Chapter Text
Marinette Dupain-Cheng sat on the stairs as she listened to blatant lies leave Lie-la’s mouth. Going on and on about how ‘ Ladybug saved my life!’ She was akumatized and couldn’t have her running amok in the streets of Paris. Then she forgot her own web of lies after Max called her out on her bullshit and Lie-la very quickly said she avoided Vertigo by having an earplug to stick in her right ear.
“Right ear?! Did she say right ear?! This morning she said that the ringing was in her left ear! I've got her this time!” Marinette exclaimed to herself and the Kwami. Marinette moved to get up, the threat still looming in her head. A hand was on her shoulder, stopping her.
“Are you going to tell everyone?” Adrien asked, a dullness behind his eyes.
“Of course I am! Lila is-” She was abruptly cut off by Adrien.
“- A liar. Yes, I know. But do you think exposing her will make things better? If you humiliate her, She’ll only be hurt more. Making a bad guy suffer has never made them a good guy.” Adrien continued, “As long as we both know, isn’t that enough?” He asked, very quickly taken aback by Marinette’s expression.
Marinette’s face fell, hurt flashing in her eyes, a silence taking over the usually outspoken girl. Adrien gently leads Marinette upstairs into their now-vacant homeroom class. “Are you okay?” Adrien asks.
“No, I-I’m not! S-she threatened me in the bathroom! S-she said she would turn all of my friends against me, even you! I started freaking out in the bathroom and was nearly akumatized! I’m so scared!” Marinette cried, tears threatening to spill. “I don’t want to lose my friends!” the french Chinese girl said softly, tears staining the back of her hands, her tears had fallen and that was enough proof for Adrien to realize Lie-la was a terrible awful human being.
Adrien was fine letting harmless lies pass, but threatening one of his friends? That was unacceptable. “I take back what I said before. It isn’t enough just knowing. Knowing didn’t stop her from threatening you and scaring you.” Adrien wore a now stony and stoic expression, one of seriousness. It was grim and icy. “But I still don’t think trying to constantly out her lies will do anything. It didn’t work before, so why would it work now?” Adrien asked.
Adrien was right and Marinette recognized that. Lila would always manage to make Marinette look like the bully and Lila the helpless victim. A confrontation would be fruitless. It was like a dog chasing their tail, they would never get it.
“I mean, I privately spoke to her and asked her to nicely stop, and she still got akumatized. If she threatened you simply because you won’t believe her, there’s something seriously wrong. Telling or asking her to stop doesn’t work, trying to confront doesn’t work. Maybe we could get Alya and Nino on our side? Chloe too maybe.” Adrien suggested, very quickly realizing something was wrong, judging by Marinette’s expression. Her lower lip was trembling, more tears promising to spill.
“I already told them. Alya asked me for proof, to ‘verify my sources.’” Marinette said, bitterly.
“Maybe they’ll listen to the two of us?” Adrien asked hopefully, a wave of slow anger bubbling in his stomach, he doesn’t mention anything about the ‘proof’. Adrien would be angry for Marinette, considering Alya never once asked Lila for proof of her claims. Where was the photographic evidence? Where was the doctor's note?
“You could tell them. But I don’t think I want to be there when you do. I’m still a little upset with them and I don’t want to get into a fight…”
Adrien and Marinette agree that this will be the best course of action. Tomorrow, Adrien will confront Alya and Nino and do his best to warn them about Lila and her web of lies. The bell then rings and Adrien sits with Marinette in the back. Marinette doesn’t daydream or fantasize about Adrien, worry and anxiety pooling in the recesses of her abdomen. This drives her to focus and when Mlle. Bustier calls her name, Marinette answers, sounding tired and drained. She remains in the back with Adrien.
Once school lets out, Lila calls Marinette over and threatens her again, proclaiming now Marinette has made her choice and that now she’ll make Marinette’s life a living hell. Marinette runs home and begins crying in her room. Her parents never do understand what had happened.
The next day at school, Marinette waits outside for Adrien. She doesn’t want to walk in alone, she tells Adrien what happened yesterday at the stairs. Adrien’s blood boils now upon hearing this. She threatened Marinette a second time? How dare she! How fucking dare she! This was ending today, even if it means having his Father take Marinette under his wing and having them both move to a school approved by Gabriel Agreste.
