#Mylène for size

[makotoscoffee]

this tipsy selfie kind of ate

[artzychic27]

Now… Class of villainy headcanons

Alya keeps falling into trap doors. It’s so weird

Marc and Lacey each have four hour beauty regimens that no one is to disturb under any circumstances

Nathaniel, out of the goodness of his heart has invited nearly every hero student at school to his home in Wonderland… Only to have Alya and Marc slip something in their tea, they fall asleep, and wake up an hour later in an arena where they’ll engage in combat for the villains’ amusement

Don’t tell anyone, but Ismael and Alix are scared of cucumbers

Every Friday, the villains gather in Ivan and Denise’s room for Casino Night

It always ends with Sabrina threatening to gouge someone’s eyes out, Nathaniel crushing one of the skulls with his bare hands, Kim having WAY too much cranberry juice and losing at the slot machine, and Simon besting everyone at poker

Rose glitches when she’s angry or nervous, and everyone swears they caught a glimpse of an old video game character

The hero and neutral students have noticed that some of their woodland friends have gone missing when they leave the school to feed them. When they saw Kim and Ondine modeling some fur coats made by Marinette, they felt sick to their stomachs

Denise’s shadows often help them cheat on tests

Kiran, Manon, and Chris show the most promise as future villains, and to further their training, Ivan has them go out to handle some… “Business” of his

This includes kidnapping his enemies, slipping poisonous spiders into peoples beds, finding out the worst fears of children their age, and more kidnapping

They ride around in a bathtub with legs

Myléne and Marc think Kiran’s crush on Sasha is adorable while Ivan doesn’t like it one bit

Out of all the Villain students, Damocles is the most terrified of Ivan. Yes, Juleka can turn into a dragon and Marc and Nathaniel have guards to do their bidding, but they never kidnapped and tortured him through song!

Marc would rather have bags under his eyes than let any sort of harm come to his brother. Yes, he can easily stab people three times his size, but he’s still only a child and is much safer in his mirror brooch

Nathaniel ADORES his hedgehogs and treats them as if they were his children, even going so far as to kiss them

Marinette respects Cosette enough to not make anything out of wool… It didn’t end well for her the last time

Reshma, Jean, Sabrina, Chloé, and Marinette’s shopping sprees consist of threatening shop owners and robbing high-end jewelry stores

Adrien likes to turn into his snake form and wrap himself around Luka, Marinette, and Kagami

Denise will always make time in their schedule to flirt with Simon and get him flustered to the point he starts praying

Even villains have standards

Mireille and Juleka are very warm, so during the winter seasons, the other villains are not above using them for warmth

Kim always keeps a crossbow handy when he comes across a hybrid student. Only to have it slapped out of his hand by either Alix or Ismael

If anyone’s gonna attack the other hybrids, it’s gonna be them

Cosette lives on coffee and will make your life a living hell if you take the last pot. It also has fifteen different mugs which may or may not have been gifts from its friends

Due to the stress of trying to maintain her looks, Lacey’s developed a small grey streak in her hair

Mylène occasionally all the time smacks books and lunch trays out of hero students hands with her tentacles

Many of the hero students have tried to poison Marc in order to end his reign, but he’s immune to just about every single poison that exists

Lacey is the best hairstylist at the scho, so, naturally the Villains trust her to touch up their hair. She’s got everyone’s usual treatments and products all memorized

Lila, Félix, and Xavier hang out in a secret room in the library none of the villain kids know about. It’s the only place where they can get any peace

Xavier often finds himself being hunted through the halls by Nathaniel with an ax and a crazed look in his eyes

Reshma and Adrien have a schedule on who gets to torment Félix

Lila’s just fair game for anyone

Aurore likes to sneak down to the stables and spook the horses before the students horseback riding lessons

Max has Doc Oc tentacles attached to his backpack in case he doesn’t want to walk or just feels like smacking multiple people

Alya keeps daggers under her dress

Alya: I bet none of you were expecting… THIS! *Starts lifting up the hem of her dress*

Lila/Félix/Xavier: *Screaming and covering their eyes*

Nino: *Blushing* No one look at her!

Alya: AHA! *Lifts it up the rest of the way to reveal a dagger strapped to her thigh*

Nino: *Faints*

Sabrina will punch you if you’re wearing crocodile skin

During class, Kim shoots arrows with flaming arrowheads- courtesy of Juleka- at Mme. Bustier whenever she’s not looking. It always misses her by an inch

Marc’s left several poison apples on her desk, and was naive enough to almost eat one if not for Mme. Mendeleieve smacking it out of her hand

Cosette prints out legal-looking documents to get the class out of doing any assignments Mme. Bustier hands out. It’s amazing how many times she’s fallen for it

Every time Adrien walks past a lamp, he just has to rub it… He only wants to make sure

Mireille can be found in the library writing in books on Greek Mythology in permanent marker on what really happened

@msweebyness @imsparky2002

[msweebyness]

WereMiraculous

So this was inspired by Sparky’s Phantoms of Paris AU!

Here’s the backstory: The pack of DuPont is incredibly rare and often disregarded due to the fact that they are not a blood-related family. Most of them are orphans or abandoned, and they came together as a pack to take care of and look after each other! The pack began with Marinette, Kim and Nino, and grew from there. Here are our wolf children, lmk if you want me to expand with the science kids, theatre kids, etc!

Enjoy! @imsparky2002 @artzychic27

Marinette:

Role: Beta

Bio:

Mated to Adrien, Kagami and Luka

Cautious and a bit nervous, likes to always have a back-up plan

Tends to overwork herself taking care of others

Has trouble holding still, fidgets a lot

Sweet and shy with her mates, always giving comfort and support

Wolf Form: Small and slender, silky bluish-black fur, bluebell eyes, pink heart marking on forehead.

Adrien:

Role: Omega

Bio:

Mated to Marinette, Kagami and Luka

Ray of sunshine, helps the pack to stay positive

A bit naive, sometimes gets into trouble

Welcoming to everyone and loves to make new friends

Gentle and supportive with his mates

Wolf Form: Medium-sized and lean, whispy golden fur, lime green eyes, orange sun marking on forehead.

Alya:

Role: Hunter

Bio:

Mated to Nino

Big sister of the pack, protective and helpful

Very stubborn, struggles to admit she's wrong

Curious, loves to investigate new and mysterious happenings

Wolf Form: Medium-size and lean, wavy auburn fur, amber eyes, red star marking on forehead.

Nino:

Role: Beta (Kim couldn't choose between him and Marinette.)

Bio:

Mated to Alya

Serves as Kim's voice of reason most of the time

Chillest wolf ever, an admitted pacifist

Serves as pack therapist

Supportive of his mate and helps to reel her in

Wolf Form: Medium-size and lean, short dark brown fur, light brown eyes, navy ring marking on forehead.

Max:

Role: Navigator/Strategist

Bio:

Logical and rational, always looks for the reasoning behind things

Plans out the pack's next moves, Kim trusts his judgement

Good with tech, handles most of the pack's information

Not good with understanding emotion, but cares deeply for his pack

Wolf Form: Small and slender, coarse black-brown fur, dark brown eyes, green compass rose marking on forehead.

Alix:

Role: Lead Hunter

Bio:

Stubborn and fierce, quick to jump into a fight

Often challenges Kim's authority, but respects him when push comes to shove

Not trusting of humans or outsiders, takes her time to warm up to new members

Wolf Form: Small but fit, messy reddish-brown fur, electric blue eyes, chartreuse arrow marking on forehead.

Kim:

Role: Alpha

Bio:

Mated to Ondine

Confident, at times to the point of being cocky

Fiercely loyal and protective, will do anything to keep his pack safe, especially his mate. Very loving with Ondine.

