Archive of Our Own ^beta

"X" Speech/Talking

 'X' mouthing/impressions

  X  Text

'X'  Thoughts

 X  Flashbacks

Warning: Mild swearing, cussing

Chapter: 1: Miraculous Charmix: 

It was the eve of Valentine's Day, and Paris had never not more reflected it's title as the infamous 'City of Love' as it had on that day. Pink, red, yellow, and white decorated much of the city, in banners, flowers, and streamers. 

A blonde couple embraced joyfully, mindful of the delicate woman's baby bump as two tiny doll-like godly beings floated nearby. Another blonde couple were screaming at each other from the safety of their rooms, out of sight of the press, as their butler watched while cringing. 

And a third couple: a large man and a small Chinese woman strolled down the block with a soft smile, their Valentine's Day also celebrating their seventh anniversary together. They'd come back from the high of a very successful date. 

Tom and Sabine Dupeng-Cheng were a lovely couple who founded the best bakery in all of France. Its convenient location right by the corner from the local school meant that they had an influx of guests ranging from rushed parents to groups of fledging adolescents. 

While they didn't take catering events all too often (mainly because very few were eager to accept service from a small-town business that had only been open for three years) they did succeed massively with the few that they did work at. 

This night though, they had taken off to spend exclusively with each other. 

Sabine nuzzled her husband's bicep as they walked along the darkened streets, only slightly disturbed by the smell of smoke. It didn't bother them too much; after all, it was Valentine's Day, and many younger people were reckless enough to shoot fireworks into the sky within the city limits, despite it not being legal in Paris, France. 

It wasn't until they heard the distant sound of sirens that they realized that something was wrong...very wrong. They rounded the next corner and froze at the sight. 

Their prized bakery was in flames! 

"Mon deiu!" Sabine gasped, before dashing forward, her husband on her heels. 

The flames hadn't spread downstairs yet, but the upstairs was smoldering, reddish-orange flames licking up the wood and structure, leaving behind ash and molten blobs that were still shimmering with heat. 

The pair coughed, rushing upstairs, hoping to save anything from their house, only to freeze and gasp at the sight of an infant baby with a tuft of fiery red hair and the brightest bluebell eyes they'd ever seen, eyes that were leaking tears. 

A wail escaped the baby's mouth, the flames seeming to roar with its cry. 

Sabine opened her mouth to shout a warning, to call her husband back down, but his heart was too great. He bravely stepped into the flames, wincing at the heat but he would not dare let a baby die like this! 

It wasn't until he got closer that he realized that there was some sort of...distortion around the infant, in the color orange. It wasn't until he peered closer that he almost reeled backward into the towering flames, coughing in surprise. There was a barrier of some sort that kept the flames from touching the baby. 

"It's okay, little patisserie." He murmured, gathering his courage to reach into the bubble and scooped up the baby and the light blue blanket it was wrapped in. 

The infant's eyes widened, before seeming to lock with his. Something...like sadness, and understanding flashed through them, even though the baby was too young to understand what emotions like that meant. Then, the infant curled into his arms, and Tom carefully stepped back, unaware--though his wife was not--that the flames around them were all dying down. 

Sabine touched her husband's arm once they got downstairs, ignorant to the firefighters just now pulling up to the bakery, the pair staring at the best gift that they could've ever been granted. 

"Happy Valentine's Day, love." 

===

Thirteen years had passed since a little baby girl was found in a fire. Thirteen years since that little girl was adopted--though she never suspected it, even though her parents had suggested that she dye her hair and she agreed. 

A girl whose smile could lighten anyone's mood just by directing it at them. A girl who put others first, and didn't let anything beat her down, no matter what. A little angel whose imagination saw the most wonderous things brought to life, no matter what she created, or how. Her art was advanced as a child. Where other kids were drawing stick figures and badly-colored building outlines, she was making beautiful and mostly accurate butterfly sketches. Fairy wings and dresses. 

She was a confident girl who once she set her eyes on a goal, would persevere until she obtained it. She also learned at a slightly advanced rate compared to other children her age, which sadly resulted in her childhood friend Chloe starting to bully her. Marinette wasn't one to let a bully's words get under her skin.

Of course, she wasn't perfect, no girl was. She had a stutter that only showed whenever she was nervous or attempting to lie. She was naturally clumsy, and could manage to trip over nothing but air. She had a temper to match her fiery beauty. Her porcelain skin, the way light would catch on her hair to give off an ethereal sheen, her rosy blush, perfect pink lips, and wide bluebell eyes were what set her apart from the other girls. In another decade, she was sure to be a breathtaking beauty. 

It was the first day of a new school, a new class, and (hopefully), the chance to make new friends. Hopefully, she wouldn't be in the same class as Chloe. While she missed her ex-friend, she had put up with her crap for three years. She wasn't going to take any more of Chloe's brat-i-tude. 

"Marinette! Your alarm has been going off for the last fifteen minutes! You're gonna be late!" 

She tumbled out of the shower, barely flopping into her bedroom before she realized that she was buck-naked in front of an open window, still wet, with the shower water still running. She squeaked, her cheeks burning as she scampered back in, toweling off as she turned off the showerhead. 

The bluenette grabbed her casual best; a pair of neon pink pants, a white tank top with pink hearts over one breast, and a light blue blazer that matched her eyes. She slid her purse over her shoulder, smiling happily at her reflection as she divided her hair into two braids. Simple, and yet, it accented her budding figure quite nicely. 

She blushed as she stared at her breasts--her pride soared when she realized that she finally needed one of the bras her mom had bought three months ago--and her hips, which had expanded at least an inch over summer. She was leaving childhood behind to embrace puberty to its fullest. And she couldn't wait for her voice to alter, hopefully leaving her with only impulse shouts of fright or surprise to startle her into using an embarrassing, squeaky voice. 

"Marinette! You're going to be late!" Her mom's voice started her out of her self-worship. 

Marinette opened the trapdoor to her room and hurried downstairs, snagging a croissant and kissing her mother's cheek. "I'm going to win that bet." 

"Honey, if Chloe is in your class again, that's lucky!" Sabine exclaimed. 

"Lucky me." Marinette sighed bitterly, still remembering her diasterous last year. "Four years of watching her push around other students." 

"Oh, don't be like that." Sabine shook her head chidingly. "I'm sure that one day soon, she'll mature and wise up like you have. I'm sure everything will be just fine!" 

Marinette blushed, and hugged her mother again. "Thanks Mom!" She smiled, before her arm accidentally smacked the cereal boxes onto the floor, an orange rolling into a bowl of dough, and a butter knife flying across the counter. 

"OOPS!" She covered her mouth with an awkward giggle. 

'CRUNCH'

Her father looks down in confusion at what his foot just crushed, his hands holding a box of warm treats. "Here, little patissiere! Treats for your class!" 

Marinette pried off the lid and peeked inside, her smile widening, bluebell eyes shining with joy. "Papa! Thank you! They look so good!" 

"Your designs make them look good!" He returned warmly, before giving her a bear hug. 

Marinette smiled in her father's warm embrace, before the chiming of the clock made her pale. "I'mgonnabesolate!" She rushed out the door, leaving her chuckling parents behind. 

It's a short walk along the sidewalk to the nearest traffic light. She stands next to a ginger and a redhead, both boys too busy staring at their phones. She goes to cross the street, hoping to get across, but spots an elderly, balding man in a Hawaiian shirt limping her way, with the rest of the people on the other side all busy or ignoring the man who'd foolishly crossed during a red light. 

She spotted a car rushing in his direction, too fast to stop, and she acted before she thought. The box went flying as she grabbed his hand and pulled him to the side before he could get hurt. She groaned, rolling over on her bottom, wincing at the open box of cookies, some of which had scattered on the floor. 

"Oh, my! Thank you, miss!" the elderly man exclaimed, putting a hand over his likely rapidly beating heart. He then looked over the spilled macaroons. "Oh, what a disaster." 

Marinette giggled awkwardly. "Uh, well. I'm no stranger to disasters." She held out an offering. "Besides, there's still a few left." 

The elderly man took a cookie and bit into it, before his eyes popped at the flavor. "Mmm! Delicious!" 

Marinette beamed, pleased that a stranger liked the taste of her recipe before she heard the distant school's warning bell ringing. She panicked. "Oh no! I'm going to be late again!" 

She waved a rushed goodbye before hurrying off, missing the man's narrowed gaze, and the shocked expression on the little green head that peeked out from his shirt. 

===

Marinette burst into the classroom, almost face-planting into the ground, but caught herself on one of the front rows of desks. She breathed a sigh of relief, before moving to her preferred spot, left-side, middle of the class. Far enough in front that Chloe wouldn't try anything, but also forward enough that she didn't have to look at...Kim. 

She was just in time to see Ms. Bustier (her teacher two years ago), a woman with ginger hair, white dress slacks, and a dress shirt peer at Nino and frown at his headphones over his heads. "Mr. Lahiffe, why don't you sit in the front this year?" 

