Miraculous Dragonus (Lila Rossi x Male Reader)

Arc 09: Chapter 07: Children of Darkness

"Do you really think she'll let us do it?" Ivan asked warily. "I mean... it's pretty risky... and it's the Darks."

"I've got a really good feeling Marinette will understand." Alya answered earnestly. "I've got a really good theory about where the Darks could be hiding out. And if it'll let us stop the Darks faster, why wouldn't she go for it?"

"I don't know, Alya." Nino said as he nervously picked at the padding on his headphones. "She wouldn't want us to do anything that would put us at risk, and we don't even know if the Darks' will be out when we go look!"

The three were huddled close during the change between the last classes of the day, careful not to let anyone hear them as they moved. Once or twice they nearly plowed into another gaggle of students who weren't being nearly as careful, which very nearly led to an identity or two being exposed before they found the safety of the art room.

"Psst! Marinette!" Alya whisper-hissed at her BFF, who was very preoccupied with taking measurements for Amber and Juleka. "I have an idea for finding the You-Know-Whos!"

"Her idea?" Ivan asked, one eyebrow raised. Nino shrugged. "Plausible deniability, dude. Just let it happen."

Marinette glanced over at Mr. Monlataing, checking to make sure he was still giving Nathaniel and Marc advice, before slipping over to Alya. "What's up?"

"Well, we were talking about the Darks the other day, just spitballing ideas to track them, when Ivan said something about finding their base, which gave me the best idea ever!" Alya said proudly, puffing out her chest as she pulled out her phone. "I put a video up on the Ladyblog of me "interviewing" Rena Rouge, and Rena mentioned to "me" that Ladybug was trying to find the Darks' hideout and needed help."

"But I wasn't trying to." Marinette muttered back. "Good idea for using the Ladyblog, but is there really anyone who could've seen anything?"

"Actually, yeah!" Alya yelped in excitement. Then she clapped her hand over her mouth when Mr. Monlataing glanced over. Once he looked away, she continued. "Someone posted a pretty detailed comment about how they spotted Dharkonicus. You remember when we fought that huge Drivereign villain?"

"Ugh, please don't remind me." Marinette shuddered. "What about it?"

"Well, this commenter said that they spotted Dharkonicus flying from the east towards the Champs-Élysées over the Grévin Museum, and they could see him for a little bit over the horizon, flying in a straight line. So I thought, if we started at the Grévin and continued from there, we could find the Darks' lair, hideout, whatever, and put something, like a camera or a microphone, so we could find out who they are, eventually swooping in and stopping them! Isn't it great?" Again, Alya quickly covered her mouth when Mr. Monlataing glanced over again.

"Well." Marinette said at length, steepling her fingers in front of her face. "It sounds like a good idea, but..."

"But what?" Alya asked, her ecstasy immediately deflating like a popped balloon.

"It's too risky." Marinette answered shortly. "We have no idea if they'll be out when you get in there. What if you get hurt, or captured, or worse? I won't be able to use my powers and heal you guys."

Alya sighed, clearly dejected. "Okay... I guess we'll think of something else." She replied. "Come on, Nino, Ivan, let's go."

"I'm sorry, Alya." Marinette said quietly. "But I know you'll think of another plan. I believe in you. Oh, and Ivan, tell Mylene I'm sorry she's sick!"

"Will do." Ivan replied as he glanced at Alya and Nino leaving. "She should be better by tomorrow, and she can't wait for costume fitting!" He saw Marinette smile back earnestly as he rejoined Alya and Nino.