Good leader, but can also take suggestions from others

Hates prejudiced humans and bad parents with a burning passion

Wolf Form: Large and muscular, spiky golden brown fur, intense grey eyes, red lightning bolt marking on forehead.

Mylène:

Role: Medic/Caretaker

Bio:

Mated to Ivan

Gentle and kind, always taking care of everyone

Easily shaken, but can stand up for herself when needed

Compassionate towards all people and creatures, hates violence

Respectful of nature

Loving and affectionate towards Ivan, serves as a comfort for him

Wolf Form: Small but sturdy, fluffy wheat colored fur, soft amber eyes, forest green leaf marking on forehead.

Ivan:

Role: Fighter/Guard

Bio:

Mated to Mylene

Gentle giant, until you harm any of his packmates

Doesn't get a lot of sleep, since he watches for threats during the night

Seems gruff, but has a soft heart

Gentle and loving with Mylene, but highly protective

Wolf Form: Huge and bulky, bristly greyish-black fur, dark brown eyes, light grey shield marking on forehead.

Juleka:

Role: Hunter

Bio:

Mated to Rose

Shy and quiet, rarely speaks, but when she does, it's important

Often startles her packmates because they don't hear her coming

A bit of a pessimist

Gets along well with her brother

Highly protective of Rose, sees her as her inspiration

Wolf Form: Large and lean, shaggy jet black fur with violet streaks, deep crimson eyes, purple bass clef marking on forehead.

Rose:

Role: Tracker

Bio:

Mated to Juleka

Bubbly and kind, an uplifting presence for the pack

Surprisingly skilled fighter

Open-hearted and willing to give second chances

Affectionate and sweet with Juleka, helps boost her confidence

Wolf Form: Small and slender, fluffy golden yellow fur, large sky blue eyes, pink flower marking on forehead.

Chloé:

Role: Pack Stylist/Groomer

Bio:

Haughty and vain, very proud of her looks

Can be insensitive and doesn't always acknowledge the feelings of others

Overdramatic when upset

Cares for her pack, even if she doesn't act like it

Wolf Form: Medium-size and slender, silky blonde fur, bright blue eyes, golden crown marking on forehead.

Sabrina:

Role: Scout/New Ambassador

Bio:

Quiet and thoughtful, good at solving problems

Scarily good at gathering intel

A bit timid, respectful of authority

One of the only people able to rein in Chloe

Wolf Form: Small and lean, short ginger fur, blue-green eyes, cyan teardrop marking on forehead.

Nathaniel:

Role: Pack Artist/Lookout

Bio:

Mated to Marc

Reserved and quiet, doesn't show much emotion

Decorates the cave's walls with paintings of important events

A bit snarky

Very protective and loving with his mate, Marc. Will maim anyone who hurts him.

Wolf Form: Small and slender, shaggy bright red fur, deep teal eyes, purple quill marking on forehead.

Marc:

Role: Omega

Bio:

Mated to Nathaniel

Timid and shy, doesn't like confrontation

Very empathetic, and a good listener

Keeps a journal of the pack's exploits

Affectionate and supportive with Nathaniel, makes sure he takes care of himself

Left his old pack to be with Nath, they supported him

Wolf Form: Large but slender, messy jet black fur, emerald green eyes, silver crescent moon marking on forehead.

Ondine:

Role: Alpha's Mate/Pack Mother

Bio:

Mated to Kim

Loving and protective towards the pack, makes sure everyone is okay and accounted for

Sometimes gets annoyed with Kim's protectiveness, but adores him all the same

Bubbly and sweet, keeps the packs' spirits up

Wolf Form: Medium-size and muscular, flowy orange-red fur, warm teal eyes, teal spiral marking on forehead.

Kagami:

Role: Fighter/Guard

Bio:

Stoic and cold, doesn't show a lot of emotion

Always on guard, looking out for threats

Will attack without hesitation to protect her packmates, no matter the situation

Has a rarely seen softer side

Fiercely loyal and protective of her mates

Mated to Marinette, Adrien and Luka

Wolf Form: Small and muscular, short blueish-black fur, intense maroon eyes, crimson sword marking on forehead.

Zoé:

Role: Scout/Ambassador

Bio:

Mated to Cosette

Charismatic and even-tempered, in charge of establishing good relations with other packs

Upbeat and energetic, bonds with people easily

After meeting Cosette, leaves to join the Science Pack

Keeps Chloe in line

Wolf Form: Medium-size and slender, silky goldenrod fur, bright blue eyes, powder blue diamond marking on forehead.

Luka:

Role: Tracker

Bio:

Mated to Marinette, Adrien and Kagami

Mellow and even-tempered, often serves as the mediator of the pack

Can read auras, knows if newcomers are trustworthy or not

Loving and supportive to his mates, serves as a shoulder to cry on

Loves music and has a beautiful, melodic howl

Wolf Form: Medium-size and lean, shaggy silvery-grey fur, cyan eyes, teal treble clef marking on forehead.

Leave thoughts in the comments and reblogs!

[chronicallylatetotheparty]

Ch.3 With a Little Help from My Friends

Alya splashed water on her face and took a deep breath. Sending a silent thanks to Past Alya for deciding against wearing makeup. "It's okay. You're okay. This is for your best friend. She needs a little normal after hiding several life altering secrets from everyone... Again."

Making sure her afro was still in perfect condition Alya gave her reflection the I'm-watching-you gesture for good measure. Before walking back to their booth.

Rose, Zoe and Alix threw back their shots while Marinette cradled hers.

"So why couldn't Mylène come again?" Marinette asked.

"Something something mayoral duties," Alix supplied while refilling her glass.

"I'm sure she would've been here if she could!" Rose held her glass out for Alix to refill.

"Are you sure you should be drinking?" Zoe asked.

Rose stuck her tongue out. "I'm fine! One night out won't kill me, Jules."

Zoe snorted but held her hands up in surrender.

Marinette suddenly downed her shot and also held it out for a refill. "How are things with Juleka?"

"Amazing as always," Rose grinned dreamily. "You'd think she'd get tired of writing songs about me but nope!"

Alix perked up. "There's a new song?"

"Not for you!" Rose preened. "This one's just for the two of us."

"Aww."

Zoe chuckled into her drink as Alix slumped back down.

Rose grinning innocently. "We're even thinking of getting marr...ied..."

Marinette raised a finger at them "No. We're not doing that. We're not walking on eggshells around Marinette," she stated as her eyes reddened. "I've had my cry... Like, five times."

Alya nodded. "It's true. Marinette is an ugly crier." She was pleased with the chuckle that surprised out of Marinette.

Who wiped at her eyes as she took a steadying breath. "Okay, let's have it then."

The others glanced at each other before Zoe began.

"When do you see the kids?"

Alya gave her a glare from behind Marinette's head.

Zoe gestured in a well-what-did-you-expect sort of way.

"Ow." Marinette grabbed her shot and threw it back. "I can visit them this weekend. Ugh, that sounds awful. Hate that."

"It's weird that the court didn't settle on joint custody," Rose thought aloud.

"...Yup! Super weird!" Marinette grinned forcefully.

Alya bumped her shoulder.

"Alright, fine! Adrien wanted the kids with him and I... Have a business to run." Marinette shrugged with her hands.

Zoe grimaced. "Oh that sucks."

Marinette shook her head. "Adrien was already doing most of the parenting. I dug my heels in pretty hard but... He had a point." She stared into her empty glass. "Guess that's why I agreed to it in the end."

Alya bit the inside of her cheek. Don't say it. Don't say it. Don't say it.

"See, this is why I only date women," Zoe joked weakly.

"Objection!" Rose stood up to her full five foot four hight. "I've met the women you've dated! They weren't anything to write home about."

"This is why I don't date," Alix muttered as she refilled everyone's glasses.

"That is not why you don't date!" Marinette countered.

