Miracle Box - an MLB rewrite

Volpina

School was canceled for a week after the Reflekta incident. Many of the students were injured, or had gotten sick from the locust infestation. On one of the days, the locusts fell from the sky with flames on their backs. This was evil ancient magic, and it would be hard to conquer. Marnette was worried sick. Tikki hardly spoke to her, and when she did, it was always out of anger or to place pressure onto Marinette. Tikki was beginning to grow impatient with her and let out her frustrations onto Marinette who was barely scrambling her life together. By the time they were back in school, it was the last week before Christmas break. Teachers were cramming in work to be done before the break in order to prepare them for their semester finals when they came back in January. There was also the New York trip the class had planned for on their return week to school that the board was now considering canceling due to the liability issues springing up left and right.

Alya wasn't going to be coming back to school till January. Her parents could barely afford to get her a cheap prosthetic leg yet, and even so, it was going to take her a while to obtain and get used to one. And she didn't want the extra attention. Even going to school with the wheelchair, as usual, was a scary idea to her.

"Marinette, we need to talk," Nathaniel suddenly came up behind Marinette during a passing period.

"Yeah? What's up?" Marinette said with a curious look on her face.

"I've talked to my parents. Well, sort of. Nothing much, but I kept what you said in mind. I don't need a girlfriend to please them anymore. They're not going to be thrilled if I had a boyfriend but... They're under the impression I've been hurting you now? And it's kind of weird-"

"You want to break up?"

"Is it weird?"

"If you don't need me to beard for you anymore, that's wonderful. I just want you to be careful," Marinette said. She spotted Marc down in the gym and gave Nathaniel a smile. "Though, I think I know your reasons."

"Oh- um-" his face turned slightly pink, "I can't do... well... ugh, I'm sorry."

"You're a really good friend to me, ok Nathan? If you are sure this will be safe for you..."

"I'll be ok."

"Then it's great," Marinette said, nudging his elbow a bit.

"Yeah, I just didn't want to tie you down you know, since I've seen how you act around Adrien and-"

"What?" Marinette's face contorted, "what do you mean?"

"I thought you had a crush on him?"

"I don't," Marinette said, though of course, now that she thought of Adrien her mind became confused by the words coming out of her mouth. "Honestly, I think I like Luka but still-"

"Luka?"

"Y-yeah," Marinette shyly admitted, "but I never see him and he's never around so I can't really say it's much of anything."

"You should talk to him," Nathaniel said.

"What? No. I barely know him anyways!"

"Come on," Nathaniel smirked.

"Oh fine, but only if you talk to Marc!"

"What do you mean-"

"You know perfectly well what I mean! Do we have a deal?" Marinette asked slyly.

"UGH you are impossible," Nathaniel groaned. "Fine. We're breaking up so you can talk to Luka and I can- uh-"

"Marc."

"Tsh," Nathaniel muttered something under his breath, his face scrunching up in embarrassment.

"You're still welcome to hang out with us though," Marinette said, "I enjoy being around you."