#queen mari

Lila didn’t smile that day. In fact, she found it hard to really smile for the rest of the week. Because though technically she had won, it didn’t feel like a victory. It was like the game the two girls played had resulted in a stalemate and Marinette decided the battle was over. Marinette lost all her friends. Lila had no choice but to keep up the lies, particularly, after her mother announced they wouldn’t be moving like they usually would after a few months. It took a lot of work. Lila could admit that if she had know Paris was permanent, she’d have been a little more honest.

So, in the end, neither girl won but neither girl lost.

Nevertheless, Lila was smart. She knew when to back off. And so she did. She learned quickly that if she kept Marinette’s name out of her mouth, she was golden. Lila also learned that Marinette wasn’t made at Lila. It was everyone else the Asian girl had a problem with.

Everyone else in class who quickly realized just what life was like without their everyday ladybug.

Gone was the random sweets from her parents’ bakery. Gone was the well planned birthday parties and class trips. Gone was the comforting shoulder. Gone was the friend who they could call no matter time of day or night if they needed someone to talk to. Gone was their biggest supporter. Gone was the always friendly face that promised to brighten the darkest day.

           The kids learned quickly, that if they were in trouble, they were on their own. Apart from Akuma attacks, that Ladybug still showed up for. Though Ladybug had taken to ignoring the students, particularly Alya. Even going as far as to say to the teen reporter, in front of other journalists, that she doesn’t talk to tabloids; too many rumors and lies.

           This had slowly but surly caused the downfall of the Ladyblog. Alya could no longer get the best scoop; no that went to Aurore who created an entire website with tips and advice and videos about and straight from Ladybug. The website fully endorsed by the hero. Alya had quickly decided that she just needed to talk to Ladybug to clear up whatever was caught the strife. It was then that Alya remembered that Marinette had gotten her that first interview, the interview that had launched the Ladyblog’s success. Marinette who she was no longer friends with.

           Marinette who had it clear that she didn’t care. She didn’t are that Alya’s beloved blog had spiraled into nothing. That Nino’s music career seemed to be at an all-time standstill. That Marc and Nathaniel’s comic and partnership had gone down in flames. (Mostly because Nathaniel had taken too much of Lila’s advice and changed too much of the comic to be recognizable.) Or that Ivan and Mylene had broken up. Juleka had gone back to never showing up in pictures. Rose was in tears that Prince Ali no longer wished to speak to her. Kitty Section had broken up. Chloe was a bigger bully than ever, though she too was smart enough to stay clear of Marinette. The list went on and on, getting worse and worse.

           Even the teachers realized just how much of a control presence that Marinette had. And just how lost their classrooms were without her.

           But still, Marinette didn’t care.

Marinette had been screwed over. Once. Twice. A dozen times. Her best friend, her sworn bestie, hadn’t been the loyal friend she promised she was; acted nice when was so not nice. Chat Noir, Adrien, had left her to fight alone so many times that Master Fu took back his Miraculous. Screwed over by her best friend. Twice. And then by all the other kids.

Still, no one could understand how the sweetest girl could go full Ice Queen.

They had been smart enough to get Luka and Kagami to ask Marinette at the school’s end of the year party. Adrien got Kagami to ask as Marinette had taken to ignoring him for a long time by then Juleka got Luka to promise to find out. Kagami and Luka had become her closest friends. And the fact that her classmates would use them to get information on her, just reminded Marinette just how done she was.

She was so done.

So after the two had asked. Instead of answering, Marinette texted Colton, her friend, and DJ of the party. Marinette needed to make something clear.

When the song, ended Marinette got on stage.

“Hey,” She said into the mic. Her hair was only a bit longer but the blue had been dyed out of it. Her skinny jeans were black and ripped and she had on a red halter top was lacy and elegant. “Someone of you might not know me. But I’ve done enough for this school and a lot the students, to know majority of you do.” Her tone was dry and her stare blank. “Over last year, I took a step back you could say from, well, bullshit.” There were laughs. Most of the students who knew of Marinette and had been affected by her kindness had reached out almost immediately when they realized something was wrong, something had changed.

