Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Pusang gala! Ayoko na’ng maawa!
Ilang taong paghihirap nauwi sa ganitong paniniwala?!
Hahayaan ko nang basahanin ka ng aking lipunan
Hanggang sa huling ng luha’y aking masisilayan!

G**F******D***! I spare a pity no more!
For how many years I’ve suffered only to boil down to this stupid belief?!
I’ll let my society treat you like rubbish
Until the very last drop of tears I will witness

    Since her arrival at Francois-Dupont, Lila Rossi has been pulling more and more people on to her side. It was a slow process, having to break their trust in other people, but it was also faster than the other people she’d toyed with before.

    Marinette Dupain-Cheng, however, knew she was lying from the start. As Lila continued to build her circles, Marinette’s circles shrank. One by one, friends left the blunette, leaving who she would later learn were her real friends: Juleka and her brother, Rose, and Nathaniel. Even after she transferred to another class they made sure to keep her company until she found a new friend in Kagami. Chloe was making progress too, occasionally dropping a snarky compliment that might’ve sounded like an insult if Marinette wasn’t too kind for her own good.

    Despite the bonds with her now smaller circle being tighter than anything she had before, she still insisted on calling Alya her friend. It was a strange relationship. Marinette and Alya would be together, Lila would come up somehow, they would get into a fight, then Marinette came crawling back with apologies and baked goods. Her other friends always disapproved of it, but they knew how much Alya meant to her.

    Most of them, anyway.

    Luka and Kagami openly supported Marinette in every way they could, including by pulling her away from the reporter. Each time something happened, Marinette would come out of it more broken than the last, and it stung the two every time they came to comfort her.

    Their company helped Marinette through their quarrels. Hugs, hand holding, stupid movies, every little thing they could think of to help her calm down and feel a little better, maybe even rant if she was up to it. There was still a lot of things she hadn’t opened up to them about, but they both silently agreed to wait until she was ready to talk about it. 

    Luckily for them, she was so amazing that she sometimes had no time to feel bad before an opportunity came along to cheer her up; Jagged Stone would call, Clara Nightingale would commission her for a dress, her parents had a huge order and they needed her (and maybe her friends) to help them, Chloe would call her saying “she hadn’t spent enough money so she was going to offer her a manicure.” 

    Above the many skills she had acquired over the years, Marinette’s best skill was still in fashion. She could work almost as well as professionals if not as good as them, and she’d sometimes surprise her friends with new clothes if the inspiration struck her. Slowly but surely, her friends’ closets became filled with MDC originals, prompting their current project.

    Luka suggested Marinette publicly open her commissions, so they planned to set up a website with some sample images. Everyone agreed and pitched in ideas for it. Nathaniel helped with the web design and Luka, Juleka, and Kagami even offered to help model some of her clothes, so they went to the park to take some photos. 

    It was fun swapping outfits and posing, though some more jokingly than others. For the most part, much of the sets Marinette modeled went well with the black earrings of the disguised Ladybug Miraculous, but when it was time to show off a lovely pastel ensemble, she had no choice but to take off her earrings. It’ll be fine, she told herself as she put on some light blue earrings that better complimented her clothes.

    Everything was fine for a while, until Alya showed up with an unwelcome companion. 

    “Hey, girl!” Alya called, waving her hand in a large arc for the blunette to see. The tension Lila put on their friendship made hugs too uncomfortable for the both of them to greet each other with, so they resorted to waving. “What are you guys up to?”

    “Just taking some photos.” Marinette replied casually. Luka and Kagami shot her concerned glances but she reassured them with a raise of her hand. 

    “Marinette’s planning to set up a website for commissions.” Juleka moved in to show Marinette some of the photos they just took. 

    The group could see the Lila reaching for the chance to sabotage the project. “Can I help? I have a lot of experience modelling with so many professionals around the world.”

    “No, thanks.” Marinette replied. “I’ve got enough models for now.”

    “You sure? Seems like you only have one male model.” Lila pointed towards Luka, who was pretending to plan the next outift with Juleka while listening.

    “I wear some of the men’s clothes alongside Luka.” Kagami spoke up from her spot on the bench.

    “We’re fine right now.” Marinette agreed. “We don’t need any more models.”

    Marinette watched in horror as Lila grinned evilly for a second before bursting in to tears. Luka and Kagami hurried to their friend’s side as Alya did to Lila’s.

    “I know we don’t get along, Marinette.” The Italian wailed. “But I just want to help!”

    Alya glared at Marinette. “Lila was just being polite, Mari!”

    “And I was polite in my refusal.” Marinette spat.

    “She has a lot of experience!” 

    “I don’t need it!”

    Lila reached for Alya’s hands with fake emotions. “It’s okay, Alya. You shouldn’t fight. It’s my fault anyway.”

    “No, it isn’t.” Alya was quick to comfort her, squeezing her hand with a smile. “Mari just has some problems knowing when to stop.”

    Frustration began to build in Marinette. She clenched her first, but resisted throwing it at Lila. “I’ve told you time and time again and even brought you proof she was lying. Why do you insist she’s right?”

    “Why do you keep bullying her?”

    “I’m not—“

    “Don’t deny it!” Alya shouted at her. Marinette’s frustrations crumbled into a grand ruin of anxiety. Her hands instinctively reached for the familar warmth of her friends.

    “Alya...“

    The reporter had already turned around to leave with her companion. “Enough, Mari. I’ve given you so many chances, but you keep letting your jealousy get the better of you.”

    Suddenly the park was too cheerful. The grass was too vibrant. The breeze too gentle. Kagami took Marinette to the nearest bench while Luka sent Juleka home with their clothes before sitting with the other girls. Marinette was choking on sobs, holding back her tears as Luka settled beside her.

    “Shhh…” He cooed, thumb rubbing soothing circles on her hand. “You can cry. We got you.”

    “I c-can’t… I.. My fault…”

    “Their fault.” Kagami corrected. She reached for the same hand Luka was holding and traced the woven patterns of a friendship bracelet. “Lila harassed you and Alya chose to side with her. It’s not your fault that you’re getting hurt.”

    Luka began to hum a soft melody, which encouraged the dam to break as Marinette cried on to Kagami’s shoulder.

    “It’s always “You’re just jealous!” or “You need to give her a chance!” with Alya!” 

    “Why can’t she understand?”

    “Lila’s the one bullying me!”

    “We were supposed to be friends!”

    She let out her troubles in between hot tears and broken whimpers, and she did not hold back. Pieces of stories from Lila’s arrival up to just earlier made Luka and Kagami’s blood boil. Luka’s brows were knitted uncomfortably as he gritted his teeth while Kagami gripped the edge of the bench tightly.

    “Goddess, Serein, Démence, You are now the Divine. I have heard your troubles and am offering you power to punish those who sin against you. In return, you must give me Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculous.”

    The three looked up, the familiar butterfly outline framing their eyes. “Ask, and you shall receive.” Marinette quietly replied.

    Dark purple enveloped the three before disappearing. Luka, now Serein, was dressed in a white shirt with a large light blue triangle collar and asymmetrical sleeves. His left sleeve was long and billowy, hiding his pale skinned arm under its bell shape. The right sleeve was short, with a long light blue belt tied around the end of his sleeve and a metal ring hanging off the tail. Compared to his upper half, his lower half was almost bare, with only white shorts and no shoes. His hair had gone from black with vibrant teal tips to a matching white with light blue tips.

    Démence wore a similar set, though in black and red. Her shorter sleeve was on her left as opposed to being on the right. Her dark blue hair had become inky black with only the barest red undertone becoming more prominent at the tips.

    The Goddess, however, had her own look that set her apart from her speakers. An immaculate white toga hugged her torso, held in place by a gold empire waistline. Instead of sleeves, white chiffon flowed from her shoulders in a cape-like fashion. A ring of gold circled her neck, and translucent gold marks on her cheeks mimicked tears. Her hair did not change color, but instead floated freely without her iconic pigtails.