Nino Lahiffe was a bronze-skinned boy with golden-brown eyes, and black hair, wearing a casual blue t-shirt, red cap, and jeans. He was well known for being a geek about anything anime, and someone whom Marinette had known since second grade, groaned in disappointment, reluctantly moving to the front row, diagonal from Marinette. 

Marinette yawned, and set the box of cookies down on her desk, before laying her head down, hoping to catch a little bit of rest before the class started. 

'SLAM'

She jerked up, her squeak dying as she was met with the smug expression on the last girl's face she wanted to see today. 

A haughty blonde with sun-kissed skin, whose face was dabbed up with makeup, an Agreste line sweater, golden belt, designer pants, white sunglasses with a golden tint, and a bright yellow cardigan. A golden chain over her shoulder connected to a stylish purse that was definitely out of Marinette's allowance budget. 

"Marinette, DU-pen-Cheng." Chloe dragged her name out, purposefully mispronouncing her last name. 

Bluebell eyes fluttered shut as she inhaled, then opened them, fire shining within as she exhaled. "What do you want, CHLO-E?" Marinette drawled, giving zero fucks about her attitude. 

Quite honestly, she'd had enough of being humiliated by the blonde. She was tired of the girl's attitude, and she refused to put up with it any longer. Marinette wasn't going to let herself suffer in silence. After last year? She knew things needed to change. She wouldn't let Socqueline's expulsion have been for nothing. 

And that started by standing up to her personal demon: her childhood friend-turned-bully. 

"That's my seat!" Chloe snapped at her, drawing eyes their way. Marinette felt her cheeks warm, as they always did when she grew nervous or felt stressed. "I sit here every year." 

"Not anymore!" Sabrina, a cyan-eyed redhead with glasses leaned into the open seat next to Marinette, stretching in such a way to show off a new blazer and tank top. She was Chloe's number one yes girl, smirking at her with a gleam in her eyes that could be called slightly malicious. "New year, new rules, new seats." 

Marinette rolled her eyes, making no attempt to get up. 

"So, why don't you get up and go sit beside that new girl over there," Chloe said it so disdainfully, as though Marinette was dirt on the bottom of her shoe that she had decided to grant mercy into instead of stomping on. 

Said 'new girl' glanced their way, distracted from her phone by the commotion. Her eyes were amber, matching her glasses, and wavy dark red hair, lavender pants, and a collared, flannel t-shirt. 

Chloe leaned forward, trying to intimidate Marinette. "Listen, Adrien's arriving today. And since that's going to be his seat--", she indicated the chair in front of Marinette, "--this is going to be my seat. Get it?" 

Marinette lifted a brow, making an effort to have her voice be as bored as possible. "Who's Adrien?" 

Chloe, Sabrina, Rose, and a girl with dark hair, purple eyes, and a bang of hair dyed purple all gasped. 

"You don't know who Adrien is?" Chloe exclaimed, like she was a reporter who'd gotten the scoop of the century. She and Sabrina burst into peals of laughter. "What rock were you living under?" 

"The one that involves me getting a career early and skipping the corny stage of teen heartbreak and boys." Marinette huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Not to mention, pregnancy scares." She cocked her head. "Something you should try, mayor's daughter." 

Chloe's face flushed red at the insinuation. 

The 'new girl' coughed and a redhead sitting two rows behind the bluenette that had her rollerskates placed to the side both covered their mouths to hide their giggles. 

"B-B-But, surely you know of him?!" Sabrina sputtered. "He's a minor celebrity!" 

Marinette raised her brow. "I deal in fashion. Guess he must not be famous enough for me." 

More faked coughs, giggles, and Sabrina's sputters fill the room. "B-But he's a famous model!?! How have you not heard of him??" 

Marinette shrugged, giving absolutely zero shits. "Must not run in the same fashion line." 

It was technically true, she designed women's and children's clothes, not men's or boys. And she knew that there were scandals surrounding those boys. Pretty white boys and celebrities who said nice things to trick blinded fangirls. She refused to become one of those girls. 

And while she'd never had a crush on a boy before (the Kim Incident will never be mentioned, short of her committing arson on Chloe's hotel), Marinette had seen what other girls did. And quite frankly, she embarrassed herself enough on a daily basis without trying to impress a guy. 

"Whatever." Chloe rolled her eyes. "I'm his best friend, his only friend. He adores me! I'm sitting here, capiche? So move it! Go on, move!" 

Marinette glanced out of the corner of her eye at the teacher, who was ignoring the drama around her, frowning at her computer. 

Great. Looks like she's going to be turning a blind eye to Chloe's shenanigans again. She did it last time Marinette and Chloe were in the same class, and she was far from the first teacher to do so (she highly suspected that Chloe was throwing her father's name and weight around again, as was her habit when she didn't get her way). 

Unless Marinette somehow was able to speed up her learning process, or get to transfer classes, she would no doubt be put in the same class as Chloe and suffer for years to come. 

Ugh. 

"Hey!" 'New girl' seemed to have gotten fed up, and rose from her seat to confront Chloe. "Who elected you as 'Queen of Seats'?" 

"Oooo, look Sabrina." Chloe crowed. "We've got a little Do-Gooder in our class this year." It was clear that 'Do-Gooder' was anything BUT a compliment. "What are you gonna do, Super-Noobie? Shoot lasers from your four eyes?" 

The new girl's darkening look and the flash of anger in her eyes said it all. "Wouldn't you like to know," She hissed, before brushing past Chloe, who huffed, feeling insulted by the action. 

She reached over, grabbing Marinette's arm. "Come on, let's move." 

"Hey--WHAA!" 

'THUD'

'CRACK'

Marinette winced as she collided with the ground, more precious macaroons scattering across the floor. "Sorry, sorry!" She winced, frowning as she moved into a seat with the new girl. Her frown deepened as she looked at her. "I could handle Chloe, you know. She's been acting that way for ages, trying to make my life miserable."

"Majestia would be proud of you then." The girl replied happily. 

Marinette blinked. "Sorry...uh...who?" 

"Majestia!" The girl gasped before holding up her phone to Marinette's face. Marinette blinked as she looked at some kind of downloaded PDF of a comic book cover with a very well-endowed blonde whose hair was in a pixie cut, her outfit in red with a skirt train and Superman-themed boots. The comic was based on the leader of the United Superheroes of America. 

"She says that, 'All is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to sit there and do nothing'." She then pointed, Marinette following her finger to a smug Chloe and Sabrina, chuckling to themselves. "That girl over there is evil, and we are the good people." 

Marinette scowled internally. "Not sure how 'good' someone is who makes me give up my seat, yanks me out of it, and spills my macaroons." Marinette gives her the cutest eyes with just the slightest pout, knowing that no one has ever been able to resist, not even Chloe. It's her own personal superpower, and she's damn pleased with it too. 

The new girl flinches, staring at such wide, cute, and vulnerable bluebell eyes. "I--you're right, sorry." She slumped. "I was just trying to help." 

"Next time ask first." Marinette offers an olive branch by way of a macaroon. "I'm Marinette by the way." 

"Ayla." Ayla beamed before taking it with a muffled 'thanks' as she popped it in her mouth. "Mm! These are really good!" 

The bell rang again, and Ms. Bustier began her yearly introduction and class syllabus. 

"Ugh," Chloe whined, staring at the empty seat in front of her. "He should've been here by now." 

"Probably got stood up because he knows she's a witch," Marinette whispered to her new friend, who had to fake a cough to hide her sudden fit of giggles. 

===

It wasn't until the end of class was approaching that the drama returned. 

"Kim!" A rather shy, larger boy, named Ivan Bruel hissed loudly at the well-known athletic boy, interrupting Ms. Bustier's wrapping-up speech. 

"Mr. Bruel?? What is the matter?" Ms. Bustier was taken aback by the boy's sudden aggression and raised fist. 

Marinette and Ayla glanced back as they packed up their things.

"It's Kim!" He snapped, like that explained the fact that the other boy was well-known for bullying and mocking other kids. "I'm so gonna fucking beat your--" 

"Mr. Bruel! We do not tolerate violence or foul language!" Ms. Bustier snapped. "Report to the principal's office at once!" 

He growled, his anger only spiking (drawing the attention of a shadowed figure in a cave full of butterflies) as Chloe and Sabrina loudly snickered at his misfortune. 

Marinette's smile faded, watching him go. 

"Some things you just gotta work through on your own," Ayla suggested, placing a hand on Marinette's arm. 

The bluenette was hesitant, only to agree reluctantly. Something suddenly gripped her, not a person, but rather...a feeling.

It was distant...but growing stronger every second. It felt like...danger...but that was silly, wasn't it? 

She dismissed the feeling, but could still feel it, as though it was writhing within her breast. She did her best to ignore the growing feelings of danger and wrongness, as they made their way to the library, seeing as they had a gap between classes. 

Marinette and Ayla had only just begun playing Twenty Questions when the entire school seemed to shake in tandem with Ivan's angry scream: "KIIIIM!" 

Marinette groaned, having been knocked out of her seat by one of the many tremors that shook the building. She landed on the ground with a pained 'OUF', something inside her screaming like alarm klaxons ringing shrilly. It was like all her senses were suddenly screaming 'DANGER!', but she couldn't figure out why...until now. 