"I don't know what y'all are on about. I've only ever had great dating experiences," Alya interjected.

"I don't want to hear it from someone who's still friends with her exes."

"I'm still friends with my ex! We write letters every month!"

"We know, Rose."

"That's weird for entirely separate reasons."

"Also, we're all friends with our exes here."

"I retract the statement."

"LOL."

"Did you just say 'LOL' out loud?"

"I did and I'll do it again!"

"LOL. Lmao, even."

"I'm surrounded by teenagers."

"It helps that you're the size of one."

"I'll make you the size of one!"

"Girls, girls! No fighting. There'll be plenty of time for that later."

"Wh- Why did she say it like that? Why did you say it like that?"

"So, Alix, how's the protest art going?"

"Don't ignore me!"

"Well it's pissed off a lot of people."

"All according to plan then! Zoe?"

"I'm this close to getting boarding schools outlawed."

"Woohoo!"

"Yeah! Stick it to the man!"

"Alix, she's a millionaire."

"Shhhh. Lemme have this."

"What about you Alya?"

"The life of an intrepid reporter isn't as glamorous as it's made out to be-"

"Wait. When was this glamorized?"

"-but it does have it's moments."

As the night wore on Marinette relaxed into their banter. Her smile appearing less forced. Comebacks more natural.

Just for tonight Alya forgot about what Marinette told her. Just for tonight they weren't Paris' protectors but old friends catching up amid their busy lives.

---------------------

"Girrrls, they wanna have fu-un!"

"Ok, Rose, let's get you home." Zoe gently grabbed her friend by the shoulders and steered her towards the metro.

"No," Rose giggled. "I already have a girlfriend," she slurred. "She's...way prettier than you."

"Oh, you owe me big-time Juleka," Zoe muttered.

"That's her!" Rose exclaimed. "That's my girlfriend!"

"Aww, c'mon! The night's still young!" Alix protested again. "We could hit up our old stomping grounds?"

"The night may be young but we're not," Marinette pointed out. Massaging a kink out of her arm.

"Speak for yourselves!" Alix ran a hand through her pink hair with a sigh. "But, yeah. Just don't let it be another six months before we all go out again! Looking at you millionaire people!"

Zoe gave a thumbs up without turning around.

"Just wanna! Just wan-na-a!"

Marinette giggled before realizing Alix was staring at her. "Oh. Oh! Right, millionaire. That means me too!"

Alya snorted as Alix rolled her eyes.

"Sure, we'll do this again soon."

"I'll hold you to that!" Alix said as she stopped to eye a barren patch of wall.

"Good luck!" Marinette called.

"Don't get caught!" Alya added.

... Alya and Marinette turned a corner into an alley. And after a flash of pink and orange light Ladybug and Rena Rouge leapt over the city rooftops.

"Thanks for this," Marinette said. "You were right. I did need that."

"I usually am..." Alya spun her flute as everything she wanted to say suddenly left her.

Marinette using the phone function of her yo-yo while muttering something about fabrics.

"...C'mon." Alya reached out, grabbed Marinette's hand, and pulled her towards her apartment.

"Huh?"

"You're not staying in that big empty mansion all by yourself," Alya stated.

"Well, actually the second mansion also has a-"

"Nope!" Alya cut her off as they jumped over a street. "You're gonna stay up late, working on some new design. Avoiding all of... this" -she gestured vaguely at Marinette- "and when you finally do go to bed it's gonna hit you all at once! So no. You're sleeping over and you're gonna like it!"

Marinette felt her eyes water as Alya's grip on her hand tightened. "O-okay..."

[ilikekidsshows]

Hello Kwami Guru! How do thou think Mylene would fare with the Tiger Miraculous, and Juleka with the Mouse?

What if Mylène and Juleka swapped Miraculouses? Mylène and Juleka both suffer from a similar problem, where they are both too soft-spoken and shy to accomplish their goals, and their Miraculous picks are meant to aid them in overcoming those difficulties, so I can see where the idea for this swap came from. However, there is a vital difference in how the Mouse and Tiger Miraculouses help them, though.

The Tiger Miraculous is about existing unapologetically. It’s about deserving to take up space and even be loud about it when the need arises. Its power is uncompromising, a powerful strike, an unstoppable force. The point here is brute force, but so much of it that no one can resist.

The Mouse Miraculous is about the strength in numbers but with the addendum that counting always starts from one. When one takes action, others will follow, and the Miraculous offers the “others”. The Miraculous also aids you in taking your opposition by surprise, by allowing you to shrink into an unnoticeable size. It’s very much about subterfuge over brute force.

The Mouse Miraculous grants you confidence, “you can do great things”. The Tiger Miraculous grants you self-worth, “I have the right to be loud”. While Mylène and Juleka could both learn to stand up for themselves from either Miraculous, the symbolism wouldn't be quite so on point and the lessons wouldn't be so obvious.

The thing I'm more concerned about is the suitability of the special ability. While Mylène is shown to be stronger than she looks and so could undoubtedly get some mileage out of Clout, Juleka ending up with the ability to shrink, even if it comes with the bonus of multiplication, is just made to keep her trapped inside negative stereotypes about herself. Juleka's character archetype is called "shrinking violet", after all, and she already has the color scheme. It's basically the same as if the Tiger Miraculous had come with the power of invisibility; it would force Juleka into a battle style where she has to go unnoticed, the opposite of what she wants for herself.

The kwami matching goes the other way around, though. While I don't see any issues with Juleka and Mullo, since Juleka is pretty accepting and can basically roll with anything (in fact, more often she is the oddball in her group of friends), Mylène does not like it when people yell at her. It was the main obstacle keeping her from realizing that Ivan liked her; his volume made her so scared she couldn't focus on what was being yelled. Meanwhile Roaar likes to be loud, so Mylène would have a hard time understanding whatever  Roaar was trying to tell her.

I think you could make it work, but it would require dealing with the main obstacles of Juleka's poor self esteem over going unnoticed specifically as well as Mylène's tendency to lock up when someone raises their voice at her.

[2manyfandoms2count]

I think it's quite neat that both Ivan and Mylène's akumasonas grew in size (one when hit, the other when exposed to fear)

[last-blueknight]

"The Little Mouse with the Big Heart"

// Miraculous Kaiju AU //

Mylène Haprèle is a normal girl of short stature and somewhat frightened, but when the city of NeoEurope is threatened by the appearance of giant monsters, she becomes Titania, a being of enormous size with enormous power and unquestionable courage that faces these beasts without hesitation.

She is the only daughter of Helena Haprèle, one of the most important biological scientists in the world, and the one in charge of studying these monsters of unknown origin in order to secretly develop a serum that would allow a normal human to mutate into a gigantic entity of great power. .

It would be precisely the day of the serum test when the city would be attacked by one of these monsters and Dr. Helena's laboratory would be the focus of attention.

Mylène would find out about this and go to the rescue but when she arrived everything was destroyed, the young girl found her injured mother under the rubble of hers who asked her to use the serum to help the city.

Mylène accepted even doubting herself, Helena gave her the serum that she should ingest and a supernatural amulet in the form of a pendant that should help her later with her powers.

When ingesting the liquid Mylène mutated into a gigantic humanoid with superhuman strength and a courageous character that allowed her to face the monsters, once the battle was over, a creature called mullo came out of the pendant, which would help her return to her normal size using his unique powers.

From that day on, the monsters would repent of terrorizing humanity, because their protector had been born.

[mcheang]

Lila looks through Marinette bag and steals Tikki thinking she's a doll. She wants to pass Tikki off as a gift from Ladybug to the class. Tikki gets back at Lila. Bonus: Adrien, and Chloe both recognize Tikki and both figure out that Marinette is Ladybug. Chloe redemption.

What a lovely surprise

No bonus

Lila was planning to steal Marinette’s phone. Instead she found a Ladybug doll and lots of sweets. Wow...baker girl needs to lay off the candy.