    Despite how different they all appeared, there were two key accessories that they all had. One was the halos. Serein’s halo was simple, almost like that of a stereotypical angel. It was white and it glowed gently, surrounded by a thin white mist that reflected the soft light. Démence’s was dark maroon, almost black in color. In contrast to the soft appearance of Serein’s, it was sinister, with a thick liquid of the same color dripping off the ring but never quite hitting her. The Goddess’s halo sat on her hair like a crown, a thin metal plate shaped like the sun.

    The other was an intricate wire armlet that snaked up their bare arms. Serein and Démence’s were silver while the Goddess’s was gold. 

    Indeed, when they stood together they were truly divine. They wasted no time, taking to the sky and diving towards the first target they saw: Lila Rossi. 

    She had finished her hangout with Alya and was walking towards the Agreste mansion. Unseen by the passersby, Serein whispered in her ear. 

    “Call me by my name.”

    Lila turned around to find no one. She looked around for any creeps trying to harass her or children playing pranks, but no one seemed suspicious enough to do it. Serein whispered once more.

    “I won’t forget what you’ve said.”

    Lila turned around frantically again. No one was even remotely close to her. She quickened her steps and held her purse tightly. She stopped at a street crossing when the light turned red, anxiously awaiting the voice. Démence floated to her other ear with a wicked smile and joined Serein in whispering.

    “To sing blasphemy of our Goddess, is that not enough?”

    The light turned green and Lila ran across the street. She did not mutter one word of apology to anyone she bumped in to as she tried to escape whatever it was whispering to her. The Goddess only narrowed her eyes as the Divine followed the sinner. 

Chapter Text

O- ako ba ang nadapa?! Boses mo yata’y nangatal;

ikut-ikutin mo pa ako sa kagaguhan ng mortal.

Tumigil ka sa pagsasabi na ikaw ang mundo;

Dahil walang interesado sa kasinungalingan mo.

Oh- am I the one who fell down?! It seems like your voice quivered;

To even put me in such a cycle of the absurdity of mere mortals.

Stop preaching that you are the world;

Because there’s absolutely no one interested in your lies.

    Lila had planned to go to Adrien’s house. She had planned for Adrien to escort her to the class picnic the next day, further convincing the class that she and the model were dating. She had planned to make sure Adrien was in on the idea unless he wanted an “incident” involving “one of her many allergies.”

    Didn’t think she’d have a stalker after her.

    Where she would’ve gone straight to reach the mansion, she ducked behind a corner to see who it was that kept whispering into her ear. 

    One minutes passed, then another, then a third. Five minutes passed, then six. Ten minutes, and no one was showing up.

    Lila lets out a sigh of relief and turns around to head home. 

    The Divine watched her all the while, Serein and Démence looking back at their Goddess for permission every so often, but she would raise her hand and signal them to wait.

    The next day, the class went on their planned picnic. It was planned by the students and not necessarily a school event so Ms Bustier did not accompany the class. Everyone brought whatever they could to make the picnic enjoyable. Juleka and Rose brought as many sweets as the goth was letting them bring while Mylene and Ivan carried in some pizza. Sabrina brought in drinks Chloe had paid for. Max had brought a game console and some extra controllers while Nathaniel had brought some art materials and a large adult coloring book. Kim and Alix brought a ball, a shuttlecock, and some rackets, Nino handled the music and Alya was recording the whole thing.

    The only people who weren’t there yet were Adrien, who was still at fencing, and Marinette. Lila arrived some time after they all started, saying she was held up by a famous artist who was struggling to draw the Parisian scenery.

    “And then I showed him where to paint the yellow I just mixed and he was so amazed!” She waved her hand, mimicking the strokes of a paintbrush while gesturing for a drink.

    “Wow, Lila. You’re willing to help someone you just met.” Mylene passed her a juice box. 

    “And you have so many talents!” Rose squealed. “You complete the class!”

    “The class doesn’t look complete though…” Juleka muttered.

    The two girls looked around. Alix, Kim, Ivan, and Sabrina were playing badminton, with Chloe clapping slowly when Sabrina scored a point. Nino and Max were competing for the highest score, and Nathaniel was idly coloring.

    “Where’s Marinette?” Rose asked. 

    Alya took a seat with the group and huffed, “Not here, as she should be.”

    “I’m so sorry, Alya.” Lila took her hand and looked at her with sad eyes. “I should’ve stayed quiet.”

    “It’s not your fault, Lila. With that toxic attitude, it was bound to happen.”

    The other girls leaned in as Alya recounted the previous day’s story, though Juleka had moved away to join Nathaniel. Lila smirked, she had Alya on her side 100% now and most of the class absolutely hated Marinette. 

    “What utter nonsense.” said someone.

    “Yeah, they’re total idiots.” Lila replied.

    “Who?”

    Lila’s eyes widened as the group had suddenly faced her. “Oh, just thinking out loud, that’s all!”

    “Something wrong, Lila?”

    “Nothing, nothing!” She hurriedly stood up. “I’m going to get some more snacks!”

    Making her way to the blanket where the food lay, she dropped a couple candies in her pocket and opened the box of pizza. A far cry from an authentic Italian recipe, but it’ll do. She looked around for a plate, but found none.

    “Did I really put so much on the line, suffer so much, because of someone like you?”

    Her head shot up in annoyance. Lila was ready to make an insulting comment at whoever that was, only to be frozen in fear. Deep red eyes stared at her with a smile. A halo that dripped blood. Dark clothes. It was like an angel drawn by a psychopath. She screamed.

    “Lila?” Alya jogged over to her shaking friend. “What’s wrong?”

    “A-Akuma!” Lila pointed at the demented figure floating in front of her.

    “Demon?” Démented raised an innocent finger in thought. “Wouldn’t that be you?”

    “Who are you calling demon!” She cried.

    Alya looked back and forth between Lila and the empty air above her. Something was scaring her, but the reporter wasn’t sure what it was. She pulled her up and gave her hands a squeeze, keeping her close by as they walked back to the rest of the girls. Alix now sat with them, their game having just finished.

    “Whoa, what happened?” She asked. Alya set Lila down amongst them while Mylene immediately walked her through some breathing exercises. “No clue. Started freaking out while she was getting some candy.”

    “Oh, you poor thing!” Rose quickly latched on to Lila.

    At first, it worked. As Mylene helped get her breathing in a steady rhythm, Lila began to calm down. Then she saw a similar figure in between Mylene and Rose’s heads. It was a purer image of an angel, with a softly glowing halo and light colored clothes. He disappeared when she blinked and she shrugged it off as her imagination.

    “What was that?” Alix asked again, this time asking Lila.

    Lila waved her hand sheepishly. “Must’ve been PTSD. You remember that nightmare akuma? Ever since he came around I’ve become so nervous about my worst nightmare coming true. I don’t want people to hate me or call me a demon.” She discreetly cringed. What a pathetic fear.

    “Hey, you got us.” Alya pointed a thumb at herself with a toothy grin. Good, Lila thought.

    Adrien finally arrived, though a little down since Kagami was absent from fencing. Before the boys could rope him in to whatever boisterous fun they had planned, Lila had wrapped around her arm like a snake. 

    “Adrien! I’m so glad you could make it!” 

    “H-Hey, Lila…” Adrien nervously greeted her, though no one noticed it.

    “My Goddess, how much longer are we to wait?” Serein asked, holding her hand respectfully. His fingers curled around her own porcelain ones. “Is she not your enemy, the Devil herself?”

    The Goddess did not answer. She couldn’t. She was so tired of having to defend herself, of having to make herself known to the room, that she had given up her ability to speak. It did not matter to her angels, who could read her every thought and spoke in her place. 

    “Command us, my dearest Goddess.” His lips lightly brushed against her knuckles, like a servant to his master. Démence floated behind and embraced their uncertain Goddess. “We will rain upon her the wrath of thousands.”

    No, Her voice responded in their minds, do not touch her.

    “My Goddess?” Démence looked at her with a raised brow.

    Let this society treat her like rubbish.

