Duty to protect

Relationships

It soon became clear to Marinette that Red-Beetle was the one that had to survive.

At all costs, as long as he was alive, things would be fine.

So one could only guess what began happening.

She would take any and every hit meant for him. Her death count had more than doubled. Weather it be due to being stabbed, burned, dissapearing in a puff of smoke? She would do it because he had to live.

She tended to be less protective when it came to akumas that used their powers to get minions because she knew that he'd have a hard time defeating her when she wasn't controlling how hard she was hitting.

Either way she died a lot...

Red-Beetle was not happy with it, neither was Plagg.

Red-Beetle soon had enough when he watched her shove him out of the way of a bolt of lighting from Stormy Weather and he froze watching her electrocuted body falm limp to the ground.

Afterwards, he charged up to her and punched her shoulder. "Stop doing that!" He then hugged her tight.

She didn't hug back but didn't pull away. She blinked in confusion. "Doing what?" Catastrophe asked.

"Dying! That's the fourth time this week that you've taken a hit I can't avoid! Why do you always do that!? I need you! I can't fight nearly as well as you and you're my partner! My friend!" He pulled back, looking straight at her.

She frowned. First of all, she had never thought of them as anything more than teammates. But if he wished to be friends, she supposed she could accept it. He had been trying very hard and he had a good heart.

"You need to be the one left standing. If you are not, then nothing gets reverted." She frowned. "nothing is in danger without me. I am your shield." She bowed her head slightly.

She froze, never having actually thought it that way before. She'd replaced Damien with Red-Beetle. She never intended to, she thought this part of her loyalty remained with her family.

"I don't want you to be my shield! You're my friend! It hurts more seeing you die than any wound I could get!"

The cat hero looked up at him in surprise. Not only were his words so similar to those Damien repeated so often, but he was hurting more because of her actions. She dropped her shoulders. "I'm sorry Red-Beetle. That was not my intention. I will... Try to find a way to protect or save you without getting in the crossfire..."

Red-Beetle's gaze softened. "Okay... Okay thank you... That's all I ask."

"I do not have many people that I consider the feeling of friendship mutual." She admitted. "But I believe that you are now one of them."

..~~..

It had been a while since she had heard from her family... None of them were picking up anymore she began to think they lost interest. Or... Were told not to contact her, which she wouldn't put past her father.

But while she'd lost most contact with her family, she had began to make a few more legitimate friends.

Adrien and Chloe somehow managed to convince her to try out for the fencing team.

That was the day she met Kagami Tsuguri. She was more her speed. She found it easy to get on equal tones with her and the girl was not bad with a blade which she did appreciate.

She did not join the fencing team in the end, no matter how much the coach had asked. There was only one spot open and Kagami wanted it more but she would join in a few practice sessions occasionally.