#makeachangeau

Part One: https://salthaven.tumblr.com/post/187632539317/make-a-change-p1 

Part Two: https://salthaven.tumblr.com/post/187733021387/make-a-change-p2

Part Three: https://salthaven.tumblr.com/post/187787813752/make-a-change-p3 

Part Four: https://salthaven.tumblr.com/post/187911133227/make-a-change-p4

Part Five: https://salthaven.tumblr.com/post/188012159482/make-a-change-p5 

Part Six: https://salthaven.tumblr.com/post/188155242782/make-a-change-p6

Part Seven: https://salthaven.tumblr.com/post/188245262267/make-a-change-p7 

Part Eight: https://salthaven.tumblr.com/post/188795065992/make-a-change-p8 

Part Nine: https://salthaven.tumblr.com/post/189461647642/make-a-change-p9

Part Ten: https://salthaven.tumblr.com/post/189828102132/make-a-change-part-10 

Part Eleven: https://salthaven.tumblr.com/post/190150565512/make-a-change-part-11 

Part Twelve: https://salthaven.tumblr.com/post/190461628627/make-a-change-part-12

Part Thirteen

The moment Gorilla stops the car, Adrien is racing out, barely remembering to grab his bag and let out a hasty, “Bye, see you soon!” to his bodyguard. He darts up the steps with a speed that could rival his secret persona’s, slamming the door open in his excitement.

When he steps into class, Marinette is already there. She’s chatting with Félix as the two pull out their things. Adrien is quick to slide into his seat beside her, ignoring his racing heart. (It must be from the run, of course.) 

“Salut, Marinette,” Adrien greets, “Félix. How are you guys?” 

“I’m good, Adrien,” Marinette responds happily, smiling like usual.

“We were just talking about yesterday,” Félix informs him with a smirk. “Someone has been all too happy to talk about the handsome hero who saved her from yesterday’s Akuma.”

Adrien blinks, surprised (and somewhat excited?) to see how Marinette blushes. Huh. Is she a fan of Chat Noir?

“It wasn’t just Envision!” Marinette protests, and for some reason Adrien’s heart twists when she says the Fox’s name instead of his. Maybe he shouldn’t have sprinted to class?

“They were all amazing,” Marinette continues, unaware of Adrien’s brightening eyes. “And besides...it’s what they do. It’s practically their job to save people.” And yet Marinette is still blushing, her smile never leaving her face.

Adrien hums, pulling out the homework from the night before. “I don’t know,” Adrien replies. “I heard that Chat Noir carried you all the way back here, I doubt he does that for everyone.” He winks, as if he’s just guessing, and Marinette’s blush grows. (Flustered is a good look on her, in his opinion at least.)

Félix laughs at Marinette’s reaction. “Marinette, if I didn’t know any better, I’d assume that you have a crush on the three heroes.”

Adrien snorts at that, because why on Earth would Marinette have a crush on-

Oh. 

Oh. 

Adrien feels his face heat up as Marinette sputters, trying to deny her crush on his hero persona.

‘And Félix’s and Luka’s,’ Adrien reminds himself bitterly. Wait. Bitterly? Why would he be bitter? It’s not like he’s jealous, right? Because wouldn’t he need a reason to be jealous? Like having a crush on her? Pffft, as if! Adrien likes Ladybug, his partner, his soulmate, his one true love! Sure, Marinette is a great friend, and sure he may have transferred schools just to spend more time with her, and sure his day might get better when he sees her smile, and he might think that she’s the greatest, sweetest, cutest girl in the world, an everyday Ladybug who is equal to the spotted heroine herself in terms of wonder-

Oh.

Oh no.

Adrien blinks, then looks at Félix. His cousin smirks at Marinette, satisfied with the girl’s sputtering.

Happy to see how much Marinette likes Envision. 

Oh Hell no.

Adrien does his best not to snarl as he realizes that he’s accidentally given himself competition, then looks away as the bell rings.

It’ll be a long day, that’s for sure.

-----

Félix isn’t a fool. He sees Marinette fully, sees exactly who she is- and he’s not blind to how he feels, either.

She’s amazing. She’s kind, she’s passionate, she’s willing to speak up against what’s wrong-

And she likes him, too...and yet she doesn’t, in an odd sort of way. Because she seems to have fallen for his hero identity.

It’s amusing, seeing how she practically sings praises for her savior, how she unknowingly blushes and gushes to him about himself to his face.

Félix, sadly, isn’t blind to the fact that Marinette likes Chat Noir and Viperion as well. But he’s sure that he has the advantage, and that he will be the victor in the race for her heart. Because while Viperion and Chat Noir both seem to be interested in her, they both have setbacks. Viperion doesn’t have a chance, he’s too new and doesn’t hold the same awe that Ladybug or Chat Noir might inspire in a Parisian citizen. Sure, he’s a little exciting, but when the newness factor dies down, Envision will be the one taking Marinette’s heart. And as for that hero glamour that Chat Noir has? Well, that’s all he has. The oddly possessive cat can never be as close to Marinette as Félix is, nor will he ever get the chance to be as close as Félix will be one day. Because there’s no way Chat Noir could possibly be in the same school as Marinette, right? 

Right. And that’s why Félix has the supreme advantage, why he has so much confidence that he will be able to woo Marinette, the girl who is quickly becoming the light of his life, a ray of sunshine in his days. Because there’s no way Viperion or Chat Noir could be in this school, so Félix is fine. 

He does have one issue, though. His cousin is oddly red faced...but Félix doubts that Adrien will be an issue, either. After all, Marinette has her heart taken by the three heroes. There’s no room for Adrien. Because, let’s face it, Adrien isn’t exactly Chat Noir.

(Poor Félix, he really doesn’t know what he’s getting into…)

-----

Luka’s always been in tune with matters of the heart. It’s easy to pick out the rhythms, the beats that emanate from each person to make their own, personalized song. Melodies spring out of everyone around him, some painful and sour, some pleasant and soothing. 

And some that get stuck in his head from the moment he first hears them.

Luka didn’t expect to see Marinette at his school, why would he? She was with Juleka in Bustier’s class, that’s how it had been since, well, since Luka first met the girl.

And then she stumbled into him, her song as clear as ever. And she smiled at him, and spoke with a tone of surprise and excitement. Excitement over seeing him.

Luka’s beat might’ve been racing after that, but his joy quickly disappeared when his sister arrived, Akumatized, and stole her away. She was gone, whisked away without a moment’s notice, and Luka had done nothing, could do nothing, and-

And Chat Noir showed up, the Snake Miraculous in hand. And Luka had a Second Chance.

And he had a Second Chance with Marinette. Marinette, who had calmed down around him, was suddenly raving about Viperion, bright eyed and pink cheeked. She was adorable, flustered as she spoke highly of him.

