Cataclysmed: A Miraculous Story

Chapter 2: Worry

It's lunchtime and Marinette's Kwami was begging her for the third time already.

"Marinette, go home!" Tikki pleaded, once again, "You shouldn't be here. You said it yourself: Something is wrong."

"But I have class," Marinette insisted as she entered the locker room, just as everyone else had walked out. "So far, it only hurts a bit, and it's a little black. I think it can wait until after school."

"A spot of unusual color on your skin, after a magical hit, is never a good sign," Tikki said. "That is not the color of a bruise or freckles. It looks like someone tattooed a big black splotch under your skin."

"You worry too much," Marinette sighed, as she took off her jacket, "Wow, it's really hot today."

"It's twenty-two degrees."

"Is it?"

Marinette then took out her phone, only to confirm that it was, indeed, twenty-two degrees. Why did it feel so hot for her then?

"Go...home." Tikki repeated. "From there, you can call Master Fu and take a much needed rest, in the meantime."

"I can't have Master Fu come to my house!" Marinette said.

She was able to at least save several books and her jacket, before closing the locker.

"You know all the questions my parents will ask." she continued, "It's not safe. They could figure out I'm Ladybug. I'll just visit him after class."

Marinette took a step to leave the locker room, but a sharp pain rendered her immobile.

Suddenly, she collapsed against the lockers, dropping her bookbag and trying to even her breath. For an agonizing minute, the pain felt like a thousand small knives stabbing her continually. Then, the pain subsided, but slower than when it came.

The girl took the opportunity to lift up the hem of her shirt all the way up to her ribs. With Tikki's gasp, she knew it before looking: the black portion was larger now, hundreds of large black spots spreading across her skin. It seemed that it was already reaching her back and upper leg.

"Please." Tikki begged, her tiny hands coming together, "Please go home. Call Master Fu. He'll take care of you."

Marinette chewed on her lip. On the one hand, the fact that it grew larger in the span of two hours since she woke up was an obvious red flag, but on the other, she didn't want anyone suspecting her actions, especially her parents. If they found out she is Ladybug, she would be putting them in great risk. And if she skipped school, Principal Damocles would call them. He threatened to do so last time she missed class for an akuma.

"I-I...I don't kno—" she said.

The door swung open and a janitor walked in.

"Hey, you're supposed to be in class, unless you want me to take you to the principal." he said.

"S-Sorry." Marinette stuttered, grabbing her bag from the floor.

Knowing she would get in trouble if she didn't head straight to a classroom, the girl walked directly to Ms. Bustier's class. Maybe she could fake being sick (not that it would be too hard, considering her current condition). That way, she could go home with a reasonable excuse and not get in trouble for missing class.

As she entered the classroom, Marinette tried to not make eye contact with her teacher nor classmates. Of course, that didn't help for her conspicuousness, for she tripped on the step before her desk. Several students laughed, while she quickly righted herself and sat on her desk.