The Life of Marinette Dupain-Cheng: Book One

Chapter Eight - Questions!

'Where were you, Marinette?' That's what Alya and both my parents said when I got home from school that day. Well, I wasn't actually at school. Alya had come over to tell me all about her encounter with the new Chat Noir and Ladybug. She went on for ages about how she helped them defeat Stone Heart and how they were going to be the new superheroes of Paris. They being me and... Hang on. Who was that boy? Who was the real Chat Noir? Surely I know who it was. But then I don't recall knowing anyone in my school with that kind of personality. Confident and slightly big-headed.

'So?' Alya said. I jumped back into reality. She could see that I hadn't been listening. She sighed and said again, 'So, do you think they will stay and protect us from evil? I mean like, all the time?!' Was I? Were we? This would be a huge responsibility for me. I would have to protect lives. My actions could result in either saving someone's life or not being able to. That is the question I had to ask myself. I guess I made my mind up quick because out came a confident, 'Yes.' Alya smiled and I felt a sense of relief from her. I smiled back and we continued talking.

After she went, I took a shower. A scar. On my right arm. Probably from Stone Heart's rocky fingers that had me gripped tightly this morning. I came out and went straight to sleep. I was extremely tired from all that superhero duty.

As I entered my registration class, all I could here were people talking about Paris' new superheroes. Most were smiling excitedly and sharing pictures of them with their friends. But some were frowning. Looking angrily while discussing the stupidity that some boy dressed as a cat and a girl dressed as a ladybug could somehow save the whole of Paris. I don't blame them to be honest.

I sat next to Alya. She was talking to Nino and Adrien on the bench in front. Butterflies filled my stomach, fluttering at the sight of Adrien. 'Hey, what's that scar on your hand, Adrien?' Nino asked. 'Um... It's from my fencing class.' He giggled nervously and covered the scar with his other hand. 'Hey, Mari.' Alya said. 'You've got a scar on your arm too! Don't tell me you've been taking fencing classes as well.' What do I say? I don't do any sports like that! 'Scissors' I said. I knew I shouldn't have said that. I backed it up by saying, 'I make my own clothes. I really want to be a fashion designer when I'm older. I accidentally cut myself with them.' I too giggled nervously. Alya and Nino looked at me and Adrien with confused smirks. Adrien was still looking at his scar. Did he really get his from fencing? I know I didn't get mine from sewing.

I sat on my bed. Tikki floating next to me. I wondered how she floated like that. Where she came from and were there more than two kwamis? I decided I was too early to ask her those questions. But I had to ask this one. 'Do you know who Chat Noir is in real life, Tikki?' She seemed surprised and in her cute, high-pitched voice replied, 'All I know is that his kwami is called Plagg. That's all you and I need to know.' I had a lot more questions to ask her but for some reason I knew I would have to wait a long while before I knew everything.