           Marinette looked at the students, “I got screwed over by too many times to count.” She sighed. “Turns out, a lot there’s a lot of assholes in my class.” She said bluntly. “So how do I deal with it all. In fact, how do you deal with all the drama and bullies and liars and two-faced bitches in your life? I got some advice for you. Pay close attention because it worked great for me.” The music started and Marinette started to sing.

“Here's my secret strategy

It always works because

The world doesn't end

It just feels like it does”

           Marinette wasn’t the best singer but she was decent. The song wasn’t about high notes or theatrics. It was sung with grace and humor. A strong daria morgendorffer vibe.

So raise your right finger      Marinette raised her right hand flicked off the entire school and looked right at her classmates. There faces turned red and their eyes were wide.

And solemnly swear

"Whatever they say about me

I don't care!"

           The first few months had been hard. And full of mean looks were way and nasty remarks. Until they realized they needed her. They needed her charm. Her can-do attitude. Her to come back as class president. Her ideas. The free handmade clothes she designed.

I won't twist in knots to join your game

           Rose, surprising, had been the first to try to tempt her back. The other having enlisted the second sweetest girl in class to talk to Marinette. Rose had told Marinette that if she just admitted she was wrong Lila and apologize, they’d take her back. Marinette had told her to fuck off.

I will say, "you make me mad."

And if you treat me bad

I'll say "you're bad"

And if I eat alone from this moment on

That's just what I'll do

'Cause I'd rather be me, I'd rather be me

I'd rather be me than be with you

           Marinette had eaten alone for weeks until she made she found real friends in other classes, both upper and lower grades. That was when Marinette found out that she was well-liked by the majority of the school. And the majority of the school didn’t buy Lila’s lies.

We're supposed to all be ladies

And be nurturing and care

Is that really fair?

Boys get to fight, we have to share

           Marinette found new friends, made new plans, her schedule filled up again, and she was happy. That was when the rumors started. Alya and Alix, leading the charge, had taken upon themselves to tell Marinette new friends what a bully she was and the rest of the school as well. They got upset when no one believed them.

           They got even more upset when they realized Marinette didn’t care. At all. However, when Alix had taken it too far, he had decided to get physical and trip Marinette in the lunchroom….

Here's the way that turns out

We always understand

How to slap someone down

With our underhand

           Marinette got up, pulled her arm back, and knocked Alix’s lights out. “Don’t try that shit again,” Marinette had warned her ex-friends. “I have no problem kicking each and everyone one of your asses.”

She got a week’s detention but she smiled all the way through.

So here's my right finger Marinette flicked off the school again; waved it around so everyone could see it.

To how girls should behave

'Cause sometimes what's meant to break you

Makes you brave

So I will not act all innocent

I won't fake apologize

           From then on, it was everyone understood that a new Marinette walked the halls. One that didn’t care about being nice. How ladies should behave. She refused to apologize after a fight. And she never backed down from an agreement.

           Turns out losing all her friends didn’t break her. It made her braver. In a way Ladybug never managed to before then.

Let's just fight and then make up

Not tell these lies

Let's call our damage even

Clean the slate till it's like new

           Marinette never gave in; even when the ice out happened. All the kids in her class ignored her, they didn’t say a single word to her. Refused to pair with her. Didn’t even acknowledge her existence.

It's a new life for me

Where I'd rather be me

I'd rather be me

Than be with you

The once bluenette just laughed at their childish antics. She didn’t bat an eye as they wanted her too. She didn’t understand why they couldn’t fight like normal people. Or the very at least call the war done, the damage even on both sides, and then move on with clean slates.

I'll say, "NO!"

NO!

I'll say, "knock it off,

with your notes and your rules and your games."

           Marinette had just gone: NO. No. She wasn’t going to play their little games. Do anything to make it even remotely look like she card. It was over. She was done. It was all just a waiting game.

           Waiting for them to grow up and realize, it was game over. There was no magical way their friendship would ever be restored. They should move, let go. Find something better. Accept the loss and learned to live with it.