    The angels briefly let go of Her holy figure and bowed before Her with smiles, eager to serve. “As you wish, My Goddess.”

    From their spot just above the class, the angels descended on the liar. They’ve made themselves visible to her, and she screamed.

    “Akuma!” She stumbled backwards and landed on her rear, but she could only stare at them. “The akuma’s back!”

    The class looked around in a panic, but there were no explosions or buildings collapsing, or even the minor inconveniences caused by some of Hawkmoth’s less creative akumas. 

    “Lila? There’s no akuma.” Alya placed a hand on her shoulder.

    “They’re right there!” She frantically pointed at the Serein and Démence, who simply smirked in response.

    The students looked at the air above them, then around, then at each other. No akuma. Max even had Markov fly around in case they missed something. The little bot returned with no signs of an akuma.

    “No akuma, they say.” Serein hid a grin behind his hand, though he made sure Lila could see him snicker. “The boy who cried wolf.”

    “I’m not lying!” She screamed at him.

    The worries of their classmates only grew larger. Lila realised she was still surrounded by them and brushed off her reactions as “another medical issue”. Like normal, no one bothered to look it up. 

    Asking for some alone time, Lila seated herself near all the food. Rose has good taste, she thought as she popped another sweet into her mouth. 

    “Truly, Serein.” She heard the black angel’s voice mockingly laugh behind her. “The Devil thinks herself to be better than everyone. The Lady would do much better.”

    “Hawkmoth is a fool for thinking this powerless wretch could best the Lady.” 

    Just as she expected, they were literally talking about her behind her back. Lila picked up a nearby pebble and threw it at them, grinding her teeth when the stone just passed through them. “Lady who? No one can do better than me.”

    “Oh, have you not heard, little Devil?” Démence rolled her eyes at the liar, like it was a nuisance to respond. “You are not worth even the feathers of a pigeon’s rear.”

    “Yes. Lady Marinette would make a far better akuma.” 

    Lila jumped to her feet. “How—?! That useless brat would never get as close as I did to Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculous!”

    “Really now?” They turned away from her with disinterest. “So, Démence. The Lady, is she not prettier than the Devil?”

    “Yes, yes. The Lady is far more talented than she.”

    “Lady Marinette would reach farther than the little Devil.”

    Lila stomped her foot, unknowingly grabbing the attention of her classmates once more. She was close to ripping her hair out just from listening to these angels. She’s the one people should be praising! She’s Hawkmoth’s best akuma! She was Lila Rossi, the class queen!

    “You shut up, you useless akuma! I’m the Fox hero! If you don’t stop talking, I’ll call Ladybug!”

    “You? Call Ladybug?” Démence laughed hard, holding her aching stomach. “Pathetic. You don’t have a Miraculous.”

    “I do!” Lila pulled out the fox tail pendant from under her shirt. “Who’s the liar now?”

    “Then transform.” Serein looked at his wrist despite the lack of a watch. “I’m wasting time just looking at you.”

    She tucked the pendant back under her shirt. “W-Why would I? You’re so harmless. I’m sure Ladybug will know on her own.”

    The class watched on in horror and the one-sided argument their favorite girl was having. Alya had stopped recording and tried to approach her, but Lila seemed like she’d retaliate if the ombre-haired girl tapped her shoulder. She opted to stand a safe distance away from Lila.

    Démence burst into laughter again. “You could never be friends with Ladybug. It’s an insult to simply breathe the same air as your sad existence.”

    “Ah, but Ladybug would give Lady Marinette her Miraculous, wouldn’t she?” Serein closed his eyes in thought. “Not like this excuse of a human being.”

    “Don’t call her a human, Serein. She does not even qualify as a speck of dust.”

    Lila was fuming. They kept laughing and coming up with new insults. “You!” She shook her fist at them. “Just you watch! I’ll get Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculous before you!”

    Rose sucked in an audible gasp. The Italian girl looked around, now aware of the petrified looks on their faces. Whispers floated about as the class became wary of her. No one wanted to look at her. No one was sure what to say.

    Lila scrambled for an excuse. “N-No! It must be… ah! My lying disorder!”

    No one believed her one bit. Nathaniel walked away.

    “Guys?”

    Juleka lead Rose out the park.

    “Wait—“

    Ivan left with Mylene.

    “No!”

    One by one, they all left. Kim had to be held back from just beating her face in, but Alix managed to give her a satisfying slap. Even Adrien left without looking back at her, leaving Lila and Alya. Alya was clutching at her shirt, her head spinning violently.

    Serein sneered at Lila, “Cease your whining, little Devil. Preach not that you are the world.”

    “Because there is absolutely no one who is interested!” Démence finished.

    Lila quietly hissed at them and turned to Alya with as sad as expression as she can muster. “Alya, you believe me, right?” 

    The reporter couldn’t even look at her. She was frozen in place, her entire world crashing on her head. Lila Rossi, Ladybug’s BFF, just declared she’d take the magic jewels of Paris’s superheroes. She lifts her head slowly, looking at her shoes, then her pants, then her jacket, but Lila’s face never came in to view. Alya ran away before anything else could happen.

    “Alya!” Lila called at her. She turned towards the angels, who held knowing expressions. She was seething. “You ruined everything!”

    Their mocking smiles and the mirth in their eyes disappeared and was replaced by a look of disappointment. A burning light flashed and Lila had to shield her eyes. When she opened them, she was met with the immaculate image of the Goddess.

    “Of course, it would be you.” She growled. “Was tearing you down not enough? I’ll rip you apart! Make the class see that you would bully me even as an akuma.”

    The Goddess was silent. Serein and Démence narrowed their eyes at the girl and opened their mouths, the voice of the Goddess echoing in their own. “Then find yourself a hero who would bite down on your tales.”

    A porcelain hand was raised, and Lila felt a fire trace around her throat. She instinctively grasped at her neck, feeling nothing there, and opened her mouth to scoff at the Divine. Before she could even make a sound, her throat burned with an excruciating pain. Once more, she tried to scream and received horrible torture when she tried to make a sound. The Divine faded away from Lila’s sight.

    “Shall we hurry towards the Sinner, my Goddess?” Serein cooed. 

    Démence ran her fingers through the Goddess’s hair. “We are your speakers, your servants. Give us the word and we shall act for your sake.”

    She was silent, as She was earlier, but there is a sense of satisfaction in Her. She did not need to even mutter an affirmative. Serein and Démence could read her heart, and She was safe with them. Them against the world.

    Onwards, my angels, She silently commanded.

Chapter Text

Ako na mismo ang tatapos sa galaw mong padalos-dalos

Paraan ko’y di payapa o ang dugo mo na ang aagos

Isang haplos sa’king kamay ‘di nga kita kayang masaktan

Basta’t ‘wag na!— Huwag na ako’ng pipiliin mong dasalan.

I will be the one to end your careless acts,

My ways aren’t peaceful, oh your blood will surely spill

One touch of my hand and I can’t even hurt you

Just don’t ever— ever choose to praise me

    In her few years as a student journalist, no akuma or PE class, no matter how important the item the twins stole, or how competitive she felt when racing with Nora, nothing had made Alya run faster. That, or time had stopped while she was running. One moment, Lila was trying to get people to believe her and the next, she was lost on the streets of Paris. Well, as lost as you could get in a city you knew like the back of your hand. Her phone buzzed with a notification.

    DJShell: alya? 

    DjShell: I was waiting for you by the park gates but you ran past me

    Mozilla: Nino come pick me up

    Mozilla: I don’t want to be alone right now

    Mozilla: Meet me at the usual cafe so we can grab a drink.

    She clicked the power button to lock the screen, but the fingerprint sensor brought it back to life, her lockscreen bright and visible. It was a picture of her and her best friend, with an arm wrapped around her waist. The text notification had blocked her face but with no new notifications on the screen, Lila’s smile was in full view. Bile began to rise up her throat, though she thankfully held it in as she hurriedly shoved the device in her pocket. With a hand clamped over her mouth to keep her from throwing up, Alya ran to the agreed meeting point.

