Archive of Our Own ^beta

 

" Marinette Dupain-Cheng, you are expelled from this school! "

 

"No!" Alya couldn't help but gasp at the principal's declaration.  This isn't fair!  Marinette would never resort to such underhanded tactics. Alya blurted out. "Marinette deserves a hearing, not  this  sham  trial !"

"Mr. Damocles-" Adrien tried again, but it seems the principal isn't the only one who made up their minds.

 

"Since this is your final decision, do expect a  visit , Principal Damocles." Sabine remarked, her voice suddenly lacking the warmth it once had. Alya remembers Marinette telling her how scary her mother is, which is the primary reason why the bluenette always brings her father to school instead. Sabine continued, "I would like to clear Marinette's name before  transferring her to another school. "

"!?" Alya turned her head quickly to see Marinette cover her mouth with both hands. Blue eyes widened in terror, Marinette didn't dare speak out.  Marinette isn't the type of girl who talks back to her parents.  If Marinette transfers, then Alya will find it harder to spend time with her. Alya doesn't want to lose her BFF! 'Marinette' mom has got to be joking, right?'

 

"Marinette," Sabine called out, and Marinette shook her head.  The room is too quiet.  Sabine calls out again, and it has some edge to it. " Marinette ."

"Let's go home." Sabine requested. However, the inspiring fashion designer took a tentative step back, body slightly trembling. Her eyes welled up with tears, but the tears refused to fall.

"But..." Marinette whispered. Her best friend looked so small, tears blurring her sight as she held her hands together like a prayer. Alya felt her heart clench, never seeing her friend look so  afraid . God. This might actually be the first time Alya will see Marinette cry.

 

"Tom. I'll prepare the documents." Sabine told her husband, not even listening to her daughter anymore. "Bring her back home. We've caused enough ruckus for today."

"B-but m-maman!" Marinette's voice trembled, not wanting to leave but unable to speak back. "I-I'm (Sabine was walking away.) I'm innocent! Maman! Please w-wait. W-we don't! We don't ha-have to!"

"Shhh... (Tom walks close to his daughter, approaching her like fragile glass.) We know, sweetheart, but this is the  seventh  time." Tom gently told his daughter.  Those six times of Marinette getting expelled must be from Chloé. 

 

"S-so?" Marinette is trying her best not to cry, still being this heroic figure despite getting expelled. Tom held his arm out, smiling.

"Come on." Tom wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into a hug. "Let's all go home and eat some yummy macaron!"

"N-no! I-I don't...!" Marinette choked back a whimper, covering her mouth with her hands as she tried to move away from her father.

 

"..." When she saw the first tear fall, Alya couldn't look at Marinette anymore. She held onto her soccer ball, wishing the others come back soon from their expedition into the art club members and the student council - the former are the usual people Marinette hung out with. Simultaneously, the latter is the alternate source to obtain school footage from the week prior. Ms. Bustier wanted them to get the bottom of things, but  this  was getting way over their heads.

It wasn't just her.  A lot of them felt uncomfortable seeing the usually sweet and caring student hold back her tears. They can't comfort her because they can't do anything. The evidence stacked against her is pretty hard.  But this isn't game over! Someone did orchestrate this against her best friend, and she will get to the bottom of it!

 

"AKUMA!" Someone yelled outside as the door was slammed open.

 

"What?!" Alya held her soccer ball tight, eyes wide at the kaleidoscope of crimson(?!) butterflies entering the room.  It was like a mini-apocalypse . Magical butterflies were everywhere, just possessing random objects for the heck of it! It got to the adults first, causing more panic from the students inside. Some got out like Adrien and Ivan, but many of them had to keep still or think of happy thoughts or something.

 

"Marinette! Hide!" Kim feared, and Alya quickly looked at Marinette. This is starting to not be a coincidence, noticing the timing of such a deed. 'Does Hawkmoth want to akumatize Marinette?!'

 

"Une pe..."  Marinette hiccuped, tears falling down her face as her father shielded her from the butterflies. Her voice was so soft and pained. " P-petite ch-chatte sur u-un t-toit ~"

" A-attendant s-son.. " Marinette's voice cracked, unable to stop her tears falling or her body trembling as her father transforms into a massive werewolf. Marinettte was at the corner, singing her happy song and keeping the Akumas away by being happy.

" Attendant s-son... " Her eyes are closed, singing her song with her hands clutched together. Marinette's breathing is heavy, trying to be calm. " Pa-partenaire..? "

 

Marinette's  happy  song was so  heartbreaking  that Alya dropped her ball to call Nino.  Nino is her solution to comforting Marinette . She might not feel hopeless a few minutes ago because she knows Marinette isn't guilty, but Marinette's inner turmoil in her song is pretty messed up.  What childhood taught  this  to her?!  Alya knows Marinette is trying to avoid akumatization, but god, that is the saddest rendition she's heard!

She couldn't blame Rose and Juleka transforming into their akuma-forms. Those two were the closest to see Marinette, in all ways than one, struggling to keep herself together.  Where is Misterbug?!

 

Screw it! Mari needs me!

 

"Mari!" Alya can't help herself, rushing to her best friend's side. She sat down on her knees, pulling Marinette onto her lap for a hug. "I'm here."

"A-Alya..." Marinette sobbed, hugging her back and burying her face against the crook of her neck. "Don't... Don't leave..."

 

"You know I won't." Alya promised as the scarlet butterflies flutter around them. If they simply: keep thinking of happy thoughts, have a solution to their problem, and not be emotional, everything will be fine.  She won't let Hawkbutt get her best friend.

"Marinette." Alya vowed, reassuring Marinette that despite everything that happened: "Chill girl. I'm not going to leave you. We're going to survive this."

"O-ok." Marinette breathed out. They waited for the Akumatized entities to act because being in each other's arms is exceptionally comforting.  There is an ally of Hawkmoth somewhere, and he/she wants Marinette akumatized. Marinette sighed, relaxing in her hold. "Ok."

 

"Whoever did this..." Alya ignores the scarlet butterflies, thinking of the amazing coincidence. Marinette is too shaken, leaving her mind blank to prevent akumatization. "Whoever did this is working with Hawkmoth."