Chapter Text
In a dimly lit basement swarming with butterflies and stacked high with books, the frantic scratch of a pen was the only sound to break the silence, reverberating off the stone pillars.
Suddenly a victorious cry emanated, causing the butterflies to fly away in panic.
“That’s it. I got you, Ladybug! I got you,” gloated a feminine voice.
Half-shrouded in the shadows of the towering books, the figure slowly stood up. There was no rush; she had been patient, waiting for her foe to falter and finally reveal her hand. It had taken time. Dozens of akumatizations. Twice as much frustration seeing this damned insect triumph over and over, growing more insufferable with each victory.
But now, everything was about to change.
Her fingers curled around the brooch resting on the table. With deliberate precision, she pinned it to her chest.
“Nooroo… Transform me!”
***
Sometimes, being Ladybug was just… too much. Marinette had thought it would get easier—that with time, she’d learn how to master her powers, grow into her role and become the confident leader of her superhero team. But it seemed every battle won, every villain defeated, every Miraculous Ladybug cast just brought her another lie to uphold, another burden to shoulder, another sleepless night to endure.
Sometimes she found herself reflecting on the girl she used to be before Ladybug. A bit clumsy, sure, but easygoing, optimistic, cheerful and full of hope. Just a regular teenager with regular dreams and regular fears. That girl seemed so distant now, she could hardly believe they had been the same person one day.
Thinking back about her worries back then brought her a bitter laugh: Chloé, her physics grades and what to do after collège—specialize in design at lycée or take a general course and wait for her baccalauréat to decide her future.
Now? Now, she was keeping the truth about Monarch from her boyfriend, her best friend and the entire world. The truth that the supervillain that terrorized all of Paris during an entire year was her boyfriend’s father.
Talking about her boyfriend, he was a senti-being, whose life could be snatched away in a blink of an eye if someone got a hold on his twin rings or the Peacock Miraculous.
Oh, and let’s not forget the new holder of the Butterfly Miraculous, an unknown enemy, shrouded in mystery, and infinitely more cunning than the last. Someone who seemed to hit closer to home every time, almost like they knew.
All those thoughts didn’t leave much space for sleeping and, on that Tuesday morning, Marinette found herself once again staring at the ray of sunrise seeping through her windows, after spending hours tossing and turning in her bed. That didn’t do wonders for her grades at school nor her superheroic performance.
To make matters worse, there had been an akumatized villain to defeat last night. Mindwipe, as he was called, had the power to steal people’s memories, just by touching them. Thankfully no hero was affected and, strangely enough, she did not have any use for her Lucky Charm—a tiny figurine of a black cat—other than to cast her Miraculous Ladybug.
The smell of coffee and warm baguette slipping through the attic door was a clear indication she’d soon have to get up. Sighing, she slowly rose up, already feeling the weight of her missed hours of sleep in her eyes and a throbbing ache in her forehead.
“Marinette, honey? Could you please come down?” called the voice of her mother.
“Coming, maman,” she answered with a yawn.
In front of her mirror, Marinette dressed up quickly, tamed her unruly ponytails with her hands and did her best to conceal the proof of her sleepless night with a light make-up. All that was left to do is to plaster a smile on her face and there she was: carefree, happy Marinette whose only worry was the math exam this afternoon.
These days, she didn’t even need a Ladybug costume to hide who she really was.
As she descended the stairs, she was startled to find her parents huddled in front of the television. Breakfast was sacred in their household—her father, a baker through and through, never allowed distractions during the most important meal of the day. More than that, by this hour, he was usually long awake and busy at the bakery, not sitting idly in front of a screen.
Something was up.
“Maman, papa, what’s goin…”
The words died in her throats as the screen came into view. At first, Marinette stood frozen, incapable of processing what she saw.
It was impossible.
The scene on the television was eerily familiar—not just because Marinette had lived it before, but because it was shown through her own eyes. Or rather, Ladybug’s. She was at the Agreste mansion, hiding in a corner while Monarch entered the room, carrying the limp form of Nathalie in his arms.
She watched as he carefully laid her down in bed. Then, standing tall, he spoke in a solemn voice:
"Detransformation.”
In an instant, his transformation unraveled, revealing his true identity as Gabriel Agreste. A gasp rang out—her gasp—before she turned away, hands flying to her mouth.
“I knew you would betray me, Nathalie. I was prepared,” said Mr Agreste, off-screen.
Her hands, covered in her dotted costume, opened her Bugphone and started typing: Cat Noir, Gabriel Agreste is Monarch and I’m waiting for you at his place. We’ll only have a shot if we fight him together.
“I knew as soon as I realized that you were instigating Adrien’s defiance, when you started insidiously supporting his ridiculous fling with Marinette Dupain-Cheng. You will be loyal to me until the end,” continued Gabriel.
Her thumb hovered over the “Send” button. Just for a second.
Then, slowly, she closed her Bugphone.
