Everyone knew Alya Cesaire was strange, and it wasn't just her obsession with superheroes. That would actually be considered normal. What was strange, as everyone learned quickly when she started at their school was her belief in the supernatural.

Aliens? Nearly every Monday was a new picture of some blur in the sky.

Ghosts? The bathrooms had been thoroughly inspected after school for any sign of the undead.

Zombies? Her locker served as an emergency supply in case of zombie attack.

Superheroes? Every news report of possible vigilantes was saved in a binder marked by potential power and danger level.

Let's just say, making friends wasn't that easy.

In the end, Nino found himself dragged into conversations between her and his best friend Adrien Agreste.

Adrien looked fascinated by what she had to say, but Nino thought it may have been more out of politeness.

Anytime she tried to speak to Nino, he immediately put on his headphones to drown out the annoying babble of nonsense. So then Alya would keep to herself until Adrien showed, talking to him, unless Nino intercepted his friend first.

"You know, you should try talking to Alya," offered Adrien once before leaving for a photoshoot.

"Dude, she's crazy. I don't know how you even put up with it."

"Some of her theories aren't so crazy."

And they left it at that.

What was especially strange was the day Alya showed up with a new girl with dark hair and big blue eyes. It was strange for Alya to even have a friend at this school, let alone one who was cute, but what made it slightly stranger was when Alya entered the classroom, the girl bumped into the wall before the door, falling on her behind as she rubbed her forehead.

Nino was beside her in a flash, helping her up. It made sense since his seat was closest to the door, he reasoned.

"You alright?"

"I think so," she accepted his hand, granted on the third try to grab it, as he pulled her up. "Just not use to these things?"

"Doorways?"

The big blue eyes panicked momentarily.

"Doorways this small. Her house has larger doorways," corrected Alya for her.

"Right, larger doorways. My dad is practically a giant so we needed larger doorways," the blue-eyed girl continued, ending with a nervous smile.

"Alya, who's this," asked the teacher from her desk, Alya proceeding to pull the girl over.

"This is my...cousin's… friend's….step-niece's aunt? Marinette."

"Marinette?"

Alya looked to Marinette who gazed at her with wide eye nervousness.

"Dupain-Cheng? She's joining our class today."

"Alright," the teacher picked up her roster writing down Marinette's name as best as she could. "I trust Alya will show you around and get you settled. You can take the seat next to her as well."

"Thank you ma'am," Marinette thanked as Alya pulled her up to her seat.

"Who's that," asked Adrien as he entered the classroom.

"New student. Marinette Dupain-Cheng," answer Nino as he went back to his seat, Adrien taking his own next to him. Before Adrien sat down, he turned to the new girl, extending his hand.

"Hi, I'm Adrien Agreste," he introduced, the girl's face turning paler that it previously was as she stared at the extended hand. Alya dropping a heavy textbook beside her, woke the girl out of her stupor, taking Adrien's hand on the second try, "Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

Adrien let go before gesturing to Nino.

"And this my fri-"

"Nino, Nino Lahiffe," Nino practically jumped on to his seat, certain to grasp her hand right the first time.

"Welcome to our class," concluded Adrien.

"Adrikins," Chloe jumped on Adrien, capturing him in a death grip-hug.

"And this is Chloe Bourgeois," Adrien gasped as Chloe held to him for dear life.

"Bourgeois? Andre Bourgeois?"

"Of course! My daddy's the mayor. Everyone knows him."

Marinette pursed her lips as she raised her eyebrows, sitting down closer to Alya. While Chloe continued to dote on Adrien, Nino noticed as he stepped down to his seat that Marinette was whispered something to Alya, occasionally glancing at Chloe. Alya covered her mouth, her eyes lighting up with amusement.

"Bye Adrikins, try not to miss me too much," Chloe sat down the seat opposite of Adrien, her lackie Sabrina sitting beside her.

"So Alya, any new alien sightings last weekend," started Adrien, startling the girls out of their conversation. They both looked at each other then looked to Adrien, Marinette immediately drawing her attention elsewhere in the class while Alya smiled.

"Not this weekend."

Marinette was practically glued to Alya's hip after that first day. Which was a roundabout way for Nino to get to know her. Marinette talked to Alya who talked to Adrien who talked to him. A little more complicated than necessary, but it worked. Although, it also meant he had to listen to Alya's ramblings, which Marinette listened with eagerness, and even countered Alya's points even though Alya was the acclaimed expert.