Well, if she can’t have Marinette’s phone, she might as well steal her doll. Who even keeps dolls at their age?

It would be so easy to humiliate Marinette for her baby toy. But that wasn’t Lila’s style. She liked a challenge.

Cue Tikki overhearing Lila’s plan to pass her off as a gift from Ladybug.

As if.

While Lila was bragging about the present Ladybug gave her and how she adores it, Tikki escapes after making sure there was something left behind that could substitute her weight and size.

As Lila opened her bag to her eager listeners, out crawled out a swarm of ladybugs.

Now, the miraculous cure is seen as a red wind, you don’t really feel the sensation of crawling legs, nor can you closely see the swarm of ladybugs.

But this...a mass of red bugs...is just gross.

Everyone screamed, even Lila. She squealed and jumped, flinging her bag far from her. “Get it off me! Get it off me!”

Kim: Wth!!!

Alya: what kind of present was that?

Adrien: Ladybug would never give that as a present. Besides, I think Lila is just as surprised as the rest of us.

Lila: of course I’m surprised! That was not the present. It was a toy Ladybug! Not a swarm of ladybugs.

Turning to glare at Marinette. “Did you do this?”

Alya: why would Marinette do this?

Lila: I saw her admiring my toy and we all know Marinette has a habit of stealing phones. Check her purse.

Tikki quickly phased out of the purse.

Everyone just saw candy.

Kim: can I have the chocolate bar?

Rose: Lila, you need to apologize to Marinette!

Lila gritted her teeth. “I’m sorry.”

Alya: but who stole Lila’s toy and replaced it with...ladybugs?

Alix:...maybe the surprise was like a lucky charm. Able to burst into ladybugs?

Max: a little warning would have been nice

Alya: I don’t think so. Ladybug would never do this to her best friend. Someone must have stolen the real gift and replaced it with this...loveliness....

Horrible word for a group of ladybugs that creep the hell out of you. Thank god they were flying off already.

Mylène: but how could someone transfer that much ladybugs? No way.

Adrien: maybe Ladybug sent them as a warning.

He had advised Marinette to leave Lila alone and she had agreed. Adrien didn’t believe for a second Marinette would prank Lila. But for Lila to go after her, maybe she had stolen from Marinette and was trying to frame her now for something gone wrong.

Careful with his wording, Adrien sweetly said, “after all, on our first day, Lila told me she had important things to tell me about Ladybug. But then who showed up but Lady Luck herself, scolding Lila for just announcing ‘their best friend relationship’ to the world. We all know how Ladybug likes her privacy. I don’t think your best friend is happy with you, Lila.”

Adrien’s words worked. Ladybug did value her privacy...but for her to send such a créepy warning to her best friend just didn’t add up. Unless...

Nino: are you even best friends with Ladybug?

Ivan: you don’t have any proof. Ladybug herself never said so. You are as much Ladybug’s self-proclaimed best friend as Chloé is!

Chloé filed her nails, not bothering to raise her head. “Except everyone knows Ladybug trusts me with a miraculous. But can Lila say she is Rena Rouge when we know she is Volpina?”

Lila scrambled to regain control. “Of course I’m Rena! Volpina was my akumatized form.”

Alya: except weren’t you supposed to be in Achu during Heroes’ Day?

Lila: Pegasus brought me back.

Max: Pegasus didn’t even show up for battle. Logic would agree Ladybug would have wanted as much heroes as possible against Scarlet Moth’s army.

Juleka: not to mention, Chloé wasn’t exactly Ladybug’s first choice for a bee heroine. Accidents happen. But we all know Ladybug would want a hero who could keep a secret. And no offense Lila, but you suck at them.

Rose: not that we don’t enjoy celebrity gossip.

Alix: if they were ever true.

Lila saw she was being cornered and immediately burst into fake tears and ran away.

Kim: so to be clear, we’re not going to believe Lila anymore, right?

Alix: yup.

Max: affirmative

Marinette: finally

Lila came back with Ms Bustier, who scolded the class for bullying Lila. The class protested that Lila was a liar

Bustier: oh so you didn’t corner her until she burst out crying?

Alya: she accused Marinette of stealing some toy but Marinette was innocent! She’s been lying to us about everything!

Bustier: now, Lila, you can’t just accuse people without evidence.

Lila: she’s jealous of me!

Bustier: that’s not evidence.

Lila continued to sob.

Bustier sighed, “Perhaps I should call your mother and ask her to take you home.”

The tears miraculously vanished. “No. I don’t want to be a bother. I am a grown girl. I can handle my own problems.”

Bustier: good. Now class, turn to chapter 7....

Ivan: hey if Lila was lying about everything, doesn’t that mean she was playing truant?

Bustier: interrupting is rude, Ivan. Besides, I have her mother’s signed note and emails

Max: how do you know those are not forged and fake?

Nathaniel: did you even call Mrs Rossi to confirm?

Bustier: is that really necessary?

Sabrina: if you didn’t do that, you would be breaking protocol and would be held partially responsible for not doing your job

Bustier: this is ridiculous. Class is in session now, not court.

Chloé: I wonder if the school board would be interested in making an inspection of the akuma class.

Everyone turned to stare at Chloé.

Marinette: you do remember that you cause most akumas right?

Chloé shrugged. “If I’m the bad seed, then Ms Bustier is the one who watered the evil tree.”

Adrien: i thought you liked Ms Bustier

Chloé: that was before she ignored Lila sexually harassing you!

Nino: what?

Adrien: i wouldn’t say harass...

Chloé: you also wouldn’t say your father was an overprotective control freak who neglects you emotionally

Cue silence as Adrien sputters and the class agrees with Chloé.

Chloé: since you would accuse me and Dupain-Cheng for being biased.... illustrator, when Lila touches Adrien, is Adrien standing tall or leaning away.

Nathaniel: he was leaning away. Lila does seem to have no concept of personal boundaries

Marinette: why didn’t you stop her then?

Nathaniel shrugged. “I told Lila off in private. And it was just one time. I never saw her doing it again because Adrien doesn’t always stand close to her.”

Sabrina: I have the photos to prove Adrien minds Lila invading his space.

Chloé: so Miss Liar is guilty of deception, truancy, and sexual harassment. And is our favorite teacher honestly going to wait for an inspector to yell at her for not doing her job?

Under the pressuring stares, Bustier broke. “Fine. Lila, go to the principal’s office.”

Chloé: who says she’ll obey?

Bustier: Marinette, go with Lila.

Marinette: but she always twists my words!

Alya: why can’t Chloé go? The principal always listens to her

Chloé: I’m busy.

Marinette: what happened to doing this for Adrien?

Chloé: ugh. Fine. You people are ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous and hopeless without me.

Lila promptly got expelled. Her mother was called. The usual punishments happen. Even as Lila pointed out the principal was biased, the evidence of Chloe’s accusations were undeniable.

Later, Marinette asked what all that was about.

Tikki: oh she stole me so I had decided to teach her a lesson. Don’t mess with ladybugs.

At Agreste Mansion,

Adrien: so if you felt like it, you could summon a clowder of cats?

Plagg: yup. Much more preferable than actual plagues. Of course the target would be scratched and bitten by many wild cats, but this is already much more merciful than my previous punishments for offenders.

[maniacwatchestheworld]

Out of everything that I expected to see today, an episode of Miraculous Ladybug that spends most of its time critiquing Capitalism while also giving kids an idea of what protest movements can look like was certainly not on the list! Can't say that I dislike it though! Made my heart go doki doki in appreciation. Also holy shit Mylène is SO freaking cute using the mouse miraculous! And having her on the team really does help the diversity of their body types! A plus sized superheroine in Miraculous Ladybug? YES PLEASE!