           Like she’d done with Lila. Marinette hadn’t been happy with the results of their chess game but she could live with it. Move on. Got a new life.

And those sycophants who follow you, Marinette turned her attention to the pretty Italian girl. If Lila ever came after her again… Or when her kingdom of lies fell, and there was no doubt it would. Marinette would be there to watch it burn.

I'll remember all their names, She sang to Lila who nodded having understood. Even she knew her time was running out. Though Lila wouldn’t just hand over her power willingly. No, Lila knew it would have to dragged away from her bloody hands before she let it go. Lila would fight. It was just the way she was.

           The one thing Marinette liked about the girl.

           Alya was getting desperately. Eventually, she’ll realize the answer to all her problems lay in the comments on her blog. All questioning why she was promoting such an obvious liar. And when she did… There would be hell to pay.

And when they drag you down

Like they inevitably do

I will not laugh along with them and

approve their palace coup, 'cause that's not me. She promised her once the greatest enemy. (Hawkmoth’s was Ladybug’s.) That caused Lila to smile.

           Because when the faux-faced kids turned their ire onto Lila. When they dragged her through the same torment they put Marinette though. At least the wannabe Volpina wouldn’t have to worry about the once Every Day ladybug.

           In fact, if Lila played her cards right, and she nearly always did. She’d find an alley to teach her. Teach her not to care. Teach her to be stronger. Teach her out to say “Fuck you” to the world.

           Because Marinette no longer cared enough to have any reason not to. Granted she could just say, “I. Don’t. Want. To.” Like she did frequently these days.

Janis. Janis. Janis. Janis

I don't need their good opinions

I have plenty of opinions

Everybody has opinions but it doesn't make them true

           Marinette didn’t care what her old friends thought. Or that they didn’t like her. Who cared? So what if they thought she was a bully? Or a jealous liar. Or a bad friend. Or the new Ice queen.

           She shrugged. She had a lot to say about them to.  And sure she bitched with Luka, Aurore, and Kagami but it wasn’t serious. It was just to vent. Because who cared?

What's true is being me

And I'd rather be me

I'd rather be me than be with you.

So raise them high 'cause playing nice and shy is insulting my IQ

           Marinette had no problem being a bitch if they pushed. She was no longer shy and sweet and far too nice for her own good. Because she had learned her lesson.

           And, Marinette thought, she learned it was so well that life rewarded. She was making clothes for Clara and Jagged. Worked with Chloe’s mom. She had an internship with Teen Vogue, in New York, that summer. Won several design contests. Got to see one of her designs on the red carpet worn by an up and coming actress that Jagged recommended her to.

           The actress said the brand was MDC, created by a kickass teenager name Marinette. That dress got the actress on the best-dressed list, and Marinette twenty more commissions by other almost, or kind of famous celebrities.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah

I'd Rather Be Me

I'd Rather Be Me

So maybe I should thank you. Marinette adlibbed the line but sang it directly to Lila who smirked as she knew exactly what the other girl was referring to.

           While Marinette would never say it, Lila knew, she had done the girl a favor. Showed her who her real friends were. Or weren’t. And without them, without the niceness and overly caring nature she once had, Marinette had thrived; gone further than Lila ever imagined.

           Lila had only wanted them because she liked the attention. However, she knew they weren’t real friends. No matter what Alya said, they weren’t besties. Lila didn’t trust the glasses-wearing girl as far she could throw her.

Because now I know…

I'd Rather Be Me than be with you!

           Most of her classmates looked sad. A few looked angry. Lila just looked up at her used to be nemesis with admiration and a small smile.

           A brief look of wonder and hope flashed over her face and for a moment she of just saying “To hell with it.” Screaming her sins and go binge watch Grey’s anatomy. Take up dance class when summer was over and the new school year began. She always loved dancing.

           It was the only thing Lila knew was honestly good at; great at even.

           But that moment passed. Lila liked her power. Besides, there was a good chance she could make everyone think Alya was crazy or lying to convince to save her blog; that Lila wasn’t the liar.