"Come on!" Ayla rushed, as other students and the librarian screamed and rushed around like chickens with their heads cut off. 

Marinette barely remembered to grab her purse and binder before another tremor shook the building, books rattling and falling from their shelves, a whiteboard in the corner falling off and crushing two chairs. The pair rushed out toward the main entrance, freezing at the sight of some kind of rock golem with sinister green eyes and a familiar voice that bellowed in rage, "KIIIIM!" 

"Is that...Ivan's voice?" Marinette gaped, the strange feelings of danger in her chest stronger than ever, now making sense. A tiny part of her wondered if she was psychic or had some kind of sixth sense, but the majority of her was panicking. 'Oh, SHIT! There's a freaking stone monster--Ivan--attacking the school!' Marinette thought. "Is--Is that Ivan's voice??" 

"It's as if he's been transformed into a real-life supervillain!" Ayla exclaimed in excitement, before checking on her phone. "GPS, check! Mobile data, check! Battery, check! I am so outta here!" She dashed for the street. 

"Wait!" She froze as Marinette caught up to her. "What do you think you're doing?!?" 

"Where there's a supervillain, there's always a hero!" Ayla exclaimed. "I am not wasting my chance!" 

"KIIIM!" Marinette flinched, watching as the stone thing that was Ivan stomped in front of a car angrily, blocking traffic. 

A couple screamed and jumped sideways out the doors of their car, just as the stone monster brought both fists down and crushed the hood and engine. He then lifted it up by the sides and threw it into the wall of the school, destroying a security camera. 

Marinette yelped and fell over again. She bit her lip, surely school wouldn't be continuing in this state???

She decided to make a break for home, as the feeling of danger slowly decreased in her chest, yet remained there, like a constant thrum in the background, barely noticeable, but present, and louder the longer it was paid attention to. She pushed past screaming citizens, spotting a police vehicle drive around the corner, sirens blaring. 

She'd just made it back home when her parents rushed forward, scooping her into a tight hug. "MMMPH! Mom! Dad! Can't--breathe!" 

They released her, and Sabine started to fuss over her. "Oh, my sweet baby! Are you alright?? I heard they attacked the school, thank goodness you're safe!" 

"I'm okay!" Marinette said weakly. "Just...h-hate first days back at school." 

"I'm asking all Parisians to stay at home until the situation is under control." Mayor Burgious was saying on the news. 

The footage paused, switching to Nadja Chamack, a family friend, and live news reporter. "As incredible as it may seem, Paris is under attack by what eye-witnesses call, a 'supervillain'. So far, there have been no demands made, only a mindless rampage of destruction across the City of Lights. I--wait, we have Allie, live at the scene. Let's go to Allie. Allie?" 

"The situation is absolutely crazy, Nadja!" A brunette woman said, flinching as a police car went flying in the background. "So far, the police have been unable to contain this... monstrous thing! The only thing we can know for certain is that attacking it has caused it to become more aggravated." 

She turns to the police captain, whose arm is being wrapped up by paramedics from an ambulance. "Sir, do you have anything to say to viewers at home, to reassure them that this villain will be stopped?" 

"Rest assured, the strong arm of the law will come crashing down--", the poor man broke off, hissing in pain as one of the paramedics tightened the cast around his broken arm. "--the other arm." 

Marinette paled, watching as police fired upon the stone monstrosity that was her classmate, only seeing as it gained a faint sickly-green hue, before growing in size. 

"Oh my!" Tom gaped, then looked down and saw his adoptive daughter's face turn white. He wrapped her up in a tight hug. "Don't worry, little passitierie, I'll protect you." 

Marinette smiled weakly, before flinching at the distant roar. "I'll just go...upstairs." She said, before ducking away, hoping that her new friend Ayla was safe. She jumped as another tremor shook the city like an Earthquake, before spotting an unusual, hexagonal-shaped black box on her desk by her computer monitor. 

"What's this thing?" She picks it up, noticing that there are red hieroglyphics across the top, with a strange symbol in the middle. 

"What the--where'd this come from?" she wondered aloud, before going to open it. She gasps, spotting a beautiful set of stone earrings that are shaded like a ladybug's with five black spots, then yelps a second later as something within her tugs. 

"EUAH!" She collapses, crawling back as the box clatters to the ground, but the earrings float in the air, as a ball of shimmering red-white light forms a sphere around them, growing brighter in the middle with every second. She thrusts her hands up to ward away the light, hearing a clatter as the earrings fall onto her desk. She peeks through the gap between her fingertips, freeing at the sight of some strange doll-thing with the cutest blue eyes, red skin, and black spots. 

She flinches, scooting back toward the curtain, as the little thing starts to float toward her. "AH! Help! It's a giant bug! A-A mouse! A bug-mouse!" 

"I'm a Kwamis, not a bug-mouse." The little thing giggles, two red feelers on the top of its head twitching like antennae. "Don't be scared." 

"AH!" Marinette ducks away, pulling the curtain between them, reached blindly behind her for the nearest item in a panic. "BUG-MOUSE TALKS!" 

She starts throwing stuff, and is more than a little freaked out by the ease that the 'Kwamis' dodges and flies in the air to avoid a ball of yarn, a tin of cotton wads, a box of sticking needles, and even her diary. 

"Listen Marinette! I know everything may seem a bit strange to you, but--" 

Marinette feels something surge within her, the glass in her hands despite being nowhere near. 

The little red thing's eyes grow wide, before she traps them in the glass, pinning it to the floor, unaware that the Kwamis's shock was not due to her fast reaction, but rather to her irises, which for a split moment flared orange. 

"Okay." The Kwamis sighed, before beaming brightly, giving no hint as to the shock she felt from sending a powerful form of creation that she thought had been lost. Her voice was muffled as she talked. "If that makes you feel better." 

"What are you?" Marinette stared at her in confusion and wariness, before she remembered something, eyes narrowing in alarm. "How do you know my name?!?" 

"I'm a Kwamis." The thing repeated. "And my name is Tikki, the goddess of Creation and  Luck. Now, will you let me explain??" 

Marinette gasped. "A-A-A goddess??? She sputtered. This was all too much for her. 

Maybe her parents knew what to do! She reached for the trapdoor's handle. "Mom, Dad!" 

"No no no no!" The Kwamis panicked, before phasing through the glass, causing her to gasp, release the trapdoor, and scramble backward away from Tikki--the Kwamis--the thing. 

"I'm your friend, Marinette!" The little Kwamis said, sounding slightly exasperated by her panic. "And you're the only one who can stop the Akuma!" 

Marinette froze. "The...what???" 

"The Akuma!" Tikki exclaimed. "It's the thing that turned that poor boy into that stone monster!" 

"This must be some mistake!" Marinette protested, moving into a better sitting position. "How would I even stop him? The only superpower I have is super-clumsiness!" 

Tikki opened her mouth, but thought better of what she was about to say. She could break the news to her at a different time, the poor girl was overwhelmed as it was. "I can give you powers, but you have to wear the earrings to gain them." 

Marinette hesitated, before picking them up from her desk. "Wait...so...what can I do?" 

"When you say my name and 'Spots On', it summons a transformation that absorbs me into the earrings," Tikki explained, pleased that the girl was calming down enough to listen. "My power revolves around Creation. My counterpart is Destruction, and he is always activated at the same time I am. Meaning that you will not be alone in this, you will have a partner who is your equal and opposite, someone whom you can always rely upon." 

Marinette hesitated, her mind already running through different possibilities, the drawback of being a constant creator. "Wait...so...what powers does creation do? Can I create anything? Or are there limits?" 

"The abilities you can access will increase the greater a bond becomes between a Chosen and their Kwamis," Tikki explained. "That has to be built upon mutual trust, and kindness that is genuine, without any alternative or secret motive." 

"O--Okay?" Marinette breathed out, trying not to panic again. "So...what powers can I use right now? Do I get a weapon?" 

"You have one item, all Miraculous Holders come with," Tikki explained. "A yo-yo." 

"A yo-yo???" Marinette blinked, confused. "How in the world is that a superhero's weapon???" 

"It just is." Tikki shrugged. "Now, you have two powers that you can call upon. The first is your Lucky Charm." 

"Lucky charm, got it." Marinette nodded, wondering if she should be taking notes. A part of her also wondered if she'd taken some kind of hallucinogen and was dreaming all of this up. 

"It summons an object that you use to beat the Akuma," Tikki explained. "The Akuma always hides in the object that a person is holding or is upon them when possessing them, and for the most part, remains unchanged when the Akuma turns them into something new. The Akuma transforms them into villains, though that is a misuse of power." 

"A misuse??" Marinette frowned with worry. 

"Whoever is using the Butterfly Miraculous is using it for evil, creating supervillains goes against the natural order," Tikki explained. "Now, once you break the item, you must capture the Akuma with your yo-yo in order to purify it. Then, you throw your lucky charm up and call 'Miraculous Ladybug', which is your restorative power, undoing all the damages that anything magical causes." 

"But...why?" Marinette was confused. "Why me? Why not someone like...I know! Ayla! She's mind friend...sorta...maybe? She'd totally be down to be a superhero, she loves them anyway!" 