At lunch, Adrien had Gorilla take Marinette to her home and requested that Gorilla join her for lunch. Her maman made spectacular quiche and Gorilla very quickly agreed with that notion. Meanwhile back at their school, Adrien began to confront Alya and Nino. “She threatened Marinette twice yesterday! In the bathroom and at the stairs in front of the school. All because Marinette wouldn’t believe her lies!” Adrien stressed, anger still coursing through him.
Alya lets out a haughty laugh. Nino furrowed his brows at this. “Marinette is just jealous, she’ll get over it and see how cool Lila is. Did Mari put you up to this Adrien?” Alya asks, wiping tears from her eyes. Nino can only stare at his girlfriend in complete shock. How was she of all people not believing her own best friend?
“Marinette didn’t ‘put me up’ to anything Alya. Have you considered that if Marinette has beef with someone she doesn’t know all that well, that maybe something is wrong or are you too biased to see past that Alya?” Adrien snapped at her angrily. “She’s our friend! We should trust her!”
“Marinette is just jealous! I know that girl like the back of my hand. She’ll apologize soon.” Alya gave a nonchalant roll of her eyes and went back to eating. Nino stood up and threw his food away, he’d lost his appetite.
Adrien’s face contorts into a look of anger. “Why should I trust you ?!” Adrien yelled Alya looked shocked that Adrien had raised his voice. He never yelled. “Where’s YOUR proof? Did you verify YOUR sources? A good reporter always checks her sources, or did you forget?” Adrien says bitterly. Nino shook his head at Alya. Adrien turned on his heel and left the two of them alone.
“I’ve known Marinette since we were kids. She never acts like that without a reason. Alya, if you can’t realize that, maybe we shouldn’t be together.” Nino whispered the last part. He went after Adrien. Alya began crying and Lila was there to comfort her. She said Marinette was lying and she managed to convince Adrien that Lila was the one lying.
Nino chased down Adrien who was pissed, to say the least. Adrien was confused by these feelings of anger but then his confusion turned to realization. Alya claimed to Marinette’s best friend, yet here she was calling Marinette jealous and in essence a liar. “Let’s just calm down, dude.” Nino’s voice spoke calmly.
“She’s our everyday ladybug Nino! And everyone is turning their backs on her! Because everyone in our class is stupid! How can they say that Marinette is our everyday ladybug but as soon as someone we barely know comes strolling on in, they instantly side with her?! They’re calling Marinette a jealous, untrustworthy liar!” Adrien yelled, hot and angry tears running down his face. Why- Why was he crying? He had no reason to cry, he wasn’t the one who was hurt. Nino hugged Adrien.
“Dude, that wasn’t ever said,” Nino spoke gently.
“But it was implied!” Adrien yelled.
“And you’re right. I broke up with Alya. You made sense, Marinette would never act like that without reason. She would need a reason to act like that. She has a reason, plus Marinette would never lie. She would have no reason to lie and it would be entirely hypocritical since she hates liars.” Nino reasoned, tears crowding behind his glasses, hurt and upset by the fact his own (ex) girlfriend wouldn’t believe her best friend. The two of them walked to Dupain-Cheng Patissier and Boulangerie, greeted by Tom and Sabine.
Both parents made note of how upset both boys were. Marinette saw this too and hugged the two of them. “At least Nino believes us.” Marinette offers with a smile. Adrien just hugs Marinette and apologizes. He doesn’t know what he’s apologizing for but Marinette seems to understand.
She offers for Nino to join the hug. All 3 teens just hug it out. Sabine takes this moment to phone Mme. Lahiffe and Mlle. Sancoeur informing them something has happened and she suspects the three of them may want to discuss it.
Sabine is correct in her suspicion. All three of them tell their respective parent or guardian what happened with Lila. Nathalie seems upset by this. She agrees to tell M. Agreste right away. Sabine and Tom look struck and in complete disbelief. Who would hurt their daughter so terribly? Why would they do something so awful? Sabine looks angry and devastated. Mme. Lahiffe’s temper flares and she fixes her Shayla.