           Lila smirked. She had all summer to slowly leave breadcrumbs that Alya was reading too much into the situation, was too desperate, didn’t know what she was talking about. By the time the summer ended, Lila could have all other students convinced the once future great journalist had just lost her edge. So much so that it was reason Ladybug dissed the Ladyblog.

           Alya wouldn’t be a challenge like Marinette had been. Not even close. Marinette had been the Sherlock to Lila’s Moriarty. (If Marinette had kept the game going, Lila would’ve too. Until it was a full-scale war. No prisoners. Just blood; both metaphorical blood and the real red stuff.)

Alya would be too easy. But it would still be fun. Even if Alya managed to pull a fast one, there was no way their little friendships would survive what they did to Marinette. Not all the blame could be put on Lila, no matter how much they tried.

And when Marinette didn’t come back after the truth was revealed and they begged and apologized for never believing her; for not trusting her. Blame would shift. Especially if Lila changed classes like she knew Marinette had to be at least considering.

I'd Rather Be Me

           Because, Marinette would never be their friend again. They were just pawns in the game of life. And Marinette realized that while pawns could become queens. They never went back to being pawns again.

I'd Rather Be Me

I'd Rather Be Me than be with you!

Marinette was doing just fine. She wasn’t their friend. She didn’t like them.

           No matter how hard Marinette had tried in the beginning, she couldn’t stop thinking about them, of how much it hurt. She had drowned so much in her feelings that every time she thought about it she was still surprised she hadn’t been Akumatized. She talked about Alya and Adrien and Nino more than she had when they were actually still friends; constantly on her mind. Especially after Marinette had returned from lunch to see her precious sketch book in pieces at her desk; the other students throwing vicious smirks at her. (“Should’ve been more careful,” Alix hissed at Marinette, ignoring the tears building in the bluebell eyes.) Marinette kept wondering what she could have possibly done to deserve this.

And the harder Marinette fought to not to think about them, the worst it got. Though actively plotting their downfalls, probably hadn’t helped the situation. But it did make her feel a bit better. Even more so, when the plans when into effect.

She could still remember Alya’s face when Aurore had unleashed her new website: Miraculous Nation; a tell-all news site for everything related to Paris’ favorite heroes. Its first release? An exclusive interview with the entire new team miraculous (with a little TV magic, and miraculous magic, to edit Aurore and Icefox into the same interview.) Marinette had used her connection with Nadja to get help to rent an empty studio big enough to do the interview in a professional way. Nadja, of course, wanted producer credits. The interview answered all the big questions:

Aurore relaxed in her seat like she wasn’t doing the biggest interview of her career. “So I guess, we should start with the questions that’s been on everyone’s mind thank to a certain nasty little blog. What’s with the replacements? What happen to Rena Rouge? Chat Noir? The turtle guy? Why the change?”

           Ladybug: Rena proved she couldn’t be trusted outside the mask. The fox is the master of not just illusion but truth. She fell quickly to someone else’s illusions and willful blinded herself from the truth hurting an innocent in the process. She is no hero.

           Chat Noir: The Old Alley Chat proved too immature for the mantle. He is the balance of Ladybug, and he was unable to show that.

           Queen Bee: Who’s care about the turtle?

           Aurore’s blue eyes narrowed, “Ladybug; Rumors have persisted for years that you and the old Chat Noir, I’ll call him Alley Chat for simplicity’s sake, have been in a relationship or at least dating. Did a bad breakup have anything to do with the replacement?

           If Ladybug hadn’t been prepped and or written the questions herself, she would’ve bit the head of the journalist who dared imply anything of the sort. “I would like to state this as clear as possible,” Ladybug looked directly into the camera. “Chat Noir, correction Alley Chat, and I have never and will never be romantically involved. These lies have been instigated by the paparazzo that is the Ladyblog. If they had bothered before releasing any of the information, I would’ve corrected them.

           Queen Bee: What can you expect when its only Journalist doesn’t know how to fact check? I’ve said for years that Ladybug could do better than that Mangy chat.

