Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It started off, as most things do, with barely a whisper of what was to come. But then the distant rumbles of thunder would erupt, and the rain would pour down. Paris lay unaware of what was to come, that for a day their Guardian Angel would turn against them, overworked and overwhelmed…

Marinette screamed as she tried to rip her homework to shreds with her teeth, beyond exhausted. As ever, Hawk Moth didn’t seem to believe in days off; it seemed like there was a new Akuma every day now.

“Time to take out the trash, Milady!” Cat hollered as his partner dove and slid under thrown garbage. The latest akuma had spawned from an unsatisfied sanitation worker, fired for ‘unsatisfactory work’ from what the two could make out.

“Once Paris is covered in garbage,” the Akuma laughed. “They will see just how hard it is for us! Day in, day out, we put in the work and are never appreciated! Who’s laughing now huh?”

“Yeah yeah, can we just skip the cliche motive rant,” Cat asked, spinning his baton to deflect the foul-smelling ammo. “I’ve got more important things to do than listen to how you got canned good sir! As happy as I usually am with the trash talk today’s just not my day! In fact, I refuse !”

“Really Cat?” Ladybug sighed, hot and sweaty in her suit.  It stuck to her skin like glue. She grabbed two trash can lids, using them as shields. Garbage Man, -such an unoriginal name by the way, Hawk Moth wasn’t at his best- was unloading more trash from his pack, which now that she thought about it looked more like the rear end of a garbage truck. 

Trash battering her makeshift shields, Ladybug slipped backwards before Cat pogo-sticked over her head -Scrooge McDuck style- and drove his baton into the akuma’s head. Garbage Man staggered about in a daze, and Ladybug seized her chance. Slamming the lids into either side of his head like crashing cymbals in a cartoon, she flipped upwards, nailing him smack in the jaw with her foot.

Landing beside her partner, she watched as the now furious Akuma charged her like a bull.

“...and I had to be wearing red!”

“You know my Lady, I always wanted to be a garbage man,” said Cat, completely chill as ever extending his baton so that it covered either side of the street. He smirked as the akuma tripped, and went flying. “They always know how to take out the trash!”

Ladybug suppressed a groan, and the battle continued…

She’d staggered back to her house that day, and even out of her suit she still smelled terrible. Hastily thinking up a lie about how she’d fallen into a trash can, Marinette wondered if all the showers in the world would ever make her feel clean ever again.

“...Calculus!” Marinette groaned slamming her head on the table. “...this isn’t schoolwork, this is torture! Torture, I tell you!”

“Relax, deep breaths Marinette,” Tikki soothed, nuzzling into her neck reassuringly. “You battle akumatized villains day in and day out, you can handle a bit of homework.”

“...if you say so…” said her holder, not really sure if she could believe the little god. Bags were under her eyes, evidence that she hadn’t been sleeping well lately. “...it’s just, god I’m so overworked. Between this, akuma attacks and my commissions I feel like I’m drowning sometimes…”

She sounded like she had the whole weight of the world on her shoulders, and in a way Tikki mused sadly, she did. Sometimes, the little god wondered, was it really such a good idea to involve children this young in their battles? She had faith in Master Fu, but all the same… The little god let out a sigh. She just had to help her charge the best she could.

“It just isn’t right,” Tikki mused to herself with a small shake of the head as she floated off. Hopefully, cookies would make her feel better. “She’s a teenage girl, if Hawk Moth hadn’t stolen poor Nooroo and Duusu’s miraculous she wouldn’t even be fighting these battles. She should be worrying about getting to school on time, boyfriends, baking! Not about saving the world!”

Too often, Tikki remembered, she’d seen her charges burn out way too soon from the pressure placed upon them. The little god knew this was a mistake, but there was no turning back now. All she could do was help her charge through this the best she could. Nibbling on her cookies, Tikki looked out over the Parisian skyline in quiet contemplation. 

Her charge had been awfully overworked as of late, and it made her worry. Tikki shuddered as a foul, loathsome thought passed through her. Marinette was usually upbeat, too upbeat to get Akumatized. Lately however… She remembered her charge crying into her pillow the night she returned from the Paris Wax Museum. 

Marinette slowly took down her posters of Adrien, looking at each one with forlorn longing. “You heard him. Adrien's in love with another girl, and me? I'm just a friend.”

She sounded heartbroken, her tone one of someone just barely trying to hold back tears. 

“...oh well, I doubt Adrien would want me anyways, given how often I screw up,” Marinette laughed bitterly. “I mean, it’s not like I can ever get a word out around him anyways!”

“Oh, I'm sure life has many surprises in store for you, Marinette!” Tikki tried to calm her, rubbing her hand supportively. “Who knows, it may not turn out the way you think?”

Too late, she realized that might have been the wrong thing to say as she heard her charge choke back a sob. Tikki facepalmed, realizing at times she may not have been always helpful with her crush.

“...yeah, maybe you’re right,” Marinette sighed sourly, shaking her head. Her eyes sparkled with glistening tears that she was trying desperately to hide. Probably in an attempt to save face in front of the little god. “That would've been one very silly first kiss, anyways.”

She fell into her chaise, placing her head into a pillow to muffle her sobs. A photo, one taken earlier that day lay on her bedside table, depicting when all was right in her world...

It had been the first time in a while that Tikki had honestly worried there was a risk of Marinette getting Akumatized. In a fit of panic, she’d hidden the earrings, just in case. It was better for Paris to face an akumatized Marinette than an Akumatized Ladybug. 

...as if either option was ‘better’ than the other, Tikki sighed. The light was fading from a tiring day, and soon sleep would claim her chosen. Maybe for a few hours, she’d find a sort of peace. Then school would call again, and Marinette would only be able to turn in some half-finished work. 

“...she wants good grades, but at the way things are progressing she might have to repeat the year…” Tikki thought, floating back in through the rooftop door. Already, her chosen was fast asleep at her desk, hopefully dreaming peacefully. Drool was dripping onto the paper. “...okay, oh well. Maybe just this once. A little bit of extra help can’t hurt! Besides, what Ms. Bustier doesn’t know won’t hurt her. I doubt there’s any rule for having your kwami lend a hand is there?”

With that, she began filling in the remaining questions. What was thousands of years worth of knowledge if you didn’t get a chance to put it to the test anyways? It was time to see if Mr. Newton really did take her inspirations to heart!

-----

A new day dawned, the sun slowly rising over Paris. Marinette pulled herself awake with a groan. Then it hit her, her homework! Looking down with a small shriek, her eyes soon sparkled with tears as she realized what had happened. She spotted Tikki curled up nearby and gently snoring. Kissing her kwami’s forehead, she whispered: “Thanks…”

Dressing herself, she raced out the door for school. She had to be on time, she just had to be!

Little did she know just what was in store today for her…

-----

Far away, Hawk Moth sensed the emotions of a rampant soul, one on the verge of collapse. He smiled, almost manically, as he realized just who he could akumatize if she was pushed any further. Marinette Dupain-Cheng, one of the only members of that class that he’d failed to Akumatize. There had been a few close calls, but always they’d failed as she was so infuriatingly postive..

But little by little, it seemed, the cracks were beginning to show. A smirk slowly slid across his face. He just needed to wait a little longer, it seemed. Then, finally, perhaps his most powerful Akuma may be born.

He was a patient man. If not today, maybe tomorrow. If not tomorrow, the day after. Soon however, his greatest creation would spread her wings!

-----

Marinette was relieved when lunch break came. The classroom seemed more suffocating than normal that day. It was like her very soul was being sapped out every moment she spent in that small room. She loved Ms. Bustier, she really did, but sometimes her class was… well, exhausting.

Especially when it came to one person…

“Well well, I don’t believe it. Dupain-Cheng, you actually can be on time!” Chloe snorted, barely looking up from doing her nails. “...honestly, it’s so shameful that our class president can’t be bothered to show up on time! She’s supposed to represent our school, be amongst the best and brightest! And here she is, constantly showing up late~!”

“...be quiet Chloe,” Marinette snapped, in no mood for her today. “...I don’t want to argue with you today.”

“Oh, so you do agree?” Chloe sneered.

“Well-” Marinette started, but wasn’t given a chance to finish.

“Oh, so you do! I say I should run for class president again,” Chloe grinned coming around to Marinette’s desk. “I mean, I’m me! What could possibly go wrong? I could buy the best desks, the best stationary, the best everything for this class. Daddy wants his daug… I mean you all to succeed after all…”

“Being class president is about more than buying your way to victory,” said Marinette, trying not to look at her.  Don’t meet her eyes, don’t acknowledge her, she told herself. “You are representing the school.”

“And who better to do so? I’m a superhero, and the class star!” proclaimed Chloe, eyes apparently sparkling as she preened. Looking around the classroom, she asked: “Riiiiiiiiiighhhhhht?”

She was seemingly daring them to say differently. A few mutters of agreement, at least on the superhero front seemed to satisfy her.

“See?” Chloe asked. “They agree!”

“Hmmmm, maybe,” Lila mused, trying to feign disinterest as she walked past. Marinette fought back a groan; blood was in the water so of course the sharks would come. “...but if I remember right, the only reason you became a superhero is because you found a dropped Miraculous! You did nearly cause a subway wreck, right? Or do I remember differently?”

What a weird day it was, Marinette mused, as here she was agreeing with Lila of all people.

There were again murmurs of agreement.

“I think you should just give your Miraculous back to Ladybug, if you want my opinion,” Lila went on. “You’re an okay hero, but you’re also a wildcard. It’s too dangerous for you to continue, if you want my honest opinion. Hawk Moth knows who you are.”

It was even weirder when Marinette continued to agree, as she herself had these exact same thoughts at times. 

“Yeah, well if he comes around I’d kick his butt!” Chloe continued to preen, striking a pose. “I’d be known as the one who defeated him and saved Paris! Awards, accolades! Fame forever lasting!”

….Maybe Chloe should have gotten the Ox Miraculous instead, Marinette pondered wearily. She was certainly as stubborn as one!

Again, Marinette welcomed the chance for an escape. Maybe now she could think in peace, no Lila or no Chloe to bother her. With a little audible groan, she let her head slam into the table, a small whine escaping her. 

“...Marinette, are you alright?” Adrien’s warm voice asked her. 

“...depends,” she grumbled. “...god, I’m not even out of school yet and today’s already exhausting. I was agreeing with Lila today. Lila!”

“Oh well, even a broken clock is right twice a day, I suppose?” Adrien offered a joke and a smile, which Marinette graciously accepted. Her soul felt a bit lighter, and then a bit wearier remembering what was and could never be.

“T-Thanks…” Marinette laughed a little before quickly silencing herself. “...it’s just… god, everything’s so hard nowadays. Between schoolwork and my other responsibilities, I don’t have time for myself anymore.”

There were papers in front of her, instructions on how to learn Chinese. A whole new hurdle for her. 

“You’re learning Chinese?” Adrien asked curiously, sitting down beside her. 

“Yeah, my uncle -you remember him right?- is coming to town again soon and… and I just don’t want to embarass myself again, that’s all. God knows I do that plenty enough already!” Another bitter laugh. “Besides, I have to get in touch with my heritage eventually, right?”

“It’s just… well, you shouldn’t overwork yourself Marinette, that’s all,” Adrien said, concerned. “Take it from someone who has an already hectic schedule. You need time for yourself.”

“Isn’t getting in touch with my heritage considered time for myself?” Marinette asked, far more snappishly and waspishly than she probably would have liked. She noticed her crush take a few nervous steps back, and then the guilt washed over her like a tidal wave. “...I’m sorry.”

“It’s… it’s okay,” Adrien apologized, somewhat nervously as that guilt wave became a tsunami. “I’ll… I’ll just leave you alone for a bit, okay? Just be… just be careful okay?”

Whoopee her, she’d scared her crush away and probably driven him further into Kagami’s arms. She wasn’t blind, she’d noticed how close the two were apparently getting lately. She liked Kagami, she really did. It was just… It was just that she wanted Adrien, and god she knew how entitled that sounded but he was just so perfect. 

“...not like he’ll ever have me, I blew my chance with him at the Wax Museum,” Marinette mused. Shame and guilt and humiliation washed over her. She hiccuped back a sob. “I made such a fool of myself back then… of course, that’s really what I’m good, at aren’t I? Me, Marinette the Mess-Up. Lucky me.”

She laughed bitterly again For someone gifted with the embodiment of luck it sure didn’t seem like it at times, did it? Marinette wondered if there was a kwami embodying the concept of Irony. It sure wouldn’t have surprised her if that was the case really…

How she longed for the simple days before everything got so… complicated. When it was just Hawk Moth and his akumas that she worried and fretted over. When she wasn’t so heartsick for a boy she knew she’d probably never have. “Oh god. Have. ...here I go again, making him sound like he’s a prize to be won. I’m such an idiot.”

So she worked, trying to fight off her own humiliation...

In his lair, Hawk Moth could sense the rising emotions of one Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She’d been a former Miraculous holder, now that he thought about it. For a time, however brief, she carried the powers of the Mouse. Interesting. 

He’d been on the verge of success before she stepped in and somehow saved the day. He had to give her credit. A fashion designer, great friend, and hero. If he wasn’t so dead set on turning her into his greatest creation… well, he’d actually hire her for the company when she got old enough. Maybe he would in another life, once his dear Emile was safely returned to him. This was just a test run, after all. If she proved her worth now… well, he’d make up his mind on hiring her later.

All he had to do was sit and wait. It was only a matter of time now. She was frayed, ready to snap. Teenagers were a mess of emotions; that was why they always made the best Akumas. It sounded almost predatory, he knew but the truth of the matter was that Francois Dupont was the perfect recipe for disaster. It was a stew, and both his spy and the Bourgeois girl seemed intent on stirring up trouble!

The recipe was almost done, the dinner bell ready to chime. Before the day was out, Marinette Dupain-Cheng would be a du pain to all of Paris! 

“Marinette, hurry up!” Alya’s voice came, soft and loving and feeling like a ray of sun in an otherwise dreary day. “...if you don’t hurry, you’re going to be late for class. You’re going to miss Adrien, hmmm? Girl, I know you don’t want to do that!”

But what if she did?

“.....oohhhhh, look at you,” Alya said worriedly, fretting over her best friend. “God, you look exhausted. You haven’t been sleeping well, have you? Don’t tell me Ladybug’s words got to you? That you're thinking you failed as a hero by having your identity revealed?”

