Porcelain Girls

Tikki

Adrien couldn't stop thinking about Marinette. He couldn't stop wondering if she was okay. He wanted so badly to know what was going on. But he knew, even though he didn't want to even think about it. He knew that something bad had happened last night with Marinette. Adrien paced his room and mumbled to himself about possible leads.
"The police found one of her earrings so there must have been some sort of trouble... A witness said there was a white van outside her bakery... Leo's Arts and Crafts... Leo... Leo... What do you think Plagg?"
Plagg had not talked about cheese ever since they found out about Marinette's disappearance. Plagg looked up at Adrien but said nothing. Plagg  floated up to Adrien and landed on his shoulder.
"I think we need to wait for more clues. The police dont have very much to go on and neither do we. But we can't lose hope Adrien!"
Adrien frowned deeply. He couldn't just sit there and wait. Marinette was out there somewhere and she needed him.
"Adrien, its all going to be okay."

"Plagg. Can we just go to her house one more time. Maybe we missed something."

"Really Adrien I dont think that there could be a speck of dust that you didn't observe at Marinette's house. There might not be anything left to find."

"Plagg come on."
His kwami looked at him for a moment before finally giving.

"Okay lets go."
•
At the bakery there was still a police car parked in front incase the person who kidnapped Marinette called or came to the house. The police were still unsure of anything but were keeping close patrol of the bakery and the other kidnapped girls houses. Chat landed next to the bakery doors and took a minute to look around. He thought back to yesterday. Every single thing that happened that day from the moment he woke up to the second he feel asleep. He thought about when his car pulled up to the school yesterday morning. He thought back and remembered waving to Nino and walking towards school and hearing Alya yell to hurry up. Wait. Alya yelled st Marinette to hurry up. Marinette had not yet crossed the street, she had been staring at something on her left. Adrien shut his eyes to try to remember more. He willed his brain to bring back the images of what she had been looking at. He followed Marinette's gaze to a white van, the white van pulled away from the bakery and left the opposite direction. Adrien snapped open his eyes and looked down the left side of the bakery. Chat took off in the direction the van left.
•
A few blocks down Chat stopped again when he thought he heard a tiny voice calling his name. Chat looked down the sidewalk both ways but saw no one.  He let out a confused grunt and began running again.
"Chat! Chat stop!!"
There was that little voice again. He stopped when a flash of red flew a front of his face.
"Chat stop!"

"What the- are you a kwami?"
Chat studied this little fairy. She was red with black spots on her forehead and antennas poking out of her head. She almost looked like a ladybug.
"Chat you have to come quickly! Marinette she-"

"Marinette!! What is she alright? What happened? Do you know where she is?"

"Yes I know where Marinette is but we have to hurry! I don't know how much time she has left!"

"Okay no time to lose then! Lead the way- whats your name?"

"Tikki."

"Lead the way Tikki!"
The little red kwami started to fly in the direction Chat had been running. He matched her pace and asked.
"Tikki are you a kwami?"

"Yes. I'm-"

"Ladybugs kwami."

"Yes."

"Well how did you know where Marinette is? Shouldn't Ladybug have helped Marinette if you-"
Suddenly it was all so obvious to Chat. Her hair, her eyes, her smile and the freckles. The laugh and her witty humor. Her bravery and her strength.
'Marinette is Ladybug.'
Chat couldn't help but feel such relief that he didn't have to worry about getting to know Ladybug. She sat behind him in class everyday. He talked to Marinette as Chat on late nights when he was just out to feel free. Chat was relieved to know that his wonderful Ladybug was even more than he could have imaged because she was Marinette.
"So Marinette is Ladybug."

"Yes, she is."

"Well thats a relief! I felt like in a way I was cheating on my feelings for Ladybug with my feelings for Marinette."
Chat smiled a real smile. What he felt was confusing but real. Tangled up but sincere. Complicated but worth it. Chat just hoped that Marinette could love both parts of him back.
"Chat don't forget what we have to do here before you can tell Marinette. We have to save her."

"Of course Tikki. Are we almost there?"

"Its that building right there."
Tikki pointed to a small building. There was a sign that said 'get art supplies on sale now!' In one of the windows. The place looked like it was up and running with modern style decorations and seemed to sell pretty well.
"Really Tikki? This is where Marinette is?"

"Yea there is a hidden door that leads to a basement. Thats where Marinette is."

Chat nodded his head and walked around the back of the building. He saw a door and jiggled the doorhandle. He was extremely surprised to find it unlocked. Chat slowly open the door and slipped in the building. Chat whispered under his breath.
"Hold on Marinette."