Luka isn’t blind to emotions. He’s always loved her, from the moment he heard her heart’s song. He knew that her heart belonged to another, belonged to Adrien, but a piece of it belonged to him. But something changed as time passed, and Marinette moved on from both…

Only to fall for Luka again, but this time with a mask to hide his identity.

Luka isn’t blind. He knows when he’s given a good hand, when he’s been given an opportunity.

He can only hope that his heart’s call is enough to sway Marinette’s song away from Envision and Chat Noir. 

Maybe, this time, everything will work out just fine.

Part Twelve

   Juleka can’t believe her eyes, can’t believe what she was seeing. But there she is, right in front of her.

   Marinette Dupain-Cheng is walking merrily, humming a tune to herself as she makes her way to her new school.

   Juleka follows, curiosity filling her. How can she not? After all, it’s all so mysterious, so confusing. How can she not follow the girl she used to trust, the girl she used to look up to?

   How can she not follow the once beloved class president, the past princess of their class, who was hurt so badly, who was discarded so quickly, and now walks away with a pep in her step?

   Juleka doesn’t understand, and so she follows. She doesn’t understand, how can Marinette be so carefree? How can Marinette move on, despite everything they did? They were wrong! They were wrong, so so wrong! They followed a liar, they let Marinette be ostracized and kicked to the back. They believed that she’d steal, that she’d cheat, that she’d push another girl down the stairs.

   Yet Marinette just walks on, unaware of her second shadow. Unaware of how Juleka follows, almost transfixed.

   Curiosity lingers as Juleka strays behind. Because where has Marinette disappeared to? She never said a word, and neither did her parents. She just...left, like some kind of ghost.

   Juleka has always been intrigued by ghosts.

   Marinette’s new school is fairly close. This fact surprises Juleka, because how could Marinette be so close and yet so far?

   Without realizing it, Juleka follows Marinette onto the school grounds.

   It feels familiar, somehow. The courtyard a little too similar, a little too well known. She feels herself questioning why.

   Her answer comes crashing in, but not into her. No, it comes crashing into Marinette...in the form of a guitar loving boy that Juleka knows all too well.

   “Ma-ma-marinette?” Luka exclaims, a smile spreading quickly on his face. “What are you doing here?”

   Oh. It’s Collège des Arts, the school Luka transferred to last semester for their music program. How could Juleka have forgotten, how could she have forgotten the time she came here with him?

   Has she lost touch with him, too? Her own brother, her only brother? First Marinette, now Luka, who else is she losing?

   “Marinette!” Adrien’s voice rings across the courtyard, and suddenly he’s racing into view. Juleka slips into shadows, hiding behind a nearby tree. “Wait, Luka? You go here, too?!”

   “I’ve been here all year. When did you two arrive?” Luka asks, voice casual as if this is normal. As if Marinette and Adrien being at his school and not hers is normal.

   (Why isn’t he questioning it? Why isn’t he more confused, more surprised? Why, why-)

   “We just started recently. I got here nearly two weeks ago, this is Adrien’s first week,” Marinette replies easily-

   Wait, easily? Marinette can talk easily around Luka and Adrien? But didn’t she have crushes on them? Did Marinette lose that when she left them all behind?

   Juleka finds herself sinking, sinking, sinking to the ground until she’s left shaking and struggling to breathe. It’s all so much, far too much. She’s lost Marinette, she’s lost Luka, she’s lost Adrien and nothing makes sense. She just wants everything to be normal, she just wants, just wants-

   “Perduetrouvé,” Hawkmoth’s voice rings in her ears, and the world makes sense.

-----

   Adrien smiles at Luka, at the guitarist who he’s only seen a few times. This is good, this is great, actually! Now they can talk more often, and become better friends, and oh maybe Félix will get along with Luka and then they can all hang out and-

   A flash of red catches his eye, and Adrien is suddenly being crashed into. He stumbles back, falling down. He looks up, eyes wide.

   Vibrant purple eyes stare back down at him, and Adrien gulps at the pure anger they hold.

   “Adrien,” she says, and he recognizes Juleka’s voice immediately. Her eyes turn, glaring at her brother. “Luka.” Another change in focus, and Juleka frowns. “Marinette.”

   “Juleka?” Marinette gets out, confusion obvious. “How did you-”

   “How did I know?” Juleka scowls. “How did I find you? Simple. I followed you. And now you’re no longer lost, and neither will our class be!” She stalks forward, dark red gown fanning out around her legs. “Not anymore.” And then she’s grabbing at Marinette with her free hand and pulling her away, and she’s waving her other hand and the scepter it holds, and she’s gone, gone before Adrien can reach out, before he can grab her and save her and-

   Adrien looks to Luka, who’s staring with wide eyes. And then the boy darts off, running in the direction of...of his old school.

   “Psst,” Plagg whispers from his pocket. “Kid, we need to transform. Your little princess is kind of kidnapped.”

   That spurs Adrien into action, and suddenly he’s darting behind a tree and leaping out as Chat Noir. He jumps to the rooftops, making his way to Dupont. He calls Ladybug on his staff, she needs to know-

   She doesn’t pick up.

   He calls again.

   No answer.

   Chat Noir stops in his tracks, heart racing with nerves as he stares at the school before him. Except it’s no school, but rather a medieval-styled castle. From where he stands, he can see through the hole in the wall of Bustier’s room that serves as a window. All of his classmates stand, surrounding Marinette who struggles to escape them. Juleka stands beside her, looking proud as she waves her scepter around. Suddenly Marinette stops struggling, and Chat Noir feels sick.

   He calls Ladybug a third time, and gets nothing.

   Looks like he has to rescue his princess by himself.

   Chat Noir tenses, ready to leap in and try to get Marinette away from his mind-controlled classmates. He springs forwards-

   A small tug on his tail surprises him. Chat stumbles over his own feet, and turns to see Master Fu and Wayzz.

   “Chat Noir,” the old man greets, and Chat feels even worse.

   “Where’s Ladybug?” Chat asks quickly. “Is she hurt? She won’t answer my calls, but I need her help! Marinette has been kidnapped, I can’t let her get hurt and-”

   “Ladybug is preoccupied,” Fu explains. “I sent her on a mission, so she can not get back in time to fight the Akuma. I have brought you a few Miraculi, and it is up to you to choose the right ones. You will find temporary heroes, and then you will return the Miraculi to me right after. Understood?”

   Chat Noir nods, and then Fu is pulling out multiple Miraculi. A snake bracelet, a fox pendant, a bee comb and the turtle bracelet on his wrist.

   Chat Noir feels a little less hopeless as he grabs the snake and the fox, and quickly races back to his new school.

   Yes, everything will be fine, and Marinette will be saved.

-----

   Getting kidnapped was not how Marinette planned to spend her day, thank you very much. Seriously, couldn’t she have a normal day?

