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"Plagg, I renounce you."
Adrien was done. He was too dangerous. His power only destroyed and if not for Ladybug... he looked down at his bare finger and his vision blurred. He thought back to all the battles he'd messed up. The times he cost them a quick win because he'd been flirting or goofing around. "It would have been better if I never became Chat Noir."
"If that's how you really feel, I can show you what that would do."
Adrien spun and saw a white portal in front of him, a gloved hand reached through and jerked him in before he could react. Everything was white with smaller, round pictures on the walls... no, that one moved, it was TVs or...
"So, you ready to see what that choice would cause?"
Adrien spun again, finally seeing the person that had spoken before. She was just as relaxed as usual but he was a model, he knew fake when he saw it and she was upset, nervous and sad.
“You mean a better holder for Plagg? A better hero for Paris? A worthy partner for Ma... for Ladybug.” He trailed off. He didn't deserve to call her his Lady.
“Hmm,” The woman grabbed his arm and walked him to a darker TV and pulled him around to face her. “OK, you get your wish. This timeline, you missed helping Master Fu and never received that ring.” A push and he went backwards but instead of the wall, he kept going, landing on his back- in the middle of his bedroom?
Adrien sat up but he was alone in his room, it was dark out but the clock read 9:30. He was late for school. 'She couldn't have dropped me sooner, or at least at the school.' Adrien reached for his satchel but it was empty. “Must have left my things at school.” He slipped it over his head anyway and took off. The car was gone and he could only guess something had come up that neither he nor Natalie had come to get him for school. He was in good shape so he took off, taking the same path he once took to sneak to school the first couple of days. He arrived as the bell signaled class change. He'd use the photo shoot excuse he usually did for Akumas.
“Scarabella's having a really hard time lately.”
“No kiddin'. I guess having your partner try to kill you and take over would put anyone on-”
“Dudes, seriously do ya need to go over this again.”
Adrien froze at the sound of his best friend.
“Yeah, we know, she saved your life and you fell head over heals for her and no one can talk bad about her.”
“Nino.”
The three males turned and Adrien caught up to them. “Scarabella's back?” Adrien was surprised Ladybug handed her earrings over again and it sounds like it was a repeat of those times he was brainwashed or controlled. Black Cat equals bad luck he guessed. He tried for a teasing smile. “Does Alya know you're crushing on a new hero?”
“Alya? Dude, why would Alya need to know?” Nino was nervous but Kim was eyeing him strangely too and Max just adjusted his glasses before humming.
“Adrien, Chloe's friend. You were here for the first day of school and after that, Chloe announced your father deemed it too dangerous and withdrew you. I was not aware you had learned the names of our classmates so quickly.”
“Max.” Nino hissed and shot a look at Kim who now looked crestfallen.
“I apologize, Kim, you do know we do not blame you.”
“You guys don't.” Kim walked away and Adrien was at a loss.
“Nino, come on, what's going on. What's he blame himself for?”
Nino and Max looked at each other before exhaling. “You remember that day, when the first Akuma showed up?”
“Stoneheart, yeah, Ivan was upset because Kim teased him about liking Mylène.” He stopped when both boys' dark skin lightened. “What? Upsetting start but they started dating after that so it-” A sharp pain on his cheek surprised him, more when he saw who did it. “Marinette? What?”
“How dare you,” Marinette had tears in her eyes and she was shaking. “How dare you talk like you don't know what that brat did, or since you never came back, you didn't care that Ivan was the Akuma. It would have been safe on Glaciator to reveal him, but Ivan wasn't covered by rocks, he was those rocks.”
Adrien was confused until it hit him. He, as Chat Noir, had showed off his Cataclysm by touching the goal and disintegrating it... before trying to do that same thing to the rock monster that, at the time, he hadn't known was a school kid. So... whoever had the ring... “So... Ivan.”
Marinette's face crumpled a bit before shifting away from anger to realization. “You... you really didn't know he'd...” Marinette's sob broke his heart and he hugged her. His hearing was better then most and he caught her mutters of 'all my fault' and 'too slow' as he rubbed her back.
“Why didn't the Miraculous Cure work?” He realized as soon as the words were out of his mouth why it wouldn't have. Ladybug had told him after that fight with the Akuma in the museum when they found out an Amuk was in Paris at the same time and disappeared before they could get there. The Cure works for that particular villain/event. You can't call a Lucky Charm and use it after the fact... and she hadn't used her power until after he had. “Never mind, you don't have to say anything. I'm sorry.”
“Marinette~” Lila strolled over and hugged the girl from behind, eyeing him... speculatively. “All this time and you never told me you had a boyfriend? I thought we shared everything. Don't you trust?”