Bacially, Mega Leech good.

[onlyganymede]

Wedding Band

Wow! First time doing an LBSC sprint challenge... 

I picked the prompt “Tan lines”, and I literally just finished editing and sprinting (I did all three rounds in one go) right now. 

Also on ao3. @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers

Marinette brushed her fringe out of the way. She was sweating, trying to pry open boxes and lift things and just be helpful. Mylène and Ivan had just moved into a new house, and while several people had agreed to help them move in, it turns out that most of them had meant that they were willing to throw a housewarming party. As for the actual moving in part—Marinette appeared to be the only one, outside of Mylène’s stoic cousin and two of Ivan’s coworkers from his fancy new job. She didn’t envy his city planning, or civil engineering, or whatever it was that he was doing. But she supposed a friendly work environment was something she was a little jealous of.

She worked to heave another large box inside from Mylène’s car (it had a lot of trunk space), and satisfied herself that she hadn’t been left with all of the easy stuff. She may be small, but she could pack quite a punch. She could lift stuff. Size was no indicator of Marinette Dupain-Cheng’s strength.

“Marinette! I’d like that over in here!” Ivan called from the next room over.

“Sure thing,” she said, walking carefully until she saw him and he relieved her arms of the box’s burden.

He set down the box and sighed, looking about. Ivan looked happy. She was glad. Moving out of the Paris city proper was nothing to scoff at. A quieter life had always seemed to suit the pair.

“How about some water? Or other refreshment? I’ve got beer, popsicles…” Ivan led her to the kitchen, where indeed the fridge was sparsely stocked with only  beverage and frozen treats.

“I’ll have a popsicle.”

Ivan handed her one, red, sure to be strawberry or cherry or something that wouldn’t be fruity so much as color, and she unwrapped it. He ducked out to go offer to everyone else, since they were working out how to get the washer and dryer through the doorway, and he thought they deserved a break too.

Marinette had just achieved a brain freeze when both Mylène and Ivan squealed in delight.

“Jules! Luka! So good of you to come!” Marinette heard Mylène say.

“Oomph!” That was Luka, probably receiving a bone-crushing hug from the hostess.

Juleka ducked into the kitchen with Ivan and Mylène’s stoic cousin, her eyebrows briefly flickering up in surprise to see Marinette there, sucking languidly on a popsicle.

“Hi Marinette. Long time no see,” she greeted.

Marinette nodded, swallowing. “Nice to see you too! How’s, y’know, life?” She gestured vaguely.

Ivan handed Juleka a beer, and cracked one open for himself as the stoic cousin filled a cup with tap water from the sink.

“Oh it’s been great. Rose and I, we’re in Germany now, but we’re planning on moving to Amsterdam next spring.” Juleka gave her a sideways glance. “Did you know she’s planning on proposing to me?”

Marinette shook her head no. “She’s seemed the type to do it, but I haven’t really been great at keeping in touch.”

Juleka smiled, taking a swig of her beer. “Little does she know I’ve also been plotting something.”

Luka walked in, Mylène in tow. “What’re you plotting, Jules?” His eyes locked on Marinette’s, and his expression seemed to flicker. “Hey, Marinette, how are you?”

That was decidedly less energetic than his conversation with Mylène had been, more uncertain, something like calm, but she’d take it.

Juleka pointedly ignored Luka to sidle up to Mylène instead.

“Oh, good. You know, designing career is picking up, and all of that. You?”

Marinette was distantly aware of the way the popsicle was melting down her fingers, and was grateful when Mylène suddenly opened the back porch door, and some of the party filtered out. She followed, Luka at her side.

His hair was wet, and his clothes were damp. But he didn’t smell of sweat like her. Nor of river water, as she might expect from his life on the houseboat. It was chlorine.

“I’ve been catching shifts as a lifeguard,” he explained. “Sorry about the pool smell.”

“It’s alright,” Marinette said. Another wave of brain freeze hit, and she with drew the popsicle, which had her fingers and lips a sticky red mess. This was terrible. She was a disaster, unable to even eat properly.

Luka got handed a beer, and then another, as Ivan made his rounds. One for him, one for her. This break was determined to be longer than ten minutes. Marinette didn’t mind. The day was warm and the company was good.

She was fine, seeing Luka now. Until she glanced at his hand, the one holding her beer for when she was done with her messy popsicle, and saw his ring finger. Somewhere in Luka’s work as a lifeguard, he had probably gotten his tan, that was to be expected. But here… there were tan lines around where a wedding band should be. Where one apparently did sit, if Luka wasn’t in the pool or about to help lift heavy objects.

So much for reconnecting. Marinette had always hoped that one day, she’d see him again, and that one day, she’d be able to work up the nerve to flirt, to take chances.

“You good?” He asked, aware that her mind had gone elsewhere.

“Oh! Yeah, I’m fine. You know how it is! Brain freezes!” Marinette defended.

Luka’s eyes only sparkled with mirth. “Right, right.”

“Um, if you don’t mind my asking,” Marinette bit down on the popsicle this time, and quickly licked up the trails of red juice before continuing, “who…?” She indicated the tan lines. The spot where his wedding band should’ve been.

“Who…?” Luka’s brow was furrowed, not processing. She knew he wasn’t teasing, Luka never would. Marinette was about to clarify, to tell him that she didn’t know he was married, when—

“Oh. Oh!” Luka exclaimed, coming to the realization about what she was asking. “I’m not actually married,” his cheeks grew warm, “it’s just that sometimes when I’ve been on tour, the attention just gets to be a bit much, and so I bought myself a cheap ring to wear. People can’t tell it isn’t legit, and I guess it just became a part of me.” He looked at his finger, holding onto her beer and his, inspecting the tanned skin on either side of the band of white.

“Ah.” Marinette didn’t know what to say, other than she had jumped to a conclusion, again.

“Hey Ivan!” One of Ivan’s coworkers called. “We got the machines in, and we need to know where the laundry plumbing is so we can help you hook them up.”

Ivan walked back in the house, and Mylène took that as a cue to guide Juleka back in too. The stoic cousin had already vanished back inside either to help move the machines or for more tap water.

Just Luka and Marinette, outside and alone.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you think—” Luka started, as Marinette said:

“I just wondered because I—”

They both looked at each other, sheepish, and started to laugh.

Marinette’s popsicle was practically slush at this point, and Luka guided her back inside so he could set down the beers and turn on the kitchen sink for her to wash her hands. Her face burned as she watched him pluck the popsicle stick from her fingers, eat the rest off, and throw it away, all with a grin aimed in her direction.

“You first,” Luka said.

Marinette dried her hands, and then folded the towel back up nicely. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I haven’t seen you in a while, and so, well, I’m really glad you aren’t married.”

Luka clearly hadn’t been expecting that, but maybe he had been hoping, just like her.

“I am glad too. I’m sorry you thought that, even for a moment. I never expected you to wait for me or anything, but I’m glad to be available when you are.”

Marinette smiled at him. “Me too. Maybe you want to grab a bite with me when we’re done here and catch me up on your studio work?”

“I’d love to,” Luka smiled back, opening her beer and then his. He touched his bottle to hers in cheers.

“And maybe if things go well that tan line won’t have to go away?” Marinette asked in one breath, rushed words blending together.

Luka almost choked on his drink, grinning again. “I didn’t know you had been pining that badly!”

“Luka! Don’t tease!” But Marinette, too, was grinning like a fool.

[mst3kproject]

The Giant of Marathon

For some reason, probably because I've seen them all so many times, I thought I'd already done all four Film Crew episodes.  Evidently this is not true.  Here's one, and if you haven't seen it... wow, Mr. Honcho was not exaggerating about the thousands of sweaty men.

