Scars DISCONTINUED.

5

Despite Adrian's offer to have Marinette driven to her home, she politely declined. It was a beautiful sunny day outside and she wanted to soak in the sunshine and stretch her legs. The sun and fresh air helped her forget her troubles, even if it was only momentarily. So she was all too happy to have a reason to walk around, she still felt uncomfortable around people despite all the time she's had to adjust to letting people in again. Despite all of her insecurities and feelings of awkwardness, she did enjoy having friends again. She didn't realize how much she missed the comforting touch of other people.

She giggled at that thought, stopping to wait for the walking sign to come on to allow her to cross the street. "Something funny?" An angered voice comes from beside her. Turning to look at the teen, Marinette shook her head. Tikki huddled closer to her neck, having stowed away in her hood, while the akuma seemed to peek out of her pocket. "Hmph, of course not. Everyone has something to laugh about till they realize that they're caught. Go ahead! Laugh at me!" The girl screamed, Marinette noticing that her breath reeked of alcohol.

The girls knuckles were bruised, as were her arms. She wore a ripped muscle shirt, much like the one Marinette wore for her runs, as well as torn and ripped jeans. It wasn't hard to see the knife she had clipped to the jeans, despite it being clipped to the inside to keep from being seen. "I wasn't laughing at you. I was laughing at myself. Would you like any help getting to where you're going?" Marinette said through clenched teeth, holding back the now all too familiar comebacks she had gotten used to over the years.

The akuma flew out of her pocket, flying to look the girl in the eyes before returning to Marinette's now outstretched hand. Marinette gently moved her hand to hold the akuma comfortably in front of her. The girl took a step back, her hand going to hover over her knife as her eyes widened with fear. Whatever she had been drinking hadn't made her stupid enough not to realize what an akuma was.

Not to realize what an akuma could do.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were working with him. I-I'll leave you be, I've already been akumatized, you can tell him I'm not doing it again!" And with that the girl dashes across the street, narrowly missing a car, and disappears from sight.

That's why she seemed familiar, Marinette thought to herself, worry filling her being as she crossed the street when the light turned white. The akuma calmed down, no longer flapping its wings in preparation of taking off, and now rested comfortably inside her jacket sleeve, Marinette still held her hand out to make sure they didn't fall out of her pocket.

After all,

it's not their fault they made people into monsters.

Marinette really did love walking.