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Alya, Marinette, and Chloé, a trio no-one could have expected to get along, were huddled on Alya’s bed scrolling through Instagram as Chloé got exponentially more outraged at each ‘see this *insert realistic looking every day object* well it’s actually cake *cuts it with knife and gives you trust issues*’ videos.
“Don’t you dare, DON’T YOU DARE!” the blonde screeched at the screen which displayed a Dorito’s bag seconds away from being revealed to be a cake. #exposed.
Alya snatched her phone away, fully expecting her incoming swing and pushed her to the floor. “Nope.” She snickered, cradling her dear phone.
Marinette gave them both a Cheshire Grin, “You know I can make one of those.”
“Don’t even think about it, Dupain-Cheng.”
Marlena walked past the girls’ room, she knew it was really only her daughter’s but the other two spent so long in there that they could claim it for themselves if they wanted to. She would be lying if she said that she had never worried that the landlord would try to count them as tenants.
Hearing the doorbell, Marlena hurried over to it, avoiding the obstacles that were her troublemaking twins.
“Nino, it’s wonderful to see you again, come on in.”
The boy rubbed his hand behind his neck and smiled, “Thanks Mme Césaire.”
“Please, call me Marlena or Alya’s mum if you must, Mme Césaire just makes me feel so old.” Laughing slightly, Nino agreed and made his way over to where he knew his friends and girlfriend would be.
Bursting in, he immediately jumped into action, trying, and failing, to help Alya restrain the yelling blonde as Marinette taunted her with threats to make a cake.
“Dupain-Cheng, if you make a single cake, I will assume you’re cake and cut you in half!”
“Wait dudette, are you talking about the ‘everything is actually cake’ thing, because I have something that might just make all your days.”
Crowding around Nino’s phone, he showed them a thread of someone calling on people to eat the rich using crazy but admittedly fun logic to explain why. Nino continued to scroll, pointing out the ‘they might be cake’ argument.
“I mean that would explain why Agreste Sr never leaves the house, he’s getting his frosting touched up.” Alya reasoned.
Marinette giggled adding, “And how his hair does that… thing.”
“And why Agreste Jr has no spine.” All it took was one too many snide remarks from Lila, and Chloé, of all people, standing up for Marinette for Alya to realise her bestie was right all along and give up on her classmates. Nino, on the other hand, had some faith, especially in his ‘bro’ but after he spouted his ‘high road’ speech and Nino had realised his friend would never see the damage the liar was doing, he joined the growing ‘my classmates share one brain cell and I can’t seem to find the one who has it’ club.
“I could get behind this, you know, protest outside the Agreste mansion. My parent’s hotel, do you think Kagami would mind if we go against her mum?”
“To be honest, that sounds like an awesome plan. And she will be leading the charge.” Nino agreed.
“Now all we need is to raise an army.”
“Leave it to me.” Marinette’s smirk sent shivers down their spines.
*
Alya didn’t know what she was expecting when she received a video titled ‘let them eat cake (read – the rich)’ from an anonymous sender, but a video of Ladybug calling on Paris to protest against the Agrestes, Bourgeoises and Tsurugis (but not their children as they didn’t own the businesses) due to a deep corruption in each of their companies alongside a very detailed and almost obsessive list of research into what the companies had done wrong (underpaid workers, bad conditions, harassment at work etc) was not it.
Despite her initial shock, the reporter didn’t waste anytime in posting the video alongside an itinerary of when and where.
“Marinette!” Alay yelled over her phone.
“Alya please, a little quieter.” Even though they weren’t in the same room, Alya could practically see the smug expression Marinette definitely wore.
“How did you get that video?”
“I’m a little luckier than the average person.”
“And that research?”
“I know a god.” Alya huffed, she wasn’t getting anything out of her, at least she had admitted to sending the video.
“Can I use your ‘god’ for research in the future?”
“Sure, just give them credit?”