If it were only that!

“Well, let me tell you. In this instance, Ladybug was wrong!” Alya said and oh wow she must have been really steamed if she was willing to badmouth her idol. ...who, hilariously, was right in front of her this whole time, oh the irony there! “There are worse heroes, like…. Oh, Chloe. Just… Chloe. Why she got to use a Miraculous again is beyond me. I like Ladybug, I do, but some of her decisions…”

Yep, some of her decisions. She really needed to talk to Chloe about her Miraculous one of these days. 

“...did… did you even eat breakfast this morning?” Alya badgered, stammering out worriedly as she worked herself up into full speed. “Please tell me you did, otherwise I’m going to shove a million croissants down your throat!”

“....noooo?” Marinette admitted, awkwardly. Pressing her fingers together in an antsy way, she continued, “I just wanted to make it to school on time, that’s all…”

“Right, that settles it,” Alya proclaimed, putting her foot down. Reaching into her shoulder bag, she pulled out a spare croissant she kept in a zip-lock baggie. “...I keep this for just such an emergency.”

Practically shoving it in Marinette’s mouth, Alya didn’t let go until she was satisfied Marinette had eaten it. With a smug little nod, hands on her hips, she then said: “I worry about you girl, I really do. You’ve been… well, acting really odd these last few days, you’re kinda starting to scare me you know.”

“...well, I…”

It was then Alya spotted the pages on the table, the pages Marinette had desperately been trying to hide under her bookbag. “...what is… Oh Marinette, you’re going to overwork yourself girl. I know your uncle is coming to town, and you want to respect your heritage but when you starve yourself doing that…”

“You’re just like Adrien…” Marinette muttered. “He said the same thing.”

“Ever stop to think he may have had a point?” Alya asked, drawing Marinette strangely silent.

The day went on, Marinette hoping there would be no more shenanigans. She just wanted to go home, flop in her bed and maybe take Alya’s advice and gorge herself on croissants. Of course, her life being the way it was, Fate had something else in mind.

“...Uh, Ms. Bustier?” Lila said in an annoyingly sweet but so obviously fake tone of voice. She raised her hand high and oooooooooh how Marinette wanted to set that ugly orange jumper of hers on fire. It was such a crime against fashion. 

“Yes, Lila?” Ms. Bustier responded.

“Are you really sure that Marinette should be continuing as Class President?” Lila asked, going right for the jugular. “...I mean, just look at her!”

The whole class, as if in unison directed their gaze to Marinette’s desk which had one too many things on it and oooooooh yeah it did look bad didn’t it? Crap, she swore softly to herself. 

“She looks so overwhelmed, and it’s obvious that she won’t be able to continue as Class President. At least not in this capacity…” Lila went on before wrapping an arm around her enemy. Softly, but obviously not sweetly, she said: “It’s okay, let someone else take over. Nobody will fault you for it…”

“...Marinette?” Ms. Bustier asked, coming over. “Do you want someone else to take over?”

She was caught between a rock and a hard place, she knew it. And the trouble was, she was severely tempted to say yes. Being Class President was important, true, but… as much as she hated to admit it, even Lila had a point. She hadn’t slept well in days, and thanks to Hawk Moth she probably wouldn’t be doing that anytime soon. Not to mention she was overwhelmed with everything else. Just last week Jagged Stone had called her with a new commission! She’d barely gotten started on it! 

Sometimes, Marinette felt like she was on the end of her rope and she just wanted to… let… go… The words came out of her, before she could stop them. “Yes.”

“...well, that settles that!” Lila said, looking awfully triumphant. 

“It’s okay,” Ms. Bustier said kindly. “Don’t worry, I’m sure we can find an apt replacement. You just get some rest okay? You want me to send you home early? You don’t look well…”

On any other day, Marinette would be inclined to agree. But she was too paralyzed with fear to respond. Here was Lila, actually gaining another foothold in her class. Her class! The one she had worked so hard to pull together and keep safe and now that manipulative little witch, that liar liar ugly orange jacket on fire HAD a new foothold! The fox was in the henhouse, and she showed no signs of leaving.

“Marinette, are you alright?” Alya asked, watching her best friend look to be paralyzed with… what was that? It couldn’t have been fear, could it? By instinct by now, she was keeping an eye on the sky… “Girl, is something wrong? Breathe, it’s okay! Whoever replaces you, I’m sure they’ll do a good job! There’s no need to be jealous…”

In hindsight, Alya mused, that might have been the wrong thing to say.

“I’m not jealous…” Marinette mumbled, and Alya missed the snicker a certain false fox let out.

“Sure you’re not,” Lila said before helping her up. “You don’t look well, I really should get you to the nurse’s office.”

“No no,” Alya said. “I’ll do it, come on Adrien, let’s get my girl out of here.”

Lila let out a low growl, again missed by Alya.

“Yeah, that… uh, might be best,” said Adrien, nodding in agreement before throwing a watchful look at Lila for some reason. “Let’s go.”

“So,” Ms. Bustier said, looking at her favorite student with a bit of worry. “Does anyone want to run as Marinette’s replacement? Alya?”

A brief flicker of hope, yes of course!

“...sorry Ms. Bustier, between the Ladyblog and everything else in my life, I’m swamped.”

“Oh, I see,” Ms. Bustier said as Alya threw her best friend an apologetic look. “...anyone else?”

Embarrassment, rage, humiliation rushed through Marinette like an inferno. On a better day and in a more rational state of mind, she might have realized that Ms. Bustier didn’t have it out for her specifically. That she was just doing her job. But today was not a good day for her, really. Too late, as Adrien and Alya helped her to the nurse’s office did she realize what was coming for her.

A little purple moth, flapping it’s way to her and by the shriek that rose up from Alya’s throat, she must have seen it. 

“Oh god,” Alya whispered. “Deep breathes Marinette, remember those anti-akuma exercises we all went to. Think nice thoughts, happy thoughts!”

Marinette’s breath caught in her throat, her panic rising even higher with each passing moment. Nonononononononononono! It couldn’t be, no not her! Please, anyone but her! Just… just go to someone else! She tried to break away, run from what she knew was coming. But it was too late now. Nononono, she couldn’t let this happen. Not to her! She had to fight this off, and fast! For Paris.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng, a Princess toppled from her throne. You’re overworked and overwhelmed, and someone stole your crown from you,” Hawk Moth’s voice seeped into her mind, sounding almost sympathetic. She couldn’t let her archenemy win this, she couldn’t let him in! She just couldn’t! Marinette was fighting hard, trying so hard to fight off the power that was rapidly starting to consume her. “I can help you get it back, all you have to do in return is get me Ladybug and Cat Noir’s Miraculous. What say you, Princess Justice?”

By now, the whole class had come out to see what was the matter. 

Her court was at hand. Good. 

Everyone could only watch, in stupefied horror as Marinette mentally fought, the dark cocoon wrapping itself all around her. Hawk Moth's ugly purple mask had slid over her face. Marinette’s eyes were closed tightly as she fought against herself, trying not to give in. 

Again and again, she whispered these words: “No, no, no…” 

“You gotta fight it girl,” Alya shouted, shaking her. “You’re stronger than this, come on! You’re the strongest person I know!”

The court jester tried to reach her.

“Come on Dupain-Cheng, don’t tell me this is what it takes! Just one bad day for you?”

And the sorceress stood watching, with an evil glint in her eye.

“Perfect….”

The perfect Princess, in a dress of topaz. Always upbeat and never giving in.

“Come on Marinette, you can do it! We believe in you!”

The loyal knight in shining armor, strong and brave but like a gentle flower.

“Marinette… no…”

The Master of Games, the dancing monkey!

“If this is what it takes to stop you, Marinette, I dare you to pull yourself out of this!”

And the bard, ready to sing songs to cheer everyone up on a rainy day.

“You can do this dudette, fight him!”

Finally, with hot, salty, humiliated tears running down her face, she gave in, and let out a little whisper, saying something that made Adrien freeze. A cold chill ran down his spine.

“Tikki, I order you to take the earrings and run!”

A little pinkish-red sprite rushed out of her bag, and then finally the dark energy coated her before the cocoon burst open. But a beautiful butterfly wasn’t what came out of it, no. But a devil, a dark twisted parody of a magical girl that didn’t want to bring joy but devastation.

Covered in frills and lace, her costume a deep gothic black with red supplements, a thorny crown rested upon her head. Twin permanent tear stains ran down her face, like the world’s ugliest makeup. In one hand was the Scales of Justice. In the other, a royal rapier. The one who was once known as Marinette was ready to judge her court, and all would pay a horrific price for crossing her.

-----

In his lair, Hawk Moth laughed. Finally! Marinette Dupain-Cheng was his!

-----

Alya ran, realizing just how totally screwed they were. Paris needed Ladybug to save them. Only thing was… Ladybug wasn’t coming. Not this time.

Diving into a classroom, she hoped Princess Ju… no, Marinette hadn’t seen her. She just had to believe that her girl was somewhere deep down in there. “...thought doubtfully, I don’t think she’d be able to hear me, not this time. Damn it, Akumas never listen to anyone! Not when they’re like this! Fuck…”

Her best friend was Ladybug. Of course she was! She should have seen it. Some reporter she was…

“Now what do I do?” Alya wondered, hiding behind a desk and trying to block out the screams. “There’s… there’s just got to be something! Anything!”

It was then she spotted her, a bright beacon of hope in the darkness. “...oh dear, I was always afraid this would happen but I never wished to see the day! Oh Marinette…” 

The little fairy sounded like she was near tears.

“Yeah, you and me both,” Alya said sourly. “Tikki right?”

“...Alya,” Tikki said politely. “It’s so nice to finally, really meet you. If only it were under…”

“Better circumstances?” Alya finished. “Yeah, I know. I have a lot of questions to ask you, but now isn’t the time. If we get out of this, I gotta hit you and my girl up for an interview!”

“I’ll make sure you get it,” Tikki smiled weakly, with a little nod. “But you know what you have to do now, right?”

She was holding out The Earrings. Alya knew what was being asked of her. 

“....oh oh god, are you sure?” Alya asked, a frayed mess of nerves. “...like, isn’t there anyone else? I want to be a superhero again, yeah, but not like this!”

“You have to!” Tikki pleaded.

“No way, these are Marinette’s! And Marinette’s alone!”

“Except…” Tikki trailed off, casting a glance outside.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Alya said as burning fire began to fill her. Call it rage against Hawk Moth for turning her best friend into that monster, call it a need for justice. Call it love for her friend. Call it whatever you wanted. But it fueled her, and this fox right now needed to don some spots! Paris was in peril, and while it’s usual guardian wasn’t rushing to the rescue right now… It would still be saved. Just by someone else this time.

“You know the words, right?” Tikki asked.

“I’ve been kept up nights thinking about them, something I am not embarrassed to admit!” Alya answered, hesitantly taking the earrings. “...I just wished there was a different time other than now to say them.”

She took a deep breath. No more hesitation, no more fear. Paris needed her. “Tikki… SPOTS ON!”

And Alya felt the warm light of creation rush over her.

Chapter Text

Were it any other occasion, Alya reasoned to herself, she would let out a whoop. A holler of joy as she leaped to the rooftop of Francois Dupont. She was Ladybug! Alas, if only it were under better circumstances. The light of creation felt so different from her stint as Rena Rouge. Whereas Trixx’s power felt so raw , so mystical? This… this was something else entirely. It felt warm, the magic behind it ancient and shining like the sun.

“Was this what Marinette felt every time she…” Alya asked herself, mulling over the possibility and over her foolishness. God, for an expert reporter she was so blind. Of course, her BFF was Ladybug. Nobody else came close! “She must have been standing there laughing when I honestly thought Chloe was Ladybug! Or looking offended, like eww. The Queen of Mean, really girl? But don’t look so surprised, who else could it have been? Nobody measures up to Marinette!”

As she ran past a window, her costume was reflected in the glass. Gone was Marinette’s skintight bodysuit. In its place was the full magical girl dress, all frills and lace. With a whoop, -she couldn’t really help herself- she leaped off a railing and stood on the roof overlooking the courtyard.

“Don’t worry girl, you won’t have to wait long. I’m coming to save you! You’ve always had my back, supporting my wild theories. Now I’ve got yours. All that requires evil to fester is for good men and women to do nothing, and I don’t intend to do nothing. Watch out Hawk Moth, Lady Sunspot is here to save the day!”

She winced, looking at Akumanette’s attire. God! It got even uglier the more she looked at it! Did Hawk Moth have no taste? It oozed more emo than an Evanescence song! Did the guy do nothing but listen to mid-2000s gothic rock? Okay, yeah, she had to cleanse the Akuma just so Marinette wouldn’t have to spend one minute more in those rags that barely passed as an outfit!

“Like, good grief man! I knew you’re evil and all but that’s crossing a line!”

Marinette seemed to be rounding up a few of the classmates for something. No, Princess Justice. It was better to think of her that way, that… thing down there wasn’t Marinette, Alya reminded herself. It shared a face with her BFF but it wasn’t her. 

Wait, was she knighting them? But instead of armor, the students wore fur changing into hunting hounds. 

“Find them! Bring them to me!” Princess Justice cried, raising her sword to the skies. “Let the hunt begin! I must judge their offenses to the crown!”

Whoever ‘they’ were, Alya knew she didn’t want to find out what happened when Princess Justice got to them. She knew she had to act fast.

“Yeah, sorry, I hate to rain on your parade and all, but I guess I’m committing High Treason to the crown? Maybe you want to judge me first before going on your personal revenge quest?” Lady Sunspot challenged. “Because there’s a revolution going on! The people have spoken, Princess Justice, and you don’t deserve that crown!”

“Oh, is that what they said?” Princess Justice practically snarled an ugly little sound that Alya never again wanted to hear from her BFF’s mouth. “Well, every revolutionary shall meet… THE GUILLOTINE!”

Up onto the rooftop Princess Justice leaped, swapping her rapier out for a massive obsidian axe. Her opponent rolled to the left, just narrowly avoiding the blade which whistled through the air. It came again, the temporary heroine ducking under the blade.

“Boy, no need to take this personally,” Lady Sunspot commented, spinning her yo-yo and letting it wrap around the akuma’s weapon. She tugged, attempting to pry it free from Princess Justice’s grip. “It’s only just a regime change!”