   Apparently not, because here she is. Stuck in her old classroom, Marinette finds herself surrounded by her old classmates, held captive by an Akuma.

   Oh, sorry, she meant Perduetrouvé. Her mistake. Speaking of which…

   “Just sit in your old spot, Marinette!” Perduetrouvé says, voice light yet firm, holding no room for negotiating. “We’ll all go back to the way things used to be. Won’t we, everyone?” They all nod, eyes painted a shining red. All ‘found’, as the Akuma calls it.

   Marinette plays along, knowing that she, too, will be found if she doesn’t. She sits in her seat, and looks to Perduetrouvé.

   Perduetrouvé smiles sweetly. “Perfect! And to make sure everything stays this way-” She flicks her wrist, her scepter sparking. Red dust emerges, hitting Marinette as she tries to dart away.

   She can’t move.

   “Clumsy Marinette, you must’ve stumbled! Here, I’ll help.” Perduetrouvé flicks her wrist again, and Alya is moving. Robotically, the journalist situates Marinette, letting the girl lean on her hands, staring straight ahead at nothing but air.

   “Ah. I forgot about Adrien, didn’t I?” Perduetrouvé murmurs, then clicks her tongue. “I suppose I’ll have to grab him. He is your crush, after all.”

   He isn’t, but Marinette has the common sense to stay quiet. (It’s not like she can move her mouth, anyways.)

   “I’ll be back in a moment, guys!” Perduetrouvé calls out, turning back to the window. “Adrien can’t be far, so this’ll be-”

   Suddenly she’s knocked back, a blur of black knocking her over. Green and orange fill Marinette’s vision, and a startled gasp shoves through her lips.

   It looks like Chat Noir brought company.

   Marinette follows the fight from the corner of her eyes, watching how Perduetrouvé takes on all three boys at once. Chat Noir is vicious today, practically tearing at the Akuma. The two hit blow after blow on each other. Meanwhile, the other two are stuck fighting the class, who Perduetrouvé has summoned and sent to fight for her.

   And here she is. Stuck at her desk. How useful.

   “Why don’t you be a good little kitty and leave us alone,” Perduetrouvé hisses out.

   “Why don’t you be a good little student and leave my princess alone?” Chat hisses out, and Marinette feels her cheeks heat up.

   No. No, this isn’t the time for that. Not the time to think about that nickname being said so possessively…

   Not the time!

   Marinette focuses on the other heroes, the new ones. They’re clearly the Snake and the Fox, that much is obvious. And they’re both...wow.

   Marinette may be blushing a little harder, but she feels like she can’t be blamed.

   Because her new team is fierce. Sure, she and Chat Noir make a pretty powerful duo, dare she say it, but she knows they’ve never been so…

   Focused. Determined. Vicious, dare she say it, but it’s true. It shows in the way the Snake lashes out like a coiled serpent, striking at his enemies. It shows in the way the Fox tricks her old classmates, evading their grasp only to knock them down.

   And, looking at how vicious Chat Noir is, how angry and deadset he is on taking down Perduetrouvé, it seems they’re making for a very interesting influence on him, too.

   (Or maybe they’re all just determined to save her. Marinette doesn’t think about that.)

   Marinette can only watch in awe as her partner and their new teammates work in sync. There’s no jokes, no puns, no faltering missteps or mistakes. Chat is silent, eyes locked on his target. The Snake is serious, keeping the mind-controlled class from reaching Chat and Perduetrouvé. And the Fox is quick, agile-

And he’s suddenly picking her up. Marinette blinks as the Fox grabs her, leaping out of the window, ignoring the shouts of anger that Perduetrouvé lets out. He darts to the roof, slipping out of sight.

   “Are you alright?” He asks, silver eyes searching as he takes in her frozen form. “That was ridiculous of me to ask, my apologies. Here.” He reaches for her arms, gently setting them down so she doesn’t look so, well, ridiculous. “I’ll come back when the Akuma is taken down. Stay safe.” Then he’s leaping back into battle, once more full of fire and focus.

   “Marinette?” Tikki whispers, phasing through the bag. When she’s sure the coast is clear she darts into view, frowning. “Oh, Marinette! You got hit!” Marinette doesn’t respond, and Tikki cringes. “Oh, right. Let me help!” She flies forwards and taps Marinette’s forehead, and suddenly Marinette can feel her limbs.

   “Thanks, Tikki!” She stands up, stretching quickly. “Looks like Chat got in touch with Master Fu when I didn’t show up.”

   “And it looks like you approve of his choices,” Tikki lets out, and Marinette blushes again.

   “Of course I trust Chat! He’s my partner!” Flustered, Marinette shakes her head. “Focus! Tikki, spots on!”

   Ladybug darts into the room to find Perduetrouvé tied up, her scepter being smashed by Chat Noir.

   Huh. Looks like they don’t always need her. Good to know?

   Ladybug casts her Miraculous Cure quickly, and the class returns to normal. They all stare at her, confusion obvious.

   “Who- who are they?” Alya asks, voice shaking as she points at the Fox and the Snake.

   “Envision,” the Fox says, cold eyes sweeping over the room.

   “I go by Viperion,” says the Snake, and he smiles gently.

   “Are you guys permanent?” Rose asks, and they all look to Ladybug for answers.

   But she doesn’t have any.

   “They got called on to help us out for this fight,” Chat Noir says lightly. “Speaking of, we should probably head on out. Right, boys?”

   “Of course,” Envision agrees. “Should we bring Marinette back to her school before detransforming?”

   “Her school?” Nino asks. “Wait, back? Where is she?” And suddenly the whole class is looking around, looking for her.

   Envision opens his mouth, and that’s when Ladybug knows she needs to move.

   “I saw her on the roof when I got here!” Ladybug says, already inching over to the window. “But I’m sure one of you boys are happy to take her back, right?” Faced with three nods, Ladybug smiles widely. “Thanks! I have to go, then. Bug, out!” And then she’s jumping out of the window, swinging out of view, and landing on the roof.

   “Spots off,” she says quickly, and a flash of pink covers her. The moment Marinette is done, she hears a thump, then another, then a third.

   Tikki knows to hide, and Marinette looks up to see all three of her saviors. And she takes a moment to really look at them.

   Viperion wears a cyan and light blue suit with a snake skin design on his chest, showing off how toned he is. His eyes are a warm yet cool aqua color, and his hair a beautiful cyan shade. Now out of battle, the once vicious serpent has calmed, now smiling sweetly at her.

   Envision, on the other hand, keeps up his serious demeanor as he scans the sky, but his eyes seem to soften as they land on her. His suit is a much lighter orange than Rena Rouge’s, and his chest is covered with a soft, silvery white color. The fabric tail that both Rena and Volpina sported is forgone completely, instead the fox wears a silver belt with his flute attached to it. However, the boy didn’t remove every accessory, keeping the fox ears in his hair (Marinette wonders if those are actually optional or not). His silver eyes hide behind a fully orange mask, the mask only making his eyes seem brighter. The only change in color is the black on his boots and gloves, which remind Marinette of a fox’s paws.