“Sorry Lila. I was just remembering a bad thing and he was kind enough to help.” Marinette was quiet again and shifted as Lila whispered in her ear.
“Then introduce us and make me look good, or Scarabella gets revealed.”
“Sorry, um, this is Lila. She's actually my star model when she's not traveling with her mother on diplomatic missions.”
“Oh Marinette, you always talk me up waaay too much. I only ever try to do my part and besides, your clothes deserve to be seen.” Lila put on her usual smile. “I'm even using my connections to get Mari here some more commissions. She is becoming so in demand I even managed to convince Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale to order things from her. Granted is was only at cost but the publicity is making up for it.”
“It would if you were giving Marinette credit but the only name is 'LR' Lila Rossi,” Alya growled, shocking Adrien. Alya was always supporting Lila. This was strange.
“Oh, Alya, still claiming I'm a liar and thief and, what else? 'LR' is 'Little Rose' because of the small pink rose used as the label and besides, Mari is like a little rose herself, always with a few extra needles in her pocket for repairs so don't hug her wrong.” Lila laughed and a few of the students that had gathered around nodded, agreeing to being poked by needles once or twice. Adrien looked closer and saw now that Lila was standing up that Marinette had a needle poking out of her bag and another in her front pocket, which he hadn't felt when they'd hugged. Lila... Lila had planted them when she hugged her. Before he could speak up, Marinette did,
“Alya, please, really, I do get money for every commission I do.”
“I bet they barely cover the cost of the material, what about your time. Some of those items take you weeks to do, you passed out two days ago trying to finish that gown.”
“Alya, Princess Ch-oh, I shouldn't have said that... the one it's for needs it finished by Saturday.”
“Let me guess, she's exactly your size so you're going to wear it to the dance Friday just to make sure it looks perfect when in motion and doesn't snag on anything. Then we never see it again because the event the, you said 'Princess' this time, the 'Princess' wears it to was a private function with no cameras but a post on line will gush about it and it'll be returned to you to either wear as you want or auction it off for charity.”
“Alya,” Lila teared up and covered her face. “Really? Just because my friends let me use dresses and outfits they wore for myself and I chose to make money for charity rather then keep all of them for myself... I'm not that selfish and I can't believe you'd accuse me of those terrible things.”
“Alya, really, it's no big deal. Please, just don't... please,”
Alya and Adrien both stared at Marinette until Alya huffed. “Girl, I have no idea why you always defend her.” Adrien caught Marinette clench her fist until Lila slipped one hand away from her face, looking like she was wiping tears away but the hand hit Marinette's just before the faker ran off.
“Sorry, tell Madam Bustier we'll be a little late.” Marinette called as she took off at the same time the bell rang. Most of the students scattered but Alya, Nino and Max stayed with him.
“Tell me that you didn't believe any of that.” Alya and Adrien said at the same time.
“Come on Dudette, ya know Lila gets her name out, Mari gets to see the celebs wear her stuff, just cause it's not by name-”
Adrien tuned out Nino as he and Alya continued to eye each other. What was different? Why did Alya doubt Lila's every word and Marinette go along with it? It was the opposite of what he knew and he didn't like it. His arm was yanked and Alya pulled him after her, calling over her shoulder that they'd be late too, he was taking the 'returning new kid to the office' which they all knew was a lie since they never headed to the stairs.
“You knew she was lying but you haven't been here since the start of school so start talking.” Alya swung him around into the locker room and glared at him, arms crossed. “This- what?”
Adrien, now looking for differences, saw one. “When did you get earrings?”
“What, that's, they were a gift, now explain or I'll assume you're an Akuma.”
“Alya, you never wore those before and you never doubted Lila. Marinette was the one that called her out. This... this makes no sense. Why-” A loud slap and a crash from the bathroom took his attention. Marinette had headed this way. He ran, reaching the door seconds later beside Alya and they swung the door open. He saw red. Marinette was on the floor, hands cupped around something and she was crying with Lila looking at her nails after realizing who it was.
“Please, I swear, I didn't tell anyone anything. I don't know who the new hero is so please, leave them alone.”
“Com'n Pigtails, I can take it.”
“No, no Plagg, I can tell she barely feeds you. Why'd you take that hit?”
“Knew you'd take more.”
“Plagg.” Adrien took a step forward and saw his friend, ears and tail drooping and eyes far dimmer than he'd ever seen. “No... you... you were.”
“Well, that's interesting, you're not surprised to see a kwami. Plagg, claws out!”