    By the time she arrived, Nino was already there with Adrien. The extra distraction was appreciated, but thoughts of the earlier events prodded at her tired self. She slumped into a chair, ignoring the concerned looks on the boys.

    “Hey, Alya? Nino and I are going to place our orders now.” Adrien places a hand on her shoulders.

    The tanned girl tilted her head to look at him before burying her face in her arms with a tired whine. Nino ordered their usual while Adrien tried out a new green tea drink. With their drinks being prepared and the boys figuring out what snacks to get, it was a matter of keeping Alya together while anxiety ate away at her.

    The Divine watched on, awaiting the Goddess’s word. They were all floating comfortably, Serein on his side, the Goddess resting on his stomach, and Démence curled protectively around her. Though her messengers were getting impatient, the Goddess could not send them out before deciding what to do with the Sinner.

    “My dearest Goddess,” Démence cooed, “the Traitors are accompanying the Sinner.”

     Indeed, they are.

    The angels know why she hasn’t ordered them to do anything yet.

    Serein ran his fingers through her flowing raven tresses. “What would you like for us to do?” 

     Do as you please with them. All that matters is the Sinner.

      If Serein and Démence were being honest, they couldn’t wait to tear in to the Traitors. Those who the Goddess held in the highest regard, those who turned their backs on their Lady. Nino Lahiffe, Her closest confidant and Adrien Agreste, Her idol.

    There’s an element of envy to their rage. Nino has known Marinette the longest, and Marinette had strongly loved Adrien until he chose to stand by. They will get their turn, but the Sinner comes first.

    Doesn’t mean they can’t have fun with it.

    Making themselves visible to the three, they descended with terrifyingly gleeful grins. 

    “Are you not humiliated, dear Sinner?” Serein sang, a twisted message carried by a beautiful harmony. “Do your parents not love you?”

    “Do they not?” Démence answered in a similar singing voice. “Pity, pity. Do your friends not love you?”

    “Pity, pity!” They sang together. “Perhaps it is you who loves them not!”

    They cackled madly. Alya froze in her spot, eyes glued to their hysteric forms. Before she could scream, Adrien clamped a hand around her mouth. 

    “Don’t cause a scene.” He whispered. “I don’t think anyone else can see them.”

    “Correct, Traitorous One.” Démence wagged a mocking finger at him. “No one can see us, nor can we lay a hand on you.”

    Alya’s breath quickened once again. No one else saw the akumas that were clearly having an excellent time. Nino’s eyes keep darting around, watching for anything that could happen. No one batted an eye at the teens.

    Adrien passed Alya to his best friend, cursing under his breath. He glanced around for an opportunity to escape, but none came. If they were telling the truth and they wouldn’t hurt them, he could endure whatever they were capable of until he could hide and transform. 

    “Nino,” he gestured for them to sit comfortably, eyeing a waiter with their drinks, “let’s just enjoy the drinks.”

    Indeed, the teens readily welcomed the cups that were placed in front of them and took to their beverages as soon as the waiter left. The cool caramel frappe eased Alya’s nerves, the bittersweet tingle of macchiato helped Nino breathe, and Adrien was very much amazed by the simple yet delicious flavor of matcha bubble tea. The model considered asking his dietitian if he could have it everyday.

    Their relief was short-lived, however, when Serein’s head appeared right in the middle of them, hanging upside down with a downright creepy smile. 

    “Oh, how tasty.” He sarcastically joked, eyes closed in crescent moons. “How good are they? Do you think they taste good with croissants? Or do you prefer macarons?”

    Adrien wanted to vomit. The year following Lila’s arrival, Marinette had given everyone a croissant in the morning for the entirety of the first term, along with coffee for her friends. Eventually, she swapped out croissants for a small box of macarons during early second term for the sweet tooths in the class, including Alya. The latter seemed to have the same realization, judging by Nino wincing from what Adrien assumed was her grip. 

    “Serein, manners.” Démence pulled Serein up by the foot, looking down on them in a patronizing manner. “It’s rude to make people feel horrible while they eat.”

    This made the couple seize. Adrien didn’t know this, but more often than not the class would opt to sit around Lila during lunch, who always chose the table closest to Marinette. The brunette took advantage of this every time, either by saying things that made Marinette look bad, or choose her words carefully so their classmates were the ones who said it.

    Serein lazily floated above them. “Oh, pardon me then. I wouldn’t want to stoop to their level.”

    Each minute passing by was more agonizing than the last. They’d sip at their drinks, try to converse, then the Messengers would mock and cackle at them with references to the time Alix pushed the books Marinette was reading off the table, or when Kim tripped her, or when Max argued that an absurd thing Lila said was true.

    “We could order a drink, but I’m worried you’ll spill yours on me.”

    “It would just be an accident, Démence. Not like I’d do it on purpose.”

     They would joke about whatever their class had done to Marinette, and it made each of them feel awful. It was then that they started realizing who the Messengers were. Alya could recognize Luka and Kagami anywhere, the two having dedicated themselves to Marinette,

    With their drinks now finished, they only had to get away. The cafe was not too far from Alya’s house, so they planned to drop her off before the boys went their separate ways. Unfortunately for them, things took a turn when they left the partially crowded tables of the cafe and in to the empty street that led to her home.

    “Running off?” Came the dark, heavy tone of Serein’s voice. “Quite frankly, She never did quite like that.”

    Alya had had enough. She turned around to refute their statements. “Stop already! I was wrong! Marinette never bullied Lila!”

    If the boys thought the Messengers would turn away, they were dead wrong. Alya looked up to find the two angels far too close to her, eyes widened in a threatening manner. Démence held the dark red strip that was tied around her shorter sleeve in a whiplike manner.

    “Who said you could speak the Goddess’s name?” Serein’s voice had lost its mirth. He sounded like he would kill someone if they didn’t answer right. “Who said you could step out of line?”

    “I already said I was going to apologize.” 

     Plead as much as you’d like, then.

    The voice that came out of Serein's mouth was not his. The teenagers looked around in a panic. Adrien could feel Plagg prodding at him through his pocket. He had a bad feeling this akuma was more than just two angels.

    Long, dark hair. Pristine white robes. Golden tears. A gold halo that radiated like light. The Goddess looked down on them, disappointed. Serein and Démence moved to her side protectively, wearing similarly disgusted expressions.

     Truly, you are a Sinner beyond saving. Enchanted by the Devil, you strayed from my side. You are Traitors, fools who I’ve dedicated even my life for only to toss me aside.

    Adrien looked towards the Goddess, ignorant of Plagg’s quiet signals, “You don’t have to take Hawkmoth’s side, Marinette! I’m still with you!”

    “Silence, Traitor.” Démence hissed. Adrien finally recognized the dark Messenger as Kagami. His chest felt tight with a whirlwind of guilt, sadness, and anger towards himself. That, or Plagg was trying to drag Adrien away to transform. 

    “I’m sorry, Mari.” Alya lowered her head in shame. “I shouldn’t have trusted Lila so much.”

     Indeed, you should not have. I have put you before everything. My hobbies, my work, my duties, dropped so I could grant you the blessings you so desired. Alas, you are a Sinner. There is no salvation for you.

    Alya nearly threw herself at the akuma, had Nino not held her back, “Aren’t we friends?”

    The Goddess merely closed her eyes and shook her head.

     Just as you reject me, I reject you. I am your punishment, your retribution. I will end your careless acts. Do not worship me, Sinner, for I am not your Goddess.

    Alya’s body stiffened, then her skin color faded. She stood, frozen in place as a stone statue. The Goddess cast a narrowed eye on Nino, who ran away. Adrien seemed to have escaped before them. Smart boy.

    Still, Her heart bled as Marinette, so Her heart bled even as the Goddess. Immediately, She was wrapped in loving arms, the embrace of her Speakers.

     Hurry now, Kitty. Find yourself a worthier bug, so that I may leave that behind as well.