From what Nino learned, Marinette was smart, resourceful, and very creative. Alya and Marinette always partnered for projects, much to Nino's annoyance, and it always turned out amazing.

The only problem with Marinette was her clumsiness. Like beyond humanly possible clumsy. It took over a week for her to stop running into door frames on a daily basis. Handshakes were awkward at first. Then there were the times where she tripped over the stairs, falling all the way to the bottom. She would bump into tables, run into doors, drop things. Sometimes it wasn't even her fault as people would hand things to her that she was unable to catch. During PE she was occasionally hit with the ball or ran into another person on the field. People started making a clearing whenever she was around in case her clumsiness was contagious.

Something else Nino noticed was Alya's unconditional friendship with Marinette. No matter how many run ins with the door or people, Alya was there to right Marinette up and telling her she was doing alright. It was strange seeing a kind side of Alya not filled with random blurbs about the latest hero sighting.

It was after Alya had caught Marinette during one of her crash landings down the stairs that Adrien caught Nino staring at them from a distance.

"Who you looking at," asked Adrien from behind, frightening Nino as he pulled them both behind a pillar. Honestly, that boy had the stealth of a cat sometimes.

"No one," he attempted to cover up. Adrien looked around the pillar, spying Alya picking up Marinette as well as a book which she handed back to Marinette. Nino quickly pulled him away.

"Alya or Marinette?"

"Marinette."

Adrien raised an eyebrow.

"Really? I thought you and Alya would be cool together."

Nino raised an equally confused eyebrow.

"We have nothing in common."

"You're both passionate people."

"She's into aliens, ghosts, and other weird things. I'm into music and film."

Adrien shrugged, glancing back over to where Marinette and Alya disappeared into the locker hall.

"So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know,

"I don't know, I mean, dude, do I go up to her and crack her a joke? Shoot her a compliment? Invite her to the zoo? Play it serious?"

Adrien rested against the wall, keeping his eye on both his friend and the locker hall, "Nino, you're way over thinking this. 'Invite her to the zoo', you serious?"

"Well, they have this really new cool exhibit there."

"Listen, just be yourself, man."

"That's easy for you to say, Mr. front-of-the-cover-Teen-Model-weekly. I'm not that cool."

"You're cool too, dude. Trust me, or you wouldn't be my best bud. Invite her to the zoo. She'll say 'yes', I promise."

Nino nodded, ready to walk out and talk when he saw the girls leave the locker hall, heading up the stairs. He immediately panicked and turned back to Adrien who had stepped away from the wall, "What if I act like a moronosaurus, so she'll disses me and think I'm lame or–?"

"Okay, I got your back," Adrien offered his friend a fist-bump, which he returned with a grin.

The plan was simple, supposedly. Nino and Adrien would catch Marinette and Alya as they left for home and ask her to the zoo. Where did Marinette live? She never mentioned it, or her parents. He had seen Alya and Marinette walk across the street to school early in the morning, so maybe they were neighbors. Should he be asking Alya for permission to ask Marinette out since they were best friends? Or her parents? She had mentioned her father was a giant.

Nino froze at the thought, even when Marinette ran into him, dropping her book again, he didn't flinch.

"Nino?" She looked up at him, Nino plastering on a nervous smile. As if sensing his panic, Adrien came from his spot behind Nino

"Oh, sorry," Adrien nudged him none to kindly in the ribs, breaking him out of his stupor, "Right, Nino?"

"S-sorry," Nino amended.

Marinette giggled until she remembered her fallen book, and stooped down to get it. Adrien apparently had the same idea as he bent down to grab the book as well, both of them bumping heads as they reached for the book.

"Sorry." They quickly stood up, Marinette taking the book with her.

"Sorry about that. How can we make it up to you? Any ideas, Nino?" Nino couldn't move, the way Marinette held the book to her chest was too adorable to handle.

"How about we check out the zoo today? Word is that they got a new…" Adrien snapped his fingers in Nino's line of sight.

"They-they got a new panther," finished Nino, glad he could get one sentence out.

"Awesome idea, right, Marinette? You like animals," Alya nudged her friend.

"Uh, yeah. I, uh, I'm really into zoonimals. Ah, I mean anizooals. I mean zoonimals. I…"she rambled. It was cute when she did that. Nino could listen to her voice forever.

"Cool. Say, after school, four o' clock? Nino, sounds good?" asked Adrien, turning to his friend.