Philippides of Athens is the greatest athlete there is, having won the entire Olympics. With the games over, he returns to his day job as commander of the Athenian city guard.  Followers of Hippias the exiled tyrant are plotting to take control of the city with help from the invading Persians, and they try to seduce Philippides to their cause by offering him wine, women, and homoerotic wrestling (it was ancient Greece, after all).  Philippides refuses to be seduced, and sets off to secure the help of Athens' old enemy Sparta in opposing the Persians.  His mission is a success, but upon his return a spy tells him that the Persians are planning a sneak attack on the harbour of Piraeus.  Can even Philippides get there in time to deliver the warning?

I don't actually know if it were possible to win the entire Olympics in ancient Greece.  I know there were several events and at least one of them involved reciting poetry.  The Battle of Marathon was in 490 BC and a table on Wikipedia suggests that there could have been up to twelve different sports, but some of them were only for children.

The Giant of Marathon touts itself as a tale of epic battles, daring deeds, and political machinations.  I'll get back to the epic battles and daring deeds, but what stands in for the political machinations is mostly a bunch of people pining.  Unimpressive villain Theocritus is pining for the beautiful Andromeda, whose father has promised her to him but she thinks he's a dick.  She's pining for Philippides, who is also pining for her but thinks she's one of Hippias' followers, so refuses to speak to her.  Meanwhile Theocritus' concubine Charis is also pining for Philippides because he's the only man who ever refused to fuck her, I think.

These relationships are important to the plot, too.  Andromeda's love for Philippides is one of the reasons her father refuses to join the traitors, and when Theocritus realizes he cannot have her, he ties her to the prow of his ship to force Philippides to watch her die.  Charis' crush on Philippides leads her to her death, as she is executed for spying.  Yet none of it is ever developed beyond 'these two pretty people saw each other and now they want to bone'.  Philippides declares his love for Andromeda after a single five-minute interaction.  Charis has seen Philippides twice, and both times it went badly, when she decides to betray Theocritus.

Why do the writers hang such important plot points on the 'love' between people who have barely spoken to each other?  I can't decide if it's because they're lazy, or because they're hacks, and I lean towards a combination of the two.  There is absolutely no subtlety to the writing in The Giant of Marathon at all.  Everything is told, not shown.  We know that Theocritus and Creusus are traitors because they talk about it, in dialogue that's clearly written for the audience, not as anything that sounds like a natural conversation. We know that Charis and Andromeda are both in love with Philippides because they say so.  The only thing we're really shown is that Andromeda hates Theocritus, which comes through in her body language (though we are also very much told), so props to actress Mylène Demongeot for that much.

The movie doesn't care about any of this character stuff, anyway.  It just wants to get straight to those epic battle scenes, and it's very obvious how much work and time went into those as opposed to everything else.  The battles are lengthy and elaborate, full of impressive stunts and props and miniatures being destroyed all over the place.  We get to see Persian chariots run down Greek infantry, and while I'm pretty sure this would have been orchestrated so the stuntmen didn't get hurt, I'm not nearly so confident about the unfortunate horses (and neither was Bill).  There are ships in flames and injured men screaming as they fall overboard.  There are even some pretty good deaths, like the guy who was hit in the eye with an arrow.  The desperate last stand of the city guard against the entire Persian fleet, with the Spartans arriving just in time to save the day, is very tense indeed.

I get the impression that this is what somebody really wanted to put on screen, and they did a decent job of it, but pretty much the entire rest of what ought to be the story is just an accessory to the fighting stuff.  It's as if the film-makers wanted so badly for their fight sequences to be epic that they forgot what makes epic-ness – which is the characters and their stake in the events. We don't know any of these people, none of them have anything we might call a personality trait, and so we don't care.

The focus on how epic it all is makes I seem a little strange that the battle ends on a shot of dead Persian guys floating in the water. You'd think they'd want to end with something that more decisively shows the Athenian victory, maybe the men cheering as the Persian ships turn around and flee.  Or perhaps some kind of victory celebration, which could mirror the celebration of Philippides winning the Olympics in the opening and call back to the scene where Philippides asks the goddess Athena to protect her city.

Instead, we cut to a shot of Philippides and Andromeda walking across the farmland together.  This feels a little too sudden, and is also a poor fit with the rest of the movie.  The only time we've seen Philippides on his farm is when he's gotten disgusted with the politics of Athens and returned to the countryside to sulk.  If the farm is supposed to be a place where he's happy and at peace, the movie never establishes it.

So that's political machinations and epic battle sequences, let's talk about some daring deeds.

Unlike the Hercules and Maciste movies we've seen in the past, The Giant of Marathon wants to be grounded in real-life history.  This means that while the script does reference gods and mythical heroes, none of them ever appear and there is no hint of them working behind the scenes to bring events about.  Likewise, Philippides is not a demigod, so we avoid several of the tropes associated with the genre.  Nothing important ever happens (or fails to happen) because the hero was asleep, and he never bends prison bars or drinks a love potion – although a love potion is mentioned, as if to draw attention to this.

This doesn't leave Philippides a whole lot of scope for daring deeds, and when they try the results are a little lackluster.  His main feat is, of course, running all the way from Marathon to Athens (the proverbial forty-two kilometres) to let them know of the impending attack, but while this ought to be the highlight of the movie it's shot in terrible day-for-night and we have nothing to suggest how far this is... I think the writers just assumed everybody knows the length of a marathon.  If we'd seen the army tired from making the march earlier, we would have a better sense of it being a long and tiring journey even at a walk or with horses, and it would seem that much more formidable as a distance for one man to cover before sunrise.  Of course, showing us these things is apparently beyond the scope of The Giant of Marathon's writers, but you'd think they could at least have a character say something like, “it's twenty-six miles!  He'll never make it!”

His other major daring deed is when he pushes giant boulders down a hill onto the attacking Persians.  This is kind of weird because Philippides is not Hercules or Maciste.  He's good at track and field, but we haven't seen any evidence of him having godlike strength, and this is a universe where gods don't seem to do much anyway, so it comes out of nowhere.  The rocks are huge – there are similarly-sized ones at the park near my house and I know one guy couldn't move them no matter how buff he might be.  Did somebody just forget that they weren't making a Hercules movie?

Between the battles and the various plot twists, The Giant of Marathon could have been a pretty fun sword-and-sandal movie, but it's like a tower without a foundation.  The fights have nothing to hold them up, so we just can't get into it. Also, what the Underworld happened to Hippias? We see him once, chatting with the king of Persia, and then he vanishes and the movie decides weaselly little Theocritus is the big bad instead. I'm sorry, but if you've got a character with a name as cool as 'Hippias the Tyrant', you really can't just drop him like that.

The Best Brains liked to complain about the tinyness of the costumes in these movies but honestly, nothing here is as off-putting as actual ancient Greek sports would have been to the modern viewer.  When I was in university I TA'd for a course called Introduction to Greco-Roman Civilization. It was an adventure in several ways – the students were mostly dumb freshmen who spent the lectures playing Farmville, and the professor didn't give a shit because she'd just been denied tenure.  I don't know how much anybody learned in that class, but I'm sure they all recall how, after the professor told us that Greek athletes stripped naked and covered themselves in olive oil before wrestling, somebody raised a hand and asked if they removed their body hair.  The professor cheerfully told him that they did not, so next time we see a Greek vase we ought to remember that these guys were much sweatier, oilier, and hairier than terra cotta can possibly convey.

[tsuki-chibi]

Marichat May Day 12: Cuddles

This story is a sequel to my Marinette March and Adrinette April stories; I highly recommend reading those first.

You can also read this story on AO3: Cloudburst

---

The one thing Marinette had to buy before she took up her post was a big cup of coffee. She ducked into the same café that Chloé had gone into yesterday and ordered the biggest size they had on their menu, flavored with plenty of cream and sugar. Only then, cradling a cup that was almost as big as her head, did she take a seat on a bench across the street from Collège Françoise Dupont.