Chapter Text

Dahil 'di mo 'ko Diwata, o Diwata~

O Diwata! O Diwata! O Diwata! O Diwata! Hindi mo ‘ko Diwata.

Because I'm not your Goddess, or a Goddess~

O Goddess! O Goddess! O Goddess! O Goddess! I'm not your Goddess.

    Tikki was not happy. While she was thankful that there wasn't any sign of an akuma after Juleka took her Chosen's things back to the Liberty, she was starting to get worried when Marinette didn't return. She was considerate of the girl for a while; poor thing got in to a huge fight with her best friend after all, but the next day came and there was still no sign of Marinette. Juleka seemed to be preparing to head somewhere, and after listening in the kwami concluded she could find Marinette if she followed the goth, so she snuck into Juleka's bag with the earrings. And she was right.

    Somehow, she wished she wasn't.

    Being a goddess manifested through pure magic, she could easily see the contrasting forms of Serein and Demence. Even among the most destructive akumas Ladybug's fought, Tikki had to admit Serein and Demence were almost pure evil. They made a clear mockery of Lila with the intent of breaking her down. She panicked, discreetly poking her head out of Juleka's purse and looking around. It wasn't hard to find Marinette, her akumatized self looking down on the mess like a queen watching her country fall apart. Unconcerned, like they deserved it. That was the tipping point for the kwami. Tikki couldn't reveal herself in the crowd, but she couldn't stay still. When Juleka left with Rose, she prodded at the girl's thigh through her purse. 

    "Juleka," she quietly squeaked, "Juleka!"

    Juleka opened her purse with an annoyed expression before gasping silently. After giving her sobbing friend a reassuring squeeze, she quickly made up an excuse and dove towards the nearest empty corner. Tikki took the chance to flit out the purse in an adorable spiral, the earrings held in her small hands.

    "Hi, Juleka! I'm Tikki, a kwami!" She cheerfully greeted, doing her best to mask her anxiety.

    "What on earth...? That's.... cool." Juleka stared at the strange being before her.

    "There's an akuma out right now, and it doesn't seem like Chat Noir has noticed. Ladybug is also unable to act right now." The tiny goddess sucked in a breath and tried to appear more serious. "Juleka Couffaine, this is the Ladybug Miraculous. It will grant you the power of Lucky Charm and Miraculous Cure."

    

    Juleka raised a hand to accept the accessories, the realization setting in just as Tikki placed them in her hands. Where was Ladybug? Chat Noir hadn't noticed the akuma? Juleka, a hero? Tikki tapped her nose gently.

    "You just have to do your best, Juleka! If you don't want to do it, it's okay. I believe in you either way."

    She sucked a breath in and wore the Miraculous with a bit more confidence. She whispered, "Tikki, Spots On."

    She was engulfed in a warm pink light. A rush of magic flowed over her body, arms, legs, and head, leaving her in hero's garb.

    "Whoa." The new bug admired herself. Unlike Paris's heroine, her suit had more black than spotted red. Black leggings tucked in to red knee high boots, though the shoe itself was black. A black high necked longsleeve under a half zipped red hooded vest. The hood itself was pulled over her head with her red streaked hair flowing out from a hole in the back. Her mask was a tinted visor, dark enough to just make out her eyes.

    "I'm digging this video game look."

    She reached for the yoyo strapped to her waist, testing it with a few nervous throws, before aiming at a clothesline above her and pulling herself up to the roof.

    "That's... so cool."

    Adrien had ducked behind the nearest bush and transformed. He hurried back to Alya's position only to find her turned to stone and Nino gone. A small group of passersby muttered in the distance, looking increasingly worried now that Chat Noir had arrived. He quickly humored a small child who came to hug him and vaulted up towards the rooftops. There was no sign of the akuma, but he didn't trust his eyes when they could disappear at will. Chat pulled out his baton and dialed his partner in red.

    "Uh, hello-"

    "We've got an akuma on the lose. Where are you, LB?"

    There's a short pause. "Uh, Ladybug is currently out of commission."

    Chat swore under his breath, though out of frustration or worry he did not know. "Who and where are you?"

    "Um... A few blocks away from the Seine. I haven't really thought of a name." 

    Much as he'd love to doubt this person, there was something bugging him about this akuma. He swallowed his concerns and quickly accessed the GPS for the temporary holder. A red dot beeped a short distance away from the Seine, just as she said. Chat tried not to scowl at the screen; he was on the other side of the river. "Can you swing?"

    "Uh, kinda. Not as cool as Ladybug though-"

    "Good enough. Meet me on the roof of the Trocadero." 

    He promptly ended the call and ran the all too familiar course for their meeting spots. While he knew his way around the city, being Chat Noir gave him a better grasp of the streets than modelling could ever do. His mind snapped back to Marinette. The little designer often asked to watch his modelling sessions back then, enough that the regular staff knew her but not enough that she was a constant presence. Still, his heart clenched when he remembered the last time she sat in, a good seven months ago when Lila caused a ruckus. Grimacing at the memory of her ear piercing wail, he recklessly hurried to their meeting point.

    The Ladybug waiting for him certainly had a more casual costume compared to his partner. He didn't bother quieting his landing so he could get her attention. The girl turned around at the soft thud of his boots and awkwardly faced Chat Noir. A lot more meek than he was expecting, if he was being honest.

    "Uh.. I guess I'm Pixelbug." The temporary holder extended a hand. Chat Noir gave a quick shake of her hand with as casual of a smile he could muster. 

    "Alright, Pixel. What do you know about the akuma and Ladybug?"

    She seemed hesitant in answering, though more because she didn't know how to answer than not wanting to. "I haven't seen the akuma itself, but I think I saw what it could do." She winced as she recalled Lila shouting at the air. "I didn't see Ladybug either. The Miraculous just ended up with me."

    Tikki's doing, likely. He thought to himself. That or she left before Pixelbug saw her. He sighed as he tried to predict where Mari- The Goddess went. Lila was taken care of, Alya was turned to stone... the akuma could choose who saw them so he didn't trust news outlets to cover the Divine. It would be unwise to split up as well. Pixelbug was also shifting awkwardly and pushing her colored bangs away from her visor. Chat was getting desperate. How would he find someone invisible? Ladybug was the brains in this duo, but this was literally Pixel's first fight. He didn't even know if she could match Ladybug's cleverness. As he continued pacing about, he received an akuma alert from his baton. 

    "Don't be bemused, it's just the news." Nadja's professional tone was tinged with uncertainty, "It seems like Hawkmoth's latest akuma may have been inspired by his own tactics. Parisians have been reporting their friends going crazy for seemingly no reasons. Some even have physical effects, such as injuries appearing on their skin or parts of their body freezing up or being scorched." She paused as something off screen caught her eye, "And it seems a stone statue of who appears to be the amateur journalist behind the Ladyblog has been found."

    "Uh, Chat Noir?" Pixelbug tapped his shoulder, "I think the akuma's looking for us." 

    "They're not." The cat hero grit his teeth. "I have a feeling this is intentional."

    "What should we do then?"

    Chat twirled his baton and stood on the edge of the room, doing his best to pull a cheeky grin. "Not like we're gonna find them any other way."

    The Goddess watched her Angels listlessly, observing as they whispered temptations in the ears of passersby. Demence was snickering darkly as a woman fell to her knees and cried out for forgiveness while Serein was playing along with a man who kept complaining about his friends being ingrates to him. She descended and perched on a street lamp, Her Messengers floating up and settling lovingly around Her divinity.

    "Must we really waste time like this, My Goddess?" Demence asked, wrapping her dark sleeves around the Goddess, "Could we not have taken his ring as we are now?"

    I will give him the honor of a fair fight.

    "My Dearest, My Sweetest," Serein sang as he fondly twirled a lock of Her flowing tresses, "My Most Generous Goddess."

    Onwards now. I will not break my promises.

    If the Goddess was being honest, she would love to take Chat Noir's ring right now. It would be a sure path to victory, but she had words for her Kitty. She will not abandon him without a proper farewell.