"Marinette." Tikki shakes her head. "You were chosen because of the qualities within you. Kindness. Creation. Love. Compassion. Selflessness. Hope. And Potential...ohh so much potential." 

Far more than the girl could ever know, a power so great that it once made the Miraculouses themselves. A power that resides inside her, dormant for now, but still there. 

Resting. 

Simmering. 

Biding it's time, just waiting deep within this unaware magical girl. 

With each word, life, and light start to spark behind Marinette's eyes. "I--I don't know...are you sure?" 

"I am." Tikki nodded. 

"Okay." Marinette breathed. "Tikki, Spots--" 

"WAAAIIIT!" Tikki's shout made Marinette freeze. "I almost forgot one last thing." 

Marinette blinked. "What is it?" 

"If you want to de-transform, you need to say 'Spots Off'." Tikki explained. "And once you use your Lucky Charm power, you only have five minutes before you change back." 

Marinette gaped. "Only five minutes to defeat a supervillain??? Are you kidding me?" 

"It's a safety precaution, because you're not an adult yet," Tikki explained. 

Marinette stared. "Why--why wouldn't you pick an adult???" 

"Adults are set in their ways. Many are greedy, selfish, or crave power." Tikki explained. "It's not so much about the age, rather, it's about the qualities of a good person, and the universal essence that a person's soul resonates with. That's why you were selected above all other candidates." 

Marinette felt her heart lighten, and she removed her current earrings before replacing them with the ladybug ones. It had been so long since someone--anyone really--had said something kind to her. "Thanks, Tikki." 

"No problem!" Tikki said enthusiastically. "Now, let's go stop that Akuma!" 

Marinette felt a smile slowly grow. "Tikki, Spot's On!" 

She watched as the little Kwamis turned into a ball of red light that flew like a shooting star into her earring. Then, waves of reddish-pink magic washed over her, at the same time as something warm and hot roared to life inside her breast. Heat washed over her, and she instinctively knew what to do. 

She lifted an arm, magic gathering at her fingertips. She brought them over her face, leaving behind a domino mask that was absolutely perfect and comfortable. It masked her upper face and identity, yet allowed for maximum visibility. She brought her hands up to her neck, then down over her shoulders, past her breasts, waist, down her legs to her feet, feeling seamless fabric covering her skin and clothing. 

The light of the magic faded, leaving Marinette to gape at her reflection. 

She wore a tight bodysuit that was comprised mainly of red with black spots all over. The only parts of her skin that were exposed were her lower face and hair, which was redone in two cute pigtails with red ribbons rather than hair ties. But it was her eyes that stunned her. They were no longer familiar bluebell eyes, but rather eyes that blazed a bright vivid orange. Irises that seemed to contain an ethereal glow behind them, powers beyond mortal comprehension hidden within their depths. 

She played with a pigtail, and tried to pull on her outfit, but it barely even stretched. It was seamless. "Yeah, uh, no." She shuddered as she looked at her developing body in the mirror, every part of her visible, yet concealed, struggling to come up with a positive. 

'At least there were no bra or underwear lines.' she thought sardonically, then froze at her reflection. "This is skintight. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that I was naked beneath this." She blushed as she said it aloud. 

She frowned, pulling at the fabric of her super-suit again, finding it to be rather...plain. There was hardly anything artistic or fun about her outfit. It certainly wouldn't be her first choice of a superhero's outfit. 'Maybe I can ask Tikki to change it?' she wondered. 'Can I even change the design, or does it appear this way for anyone else whose worn the earrings?' 

The ground shaking beneath her feet startled her into the here and now. 

She grabbed the yo-yo that appeared at her side and rushed up to the rooftop, thinking over superhero names in her head. 'Coccinelle? Hmm, needs work. Lady Beetle? Too boring. Lady Luck? Kind of ironic? Maybe Scarlet Bug? Actually...no, just no.' 

She tossed the yo-yo, watching as it flew over the street to wrap around the head of a gargoyle. Marinette tugged it to confirm that the string would hold her weight--not expecting that it would fling her into the sky like a slingshot. She let out a shriek as she went flying, before the yo-yo retracted. She tossed the yo-yo again toward a metal pole, it wrapped around and yanked her closer. 

She looked up, one moment yelping at the startled face of a blonde boy wearing a skin-tight black catsuit with a black domino mask and slitted green eyes, then next groaning as they were dangled mere feet above the street, tangled together in her yo-yo string. 

"Sorry, sorry." She groaned aloud, cursing her blush. 

"No worries. Nice of you to drop in." the boy said charmingly, before twisting in such a way that he was able to shift out of the cord. 

Marinette dropped to the ground, the pair rising from crouches to stand facing each other. She stared at his shoulders--slightly lean with what looked to be the start of a model's body or athletic swimmer's--he was three inches taller than her, which meant that he too was a teenager. His cat ears were cute, his eye mask was like her's--only completely black, with some green film over his eyes--and his leather black catsuit was definitely an odd choice, a golden bell, and independently moving belt tail included.  "Wh-Who are you?" 

"I'm uh...Chat Noir. Yeah, Chat, the newest cat on the block!" He grinned, brushing a hand through his hair. "You?"

"Mar-Ma--d--Madly clumsy! I-I mean, Ladybug." She rubbed the back of her head, embarrassed that she'd almost spilled her real name. "Sorry, still really clumsy." 

"No worries, madly clumsybug. I'm learning the ropes too." Chat Noir replied with a wink,. He leaned on a silver baton as he gazed at her with slitted eyes. "I bet you're my partner?" 

"Yes." she nodded, before her classmate roared in the distance as the ground shook again. "KIIIIM!" A building began to collapse in the distance. 

Ma--Ladybug, she's Ladybug now--gasped, then turned to see her new partner extend his stick, growing longer before he pole-vaulted himself to the next roof. 

"Hey! Where are you going??" She called, tossing her yo-yo to a chimney. She then yanked, yelping as she got launched into the sky to land on the roof beside her. "OUFF!" She grunted as she hit the ground. 

"To save Paris." He said, offering a hand to help her up. "You in?" 

"I--yeah." She took his offered hand, rising to her feet. "We need a plan."  

"I have a plan." He said cockily. "Attack."

He took off, leaving her to facepalm and groan aloud. "He better not do this every time." She stilled, sputtering at her thoughts, and had to be jolted back to the present by a furious roar. She rushed to catch up, her heart jumping every time she leaped across a rooftop or over a street, following the destruction to the school's stadium, where some of her classmates were trying to escape as Ivan the monster landed in the middle, Kim collapsing on his back. "KIIIIM! So, who's the wuss now?!?!"

Kim got up and started to run, but the rock thing that was Ivan was faster, slapping him into a wall, where he slumped down, unconscious. 

"Hey! It's not very nice to pick on pebbles that are smaller than you." Chat Noir said as he landed in the rock monster's path. 

"I guess you're talking about yourself," Ivan growled before swinging his arms, trying to pin and crush the agile cat boy. 

Ladybug landed in the stands, then rushed forward, her yo-yo spinning faster as she got the hang of it. 

Chat leapt in the air, turning halfway, and slammed his staff down on Ivan's head. 

The rock golem howled in rage as it grew larger, before turning to rip the goal right out of the ground and hurled it toward an excitedly-watching Ayla. 

"No!" Chat hurled his baton, which extended to block the goal from pulverizing the other girl. He spun around with a yelp, only to get snatched up. He grunted, pulling at his rocky prison, trapped in the Akuma's fist. "Where are you partner?? I could really use some help?!?" 

Ladybug's heart was pounding in her chest. She was sure that her hands were sweaty beneath the suit. "What are you waiting for red bug?? The world is watching!!" She heard Ayla shout at her, stiffening. 

She couldn't do this, but Tikki said that Chat and she were the only ones who could stop this.

Fuck. 

She had to try, didn't she? 

Marinette swallowed down all her fears--stuffing them into the deepest, darkest pit of her head as she could--before letting herself become washed with her power. 

Creation flowed through her veins, and as she reopened her orange eyes, they gained a pink glow, as did the orange aura around her body, becoming a mix of orange and pink. 

She tried to block out everything else in her mind, ignoring Rose and Juleka's terrified looks, Kim knocked out by the wall, Chat's pained face as he was squeezed in the rock monster that was Ivan's hand, Ayla's phone recording her...

Her orange eyes shined with anger, she wouldn't let the Akuma hurt anyone else anymore! 

"HAH!" She hurled her yo-yo, which wrapped around the rock golem's ankles. "Animal cruelty? How shameful!" She quipped, before yanking on the string to reel it in. 

Ivan yelled out as his feet were pulled out from under him, his right fist clenched but his left releasing Chat, who pounced to her side. 

"Me-owch!" Chat remarked. "What took so long?" 

"Had to chase down a certain kitty," Ladybug said, lightly punching his shoulder before noticing that Ivan grew larger again. "Ivan! Why are you doing this?" 

"KIIIIM!" He growled at her. 

"Hurting someone who bullied you isn't the right way!" She snapped at him. "Can't you see what you're doing to all these people?" 