“Which would be?” The whole conversation felt suspiciously illegal to Alya.
“Stinky Sock.” What? Alya shook her head, her best friend had only gotten more mysterious lately, but she wasn’t complaining about this scoop. She quickly began writing scathing articles on the three companies that would make Lois Lane proud, prepared to reveal the true nature of Paris’ richest families, while leaving Chloé and Kagami out of it.
*
“Marinette.”
The girl in question was sewing a banner at her desk, and seemingly oblivious to her Kwami’s efforts to reach her.
“Marinette!”
“Hm? Yes Tikki?”
The Kwami giggled at her users bewildered look and flittered over to her.
“Alya is a reporter.”
“Yes, and?”
“And she is your best friend.”
“Yes, and?”
“And she knows you better than anyone.”
“Yes, and?”
“And you keep giving hints that you are Ladybug.”
“Yes, and?”
“And she is going to figure you out.”
“Pftt, no.”
Marinette was still laughing, in a way some might call hysterically, at Tikki’s ‘joke’ when she arrived in class, though it died down quickly once she figured out the scene in front of her.
Lila, standing on Bustier’s desk, was rallying the class (some of whom were recording) to go after the children of the three millionaires Paris was currently preparing to fight as well as their parents. Adrien was trying, and failing, to quiet her down all whilst giving Alya his best ‘disappointed’ look.
Marinette was suddenly very glad that Chloé had been transferred to Kagami’s school. Not that she wouldn’t find out about this, Lila Rossi had become Paris’s newest sensation, even Ladybug had no chance of talking down the people now.
*
Alya cleared her throat, “We need to call this off.”
“Yeah, I know I’ve never been the nicest person, and I probably deserve what’s coming but I’m kinda scared, I was looking through the comments on LB’s video and-” Chloé shivered.
“Dudette, you do not deserve what Lila is telling them to do,” Nino jumped in before the girl could spiral, “I mean yeah you were mean, and rude, and downright horrid-”
“But you aren’t like that anymore.” Alya gave her boyfriend a small glare before turning to Chloé, “I mean you publicly apologised to the whole of Paris and donated like your whole trust fund to mental health institutions for Akuma victims.”
“It doesn’t matter anyway,” Marinette cut in. “Lila holds too much sway, all we can do now is try to get Chloé, Kagami and, ugh, Agreste Jr to safety.”
“Do we have to save adrikins?” Alya and Nino nodded in agreement with Chloé’s whined question, all three turning to Marinette with matching pouts.
“Yes, we have to save adrikins Chlo, no Alya, don’t give me that look, Nino no, no not the puppy dog eyes, no, I’m leaving, Chlo let go, ALYA! Nooooooooo let mee leave we are good people, we have toooooo, Chlo you were just as bad as him once upon a time and you get better, imagine if we had left you to… no Ninoooooooooo, we are fighting injustice hereeee, violence isn’t ahhhhhhh heeeeelpppppp-”
*
Chloé ran around her room, stuffing her gym bag with anything she decided was useful all the while seething with anger. This was meant to be a peaceful protest against people who hurt others for no good reason and instead thanks to Lila, it’s turned into… this!
She jumped slightly when she heard a distant bang, while most people had stuck to the streets protesting against the billionaires of the city and their ways some, aka Lila’s mob and idiots who just want violence, had decided to attack the Tsurugi, Agreste and Bourgeoise’s homes.
Sooon Chloé found herself running down the servant stairs in a hope to get out the building before Lila got in. She had decided against warning her parents, in her mind they deserved what was coming.
“Chloé!” At the sound of her name, she began to panic, she had thought that the kitchen would be a safe way out bu-
“Chloé, it’s just me, Alya’s mum, follow me, I’ll help you get out.”
*
Ladybug sighed, watching the storm on the Agreste mansion with bored eyes, this is not what she had wanted.