    As expected, the Black Cat had picked up on their trail and entered their field of vision with a new Ladybug close behind. There were no signs of other heroes. The Divine paused to face the approaching duo, the Angels moving protectively in front of the Goddess. Only Chat Noir and this temporary hero could see them, but the heavy feeling that emanated from the akuma and the sight of Paris’s protectors rushing was enough to clear the area of people. 

    “Got you now, Goddess.” Chat Noir stood in fighting position. “I’d rather finish this quickly.”

    “As do I, Chat Noir.” Demence spoke for the Her, the condemnation of Her voice echoing eerily in the red Angel’s. Pixelbug marveled at the effect, briefly wondering if there was a way to replicate it for their music.

    My Angel Demence, take the bug away from here. I have words for the cat.

    She nodded and wordlessly disappeared from her side. Chat Noir looked around cautiously for a chance to stop her attack, only to get caught off guard by the Goddess's sudden appearance before him. Her eyes were glassy, serious yet merciful. Not an intent to kill, but the intent to defend Herself if he fought back. Serein stuck close to Her, awaiting her word. The blond had no time to even react to the sounds of Pixelbug's boots running across the roofs or the zip of her yoyo as she amateurishly maneuvered around Demence. 

    "My kitty, thank you for everything."

    He searched her features for any malice, but nothing showed. The steely gaze on him showed no sarcasm, though Serein's definitely held a jealous scowl. "Thank you? Princess, this is... this is devastating."

    "Be grateful, street pest." Serein hissed at him. "Her Mercy is endless. Had My Goddess not been so kind, you would be declawed."

    Mutilated, his tone implied. The Goddess raised her hand to silence the blue Angel. Shivers ran down Chat's spine at the jarring difference between the look of authority She gave her own servant and the softened, neutral stare She gave him. Akuma or not, that kind of look was terrifying on the sweet Marinette. Serein shrank in shame at the silent reprimand, also fearful of Her punishment.

    "You have done plenty for my mortal self through your nightly visits. Dear sweet Kitty, I'm eternally grateful for the company, but I must keep my promises."

    "Marinette!" Chat Noir attempted to run after Her retreating form, meeting instead Serein's glare. He jumped back in surprise, just in time to dodge the Angel's lunge for his ring. Pixelbug was likely struggling somewhere, he had to regroup with her first.

    "This is a lot less cool than I imagined." Juleka muttered to herself as she glanced around. It was much less a fight and much more getting harassed by an emo's wet dream. Demence's style did kind of vibe with her, the temporary bug taking mental notes of features she liked. Slapping herself back to reality, she spun her yoyo around in hopes it would better prepare her for wherever the Akuma was.

    "It is, isn't it?" The ghostly voice of Demence rippled around her with no signs of her body. "Why, it's hardly "cool" at all."

    Was this what Ladybug's lesser known fights were like? It didn't seem like the red Messenger was even capable of hurting her, nor did it seem like she had a trap set up. Still, Pixelbug was getting bad feelings about this. Chat's cry of her friend's name told her she was a bit too far from him for the cat to come to her rescue and Demence was dead set on making sure they stayed split. Pixelbug was definitely not a Ladybug either; some of her plans are deus ex machinas come to life and no one could ever replicate it. Either way, she had to get out of the situation. With a toss of her toy, she was greeted with a polka-dotted... pastry. An adorable pastry shaped like a flower. Marinette's favorite pastry. If the three of them were akumatized since yesterday, then Marinette's parents were worried sick. With new found confidence, she zipped away in the direction of Tom and Sabine's bakery.

    The sigh of relief that escaped her might have been an inappropriate reaction when looking at a miserable couple. Sabine had lost the warmth in her character and instead wore the same fake customer service smile and empty eyes as anyone who's worked at retail for more than a year. She caught a glimpse of Tom moving sluggishly in the back, pulling out some freshly baked bread from the oven. Neither of them seemed focus on their work at all, which might explain why everyone passing by seemed hesitant to come in. For all they knew, the little girl that brightened up everyone's day (and ruined the store's floor) was missing. The Chinese woman eye's seemed to snap on to her as the bell welcomed a new customer.

    "Madame Cheng, I have some news for you." There was a loud clatter from the back as Tom charged out the door and into the store. Both parents looked at her expectantly, half expecting the worst and half expecting their daughter to walk in and say she got lost or something.

    "Ladybug? Have you found our daughter? She's a sweet girl, the spitting image of her mother..." Tom trailed off when she didn't answer him.

    "I am a temporary holder, Pixelbug. Your daughter has been akumatized and I have reason to believe you may be able to help us save her." Juleka looked between them and swallowed awkwardly. "Though I'm afraid I may only be able to carry one of you." 

    The couple looked at each other and nodded. Sabine reached for the hero's hand with a determined look. "Take me to our daughter."

    "By the way," Juleka sheepishly asked, "Do you happen to have some snacks?"

    The couple let out a small laugh and lead the young hero upstairs. They respected the young girl enough to let her snack alone and pretended the flash of light that came out the cracks in the door were nothing. Pixelbug threw the door open with a red face after a few moments (How was she supposed to know Tikki needed to eat?). Then they lead her upstairs to the balcony. After some uncomfortable contorting and apologies, Pixelbug carefully carried Sabine and the two zipped for Pixel’s original position.

    Chat Noir feared the worst when Demence returned with no Pixelbug in sight. The Goddess seemed to tell her something before she turned towards him with the same evil grin as Serein. His vision seemed to go black, but his eyes were wide open. He reached a hand up to his face and found a blindfold covering his eyes. 

    "Chaton." 

    He turned around at the sound of Ladybug's voice, almost forgetting he couldn't see her, "Milady?"

    "I'm tired, Chaton."

    Adrien took a feeble step forward, arms stretched out to try and feel his surroundings. All the while, Ladybug's voice kept going, defeatedly spilling her thoughts for her partner to hear. 

    "It can be too much sometimes."

    "I gave up."

    "I'm sorry, mon Chaton."

    "I want everything to stop."

    He stumbled, barely shielding his head from what he assumed was concrete. He didn't know where he was, and the blindfold fading away didn't help either. Instead of seeing the Parisian city from where he was minutes earlier, he was clumsily sprawled on a familiar chaise. Marinette's room, though it was dimly lit. The scenery blurred away before he could jump and search the room for the girl, and he realized he was still in a battle with an akuma. The baton in his hand suddenly registered and he gripped it tightly. 

    "So the stray liked visiting Her Most Holy Sanctuary." Serein sneered. "She is truly gracious, even allowing this filthy pest into Her Home."

    "Did My Dearest Goddess not confide in him, though?" Demence accusingly pointed a finger at him, "What a trustworthy cat this must be."

    "Is he?"

    The Angels talking amongst themselves, looking at him like he was a criminal, it was driving him mad. Then Serein’s features seemed to light up, as though he figured something up. The uneasy feeling in Chat’s stomach only worsened.

    “How could he be so dear to the darling Goddess? I don't think My Lady has ever mentioned Her persecution!"

    How much had Marinette been hiding? Adrien swung his baton at them as they mockingly snickered at him, fading away before reappearing on either side.

    "Silly cat, you have no right to be by Her side."

    "Shut up!" Chat Noir growled. "I was there for her when you weren't!"

    "And when was that?"

    When, indeed. As Adrien, Marinette had always been the adorable pink blur zipping between responsibilities, though she had lost some of her spark since Lila ruined her. As Chat, she had definitely told him some of the things that bothered her, but it was mostly the day's obvious frustration and never the real issue weighing on her. This whole time, he had held on to the belief that he shouldn't force things. He shouldn't force Lila to be outed, he shouldn't force Marinette to open herself to him, he shouldn't force anyone to do anything. While the designer had never been the type to lie, she was always the type to protect herself even if it meant hiding the truth. She was independent, capable of anything. Then it clicked, everything she's ever told him was never the full story. Of course she'd be upset about Lila framing her for this or that, what she never told Chat was how she felt, why she felt like that, and every little detail she might've told Luka and Kagami. His brows furrowed in thought; he'd have to apologize if he ever got through this akuma.