Mlle.Sancoeur, Mme. Lahiffe and Mme.Cheng all walk to the school, tempers hot and vindication hotter. They walked in a way that would only be described as a walk to kill Ladybug and Chat Noir themselves. People moved out of their way.
The three women walked into Francois DuPont like they owned the bitch. They went straight up to M. Damocles’s office and told him, their children would be pulled out of school immediately. Damocles faltered, why were they pulling their children? That's what he had wanted to ask, but fear prevented him from doing so. Damocles simply nodded and readied the paperwork.
The women chatted amongst themselves, asking how their days were so far and how life was going. They also chatted about how cruel Lila Rossi was. Damocles didn't bother adding input into their conversation. He finished the paperwork and handed them their respective packets. They thanked him curtly and Sabine wasn't done yet. She went to Marinette's old classroom and smiled as Bustier allowed her in. Sabine radiated kindness but her smile was plastered on.
"Attention, you all lose your friends and family discount from the bakery, pay in full or don't come to our shop anymore. Good day." Sabine exited curtly. Mme.Lahiffe glared daggers at Alya, the girl who chose someone over her boyfriend and best friend. Nathalie and Sabine looked at the class with disdain. All hell broke loose afterward. Who the hell did she think was?
The three left complete chaos in their wake. They walked back to the Boulangerie and Patisserie the same way they walked to the school like they were going to kill Ladybug and Chat Noir. Or on a mission to kill God. People moved out of their way, some looking afraid
Adrien went home with Nathalie and Gorilla and quickly made a powerpoint about the school he wanted to attend with Nino and Marinette. He wanted to attend Collège Voltaire. It would bleed into Lycée Voltaire. It was very well known and offered an education better than Francois DuPont. It offered Fencing, Soccer, Rugby, Tennis, and Cycling. All of which had been nothing short of exceptional.
The school also offered an extensive and widely respected music program and offered Chinese as a language option to take. Adrien then took it upon himself to make another powerpoint detailing why Marinette and Nino come with him as well. He concludes that powerpoint with two things: One, Marinette should be considered for an internship and is worthy of one and Two, Nino is someone up and coming in cinematography and photography and could be useful as someone to help on photoshoots and provide younger insight.
Gabriel is impressed by Adrien’s newfound focus towards his extracurriculars and agrees to sponsor Marinette and Nino on the condition that Marinette and Nino are to come to photoshoots and if need be, occasionally model with Adrien. By Friday, all issues are taken care of and the three of them are successfully transferred to Voltaire. Gabriel buys the 3 of them new cell phones with new numbers.
In Marinette’s phone her only contacts are Gabriel, Nathalie, Gorilla, Adrien, Nino, her parents, and Master Fu.
In Nino’s phone his contacts are Gabriel, Nathalie, Gorilla, Adrien, Marinette, and his Mother.
In Adrien’s phone his contacts are Gabriel, Nathalie, Gorilla, Nino, Marinette, and Kagami. Later on, albeit mysteriously, Marinette’s parents and Nino’s mom end up in his contacts.
Monday rolls around and the three of them ready themselves for the new private school. Gorilla picks the three of them up and Marinette provides breakfast for the 4 of them in the car, handing a croissant to Gorilla along with a cup of coffee while she has tea for the three of them in the back. Gorilla makes a noise of thanks towards Marinette. Both boys manage a thank you between their bites of breakfast.
The three of them arrive donned in their uniforms. The boys wearing the same navy blue blazer with a white undershirt beneath and a green plaid tie. Their pants are the same navy blue and they’re wearing the same black dress shoes.
Marinette is wearing the same green plaid as a skirt with knee-high navy blue socks and black mary jane shoes. She wears the same navy blazer and a white undershirt and a black bow tied loosely around the collar of the white shirt. Her hair is pulled into twin buns. This earns her a look of interest from both boys.
“Whoa Mari digging the new hairstyle!” Nino smiles
“What prompted this change Marinette?” Adrien asks curiously.
