Chapter Four

"Excuse me! You think MY Adrikins has a crush on Mari-trash? Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!" To Marinette's dismay everyone in their homeroom looked at Adrien and then her.

"Chloe!" Marinette snapped harshly. "You shouldn't just shout things across the room! Especially not lies and rumors! You tell enough of those about me you don't have to drag everyone else into it too!" The class took a collective deep breath. They had never seen Marinette act like this before.

"Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!" Chloe stormed off with a fearful Sabrina in tow. Marinette sighed and went to sit down next to Alya.

"This day could not get any worse even if it actively tried." Alya laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Please girl things will look up. Don't stress or worry yet. I can work my magic on these rumors and they'll disappear soon." A loud crash along with a wall caving in signaled the arrival of an akuma. Marinette pushed Alya out of the way of oncoming rubble and cried out when she felt a large piece of brick land on her foot.

"Mari!" Adrien and Alya moved in unison lifting the heavy chunk of wall off her foot. "Marinette are you ok?" Adrien asked breathless in his worry.

"Yeah i'm ok. You guys need to take cover, it's not safe. When Scarlet Lady fixes everything I should be fine. But for now you guys need to get out of here. I can't run away with you so i'll hide here under a desk." Adrien nodded and pulled them both away from danger. The quicker he transformed the quicker Marinette was out of danger. Marinette waited until she could transform in the empty classroom. She leaned on a desk clad in her stripes and readied her spinning top. She cautiously limped out into the hallway. She couldn't put much weight on her broken foot but she was determined to help Chat Noir even in an injured state. She saw him then, barging down the hall and moving past her.

"Marinette! Where is she?" He grabbed her shoulders.

"She's safe. I helped her out before I transformed. Another chunk of rubble fell on me however and I think I broke something." Chat bent down to inspect her ankle through the suit.

"Does it hurt?"

"A little." She could admit her pain to him knowing he wouldn't laugh or insult her like Scarlet would.

"You should stay back then. You don't have to fight if you are injured." Marigold nodded.

"Alright I'll stay back and help you when you need me." She stayed out of the fight until the very end when Scarlet appeared to purify the Akuma. "Scarlet! Are you going to run and hide again?" Scarlet glared but stood her ground in front of Marigold.

"You want to settle this bee? Fine. Let's go." Scarlet attacked first this time trying to wrap her yoyo around Marigold's legs. Marigold threw her spinning top and the strings tangled with each other. Chat this time didn't have to leave and much to the students surprise he used his cataclysm on the yoyo effectively destroying it.

"Chat how dare you turn on me!" Scarlet was fighting a losing battle now that it was two versus one and she no longer had her weapon. She fled yet again escaping Marigold and Chat Noir.

"Thank you for the help Chat but I have to go. Bee Out!" Marinette rushed out of the classroom and transformed back inside one of the female restrooms. Pollen flew down by her ankle. "This looks swollen, my Queen. You need medical attention." Pollen flew up in front of Marinette's. "I know Pollen but people are going to be looking for me. I have to get back to the classroom quickly." Pollen nodded and tucked herself into Marinette's purse.

When Marinette limped back into the classroom there were several noises of relief. A loud cry from Alya, a breath from Adrien, and a laugh from Nino. "See dude I told you she was fine." Nino gently punched Adrien's shoulder in a playful manner. "Marinette your ankle!" Alya crouched down to inspect the damage. "Girl, you need to go to a doctor. Scarlet Lady didn��t even bother to use the Miraculous cure this time so school's out anyways." Adrien moved past Alya to wrap an arm around Marinette's legs to pick her up bridal style. "I'll carry you Mari.. You shouldn't put pressure on that ankle." In this position his lips were close enough to her ear that she could feel his warm breath across her neck and she squirmed slightly at the feeling. Alya grinned and took a picture and Nino gave Adrien an "I'm so proud of my son" look.

Adrien carried Marinette to his car and gently placed her inside. After he slid in next to her he told Gorilla to take them to the nearest hospital. Then after a lengthy process Marinette's foot was in a cast and she was left at home wondering how the heck she was supposed to help Chat Noir now. "Pollen is there anyway to contact Master Fu?" Pollen thought for a moment. "If you want me to send him a message I know where to go?" Marinette smiled. "Stay out of sight and stay safe ok?" "Of course my Queen. What do you want to say?" "Tell him that I need help while i'm out of commission." Pollen nodded and then went out the bedroom window. After around thirty minutes Pollen returned and with a small box in hand. "Master Fu said this should help."

Inside was a foxtail pendant on a golden chain. With a burst of orange light a Fox Kwami smiled up at Marinette. "My name is Trixx. What do you need my little kit?" Marinette grinned as she realized why Master Fu sent a Miraculous. "Trixx how would you like being a little more active?" Trixx gave Marinette a clever smirk. "Depends on what you have in mind. Or more importantly who?" Marinette nodded as she thought of a figure clad in orange with pointed ears and a tail. A mischievous grin slowly spread across her face. "In fact, I think I have the perfect person in mind."