Chapter Text
Marinette’s day was rough…
Hawkmoth is a thing of the past, Paris not needing her in its wake. Bullies (Lila and later Alya) terrorizing her over easy to spot lies. Constantly. Even her parents added a bombshell onto her, revealing that she isn’t her father’s daughter. Rather, that her biological father remains in the United States.
Her days remained in a loop. Wake up, attend torture school, patrol, sleep, repeat.
The day she spots an online form for foreign classes to tour New York, however, she practically jumped on the opportunity.
Once she presented to the class, Lie-la claimed it as her own idea. She claimed to know someone who runs the tours. Half of the class believed her. If it weren’t for her classmates being gullible, Marinette’s job would actually be easier.
After sharing a knowing look with Adrien and Alix, Marinette just smiled mischievously. She doubts there’s anyone who’d actually care about Lila’s lies in another country. Needless to say, being left in a foreign airport is a new low.
Marinette just stares as the bus leaves. Lila must’ve convinced them that everyone was there. Alix seems to be fuming. Fluff and Tikki both try to calm the rabbit user down from her, admittedly understandable, rage.
Marinette, on the other hand, just laughs. Anyone passing by probably thinks she’s insane at this point. Honestly, she isn’t sure she’s that far off. Any pent up rage seems to be soothed as she spins the black and red ring on her thumb. The slight ringing noise from it makes her smile softly.
What the liar doesn’t know is that Marinette thought ahead. None of the class can enter their rooms without her signing in at the reception center. It’s a contingency she can count on. Even if her trip is a school sanctioned event, she made sure to keep scheduling and preparations separate from her personal files.
By the time Alix calls a cab, their classmates will have been sitting in the lobby for well over an hour. The pure chaos that would follow will make the situation worth it.
Once the girls get in the cab, Marinette stares out the window with a small smile. The streets of New York seem busier and more crowded than in Paris. Though, she’s sure it’s probably due to residents and tourists. Much like it is at home.
She continues watching as the taxi drives to their destination and sees a black and orange blur speed by. She turns to try and follow it, but it seems to have disappeared. The more she thinks about it, the more she thinks it was a real person riding something.
“You okay, Mar?”
Marinette snaps out of her daze and smiles at her friend. Thoughts of the blur still linger in her head.
“I think you already know the answer. I’m fine, though. I just thought I saw something.”
Alix takes that as an answer, making Marinette certain that her fellow miraculous user knows something.
The taxi comes to a stop in front of their hotel and the girls pay the driver. They reach for their luggage and stand on the sidewalk for a moment. Marinette’s eyes steel as she confidently pulls her suitcase into the building with Alix in tow.