Nino nodded, at least he thought he did. He couldn't remember if you asked him.

" Cool, four o'clock then," Adrien concluded, looking to the girls.

"Four?" Asked Marinette.

Adrien nodded and pulled Nino away before Marinette could say no.

"Alright, if you ever feel stuck in conversation, remember, I'm right here," Adrien tapped to the ear piece Nino held in his hand, Adrien already wearing the corresponding communication piece.

Nino took a deep breath before putting the device in his ear. He could do this. Talking to a girl shouldn't be this hard, plus he would have Adrien coaching him through this. Everything was going to be alright.

"You got this bro," Adrien reassured as he hid in a bush, leaving Nino to walk towards the the zoo.

Up ahead, Marinette sat at a picnic bench, her legs swinging as if she was running in midair. She turned when she saw him coming, slightly smiling and waving. Nino waved back as he approached.

"Ah, hey Nino. Is Adrien with you?"

Whelp, there went all confidence. Nino only shrugged, unsure of what to say. Sure Adrien was there in the zoo, but not with them.

"Tell her you'll both be better without me," Adrien whispered into the comm link.

"We'll be better off without me."

"Huh?"

Nino realized too late what he said. "Ah, without him, I mean we don't need Adrien to hang out at the zoo."

"Of course we do, you dumb-oh I mean, wasn't he suppose to come? Don't you wanna wait for him?"

"Tell her you want to be alone with her," Adrien insisted through the ear piece.

"Not yet," Nino whispered back through the comm link.

"What was that?" Marinette leaned over to ask.

"You're right, we'll wait," Nino quickly turned back to face Marinette with a nervous smile. He could hear Adrien talking through the earpiece, but couldn't bring himself to follow through. Marinette's legs continued to swing as she looked around from their spot. He took a seat beside her on the bench, but not too close to be in her space.

"So, what's Alya doing?"

"Alya?" Marinette jumped in her seat, facing Nino again. "She's, um, babysitting."

"Oh, I didn't know she had siblings."

"Yeah, they're crazy. But I love them."

"Same. But with my brother. I have a younger brother. Likes to climb on everything," Nino rambled. Marinette giggled, "I'm sure he does."

"Good, ask her about her family then," encouraged Adrien.

"What about you?"

"Me?"

"Do you have any siblings?"

Marinette bit her lip, her legs halting their swing.

"No, but I've had friends who were like a sibling to me. Alya is definitely one of them," she looked off in another direction and smiled.

"What about your other friends?"

Marinette turned back with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"I miss them,"

Before Nino could ask anymore, Marinette stood up.

"Adrien sure is taking his time, huh? He's not coming, is he?"

Nino groaned internally things were going so well. What was the interest with Adrien?

"Repeat after me. Yes he is, but first I wanted to take this opportunity to…" coached Adrien.

"Yes he is, but first I wanted to take this opportunity to…"

"Tell you that I love you, Marinette."

"Tell you that I- Gahhh... I... Love a girl that I don't know how to tell her," Nino spit out, groaning immediately realizing the new mess he was in.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"You do? Well, I can help you with that," Marinette's eyes lit up in excitement.

"You could?"

"Yeah, can you tell me about her?" Marinette leaned towards him, eager for his news.

"Tell her it's you," Adrien insisted.

"It's you...your best friend Alya!"

Where did that come from?!

"Alya? Awesome! I knew you guys would be perfect for each other!"

What?! What was with people shipping him with Alya? She seemed nice but she was a little too crazy for him. Marinette was at least normal.

"I can fix up a date for you guys," Marinette continued as if she didn't see Nino's internal panic or hear Adrien's laughter and advice through the ear piece.

Before Nino could reject or accept Marinette offer, or even right his messed up confession, he heard a familiar voices screaming at the top of their lungs.

"He's coming!"

"Get out of here!"

Nino couldn't be quite certain who it was as Marinette pulled him away from the bench, and through some bushes, until he found himself flung into a cage.

"Stay here," she ordered before shutting the door.

He blinked, wondering what in the world just happened. The day had started out so normal. He was going to go on a date with Marinette, and now she shoved him in a cage.

"Darn It, looks like someone let one of the panthers out. This would have been an awesome opportunity for a superhero to show up."

Nino turned his head, realizing Marinette stuck him in a cage with Alya. Was the universe against him and Marinette and rooting for him and Alya for reasons beyond him.

"What are you doing here?"

