She's Sunshine, She's Grace, She'll Punch You in the Face

Chapter 3: A Fearful Altercation

Marinette really did love the tour so far. Learning about all the humanitarian work that Wayne Inc. has done and learning the history of Gotham was more exciting than she hoped it would be. Sadly, a lot of her other classmates didn't think so. They were too infatuated with Lila's outrageous stories. Anyone with half a brain cell could see that Dick's patience was wearing thin, so it was no mystery when everyone was happy to hear the news of the classes lunch break.

"Everyone please show your ID to the staff here when you get your food." Informed Dick. "Mr. Wayne has all your names on file and the food is on the house. Don't forget to do the same tomorrow for the second half of the tour. We will all meet back here in an hour. Please enjoy your free time for now."

The class split up into groups to go pick out the food they wanted. The cafeteria was set up like a mall food court, with different restaurant stalls against the walls and all the tables in the center of the room.

"So, what do you guys feel like eating?" Marinette questioned. "Looks like we have a lot to choose from."

"Well Mari, you know how much I adore sushi and that place over there looks promising." Chloe says, pointing to a sushi place just to the left of them.

"Sushi sounds great Chlo." Adrien agreed. "Is everyone okay with that?"

After Alix, Max and Kim gave their okay's, they all got in line and ordered their food. They decided to sit at a table close to the emergency exit, which just so happened to be the farthest away from Lila's table.

"We really are sorry again, Mari." Alix says after a few mouthfuls of food. "We all tried to talk to Madame Bustier but Lila had her claws into her. Apparently, whatever Lila was saying to her was more important" she rolled her eyes. "and she ushered us onto the bus thirty minutes early. I don't know what Lila told her to get us to leave so early but I'm guessing she just didn't want to make her 'favorite student' upset."

"I don't think I will ever understand our teachers reasoning for her behavior." Max adds, pushing his glasses back into his face. "I thought maybe she was just afraid of confrontation but she doesn't have a problem with confronting you for things you have no control over."

"Yeah she's totally lame." Kim slumps against the table. "But I can take her. I can take her and Lila at the same time without breaking a sweat." He smirks.

Giggling, Marinette replies "I appreciate it you guys, but I'm fine. And I definitely don't want anyone beaten up on my behalf." She glares at Kim. "I don't think that would really work anyways. They would all turn that onto me like it was my fault." Thinking for a minute she turns her attention to Adrien. "How are you feeling though? You enjoying staying with Chloe over here now that your father is gone?" She jerks her thumb in the blonde's general direction. "Has she and her father been treating you well over at the hotel?"

Chloe scoffs while Adrien smiles, shaking his head. "Its been great. I've honestly never felt more free in all my life. I still get sad sometimes. Who wouldn't? But I think all of this has been a great learning experience."

"Yeah and who wouldn't want to hang out with me all the time in the best hotel in all of Paris? Talk about a dream come true." Chloe jokes sarcastically.
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After the class was all done eating, the students all start to gather up at the meeting spot Dick had assigned. Marinette offered to take all their trash to the bins when her friends started to argue over who would win in a fight, Batman or Superman.

She was just putting her trays away when she hears a loud bang coming from the main exit. 'Gun fire' was Marinette's first thought. Looking over to her friends she sees that she is right. A man who she quickly identifies as Scarecrow enters into the cafeteria with a few of his goons.

"There is no need to panic." Scarecrow begins. "The guns my men have here are mostly for show. That does not mean we won't shoot you." Marinette heard a few panicked screams, the loudest seemingly coming from Lila herself. "All I want is for you lovely people to be good little hostages. You see, its time for Mr. Wayne to pay me."

All of his men spread out while Scarecrow is making his speech, covering every exit. "Now try not to do anything stupid. I forgot to mention that these guns don't have just any ordinary bullets. Instead of killing you, they will inject you with my new and improved fear toxin. Believe me... you will wish they would have just killed you instead."

People around Marinette seem to panic but she stays calm. 'This is good' she thinks. 'Maybe I can cause a distraction to get these people out of here'. For once, she was thankful that all of her classmates flocked around Lila. They were by the main exit while her friends where by the emergency exit.

Looking over at Adrien, he nods once. 'Good. He's waiting for my signal.' She thinks. All the employees seem to be taking cover behind their respective stations. She can work with this. There doesn't seem to be anyone else that was eating lunch with her class. 'They probably got tired of listening to Lila talk.' She smirks.

Her eyes dart around the room for anything that might be useful. Adrien is close enough to the goon by the emergency exit and she is positive he can handle that one on his own. A minute is all she needs for her class and any stragglers to find their way out. With Adrien taking care of the one, all she has to do is take care of two other goons and Scarecrow himself. With one last look around, she locks eyes with Adrien again and takes a deep breath, then blinks three times.

On the third blink, she reaches behind her for the trays she had just set down. Tossing the first one like a frisbee, it collides with the first goons' gun and knocks it fifteen feet away from him. One down. Running in the direction of Scarecrow she throws her second tray, the corner of it hitting the second goon right in his left eye. He immediately drops his gun to hold his eye, letting lose a string of profanities at the same time the emergency siren wales letting her know that the door has been opened. That's two and three.

She knows that the other goon must be close to grabbing his weapon, so she holds up her last tray as a makeshift shield just in time to block the first few rounds heading her way. Just as she was about to reach Scarecrow, a stray bullet caught her in the leg and at the same time, the world turns red.
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Nightwing with Red Robin and Red Hood on his tail enters at the same time Marinette screams in horror. She is talking so fast that he only catches a few French words here and there. Something about a dead black cat and a butterfly man? And the last thing they ever expected to happen, happens.

Marinette runs at full force towards Scarecrow and it catches him off guard. They both end up crashing through the floor to ceiling windows and fall onto the street. 'It's a good thing the cafeteria was only on the second floor.' He thinks.

"I'll deal with the goons" Red Robin says, breaking everyone out of their shock. "You two go get Scarecrow and give the antidote to the girl." He finished by throwing a syringe at Nightwing.

"Right" They both answer at the same time and go to take action.

Looking down onto the street they see Marinette on top of Scarecrow repeatedly punching him in the face screaming in French "How could you kill my kitty?"

Deciding to not drag this out any longer, Nightwing jumps from the ledge right on top of the young French girl. Quickly, he sticks the needle into her neck and pushes down on the plunger to get the antidote into her bloodstream.

Meanwhile, Red Hood grabs an unconscious Scarecrow and ties him up for the cops. He looks over just in time to see his Sunshine go limp in Nightwing's arms.