"I don't care!!" He snarled at them, smashing his closed fist into the ground, causing the grass to split beneath their feet and the land to tremble. 

Ladybug flinched back. "We need a plan. He gets stronger with every attack. We need a better strategy." 

"Okay then, let's use our powers!" Chat said. "Cataclysm!" 

Sickly black magic gathered in his fist, and every pore within Ladybug screamed to get away. "I can destroy anything I touch!" He claimed, moving to touch the goalpost, but her hand caught his wrist before he could. "No, don't!" At his confused look, she sighed. "We can only use our powers once before we transform back. We just need to destroy the object his Akuma is hiding in." 

At his confused look, she huffed in annoyance, was her partner always going to be reckless and impulsive?? "Didn't your Kwami explain anything to you???" 

His cheeks flushed red. "I might've, uh, been a little excited about my new life?" 

"Maybe too excited." She sighed, before drawling, "Well, then, let's see how my power can help us use yours. Lucky Charm!" She tossed her yo-yo high, the object spinning as it glowed, before it retracted, another object landed in her hands. "A wetsuit?" 

"Perfect for an aqua-ward moment," Chat said before his cat ears flattened against his hair. "Not sure how that's supposed to help us." 

She groaned internally at the horrible pun as she looked around, finding that her vision was suddenly tinted. She looked down at the bodysuit, it flashed red with black spots. 

She looked around in confusion, before noticing the advancing stone man's fist flashed the same colors, followed by Ayla (who was still recording), then the hose, and then Chat's ring that flared with destructive energies. 

"I got it!" She smirked as she hooked the wetsuit up to the abandoned hose. "Keep your fist closed until I say so!" She then tied his legs together and hurled him at the stone goliath. 

"Laaaadybuuuug!" Chat yelped, before she leaped after him. "Catch me if you can!" 

Ivan dropped the Akumatized ball of paper to catch her and the wetsuit. "Ayla! The tap!" 

The girl nearly dropped her phone in shock at being called out, but understood, rushing to fill the tap. The wetsuit bloated, filling with water, forcing the stone giant's hand to open, and Ladybug slammed her yo-yo against the sensitive vein of Ivan's wrist. Even as a stone monster, it was still painful. He shouted in rage and pain, his hand opening as he cradled it to his chest, inadvertently releasing Chat Noir. 

Chat landed as Ladybug scooped up the Akumatized object. "Chat! Catch!" 

He spun automatically, reaching out with the hand full of Cataclysm, black energy shredding through the paper, a single black butterfly escaping his hands. 

Ladybug's eyes narrowed. She drew her yo-yo as black clouds formed around the monster's body, vanishing and leaving Ivan to collapse to the ground. 

But Ayla nearly bowled her over before she could catch it as she rushed up. "Uncanny! Amazing! Spectacular!" she gushed. "That was incredible! Are you gonna be protecting Paris from now on? What's your superhero names? How did you get your powers? And where--" 

"Dammit!" Ladybug swore as the Akuma flew out of range. "Excuse me, Alya--miss? But we have to go!" 

"Go?" Chat looked confused, until he spotted the Akuma flying away and paled. "Shoot." 

"Chat Noir! Come on!" She rushed, swinging away with a parting, "Call me Ladybug!" 

They raced across the edge of the stadium, then jumped down to a building below, but the Akuma was getting farther and farther away. 

"We only have two minutes until we transform back!" Chat called. "Any ideas?" 

One idea sprang to mind. "How big an Olympics fan are you?" 

Chat cocked his ear. "What?" 

"Judo throw me!" she commanded as they sprang over to the next rooftop. His eyes widened as he understood. "I gotcha!" He leaped over a chimney into a crouch. "Ready when you are Milady!" 

"Don't call me that!" She said, her heart pounding again. "Let's hope this works." She muttered to herself as she sprang, using the chimney to jump into his cupped hands. 

He then threw her up and behind him with all his strength. She rocketed through the sky, becoming a blur in the air. She could see the Akuma getting closer, closer, closer....there! 

She pulled her yo-yo off her hip and hurled it, the object slamming into the Akuma, but failing to purify it. 

She reeled it in and realized why, she'd forgotten to open her yo-yo! She screamed internally, but opened it and cast it out again and again. Gravity and her momentum were working against her now, as she was descending through the sky--right towards the Seine!

"Well, shit." She deadpanned, right before there was a loud 'SPLASH'. 

===

"And so thanks to this amateur's footage, we now know the names of our saviors. Ladybug, and Chat Noir."  Nadja Chamack reported. 

It was a very glum, wet, and depressed Marinette that sat on her bed later that day, having told Tikki that she'd failed to catch the Akuma, despite the positivity on the news. 

"I'm pleased to announce that I'll be personally organizing a huge celebration in honor of Paris's newest protectors; Ladybug and Chat Noir!" Mayor Burgoius announced in a press conference. 

Tikki was worried, hovering back and forth, a nervous red ball of energy. "If you fail to catch the Akuma, it will multiply, and its duplicates will Akumatize more innocent people! They'll all turn into copies of the original Akuma, so in this case, into more stone monsters! If Ivan gets re-Akumatized, everyone else that's a stone monster will come to life and be forced to serve as his army!" 

"See, I knew I messed up! I'm not the girl for the job, Tikki!" Marinette despaired. "I shouldn't be Ladybug, Ladybug screwed up!" 

"It was a single mistake!" Tikki reassured her. "You can do it. You just have to believe in yourself!" 

"But--what if I--no, no, I-I can't, Tikki." Marinette hung her head low as guilt and shame built in her chest. "I can't do it. I'm just 'Clumsinette'. I screw up and when things get too hard...I just...I can't do it. I cop out, I abandon, I--I'm sorry." 

"Don't be like that." Tikki sighed. "We'll uhh, think of something! We can't let this beat us Marinette!" 

Marinette swallowed past the dry lump in her throat as she made a decision. "I'm sorry, Tikki. I can't." 

Tikki's eyes went wide in a panic, realizing what her holder wanted to do. "Wait! Marinette! Don--" She vanished in a flash of light as Marinette pulled off the earrings, then tucked them back into her box. 

Marinette blinked, then looked around in confusion, only to find herself alone. "Tikki?" 

She looked down at the earrings in her hands, which held a soft pink glow. 

'Oh.' Tears pooled at her eyes as she placed the earrings back in their box before tucking it into her purse. "I'm sorry, Tikki." 

===

"Not even a fortnight has passed since Paris began celebrating our two new heroes, Ladybug and Chat Noir, when terror struck early this morning. A new wave of panic is sweeping across the city as strange purple butterflies are landing on people and turning them into more giant stone monsters." Nadja Chamack was reporting on the news the following morning, turning Marinette's sour mood into a depression. 

"Oh my!" Sabine stared in horror at the TV. Tom sensed his daughter's mood and placed a large hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, little patisserie. I know things are scary right now, but don't be. We've got two amazing heroes protecting us, and the best way to help them is to support them and show that we're not scared." 

Marinette slumped in front of her plate. "But...what if Ladybug fails? What then?" 

"Then we protect each other, like I will always do for you." He then holds up a loaf of bread, pretending that it is a saber. "Super-Baker to the rescue!" He thrusts it toward some unseen opponent." 

Marinette giggles a little. "Thanks, Daddy." 

"Bye, Mom," Marinette said glumly. Sabine broke out of her fear and hugged her daughter tightly. "Have a good second day, sweetheart." 

"I will," Marinette said lethargically, managing to make it to class on time for once. 

"Dozens of citizens have been transformed, yet haven't attacked. It's simply unbelievable! Police are simply perplexed by this series of events. The mayor has yet to give a response as to whether these monsters will remain as inanimate objects forever or come to life and start destroying our city again. One question is hanging in everyone's minds, where are our two new superheroes, and how are they going to stop this threat?? Ladybug, Chat Noir, if you're out there, we need you now, more than ever."

People around her were watching the news on their phones with bated breath. 

Marinette couldn't blame them, she'd let them down and failed Paris. She not only forgot to capture the Akuma, but she also forgot to repair the damages that had been done afterward. If Ladybug waited too long to use her Miracle Cure, then everything that a supervillain caused would be left unfixed. The power was most effective only right after the defeat of the previous supervillain. 

'I'm a horrible Ladybug. Ayla would be so much better.' she thought glumly as she arrived on campus. 'At least she wants to be a superhero.'

Despite desiring to get away from it, she still couldn't escape the subject. Just like Marinette couldn't seem to avoid tripping on the last step of the staircase outside the school, giving her fresh bruises under her clothes. She ignored the whispers and the chuckles, hurrying inside. 

"Daddy said that he will do everything to get those monsters back to normal." Chloe huffed, leaning on a locker in the hallway. 

"They're not monsters, they're people!" Ayla exclaimed, arms crossed as she argued. 

"Then why did my dad cordon off the 'monsters' with blockades?" Sabrina smirked at her. "Police don't block off people." 

"Unless they're a threat!" Ayla growled. 