    "Chat Noir!" He turned around slightly and caught sight of Pixelbug carrying Marinette's mother with her.

    "What are you doing?" He hissed, "it's dangerous-"

    "Mother?"

    All three of the Divine paused and stared at the Asian woman. Pixelbug let her down as Sabine jogged over to a spot below the Goddess. Neither of the Angels showed any form of hostility and allowed her to approach their Lady.

    "Oh, my poor baby. You're so pale." An effect of the akuma, Chat Noir would've commented. "Where have you been? Have you been eating?" Sabine wiped away the tears of gold, ignoring how it kept flowing regardless. The Goddess raised a hand to hold Her mother's, wondering how to respond. A butterfly outline glowed around her eyes, but even Hawkmoth's yelling was a mild inconvenience. 

    "Chat Noir is useless without Ladybug, and that rookie doesn't know the first thing on how to defend herself!" He roared. 

    Indeed, that Bug is but a larva right now.

    The Goddess narrowed her eyes at the fidgeting Pixelbug behind Sabine, Her Angels awaiting her order, when the woman before Her took Her hands warmly and pulled her into a hug with a quiet sob, "I was so scared that something happened to you."

    Maman...

    "I'm sorry, maman."  The older woman's head snapped up at the layered voice of Demence blending with her daughter's. "It was too much."

    "You can tell us all about it when we get home, okay?"

    Chat Noir took the opportunity to search for the akumatized objects. He flinched when Serein and Demence blocked his way, but the Goddess waved them off and raised up her arm, a golden bracelet gleaming in the sun.

    Kitty, She mouthed, I'm sorry.

    He nodded and whispered for his Cataclysm, careful not to accidentally touch her skin. Dark purple bubbled around the three teens, with Marinette almost collapsing from taking the brunt of Hawkmoth's magic. With Chat Noir's instructions, Pixelbug waved good bye and cast the Cure that sent Sabine, Marinette, Luka, and Kagami to the front of a familiar bakery. The two then found a hiding place for Juleka to detransform and for Chat Noir to collect the earrings. Tikki promised the both of them she'll return to Ladybug before the Cat vaulted away for his own home.

    When morning came the next day it seemed Kagami, Luka, and Marinette were closer than ever before, though it was probably because Luka was acting as a support pillar for the two anxious teens as they made their way to their classrooms. No surprise seeing Marinette trying to avoid eye contact, but it was a bit shocking for some to see headstrong Kagami look smaller than usual. The designer was dropped off first since her classroom was nearer than the fencer's. She walked into a tense room trying to pretend nothing happened. From their hushed whispers, everyone concluded that Lila freaking out was an akuma, though they were wary with even uttering her name. Anyone who so much as saw Marinette from their corner of their eye looked apologetic. They were attempting to process the day's previous events.

    Lila was later spotted that day with her mother at the principal's office. No one knew what happened after that nor did they try to get involved. It was a bit of a solemn day for everyone. Still, Marinette was able to breathe a bit easier when Adren showed up to apologize. He was invited to sit at her table with Juleka and Kagami, which the blond was grateful for considering his usual table with Nino and Alya was looking a bit gloomy. More apologies wouldn't come in until next week, starting with Ivan and Mylene and ending with Max. Nathaniel would doodle dorky comics to make Marinette feel better and having Adrien among her friends meant she would never be alone even when her "bodyguards", as the model dubbed them, weren't there. And when the heavy feeling of the classroom became too much for the teens to handle, the bakery was open for them to relax with homemade soup and left over bread.

Chapter Text

    "Lucky Charm!" Pixelbug watched as magic formed a pair of red dice. Demence took that as her opportunity to strike, or strike in as violently a way as a harmless akuma could. The spotted rookie only managed to dodge through sheer luck, but she needed to figure out what to do next. Part of her wished that the Lucky Charm was secretly some kind of pokeball and Ladybug was hidden inside it. She raced away until the red Angel's heavy presence stopped following her, then turned for Chat Noir. 

    Beep.

    After she got away then.

    Ducking behind a dumpster, she hastily called off the suit and watched Tikki tired float in front of her, "I'm sorry, I panicked."

    "It's fine, you made the right choice." Exhausted as she was, the kwami gave her a smile, "I need to eat something. Do you have any sweets?"

    Juleka dug around her purse and found a piece of candy she had planned to eat during the class picnic. Tikki took it, crunching away at the hard sugar while the girl anxiously watched for any passersby. Luckily for her, akuma protocols included evacuation. She tilted her head up for any glimpse of Chat Noir, though he was likely still too far. 

    "I don't know what to do, Tikki. I can't even hit them. And I'm up against Marinette, Kagami, and Luka." She sighed wistfully. "They can do anything."

    Tikki looked up at her temporary wielder. True, Marinette was Ladybug. She was capable of coming up with plans on the fly in and out of the mask. Kagami was a trained fencer. Luka was her older brother who knows when to fight back. An ordinary girl like Juleka might have some difficulty facing them, even with Chat Noir. The kwami nudged Juleka's arm.

    "Well, you seem close to them. What do you know about them?" She already knew their weaknesses, but Tikki's going to pretend she knew nothing.

    "Weaknesses? I... Tikki, they're perfect."

    "Maybe, but they wouldn't be akumatized if they were, right?" She gave her an encouraging smile, "Time to get back. Chat Noir needs you."

    Calling upon her transformation, she swung as closer towards Chat Noir.

    The Black Cat seemed to be holding his own against the blue Angel, but internally he was screaming. Serein's inability to directly control him was pretty much the only advantage in Chat's favor, and even then the value of the advantage is diminished by how tempting his words are. Of course he'd rather not have to fight Hawkmoth! Of course he'd rather not have to save a lying bitch every week because she made some kind of outrageous lie! But these were part of his responsibilities as a Miraculous holder, and he'd like to think he's matured compared to his 14-year old self. He thrust his baton forward at the blurry image of Serein only to be met with air. 

    "Oh? Where were you aiming, stray?" He never thought he'd hate Luka, but he did hate this annoying akuma of him. "How do you propose you'll protect Her Grace if you can't even defeat her Messengers?"

    "You accepted black magic. What does that say about you?" Chat growled.

    Serein laughed mockingly, "Are your morals above Her? Are you saying you wouldn't go over the line for Her? Sorry to say, street pest, but it was My Goddess's decision to accept this. As Her most loyal servants, we will follow."

    "You willingly let Princess be corrupted!" He gripped his baton tightly. "What were you doing? Why didn't you help her? Why did you choose to go along and stand it?! Why-"

    "Because I love Her." Chat Noir paused. This was not the smooth yet grating voice of Serein, nor was it the holy voice of the Goddess. This was the calm, confident, and pleasing voice of Luka Couffaine. "Do you sincerely believe that you, who shows up in the middle of the night, once a week, could ever understand Her, suffer for Her, holding your thoughts back for Her. Could you do that the way we did? Could you ever find the right time to push Her, and the right time to let Her be? Could you have ever told Her to be weak?"

    "Marinette is strong!"

    "Of course you'll believe that!"  

    Akumas are not this emotional. Chat had never seen an akuma cry the way Serein- Luka did before him. 4 years, and this was the first time he was dumbfounded by water threatening to drip down his opponent's face. Luka looked up at him again, this time with eyes reserved for a killer. He was right, neither Adrien nor Chat could do half of what Kagami and Luka did. 

    "Chat Noir!" Pixelbug caught his attention as she landed near him. 

    "Took you long enough." He pretended not to hear the way his voice cracked. 

    Demence and the Goddess joined Serein, the former looking equally cross with the heroes. "I have hated you, Chat Noir. For forcing My Sweetest to go through such hardship and claiming to be Her "knight in shining leather"."

    Pixelbug tugged on Chat's tail, "We need a plan."

    "I'm not one for plans." He shrugged. 