She sipped from her coffee slowly, keeping an eye on the school. Coffee had never been a big favorite of hers when she was growing up. But having a late-night patrol on the same day when she had to get up for school was brutal. Taste or no, she had grown to love the caffeine jolt that had kept her awake on too many early mornings.

And right now the steaming hot liquid was also helping to combat the chill, warming her from the inside-out since she didn’t have her kitty around to provide cuddles.

Very slowly, students began to arrive. Marinette examined each person closely as they walked into the school. Most kids, she didn’t recognize – but that wasn’t unique to this universe. There were plenty of kids that attended her own school that she had never met before. She was mostly familiar with the kids in her class and a few others in her grade, but Collège Françoise Dupont was a huge school.

Then she sat up straight.

“Oh, it’s Rose and Juleka!” she whispered to herself.

Sure enough, what could only be an alternate universe version of her friends was standing right there in front of her. This version of Rose had longer hair, just brushing her shoulders, but the same blue eyes and friendly smile. She was walking hand-in-hand with Juleka, who actually didn’t look that different from the Juleka in Marinette’s world.

Marinette chewed her lower lip as she watched them go. Part of her wanted to rush over and ask them for help… but that would be foolish. Even if she knew they could be trusted, which she didn’t, she didn’t have any extra miraculous to spare right now.

She forced herself to settle back down and keep watching.

There was Nathaniel…

Kim…

Nino…

Chloé again, this time with her hair tied back in a long braid. She was looking down at her phone and, fortunately, failed to notice Marinette watching.

Then came Alix…

Mylène…

But no Alya, she noticed. Maybe in this universe, Alya had never moved to Paris. In Marinette’s universe, Alya’s parents had moved here because Alya’s mom had been offered an opportunity as a chef at Le Grand Paris. Maybe that had never happened here…

She finished the last of her coffee as the bell rang. All of the students hanging out in the yard immediately ran into the building. With moments, the yard was totally empty. Marinette waited another ten minutes just in case, trying to pretend like she wasn’t making her neck hurt more by constantly looking up and down the street in hopes of seeing a black car.

No Adrien.

Marinette sighed, crumbling up her coffee cup.

“I guess that would have been too easy,” she muttered, getting up. There was a chance that Adrien just hadn’t shown up today because of his schedule, but there was just as good of a chance that he wouldn’t be coming at all.

She really needed to get her hands on a computer so that she could look Adrien up.

And maybe also the miraculous holders, she thought as she dropped her empty cup in the garbage. If she could find a computer, she’d be able to figure out if Plume and Griffe were the only heroes running around Paris.

Just because Ladybug and Chat Noir were the only ones who kept their miraculous in Marinette’s world didn’t mean that was the case here.

The school would have a computer. But she’d need to make sure she wasn’t caught. A library would be a better bet.

First things first, though. Her stomach was beginning to growl, and she had promised Kaalki and Fluff a good breakfast. Marinette looked up and down the street, searching for somewhere that wasn’t too expensive. It wasn’t like she had an unlimited source of funds, especially when she was trying to feed herself and two kwamis.

Especially if Fluff and Kaalki ate the way that Tikki and Plagg did!

[alexseanchai]

first lines of your last 20 fics!

Rules: List the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have less than 20, just list them all!). See if there are any patterns. Choose your favourite opening line. Then tag 10 of your favourite authors!

.

I ain't tagging nobody, tag yourself if you want to play, but I do appreciate @rosethornewrites​ tagging me!

(I decided three-sentence fics and drabbles are too short for this game, and I have now queued up this year's 3 Sentence Ficathon fills to date; I also decided chapters count separately, because counting fics individually would take me to stuff posted over a year ago!)

Unless marked otherwise, these are all Miraculous Ladybug fanfics. In reverse chronological order:

.

1) Émilie has looked more alive in the past few years than Gabriel looks in this hospital gown right now.

(more like spears than hearts chapter 3 "might open for the right tools")

2) Adrien's phone chimes. "Don't mess up my hard work," Chloé snaps before Adrien can do more than twitch toward his jeans pocket.

("when the stars silhouette me")

3) Chloé sweeps into the classroom as a queen to her throne.

(nine lives, snake's eyes "under the rose water")

4) Mylène's not—brave. Not really. She can raise her protest signs at rallies because Ivan is with her, a solid wall of stubborn between her and anyone who'll insult her for her age or size or opinions: that's as far as her courage goes.

(yo-leven at midnight chapter 1 "ace-deuce")

5) Rechecking the account books doesn't change the numbers: the bakery revenue has dropped compared to last month. Again.

(more like spears than hearts chapter 2 "ciabatta and currant jam")

6) The texture of the rose-red denim is still screamingly wrong.

("j'ai rêvé (so I don't have to dream alone)")

7) "Really? I would never have noticed," Ladybug told her text app, annoyed.

("At The Present Time")

8) And the stakes remain too high, the Mumford & Sons vocalist sings, for this silent mind, steady strengthening drumbeat behind the lyrics. Nino's pretty sure the song is supposed to be about a toxic romantic relationship, or possibly a gambling addiction—the Genius annotators certainly think so—but…it's been disturbingly quiet the past two months.

(nine lives, snake's eyes "the compromise of truth")

9) Thérèse unlocks the apartment with an armful of groceries around seven.

("words cannot espresso")

10) "Trixx, let's pounce," Alya murmurs in the shelter of two pairs of legs and Carapace's shield, and Rena Rouge stands up for Pegasé to take their place, so no one will see more of him recharging than a flare of blue light or, likely, hear more of it than his whispered "Kaalki, dismount!"

(where the firelight fades chapter 13 "a half-familiar tune")

11) Someone's sobbing.

("burning wishes at both ends (the cold wind and long loud wail remix)")

12) hot lonely singles wives partners in your area

("post-it pornbot")

13) Flavia weaves her way through Catius's bakery, jug under her arm, purse swinging against her leg, and cup in hand.

("sī sapis, sīs apis", a Pompeii Graffiti RPF fanfic)

14) "Chat Noir?" asks Sabine Cheng: a worried shiver of handbells.

(where the firelight fades chapter 12 "a bitter smile")

15) Adrien slips his hand in his pocket again, thumbing the four-leaf clover carved into the square jade bead, clinking his ring off the other beads so quietly that possibly not even Rena Rouge could hear it, even if they were as close to Adrien as Lila is right now.

(more like spears than hearts chapter 1 "sweet on the verge of spoiling")

16) He doesn't know where he's going till he's there: Marinette's bedroom, Marinette's bed, soft optimistic pink accented with black.

(where the firelight fades chapter 11 "carry me home")

17) Alya drapes her jacket over the chair opposite Marinette's at the café table and leans over to see what's on the tablet Marinette and Adrien are squished together to bend over: an awful lot of Chinese characters, apparently, which at least—unlike Marinette's top-speed babble about some jewelry box—doesn't leave Alya feeling she should understand it.

("ring the bells that still can ring")

18) Mmm, so warm. Cozy, too: the faint scent like her partner's skin, the gentle pressure as of his holding her, the light thu-thump thu-thump reminding her of his heartbeat, as if she'd fallen asleep in Chat Noir's arms.

("we ground love in a hopeless place")

19) "—Chat Noir! Chat Noir!"

(where the firelight fades chapter 10 "can't quite hold, but can't let go")

20) There is a walk of shame joke to be made here, Chat Noir thinks, and it's only partly because he transformed while wearing sticky tee and boxers, not clean tee and jeans.

