Chapter Text
Chloè watched the entire scene at lunch with a smile so bright, you would have sworn her teeth were actually made of diamonds. Her classmates were all just so... utterly ridiculous that they pushed her past anger and directly into... well... laughter.
Loud laughter.
That certain kind of cackle that made the rest of the room stop and stare as if she'd finally lost it. Realizing what she was about to say, the blonde figured that she might have lost her mind.
Oh well, can't back out now.
Instead of standing up as if to mislead anyone on how much she cared, she crossed her legs and inspected her nails as she spoke, projecting her voice as the politician's daughter she was.
“Look at that!” Her first sentences dragged a bit, adding emphasis to the three words. “I thought I was the one who hated Marinette, but after your performance in the classroom, and your reprise just now, I'm worried that I might be out of a job!”
“How could you accuse me of hating Mari-”
“Ew.” Chloè's hand recoiled, as even the sound of Lila's voice disgusted her. “Why is she talking to me? Everyone knows I don't converse with basics, and she's not even relevant enough to be one.” She locked eyes with Lila, “Sorry, I'm too valuable to talk to fabrications.” The blonde moved her eyes back to the crowd of her classmates, who were now split between comforting Rossi and beginning to scold Chloè. Ridiculous. “I'm talking to all of you, Dupain-Cheng's supposed ‘friends.’ I can't believe you all just... dropped her as soon as you could. I mean, I always thought she was a little annoying, but I never would've imagined that you lot would just cast her aside for a Mythbusters’ wet dream.”
“Don't talk about Lila that way Chloè! Marinette has been nothing but rude to her since they met!” Was that Kim? Calling Marinette rude?
“Yeah, Marinette just needs a minute to get over herself. Once she stops being jealous, she'll apologize.”
“Do you hear yourselves? Marinette and jealous in the same sentence?” Chloè laughed. “You're her friends, half brains! You should have a better grasp of who she is than this! You think she's jealous of a liar who's been harassing Adrikins?”
Lila tried to speak again. “Harassing? I-”
Chloè continued to speak, not even glancing at the girl. “Name one time that Marinette has actually lashed out at someone out of jealousy.” She watched them all use their one collective brain cell to think. “You're not going to be able to because she. Doesn't. Do. That. Like, come on.
“I'm not gonna go around and point out what she's done for each and every one of you because we literally just had a picnic about that. But hey,” She shrugged her shoulders. “I guess hating your everyday Lady is what Little Miss Pants on Fire wants anyways, right? Because Ladybug's her best friend, right?”
Some of the class looked away, rightly ashamed of themselves, but not Alya. She pointed her finger at Chloè with a dangerous look in her eyes. Good.
“Where's all of this coming from? You don't even like Mari. You just can't stand not being the center of attention, can you?”
Chloè clicked her tongue, ready to deliver the final blow. “You'd know all about how much drama is between us, right? I mean, your entire friendship started because Marinette fought me just so you could sit together, right? A seat that you shoved her out of so that you could sit with your boyfriend?” She smirked as Alya's face fell. “You're the worst of them all, Cesaire. As her best friend, you're supposed to be on her side. As a reporter, you're supposed to have integrity.” She mimicked a mouth with her hands as she mocked Alya's words from earlier. “‘A good reporter always verifies her sources.’ Isn't that what you said? Did you verify that Rossi was bffs with Ladybug, or did you just post an unsourced and completely fabricated lie to the Ladyblog?” She tapped her chin. “And what about on Heroes’ Day when she gave you fact after fact and you just called her jealous? Such a great best friend!”
“What do you know about friendship?” Alix asked. “The only friend you have is Sabrina, and if you couldn’t tell, she’s over here too! Probably because you’re such a lousy person.”
Chloè sighed dramatically. “You know, I really hoped that at least one of you would be worth even the slightest bit of value and originality. You’ve all probably been waiting for the perfect time to drop that dime, right? Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous. You’ve all been fighting to be the one who ‘finally calls Chloè out,’ yet none of you even bothered to think about what immediately comes next.
“Sabrina knew what she signed up for. Our friendship may not live up to your golden standard, but at least we’re consistent,” SHe turned her head to the side with a smirk. “Also, how bold of you to assume that Sabrina’s doing anything other than what I’ve asked of her.” The Lila Brigade turned to Sabrina, who’s admiration slipped into her signature Chloè’s-Better-Than-You-Face. “Speaking of, have you found it?”