A small part of her wondered if she really should be antagonizing the akuma like this. 

“Oh, Alya…” Princess Justice shook her head, tossing her axe aside. Striding forth with a certain amount of grace, the akuma advanced. And Lady Sunspot tried to suppress the shudder that came with hearing her BFF say those words, in that tone. “It’s nice of you to stand up to me like this, you were always the brave one. You picking up the earrings? It’s so you right?”

“Yeah…” Lady Sunspot replied, trying to work out where the akuma was. “You know it’s me girl, we both promised to have each other’s backs right?”

“You BROKE that promise!” Princess Justice screeched, lunging forwards, her fist drawn back as she readied a punch. “When Lila showed up, you started fawning all over her. Those ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’, like suddenly I was yesterday’s news! That hurt, you know!”

Like a trained ballerina, the heroine spun out of the way dodging the punch with ease. Only for Princess Justice to knock her to the ground with a leg sweep. “It’s not her, girl. You know that. ..you know that's not it... right?”

“You just called me jealous time and time again! Like my opinion didn’t matter!”

Lady Sunspot managed to flip back onto her feet. “Because you were jealous, what was I supposed to think? You’ve had issues with other girls fawning over Adrien before, remember?”

“I THOUGHT YOU KNEW ME BETTER!” Princess Justice snapped spinning around to kick her once best friend in the face. “You abandoned me, and left me out to dry! Suddenly I was yesterday’s news, you promised to have my back! A journalist always checks her sources right? You should’ve checked yours! You know, I could easily deal with Lila, expose her. I have connections you know, with Jagged, with Clara Nightingale…”

“And ruin her life in front of the whole school?” Lady Sunspot asked, stepping back to avoid the kick. “That’s not very heroic behavior, is it? You should-”

“Take the high road? That’s what Adrien said too you know?” Princess Justice replied, bitterly. “Of course you’d side with him, he betrayed me too. He… he was supposed to stand with me, against the inferno! Expose that lying fox!”

“She’s not a liar, girl,” Lady Sunspot replied, cartwheeling backwards before throwing her yo-yo and letting it wrap around Princess Justice’s legs. With a tug, she pulled her forward dragging her head through the shingles, ripping them up, and sending them flying. “Okay, sure, maybe some of her stories are a little fantastic but in the end, that’s all they are. They’re not hurting anyone, and Lila likes regaling us with tales from her exciting life. What’s wrong with that?”

She knew it wasn’t Marinette saying these words, this incredibly salty caricature of her. Negative emotions amplified, jealousy turning into outright hatred. Marinette’s kindness turning into pure rage, her usual modesty twisted into a ridiculous amount of self-centeredness.

“You know who you sound like?” Lady Sunspot asked, spinning her yo-yo around like a shield even as her opponent jabbed at her again and again like a champion fencer. “Chloe! Yeah, that’s right, there I said it! You sound like Chloe right now girl. So stow the ego, and go back to being the Marinette I know! Please…”

“Marinette’s gone!” Princess Justice thundered, leaping up into a diving kick. “Princess Justice is here to stay!”

“Truth be told?” Cat asked, extending his baton at just the right moment. Princess Justice was sent flying into the courtyard. “I think I prefer Marinette, just between you and me.”

“Thanks Kitty, though really, I guess the nicknames should be saved for the real LB. We’re going to get her back, understand?” Lady Sunspot said, panting and sweating. Oh god, as much as she hated to sound like Chloe in this instance her outfit was going to be ruined! “...what the FUCK happened to Marinette? Like… like she sounded so selfish talking about how she was going to utterly ruin Lila and how she was going to expose her for being a liar and like WHAT?”

“You know it’s not her, Alya,” Cat replied. “That’s the akuma talking, Hawk Moth he… damn him, he preyed upon her worst fears, and her feelings and turned Marinette into that . It’s horrible, I know and yeah, we gotta get her back.”

His fists were clenched, his knuckles probably white.

“Her… her feelings?” Lady Sunspot whispered, suddenly feeling very vulnerable. “You mean… you mean she actually feels that way?”

“On some level?” Cat thought, choosing his next words carefully. “Probably? It’s just… well, they’re buried very deep down.”

“She hates me,” Lady Sunspot whispered. “...and I don’t even know what I did wrong. I… I just made friends with Lila, and I don’t get it, where’d I go wrong? Surely she’s not that jealous of her!”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Cat replied. “I don’t think Marinette hates you, not really. It’s just the Akuma magnified those feelings, twisted them into well… that. ”

“Oh god, I just realized…” Lady Sunspot whispered, a rather horrific thought hitting her like a thunderbolt. “She was talking about hunting someone down, you don’t think…?”

“Lila!” Cat realized, pulling an odd face like he was trying to suppress a groan. “Come on, we gotta go help her!”

Bounding off to another part of the school, she watched him before she swung off after her partner. All the while, she wondered just why Cat suddenly didn’t seem so enthusiastic about saving the Italian. “Is it because he’s fighting Marinette now? His partner? ...or is there something more going on here? Just what aren’t you telling me Cat Noir?”

Her reporter's senses smelled a story here, and she was going to get to the bottom of it! But first, she had to save her best friend.

-----

“Don’t be bemused, it’s just the news…”

Across the city, taking up temporary residence until he could find a safer location lay the Guardian.

“...Francois Dupont is once again under attack by an Akuma. Reports are just now coming in, and apparently one Miss… oh god.”

Nadja faltered, apparently recognizing the name. She steeled herself, ready to break the news no matter how much it pained her. 

“One Miss Marinette Dupain-Cheng has been turned into-”

Fu dropped his teacup, crashing to the floor with a clatter and shattering on impact.

“Master!” Wayzz shouted in fear. 

“...oh dear, we’re in trouble this time aren’t we?” Fu whispered, wondering just what could have finally pushed Marinette over the edge. “If Marinette has truly been akumatized Cat Noir may be in for the fight of his life. Let’s just hope Hawk Moth is not aware of her identity as Ladybug, otherwise, our troubles have only just begun…”

Truth be told, lately, he had seen just how tired Marinette looked. A sickening realization came over the last of the Guardians as he worked out that he might have partially been the cause of this. “Oh dear, I seem to have made another mistake… Well then, the only thing to do now is to help fix it. Cat Noir, and the new Ladybug, presuming Marinette managed to take off her earrings in time, are going to need help. But who to choose…?”

His hands wavered over the Snake Miraculous, thinking of a certain young man. Fu cast his eyes to the screen, and just in time. He saw a laughing mad Princess wrap her vines around Nadja, and drag her inside her castle…

“I have to hurry!”

-----

 All the Princess’ court could do was watch Nadja be brought inside, strung up by vines. 

“...like, what the hell?” Kim whispered, unable to do anything but watch. “Nettie… she’s gone mad!”

Swearing in Vietnamese, the boy shook his head. “...we should have noticed just how tired she was. Now that I think-”

“Hmmph, you can actually think?” Chloe couldn’t resist the mockery, trying to stave off the building terror. “Don’t make me laugh!”

“Shut up Chloe!” Alix, Nino, and surprisingly Juleka barked at her.

“...about it,” Kim went on, ignoring the blonde. “‘Nettie, she’s been so lifeless lately. Like her eyes? You’ve all seen them right? Usually, they’re so bright, full of energy, but nowadays… it’s like they’re just, well... dull. God, I feel like such an idiot for not noticing until now.”

He looked ready to do something, but as for what nobody was really sure.

“It’s not your fault dude,” Nino said. “We all should have noticed.”

“There is a 97% chance that if we had taken notice and lightened the load on Marinette,” Max said in a monotone, unable to believe what was going on. “We might have prevented this. The data doesn’t lie…”

“Hey, what’s going on out there…?” Alix asked, climbing over Nino to try and see outside.

“Looks like the Princess is holding her court…” Juleka frowned. “This is so not awesome.”

The youngest Couffaine was more on the money than she would have liked to be. Strung up by vines, Nadja was held -upside down- in front of Princess Justice.

“You’re part of the problem you know,” said the akuma, sitting on a makeshift throne of wooden chairs, gathered from the library. Her hunting hounds circled their prey, like wolves before a kill. “You constantly asking me to babysit Manon, do you know how much time I have to take out of my schedule just for that? I have commissions, I have a life!”

“I’m sorry!” Nadja pleaded. “Just… just let me go! I’ll find another babysitter, I promise! We’ll… we’ll work something out okay? You won’t have to babysit Manon anymore!”

“Oh, it’s not up to me…” said Princess Justice with an evil grin, smirking like she knew something that Nadja didn’t. Holding up the Scales, the akuma looked absolutely feral. “You’ll be talking to Lady Justice. Don’t be bemused, it’s just the news. And I’m afraid… it isn’t good for you!”

The scales tilted, Nadja’s soul weighed and the class erupted in a shriek even as Princess Justice’s eyes flashed. However, love outweighed common sense and two former friends tackled the Akuma.

“Rose!” Juleka shouted, eyes wide in shock.

“You don’t need to do this!” Rose shouted, trying to keep Princess Justice from reaching the Scales. She and Kim had pinned her, trying to keep her from doing anything else with the Scales now laying off to the side. “Please Marinette, remember who you are! This isn’t you! You’re sweet and kind and you wouldn’t hurt anyone!”

“Yeah, she’s right!” Kim shouted. “Listen to her ‘Nettie!”

But both were only thrown off, and law and order would not be turned to anarchy. Princess Justice retrieved her Scales and marched towards Nadja. Like Medusa herself, she turned the once favored reporter to stone. As for Kim and Rose?

“Well, you two are sweet. Incredibly loyal, true friends to me. That deserves a reward,” Princess Justice said tapping both of her classmates on the shoulder. “You would face me for your friends? How honorable. You’re too good for the hunt, I think! My court needs you in another way. Now rise, my knights of the realm!”

And they did, now clad in shining armor.

“...oh god,” Nathaniel whispered, unable to look away no matter how much he wanted to. “Is that what she’s going to do to us?”

“My… my data suggests this is certain,” Max replied. “She has a grudge against all of us.”

“...hey, I just realized something,” Nino piped up, a sickening feeling in his gut. “Where’s Lila?”

-----

“I don’t believe this! Was Dupain-Cheng really that weak? HAHA, if I had known this was all it was going to take, I should have just ditched the lies and went right for the jugular!”

A rush of triumph raced through the Italian, even as she ran and hid. 

“Nobody’s going to want to be her friend again, not after this! They’ll be too scared of her to even think about ever being friends with her ever again! I’ve done it, I’ve finally beaten her! Thank you Hawk Moth, you have no idea what kind of gift you just handed me!”

Lila took a deep breath and sighed as she slid down against the wall.

“You even akumatized Ladybug in the process! Of course, that goody goody was her, I should have seen it. They’re way too similar, way too annoyingly nice and kind, and yeah I think I’m going to barf. Okay, so somehow Marinette managed to be in two places at once as Multimouse. Not quite sure how she managed that, but it doesn’t matter now does it? Both of her identities are compromised now. She’ll never know peace again!”

Lila smirked. And the best part? All of this left her in complete control over the class.

“Nobody will want to vote her in again as class president, not after how they’ve seen how easily she breaks. Plus, who would want her now, because clearly, she’s way too important for the rest of us. School isn’t even her top priority, now is it? She should have realized that she couldn’t have her cake and eat it too! Which to choose, Dupain-Cheng? Being a hero, or being the class president?”

Lila ducked behind some desks, seeing the akuma’s hunting hounds sniffing around the doors. The Italian rolled her eyes, that was truly pathetic. Dupain-Cheng hated her so much, and yet she couldn’t even be bothered to come find her. Instead, she sent her loyal lapdogs after her. 

“Why am I not surprised? That whole class waited on her hand and foot, though I don’t know why! There’s really not much to admire, just a whole lot of ‘purity’. Please. Dupain-Cheng’s no better than the rest of us, as this shows. She’s probably as selfish as I am, though I doubt she’ll ever admit it. She’d have to get off her high horse first!”

Then, Lila screamed as she was pulled upwards onto the roof.

“You mangy cat!” Lila hissed out at Cat Noir. “I was hiding! Now Princess Justice will be after all three of us! Who’d Dupain-Cheng even get to cover for her anyways?”

“Lila…” Cat groaned, rubbing his forehead. “...we just saved you. Some gratitude please?”

“Fat chance, you stray!”

“...wow Lila, what’s the matter with you?” Lady Sunspot asked, unwrapping her yo-yo from around Lila. “Okay, look, I’m just guessing you’re pretty stressed out. Relax, okay? We’ll work this out! ...somehow…”

“Cesaire, of course! I should have guessed.”

“Alya, you gotta help me!” Lila cried, turning on the puppy dog eyes. “I… I didn’t know this was going to happen, I swear! Like, all I offered to do was take over Du… Marinette’s duties as class president, and suddenly she snapped and got herself akumatized!”

“Don’t worry Lila, it wasn’t your fault,” Cesaire replied to her, kindly, even if she missed the roll of Cat’s eyes that Lila herself caught. “We’ll get you out of here. We’ll help Marinette, I promise. Nobody does that to my girl, okay? As soon as I free Marinette, Hawk Moth himself is getting a personal visit! And a busted nose!”

“...should you really expose yourself like that?” Cat questioned.

“Look, I’m angry alright? I’m not thinking straight, honestly, I should have worked this out sooner and god I’m so blind!” Cesaire ranted. “...god, I hope this is a temporary thing, as cool as being Ladybug for a day is, I’m not sure I’m cut out for it. I’m amazed Marinette kept it together this long, girl’s stronger than I am that’s for sure.”

“...well, so much for tearing these two apart.”

“You’d do that? Even after Marinette was turned… into that?” Lila asked, nervously, looking back down towards the courtyard where Princess Justice and her knights searched the area. 

“Especially after Marinette was turned into that,” Lady Sunspot replied, slamming a fist into her outstretched palm. “Hawk Moth… I’m never going to forgive him for this! I never thought I could hate him any worse after he akumatized my sisters. He’s proven me wrong.”

“I swear, I didn’t know how fragile she really was!” Lila continued to babble fearfully.

“Marinette’s not fragile…” Cat hissed.

“Whoa, cool your jets Cat,” Lady Sunspot/Cesaire replied. “I’m sure she didn’t mean it like that!”