   And then there’s Chat Noir, beaming at her like usual. She’s glad to see someone familiar.

   “Princess,” Chat Noir says, stepping closer. “Are you alright?”

   Marinette smiles at him, smiles at all three of her teammates. “I am, thank you.” She looks to Viperion. “Thank you for keeping my classmates out of the way.” To Envision. “Thank you for getting me out of there.”

   They nod, smile, and then all three speak at once. “I can take you b-”

   They all pause, eyes narrowing at one another.

   It’s cute, seeing them all trying to be so kind. They must all be such sweethearts, wanting to be the hero and take her back. Chat Noir chose wonderful teammates.

   (She doesn’t think that, just maybe, they just want an excuse to carry her.)

   Envision clears his throat. “As I was saying, I can take you back to your school. Marinette, right?”

   “She’s actually on my route, so I’m happy to take her,” Viperion says smoothly, stepping closer to Marinette.

   Chat Noir stops him, though, using his baton to halt the boy’s advance. “Don’t worry, boys, I’ll take my princess back to her school. I know where she goes, so it’s all fine.” And then he’s strolling up to her, grinning like the cat who caught the canary. “Ready, princess?”

   She nods. “Yeah.” And then she’s being swept off her feet, and her arms are wrapped around his neck as he leaps into the air, the other two heroes right behind him.

   It’s exhilarating, and Marinette feels free. Marinette laughs into the wind, and Chat Noir laughs too, pulling her closer until she can practically feel his beating heart.

   The cool air does its best to keep the heat off of her cheeks, but nature can’t always overcome her feelings...especially when Marinette is barely aware of them in the first place.

-----

   Envision watches with wistful eyes as Marinette is set down at last. She stumbles as she reaches the ground, her footing off, and Chat catches her quickly. Envision holds his tongue, holds back a growl that tries to escape his throat.

   He shakes his head. He has no right to be like this. They’re just keeping Marinette safe, just doing their job to protect her.

   Well, maybe Chat and Viperion are.

   Finally, finally, Chat Noir releases his hold on Marinette. Marinette smiles up at him.

   “Thank you, Chat Noir,” she says, and her voice is so sincere that Envision huffs. But then Marinette is looking at him, and his world is lit up once more. “And thank you, Envision, Viperion.” And then she’s turning and walking away, walking into the school.

   “Alright, let’s get you guys detransformed!” Chat Noir is saying, suddenly relaxed and carefree, now that his eyes are off of his princess. Envision lets the cat themed hero lead him away behind a bush, and then he detransforms.

   Félix walks back into the school, the image of him holding Marinette stuck in his head.

Part Fourteen

It’s a normal day for Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Get up, go to school, inevitably have to sneak off to transform and take down an Akuma-

Yeah, it’s one of those days. Fun.

Ladybug wishes she could catch the damn villain by now, because really, she can’t keep missing so much school.

“At least it was at school,” Ladybug mutters to herself as she races down the quickly emptying hallway. “So I won’t be marked absent for saving their asses.” She leaps over a boy when he freezes before her, eyes searching for the Akuma.

Her gaze locks onto bright green, and she smirks. Gotcha.

He, too, spots her, and his bright purple eyes light up. “Ladybug,” his voice comes out, sharp and bitter. He slinks forward, drips of green falling off of him.

Faintly, a buzzing sound reaches Ladybug’s ears. Odd.

“No witty explanation?” Chat Noir asks, the only voice in the now deserted hall. “I at least expected an ‘I’ll steal your Miraculous’ comment, man.” He does his best to sound disappointed, but his face is perfectly clear of emotion. 

“I suppose I failed that, too,” the Akuma bites out. Droplets of green shoot out of his mouth, hitting the ground before him. The buzzing comes back, louder.

“Failed a test? I’m sure there’s some great tutors here,” Ladybug consoles, but the Akuma just growls, fists clenching.

“Oh, tests are fine. Perfect.” He chuckles. “No, if you want to know so badly, it was a science lab.”

Ladybug doesn’t respond, eyes trained on the dripping neon boy. Chat Noir just tilts his head.

“But aren’t you able to redeem points by pointing out what went wrong in the experiment?” Chat Noir asks. “I know a few schools like to do that.”

He laughs, neon drops flying further and buzzing increasing. “Oh, they gave us a chance to redeem points, alright. And you know what? I explained every little thing that might have been wrong. You know what my dear old professor said, though?”

Even Chat Noir doesn’t respond now.

“He said it was a human error. That I was a human error.” Another laugh. “I’ll show him what Human Erreur looks like. I’ll show him!” And then he lifts his hand, unclenching it. “And if you want to get in my way, I’ll just have to delete some data!” Green sprays out of his hand, and Ladybug and Chat Noir dive out of the way.

The buzzing increases tenfold, and Ladybug glances back to the source.

The liquid eats away at the ground, leaving behind a hole.

“Acid,” Ladybug realizes, and looks to Chat Noir. “Chat, that’s acid. Don’t let him hit you!”

“Got it, my Lady!” Chat shouts, dodging another blast, and wow Ladybug has never felt so warm from that nickname before-

Not the time.

Human Erreur looks back to Ladybug, eyes narrowed and shaking with rage. “You! You should understand why I’m doing this!”

“I should?” Ladybug asks, leaping on top of some lockers to avoid his acidic spray.

“You live to remove problems! Every week, you’re out defeating Akumas- deleting incorrect data! You should be on my side.”

“But you’re an Akuma, so doesn’t that mean she should defeat you?” Chat questions, then yelps as Human Erreur shoots more acid his way.

The dripping boy looks close to tears as he looks at Ladybug once more. “Please. Together, we can get rid of our problems.”

“I don’t-”

“Think about it!” He cuts her off, holding one arm out to face her, the other in Chat’s direction, keeping them both still. “If I’m Akumatized, no one else can be! I’ll- I’ll call a truce! I won’t attack you, you won’t attack me! We both get what we want, and, and-” A purple mask outlines his face, and he freezes. “You never said I couldn’t!” He starts to shout. “You said I-” His body shakes, and he falls to the ground. “You said-” more shaking, and the tears fall, burning the ground around him. “You said-” the poor boy starts to throw up, curling in on himself as acid flies from his mouth. 

Ladybug feels her breath catch as he sobs. She jumps down from the lockers, heading over to him. ‘He’s hurting,’ she thinks. ‘He’s fighting Hawkmoth, and the damn man is hurting him.’

She’s going to kill Hawkmoth when she finally sees him. 

Human Erreur jolts back as Ladybug approaches. “He said-” Human Erreur mutters, and then he jolts forwards, launching himself at Ladybug and grabbing at her ears.