Adrien felt sick as Lila transformed into a facsimile of Lady Noir. Brown hair in a periodically clinched ponytail, unlike the tight braid his Lady used with most of her face and head covered in a mask, maybe close to Catwoman's, claws much sharper and gloves up to the elbow before the transition to the rest of the suit and much higher heels with sharper points.
“No, no please, leave them alone, I'll, I'll cover, tell them it was an Akuma that made illusions, that this was fake, please, don't.”
“How? How did you get Plagg?” Adrien hissed. “How did Master Fu find you worthy?”
“Tikki,”
“ALYA, NO!”
“Spots on!”
Adrien missed Lila calling her power and aiming for him but the sound of 'Lucky Charm' and something suddenly in front of him turning to dust made him cough.
“Alya, no, why'd you do that, she was keeping your secret.” Marinette had her arms around herself, sobbing. He slipped by the hero- Miraculous users, and knelt beside Marinette. When she tried to pull away, he started pulling out the needles and putting them aside.
“Easy Princess, I'm so sorry.”
The tearful blue eyes looked up at him. “Lila... Lila told me she saw a man on the ground and some tourists nearby so she helped him up when she was in the camera shot. When I-Ivan was... Alya was recording and Femme Feline there declared that 'no evil shall destroy this city with her here.' She,” Mari sobbed again, "she hit him with the Cataclysm before I could stop her. I knew then and there I wasn't right for the job. Tikki was wrong about my being chosen so I gave them away. Lila found out when I mentioned that the old man she helped was accident prone cause I'd helped him earlier that day.”
Adrien was cold all over. This, this wasn't right, Ladybug was Marinette and... and she gave up her Miraculous because Lila, her new partner, had killed Ivan and then blackmailed the Everyday Ladybug. No. This was terrible. This was...
“LOOK OUT!”
He turned and threw his arm out in front of Marinette, a pose he realized he'd done in and out of the mask for the same girl, whether she was wearing a mask or not. The staff hit him, slamming him out of the way and he heard a scream from far off as he heard ringing in his ears and the lights blinded him.
“Well done, my Femme Fatale.”
“Of course Hawkmoth, I told you that eventually Scarabella would show up to protect her friend and you would get both Miraculous.”
Adrien finally looked up and saw Hawkmoth looking at his hand, Alya on the floor behind him, trying and failing to get up. The man looked at him and he caught the softest breath, the word, a name, his name but that couldn't be.
“No... please, don't.” Marinette's voice was choked off and looked away from his- Hawkmoth too see Lila, Femme whatever name she was using, using her staff, his staff, to press Marinette, Ladybug, His Lady, His Princess, to the wall.
“Mari.. Marinette, I won't let this happen.” Adrien turned as he heard Hawkmoth call out to merge Tikki and Nooroo. “No, spots don't work on you, they looked much better on her.”
The man pulled out the yo-yo and Adrien hid his grin, knowing from experience how hard it was to get used to. He ducked and dodged the first throw, it sounded like it ricocheted and hit him by the high pitched sound he made. Adrien shoved Lila off Marinette, using a trick Felix had taught him to get his ring back, grabbed the girl of his dreams and took off. They needed a safe place and he knew how to find one. As soon as they were outside the bathroom, he slipped the ring on.
“Plagg, there's some Camembert in my inside pocket. Eat it quick, no time to savor.”
“Not sure who you are kid, but I like you already.” Plagg disappeared into the pocket and he heard a mutter of 'already smells like me' as they reached the stairs.
“Plagg, I never learned where Master Fu's home was, is he still Guardian or is Alya?”
“Roundabout to my room.” Marinette whispered.
“Ready Plagg?” As soon as he got the confirmation, he called out the transformation and leapt into the sky. He slid around the way he did to get back to school after an Akuma and landed on her balcony. “Here we are Princess.” He placed he on the ground, staying low. “Now, can you tell me were-”
“It'll be here now. Alya, I saw her mouth when everyone was looking at you. She... she renounced Guardianship to... to me.” Marinette shook her head. “Why. Ivan's gone. Hawkmoth has Tikki and the earrings and I'm a disaster. A disaster. A-”
“Marinette, you are an amazing girl, strong and selfless. You've been protecting, guarding, Scarabella all this time.”
“But I've got no idea who the others are to give them the Miraculous, let alone how I'm suppose to-”
“Marinette, if Carapace is here, talk to Nino, tell him what happened.”
“That... does explain him flirting with Scarabella.”
“Like how Chat Noir flirts with you?”
“Chat Noir?”
“Oh, ah, yeah, Char Noir, at your service.” He kissed her hand and watched the color rise in her cheeks. It never worked before... but why didn't it. “You. Don't happen to have a boy you like do you?”