Alya turned to her companion raising an eyebrow as if he should have pieced the puzzle together by now.

"I'm wing-womaning for Marinette and Adrien's date? What are you doing here?"

"I'm suppose to be on a date with Marinette."

Both went wide eyed at what the other said, then immediately looked away in embarrassment.

"So, you like Marinette then?" Nino peaked over to see Alya fiddling with her phone charm.

"And she likes Adrien?"

Alya sighed, "it's complicated."

A realization caused Nino to panic. Adrien was still out there.

"Adrien!" He jumped up towards the door, Alya immediately jumping him, pinning him to the ground. "We need to find Adrien. He's still out there," protested Nino.

"He probably ran for cover the moment Kim and Max ran by. Or maybe Marinette found him and they're hiding."

'Seriously? Why does everyone in the universe not want me and Marinette together?!"
"Maybe because she doesn't belong here."

"How could you say that? She belongs here as much as anyone else."

"She's not normal Nino. It would never work out."

"You're not normal either so why does everyone think we should be together?!"

He felt Alya's grip go lax, and he immediately pulled himself from underneath her and ran towards the door. Nino looked back to see if she was following him only to see her sitting with her knees to her chest, her face buried in between.

Nino sighed, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."
"It's fine. I know people think I'm crazy, chasing aliens or super heroes, talking to ghosts."

"If you know, then why?"

"Because I'm passionate about it. I shouldn't have to change who I am just to make friends."

Nino smiled when she said "passionate", the same word Adrien used to describe them both. He took a seat beside her.

"I'm passionate about film and music," he offered.

"So the headphones aren't just because you don't want to hear me talk?"

"Not the original reason. I listen to music when I'm bored, find sounds to mix later."

"So why don't you talk about it?"

"Last time I tried to do a film project in class Chloe ruined the fun for everyone else. Adrien and I will do gaming streams, but nothing big."

Alya eyes lit up as if struck by an ingenious idea.

"We should make a film!"

"What?"

"Like a monster film or something. With fun costumes. Marinette would totally be all over making costumes."

"Adrien could probably be the lead. He's pretty engaging in our videos."

"Let's do it!"

"Alya?"

The kids turned to the entrance to find a an older zoo worker.

"Papa!" Alya ran out and hugged the man, Nino sheepishly following her out.

"Have you seen Marinette," she asked.

"I haven't but I would imagine they are probably outside already. The panther's contained now and there are no reported casualties."

"Did a superhero save the zoo?"

The old man chuckled, "No, but they are still looking for the culprits who unlocked the cage."

Alya nodded, deep in thought, possibly coming up with an outlandish theory.

"Thank you sir for letting us out, we'll go check for our friends outside," Nino pushed Alya away towards the entrance of the zoo.

"Alright, you kids have fun. And bring him over for dinner sometime."

Both teens turned red, scurrying out of the park.

Once outside, they found Marinette and Adrien standing a foot a part, not making eye contact with each other.

"So where were you two?" asked Alya, with suspicious smirk.

"A-Adrien found me running and pulled me to safety," said Marinette, glancing quickly at Adrien. Alya, as if understanding, pulled MArinette closer to her.

"I think we'll head home, I'll talk to you Monday about the movie," and with that, Alya and Marinette left, Adrien watching them go longingly.

"You alright dude," asked Nino, resting a hand on his best bud's shoulder.

"Maybe, I don't know."

"What happened with you and Marinette?"

"We talked."

And that was all Adrien or Marinette said on the matter. Monday morning, Alya pulled Nino aside to talk about the movie, leaving Marinette and Adrien to talk on the steps of the school until the class bell rang, both entering the classroom happier than when they arrived to school that morning.

Nino was quick to learn how normal Alya actually was, just enthusiastic about things. When he showed her a demo of his songs, her toes tapped and face grew excited, going on for the next few classes how amazing it sounded and how it reminded her of a space film. When they started working on the film script, other students began showing an interest, offering to help them make their film. Marinette, Alya insisted was costumes, and Adrien was awarded the position of the lead actor, while Mylene got the lead actress and star of the film.

While they prepared for the film, Nino noticed Marinette fading. She would sit politely and listen to their conversations, but rarely participate unless Alya or Adrien asked her something. Sometimes she would just rest her head on her desk, drawing nothings with her finger on the desk. Adrien and Alya may have noticed, but never said anything.