"The only threat here is the fashion disaster you're wearing." Chloe sniffed. "I mean, honestly. Who wears second-hand jeans and a flannel shirt of all things?? Disgusting, utterly disgusting!"

"Enough, Chloe," Marinette said tiredly. "Morning Ayla." 

"Girl, you look like hell froze over," Ayla commented as Chloe and Sabrina turned and headed to class with mocking scoffs. 

"I think I had a few years shaved off my life," Marinette commented as a hand rose to her chest, remembering her sheer panic yesterday. 

"Don't worry, girl. We got us a badass superheroine." Ayla grinned, reaching into her pocket for her phone. "Speaking of--", she pulls it out, opening it to a website, and shows Marinette. "--presenting the Ladyblog! Giving you all the news about the newest superheroine; Ladybug!" Ayla gushed as Marinette scrolled through the website, finding it similar to a blog. "How awesome is that! And look at my views! My reporter career is starting early!" 

Marinette frowned, her insecurities and embarrassment rearing. "Why are you quick to trust Ladybug? She didn't stop the stone beings." 

"No one could've predicted that a butterfly would make more of them." Ayla shrugged with an excited grin. "Have a little faith. She'll handle them." 

'Like she handles the raging 'PANIC' in her mind?' Marinette thought sarcastically, the sense of danger still ever present in the back of her mind. It's why she couldn't get a good night's rest. "But...what if Ladybug fails?? What if...she's not good enough?" 

Ayla lifted a brow. "Where's all this coming from?" 

Marinette froze. "I...uhh." 

"I know!" Ayla leaned in, peering inquisitively, as Marinette tried not to squirm, panicking internally. Oh god, had she already outed herself?? 

"It's because you're scared!" Ayla announced, causing Marinette's cheeks to flush pink and burn with heat. She was right, but for the wrong reasons. Well...maybe a little of both. 

"Don't be, I've seen her with my own two eyes, girl! She's a true superheroine!" Ayla reassured her. "I believe in her, and so should you." 

Marinette froze, before nodding slowly, a smile slowly creeping across her face as hope fluttered in her breast. 

Maybe...maybe...she could do this...

===

Marinette and Ayla had neared the classroom when Ivan came storming out in a rage. Both balked (Marinette yelped) to dodge his meaty arm, seeing as he stalked off down the hallway. 

"What was that?" Marinette gaped at him. 

"I don't know, but I bet who," Ayla said, glancing inside and glaring at Chloe, who looked particularly smug. 

"Save my seat," Marinette said, feeling something in her urging her to do something. "I'll be back." 

"Wait! Where are you going?" Ayla called as she rushed off. "Class starts in five!" 

Marinette didn't take long to find him. Ivan had fled down the next hall, sitting with his back next to some lockers, listening to music. 

"Hey, Ivan." He glanced at her, but the anger in his eyes cooled when he realized that she wasn't Chloe.

"Oh. Hey, Marinette." He looked down, before throwing something at the wall. A ball of paper, just like yesterday's Akumatized object. Marinette froze, then grabbed it and unfurled it as Ivan curled in upon himself. She stilled, her heart warming as she read the love letter. "Aww. Ivan, this is so sweet." 

"You don't have to lie, Marinette." He replied, his fists clenching. "It's horrible." 

"Is this what got you so mad yesterday?" She asked hesitantly. "At the end of class?" 

"Kim wrote that I'm a coward," He scowled, and Marinette instantly understood. "He's a bully, Ivan. You're worth ten of him. And I bet, if Mylene could read what you wrote, she'd agree too." 

"I--I don't know what you're talking about." Ivan denied. 

"Hey, a love letter is romantic. Mylene's shy, but she and Rose are suckers for romance." Marinette said with a conspiring grin, watching as hope filled the larger boy's face. "But...my letter...I'm no good with words." 

"Maybe not with words...but there's other things you could try, if you don't think this is good enough." Marinette handed him back the letter. "Love can be expressed in many ways. If you don't want to make her a letter, or a poem, or a song, then you could give her flowers, or--" 

"I...I used to write music...maybe...I could write her a song? I'm good with lyrics..." Ivan hesitated. 

Marinette's eyes lit up. "Oh my god, yes! What girl wouldn't love to be romanced with a song made specifically for them! Ivan, sweep her off her feet, and remember, uh, stay positive." 

If Ivan didn't get re-Akumatized, there would be no need for Ladybug to show. Right?

His eyes lit up. "Thanks, Marinette." 

"No problem." She beamed, before rising to her feet. "Come on, we should get back to class." 

"You go, I need a moment." She nodded hesitantly, then walked back to class, entering in time to see Ms. Bustier still missing, Ayla and Chloe arguing angrily, and a blonde boy doing something to her seat. 

She peered over his shoulder and saw that he was putting gum on her chair! "HEY! What do you think you're doing???" 

He spun around, and Marinette froze as she was met with the greenest shade of emerald eyes she'd ever seen. Her heart skipped a beat, but her anger returned as she saw him snatch back his hands as Chloe and Sabrine started snickering. 

"Okay, I get it. You're friends with Chloe." Marinette glared. "Very funny, you three." 

"No, no, I just--hey! Why does everyone keep saying that?" the blonde boy looked confused as he ran a hand through his locks. He wilted under Marinette's glare. "I-I'm just trying to take this off!" 

"Oh really?" Marinette advanced, her temper spiking. Honest bullies were one thing. But lying bullies just ticked her off. 

She reached into her purse, and pulled out a razor blade, before using it to scrape the gum off. She tossed it into the trash, slid her handy tool back in its plastic baggie, then pulled out a cloth to cover the space. 

"Hm!" She gave him one final glare before sitting down in her spot, Ayla moving to join her as the rest of their class stared at her. "Wow, girl! You really showed him." 

"He's familiar," Marinette admitted, missing the blonde boy's downcast look as he moved to sit while Chloe crowed, "Now that's how you command respect, Adrikins!". 

Marinette frowned. "I've seen his face somewhere, but I don't recall where." 

"Aha!" Ayla thrust her phone under Marinette's nose. "Adrien Agreste!" 

Marinette's eyes widened. "He's the son of my favorite fashion designer! Gabriel Agreste!" 

"Daddy's boy, teen supermodel celeb, and Chloe's buddy." Ayla listed off on her fingertips. 

"Eugh!" Marinette made a face. "Not getting involved in that." 

"Mm-hm!" Alya hummed. 

Ms. Bustier finally entered the classroom, and began to take roll. 

She glanced at Adrien before rolling her eyes when he made a dramatic hand raise while exclaiming loudly, "Uh, PRESENT!" 

"Bruel, Ivan?" Ms. Bustier called. 

The next moment, the class gasped, shrieked, or jumped as a rocky fist punched the door off its hinges. "PRESENT" Ivan roared, before advancing on the right side of the classroom. 

Nino, Adrien, and Sabrina all fled out the door as Marinette panicked, something inside her screaming that she was in danger, that she was near evil. Her hand subconsciously slipped into her purse, fist closing around the box containing the Ladybug Miraculous. 

Ivan the stone golem punched the ground, before roaring, "MYLENE!" and grabbed her out of her seat. 

"Ahhh! Let go of me, Ivan!" Mylene gasped, the shy girl trembling in terror. 

"IVAN NO LONGER EXISTS. I AM STONEHEART!" Ivan roared. 

"W-W-Why are you doing this????" Mylene yelped in fear as she was raised into the air. 

"So we can be TOGETHER, FOREVER!" Ivan roared. 

"Daddy! The monster's back and it's in my class!" Chloe shrieked into her phone. 

"YOU!" Ivan snarled, punching the table Chloe was hiding under through the glass window. He grabbed Chloe, the pair of girls screaming and kicking as he smashed through the wall of the classroom, jumping down to the street below. 

"Come on!" Ayla tugged at Marinette. "Let's go!" 

"Uh, oh no!" Marinette shook her head, panicking. "You go, I'm gonna find a safe place to hide!" 

"Girl, you're gonna miss Ladybug in action!" Ayla protested. 

Marinette bit her lip, filled with derision and hesitation. She knew that IF a Ladybug was going to show up, they would NEED to get AWAY from everyone. 

"Don't forget your bag!" She called, watching as her friend ran out. "Damnit!" She scooped the box she'd slid into Ayla's bag, clutching it to her chest before slipping it into her own purse. 

The school shook as Stoneheart stomped around the perimeter of the school. 

Marinette glanced back at her terrified classmates, all in hiding, before swallowing and rushing out the door. There was no one to be Ladybug. No one else. But her. 

Fuck. 

She ducked out of sight, slipping out the back door where there were no cameras, before pulling the earrings out and reattaching them to her ears. A ball of light formed from both, shooting out into a larger ball that faded, leaving behind Tikki. 

"Marinette!" Tikki smiled happily at her, feeling the girl's conflict, her guilt and fears, but also, her magic and determination. "You changed your mind?" 

"Ladybug is here to stay, Tikki." Marinette promised, determination pooling in her bluebell eyes. "Tikki, Spots On!" 

There was a red flash in the alleyway, before a ladybug-patterned yo-yo flies out, wraps around a lamp post, and tugs. Then, Ladybug shoots off into the air, orange eyes blazing with fury as she lands on a rooftop, running down to see Chat lose his baton in an attempt to save Ayla from being crushed by a car. 

