Miraculous Order Series: The Secret Battles of the First Box

Chapter 14: Runaways and Runway Models

Marinette Dupain-Cheng fixed her hair as she stared at her own reflection. After the small talk with Zoe, the two best friends decided to go to the bathroom for a breather. Alya knew how sensitive Marinette was to a giant public, how nervous she was of so many people even if they weren't there to focus on her.

Marinette huffed as another strand of hair fell on her eyes, today was definitely a bad hair day. Alya smiled proudly behind her.

"You look beautiful, Marinette." she said, still beaming.

"I knoooww it's just." Marinette huffed at another failed attempt. "It's just it has to be perfect."

Marinette grunted loudly, waving her hand in defeat.

"Something else is bothering you Marinette." Alya said, standing next to her friend, "I can tell."

"Of course something is - its that - that Lila!"

"What about her?"

"We talked yesterday and I just don't get it. I'm Ladybug, I know how to save Paris - I've done it for awhile now. I can handle myself and this stupid Order-" Marinette tried once more to make sure all of her hair was up in a bun.

"Marinette. What happened up there?" Alya said, stroking her friend's hair. "You tell me what she did - I'll get some sense into her."

"Well," Marinette vented as Alya redid her hair, making sure to grab all the strands possible. "We talked and she said that I am not a Guardian - not one of them. That I didn't earn things like they did. She treats me like a kid that got some stolen jewels."

"Hmm", Alya replied, so her friend knew she was listening.

"I want to prove it to her.", the dark haired girl confessed, making eye contact with her reflection.

"Marinette we can't be perfect under everyone's eyes. Besides, Lila isn't the one you have to prove yourself to. It's this Order." Alya scrunched her face like she did when she thought of a question. "How does the Order even work anyway? Is it like a democracy or something? They could be a monarchy for all we know - why would you want to be a part of that cult of weirdos?"

Marinette laughed soundly. Alya did her hair as best as she could but there was no way to grab all the wild hairs. The parisian girls admired themselves in the mirror, their smiled growing bigger.

"Thanks, Alya. You are right, we do look beautiful."

The girls laughed in a cheerful way that filed the white and bright space. The luxurious bathroom seemed to spare no expense. The tiles shone and so did the toilets. There was a metallic air dryer and plenty of rows of movement sensitive sinks. The brightest thing were the beaming girls, one in pink and one in orange.

"Is anything else bothering you?" Alya asked, keeping her friend close.

"Chloe."

The name itself made the happy vibe of the room dim. There was plenty to unpack just from Marinette shift in facial expressions.

"Has she said anything or-"

"No. She hasn't." Marinette looked up at her friend she continued, "Alya, she has only been nice to me since she found out I was Ladybug or as nice as she can be. She is distant but she... she is weird. This whole situation is weird."

Marinette moved around, pacing as she did when she had a lot to say. Alya remained calm and listened, her eyes keen on her friend.

"She bullied me a lot - for years! And when I was Ladybug I didn't want - I didn't want to reciprocate that because well - it's wrong! And then she started being nice and admiring me as Ladybug - which is why she probably joined this whole mess in the first place and then she find out it's me! Like, how am I supposed to feel?"