“My pigtails just didn’t feel right for this anymore. Plus they’re cute!” Marinette chirps happily.
They head inside to meet with the principal, Mlle. D’Arce, who wore a genuine smile. “Welcome to Voltaire! We’re so glad you joined us at our academy!” Mlle. D’Arce said happily. Gwendolyn D’Arce had medium length red hair curled delicately at the ends. She had kind brown eyes and freckles that covered her face and neck. She wore the same blazer as the students with a sunshine yellow pantsuit underneath.
“Allow me to guess your names!” She said with a smile. She pointed to Nino, “You’re… Nino! And that means you’re Marinette!” She laughs gently pointing to Marinette. “And everyone in Paris knows who you are Adrien! Here at Voltaire, we do our best to cater to our students' needs. So those could range from extra tutoring or working at a self-taught pace. We want our students to earn passing marks and excel in their academics.” Mlle. D’Arce says, a smile on her face still.
She hands them their time tables, “Here’s your time tables, kids! Should you have any issues, please ask your class president Mlle. Tsurugi for assistance.” The principal hums the newest Jagged Stone song. Adrien grins upon hearing Kagami attends their new school.
“Alright kiddos, do you have any questions for me?” Principal D’Arce asks.
Marinette raises her hand, “What is your anti-bullying policy here ma’am?” The bluenette asks, uncertainty in her voice. Adrien and Nino wore the apprehensiveness that Marinette felt on their faces.
Principal D’Arce stiffens. “If we learn there is bullying going on, we get both sides of the story and if it is truly abhorrent, immediate expulsion is to take place. We never did find out the reason for your transfer, and there are 30 minutes before class is to begin, perhaps there is a story to be had there.” Her brown eyes shine with curiosity and slight worry.
She leads the three students upstairs to her office and they sit at a table in the corner of the office. The three tell her what had happened and why they had wanted to transfer. Principal D’Arces’ face contorts with disgust and pity.
“That’s horrible! If a teacher who worked here did that, they’d be fired immediately. Where was that girl's doctor's note if truly did have tinnitus? Plus there would be news stories about what events had transpired. Where was your friend's proof?” Gwendolyn D’Arce was disgusted and revolted. (She dedicates her entire life to the lord and savior Jesus Christ and this is the thanks she gets? She might just go climb in a dryer now.)
Marinette starts crying because now even her new principal believes them! A school official believed them! The other three look at Marinette with worry on their faces.
“Are you okay Sunshine?” D’Arce asked, her eyes full of compassion.
Nino and Adrien both hug Marinette.
Soon the tears turn into laughter that was the type of laugh that people have when they’re trying to stop crying. Marinette wipes her tears with the napkin that was given to her by Principal D’Arce.
“Yes ma’am, I’m feeling a little better now,” Marinette answered honestly.
The redheaded principal smiles upon hearing that. “Good, It appears class has started, come along, I’ll walk you three to your homeroom.” D’Arce takes the three students to the classroom. The three are all apprehensive and wary about this new step, a sense of dread overtaking the three of them, anxiety wrapping itself around the three of them like a snake.
“M. Crowley, here are your newest students. Adrien Agreste, Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Nino Lahiffe. Students, please listen, in this school, Adrien is not some model. He is a student just like the rest of you and it’s expected you treat him as such.” D’Arce said.
The principal was met with a chorus of “Yes ma’am” from the students in the class. The seating was in tables of four. Kagami sat by herself, so the three of them joined her at her table. Marinette waved awkwardly at Kagami.
“Tsurugi-san, please forgive how rude I was to you before. I’m sorry for how I treated you before.” Marinette said, head bowed in apology. She felt horribly for how she treated Kagami. “Lift your head, Marinette. I forgive you. Adrien had told me happened at your old school, I’m sorry that happened to all three of you. Marinette, I would like to start on a new page. Hello, I’m Kagami Tsurugi, my friends call me Kagami.” Kagami said, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“Hello, Kagami, My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. My friends call me Mari.” Marinette said with a small smile.
A new voice cut in, “Hello Kagami and Mari, I’m Monsieur Crowley and I teach Philosophy. Let’s get a wiggle on, shall we?” The redheaded professor says amusedly.