She saw more stone golems, all people who were now working under Stoneheart's command. "That explains why they weren't awake yet." She muttered to herself, before spinning her yo-yo and tossing it so it wrapped around the car pinning her friend. She yanked, the car flying into the stone monster holding Chat. It released him as it was knocked down. 

Ayla gasped as she was freed, staring in awe. "Ladybug!" 

Ladybug jumped off the rooftop, frontflipping to the ground. She rose from a crouched hero's landing position, and turned to Ayla. "It's too dangerous to stay here. Get home, and stay safe." 

She drew her yo-yo and threw it, catching Chat's baton and bringing it back to her hand. "Chat! Catch!" 

"Don't you mean, cat-ch!" He punned as he caught it, before extending it so that one end hit the ground, the other hitting the palm that was about to slam back down on Chat. 

She saw him about to be crushed again and rushed forward with a leap, before she cast out her yo-yo, wrapping it around his leg and yanking him away from the fist that slammed into the ground, pulling him to the lamppost she'd perched on. "Sorry, I was late. Traffic was a little bumpy." 

"Milday, have I ever said that you turn my world upside down?" He said, his cheeks heating as he screamed inside his mind. 'Oh my god, I'm flirting with Ladybug! OMG!'

"Oh, you're quite the jokester, aren't you?" She said, turning her head to the side to hide the fact that her cheeks were burning. 

Angry roars of stone behemoths forewarned her, along with something screaming in her breast. 

She jumped, Chat yelping as she yanked him to the rooftop. "Hey! Shouldn't we be fighting them?!?" 

"They're not the problem." She replied as she sprinted across the rooftops, finding that she wasn't even winded, Chat hot on her heels. 

"Wait!" Chat called. "Where are we going?? We have to stop them!" 

"We will, but fighting them won't accomplish our goal." She replied as she leaped from one rooftop to another. 

"Mrreow!" Chat landed on his heels and paws, his confusion clear. "What's that supposed to mean?" 

"If we want to save them all, we go to the source," Ladybug said as she skidded to a stop, standing at the edge of a building near the stone grounds that the Eiffel Tower stood atop, and the giant stone behemoth that had claimed the observation deck for himself, their classmates squirming in his grasp. 

Police and news helicopters flew all around the tower, and Ladybug spotted a line of police barricades, the officers behind readying their guns. 

"I demand my daughter's safe return!" Shouted the mayor through a megaphone, standing near the main police barricade line. 

"Daddy!" Chloe's shriek of fear could be heard across the square. 

"We have to save her!" Chat panicked. 

"Leave it to me." Ladybug winked before throwing her yo-yo. 

"YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU'RE WELCOME TO THE LITTLE MONSTER!" Stoneheart roared, sickly yellow-green-white eyes shining as he hurled the girl. 

Chat felt sick to his stomach. At that velocity, she'd turn into paste on the asphalt! 

Chloe's unintelligible screams could be heard as she neared the pavement, but was then scooped out of the air by a blurred ladybug female. 

"YES!" Chat cheered, extending his baton and launching himself after her. 

Ladybug landed, and Chloe's eyes widened in awe, before she huffed. "I didn't promise." 

"Uh...what?" Ladybug blinked in confusion. 

She landed, the blonde heiress standing up and whining about her designer pants getting pebbles on them. 

The mayor rushed forward, scooping his daughter into a hug. "My little princess!"

"Prepare to fire!" Captain Raincomprix ordered. 

"No!" Ladybug approached. "Direct attacks only increase his size! That's counterproductive! And you'll endanger his hostage!" 

"Listen little lady." He snapped at her. "You had your shot, you failed. Leave it to the paid professionals." 

She slumped, her posutre defeated. 

Chat approached her as the captain turned back to his men. 

"He's right, you know." She said, sad orange eyes meeting slitted green ones. "If I had used my powers properly and not been distracted by Ay--that girl and caught the Akuma yesterday, all of this could've been avoided." She bowed her head. "I--I'm a failure." 

"No." Chat Noir shook his head, placing his hands on her shoulders, startling her to look into his eyes. "That's not true. If you were, she'd no longer be here." He indicated Chloe as she was being led to safety, Ladybug following his gaze. "You already beat him once. He's got an army, so what? We're superheroes, and they won't make it without us. I trust you, partner." 

He held out his hand. "Do you trust me?" 

She looked down, feeling her face warm as something rekindled in her breast: hope. 

She looked up, fire blazing in her eyes. "Yes." She grasped his hand, the pair turning to face Stoneheart. 

"Any idea where the Akuma is?" Chat asked. 

"His fist." She pointed. "Just like last time, only Mylene is there too." 

"Then we should get to work," Chat said with a smirk that did funny things to her insides. 

She felt heat rise within her, coming from within...deeper...from her heart. Fire burned in her veins, liquid heat hissed from her suit. "Let's." 

They began to sprint toward the Akuma, then skidded to a stop as they noticed him coughing violently. He flailed, before opening his mouth, a swarm of Akuma shooting into the sky. 

"He can duplicate more Akumas!" Ladybug gaped. 

"How are we going to deal with them!" Chat stared in shock. "There has to be hundreds!" 

But, instead of the Akumas dispersing, they rose together, forming a masked face. News helicopters fluttered closer, cameramen and women aiming at the face as it began to speak. 

"People of Paris, listen carefully. I am Hawk Moth, and I will make my demand simple. Ladybug, Chat Noir, return what you stole from me! The Ladybug Earrings and the Cat Ring Miraculouses! Do it now! You've already done too much damage to these innocent people!" 

Loud, off-beat claps drew everyone's attention to Ladybug, who looked so infuriated that she could've ignited into flames. This villain thought he could gaslight her and her partner?? Turn the city against them?? All for some pieces of magical jewelry?!?!?? "Nice try, Hawk Moth, but we all know who's the real thief! We know who the villain really is, don't try to twist the narrative!" 

She approached, spinning her yo-yo. "See, without you, none of Paris's citizens would be roaming about as stone monsters, intent on destroying the city! Without you, we would still be living a peaceful life! Without you, we wouldn't have needed to awaken our powers!" She lowered her head, then raised it as her irises smoldered with leaking trails of fire. "No, Hawk Moth, no matter how long it takes, how many battles we must fight, we will find you! We will beat you! We will unmask you! And you will hand us your Miraculous!" 

She swung her yo-yo around, letting it build in speed and momentum before launching off her feet into the air, a trail of magic pink flames and sparkles behind her. "Time to DE-EVILIZE!" She flew straight towards the face of the supervillain behind the villains, swinging her open yo-yo until she'd caught every last Akuma. 

Ladybug landed atop the Eiffel Tower's highest deck, and turned down below. "People of Paris! I make this promise to you here and now! Ladybug and Chat Noir will do everything in our power to keep Paris safe! To keep you all safe from Hawk Moth and his evil! And should you ever become an unwilling pawn in his machinations, we will free you from his control!" 

She then opens her yo-yo and tosses it high, a gorgeous stream of purified, white butterflies rising out into the sky before dispersing. "I free you from evil!" 

"Wow!" Chat stared with wide eyes before rushing to climb up to her side. 'Whoever she is beneath that mask...I love that girl!'

He jumped up and front-flipped onto the deck, just as Stoneheart smashed down, a butterfly aura in violet over his face. "YOU'LL NEVER TAKE MYLENE FROM ME!" he roared before starting to ascend the tower, shouting, "COME TO ME, MY STONE BEINGS!"

"We're surrounded!" Chat worried. "What do we do now?" 

"Same as last time. Get his fist open, break the Akuma, catch it, and undo the damage." Ladybug said before hopping to a higher level as a stone monstrosity climbed up over the edge. 

"Why is he keeping the girl close?" Chat wondered as he hopped after her. 

"They're in love!" Ladybug gasped as she remembered. "Though they don't know it yet. But they're made for each other, we just have to bring them closer together!" 

"Uhh, what??" Chat blinked in confusion. "I'm not following." 

"Trust me?" She asked from a higher level, holding out her hand.  

"Always Milady." He said without thought, leaping to catch it, and was pulled to the top deck. 

"Then follow my lead." She said, spinning her yo-yo and launching herself to the very top of the tower, a plan formulating in her head. 

"Help!" Mylene screamed. "I'm afraid of heights!" 

"Everything's going to be okay!" Ladybug called in what she hoped was a reassuring tone, before turning to Chat, who'd pounced to the sole platform below her. "How are we supposed to bring them closer together than they already are?" 

"Simple." She said, before tossing her yo-yo up in the air. "Lucky Charm!" A parachute backpack fell into her arms. 

"How do I use this?" She wondered aloud, before looking down and around. Her vision was blank, then turning spotted over her yo-yo, then Stoneheart's arm, then Chat, then the parachute. 

"I got it!" she announced as she pulled the parachute on. 

"I hope you know what you're doing!" Chat yelped as he was tossed into the air, barely managing to catch a grip on the tiniest part of the tower. 