Ladybug screams the second his hands touch her skin. No, that’s not it.

She shrieks, a bloodcurdling cry that rips from her throat unprompted the very moment his acidic hands make contact. All she can feel is the burning, the way her skin buzzes, no, sizzles under the heat and-

Cool air reaches her quickly, and Human Erreur flies back, knocking into a row of lockers. Before her stands Chat Noir, baton at the ready.

“Don’t touch her,” he growls, and then he pounces on Human Erreur, knocking him back further and further, over and over as he beats the boy down until the Akuma falls back, falls down, and Chat Noir grabs the first thing he sees- a small pin- and crushes it, releasing the Akuma.

“Ladybug!” Chat Noir cries, and that snaps Ladybug back to reality. In seconds, she captures the Akuma and purifies it, then casts her cure. She feels the magic’s effect, how it cools her skin and takes away all of the pain. She sees how it returns the school to normal, leaving behind a deserted hallway and sobbing boy.

Her heart breaks at how scared he looks, at the worried, open stare Chat gives her, at how she tenses up ever so slightly before heading over to the boy, to her peer, to check on him.

“Are you okay?” She asks. 

“Y-yeah,” he responds.

“I-” her earrings beep, even though she didn’t use Lucky Charm. Ladybug doesn’t question it, though. “I have to go. Chat?”

His ring beeps, too, and he smiles sadly. “I’ll see you. Patrol tonight?”

“Yeah.” Patrol sounds good.

The two part, leaving behind the startled boy. Alone, Marinette looks to Tikki.

“I’m sorry,” Tikki says. “I took some of the pain, but I had to detransform.” She’s shaking, and Marinette quickly cups her Kwami. 

“It’s fine, Tikki. Are you better now?” 

Tikki nods. “Yes, just a bit tired.”

“That’s good.” Marinette stares off, then frowns.

“What’s the matter?”

“He fought Hawkmoth’s control.”

“That’s good!”

“Hawkmoth started hurting him…” Marinette looks down at Tikki. “Who knows if this is the first time he’s hurt his Akuma? How long do you think he’s been so, so...awful?”

Tikki frowns, a saddened shrug coming from the Kwami. “I guess we can’t ever be sure, Marinette.”

And Marinette knows that’s the end of the conversation, so she sighs and places the little goddess in her purse before heading back to her quickly returning class.

Part Eleven

    The classroom is lonely.

    The classroom is full of energy, full of tension and chaos and noise, but to Nino it’s a deafening silence. The friendly atmosphere they once had is shattered, left in the dust. No, it’s not left in the dust, it’s gone altogether, taken partially with Marinette’s leave, and fully with Adrien’s departure.

    It’s just...depressing.

    Nino and Alya stick together like glue. They have to, when the world seems so chaotic now. 

    Lila is still here. She tries to reclaim her throne, but it’s been destroyed, dismantled, torn to shreds and tossed in a fire to burn forever. There’s no hope for her.

    Nino should have done something. Nino should have helped Adrien, but he didn’t. He didn’t, because he was upset. He was upset that Adrien knew, that Adrien let Lila spin her tall tales and woo the class. He was upset that Adrien let Lila lie to them, let Lila get their hopes up for so damn long and let Marinette be forced in the back, let Marinette be hated and expelled and toyed with by that liar.

    He should have believed Marinette. He should have, when she admitted that she followed Adrien. Marinette never admitted that, even she realized how weird it was! But Nino didn’t realize how honest she was, didn’t think about how Marinette never lies, never hates people for no reason.

    Adrien was an exception, an honest mistake, and Marinette soon changed her view because she was open to learning the truth. With Lila...with Lila, there was no truth, and Nino was the blind one.

    And now he’s paying the price for his actions, er, inactions. Because he stood by, while Marinette tried to help him see. Because he stood by, while Adrien made a change and spoke up for her. Because he stood by, and now he’s lost one of his longest friends and one of his best friends.

    And now he’s lonely.

    It’s not the same, hanging out with the other boys in the class. It’s not the same, without them getting excited because finally, finally Adrien had time for them! It’s not the same, talking to Alya without hearing Marinette’s most recent mistake, or hearing Marinette ramble about her newest design. It’s not the same, never smelling the baked goods Marinette would bring, or the way Adrien always smelled oddly of cheese. It’s not right.

    It’s so lonely.

    Nino regrets a lot of the things he’s done. He’s been too dismissive. He’s been a bad friend. He’s been bitter.

    And now here he is, sitting with Alya, wishing he could go back in time.

    He remembers when the idea of sitting with his girlfriend was so exciting, back when Lila returned. Now he just feels guilt…

    Alya feels awful.

    She didn’t know how awful the class could be, how awful she could be, but now she’s paid the price. Is paying the price. 

    She wishes that she did something, that she listened when Marinette talked and acted like a good friend should. She wishes that she helped Adrien instead of turning her back out of spite, that she spoke up, that she spoke out.

    She wishes she could change everything, but it’s too late. It’s too late, and now Adrien and Marinette have left. Half of their quartet is gone, and now Alya sits beside Nino in the front.

    They should’ve done something. But they were mad.

    Alya doesn’t have as much fun without Marinette. She tries to ignore her guilt, her mistakes. She tries hanging out with the other girls in the class, but Marinette isn’t there to complete the gang. Marinette isn’t there to vent to when her little sisters drive her up the wall. Marinette isn’t there, isn’t by her side, isn’t her best friend anymore.

    It stings, but Alya knows she can’t take it all back. Because what good does apologizing do? What good does it do, yearning for a friend who doesn’t want to come back, who will never come back?

    Alya spends time with Nino, but she feels awful.

    Adrien is happy. His classes are fun, a little bit more challenging but so, so worth it. He enjoys spending time with Marinette, with his cousin, with the friends they’ve introduced him to. He enjoys sitting with Marinette and Félix in first hour, watching his cousin open up with every pun Adrien spits out. He enjoys relaxing, letting out the jokes and the smiles that he used to only say with his other mask on. He enjoys being normal, being nothing special among all of the artistic prodigies that make up his class.

    He relaxes. 

    He relaxes, and he grows closer to the people he’s never had a chance to. He grows closer to Marinette, who no longer stutters and shies away from him for some reason. (He won’t ask, he’s just happy for the change.) He grows closer to Félix, who’s never been one for responding to phone calls or leaving his home or his hobbies to spend time with others. He grows closer to the amazing people who have been in his life but have never truly been by his side, not fully. 

    Marinette is calm. She moves on from the raging storm of her old class day by day, happy to see her new friends and forget her old ones. Little regrets cloud her sunny attitude at times, but her classmates are there to pass an umbrella so she can pretend that storms don’t exist. 

    She’s content. She’s making stronger bonds with Adrien, with Félix, with Claude and Allegra and Allan and all of her other classmates, too. She’s enjoying herself, having fun in her design class, having fun making jokes and ruining experiments and, and.