The website was endorsed by Ladybug and all the heroes... Offered helpful information about how to deal with Akumas, group counseling, first aid instruction videos, etc. It had active threads for fans to post their work. Marinette as herself gave instruction videos for making your own cosplay outfits or just outfits styled after the heroes. Sometimes the heroes would post short quick video about the fan works; their favorite and which made them laugh. There was even a virtual reality video where you could see an akuma fight through Ladybug’s eyes. Marin

Suffice to say the website had gained popularity quickly.

Again, it didn’t help her stop thinking about her friends.

However, one night with Marinette, Kagami, Chloe, and Aurore doing a gigantic slumber party at Chloe and then had a blast laughing and gossiping and giving each other makeovers. It was during this night that something magical happen, Marinette forgot they existed.

She actually forgot Alya, Adrien, Lila, and the rest of the her classmates and all the problems they had caused existed.

Marinette used to think that all the heartache would kill her, but it didn’t. It was so… Nice. Peace. Amazing. Perfect.

She forgot they existed and everything was just… great. It wasn’t love. Or hate. Just indifference.

Marinette’s reputation at school had started deteriorating as soon as Lila came to class. To the point where some went out of the way to actively try to trip her and laugh when she hit the ground

It was insane because… Marinette would’ve never done that to anyone. Not even Lila. For friends, she would’ve defended them, had their back, and stuck around. If anyone had tried to do what they did to her to any of them, she would fought for them. Marinette would’ve fought all of Paris if she had to.

If Nino would’ve been made a social pariah, Marinette would’ve gladly been right there with him. She would’ve showed up to every one of his shows, right in the front. Even if nobody else came. She’d have done the same for Alix, Kim, Alya, Max, Nathanial, Mylene, Rose; EVERYONE.

Then they showed who they really who.

And Marinette had broke, and became a villain so much worse than the one they had painted her as. Granted, she wasn’t a bully.

Still revenge didn’t make her feel better. At least not for long. Because for a while, in the middle, when she was every plan was in motion and her name was starting to appear in lights, Marinette would still think about them; still nurse a wounded heart. After all, Marinette had become the Queen of Mean because she originally wanted them to hurt as badly as she did. To know what it was like to have a perfectly good heart broken.

Nothing had helped until that slumber party. And then Ice cream with Felix. Ice Skating with Luka. Hiking with Marc. Dancing with Aurore. Fencing with Kagami. Mani-pedis with Chloe. Nights out with all of them. Every instance made her forget her old friend existed. To the point where she wonders why she ever thought losing them would kill her. It was nice and perfect. For just while to not feel anything but indifference to people who’ve proven themselves unworthy of her affections.

Marinette forgot that that her old friends sent her a clear message that they didn’t want her around anymore, didn’t want to be friends anymore. Marinette was forced to learn some hard lessons and truths about being too trusting, too loving.

But with her new friends, with her love, she kind of forgot what those lessons were. She’d laugh and all past pain would be blur.

Still, it was only in those moments with her friends and family that she forgot. But Marinette knew, vowed that one day those moments would extend to days, weeks, months, and then years.

Marinette would move on to bigger and better things, and their names and faces would blur from her memory. Until she would have to force herself to think back and try so very hard to remember because her kids probably wanted to know what she was like when she was little like them. And she’d bring out old family pictures and school photos; and they ask about the strangers in them. And Marinette would struggle to remember their names and maybe even fleetingly wonder what’ve been up to. Who’d they became? And maybe even feel a slight sorry in her heart as she tells her kids all sorts of stories her school days. Her friends, her crushes, her loves, her dreams; everything.

Remember her grade school friends. The nights she spent laughing and giggling with a vivacious glasses wearing redhead who’d swore to always have Marinette’s back, over far-too handsome, ball of sunshine, green-eyed boy she swore she was going to marry someday. And then, she’d tell her children

She’d take one last look at those photos; the one with the entire class in them. And feel nothing but indifference. Not love. Not hate. No sense of longing. Just nothing.

And briefly realize she probably got a few of their names wrong. But Marinette will just shrug the thought away.

After all,

Queens can’t remember the names of every peasant.