“Yeah, no, I didn’t!” Lila replied as they hid inside an abandoned classroom, taking shelter in a closet. Outside, Princess Justice’s hunting hounds searched the corridors. “I’m just saying-”

“Saying what?” Cat asked, just barely hiding his disgust.

“Leave her alone Cat, I’m not sure what’s gotten into you,” Cesaire said sternly. Cesaire, not Lady Sunspot, Lila reminded herself. This was probably only a temporary thing. “But now isn’t the time!”

And Lila, as ever, played the suck-up.

“You… you’re a true friend, Alya! God, I knew I was right about you! I can see why Ladybug chose you to be her best friend!”

Again, Cat was rolling his eyes which Cesaire seemed to miss. For a reporter, she wasn’t very observant.

“...yeah, best friend alright,” Lady Sunspot muttered bitterly. “I failed to notice for so long how she was suffering quietly. Not sure if I deserve the title.”

“Awww, I’m sure she’ll take you back as soon as you save her,” Lila said kindly before thinking: “She’d better save her, otherwise we’re all dead!”

“Don’t worry, I got this,” Lady Sunspot replied, though it honestly sounded like she was trying to reassure herself more than anything else. “Marinette… don’t worry Lila, she won’t stay like this.”

“Cat’s mean isn’t he?” Lila remarked. “If this is what Marinette had to deal with day in, day out, I can see why she was driven over the edge. Her partner is a jerk!”

“Yeah, I’m sorry about him girl,” Cesaire replied. “I’m not sure what’s gotten into him today. But look, we gotta get you out of here. She wants you, Princess Justice I mean.”

“You mean Marinette.” Lila corrected her.

“No. Princess Justice,” Lady Sunspot corrected her. “That isn’t Marinette, it shares a voice and face with my girl but it’s not her.”

“Yeah Lila,” said Cat, jumping to his Lady’s defense. “You of all people should know this!”

“Cat…” said his partner, warningly.

“I can’t believe you’re such a bully!” Lila continued to whine.

“Relax, all I’m saying is Lila should know better. She’s been akumatized before, Volpina remember?” Cat explained. “That wasn’t her, she should remember that she wasn’t in her right mind.”

“Yeah Cat!” said Lila, poking him in the chest. “That wasn’t me! God, I can’t believe you’re what Marinette had to put up with day in, day out! You’re so lame!”

“Lila, look, I get it, you’re stressed, but that was uncalled for!” Lady Sunspot tried to reason. “Leave Cat alone, look he’s a bit of an idiot and we’re all stressed here so let’s all calm down!”

“LIKE HELL!” Lila shouted ferociously, and perhaps a bit too loudly. “Listen, your best friend -yours, not mine, I lied about that okay?- got herself akumatized over me taking her spot as class president. Pfft, I don’t know why, honestly she should be able handle things like that… And now…”

Lila took a few deep calming breaths, as Cat looked panicked at how loud she’d gotten. And Cesaire? She looked furious, though it was hard to tell if it was at herself or Lila. 

“And now she’s trying to hunt us all down and make us all into stone statues for her own private garden! A regular Persephone!” Lila continued to babble, terrified.

“Lila, you need to be quiet,” Cat started. “Otherwise…”

“Otherwise what?” Lila snapped at him.

It was then she heard the pawing sounds at the other side of the door, along with little snarls.

“...oh.” the Italian said. 

“And now we’re leaving!” Lady Sunspot replied as she grabbed Lila, before smashing through the hunting hounds. Swinging her yo-yo, she knocked them away in a red blur of motion. The yo-yo spinning madly, nobody was allowed to get close.

And then, the escape as they swung from one building to the next with Cat extending his baton to follow. Vaulting over the streets, still clutching his baton, he landed next to the twosome on a rooftop opposing Francois Dupont. 

“Another lucky escape,” Cat said, doing a bow before giving Lila a dirty look. “No thanks to you.”

“Hey, give her a break okay?” Lady Sunspot reprimanded Cat, “...Look, I’m angry too. But we gotta keep it together, otherwise…”

She continued to him, after catching her breath, “Yeah, look we’ll deal with Lila being a liar later okay?”

“Yeah,” Cat said, sparing her a nervous glance. “Sure.”

And Lila couldn’t help but drawl out: “...what a team.”

-----

There was very little time now, Master Fu reasoned. Ladybug and Cat Noir needed his help. He’d made many mistakes regarding the two, and it was all coming back to haunt him. All he could do now was to make sure that Marinette didn’t fall further into darkness, and that Hawk Moth didn’t succeed.

“You okay?” his target asked, helping him onto the boat. “You look exhausted. It’s a hot day out, maybe you should be inside? Let me go get you some water, alright?”

“No need, Luka Couffaine,” said Fu. “I have all I need right here. Now, there isn’t much time.”

“There isn’t much time?” Luka repeated, confused. “What do you…?”

It was then he spotted the large octagonal box in the old man’s hands, and all fell into place.

“...mean,” he finished, in realization. “I knew Ladybug had to be getting her spare Miraculous from somewhere, that someone else had to be guarding them. You’re him aren’t you?”

“Yes, quite. Now, Luka Couffane, I need your help,” said Fu, setting the box down and opening up all of its compartments. One by one, the many miraculous came into view. “Pick and choose that which you think calls to you. When you are done, you will return the Miraculous to me. Now quickly! Ladybug and Cat Noir need your help!”

“So, why hasn’t she come to me?” Luka asked. “If she needs my help, why hasn’t she come to me? If you’re the Guardian of the Miraculous, you’re taking a risk just being here! Aren’t you worried Hawk Moth is watching?”

“Things… things have changed,” Fu said, refusing to elaborate. “Now go! Hurry now, Ladybug and Cat Noir need your help!”

“What’s going on…” Luka started, his hands hovering over the Snake. “...oh. Tell me I’m wrong. Marinette, she hasn’t been…”

“I’m afraid so,” Master Fu said, bowing his head in shame. “With a bit of luck, she’s managed to pass on her earrings. I can only assume they have gone to someone she trusts, Rena Rouge.”

“Oh god,” Luka whispered, feeling a bit faint. Okay, yeah, he needed to sit down. “...how could she… what happened? Her heart song, it has been a bit tired but it’s never been erratic enough to be akumatized!”

“I am afraid this may be my fault,” Fu admitted. “I wasn’t keeping watch over her as I should have. I didn’t take her feelings into account.”

“You didn’t take…” Luka started. “What did you do?”

“I pressured her into taking my place as the Guardian, I am an old man and I cannot fight as well as I used to. It is only a matter of time before Hawk Moth finds me, and takes the Miracle Box. It needs a new Guardian, my time is at an end.”

“And so you chose Marinette?” Luka asked, slightly angry and his voice hissing like a snake. “You didn’t even ask her what she wanted, did you?”

“No, I did not,” Fu admitted, still hanging his head in shame. With a low growl, Luka nearly ripped the Snake from the box.

“Fine then,” he said, Sass coming into being as he fixed it around his wrist. “Looks like I’m cleaning up your mess.”

“You mustn’t blame the Master,” Sass tried to argue. “He is low on time, he’s desperate.”

“He still should have asked Marinette what she wanted,” Luka replied, somewhat instinctively. “He shouldn’t have pushed her into this. You know Marinette, she could never say no to someone in need!”

“Yes, she does make a great Ladybug because of that,” Sass admitted. “But even I agree she should take some time for herself, not be consumed by her work. Be selfish once in a while. She’s given her all to this city, she deserves to be selfish at least once I think!”

“So glad we’re on the same page…” Luka muttered. “Sass-”

“Wait!” Fu shouted before he could finish the transformation call. Now he was holding out the Dragon Miraculous, the choker ready to wrap itself around Luka’s neck. “If I am wrong, and Marinette failed to find a new holder for Tikki in time, you may need all the help you can get!”

“I can… combine powers?” Luka asked, somewhat nervously, taking the choker. “Alright, so what’s the catch?”

“Yes, but it is very risky,” Fu said. “Very few humans have managed to do it without damaging themselves. So be careful.”

“Ah, there it is!”

“Don’t worry,” Luka said. “I will. Anything for Marinette after all!”

-----

“You had to open your big mouth, didn’t you Lila?” Cat grumbled to himself as he fended off Princess Justice’s hunting hounds. They bit and snapped at him, and it was all he could do to keep them at bay with his staff! “...why am I not surprised at all that this is your fault? Of course you of all people would be the one to get Marinette akumatized! I never should have given her that stupid ‘high road’ advice, if only I’d known how dangerous you truly were Rossi!”

Whacking one of the hunting hounds on the head with his staff, he watched it scamper off whimpering to its master. High and proud, Princess Justice’s new castle loomed over the streets of Paris, all white stone with vine-wrapped towers piercing the sky. It looked like it was from a fairy tale, but Cat knew it was created by a nightmare.

“Who let the dogs out? Oh right!” Cat thought to himself. “Bad doggies! No treats for you! Princess Justice fed you all one too many scraps from the table! Now you think you can get away with anything!”

God, he’d failed his Lady right when she needed him the most. And now all of Paris is threatened to pay the price. 

“...okay Cat, think. What could the Akuma be hiding in? More to the point, what are you going to do now? Your Lady is in more danger than ever! Hawk Moth knows who she is now! He’ll go after her! Sure, the Paris police will set up a ‘round the clock guard but since when have they ever been prepared to deal with a magical terrorist?”

Cat laughed bitterly, hell, he and Marinette were just barely managing as it was!

“My Lady… I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you when I should have been! But at least let me help you now!”

He swung his staff, sending another hunting hound flying. 

“I know you probably don’t want me anymore, and that’s fine. I’m not the man you need. But maybe now you can find someone who’s truly good for you! Go for Luka, he’s nice enough! Plus, he knows exactly how to keep you calm, Marinette. His guitar playing… I’ve never seen you so at ease whenever he strums a tune. Go to him when this is all over, for me okay?”

So lost in his internal musings was he, that Cat failed to see the next wave of hunting hounds. That was, he failed to see them until a tidal wave washed them away. And water took form, shaping itself into a crimson viper.

“Come on,” Luka said. “Let’s go save Marinette.”

“...Luka?” Cat whispered in shock and awe.

“No,” he corrected him, streaks of blue and red in his hair. “Call me Dracobra now.”

Chapter Text

“Have you watched WandaVision yet?” Lady Sunspot asked, even as they stepped inside the fairy tale castle that was once Francois Dupont. 

“No… why?” her partner remarked, unsure of where this was going. 

“A fallen Princess changes her reality to suit her needs, where everyone must cater to her whims and if they don’t, they suffer the consequences,” the heroine said, her voice even though if you listened closely you could tell she was trying not to let her fear show. “...that’s what this reminds me of. Well, that or that one old Twilight Zone episode my parents love so much.”

All around them, there were signs of Princess Justice’s influence. Redbrick walls had been turned to peachy stone with trophy cases replaced by suits of armor. 

“Soon this will spread beyond Francois Dupont,” Dracobra surmised, a cyan and black hood over his head. Shadows had fallen over his face the darkness inside the hood masking his emotions. “The entire city will become her on fairy tale kingdom.”

Her kingdom. Not Marinette’s kingdom. As Lady Sunspot knew all too well, it helped not to think of this akuma as Marinette. 

“I should have seen it,” Lady Sunspot said as they snuck up a staircase, metal replaced with more stone. On all sides of them, torches crackled with orange flame. “Marinette… she’s been so tired lately. I should have noticed.”

“Hey, now, none of that,” Dracobra soothed. “You couldn’t have known. Marinette internalizes a lot of things. She puts on a mask, literally and figuratively. She doesn’t let her sorrow show that easily.”

“So what?” Lady Sunspot hissed, shoving him up against the wall with a hand. “I’m her best friend. I… god, I’m terrible at this, aren’t I? I spent so long eating up Liar Rossi’s shit that I-”

“In the end, you stopped believing her when it counted,” Dracobra replied. “You didn’t buy what she was selling. One way or the other, you would have worked out she was lying eventually.”

“Yeah, but when?” Lady Sunspot questioned. “...and how much damage would she have done before I did? What would it have taken for me to stop believing her? Her getting Marinette expelled?”

“If it helps,” Dracobra said as the heroine released her grip. “...the fact that she fooled even you for a time should say just how good she is. You’re a reporter, aren’t you Ms. Rouge? If you didn’t spot her lies, how could anyone else?”

“I… I, yeah, I see your point,” Lady Sunspot sighed. “...it still rankles me though. Like, it’s humiliating.”

“Yeah, I get that, I do,” Dracoba replied. “She hit you where it hurt. This is a matter of personal pride for you.”

“And one for you as well, I’d imagine,” Lady Sunspot surmised.

“Y-Yeah,” Dracobra admitted. “My sister… she bought Lila’s lies as well. I’ve had to watch her talk about how much of an amazing person Lila is. How ‘rad’ she is, for all of her charity work. I’ve been waiting for the lies to unravel, but… and I apologize if this sounds cold but I’d consider this a learning experience, how not to take everything at face value.”

Lady Sunspot winced. “Gee, thanks.” 

“Sorry,” the serpent-themed hero admitted. “...by the way, what did you do with Lila anyways? I assume you put her out of harm’s way?”

“Something like that.” Lady Sunspot replied, as tempting as it had been to just leave Lila to the wolves it wasn’t a very heroic thing to do. It wasn’t what Majestia would have done, or more importantly what Marinette would have done.

However, leaving her tied up in an empty construction site and gorilla-taped to a wall was still acceptable, right?

“I… I have a confession to make,” Cat Noir said, with a guilty weary look. “...considering how we’re, apparently, getting everything out in the open and all.”

Both of his fellow heroes looked at him curiously.

“I… sorta knew Lila was lying,” Cat swallowed. “...I didn’t think she was dangerous at the time, not really. I thought she was just lonely, making up stories to get attention.”

“That’s…” Dracobra searched for a response, taking a moment. “Yeah, that’s fair.”

“I gave Marinette bad advice, I see that now,” Cat laughed nervously. “Hindsight’s 20/20 right?”

“What exactly did you say to her?” Dracobra asked as they continued climbing up the spiral staircase. The sun shone through the window, despite the fact it had actually been overcast outside. Obviously, Princess Justice’s power was growing, warping reality even further.