“Um, what? No. Not since, well I had a crush but he pulled a prank and it... terrified me, I never-”
“I'm sorry M'Lady, I'll fix this, I swear. I need the Rabbit Miraculous, I can go back and make sure I help Master Fu, not Lila. It's all my fault, I thought everything would be better without me messing things up. Ivan's death and now Alya's memories are all on me. Not you.”
“Just those or... oh. Ummm, a few others, Lila said were willingly working with Hawkmoth. Now... now I'm sure that's a lie too.” Marinette clenched her hands again and reached down to open the skylight when the room lit up from inside.
“Ah, just what I need.” Hawkmoth's voice came from inside as he picked up a box from the shattered remains of what must have been Marinette's sawing kit. Chat Noir jumped down and landed on the bed in a crouch.
“That's not yours either, father.” His cat ears caught Marinette's gasp then her voice, in a monotone, declared Hawkmoth Guardian. “Princess!” He turned part way and saw what had to be Lila with a hand on Marinette's arm.
“Marinette, now my personal Marionette. I do love when people just go along with what I say, it's so much easier then setting them up to get rid of them.” She started leading Marinette away and Adrien exited the skylight again, intent on stopping Lila. From back inside the room, he heard Hawkmoth getting closer.
“Now, Adrien, give me the ring and we can heal your mother.”
“What? Mother, she-” Chat felt his breath catch in his lungs.
“She's alive. We can save her, I can use the ring and earrings to make a wish.”
Chat remembered hearing about that after Markov was akumatized. “Those wishes require a price. An exchange. Healing her means someone else-”
“Use her, right Marinette~.”
“Yes, I volunteer for-”
“NO!” Chat was shaking, this world was wrong, so wrong. A presence behind him he realized too late as the yo-yo wrapped around him and the ring was off before he could call the power to prevent it. He saw Plagg for a moment as Hawkmoth slid the ring on. Sure, if was seeing his mom, he might break but seeing Marinette... needing to choose. He... “You should never have had it, Bunnyx. BUNNYX, I SHOULD NEVER HAVE GIVEN UP PLAGG! GET THE TIMELINE BACK!” He gasped as Hawkmoth combine Plagg with Tikki. “Get me back.” He whispered as the word went white.
ML ML ML ML ML
“Adrien? Adrien, dude are you alright?”
Adrien slowly opened his eyes to find himself still on Marinette's balcony but now laid on the lounger with Nino and Alya hovering over him. It took less then a second to see who's missing as his eyes had to get used to the brightness that he'd got used to then he st up fast. “MARINETTE!”
“Woah, woah, cool it. She went to get some water,” Alya's tone suddenly went teasing. “But if we knew you were here to see her, we could have left her here and got it ourselves.
“Alya, is- AH, Adrien, you're fine. I mean, you look fine, well you always look fine but you weren't well, you still were but you were out hot, I mean cold, out cold, even if you are hot, I mean. Here!” Marinette squeaked and thrust a cup of water at him which he grabbed and shoved at Nino, ignoring the complaint and pulling the stuttering girl into his arms.
“You're safe. Your safe.” He exhaled and whispered apologies, not paying attention to what he said and just thankful to have Marinette safe in his arms. It took a bit to realize the silence around him until suddenly Nino groaned and Alya screamed.
“HA! I KNEW IT! I called it, you doubted me. Oh my GOD you were a soap opera with just the two of you.”
“Babe, I think she's still broken.”
Adrien suddenly pulled back, just enough to look at Marinette's face. “Marinette, are you OK? Did Lila hurt you, I swear I'm calling the deal off if she did. If I find out she's working for Hawkmoth in this timeline I'll-”
“Chaton.”
The quiet word shut him up and he realized too late he'd been using 'Marinette', 'Princess' and he might have said 'M'Lady', he wasn't sure. “Oops.”
An hour later, the story shared and Tikki and Plagg had joined them in the open after Marinette slid the ring on his finger and told him if he removed it again except to trade in those desperate times, she'd glue it to him. Adrien didn't give away that he knew Nino and Alya were Carapace and Rena, or he thought he hadn't but Nino's guilty looks and two female huffs made him sure some extra pieces were being put together. When Lila's actions in the other world were compared to this one, Marinette was close to transforming just in case.
“I'm gonna destroy her. My blog will be a laughing stock.”
“Actually Alya, you could use it to catch her in the lies and then it can be listed as used in a sting operation.” Adrien poked at Pollen as his Lady groaned. Adrien looked over at Fluff and smiled. He knew more battles were ahead, and he had to confirm if his father was the villain in this Timeline too but no matter how much bad there was, he wasn't going to change the past for anything. “Hey, thank her for me. I really have a Miraculous life.”