    And being a kid. She enjoys her school, a place where Akumas rarely spawn or come to creation. A place where she can pretend she isn’t some superheroine that saves the city every time trouble comes running her way. It’s calm.

    But there’s always a calm before the storm, isn’t there? Marinette should have known better than to ignore her guilts, to cast away her old class without saying goodbye. She should have known that acting in her own interest would lead to hurt feelings, would lead to great changes that even she couldn’t predict.

    She should’ve known that, by leaving the Akuma class, she only made them much more of a target.

    But she didn’t, and so Marinette heads to school with a smile, unaware of the figure behind her.

    Poor, poor Marinette.

~~~~~

Part One

    "I'm so glad that her disability isn't stopping her from modeling." Her mother says, and Marinette decides that that's it, that's the last straw.

    She's done. She's abso-fucking-lutely done.

    Lila can lie as much as she wants, fine. Adrien doesn't mind modelling with her? Okay, no big deal. Her classmates are willing to flip on her at the drop of a hat? Go off and have fun.

    But she refuses to watch her parents be tricked so easily. She refuses to sit silently, waiting for Lila's next trick. She refuses to stay in such an awful, untrustable place in life.

    Marinette opens her mouth without hesitation and states, “I want to switch schools.”

    She has her parents’ attention immediately. They turn off the television, looking to her with confused expressions.

    “What do you mean? You seemed so distraught when you were expelled,” Her maman says, and Marinette huffs.

    “I’m done. Maman, I can’t keep going there.” She can’t. She can’t sit there, never knowing if she’ll have friends or enemies that day, never knowing if she’ll be the ‘everyday Ladybug’ or the villain of her class.

    “Marinette, is there something you’re not telling us?” Her papa asks, and Marinette feels her confidence waver. But she smiles shakily.

    “Do you really want to hear? It’s...it’s a long story.” 

    Her parents nod, ready to be supportive and attentive. So Marinette tells them everything. She tells them about Lila’s first day, and how she followed Adrien and Lila out of jealousy. She tells them about how Lila claimed to be a fox heroine named Volpina, and how Ladybug called her out for her lies. She tells them about how she’s tried to out Lila, but nobody believes her. She rants about how Alya and Nino refused to listen without proof, and brushed away the evidence that she laid out. She complains about how Adrien told her to take the high road, and how she feels so alone in there. She admits that she’s not sure who her friends are anymore, because they turn on her so easily, without even stopping to think about how she feels. She admits that she’s been threatened and nearly akumatized. She tells her parents everything that she can, every lie she’s heard and every worry she’s had...and then she cries.

    As soon as Marinette starts to tear up, her parents are there. They’re there, with tissues and hugs and support and love. They’re there, and they listen to her and believe her, and it’s more than her class has given her. They’re there, and they promise to help.

    “We’ll start looking for a new school, if that’s what you want,” Her maman promises, frowning in sadness.

    “And I’ll talk to your principal about all of this!” Her papa adds, his normally jolly face filled with anger. “This is the second bully they’ve allowed to slip by!”

    Marinette appreciates the offer, but she smiles sadly instead. “Papa, they won’t believe you. Lila will just lie, and that could affect the bakery. I just want to go away from them. She’ll be happy then, and maybe she won’t spread lies once I’m gone.”

    It’s wishful thinking, she knows this. But Marinette is done. She’s ready to let them go, even if it will hurt.

    It hurts just as badly to be with them, anyways. And she’ll find new friends, hopefully ones who won’t leave her so quickly when they find someone who tells tall tales.

    Caught up in her head, Marinette doesn’t see the concerned glances that her parents send. But they snap her out of her daze quickly.

    “Marinette, why don’t we start looking for a school? Maybe there’s one nearby that has a better arts program for you,” Her maman suggests, and Marinette brightens at that.

    “I’d like that, maman.” 

    They spend the rest of the evening searching, and finally, Marinette finds one that she likes. It’s more focused on the arts, and they have a wonderful fashion department. 

    “We’ll visit tomorrow,” Her parents promise. Marinette agrees, then heads up to bed. 

    It’s as she slips into her bed that Tikki asks, “Are you sure you want to do this?”

    And, admittedly, she’s nervous. Scared, honestly. After all, this change is sudden and different. Marinette has had the same classmates all of her life, has always known at least one of her peers. But now she’s looking to break her routine and have a new set of peers. It’s terrifying.

    Yet Marinette isn’t reluctant. No, Marinette feels relieved. Because while she cares about her classmates, she knows that they aren’t dependable. She knows that they don’t trust her, and she can’t trust them either. She knows that she can’t win against Lila, and she knows that this is the only way out.

    She’s ready to make a change.

    And so Marinette smiles at Tikki with all of the happiness she can find, and nods. “I’m sure. This is what I need, Tikki. This is what I have to do. It’ll be tough, but I’m sure that I can make new friends if I get accepted...and forget my old ones”

    Tikki smiles back. “If you’re sure, Marinette. And at the very least, you’ll have me!”

    Marinette giggles. “I know. Thanks Tikki, you’re my best friend.”

    “And you’re mine, Marinette.”

    The words lighten Marinette’s heart, and she lays her head on the pillow and closes her eyes, ready for what’s to come tomorrow.

    And it’ll come, and it’ll be the change Marinette’s needed. 

    ‘Congratulations, Lila,’ Marinette thinks. ‘You got my spot. You got my friends. You got Adrien. And now I’m gone. You win...but so do I.’

    Yes, things will improve for her.

    But the same can’t be said for her soon to be ex class. After all, how lucky can you be once your ‘everyday Ladybug’ leaves you?

Part Nine

    The world is a storm. It’s a cacophony of noise and complaints, an endless sea of voices, of words that want to be heard.

    It’s hard to compete when you’re used to silence, when you’ve been trained to sew your own mouth shut, but Adrien tries. He tries, because it’s what she deserves. He’s already late, but it’s better to be late than to fail her completely.

    He left her on her own. It only makes sense that he should fix this alone.

    It’s hard. 

    It’s hard, because no one wants to listen. Because they’re wrapped up in Lila’s words, listening with enthusiasm as she weaves tales of nonsense, as she mystifies them with the wonders she’s never seen, of the great things she’s never done, of the accomplishments she never achieved. She lures them in with empty words, and they lean in to her call without a care.

    It’s hard, because leaving the high road is difficult. Sure, Adrien knows that Nino and Alya know better (although he doesn’t know what tipped them off), but they’re bitter. They’re upset because Adrien never spoke up. They can catch him, but they want to see him fall, first. They want him to suffer like Marinette suffered.

    It’s hard, because she’s gone. It’s hard, because Marinette is off at another school, and she only just left but it feels like ages since he’s seen her smile in the halls, heard her voice as she whispered to Alya in class, felt the happiness that radiated off of her with a sincerity so strong it could knock him off of his feet.

    But he tries. He tries for her. Because she was his first friend, his dearest friend, and he can’t give up on helping her. Even if she isn’t there to help. Even if she doesn’t care, doesn’t want him to try...he will, because she deserves more than he’s given.

    He starts with Nathaniel. Nathaniel, in the back, who had a crush on Marinette. Nathaniel knew how great Marinette was, how kind and sweet and empathetic she was. Nathaniel knows how she was so good to everyone, even those who never deserved it.

    Nathaniel starts to doubt Lila, when Adrien brings up Marinette’s character. Nathaniel knows Marinette, knows that she only acts out when there’s a reason to. He starts to listen, starts to really pay attention to the liar’s words.

    Adrien watches, and he sees progress. Nathaniel shows confusion. He turns to his phone. He types something in.

    Nathaniel turns to Alix. He speaks to her, only a whisper.

    It’s hard to be heard in the storm, but Adrien knows that whispers can add up.

    He spreads his whispers at lunch. To Max in the locker room, a little question. How could a napkin hurt Max’s eye if he was wearing glasses? What are the odds?

    Zero. 

    Max whispers figures and statistics with Markov. He turns to Kim.

    Whispers turn to voices as Kim speaks to Alix. They fuse together, two speakers in a world of shouts and whispers. They tell Juleka and Rose.

    Whispers turn to whimpers, as Rose texts Prince Ali and sobs into Juleka’s side. Juleka murmurs, and Ivan overhears.

    Whispers turn to notes, as Ivan passes the news to his girlfriend. Adrien watches her unfold the note, and the truth does, too.

    It takes a week, but whispers turn to shouting. Whispers turn to his class banding together, filled with disdain as Lila speaks. Whispers turn to questions and accusations. Whispers become wonders, wondering where proof is.

    The world turns to whispers and wonders, and it overpowers the storm. Lila tries to speak up, to shout over them, but whispers persist throughout the storm. 

    Whispers turn to voices, which turn to shouts. Shouts fill the class, and Adrien watches as the storm continues, but the wind has changed. The wind blows against Lila, not him, and the world is on his side.

    But the skies don’t clear, and when the shouting dies down, there’s no sweet voice to calm them down.

    Adrien succeeded, but it wasn’t enough…

    Chat Noir finds his way to Marinette’s balcony, searching for the ray of sunshine. He finds her, beaming as she works on another design. She smiles, and his day brightens. Life is good, the voices die down and the two speak softly as they stargaze. 

    It’s perfect, and Chat Noir feels like everything is alright in the moment.

    He asks her about her school, her friends. He wants to know, wants to be a part of her happiness.

    She loves it. She has new friends, she has great teachers and is excelling in her classes. Her life is perfect, a clear sky compared to the storm of her old class.

    He asks her if she misses them.

    She does. Every single day, she regrets having to leave them. But she knows it wasn’t good for her to be there, to keep her hopes up.

    What if they changed? 

    She hopes that they will, but won’t wait around for the day. She only wants the best in life for them, and hopes they can learn the truth as time passes.

    She’s calm and serene, a steady voice. She holds no ill will towards Adrien, that much is clear. That’s the only thing that matters.

    Chat Noir goes home. And when the morning arrives, Adrien speaks to his father.

    “I want to transfer schools.”

    His class is empty without Marinette’s company. He’d trade the whole lot of them to see her at school.

    So he does exactly that.

    And the voices die away, left to fix themselves.