“I… I told her to ignore Lila, to take the high road. To not sink to her level. I thought I was acting like a hero,” Cat Noir said, his ears flattened against his head in possible shame and sadness. “...maybe I was just being stupid.”

“No, you were doing what you thought was best,” Lady Sunspot soothed. “...you just wanted Marinette to act like a hero both behind the mask and outside of it. Nothing wrong with that.”

“I was just doing what my father taught me,” Cat continued and now that Lady Sunspot thought of it, that voice sounded so familiar. So frighteningly familiar, and ooooh if this were any other day she’d be so happy to have her ship confirmed. “I...I was told we’re supposed to ignore wild stories. Let them go away on their own. It’s how we deal with tabloids isn’t it?”

It seemed that Dracobra had worked it out as well. “...wait wait, Adrien? Is that you?”

“Oooooh, busted,” Adrien muttered. “...oh well, it’s not like I’ve been acting like a good hero lately anyways, I deserve to have my miraculous taken away.”

“No, you don’t,” Dracobra placed a firm hand on his shoulder, with a gentle reassuring smile across his face. “You were only acting with the best information you had possible. And if the ‘Great Guardian’ tries to take your Miraculous away… well, me and him will have words. He’s already on thin ice with me for putting My Melody under so much pressure.”

Nobody had missed his choice of words, his phrasing. Cat winced. “Oh well, he’s better for her over me. I lost my chance to date Marinette, I should have been the ally she needed.”

It was then they all noticed something.

“Hey, wait…” Lady Sunspot mused. “...we’ve been here before right?”

She looked around, this was the front hall, right? So what the hell was going on?

“It seems we’re not welcome in her court,” Dracobra commented. “This is… eerie. I guess we don’t go anywhere she doesn’t want us to.”

“Screw that!” Lady Sunspot snarled, drawing back her fist and punching through stone. Magic flickered like an old television screen as the wall fell away. “I have my best friend to save!”

------

Chloe ran, the hounds of hell nipping at her heels. Of course, today would all go wrong, and they had that stupid fake fox to thank! It would be her that finally pushed Dupain-Cheng over the edge, right?

All the same, though, was Dupain-Cheng really so weak to let that Italian push her over the edge? 

Honestly, from the looks of things, she’d thought that Dupain-Cheng had everything under control. That she was handling Liar Rossi. Like, everything seemed to be coming up rosy!

Of course... She also knew better than anyone about how to internalize things. Put up a front, give off the best fake smile to the world. 

Maybe the little liar had done more damage than anyone had thought. And where the hell was the real Ladybug? Why was Rena Rouge filling in?

Unless… oh shit. Oh shit, shit shit. That wasn’t good. A weak bitter laugh rose from her throat. Today is a day full of surprises, isn’t it? 

She wondered if any of her other classmates had connected the dots. Probably not. If it had taken her best friend being akumatized to notice, if Cesaire was any indication… that’d be a resounding no. 

A part of her wanted to sit back and watch the fireworks. But the other part of her knew to run. Princess Justice would be coming for her as well. She seemed like such a spiteful little bitch, and while Dupain-Cheng would never even think of revenge… Chloe knew this akuma was a totally different person.

So she ran and ran and ran until she ran smack dab into two armored knights.

“The Princess has summoned you to her court!” the taller one, speaking with a masculine voice said. It sounded like Lê Chiến. Great. “Did you not receive the summons?”

“Sorry,” Chloe couldn’t resist the remark. “It must have gotten lost in the mail!”

The knight gripped her by the shoulder with him and his companion —probably Lavillant now that she thought about it— frogmarching her to the main room. Good grief, had Dupain-Cheng been watching Game of Thrones? Because wow that looked like the Iron Throne!

Annnnnnd yeah, that didn’t bode well for her future, did it? Just as she thought, the akuma probably remembered everything she had done.

Oh well. Looks like her garden was getting a new statue wasn’t it?

“I really hurt you didn’t I?” Chloe realized, seeing the villain look down at her from atop her throne. 

“Chloe Bourgeois,” spoke the akuma holding up the Scales of Justice. “You have been judged by the cour-”

“What court?” Chloe spat at her, defiant in the face of certain doom. “It’s just you isn’t it?”

“You have been judged by the court,” Princess Justice continued. “And your sentence is-”

“Talk about a kangaroo court!” Chloe continued to mock, she knew she was playing with fire but she had to buy time until Alyabug —or whatever she called herself— and Cat Noir showed up. “Like, I don’t even know what I’m being charged with.”

“You know your charges,” Princess Justice said, her eyes apparently gazing into Chloe’s soul.

“You’re not a princess, you’re a tyrant. You rule the land with fear! With hatred!” Chloe pointed at her. “A true Princess looks after her subjects, instead you just enslave them or turn them to stone if you don’t get your way! That’s all this is really, a childish act of revenge with you lashing out at the world because you’ve been ‘wronged’.”

“It’s justice. ”

“Yeah, show me the definition of justice and I guarantee this won’t be it,” Chloe returned. “You’re no better than Rossi!”

“What?” Princess Justice hissed out venomously, eyes narrowing to pinpricks. One of her hands went to her rapier, gripping it tightly as it rattled within its sheath.

“Yeah, you heard me,” Chloe returned, showing no fear and working herself up into a rant. “This is hardly Class President behavior now is it?”

“Hold your tongue,” the Akuma demanded. “Before I am forced to cut it out.”

“You’re already going to turn me to stone, what else can you do? How else are you going to hurt me?” Chloe returned. “This… you, lashing out? It’s no different from Rossi when she doesn’t get her way. So don’t talk to me about justice. This is revenge, the most worthless of causes.”

“So no different than anything you do every other day,” Princess Justice returned, spittle covering Chloe’s face. “You hardly have the moral high ground, Bourgeois. You’re as petty as me. You make it your life’s mission to ruin this class’ day. You’re nothing more than a vindictive brat.”

“At least I know what I am,” Chloe replied, eyes narrowed. “At least I know I’m not a real Princess. So, do us all a favor and stop lying to yourself, okay?”

And Princess Justice lunged, sword drawn before her blade was met by Dracobra’s own.

“I’m sorry, My Melody,” the serpent hero said. “It seems we must engage in some relationship troubles. Maybe we’ll have to go to couples counseling. But you have to be stopped.”

“L-Luka?” the akuma asked, a vestige of her true self breaking through.

“I meant what I said back then,” Dracobra replied, still holding back her blade. “You're the most extraordinary girl, Marinette. As clear as a musical note and as sincere as a melody. You're the music that's been playing inside my head since the first day we met. I won't let anything happen to you. Do you hear me Hawk Moth? Let. Her. Go!”

And thus the battle of Francois Dupont began.

------

Cat’s heart ached at the love confession from his fellow hero. Like, yeeeeeeah, it It was obvious Dracobra cared for His Lady. “More than I do, anyways. You idiot! You should have stood by her side, instead of having your head buried in your ass.”

He held back Princess Justice’s sword, defending against it in a flurry of metal.

“Oh well, the only thing you can do for her now is to help Alya free her from evil. Be a good friend to her. That’s what she needs more right now, a friend more than a love interest. She may not end up dating me, but I can at least make her happy.”

Sparks flew as he blocked a sword strike. Princess Justice lunged forward, attempting to stab him in the stomach. The tip of her rapier glowed with eerie red magic.

Dracobra jumped in, his blade meeting hers. She broke the lock by kicking him in the shin.

Time seemed to slow as she lunged again, running Cat through with her sword. And then time rewound with a shout.

“Second Chance!”

The clock ticked away as time turned back. 

“Be careful,” the serpent hero advised his partner. “Her skills with the sword, she’s just as good as we are.”

He remembered each move she made in the past five minutes, meeting each strike as best as he could. 

Her blade warped into an axe, and she raised it above her head. Blood spattered the floor before it flew back to its owner as a body stitched itself back together.

“Second Chance!”

Luka knew the attack was coming this time, and he knew what to do.

“Wind Dragon!”

The winds lashed out as they swirled into a cyclone ripping away stone and tossing it out like a heaving stomach. And up went Princess Justice, sucked into the winds like dust into a vacuum cleaner.

She was tossed out like breath from a burp and crashed into her courtyard as a tree snapped like a twig.

“Knights, seize these traitors!” she ordered as she recovered.

Lady Sunspot acted fast, sliding under the knights and wrapping her yo-yo around them and with a tug brought them crashing down in a clatter of metal.

Next, she threw her yo-yo like a professional baseball pitcher and let it wrap around Princess Justice’s blade.

“Sorry girl, but it’s dangerous to run around with sharp objects,” the heroine grunted out, with an almost roguish sort of smirk. “Do you even know how to use that?”

Princess Justice twisted her arm, and with a tug pulled the substitute Ladybug forwards. Spinning around, she slammed the pommel of her blade into the heroine’s forehead.

“You’re nowhere near as good as the real deal,” said the akuma, stabbing forth with her sword only for Lady Sunspot to sidestep the strike. “I can’t believe I almost chose you to wear my earrings instead.”

Lady Sunspot reeled as if struck by a blow. She felt like she’d been punched in the gut. Marinette had almost chosen her to wear the earrings? Then a fire fueled her. That meant Marinette had faith in her best friend even way back then.

That meant she had to do her proud.

“If you were really Marinette,” Lady Sunspot almost snarled. “You’d compliment me, you’d say that I had the makings of a hero even back then. Instead, you’re so self-centered. You walk all over others as if they don’t matter. Because of course, they don’t, Princess Justice. They’re not you are they?”

She punched the villain in the face.

“Alright, think girl. Where would her akuma be? What would that nasty bug have flown into? ...how do you know she’s even kept it on her? If I were Marinette, I would have hidden my object.”

With that thought, she ran up the side of a wall and leaped off it to kick the villain in the face. Just to see if anything would fly out of her clothes.

No such luck.

“Think back, what happened? What did the akuma fly into?”

Then came a shout pulling her out of her musings. “LOOK OUT!”

Cat Noir yanked Lady Sunspot back even as Princess Justice thrust her blade forward. The heroine swallowed, if he hadn’t done that she would have been skewered like a shish kabob.

Her sword changed into an axe again, arcing through empty air before Cat Noir blocked the next strike with his now twin batons.

Princess Justice shoved the axe into the ground in front of her, before leaping forth and wrestling Cat Noir to the ground in a full-blown hurricana! 

“Good Lord!” Lady Sunspot shrieked, wondering just where Marinette even had the time to learn that!

“Water Dragon!” suddenly came a cry and a tidal wave washed over the courtyard pushing everything in it out onto the street in a shower of water.

Dracobra reformed from the waters, before tossing his lyre pinning Princess Justice to the wall with it.

“Knights! Seize him!”

Of course, that didn’t mean bringing him in alive, as he soon found out. Even as he felt the axe swing for his head, Dracobra activated his powers again. 

“Second Chance!”

The serpent hero found his wind and water forms restored. Wow, this Miraculous got more and more OP with each passing use.

...not that he intended to find out how over-powered it could get. He wanted Hawk Moth rotting in a cell somewhere. Especially after today.

“If you were really Marinette,” Lady Sunspot was going to continue her chiding, before realizing with a shake of her head that lecturing this akuma was fruitless. It wasn’t like she was listening.

So instead she kicked the akuma in the face before back-flipping away. Spinning around, one of her feet slammed into the akuma’s gut making it nearly double over.

“Wow, violent.” Cat Noir observed.

“I got some issues to work out,” Lady Sunspot admitted. “That thing is just using my best friend’s body as a puppet. I’m spitting mad! Like, I’m seriously pissed right about now. Me and Hawk Moth will have words next time I see him. And then I’m going to bash his face in with my flute.”

“Get in line,” Cat Noir agreed.

“Join the club,” Dracobra agreed. “He did this to My Melody, I… I can’t believe I’m saying this but I think I might hate him now. He’s twisted my sister to his whims, which was bad enough and now he’s done this.”

Yeah, Dracobra would admit he despised Hawk Moth right about now. He’d terrorized this city for too long and he’d turned his sister and now his love into twisted parodies of themselves.

He wasn’t sure when his heart song changed into a love ballad, but he knew he wanted Marinette for a duet.

He just hoped he could bring her back from this…

------

The class could only watch as the three heroes fought off their former Class President, twisted into something almost beyond recognition.

“...this is so not cool,” Juleka murmured from behind her desk, all the while wondering just why that new hero seemed so familiar. “Marinette… she’s done so much for us. She doesn’t deserve this.”

Her fist shook.

“Damn you Hawk Moth.”

“We have to do something,” Sabrina said, peering out to watch the fight and wincing at every blow. “I… I can’t just stand here and watch this!”

“Neither can I, but…” Juleka sighed. “...you saw what Princess Justice did to Kim, and to Rose. She turned her into those knights. If we even get close, she’ll do the same to us!”

“Stop being such a coward,” Sabrina spat, surprising even herself. “She’s going after Chloe, and Lila as well. I want to protect them! They’re our classmates. So woman up!”

“I am not being a coward,” Juleka refuted. “What can we do? Tell me, Raincomprix. How do we avoid those knights, her stare? How do we avoid getting in the heroes’ way?”

“I… I don’t know,” Sabrina searched for an answer. “But we have to do something! Chloe, she’s-”

“She’ll be safer if we let the heroes do their job,” Juleka replied. “Now come on, we have to get out of here. If Princess Justice can’t use us as hostages, the heroes can focus on their fight. They can focus on saving Marinette, right?”

Surprising even herself, she sent a very pointed look in the redhead’s direction.

“I… yes, I guess you’re right,” Sabrina admitted. “I’m sorry.”

“Enough apologizing,” Alix spoke up. “Those knights could be back any second, to say nothing of those hunting hounds! We need to find a way out of here.”

Making their way out of the classroom turned storage area, the group watched for guards. Suddenly, there came a shriek as a hunting hound leaped down from the rafters.

It ran for Max, only for what looked to be like a massive green discus to slam into the hound knocking it back. The discus rebounded off a wall and flew back into the outstretched hand of a little old man.

“Whoa…” Alix whistled out in approval even as she helped Max up. “You’re like a regular Captain America. If Captain America was an old guy and themed after a turtle and if he was Chinese.”

“Who are you?” Max asked, adjusting his glasses.

“You may call me Jade Turtle,” the old man introduced himself. “Now come along, we don’t have much time.”