"So do I." She muttered to herself before straining her arms, pulling, forcing the hand holding Mylene closer, until their lips touched. 

"GAH!" Stoneheart's fist opened for a moment as he reared back in surprise, recovering fast enough to catch her but dropping the Akumatized object again. 

"Chat!" Ladybug shouted, prompting him to spot the falling purple ball and jump overboard. Mid-fall, he slammed the Akumatized object with his extended baton, hitting a home run right into Ladybug's palm. 

She dropped it under her foot before stomping, an Akuma fluttering out. 

"Time to De-Evilize!" She opened her yo-yo before swinging, expertly catching the Akuma. She was about to release it when she was startled by screaming as Ivan transformed back, and he and Mylene fell from the tower. 

"Chat! I'll get Mylene! You grab Ivan!" She shouted, diving after the pair, now understanding what the parachute was for. Sometimes, one must wait for the right moment. 

Chat dove, shouting, "Cataclysm!" 

Once again, danger and terror filled her breast, but Ladybug felt it cease as he slammed his claw into the Eiffel Tower, breaking out a beam that he used to catch Ivan before hopping with the bigger boy down to safety. 

Ladybug caught a screaming Mylene, and with one arm activated her parachute, the pair falling to land on the ground gently. She checked over Mylene, seeing her shaken, but safe. She gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, it's over now." 

She rose to her feet, turned, and tapped her yo-yo, releasing one final white butterfly into the sky. 

"Soooo, what now?" She spun around to see Chat supporting Ivan over one shoulder. 

"Now, I fix everything." She said, pulling off the Lucky Charm and gathering momentum. "MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!" she shouted, hurling it into the sky until it couldn't be seen. 

"Mrow!" Chat gaped. 

Then, in the next moment, swarms of ladybugs surrounded by reddish-pink auras were unleashed in every direction, ladybug trails swarming over damaged cars, roofs, buildings, and streets before righting them again. 

"Wow!" Mylene gasped in awe. 

Stone behemoths were turned back into individual people, before another wave of ladybugs carried them down to the ground from the Eiffel Tower. Another wave of ladybugs swept up and around Captain Raincomprix's arm, leaving it behind without the cast, good as new. He stared in awe, before twisting and shaking his arm to confirm that it worked, finally laughing with joy. 

Chloe--would forever deny that she--squealed in happiness as ladybugs surrounded her and left, removing all dirt stains from her clothes, as if they had never been. 

"Whoa." Chat stared in awe. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" 

"It's...beautiful," Ladybug whispered, feeling something ache inside of her. 

Pure Creation swept around them, rebuilding what was destroyed, remaking everything anew. It sang with her soul, with her heart, with her magic. It felt so personal to her; a song that only she could hear, and yet, perfectly resonated with. 

A tear fell from her eye, one of pure joy. 

As the magic faded, and police began to escort people out of the area, Ladybug turned to Mylene and Ivan. "I think you two have things to discuss." 

The pair blushed and looked away from each other. 

"Here." She handed Mylene the balled-up paper of song lyrics. "I'm guessing you didn't get to hear his song?" 

"Not really." Mylene blushed harder as she read through the lyrics. "It-It's beautiful." 

"I was scary, wasn't I?" Ivan asked sadly, bracing for rejection. 

"A little," Mylene admitted, saying quietly, "I don't like force or loud noise." 

"I'll be gentle." He said, extending a hand. 

Mylene took it and hugged him tightly, the pair blushing, their beating hearts starting to slow now that they were no longer in danger of death by fall. 

"Ah, young love." Orange eyes shined with approval. "They're made for each other." 

"Just like us." Chat caught her off guard with his flirting, causing her cheeks to flush a cute shade of pink. 

She rolled her eyes in an attempt to cover up, noticing that her earrings were beeping, as was his ring. "You know, if you wanted to let me know who you are, Chaton, you could stick around." 

"R-Really?" His cat-ears perked up with his head. 

"Nah." She giggled at his look. "Where's the fun in that? I'm a girl who likes a good mystery. Later, partner!" 

"Goodbye, M'lady! Let's do this again soon!" Chat called after her, nearly causing her to release her yo-yo mid-swing as she felt her cheeks flush with heat again. 'God-dammed Chat!'

===

"Just picture it, 'Ladybug, Exclusive Interview'!" Ayla was saying the next day while walking to class. 

"OOO, sounds exciting," Marinette said, bluebell eyes shining with amusement. 

She wasn't looking forward to having to hide her superhero life from her new friend, but she had seen enough movies and read enough comics of her own to know that a secret identity being intact was more important to have than anything else.  

"Or, even better, 'Who Hides Beneath the Mask? Ladybug Unveiled!'." Ayla exclaimed. 

Marinette rolled her eyes, the morbid part of her wondering just how long it could take before she was discovered and outed. "Ah-huh, good luck with that one." She drawled sarcastically. 

"You doubting me, girl?" Ayla pouted. 

"Who, me? Never." Marinette grinned as they entered class, before spotting Chloe and Sabrina were missing. She and Ayla exchanged looks, already on the same brainwave. Giggling, they took their places, and had just exchanged a fist bump when said blonde bully and her yes girl entered the room. 

"Uhh, you're in the wrong seats." Chloe sneered. "Go. Go on, get lost." 

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing," Marinette says with a smirk. 

"What is that supposed to mean?" Chloe said with an air of disdain. 

"It means that neither I nor anyone else is going to put up with your shit anymore, Chloe," Marinette said, rising to her feet, and pointed to the desk that she and Ayla had been forced to sit at yesterday. 

Mimicking her tone, she then said, "So take your attitude, and, oh; Go. Go on, get lost." 

The class exploded into laughter at the blonde girl, whose face flushed pink with anger. Adrien walked in after Chloe's tantrum had settled, and waved cheerfully at Nino, who waved back. He then waved at Marinette as he approached his seat, only to be rebuffed with a scowl. He ducked his head, sitting down into his seat. 

"Don't you think you're being a little harsh?" Alix said to Marinette quietly from behind her. 

"Chloe, Kim, and their friends have bullied me for too long, Alix," Marinette said passionately, and angrily. The strawberrynette had to blink to make sure that her classmate's eyes weren't orange. "And I'm not going to let them push me around." 

"Just don't push them around too much," Ayla whispered. "Poor Sunshine looks kinda down." 

"He made his choice." Marinette rolled her eyes, choosing to focus on the class, and ignoring the quiet conversation between Adrien and Nino, not bothering to care when Nino dropped her name during their chat. She and Ayla parted ways, Marinette heading to the library to get started on her homework. 

She paid no mind to the figure that swallowed nervously as a little black Kwamis nudged him in the library, nor did she notice the footsteps behind her when she went to leave campus later that day. 

"Aaw!" She groaned, finding it thundering outside, rain pouring down on the school. 'Great. Just great. If I walk home like this I'm gonna get soaked.'

She spotted a black umbrella out of the corner of her eye, realizing that Adrien was standing beside her. "Uh, Hey, Marinette." He waved awkwardly, not really sure what to do. 

She turned, arms folding over her chest as she glared at him. "What do you want?" 

She softened her expression at his flinch to her hostile tone. "I just wanted you to know, that I was trying to take the chewing gum off your seat. That's all I was doing, I swear. I'm--sorry, if I gave you some other kind of impression." 

She blinked. Was this...really happening right now? 

There was no one around to witness this, just the two of them standing under the archway of the grand entrance to the school to avoid being pelted with rain. And Adrien--a friend of Chloe's--was...apologizing?? 

He ducked his head, his tone turning bashful. "I've never gone to public school before. Never had...friends." 

She blinked again, her lingering hostility melting away like butter under his honest charm. 

"All of this is...new...to...me." He shrugged. 

She opened her mouth, then closed it, feeling rather guilty now. 

He hesitated, then met her eyes as he held out his umbrella. "Can we...start over?" 

Marinette hesitated, her hand reached, froze, then reached, and grasped. 

Their fingertips touched, and for a split second, she felt electrifying sensations sweep up her arm, enough to make her blush. 

"Th-Thank you. No one's every bothered to-to apologize," She stammered, her blush darkening, before she realized that she'd completely ignored his question. "I, uhh, yeah!" 

"See you tomorrow." He gave her a genuine smile that melted the ice around her heart, before turning out into the rain, making the short walk to his family limo. He climbed inside and shut the door, waving through the window as he drove off, unaware of the new conflict he'd just ignited in the bluenette's fluttering heart behind him. 

Marinette blinked, realizing that her hand had still been raised, and she snatched it down, cursing her blush. "Oh my god, why am I like this?? What is happening to me?" 

Tikki phased through her bag, flying up close to her face. "I think I might have an ideeeeaaaaaa." She sing-songed. "Someone's in looove!" 

Marinette's eyes widened as her cheeks turned red. "No--I--I can't--there's no way..." she trailed off, pressing a hand to her chest, and froze, realizing that her heart was beating a million miles a minute. 

She...had a crush...on Adrien Agreste. 

She facepalmed, feeling her burning cheeks, ignoring the goddess of creation's snickers as she muttered, "I am so fucked."