    She pulled up the Lucky Charm she cast minutes earlier, hoping Chat could think of something, before he pushed her to dodge Demence's lunge. Pixelbug hurried onto her feet and split from her partner. Grabbing her by the arm, he pulled Pixelbug over and called for a tactical retreat.

    "Aw, the kitty ran away." Serein sneered. "Shame, since My Lady is fond of cats."

    The Goddess only narrowed Her eyes at Chat Noir's silhouette.

    The two heroes ducked into an empty shop, panting and out of breath. Chat Noir rested on the wall while Pixelbug collapsed onto the floor, letting the dice roll. They tumbled out and landed infront of the Cat, six black dots on each die staring up at him. In most board games, that was an opportunity. Move 12 spaces onwards, get out of jail, be the first to reach a specific spot. He would have loved to go back home to play UMS, but there was no Marinette to beat him down in less than thirty seconds. Pixelbug also stared at the dice, wondering if there was any way to use it against people she physically and figuratively couldn't hit.

    "Hey, Chat? Does Ladybug have any secret finishing moves I can use?" Probably not, but it was worth asking

    "Not that I know of." He sighed. "The Miraculous gave her good luck and the Lucky Charm. Everything else was her."

    They both hung their heads, wondering if there was any way to win. Luck was hardly a super power in real life. It probably got you an extra point on a test, but it wasn't very useful. At least in a game, it would increase the chance of a critical hit or a rare loot drop. An idea came to Pixelbug and she quickly scooped up the dice. She gestured for Chat to lean in and listen to their plan. Luck wasn't very helpful outside of games.

    But everyone plays the game of life!

    His eyes widened with hope, and with a nod they both set off to find the Goddess. They couldn't encounter anyone else, it had to be her for the plan to work. The amateur bug hoped the Goddess would be the first one they find and sure enough, she was. 

    After parkouring across several streets, they found the Goddess seated in the air at the same place they were at earlier. The Angels were nowhere in sight, so the pair bravely jumped in front of her. 

    "We challenge you to a game!" Chat announced.

    Despite their confidence, they were both anxious beyond belief. Their plan rode entirely on the inherent luck of the Ladybug Miraculous. Juleka quietly begged Tikki to give her as much as she could possibly could. The Goddess raised a brow before snapping her fingers. Her Angels appeared by her side with scowling expressions. Demence looked like she was about to rip their insides out. 

    "State the rules." Serein hissed. 

    Pixelbug explained carefully. She offered Chat Noir as her player, and the Divine offered Demence. Pixelbug and Serein would take turns rolling the dice, and whoever rolled the highest were allowed to attack the other player. Whoever rolled the same number could attack twice. The players were not allowed to move and had to remain in position unless someone attacked, and the defender is allowed to block or dodge. Defeating a player or stepping out of bounds resulted in a loss.

    Chat Noir gave her one last glance, to which she nodded reassuringly. The Divine agreed and led them to a wider space, the roof of a nearby commercial building. The Goddess rested on a lamp post with Serein and Pixelbug below her. Chat Noir and Demence took the remaining free space. The game began and Serein took first roll, landing higher than his opponent. Demence took a swipe at Chat Noir, which he just barely dodged. The next turn started, and Pixelbug rolled higher than Serein. Chat pounced towards Demence, who easily sidestepped the attack.

    Tension stayed high as the game continued, and the heroes' anxiety only grew deeper. Chat had nearly been driven off and was stuck on the edge. Demence was standing in the middle of the field, with Serein, the Goddess, and Pixelbug behind her. The latter swallowed nervously as she took the dice. Serein had rolled a nine, and the chances of her rolling higher than that was pretty slim. She shut her eyes and threw the dice between them, cracking a lid open to look at the result. Two ones stared back at her, a chance roll. She shot up and turned towards her partner.

    "Double!" She cried out. Chat heaved a sigh of relief and put himself in fighting stance. He made a wide jump towards Demence. The Angel easily moved behind him, preparing to dodge his second attack, when the Black Cat instead jumped towards the Goddess.

    Both Angels scrambled to defend their Goddess. Demence shot towards the offender, but she would not make it in time. Serein panicked and quickly put himself between them, only for the Cat to pass through him. As if time slowed down, tears threatened to spill as he looked back at the Goddess. He was choking on the fear of separation, and his feelings were amplified by the akuma. The Goddess raised a hand to block Chat Noir, but he called for a Cataclysm and grabbed her golden bracelet. Serein wanted to scream. He failed to protect her.

    His voice refused to leave, but even as he silently mouthed Her name, he hoped their feelings reached.

    The first thing Kagami noticed when her vision cleared was how tight her chest felt. There were lingering feelings of resentment, of rage, and of desperation. Scenes of her and her closest friends terrorizing Paris vaguely played in her head, all covered in a haze of mistaken love and adoration. A red hero helped her up, but it wasn't Ladybug. She nudged her towards the side of Luka, who had fallen on his rear. Chat Noir landed in front of them with a shaky Marinette in his arms. The emotions that overwhelmed them both as they took her by the hand almost had them shaking as well, and they both fell into a hug. 

    Pixelbug cast the Miraculous Cure and promised to return the Ladybug Miraculous to him, but Chat Noir insisted she leave it to the earrings to find their way back. They bumped their fists in a "pound it" before splitting, and separated. It didn't take long for police to arrive with paramedics, another protocol Ladybug made mandatory after a traumatizing incident. A doctor checked and cleared them of injuries, then asked some questions to ensure their conditions were stable. 

     "Do you feel comfortable telling us about the situation?" He asked as he passed the checklist back to another paramedic. 

    Marinette nodded but refused to speak, so Luka and Kagami told them the general idea of what happened at the park. All the while the doctor kept a calm and controlled face. Anyone else would have screamed and raged. Lila's lackeys would have taken offense. Outsiders would have jumped to comfort Marinette, who tightened her grip around Kagami's hand. The trio never felt more comforted to have someone not react to the story. He asked questions to make sure he got the situation right, and while the police handled searches and inspection in the surrounding area they kept their distance.

    When they finished explaining, the doctor called over a nurse and quietly discussed something. He turned to Marinette. Kagami and Luka held themselves back; they normally would've tried to keep other people out of the situation, but this time was an exception. Keeping something together was not the same as having it stand on its own, and their friend had been needing help for a long time.

    "Marinette, as part of protocol we assess each individual akuma victim and have them referred to therapists." The doctor started packing up his things. "Of course, you're free to turn down the offer or accept later on. Accepting it now just means you'll have your first session sooner. Would you like us to refer you to someone?" 

    The girl was clearly nervous about the idea, but one look at her friend's encouraging expressions steeled her resolve. "I'd like that."

    A week had passed since then. The class had become more wary of Lila, though she remained popular with students outside her class. With the exception of close friends and work related contacts, Marinette had stopped associating with other people. Chat Noir visited her less often, but the times he did show up were more meaningful. Everything was still a bit rocky, but it was mostly stable. 

    Luka and Kagami had made a habit of picking Marinette up from sessions. Sometimes they were both there, sometimes it was just one of them. Either way, it made the trip less lonely for her. Today, Juleka tagged alongside Luka to pick up Marinette. They took a look at some music stores for new instrument accessories and inspiration, then stopped by a boutique to dress each other in fun clothes. Time really slowed down when people had fun, and they dropped Marinette off at the bakery as the sun started to set. 

    Juleka eventually shared photos of their impromptu hangout to a small group chat. Nathaniel was envious that he couldn't join them, but he was glad Marinette was enjoying everything. Luka teased Marinette over small cute things, like a small chocolate stain on her cheek or stuff that happened before the photo was taken, and Kagami played along. Chloe was a little upset that she wasn't invited, so they all planned another hangout for the entire group for another time.

    The goth girl smiled at the photos. If she noticed anything about the way Luka looked at Marinette in photos or the affectionate tone Kagami had when speaking to Marinette, she kept quiet. They were waiting for the right time, the time when her scars have healed and she can speak on her own.