The girl nodded, leaving her open-mouthed classmates to go stand at Chloè’s right side, where she belonged. “I almost thought I wouldn’t, but I knew I couldn’t let you down!”
“Found what?” Many in the class parroted the phase at each other. What mindless sheep...
“Well, before the picnic we had for you ‘Everyday Ladybug,’ Sabrina told me about how the real Ladybug told her about how Volpina used one of her illusions to make it seem as if she killed Chat Noir which in turn caused all of you losers to fall victim to those hideous butterflies again.”
They gasped and Lila started to look around, thinking of something, anything, that could help her out.
“Yeah okay, but what does that have to do with Lila? She wasn’t even in Paris!” From the mouth of Max, Lila found her salvation. The rest of the class agreed, and she relaxed a little, ready to play the victim once more.
...Except she never got the chance. Because Chloè cut her off. Again.
“You have got to be the dumbest people I have ever met. I cannot stress this enough. Sabrina, tell them what you know.”
“Lila was in Paris that day, and I’m honestly pretty sure she never left. My proof is that Lila is Volpina!” The collective gasp was so loud that the other students not in their class, who weren’t already listening, all tuned in to see what happened. Sabrina, always the shy type deep down, cleared her throat before continuing. “Way back on Lila’s first day, which is the day that Volpina was akumatized if you recall, I happened to be walking through the park after school, and I saw Lila and Adrien talking on a bench.”
“What is with everyone and spying on my bro?” Nino frowned up his face. “Is he not deserving of privacy or something?”
“I wasn’t spying on him! If you’d been listening, you’d have heard that I said I was walking through the park. Of which I live on the other side of. Because I was going home. As it was after school.” Sabrina pinched the bridge of her nose under her glasses. “Anyways, I didn’t hear what they were talking about, but I saw Lila pull out Volpina’s necklace which she’s still wearing right now. No one else has that necklace, so she has to be Volpina!”
Lila’s hands shot to her neck, covering the item that was in fact under her shirt. “Well... I...”
“Rena Rouge has the same necklace! Maybe she’s just a fan!”
Chloè was three seconds from losing her shit. “How, Max? How is that even remotely possible when Volpina was akumatized weeks before Rena Rouge existed? Do you just not think? I mean, first you honestly believe that a napkin of all things can take out your eye even though you’re wearing glasses,” she took a breath, trying to keep calm. “And now you don’t understand how time works?”
She needed to relax. Chloè had no intention of letting Hawkmoth akumatize her again.
Everyone stared at Lila, waiting for her response.
Lila let out a dramatic sigh, and lowered her head, pulling out the fox necklace. “Okay, you win. The truth is... I am Rena Rouge. That’s why I had the necklace back then. I just wasn’t ready to jump back into the heroics on my first day in Paris, you know? And then Volpina showed up, so I figured it would have been best to wait until the hype died down so that Ladybug wouldn’t think I was just another faker.”
Chloè dropped her head onto the table. Will the lies ever end?
The rest of the class was starting to believe Lila, and Chloè was inclined to just give up. Comforting Marinette would be preferable over talking to these grade A walnuts.
That was, until Alya and Nino’s head turned so fast that they might have fallen off.
“What? You? Rena Rouge? There’s no way that’s possible!”
“Oof, looks like there’s drama in the Lila fandom...” Chloè sensed that those two knew more than they’re letting on, but there was time for that later.
“Yeah! Lila... Have you really been lying this entire time?”
Lila’s eyes watered. “Not you guys too! First Marinette is mean to me for no reason, then Chloè and Sabrina try to turn you all against me, and now you guys! How c-”
Her head still on the table, Chloè slapped her hand on the surface loudly. “Jesus Christ, shut up! You’re voice is so annoying. You’re a liar, I’m surrounded by idiots, and Marinette deserves better than all of you. Those are the facts and I’m done.” She stood up and turned her back on them all. “You’re all so utterly ridiculous that if I stay here any longer, I’m going to be the first person to have three akuma forms.”
And with that, she stormed out and left Lila at the mercy of her questioning fans.
Outside, she took 3 deep breaths before opening her eyes.
And immediately spotted a tacky purple butterfly flying towards the bathroom.
“I think the fuck not, you trick ass bitch,” Chloè said under her breath before chasing after it.
After all, whether she physically held it or not, she’s a miraculous holder wasn’t she?