Cat Noir punctually came crashing through a stone wall before rebounding into battle as the dust cleared.

“No kidding…” Sabrina admitted. 

“Whoa, are you like the mentor figure?” Alix asked. “Rad…”

Through the hole, they could see Dracoba and Cat Noir standing back to back against a group of knights. One of which they knew to be their teacher, and two they knew to be their friends.

And Lady Sunspot fought against Princess Justice alone.

“Yes, though I am risking disaster by being here,” Jade Turtle explained. “If Hawk Moth sees me… I have left something very important unguarded. If Hawk Moth were to realize this…”

“He’d probably capture you and interrogate you for information,” Max said, finishing the sentence as a low horror dawned over the rest of the class. 

“No…” Juleka said as she watched Lady Sunspot stand alone. “...we’re not running.”

“Whaaaa?” Alix said looking at her. “Look, I know that’s our friend out there but—”

“Exactly, that’s our friend. That was once Marinette.” Juleka replied.

“Emphasis on the once,” Max put in. “Past analysis said no amount of talking can bring an akuma out of Hawk Moth’s mind control.”

“All the same, we need to do something,” Juleka decided. “Because it’s what Marinette would do for us.”

------

Lady Sunspot continued to fight, beads of sweat rolling down her face and soaking into her dress.

Princess Justice didn’t seem to give up, and even as they fought atop a parapet the intensity of the battle grew. Her fury seemed to be rising.

“I’m sorry Alya, but you have to…” she lunged. “Give me your Miraculous!”

“No, it’s not my Miraculous.” Lady Sunspot corrected her.

“Yes,” Princess Justice agreed. “It’s Hawk Moth’s.”

“No!” Lady Sunspot argued, flipping away from her. “It’s yours. I’m just holding onto it as you take the time to come to your senses. I understand you girl, you’ve been through a lot. You’re so incredibly strong. You’ve helped all of us…”

“Get to the point!”

“Now it’s time for me to help you,” Lady Sunspot said before shouting those fateful words. “Lucky Charm!”

A reminder of their friendship landed in her hand, a photo taken early on. The two of them smiling with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

It spurred Alya onwards. She knew what she had to do.

Chapter Text

Hope returned with a resurgence as the Lucky Charm landed in her hand, she finally realized what she must do. 

“Marinette…” she pleaded, her heart aching as she looked at her opponent. She/Lady Sunspot tried to peel back the veil and see her best friend for what she truly was.  A lost, tired girl who was at her breaking point.

“My name is not Marinette,” the Akuma snarled viciously. “Marinette was weak, she couldn’t do anything. My name is Princess Justice, and now I can do everything!”

Princess Justice lunged with her sword thrusting it forward only for Lady Sunspot to side-step the attack. She planted her heel into the Akuma’s back, gently shoving the villain to the ground.

“Except hurt me,” the temporary Ladybug said. “You don’t want to, do you?”

“Don’t assume to know me,” Princess Justice lashed out, swinging wide with her axe only for her opponent to easily duck under it. “If you really knew me, you would have seen how exhausted I was. You, instead, stuck your nose into Lila’s shit and believed every word out of her mouth. I hate you!”

Lady Sunspot wouldn’t deny she was wounded by the words, her heart aching at what her best friend was spouting. 

“No, you don’t,” she denied catching a punch with her palm before cartwheeling away. “You never could girl. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you, but I can be now.”

“SHUT UP!” Princess Justice screamed in anguish with her head back to the skies as a wave of black magic violently erupted from her. Light shone in her eyes in a violent fury. 

The outburst of energy threw Lady Sunspot, as she crashed into a parapet stirring a cloud of dust. She coughed and wheezed from the cloud.

“This is just an argument, a bump in the road,” the heroine told herself. “Listen, we don’t have to do this. We can talk this out, we don’t need to fight anymore. I’m sure I can help. That’s all you need right, someone to listen?”

The Akuma glowered at her through hateful eyes. “I’m done talking.”

Pure energy seeped out from her, oozing through the ground and Alya felt negative emotions rush through her. Pure, unadulterated negative emotion. They sprawling up her body and encasing her like a cocoon, the gel thick like syrup.

It made sense, she supposed. Marinette was so full of love, that her Akuma would be the exact opposite. She felt her deeply buried emotions prickling at the back of her mind. Malice, fear, fury, hatred, and despair. The five main aspects of human negativity. It was a cauldron of emotions, mixed into a hateful recipe about to bubble over.

She wanted to cry, to scream as it threatened to overtake her.

Princess Justice was screaming in rage, hot salty tears flowing down her face as all of the emotions she’d bottled up over time threatened to come to a boil. Indeed, her tears were turning to steam.

Strife. Bloodthirst. Ruin. Extinction. Extermination. Marinette’s heartbroken emotions were going to be overtaken by something more violent. More... twisted.

Alya knew she had to stop that from happening before her best friend was buried too deep in her despair. Her own emotions started to replace this false version of her friend’s.

Joy. Love. Compassion. Peace. Satisfaction.

She burst free from the cocoon, shining like the sun.

Ladybug’s purpose was to pursue peace, love, and enlightenment. A charming summarization. Maybe it should have ponies and sparkles. Hawkmoth had twisted Marinette’s ideals to greedy hateful materialism. 

All Alya needed to do was remind her of that.

“Gee, simple!”

------

Cat barreled through the knights, hearing armor crash to the floor in loud clatters. This was like Darkblade all over again!

Except…

Except then he was only fighting his fencing teacher. Now he was fighting his Lady.

...well, maybe not his Lady anymore, he thought, casting a glance towards Dracobra. 

“I’m sorry I failed you,” he thought. “I wasn’t there for you when you needed me. Just let me be there for you now! As a friend.”

A sword sliced through the air, Cat reaching up to meet it with his baton. More knights swarmed him, possibly in an attempt to dogpile him. Dracobra was too busy with a battle of his own to notice in time.

Extending his baton, Cat began rapidly spinning it around himself knocking over the knights like bowling pins.

Complete with crashing sounds.

Resting his baton on his shoulder, he gave a roguish smirk of his own. His fangs peeked out from his mouth as he winked at the fallen knights. “I guess they just don’t make knights like they used to… Look, I know the customer is always knight but that armor is really ill-fitting. Maybe you should get it resized? You can barely move in it!”

Cat knew he made one too many jokes during the battle, but they were a way of fighting his nerves and keeping him from freaking out. Akuma battles were terrifying, every time he went into one he risked death. Risked his Miraculous being taken.

He needed to joke around, otherwise, he may break down.

“Meanwhile, I guess I’m just a thing that goes bump in the knight eh?” Cat said backhanding another of the knights. “It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness or knight a candle in this case. Don’t worry Marinette, I will save you. Maybe I’m not worthy of you, but-”

“Will you just stop?” Dracobra berated, fairly calm for being in the thick of a battle.

“S-Stop?” Cat stammered, caught off guard.

“Yes, I said stop. Stop hating yourself,” the serpentine hero instructed gently, albeit strictly. “Stop chastising yourself. You screwed up, you admitted that. But don’t get consumed by your failure. You can never be a hero if you’re always consumed by self-doubt.”

“You sound like Kagami,” Cat replied.

“She is a very smart woman,” Dracobra said. “She’s good for you, you know. Marinette isn’t the only fish in the sea. Maybe love sometimes needs a second chance,”

“Maybe, yeah…” Cat admitted, his fists clenching. “Now let’s go save our love, okay?”

------

Alya’s heart raced even as her earrings beeped out a warning. Just four minutes left and she had to recharge. 

But she knew she could reach Marinette. If her best friend was still in there, she had to try.

She knew it was almost an impossibility, the real Ladybug and Cat Noir had never managed to reach anyone while akumatized. 

Still... she wasn’t going to give up trying. Her friend needed her. So she owed it to the kind girl to at least try that much harder. 

Going into a leap and then into a sideways spin, she knocked the Akuma’s sword out of her hand with a well-placed kick.

“You’re an insolent little worm aren’t you?” the Akuma growled. “You’re a vigilante, acting against the crown’s orders!”

“That crown is dented,” Alya snarled, striding forward with a certain confidence in her step. She knew she could do this. For too long she’d been trying to be Marinette, but what the world needed right now wasn’t just another Ladybug, but Alya Cesaire. “Allow me to remove it from your head.”

“Allow me to judge you,” Princess Justice replied, “for your crimes against me, the only sentence is-”

A baton flew through the air, knocking the Scales from her hand.

“Spare me this mockery of justice,” Cat said, landing beside his temporary partner before giving her an appreciative look. “I see you’ve finally found your spots.”

“Took me long enough,” Alya admitted, “...but I think I got this in hand. I see your strut is back as well.”

“Do you hold yourself in contempt of this court?” Princess Justice hissed out angrily.

“I have nothing but contempt for this court,” Cat spat at her. “Stop wearing my Lady’s face. You’re not her.”

“Oh Cat, but I am her…” Princess Justice tutted. “Haven’t you figured it out yet? I’ve been bottling up so much inside… I just had to let it out eventually right? Show the world my pain. Let them share in it.”

“That’s Hawk Moth making you talk,” Cat Noir replied. “I know you Marinette, this isn’t you. All of this raging at the world… this is someone else, lashing out with you as their puppet.”

“It’s me! It’s all me,” Princess Justice replied, hot salty tears once again turning to steam. “You don’t understand me, day in and day out. Do this. Do that. Become a school idol, set the perfect example. Don’t raise a fist against Liar Rossi! Against Chloe! But nobody stopped to ask me one thing, a short and simple question... What if I want to?”

She waved her hand and a blast of magic knocked them from the castle wall into her court below.

Gently gliding down to meet them, the Akuma summoned her weapons back to her hand as if calling out to them with The Force. But a Jedi Knight she was not, more like a Sith Lady.

The Akuma began to hum, then sing a familiar tune.

“I’ve got no strings to hold me down. To make me fret or make me frown. I had strings, but now I’m free… There are no strings on me…” the Akuma finished with a menacing smile. The tune was discordant, hardly a song but a twisted parody of one. “I’ve got no strings so I have fun. I’m not tied up to anyone. They’ve got strings but you can see there are no strings on me!”

“...who do you think you are, Ultron?” Cat joked weakly as he picked himself up. 

“I’m sorry, I know you mean well. You just didn't think it through,” Princess Justice said, elaborating on her position. Her hair had become entangled, frazzled in her stress. Her make-up ruined. “Because I’m sorry to say, this is the real me! And I love being free.”

“No, it’s not!” Alya said latching onto her in a tight hug. “This isn’t the real you, and you’re not free. You’re only shackled to Hawk Moth’s desires. His whims.”

She knew it was risky, that Princess Justice could easily pull out her earrings. But she had to do this.

“I’m sorry that I wasn’t there for you when you needed me to be,” Alya said, hugging her tightly with a tear or two rolling down her face. “But I’m here now, right?”

“I’m sorry My Lady,” Cat joined in the hug. “...I know I’ve been terrible at this, I’m not the partner you needed. I’m striving to fix that. And I’m here for you when you need me, you know that, right? Anytime you need to talk… you don’t have to be afraid to open up to me. We’re partners, we’re equals. We support each other.”

“They’re right you know,” Luka said, dropping his transformation. “You’re not alone Marinette. You have friends. You don’t need to bottle anything up anymore.”

And like a tidal wave, the love came as her friends ran out of their hiding places to show their love and appreciation for her.

“We’re here for you Marinette, we’re so sorry we didn’t notice how much stress you were under dudette.” Nino.

“You’re our Everyday Ladybug, you deserve all of the hugs in the world.” Mylene.

“I guess you’re not too horrible,” Chloe said. “Maybe I drove you to this, and so it’s only right I help pull you out of it.”

“You helped get me and my boyfriend together.” Marc. “You’re a great person, Marinette. Please, reject Hawk Moth. You’re an inspiration to everyone!”

“You’re totally rad, Marinette.” Juleka.

“Like, seriously, this whole look for you? It’s totally not awesome,” said Alix. “You’re awesome Marinette!”

Princess Justice let out a scream of sorrow and rage as the dark butterfly made a break for it, only to be swiftly captured by the impromptu hero. Then came the call Paris had grown to know well; 

“MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!”

And red light washed over Paris, tearing down brick and stone and restoring proper reality. And in Alya’s arms, Marinette sobbed. 

------

Light flooded into her eyes, a warmth filling her soul as she bathed in it. She let out a small weary moan as she awoke.

“...ugh, where am I?” Marinette groaned as she felt the whole room gently rocking beneath her. Barely noticeable, but obvious to her attentive mind.

“You’re on the Liberty,” said a familiar, welcomed voice. “Luka’s suggestion, good guy really. I can see why you like him. After… well, you know, I took you here. I figured you wouldn’t want to be swarmed. That you’d want your privacy.”

“Thank you,” Marinette mumbled, feeling the urge to pull the covers back up over herself and wanting to sleep for a week. God, she felt so exhausted and so sore. “Thanks, Als.”

“I’m here for you girl,” the formerly spotted heroine said, no longer in spots. She finished with a mutter: “...damn it Hawk Moth. Why’d you have to do this to my girl?”

And suddenly Marinette remembered. The faint prick at the back of her mind, telling her that something that happened was now a deep throb.

“Oh my god… I was… I was akumatized wasn’t I?” she realized eyes widening in horror and beginning to hyperventilate. “...did I hurt anyone?”

“No, girl…” Alya lied, deciding it best to spare Marinette from knowing she’d temporarily turned half of the school into stone statues. “Even at your worst, you didn’t do any real damage. You only changed Francois Dupont into your personal castle.”

“That’s it?” Marinette asked.

“...well that and you may have turned half of your class into knights?” Alya laughed nervously.

“Hawk Moth knows who I am now, doesn’t he?” Marinette asked immediately, remembering her call to Tikki. “He-he heard me didn’t he?”

“Possibly, I don’t know,” Alya said, sighing, “but I’m not going to lie to you.”

“It’s bad isn’t it?” Marinette winced, bracing herself for the worst.

“Well, on the bright side I don’t think anyone in the school knows who you are. They haven’t put the pieces together yet. They may, but the magic of the Miraculous does some funny things,” Alya shrugged, remembering how security cameras had blurred her face when she was Rena. Remembering how she couldn’t quite work out who Carapace was until he said something that just made it click. “But Hawk Moth… yeah, he probably knows, girl. Don’t worry, I won’t let him get to you.”