~~~~~

Part Eight

    After her chat with, well, Chat, Marinette had gone to bed with a lot on her mind. She couldn’t help but think of Chat Noir’s words, of how distressed he’d seemed when she’d told him of her transfer.

    Marinette spent way too long staring at her phone, contemplating if she should call Adrien. Because it was obvious that he’d been the one to bug Chat Noir, he’d been the one to ask about her to the cat hero. It was touching, she supposed.

    She never called. Instead, she turned to Tikki. Tikki just smiled that soft, patient smile, and said that Marinette should get some sleep. So she did.

    Now, on a perfectly average Tuesday morning, Marinette is back at her new school. She heads to her first hour, not wanting to be late. Félix is there as well, and he nods to her before returning his attention to his book. Marinette sits beside him and begins to draw, passing the time before class quickly. It’s quiet, and peaceful, and the first time in forever that Marinette could wake up without someone talking her ear off. It’s a nice change in pace, beside her new friend.

    When class starts, it’s simple. Mr. Marcel assigns some worksheets and readings, and tells them to work in silence.

    “You’re not the only ones who are sleep deprived,” he mutters, laying his head on his desk. “If you…” he yawns. “If you’re quiet enough, you can work with the person next to you.” Then he falls asleep.

    Marinette blinks, then looks to Félix. “Is...is Mr. Marcel always like this?”

    Félix snorts, how he does it without noise is lost on Marinette. “He falls asleep about half of the time. But when he’s awake, he’s awake.”

    Marinette giggles, remembering how yesterday had gone. Mr. Marcel had been a bundle of energy, excitedly telling the room about their revolution. He’d gotten so caught up in his rant on the outfits (Marinette already liked him), that he’d cursed out the bell when it rang. “I look forward to the rest of the year, then.”

    Félix smiles. “Me, too. Here, let’s get to work.”

    “Right! Do you want to do the first half or the second half?”

    “The second half is mainly about uniforms, aren’t you a fashion designer?”

    “Yeah?”

    Félix nods. “I’ll do the first half.”

    Marinette can’t help but beam. “Thanks!” A few people shush her, and she blushes. 

    Félix spares a glance to the rest of the class, then returns his gaze to her. “You’ll learn quick, but we really don’t want to wake Mr. Marcel on these days. He’s vicious.”

    “How bad?”

    “As brutal as Syren and Stormy Weather.”

    Marinette raises an eyebrow at Félix’s deadpan expression. “Waking him is as bad as two Akumas that could cause natural disasters that almost killed all of Paris, if not the whole world?”

    Félix shrugs. “No, it’s just total fucking chaos.” He turns to his paper, beginning to read. After a few seconds, however, he looks back up to see Marinette gaping at him. “What?”

    “Sorry I...I didn’t think you were the type to swear.” Marinette blushes. “That was a dumb assumption, sorry.”

    He smiles. “I hear that a lot. I suppose I have a tendency to surprise people. A lot of people make assumptions after hearing a few things about me.” He shrugs again. “I let them think what they want, it’s more fun this way.”

    Marinette giggles. “Wow, master of deception right here.”

    “I try my best.” 

    They barely get the work done before class ends. When the bell rings, Mr. Marcel doesn’t wake up. Nobody seems surprised, so Marinette heads to Language Arts. 

    Allegra is already there when Marinette arrives, so Marinette slides into the seat beside her. 