She wasn’t worried about Adrien, she knew that he could escape but she still held enough love for her partner to want to make sure he was safe. And a black dot jumping out of a window was all the confirmation she needed. Next stop: The Grand Paris.
*
Marinette, fell to the floor in quiet despair. Her room was empty. Her closet looked ransacked and her parent’s hotel was full of people who only were here for some twisted revenge. She was gone. Maybe forever. And it was all her fault.
“Chloééééé.” She wailed into her hands as Tikki tried to calm the poor girl down.
“Yes?” Came a snooty voice.
“I can still hear her voice.” Marinette blubbered.
“What?”
Another sob came from the mess on the ground behind The Grand Paris, “Her ghost is just as whinyyyy!” She began crying louder.
“What the- Marinette! Get up off the disgusting ground!”
The girl in question sniffled and wiped her snotty nose on the back of her hand, “Chloé?”
“Ew. Just ew.”
“You’re alive!” She jumped up and enveloped her blonde friend in a bear hug.
“Get off me, maribrat!”
Marinette smiled, “I was really worried Chlo.”
“Yeah me too. So,” Chloé straightened up, “Let’s go save Kagami.” She smirked at Marinette’s eager smile.
*
Marinette faltered in her step as she walked behind Chloé, Alya and Nino. How was she going to save Kagami without these guys finding out her identity?
“You okay Nette?” Nino asked, worry creasing his normally strangely smooth face, she never understood that.
“We’re gonna save ‘gami don’t you worry.”
“Yeah even if that sword wielding b- uhh friend of ours probably doesn’t need us to escape.”
Marinette nodded and continued walking as Chloé and Alya began to bicker about Kagami’s claim that Ladybug preferred her to Queen Bee, apparently Chloé hadn’t gotten over that yet.
*
Nino and Marinette sprinted through the undergrowth, leaping over any fallen branches in their way. “You will forever be remembered for your sacrifice,” Nino whispered into the wind. Tears stinging his eyes at the thought of his girlfriend and friend’s remains.
“We can’t give in now, not after-” Marinette’s voice hitched, as it became too much for her.
“I know what you mean dudette. We must keep going, it’s what they would have wanted.” A lone tear slipping down his face.
Chloé sighed as she dusted off her clothes, no longer immaculate after being used as a stepping stool so her idiots of friends could get over the fence, “We’re not dead you morons.”
“Go, you’re wasting time, we’ll meet you by the Seine.” Alya added her two cents.
Nino and Marinette nodded, dangerous glints in their eyes. They were going to save Kagami, no matter what it took. They once more began running through the Tsurugi gardens towards the towering mansion. And they had almost made it when they ran into a guard.
“Shoot, I thought they would all be distracted by Lila’s mob.” Nino took of his cap. “Here, go, save your princess, I’ll distract the guard. Don’t forget me Nette, never forget me.”
Marinette stared at the cap, bewildered, “She’s not my princess.” But it was too late. He was gone. She was alone. And now she had nothing to lose.
Pulling her hair into a ponytail and slipping it through the cap, Marinette began the dangerous journey to the window of her friend.
Grabbing a pebble, Marinette launched it at the window on the second story. She had another aimed and ready when the window opened. Marinette dropped the stone and brought her hands up to her mouth, “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!”
A head popped out the open window, “It’s not nearly long enough for that Mar- uh Flynn, here catch my bag.” Marinette held her arms out to catch the bag, promptly falling backwards under the sudden weight.
She heard the crunch of gravel under feet and a hand came into view. “I’m supposed to be the one helping you, ‘Gami.”
“I like the hat.” Kagami responded as she pulled the now blushing girl to her feet.
“Hey dudettes, stop flirting and follow me, we have to get out, now!”
“We weren’t flirting.” Marinette whispered. Kagami simply raised an eyebrow and followed their retreating friend, hand still in Marinette’s.
*
“Nette, can I have my cap back, I feel vulnerable without it.”
“No.”
“I lay my heart in the open and you just don’t care.”