“You’re brave, I know you should have gotten the earrings over me. I couldn’t even stop myself from getting akumatized,” Marinette mumbled, consumed by her guilt.

“Woah, none of that!” Alya said in an instant. “You know how Hawk Moth works better than anyone. None of us have managed to stop ourselves from getting akumatized.  Was that our fault?”

“But I’m Ladybug . I’m supposed to be above that,” Marinette argued before sighing sadly, “Well, I was Ladybug. Master Fu is probably going to take my Miraculous away for being so weak. I hate to break it to you Als, but I’m not as strong as you think I am.”

Alya made an infuriated noise, muttering something about old turtles under her breath. “I won’t let him. If he tries, well, he and I will have words!”

“As happy as I am that you’re ready to throw hands on my behalf, please don’t get arrested for assaulting a senior citizen,” Marinette warned, “that’s hardly very heroic behavior.”

Alya snorted. “Relax girl, I wasn’t gonna. But don’t worry, I don’t think Master Fu -is that his name?- is going to take your Miraculous away. Luka and I won’t let him. To say nothing of Cat! Besides, just because you were akumatized doesn’t mean you’ll suddenly lose your Miraculous. Speaking of…”

She held out her hand and a little fairy barreled into her stomach.

“Oh, Marinette!” Tikki sobbed as her holder clutched her close. “I’m so sorry, I should have protected you more. I should have seen that butterfly coming, purified it!”

“Hey, it’s okay…” Marinette held her up to her face. “I’m not sure there was anything we could do. Either of us.”

“Alya… you made a great choice choosing her as a temporary Ladybug,” Tikki said. “I’ve seen your notes, on who you think would make a great replacement if something were ever to happen to you. On temporary heroes.”

“Only the best, right?” Marinette laughed bitterly.

“Hey, enough of that. You’re a perfect Ladybug, girl,” Alya reassured. “I was just filling in.”

“If I was perfect, I wouldn’t have gotten akumatized.”

“...and now we’re going in circles,” Alya grumbled, even as she was rubbing her forehead in obvious exhaustion. “Look, we’ve all gotten akumatized. There’s no shame in it. The city’s under siege by a magical terrorist who feeds on emotions. He’s like a fucking predator, just with magic. Total creepazoid, right? We all knew you or Cat could get akumatized eventually.”

“Gee, thanks.” Marinette deadpanned.

“Look, what I’m saying is well… you can hardly be blamed for a moment of weakness. Honestly, it’s the little things. Stressors piling up one after the other,” Alya said. “That’s how it works right? Like, little things become bigger things until finally…”

“I snapped,” Marinette sighed, “I guess you’re right. I-I really should stop overworking myself, shouldn’t I? Practice more self-care.”

“Mhmm, you should listen to me more girl. I’m usually right,” Alya replied with a cocky grin. “But between you and me? I think you’ve got this. You’ve got good friends at your back.”

“Thank you, Alya,” Marinette said in honest gratitude. “You pulled me out of a place that I didn’t think was possible to be pulled out of.”

“Frrrriiiiiieeeeeeeeendship, just sayin’,” Alya drawled, “it’s probably the most powerful magic there is.”

“You’ve been watching Pony with your sisters again, haven’t you?” Marinette guessed.

“Yup,” Alya replied, popping the P. “Got it in one.”

“Marinette?” another familiar voice called, a mop of electric blue hair peeked in. 

“Luka?” Marinette asked in surprise, as Longg and Sass floated above her head flying out from behind Luka and nestled themselves in her hair.

“Hey,” Luka said, placing himself beside her.

“Hey yourself,” Marinette blushed, fiddling with strands of her hair awkwardly.

“And I’ll be going now,” Alya hurried to the door, wanting to excuse herself as soon as possible. “I’ll give you two lovebirds some privacy.”

“Alya, no…”

“Alya, yes !” Alya grinned unrepentantly. “You know what they say. Two’s company. Three’s a crowd.”

“So…” Marinette said as the door gently shut behind her friend: “That happened.”

She wasn’t sure if she was talking about Alya leaving them be, or her akumatization.

“I told you that I’d always be there for you,” Luka said. “You’ve never been alone.”

“Tell me, what was I… really like?” Marinette said, not even needing to explain what she meant.

“You were…” Luka sighed. “Your heart song, it was twisted beyond recognition. Your akuma form was everything you are not. Amazingly self-centered. She was like… like, well, Chloe at times.”

“Ugh, like ick,” Marinette groaned. “God, I must have been utterly hateful. Please tell me that Alya punched me as an akuma. It sounded like I really had it coming.”

“She never wanted to, she was always trying to reach you. She believed in you, that you could help pull yourself out of that,” Luka said. “I believed in that as well.”

Vague flashes of red and cyan filled her mind. 

“You… you were him weren’t you?” Marinette realized. “I… I have images of another hero there, in the back of my mind. I just couldn’t place who it was.”

“I love you Marinette,” Luka said gently, the girl gasping at the confession even as the events of Silencer came rushing back to her. “I won’t ever let anything bad happen to you.”

Did she love him back? Whenever she thought of Luka, a warmth filled her heart. Adrien was… well, Adrien but at the same time, there was Luka. Dutifully loyal to her, always there. So incredibly gentle and… and… yeah, maybe she could see herself spending the rest of her days with him.

“I… I” Marinette stammered, having not blushed this hard in ages. And yeah there was that damned stammer. She forced it down, this was Luka. She knew him. “I’m not sure if I love you back, I’m only 14. I don’t know what exists between us, but… but I’d honestly like to find out.”

Gently pressing her lips to his, she closed the distance. The kiss was soft, gentle but what it did to her was something else. Her heartbeat picked up, gentle stirrings in her chest as a heart song began to pluck itself out as little notes. It was something she couldn’t say she’d felt before, not even with Adrien or even with Cat.

She liked it. And so she kissed him again.

-----

A brand new day dawned over Paris and Lila Rossi held her head high. She had to resist the urge to cackle joyfully.

Her rival was defeated. Oh, of course, she’d put up a good fight but in the end, she’d won the war.

Marinette had been the Superman to her Batman, a light to her dark. Perhaps literally, given she was Ladybug. Emphasis on the ‘was’. Lila honestly doubted Paris would want her as a hero once the truth came out.

She strutted into the school, unable to keep the grin off of her face.

Oooooooh yes, today was going to be a very good day.

Yesterday had its minor humiliations, like being gorilla taped to a wooden beam on a construction site. But all was well and good today. 

She wondered if she could sue Cesaire for damages, having been humiliated beyond belief during all of that! Honestly, leaving her at a construction site was hardly heroic behavior.

She could see Marinette giving her a disgusted look, same as Cesaire. Whatever. They couldn’t do anything now.

Not unless they wanted her to go blab to Hawk Moth about who she really was. It was like mutually assured destruction. 

They could rat her out to the class, but in turn, they’d lose their anonymity. So unless they wanted a supervillain on their doorstep they could do nothing.

First day of her presidency! Oh yes, Lila knew she had some things to do. There would be changes in this school. 

Time for the students to bow down in worship of their new Queen. Marinette had always had plenty of power, she just never used it. So lame of her. She always had been too much of a goody two-shoes. Predictable, her being Ladybug.

“So, in my first act as Class President…” Lila said to the class. “...Well, there will be plenty of changes around here. First off, I…”

...well, this was embarrassing. She had all the power in the world, but what was she supposed to do with it?

“You want to do what?” Marinette asked helpfully. 

“Quick, quick, say something!” Lila thought to herself hurriedly.

“Well, don’t hold us all in suspense,” Cesaire added. “What’s your first act?”

“I want to plan a trip!” Lila spoke up. “Like, it’s been such a stressful year, and I think we need to get away from it all don’t you think?”

Of course, Beauréal chose that moment to walk by. Lila knew her to be one of Marinette’s fellow staff members, one of the other presidents.

“...you’re planning a trip?” the dirty blonde asked. “That’s not your responsibility though, Lila. That’s actually up to the teachers. You can certainly raise funds for the trip though, but it’s not up to you when and where you go.”

Lila couldn’t stop herself from letting out a shriek, her mask dropping a little. “WHAT?”

Beauréal snorted. “How many American high school movies have you been watching?” 

Lila groaned, reality hitting her square in the face. ...why didn’t she do her research?

Chapter Text

Marinette for her part felt like she was in heaven, like she was walking on a cloud. It had been… honestly it’d been a while since she felt this at ease.

For once, she wasn’t burdened by responsibility on every side. Amazing as it sounded, she actually wanted to thank Lila for speaking up. For ages now, she felt like she was going crack under the pressure, like an egg too hardened. Finally, she’d been afforded some precious ‘me time’.

Her thumb gently glided over to her pen, pressing down on it several times even as she sat with her sketchbook in front of her. Drawing lines on the paper, a form soon began to take shape. It was a rough, shaky design that would require revisions. But eventually, magic would soon be created.

From shapeless thoughts in her head to an actual work of art only a short while later. Of course, even after the final design was sketched out would come the hard part. Putting it all together into something someone could actually wear .

She’d been given a personal request, actually from a particularly high-value client. Something functional, yet with an emphasis on history. Something beautiful. They’d already paid in advance, a good thing given some of the materials in question.

She was a Pinterest girl, honestly, diving into the site in search of inspiration. Thankfully, translating this request into an actual design wouldn’t be that hard. The simple bathrobe was a good starting point, humble enough but easy to work with.

“You look occupied…” came a voice, low yet soothing as its owner wrapped his arms around her. Marinette let out a gentle squeak, before snuggling into the embrace. “Are you in the zone, My Melody?”

Ah yes, the nicknames. Gentle, succulent like syrup. Soothing like their owner, but with a hint of whimsy.

“Don’t pull me out of it…” Marinette mumbled, trying to fight against the tides. It was futile of course, as a part of her wanted to submit to her boyfriend’s whims. Throw herself into the surf, drown in his affection. “You’re a distraction.”

“But a good one, right?” Luka’s voice asked of her. “A part of you wants to be distracted, right?”

“Please, no,” Marinette snorted. “I have to work…”

“You work too hard…” Luka said soothingly, stroking her hair. His other hand tried to pry her sketchbook away from her. A tough battle to win, for sure. “Just enjoy yourself for once, My Melody.”

“But I am enjoying myself…” Marinette protested, trying to tug her sketchbook away from the rocker. It was an easy battle, though growing more difficult by the moment as her grip weakened. Her fingers wanted to betray her, the little traitors. “Seriously, I am! I’m… inspired, in the Zone as you said. I gotta finish this design…”

Her voice came out as a little whine, gently protesting.

“Alright then, Marinette. You’re forcing me to break out the secret weapon…” Luka said, gaining a truly audacious grin. It was dastardly, truly something a supervillain would wear. Not a superhero! “You have no one but yourself to blame, honestly. Remember, you drove me to this!”

“Whaaa…” Marinette trailed off in confusion before giggles forced themselves up her throat as Luka’s fingers worked themselves up her body. Like magic, they found her special spots and soon giggles turned to full-on laughter. “Luka, stop! Please!”

She was on her back, gently laying against the cobblestone as her boyfriend worked his wonders. Tears, for once this month, weren’t ones of sadness. Her eyes were filled with the light of joy that had been missing lately. A certain weariness was missing.

“As I said, you drove me to this,” Luka said, pausing in his ministrations to kiss her forehead. “Anything to please you, lucky lady.”

“Yeah, I’m indeed the lucky one…” Marinette smiled, cupping his cheeks and kissing him gently. Her sketchbook had fallen to the wayside, quietly forgotten. “My hero. You saved me from the villain that was hard work.”

“Just looking out for you.”

Yeah, he was indeed her hero honestly. An akuma had been nary a thought in the back of her mind. She no longer worried and fretted about the possibility of being akumatized. Before her light came into her life, it had always been a faint fear. Then one realized.

A nightmare given form, in black and red. Desperation and despair and worn weariness given a horrible shape. A fallen princess lashing out at the world, angry at it and just wanting someone to listen.

Part of her had always been tempted to watch the footage, see what she’d been like as that thing. It was probably for the better that she didn’t relieve the trauma. Even now, faint memories still liked to prick from the back of her mind. She didn’t dare delve into them.

A cover story had quickly been concocted, one to explain the normal Ladybug’s absence. Paris’ hero had been away for a time. Family matters. Nobody would judge her. She’d appointed a substitute just in case something like this happened.

For the most part, nobody really delved too deep into how that was possible. Most people didn’t even make the connection between her and Hawk Moth’s powers. A lot of internet theories seemed to posit that he was some evil spirit. Maybe he sought the Ladybug and the Cat to regain his fallen kingdom.

It was a stupid theory, of course, but better than the real truth. People didn’t even realize Ladybug used a magical jewel to transform. They thought it was an inner power that could be passed on. That every human being had the potential to transform into Ladybug if their magical ability was honed enough. A nice little sort of half-truth. That she’d been training an apprentice to one day succeed her.

Did her classmates know the real story? Probably. She wouldn’t be surprised.

But they hadn’t said a word. Sure, a few sympathetic and approving looks were sent her way more than normal. But nobody had told the media that for a day even Ladybug had drowned in her own emotions.

It was a… scary thought that plagued her from time to time though, that maybe Lila or worse Hawk Moth knew who she was. But they had yet to act on it.

Maybe her identity didn’t matter to him, only what she could do.

“Lost in thought, are we?” Luka questioned.

“Sorry, just… thinking,” Marinette lied quickly, perhaps too quickly to be believable. That slight pause in her speech had indicated a bit of hesitance. “Reminiscing I guess?”

“I won’t let him get to you,” her boyfriend knew, apparently sensing her bullshit. He pulled her close. “You fell under his spell once, that was one time too many. I… was scared for you back then, you know? I won’t ever let you get that close to Hawk Moth ever again.”

“Not even to punch him in the face?” Marinette asked, snuggling into his side as they watched boats gently pass them by over the Seine. 

“That’s acceptable,” Luka nodded. “And even then, not without me. He nearly took you from me, my love. That… that scared me. More than I ever wanted to be scared.”

Ah yes, the L-word. Marinette would admit she was still unsure where she stood with him, feelings-wise. Was their current relationship born out of a certain lust, a longing for safety and security? It was hard to tell. 