Marinette squeaks out an apology, and M. Crowley laughs at that. “Relax, I’m not mad! Just don’t let it become a problem okay? I wouldn’t want to move anyone’s seats.” The class groaned in unison. No one wanted that, simply because he once moved people's seats to be by people who didn’t get along or didn’t talk all that well.
Suddenly a small and chubby man with a mess of platinum blond hair in blue and beige wearing a tartan bow tie comes rushing in. “Crowley! Oh, it’s dreadful! One of my books fell apart and I can’t fix it! Would you happen to have an extra copy of ‘Titus Andronicus’?” The blond-haired, blue-eyed man looked a mess.
“Angel, I’m busy currently, but if you really must know, yes I do have an extra copy. Shelf by Kagami and Mari, it’s on the 4th shelf from the bottom. Should be on the left-hand side. I’ll pop on by later to see what can be salvaged.” Crowley sighed, looking at the other professor adoringly.
“Oh, new students! Hello there! I’m Monsieur Azira Fell or simply M. Fell. I teach Shakespearean literature! I hope I'll be seeing at least one of you in my class! I do apologize for interrupting your lesson! It’s all tickety-boo currently. Aha! There it is! Thank you, My Dear! I’ll be seeing you for lunch!” M. Fell says retreating with the newer copy of Titus Andronicus.
The look of adoration fell once he heard ‘tickety-boo’ leave M. Fells's mouth. “Tickety-boo? Angel no one says that!” M. Crowley called out after M. Fell. The three newcomers are still processing everything that just happened.
Crowley sighed and smoothed his all-black ensemble and adjusted his sunglasses. “Let’s begin. Yesterday we discussed Plato...” The lesson started and the three students were still wary by all the attention that came with being the new kids. Marinette began writing down things they were instructed to write down and then her mind began to wander. She wondered if anyone was missing Nino and Adrien.
After a while, the bell had rung and the next class was soon to begin. The 3 of them had the same schedule per Gabriel's request. It would make it easier if all 3 were needed for photoshoots. The 3 packed up their stuff and Marinette walked between the two of them holding their hands. Because she didn’t want to get lost.
Their next class was Chinese with Mlle. Soleil. It was self-paced and while Adrien excelled, Nino and Marinette struggled. They were very glad she was informed beforehand and was eager to help the two students.
The class comes and goes like the tide being pulled by the moon and soon enough they’re onto Shakespearean Lit with the funny teacher from earlier. Adrien is surprised to see Wayhem there. He never spoke about where he went to school when they emailed.
Wayhem saved the three newbies seats and thus began Shakespearean lit. Marinette noted a Tumblr post on the wall in a frame that had “Willy Shakes” in the text. He also had a poster of Shakespearean insults. Marinette likes that one a lot. The three very quickly realized M. Fell greatly loved Shakespeare and that the job chose him. Marinette had a newfound appreciation for Shakespearean literature and it quickly became her favorite class.
After Shakespearean Lit came Maths class. Adrien was excited for Maths while Marinette and Nino were admittedly not. After Maths came lunch and Gorilla picked the three up and they went to dine at La Palette for lunch.
They had a 1 hour lunch period and took it in stride, adoring the food they ate. Adrien paid for the meal and tomorrow Nino was paying because Adrien was nice and as much as Nino and Marinette enjoyed the expensive food, they felt bad for him covering their meals. On Wednesday, Marinette was making the three of them lunch she decided.
Marinette took it upon herself to chat with Gorilla and discovered they both loved old superheroes. Adrien smiled at the scene, Marinette's kindness knew no bounds. She learned that his name was Gustav Piccard but he didn’t mind the nickname given to him. 30 minutes before classes began, the 3 got into the car and headed back to Voltaire.
Nino smiles at the two of them, looking adoringly at this scene. Gorilla smirked to himself and knows he’s winning the bet with Nathalie. Those 50 euros were as good as his. The two made the bet that the three kids had feelings for each other and that one of them would realize it by the end of the school year. Nathalie had her money on Marinette but Gorilla had his money on Nino. Adrien, for a lack of better words, was denser than osmium.