"I'm Back."

"Been runnin' from a man-"

The preparation for the Bourgeois' event had taken up a lot more of Marinette's time than she had originally planned it to. Tailoring a dress to wear to the event was one thing but assisting the organisation of the fashion segment that was to take place during the event was a whole other level of commitment she hadn't prepared to take on. When Mr. Agreste made the decision that 'Agreste' would collaborate with 'A. Bourgeois' in a fashion event that showed off both the brands designs, she never thought the idea would require her input to such a degree.

Now she was sat in front of the stage in the venue watching the models come out from back stage one by one of the many the outfit they'd model on the day. Marinette would have been content if her jobs was just to help the fitting backstage  but no. Her job was to pick the pieces that would be modelled and manage the stage choreography. Initially Marinette had planned to get the graphics designers to do a 3D run of the pieces on 3D models to see what they would look like walking down the aisle one after the other. But of course the diva Audrey herself had proposed that the 3D models lack the in her words "the passion for fashion."

Long story short Marinette had to watch the irl models walk up and down the runway stage in different orders telling the dress team to change the order of the pieces or in the worse case give a model a more flattering piece to model. It was what Chloe would call "Utterly ridiculous." but she could create her own spin on it exchanging the word ridiculous to boring.

After two hours of the rehearsal. It was time for a two hour break. Something Marinette needed direly. She let out a long held breath leaning back in her seat throwing her head over the back of the chair, observing the other preparation going on around her. She watched as people all with different tasks from different companies run up and down the venue. Some setting up chairs and table, others dealing with the light display, she even saw some setting up a fountain near watch she assumed would be the dessert table. All these people working diligently, effortlessly. They have definitely been hired for events like these before. She stood up from her seat walking towards to the exit making her way to the food and drinks stall that had been set up outside the venue for the workers on break happy to finally get something to munch on. She on the edge of a fountain  not too far away from the cart sharing some cookies with the kwami in her purse taking in the scene around her, it was peaceful.

The peace broken by the high pitched shrill of woman in the near distance causing the designers head to snap in the direction of the sound.

'An Akuma!' She thought running towards the nearest alleyway. Before transforming into her heroin persona hopping on to a roof top to locate the shriek. Quickly noticing what seemed to be a woman on the ground with a crowd slowly forming behind her, the density of the crowd blocked her vision enough to delay her evaluation of the scene, not yet noticing an Akuma. Maybe someone had found the aftermath of an akuma attack. Maybe it was a petrified human? a living doll maybe? Or a wild animal? The more she thought about what could be the problem made her need to head over stronger. She swung over landing behind the crowd that stood observing the looks of horror on the faces of those that surrounded the area. Anxiety rose within her, her mouth drying up, as her steps became heavier the closer she got to the centre where the object of terror was.

A woman sat frozen on the ground staring into an alley before her with widen eyes visibly shaking at the sight of what ever sat before her. It seems as though she had gone into the alley only to run out in terror after witnessing something horrifying.

"Hey! Hey." Ladybug shook the woman gently trying to get her attention to no avail, the whispers of the people behind them drowned by the sound of the woman panicked breathing.

"Hey!" She shook the woman a bit more violently making sure to be gentle. This got her attention. The woman's head snapping towards the heroin eyes still shot open in terror. Her finger shaking as she pointed towards the alley way. Marinette had avoided looking into the alley unable to imagine what the woman could have possibly see to be so horrified.