    “Good morning, Allegra!” Marinette says happily. “How are you?”

    Allegra smiles sweetly. “I’m great, sunbeam, how about you?”

    Marinette blinks. “I’m doing well! But, uh, sunbeam?”

    Allegra nods. “You are such a sweet ray of sunshine, the name seemed fitting.”

    “I’ve never heard that one, so thank you?” Marinette thinks back to her old class, and says, “One of my classmates was called sunshine boy, though.”

    “Really? How could he surpass you for the title?” Allegra asks with brimming curiosity. “He must have been the definition of joy to get it!”

    “Well, he was always happy, but I think it’s because he was blond,” Marinette admits. “Adrien was always looking for peace, even when...even when it was better that he didn’t.” She winces, shoving away the thoughts.

    Allegra picks up on the wince, but for the wrong reason. “Adrien? Is he an ex of yours?”

    Marinette snorts. “Not an ex, I was ‘just a friend’ in his eyes.”

    Allegra winces, too. “Ooh, one sided love. It is always a tragedy.” 

    “Disappointing, maybe, but not a tragedy. I knew it was time to move on when I realized it would never work out, so...here I am.”

    “You changed schools to get away from a boy?!” Allegra shouts, and a few of their classmates turn to face Marinette, who blushes.

    “No! I transferred to...to get away from my whole class. It’s complicated!” Marinette says, before Allegra can question her reasoning. “I just wanted to get away from all of that. It wasn’t a good place for me.”

    “I see. That makes sense,” Allegra concedes.

    “Makes sense?”

    “Didn’t you come from the Akuma school?” Allegra waits for a response, but continues when Marinette just tilts her head in confusion. “Weren’t, I forget the exact number, forgive me, about twenty Akumas from your school alone?”

    Marinette flinches. “That...that sounds accurate.” Especially when she considers the two biggest reasons she left the school, and that they both had multiple Akuma forms. Yeah...she really did go to the Akuma school. 

    (Really, shouldn’t that be a sign that there might be something wrong with the school? Like a habit of victim blaming and unchecked bullies? No? Alright.)

    Allegra smiles kindly. “Well, at least you’re here now! You should be safer, right?”

    Fate isn’t kind to those who tempt her, and a sudden scream alerts them of the fickle mistress of life.

    “A pop quiz? On a Tuesday? Who does that?!” In storms an Akuma, who clutches all sorts of note cards and loose papers. “Not anymore, I say! I am PaperCut, and I will cut this senseless negativity out of my life forever!” Laughing maniacally, the boy sends some of the papers at the classmates like projectiles. The class scatters, racing for any available exit. Allegra darts through the back door of the room, some jump through the open windows. Marinette glances around, seeing how PaperCut approaches her desk...then looks up. She sees that a tile in the ceiling wasn’t put all the way in, and if she jumps-

    “Hey! Leave her alone!” Mr. Jean shouts, and it’s all the distraction Marinette needs. She climbs onto her desk and leaps up, grabbing onto the ceiling. Using all of the strength she’s gained during her time as Paris’s heroine, she pulls herself up, until she’s out of sight. Quickly, the bluenette scrambles away, looking for a way out of the ceiling. A few minutes later, she finds a light and pushes out the tile, letting herself fall down.

    She lands in the bathroom. The currently filled boys’ bathroom. All of them shriek when they see her, and she races out yelling apologies. She shoves her way into the girls’ bathroom, which is, luckily, completely empty.

    “That was a close save!” Tikki says. 

    “I’m just glad I could make that jump,” Marinette admits. “I wasn’t sure if I would be able to pull myself up. But that’s not important right now! Tikki, spots on!”

    A flash of pink covers her, and Ladybug darts back out, already calling for Chat Noir. 

    No response.

    “Come on,” Ladybug mutters as she hears a crashing. It seems she’s found the Akuma.

    PaperCut storms into the hall as a teacher runs away, yelling profanities. “Yeah, try to outrun me you foul bast-”

    “Now, we all know foul language isn’t allowed in a place like this,” Ladybug chides, cutting him off. 

    PaperCut glares at her. “You’re trying to stop me, aren’t you? Well I’m not going back! I’m not taking a stupid physics test!” He raises his arm and throws more notes at her.

    “I’m sure it will be fine,” Ladybug tries to soothe him, but it’s a bit tricky when she’s more focused on dodging paper projectiles. “You’ll do better than you think!”

    “I don’t even know how to measure circles!” PaperCut shouts in frustration, and Ladybug pauses.

    “Isn’t that geometry?” She asks, and PaperCut throws his hands in the air.

    “How am I supposed to know?” He lunges at her, and she leaps out of the way. She looks for her partner, where is he?

    “I think everything will go purr-fectly!” Chat says as he rounds the corner, and Ladybug sighs in relief. “And besides, there’s always next time!”

    “Next time doesn’t matter! What matters is right now! And right now, I’m going to take you two down.” He raises a hand to throw more papers-

    And falls over.

    Ladybug looks up, surprised to find...Félix? He stands there, a textbook in his hands.

    “Knowledge is power, Ladybug,” Félix says, then picks up a glowing purple flashcard. “I think this is the Akumatized object.”

    “Cataclysm?” Chat reaches out and taps the object, and Ladybug catches the Akuma before it can flutter away. In seconds, any damage is undone, and the victim scurries off, muttering about gravity.

    “Thank you…” Ladybug forces herself to hesitate.

    “Félix.” He looks around. “Have you seen Marinette?” 

    “Marinette?” Chat perks up, eyes widening. “She goes here now?”

    Félix nods slowly, and Ladybug can see the confusion in his eyes. “Yes. It’s her second day. My friend, Allegra, texted me. PaperCut stormed into their class, and Allegra couldn’t get ahold of her. Have either of you seen her?” 

    Ladybug smiles, trying to be calm. “Yeah! She was hiding in the ceiling, last I checked!”

    “The ceiling?!” 

    Ladybug shrugs. “She’s a smart girl.”

    Chat sighs wistfully. “Yeah she is. That’s my Princess.” 

    Ladybug isn’t sure how to feel, and Félix seems just as confused. Chat’s ring finally beeps, giving him a cue to leave. 

    “I’ll see you later, bugaboo!” Chat says cheerfully, then darts to a classroom and leaps out of the window. 

    Ladybug smiles at Félix. “I have to go, but if I see Marinette I’ll tell her it’s safe to head back.”

    “Thank you.” 

    Ladybug nods, then darts away. Once out of view, she leaps into the ceiling before detransforming, then crawls back to her classroom. She lets herself fall down, scaring Allegra.

    At lunch, she’s greeted by two unamused faces.

    “Really, the ceiling?” Félix asks, and all Marinette can do is shrug.

    It’s, in other words, a rather normal day for Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

~~~

After a long wait, I finally was able to make another part!!!