Chapter Text
The school was not doing so well. They learned that their school didn't have much reliability, as one of their students runs after akumas, the same also spreads rumors about another, a particular class has almost every student akumatized at least once and none of the teachers seem to do anything about the reports of bullying. So the school decided to have a student body vote on what they can do to show that their school is better than it seems.
Lila suggested a horror play, with a bit of romance so she can get the female lead and Adrien could get the male lead. Everyone agreed with her, as no one else had any better ideas. "Ok, so we need a story for the play, roles, and costumes!" Alya listed off. She turned to Marinette, who had her face in her sketchbook. "We need you to make the costumes."
Marinette looked up. "Why should I make costumes for a play we haven't even planned out fully yet? It would be a waste of fabric, time, and money. Besides, I might not even try out, and if I make anything I'm charging for it. Only friends get things for free and last time I checked, we aren't friends." Alya looked mad and red in the face. Lila looked as if she was about to cry. Adrien and Bustier looked disappointed.
"Marinette, can I talk to you outside?" Madame Bustier asked, with a fake smile. Alya smirked as Marinette was lead out into the hallway.
"Marinette, I don't know what happened to you, but you need to set an example for your classmates. And you aren't being a very good one, it pains me to say. You need to be there for them, they are your friends." She placed a hand on Marinette's shoulder, which she coldly shook off.
"They are not my friends." Marinette responded coldly.
"See, this is the attitude problem I'm talking about! I think you just need to reconnect with them and you will all get along again!"
"But I don't want to reconnect with them-"
"You WILL reconnect with them, or I will send you to Mr. Damocles for insubordination!" Madame Bustier had lost all her kindness and patience, now with a mission to get her to join the play. She knew Marinette hasn't been seen in the best lighting lately, but overall she was well loved before, which makes her best as a lead! Why she was being so difficult, the teacher would never understand. Miss Bustier smiled again and lead Marinette back into the classroom.
"So Marinette, will you do it?" Lila asked. Everyone looked at her expectantly.
"Still no." Miss Bustier was shocked.
"Marinette, to the principal's office!" She pointed to the door. Marinette left without a fight, eager to get out of the room.
Marinette was going to get expelled, but Damocles decided not to because he didn't want her 2nd expulsion to ruin what's left of the credibility. So, he decided that her punishment was that she had to participate in the play, make costumes for free, and she wasn't allowed to say no to any of Lila's, Alya's, or the rest of the class' demands. Marinette basically is being forced into doing everything, but has to say that others helped her so she wouldn't get all the credit and the school wouldn't be questioned.
When Marinette left the office, Adrien pulled her aside. "This wouldn't have happened if you didn't try to expose Lila." He scolded. He felt bad, but he knew going up against the liar would end badly. "Taking the high road is the best way to go, especially right now." Marinette glared at him and it took all of her energy not to yell at him and risk getting akumatized.
"At least I care about my so-called friends." Adrien was taken aback. He was about to speak up when Marinette held her hand up, silencing him. "If you truly cared, you wouldn't just watch you 'friends' get told fake lies and promises they hope to receive one day. You said we were in this together. You promised to stand by my side and you broke it. So, tell me why I should listen to you? You clearly cared more about Lila getting akumatized over the chance that I could. I bet you never thought about that, did you?" Adrien visibly flinched at her words. They hit him like a ton of bricks, he didn't mean for things to get this bad. Marinette took in his silence and left. When she got home, she immediately found Luka on her bed waiting for her and fell into his arms.
"How was today, Melody" Luka asked, already knowing the answer based on her mood.
"I want to tell you guys all at once, I don't want to keep repeating the story." Marinette sniffed. She texted all her friends to meet at her house. (This is Team Mari: Luka, Kagami, Chloe, Sabrina, Nathaniel, Marc, Aurore, Kim, Max, Juleka, and Nino. There could be more and I forgot to list them but these are my primary ones I typically use :)). Once they all showed up, they sat in any seats available and were joined by her parents.
"Ok, so what happened?" Kagami asked, sharpening her sword. Marinette told the entire story, and they were just as angry as she was. At this rate, Hawkmoth would have become Scarlet Moth with all the anger rising in the room. Marinette quickly started lighting candles, so the scent could calm them down.
"Is that Ocean Breeze?" Marc asked, making the room burst into laughter.
"Maybe." Marinette smirked.
"So just to be clear, we are suing the school right?" Aurore asked, typing away the plan on her computer.
"No-"
"Yes! This behavior has gone on far enough, especially since they didn't fact check any of her lies or any of that girl's medical records. Not to mention, the fact that your school has cameras." Sabine fumed, mad that her daughter was dealing with this everyday. Aurore typed away.
"What are you doing? You've been typing away since we got here." Nino asked, looking over her shoulder.
"I've been keeping a list of Lila's lies and what Marinette has confirmed what her classmates have done. It goes from Jagged Stone to her unexcused absences."
"So now we have the evidence to make a case!" Nath cheered.
"Evidence?" Marinette asked.
"You really think all this time we didn't do anything when you first told us?" Chloe smirked. "I got daddy to get in contact with all everyone she lied about when you didn't, and recordings of them confirming they don't know Lila. She as to at least go to prison for forgery, if not convicted for lying."
"That's right! She forged her mom's signature for the modeling job!" Kim snapped his fingers.
"How do you guys know about that one?" Marinette asked.
"I had Markov scan the signature Lila submitted for our last class trip." Max blushed.
"And I had daddy scan them also. Both were forged, looked the same, and her mom's was cleaner than hers. That little liar will do anything not to get caught."
"I bed she believes she won't get caught because of her diplomatic immunity." Juleka mumbled.
"Maybe so. But that's not the main reason why I asked you guys over. That was most of it, though." Marinette grabbed a notepad.
"What was the other reason?" Luka asked.
"I need to come up with everything and I hate horror movies. So, IDEAS PEOPLE!!" Everyone laughed and started suggesting random ideas.
✨✨✨
After the group came up with the story, Marinette quickly got to work on the costumes.
The group decided to stick with the horror plot to keep it simple, and so Marinette wouldn't have to put in too much work into the outfits. It was about a girl who was being tormented by a ghost and had to prove it to her friends so they wouldn't think she was crazy. Then the group would have to take down the ghost haunting the girl's dreams. It didn't take too long to come up with a show idea.
Marinette was using many pencils with how many ideas she was coming up with. Luka had to take away her pencil and drag her to bed so she could get some rest. But the young designer was able to come up with some well-thought designs.
The ghost's outfit (depending on the person who gets the role), would be a dirty shade of white, with rags sewn on and some fake blood stains. The ghost would have to wear fake teeth with sharp ends and blood splattered on them to make them look murderous. The haunted girl would wear normal clothes, her pajamas would be a nightgown with soft shoes. There would also be ripped bloody jeans, shredded shirts, and messy hair. Those were the main ideas so far for the play.
"I think you did a great job, Mari." Marc said, examining her work.
"Not bad for one day." She smiled, starting to get out supplies. Luka stopped her.
"Don't you even think about it. You're going to bed and will rest up." He placed everything in her hands, picked her up, and carried her upstairs to her bed.(Was it a chaise?)
"But Luka-"
"Sleep. I will stay overnight if I have to." That eventually got Marinette to fall asleep, she didn't want to keep her boyfriend hostage.