“And you rushed to my side, you… you were even willing to fight off the Guardian for me. I’m… I guess I’m flattered? It’s a feeling that’s sorta hard to describe, you willing to fight my mentor in order to ensure my safety…” she went on, not really sure how to describe things.

The snake hero snorted. “He’s hardly a mentor if he put you under so much pressure. You’re only 15, my love. You shouldn’t have asked to carry such a burden. It wasn’t fair to anyone.”

Perhaps not, no.

“But…” Marinette tried to defend her mentor. “Fu was only 10 when he was asked to become a guardian. Give or take a year. He was desperate, you know. He needed to find someone to succeed him. Just in case.”

“What about Cat Noi… sorry, Adrien?” Luka pointed out. “Why did he shut him out? Put you as more important than him? You’re partners right?”

That was harder to defend, she would admit. It was truly mind-boggling, her mentor’s mindset on that one. 

“Y-Yes, I’ll admit that one I need to ask him about,” Marinette nodded, hearing what sounded like a hiss burble up from her boyfriend’s throat. Apparently some of Sass’ instincts were starting to take him over. As with all Miraculous holders. It had taken a whole for her to get over how horrible winter was for her now. She used to love it. Now her entire body basically shut down.

“We need to ask him about it,” Luka corrected her. “It wasn’t fair to either of you.”

“He’s adhered to tradition, perhaps nobody’s ever posed the idea of co-guardianship to anyone in the Order before. It simply never occurred to him, I suspect,” Marinette mused. Yeah, that made sense. “Master Fu, for better or for worse, wants to carry on what he was taught.”

“Well, what he was taught apparently destroyed his own Order,” Luka said, somewhat harshly and rather bitterly. “Clearly his teachings need to change, adapt to the modern day.”

“When Hawk Moth’s captured, brought to justice,” Marinette added. “Right now, it’s too dangerous to find Master Fu. Lest we lead Hawk Moth to his local. I think it’s safe to say Hawk Moth in possession of the Miracle Box is a nightmare nobody wants to see realized.”

A familiar bracelet was around her boyfriend’s wrist, a certain choker peeking out of his jacket pocket. They, in a rare stroke of luck, found that the Snake and Dragon now belonged to Luka on a permanent basis. He’d handled them well enough in the field to impress Fu. Or maybe it was the dire situation he had to use them in. In any event, the Cat and the Bug were now joined by a Serpent.

“In hindsight,” Luka posed the question to her. “If you knew what was coming for you when given the Ladybug what would you have done?”

“I still would have taken it,” Marinette said firmly, making her boyfriend look at her in shock. “Yeah, it might have been exhausting and knowing in advance what was coming would have been horribly frightening but… I love my city. If I didn’t accept, someone else would have to. I couldn’t possibly ask them to stand in my stead.”

“Not even if it was Alya?”

“Not even if it was her,” Marinette said. “She did a good job but… I can’t ask anyone to fight for me. Take my place. I simply can’t. I was chosen, for better or for worse and I intend to see this through to the end.”

“That’s… surprisingly insightful.”

“Yes, well, being a hero forced me to grow up quicker. Gain a bit more maturity,” Marinette said with a nod. “Some might call it stubbornness, but I call it growing up a little bit more. Besides…”

Here she turned to look at her boyfriend, grinning madly with a noticeable twinkle in her eyes.

“If I had a glimpse into the future, I’d also know I’d have an absolutely wonderful boyfriend to stand at my side,” the bluenette smiled before gently kissing him again. She liked kissing him, she found. She wanted to keep doing it. Maybe that was a sign of something? “There’s three of us now. The Bug, the Cat and the Serpent. Hawk Moth doesn’t even know what’s coming for him.”

Luka laughed, a wonderful musical sound even as Marinette’s heart beat out a song. 

“I’ll be with you every step of the way, my love,” the Couffaine said to her. “It’s the least you deserve. And you, Marinette, deserve the world.”

------

She strode into school, for once not fearing if she’d be akumatized today. The fox may have been in the henhouse but it didn’t look like she’d be getting anything from her victory. 

Lila tossed a truly ugly look towards her, but Marinette didn’t wilt. In fact, she tossed a truly confident look back at her. Almost as if to ask: “You know who I am now, do you really want to test me?”

Mutually assured destruction, maybe that’s what they were under. Marinette exposed Lila for who she was, and Lila exposed her.

It couldn’t be helped. 

But… then it was entirely possible she didn’t need to do a damn thing. Lila’s hold over the classroom had loosened. It turned out if you made an absolute mess of your position people looked at you differently. 

Class Representatives were supposed to adhere to a certain standard. God, that was one thing she was glad to be free of. Lila didn’t know a damn thing about what she was doing. That much was clear.

Her reputation as absolutely perfect was crumbling bit by bit. 

People started to wonder, if Lila apparently couldn’t handle this admittedly minor position, how did she handle being the head of a famous charity or two?

Marinette had to resist laughing in glee. It was very difficult to be sure. Part of her hated taking pleasure from how hard Lila had it. It wasn’t very heroic after all. But then… she was always such a pain in the neck. Honestly, a part of her did hope Lila got akumatized. If only so she could get a well-deserved punch to the face of course.

It was a dirty nasty thought she knew. Hardly something that Paris’ idol was supposed to entertain. But then being forced to be so perfect was what led her to being akumatized anyways wasn’t it?

“Hello Lila,” Marinette said, striding up to the Italian, who looked like she’d been run a bit ragged. Honestly, a part of her felt actually sympathetic to her plight. For a while, that had been her. She knew how the girl felt. “How’s your day?”

It wasn’t gloating. No, really it wasn’t!

“You’re enjoying this aren’t you Dupain-Cheng, aren’t you?” Lila scowled at her. “You don’t have to be setting an example anymore so you’re not even trying. You’ve come to gloat, is that it?”

“No, I’m just honestly concerned,” Marinette replied. “You look exhausted. Do you need some tea or anything? Maybe a bite to eat? I know I’ve got a bit of extra food in my bag. Tell you what, I’ll bring some cannoli on by later. Straight from the bakery. Papa just made a fresh batch earlier. Would you like that?”

Lila spat at her, before saying something that was probably fairly rude in her native language. Then in French, she said: “Go to hell.”

“Look, I’ve been in your position Lila, I don’t envy you. Honest!” Marinette replied. “Look, I don’t like you and I won’t ever pretend to. But you shouldn’t have to have such a miserable time.”

“So you want your position back, is that it?” Lila scowled.

“Not really,” Marinette would admit. “And even if I did, you couldn’t just hand it off to me. I’d have to win it in an election I have no honest interest in participating in.”

“So why’d you come to talk to me? Surely it isn’t out of the goodness of your bleeding heart,” Lila replied. “You’re gloating aren’t you?”

“No gloating, honest. I’m just being nice.”

“Whatever, I know the truth, you’re hardly a perfect Princess. The way I hear it, you actually made a terrible one,” Lila smirked. “Of course, why am I surprised? You broke down after all, got yourself akumatized like the little attention whore that you are. Oh woe, my life is woe. Maybe I’ll get myself akumatized so I’ll be relevant again! So people would give a damn.”

She thought that nobody would overhear them, probably. Obviously, it was about as far from the truth as you could possibly get.

“...wow, duuuuuuuudeeee. So Marinette was right about you,” Nino said, stunned as he and a few others piled in, apparently having heard all of the noise. “Alya’s been giving you some dirty looks lately, I haven’t been sure why. I guess now I know.”

“Bene, cazzo…” Lila uttered. “...yes, well, your girlfriend is pretty damn perceptive. Not perceptive enough, I admit. She should have worked it out ages ago. Not my fault she’s so...”

Apparently, intelligence caught up to her and she paused, realizing she was already in a deep hole as it was. Better not to dig herself any deeper.

“The whole time then?” Alix asked. “You're a real snake in the grass Rossi. ...or maybe I shouldn’t say that. Apparently that’s an insult to someone far better than you.”

“Come on guys, just leave her alone,” Marinette said. “I’m not too broken up about her comments. I’ve heard worse.”

Nino and Alix gave her worried looks, forcing a clarification.

“From Chloe of course. Not from Lila,” she went on. “Honestly, Lila’s remarks are pretty tame by my standards.”

“You shouldn’t have standards for gauging insults,” Nino put an arm around her, like a brother as he sent a furious look towards Lila. “I’m sorry none of us noticed sooner Mari.”

“It’s fine,” Marinette tried to reassure. “I didn’t exactly make things easier for myself. I suppose I did look pretty jealous didn’t I?”

“Come on,” Nino said, leading her off. “Let’s get to class. Out of sight, out of mind for Lila, I think.”

“And if she gets akumatized?” Marinette honestly worried about the possibility.

“Well, that’s what heroes are for right?” Nino asked, with a knowing look in his eye.

“Point taken,” Marinette said with a nod. Huh, how about that. Adrien had been exactly right. Because of course he had been, it was Adrien after all! Seems the high road worked pretty well. Lila had exposed herself!

Funny how that worked out.

------

“So…” Alya said as they looked out over the city, her arms resting on the metal railing of her balcony. “I suppose you won’t be giving me any interviews now? Considering we can just talk as friends? Outside of the masks?”

“I dunno, I may be able to swing a few special exceptions,” Marinette said with her eyes twinkling again. “It almost did go to you, you know.”

“So what changed your mind?” Alya asked, looking to her best bud. 

“I saw you in danger, and I knew there was only one person who could save you. Majestia wasn’t there, nor was Uncanny Valley or Sparrow. I was though, I had the power to act and I’d never be able to forgive myself if I didn’t do so.”

“Awwww…” Alya hugged her.

“You were so confident, that’s why I almost passed the earrings onto you. You exuded righteousness and justice,” Marinette’s voice wavered a bit, in shame. “While I… didn’t. I was unsure of myself. You were an inspiration to me, you know. At times I wanted to give up, but then I thought of you. What you would do. You wouldn;t give up, and so I shouldn’t either.”

“I inspired Ladybug… Man if I could tell anyone that story!” Alya laughed, shaking her head a little as Paris stretched out before them with city lights like fireflies in the night. She paused as the realization hit her. “...no, I inspired you. Man, that’s even better!”

“You’re a very inspiring person, you know,” Marinette grinned at her, the bells of Notre Dame ringing out in the night air. “Honestly, if I could I’d give you back Trixx. Maybe if I talk to Fu, I might be able to swing it. If anything, this whole thing proves that I need you by my side. We’re stronger together than apart.”

“So what now…?” Alya had to ask. “Hawk Moth’s still out there, maybe he knows who you are and maybe he doesn’t. He’s not stupid, he’ll probably work out your bullshit story.”

“It wasn’t all bullshit,” Marinette reminded her. “I honestly am thinking about training you to take up my sword if I was ever incapacitated for whatever reason.”

“You get my point,” Alya said with a wave of her hand.

“Yeah, I do…” her friend frowned. “But I got two wonderful partners by my side. I think we can handle anything.”

“Yeeeeah, you got that right. Two wonderful partners, you three seem awfully close. Anything you want to share, or is that kissing and telling?” Alya asked with a lewd grin, her mind going places.

“All I’ll say is that they make my life eventful,” Marinette said nothing more on the matter.

“Everyone’s life is pretty eventful nowadays,” Alya mused, rubbing her chin in thought. “I… you know I honestly can’t remember a day before we didn’t have Hawk Ass looming over our lives. Sometimes I wonder if it’ll ever end…”

“It will trust me. Lady Luck is watching over you,” Marinette said.

“Yeah, no kidding!” Alya laughed, running a hand through her own hair. “A part of me, you know, can’t get over that it’s always been you! I mean, a part of me isn’t surprised but still! Y’know what I mean?”

“Yeah, deja vu. I can’t believe I’ve been fighting alongside Adrien, you know?” Marinette mused. “Like, what? I’m still screaming internally a bit.”

“Still functioning though I see.”

“Yeeeeeah, well,” Marinette elaborated. “Once I realized how dorky my partner really is, it’s hard to put him up on a pedestal. He’s not a… y’know a Greek God, he’s my kitty. My Cat!”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you, you know,” Alya sighed, running a hand through her hair yet again. “When you needed me, that is.”

“If this is about Lila…” Marinette trailed off, there had already been enough apologies on that front. It was kinda overwhelming actually.

“No, about me not noticing how tired you actually were,” Alya hugged her shoulder. “I should have.”

“You’ve apologized enough Al,” Marinette said, looking her friend directly in the eye. “I don’t hate you.”

“Yeah, well there can never be enough apologies especially when I was part of the problem, honestly…” Alya muttered in personal distaste. “I shouldn’t have piled so many babysitting jobs on you, Ella and Etta can be such handfuls. I should have found another babysitter.”

“Trust me, I probably would have taken them anyways,” Marinette tried to argue. “You know me, I want to be a hero outside the mask as well!”

“I love you for that girl, you know that right?” Alya said. “The world doesn’t deserve you, and yet we got you anyways.”

“I could say the same thing about you!” Marinette smiled widely.

“Awwwwww… Thanks girl!”

------

Maybe Hawk Moth wouldn’t be defeated today or tomorrow, but soon karma would knock on his doorstep. Until that time, battles would be fought and maybe some tears would be shed.

Paris however was now defended by more heroes. Some would come and go, and some would stay.

Magic changed hands time and time again. As if often did. There would be a circling cycle of heroes, alongside the now famed line-up of Rena, Dracoba, Cat Noir and Ladybug. Pigella, Tigresse Pourpre, Multimouse, Vesperia, Traquemoiselle, Coq Courage, Caprikid, Minautoro. They would come and go creating such a colorful menagerie.

“Bring it on, Hawk Moth… We’re waiting.”

She thought this even as the smoke rose in the distance and even as sirens wailed.

“Well, looks like it’s time to go to work.”

“And we were having such a nice day…” 

Marinette, with a giggle, gently grasped their hands. One of her partners to the left of her and another to her right. Before them, all of Paris awaited their heros’ arrival. 

“Shall we, boys?”

A courageous spirit rushed through her, like a flame. Maybe her iron was dented, but she would continue her quest. 

“Rena’s waiting on us after all!” Marinette went on. “It would be rude to show her up, disappoint her and all. TIKKI, SPOTS ON!”

“Plagg, Claws Out!”

“Sass, Scales Slither!”

Fin