On-screen, the scene shifted. Nadja Chamack appeared, a grave look on her face as she addressed the audience:
“These images, thoroughly examined and verified by our experts, seem to confirm a shocking truth: not only was the late Gabriel Agreste the villain known as Monarch, a revelation that has stunned Parisians—but Ladybug knew. And, perhaps even more unsettling… she chose to keep it a secret from us all. Ladybug, the hero Paris trusted, the symbol of justice and truth, willingly concealed the identity of its greatest enemy. Why? Was it to protect someone? Was she under threat? Or… was she working with Monarch, all along?”
Slowly, Nadja’s words faded into nothing. Marinette’s head was spinning, her heart hammering against her ribs, her lungs forgetting how to breathe.
This could not be happening. This was not real.
How had they gotten this footage? It was as if a camera had been placed inside her eyes at that very moment—as if someone had seen through her. Or worse… as if someone had access to her memories.
The realization struck like a dagger to the gut.
Mindwipe.
Her breath hitched as dread crashed over her. It had to be him. Somehow, he had stolen this memory from her, ripped it away without her even noticing. And then he had passed it along to the Butterfly Miraculous holder, turning her own past against her.
A second realization slammed into her with the force of a speeding train.
The Lucky Charm she didn’t use. The black cat figurine.
A black cat.
Chat Noir.
With his new power, he could have erased every trace of the stolen memory. He could have prevented all of this.
And she… she had missed it.
The room blurred around her, tilting dangerously as she stumbled, barely managing to catch the couch before she collapsed.
“Marinette?” her mother’s voice was laced with concern as she rushed to her side, her father close behind.
Marinette tried to respond, to weave together a reassuring lie, something—anything—but the words just wouldn’t come. Her father quickly turned off the television, his brow deeply furrowed as he guided her to sit down. She sank into the cushions, numb.
Her mother came to her side and grabbed her hand, gently stroking her palm.
“I can’t even imagine how this must feel… You knew him, Marinette. You met him. And Adrien… oh, that poor boy.”
That name sent a jolt through Marinette’s veins.
Adrien.
Her breath caught as her eyes widened. She suddenly pulled her hand away, her mind racing. Adrien must have seen the news by now. He must have learned the truth—that Monarch was his father.
She could already picture it. A swarm of reporters outside his home, cameras flashing, microphones shoved toward him, demanding answers he wasn’t ready to give, couldn’t give.
All of this, because of her.
She shot to her feet, blinking back the tears welling up in her eyes.
“I’m going to be late for school. I need to go get back my bag,” she mumbled, purposefully avoiding her parents’ gaze.
“But, Marinette…” protested her mother.
“I’m okay, maman. Don’t worry. We can talk about it tonight.”
Or never.
Marinette rushed up the stairs leading to her bedroom. She had barely finished closing the attic door that Tikki came flying before her eyes, her tiny face scrunched up with worry.
Marinette cupped her hands, offering Tikki a place to rest. The little kwami wasted no time, nestling into her palms.
“Tikki…” Marinette whispered. “Please tell me this is just a horrible nightmare.”
Her kwami shook her head timidly, her deep blue eyes filled with concern.
“I’m sorry, Marinette. I know what you’re thinking, but this isn’t your fault.”
Marinette looked away.
“Whose fault is it, then? I lied to Adrien, Alya, the entire world. And now I’m paying the price. The whole world thinks Ladybug is horrible. And they are right.”
“You did what you thought was right. Had you told the truth, who knows what would have happened? At the time, all choices presented to you were terrible. You just picked one,” insisted Tikki.
Marinette took a deep breath, forcing down the storm of emotions threatening to consume her. Right now, she needed to focus and think of the next steps—both as Marinette and Ladybug.
As Marinette, Adrien’s girlfriend, she needed to talk to him, comfort him, be there for him. He had just lost his father—again. And now, the entire world was questioning everything they thought they knew about Gabriel Agreste. Surely eyes would turn to him soon and wonder about his implication.
She pulled out her phone, her thumb hovering over the Call button.
But she couldn’t press it.
If she called him now, there was a terrifying chance she would blurt out everything—the truth she had buried, the secret she had sworn herself to keep.
And if she did, things would only spiral further out of control.
With a shaky exhale, she locked her screen and slipped the phone back into her pocket, under the questioning look of her kwami.
“I can’t do it, Tikki,” she whispered. “I just can’t. Not now.”
“I understand, Marinette,” she said, snuggling against her. “It will be OK.”
Marinette had a weak smile. She knew a hollow promise when she heard one, but somehow, it still made her feel a little better.
She suddenly heard the muffled voice of her mother calling her.
“Marinette? You’re going to be late, honey.”
“Coming!” she called back.
She quickly grabbed her bag, while Tikki flew to her purse. Kneeling in front of the attic door, she took a deep breath. One thing at a time. First, she needed to go to school, and then…
Then, she’d see.