Chapter Text
“Marinette!” It echoed from the crowd behind the haphazardly put up fences, “Marinette! I love you! Marinette!”
This was still so surreal. They were all here for me? All those people wanted to see what I came up with? Apparently so. Get a grip, Mari, you’re not a kid anymore. You’ve made it. You’ve made it long ago and you should be used to it, I told myself as I posed for the press on the red carpet. Tonight was a big one. It was all about my new fashion line. World premiere.
“I’m so proud of you, Marinette.” I heard Tikki squeal from my clutch and glanced anxiously around if anyone heard her. I kept smiling and posing just a little longer, before I started walking again towards the entrance along with my trusted manager and freelance journalist Alya Cesaire. The only person in the world that knew my secret, that I was in fact more than just a fashion designer that got lucky and made it big. I was and still were Ladybug. Superhero and protector of Paris. Which was just a tad bit more complicated now, that I was living in New York. But thanks to the notes I found in Master Fu’s office after I became the guardian of the miraculouses, I found the pearl of transcendence. It allowed me to teleport myself to every place in the world within the blink of an eye, which was fortunate, considering that taking a plane to France every time there was trouble would have been a little inconvenient.
Finally out of sight of the fans and paparazzi outside, I opened my purse and gave Tikki a look, “Tikki, we’ve talked about this, there’s microphones everywhere out there, I really don’t know how I’d explain a handbag that’s talking to me.” I said and Tikki blushed.
“I’m sorry, Marinette, I just couldn’t contain myself! I’m just so happy for you!”
“I’m proud too, Marinette!” Mullo chimed in and stuck her head out of the purse as well.
Oh, didn’t I mention that? Using the mouse miraculous, I created clones that filled in for me when I was called away during an event like this. And this is exactly why I had to let Alya into my secret. She has an eye on my clones when I’m in Paris doing my thing as Ladybug, because sometimes they’re … shall we say a little daft? There was one time in particular, where my clone decided it’d be wise to give an interview on the fact that I went to school with male supermodel and scandal magnet Adrien Agreste and went into great detail on how hard I was crushing on him back then, which, without Alya’s intervening and threats to take legal measures, would have made big headlines the next day. She brought my clone home, thinking I was drunk. It was the next day that I realised, I had to let her in on my secret. I just couldn’t trust those alternate versions of myself in public and unless I was at home or using the bathroom, I was always in public these days. Really, though, it was a huge relief to have someone to talk to about my secret identity, although she had been furious at me at first for not telling her about this sooner. But these days we could laugh about all the times she had been so close to figuring me out and her passion of finding out Ladybug’s identity had transformed into protecting Ladybug’s identity. That and firing up Marinette’s career on the side. I’m serious, without her, I’d still be working in my parents’ bakery, keeping my designs in my desk drawer.
“Guys, we’re late and you two aren’t supposed to come out at all in public.” Alya said and gently pushed the Kwami’s heads back into the purse before closing it. “Come on, you can’t be late to your big show.” She said and pushed me towards the backstage area.
“Aren’t you a little hard on them?” I asked and looked worriedly at my handbag while Alya rolled her eyes.
“I have no idea, how you managed to keep your secret without me, Marinette.” She said and I just had to laugh, because she was on point there.
“Well.. mainly because my lucky charm reversed everything that happened after people were akumatised and at times even deleted memories.. so that helped.” I said and she joined my laughter as we walked in.