citizens should be enough to bring any suspicion over our interest at rest don't you agree Bugaboo? Marinette was one of the few people that I could talk to in costume or without. She accepted both sides of me and considered both as friends. Marinette was the first person to do that. I can't risk losing her over something like possibly risking something that is always at risk anyway like who we really are. If nothing else, we can blame our interest on Lila? You never really liked her and weren't too good at hiding it.]

Okay, award for biggest dang idiotic moron in the entirety of Paris goes right here. 

---Alya's POV---

The scene of the TV had gotten bad. Of course Ladybug and Cat Noir got away, but barely. Nino never came back after he ran off.

Flights had been delayed due to the akuma, so everyone else had nothing better to do than watch the fight. Business people, families, even Prince Ali since he never had the chance to return to Achoo after the whole Karma thing.

I glanced at the papers in my hand. Nobody could read these. Ever. Not oven one of them. If I could figure it out, so could someone else. And there were way too many people around me to do anything about it right now.

I folded them up carefully and put them in my pocket. It would have to do until I could shred them or burn them or something. 

I heard a slight whimper behind me. I turned around and saw a little girl. She couldn't have been any older than Ella and Etta, and her parents were nowhere to be found. 

"Hi," I said, careful to keep a smile on my face. "what's your name?"

"Evelyn" she said with a sniffle. "Are Ladybug and Cat Noir gonna be okay miss?"

Of course. She was watching the fight. 

"Don't worry your pretty little head Evelyn. I happen to know Ladybug, and she always wins."

"Really?" whimpered the little girl. "Are you sure?"

"Yep!" I thought of Marinette. Her bright smile and caring nature intertwining with her intelligence and strength as Ladybug. "She's smart, and kind, and she would never let anything happen to good little girls like you. "

A small smile grew on her face. 

"Where are your parents?" I asked, curious what kind of parents would leave their young child alone in the middle of a particularly rough akuma.

"Mommy said went to check what the loud noises were. She said she'd come back in a few minutes, but she hasn't yet."

"Ok, then why don't you stay with me until she gets back."

She smiled and gave me a hug, but all I could think about was Marinette. 

"Everything's going to be fine Evelyn. Ladybug's got this."