What stuck Nino as peculiarly odd was as he was going to visit Adrien, who was at a photoshoot in the park, to give him his homework; he saw Marinette and Alya standing off to the side in the park, watching Adrien.

He wasn't sure whether a greeting was in order or not, as he sat near the photographer equipment, but the girls didn't seem to notice him as their conversation grew louder.

"You are being ridiculous Marinette."
"I'm not Alya, everything is done. I don't have a reason to stay anymore."

"Yes you do. Your my best friend. You can't just leave me."

"But now you have Nino, and Adrien, and all the other kids in the class."

"But they don't replace you."

Marinette looked away, Nino ducking out of sight. Marinette was leaving?

"What about Adrien?"

"She finally talked to him. They don't need me to bridge the gap."

"But what about your own dreams? You can finally live those out."

"Alya, I've come to peace with my ending. You need to too."

And with that, Marinette left the park, Alya collapsing against the fence in tears.

Nino quietly scooted over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. Alya jumped in her seat, her eyes already turning read from crying.

"Nino?"

"Marinette's leaving?"

The tears in Alya's eyes welled up into a pool before spilling out a sobbing "yes". She fell into Nino's arms, Nino only pulling her closer, but not certain what more he could do.

"What's going on?" They both looked to see Adrien shadowing them.

"Marinette's leaving," answered Nino.

"Leaving?"

Alya nodded as she pulled herself of of Nino, darker blue splotches on his shirt evidence she had been crying.

"She says fulfilled what she was supposed to do, so now she wants to leave. No goodbyes, no easing into it. Just leave."

"Where is she," Adrien bent down to Alya's level.

"She's probably already go-"
'WHERE IS SHE?" Adrien shook Alya none-too-kindly, snapping her out of her pity world momentarily.

"Saint Maria's."

"Thank you."

And just like that, Adrien took off towards the old church, ignoring the protests of the photographer.

"Why would she be at Saint Maria's?"

"She's always been at Saint Maria's."

"Alya, for once, now you are not making any sense."

"Marinette's dead! She always has been."

Nino blinked, uncertain if he heard her right.

"Alright, keep talking," Nino helped himself and Alya up, before running in the direction of the church.

"When my family moved, I found a ghost at my house. She had unfinished business, so I was trying to figure out a way to help her with it. I tried a temporary reviving method, but it ended up reviving Marinette who died in a fire over thirty years ago at my house."

"Freaky but continue," Nino encouraged as he pulled her down another street.

"So Marinette then makes the deal with the ghost to allow the ghost to possess Marinette to complete her unfinished business. And Marinette also promised to be my friend."

"That explains why she was always with you."

Nino maneuvered through the crowd of people crossing the street, before sprinting towards their final destination.

"Did she complete the ghost's request."

"Yes, cemetery," Alya directed as they entered the gate.

"What was her final wish?"

They stopped at the edge of the cemetery watching the solemn scene. Marinette stood before a plaque in the dirt, parts of her transparent. Adrien desperately clung to her and whispered words in her ears enough to make the girl cry.

"She wanted to talk to her son one last time," concluded Alya, letting go of Nino's hand as they watched.

The pieces began to click in place for Nino.

The day in the zoo, Marinette must had fulfilled her request there.

And now Adrien's last attachment to his mother was leaving.

Nino hesitantly approached, wrapping his arms around the girl and boy.

"We need you here Marinette," he insisted as he rested his head on hers, glancing down at the plaque below.

"Here lie the remains of Tom Dupain, Sabine Cheng, and Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

"Parents?" He asked. Marinette nodded. Alya joined the group, but remained silent as Marinette's form wavered.

"You told me once your friends were like your family. Let us be yours."

With those words, Marinette solidified, falling to the ground and the rest of the pile too. Both her and Alya were in tears as Marinette apologized for almost leaving. Adrien's eyes glistened with threatening tears, which fell immediately when Marinette turned to hug him. Adrien clung to her as if he held life itself, kissing the top of her head where she wouldn't feel it. Marinette turned to Nino, practically falling into his arms.

"Thank you."

Pinterest Prompt: "Imagine a ghost getting brought back to life but they've been a ghost for so long that they have trouble adjusting. Like, they keep running into walls and doors because they used to be able to just pass through them or they trip going down the stairs because they used to float down them and sometimes they trip over their own feet because they forget how to walk all together."
And this is what came out of it.
Let me know if you would like another chapter to be another Character's perspective.

Please R&R