(where the firelight fades chapter 9 "for I've been here before")

[rosethornewrites]

Fic: The Rebellion of Adrien Agreste ch. 1-2

Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Juleka Couffaine/Rose Lavillant, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Luka Couffaine, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Kagami Tsurugi, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Luka Couffaine, Lila Rossi/karma, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth/aneurism, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Kagami Tsurugi, Plagg & Tikki

Characters: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Lila Rossi, Jagged Stone, Plagg, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Luka Couffaine, Penny Rolling, Anarka Couffaine, Rose Lavillant, Juleka Couffaine, Kagami Tsurugi, Alya Césaire, Chloé Bourgeois, Wayhem, Nadja Chamack, Nathalie Sancoeur, Sabine Cheng, Tom Dupain, Tikki, Fang, Principal Damocles, Caline Bustier, Ms. Mendeleiev, original minor character, Alec Cataldi, Lila Rossi's Mother, Sabrina Raincomprix, Roger Raincomprix, Mylène Haprèle, Le Gorille | Adrien Agreste's Bodyguard, Nino Lahiffe, Nooroo

Tags: Lila Rossi salt, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Teenage Rebellion, Swearing, Bad Parent Gabriel Agreste, Crack Treated Seriously, Lila Rossi's Lies Are Exposed, Cuddling & Snuggling, Luka Couffaine Needs a Hug, Paparazzi, Parentification, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Needs a Hug, Gabriel Agreste Needs an Aneurism, Uncle Jagged Stone, we're all queer here, the spirit of punk is sometimes just being allowed to be yourself, Kagami Finds Her Groove, punk rock fashion, Savage Kagami, Marinette protection squad, Good Parent Sabine Cheng, Good Parent Tom Dupain, Protective Kagami Tsurugi, Protective Luka Couffaine, Bisexual Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Pansexual Luka Couffaine, Sharing a Bed, Pet Names, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, Instagram, Bullying, Social Media, Anxiety, Makeover, Hugs, will cure your acne, Face Punching, Bad Ass Juleka Couffaine, Rumors, Protective Juleka Couffaine, Protective Adrien Agreste, Lawyers, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Holding Hands, accountability, mental health, Jagged Stone's well-paid pet shark, How to Make the Evening News, Sexy eyeliner for days, one fish two fish Lila is a screwed fish, How to have fun and piss Gabriel off, Fuckery, sweet litigious karma, Alya sugar, lawyer shark doo doo doo doo doo doo, Schadenfreude, Bad Ass Alya Césaire, Gaslighting, abuse denormalization, Jagged likes his lawyers like he likes his pets: toothy af, Blood in the Water, Everything you didn’t know you wanted and some things you did, Gabriel Agreste is shark bait, Denial, Consequences, Principal Damocles salt, caline bustier salt, the impotence of Gabriel Agreste, snarky Nooroo, lies and the lying liars who tell them, Lila's brain is a narcissistic hellscape, Lila’s mind is built like an Escher piece, Alec Cataldi salt, Adrien Sugar, wholesome salt, Fu Salt, Kwami Shenanigans, Nooroo is a little shit

Summary: Gabriel decides that Adrien entering a romantic relationship is a good move for the brand. He chooses Lila Rossi as the other half. Adrien nopes tf out.

Notes: I was gonna have it be a slow acceleration, but Adrien was all “Go big or go home.” Also trying to find motivation to write more of this fic.

AO3 link

----------

“No,” Adrien growled. “Absolutely not!”

Lila made a show of crying, not that anyone in the room believed her tears were real.

Gabriel frowned at him from his desk. “This will be good for the brand—”

“Fuck the brand!”

“Adrien! This is unbecoming. You will be seen to be dating Ms. Rossi. That is final.”

Adrien’s fists were so tight he was sure he had crescents eating into his palms. “Like hell it is! I will not date that—” he gestured at Lila “—lying cow. Not after how she’s hurt my friends.”

Said girl gasped, outraged, and Adrien was glad to see she actually looked truly upset.

His father stood, but kept his voice emotionless, calm, self-assured that he would capitulate. “Cease this ridiculous teenage rebellion.”

He saw red, but oddly it calmed him. “Father, you have not seen teenage rebellion,” he said, his voice almost terrifyingly calm. “But I would be happy to teach you what it looks like if you try to force me to do this.”

Gabriel’s eyes narrowed behind his glasses. Adrien could see him considering that, but then discarding it. “It will be in the papers tomorrow. If you misbehave, you’ll no longer be permitted to go to school.”

Adrien snorted. He knew more ways to escape this house than his father could possibly anticipate—some he’d made himself, even. “Good luck, Gabe. You’re going to need it.”

He spun on his heel before his father could respond and slammed the door behind him. With the enhanced strength he had as the Black Cat Miraculous chosen, the wood cracked audibly.

As he made his way back to his room, he realized the opportunity his father had just placed in his lap. As the face of the brand, Adrien had more power than Gabriel seemed to realize. It was time to stretch those muscles.

He had planning to do.

---------

His father had spectacularly good timing for pulling this kind of stunt—for Adrien, anyway. He’d heard from a couple of friends of his that a certain rock star was in town. And if anyone was up for promoting teenage rebellion, Adrien had no doubt it would be Jagged Stone.

It was child’s play to sneak out of the house. He didn’t even have to transform to do it. From there it was just making his way to the Grand Paris Hotel. The staff assumed he was there to see Chloé, so getting in was no problem. Jagged Stone always rented the same suite, so that wasn’t an issue, either.

The hard part, he knew, would come after he knocked on the door.

Jagged opened the door, and then peered at him suspiciously.

“Um, M. Stone, I don’t know if you remember me but—”

The rock star suddenly broke into a wide grin. “Oh, you’re Marinette’s model friend, right?”

Adrien blinked. Maybe this wouldn’t be so hard. His rock idol knew him?

Sadly, he had no time to fanboy.

“Yes, Adrien. I was wondering if I could trouble you for some help?”

And so that was how Adrien Agreste wound up sitting in Jagged Stone’s suite, petting Fang, and telling him about the woe that was the obsession his father had with Lila Rossi, Liar Extraordinaire.

“She said I had a what?”

“A kitten. And she got Marinette expelled and is just being really awful to her.”

Jagged opened a cell phone. “Penny, I need you. Yes, I know I sent you for macrons, but this is really important. Bring my niece with.”

When he was finished, he turned to Adrien again. “We’ll get that taken care of.”

“That’s not all, M. Stone.”

He pressed forward, telling his idol of the relationship he was being forced into and his promise to show Gabriel Agreste just what he could do if he really rebelled.

When he was done, Jagged’s face was gleeful in an almost terrifying way.

“Oh, please tell me I get to help with this?” At Adrien’s nod the man whooped in excitement. “Brilliant. Once my niece gets here, we’ll plan properly. She’s a planner, that one. Smart as a whip.”

Adrien blinked. “Your niece?”

“Marinette, of course! Honorary niece.”

His jaw dropped. Marinette had always had the upper hand on Lila, could call in Jagged at any moment to destroy her, and had held back. He never should’ve stopped her.

“My father can’t know she helped. He’s got so much power in the fashion industry, and I don’t want to hurt her career.”

Jagged waved away his concerns. “Mate, listen. From what I understand you’re the face of that company. You have the power, not him. Get you in some Marinette originals, and he can’t undo the fame that’ll bring her.”

Adrien hadn’t considered that. “I just don’t want her hurt.”

He heard the door open, and then a soft, “Adrien?”

It meant he had to explain the situation all over again, letting Jagged Stone assure her that he was going to pop the liar’s kitten whopper as soon as possible.

“I can stop by your school with Fang, yeah? They can’t keep me from saying hi to my favorite niece.”

Marinette bit her lip. “That would be helpful, but for Adrien…”

Adrien smiled. “I want you to design me a new look. Something we can do here and now—maybe with the discrete help of some of the hotel staff, since they have that nice spa and such. Hair dye, new clothes. Maybe some fake piercings. Oooh, a fake tattoo?”

Jagged glanced at Penny, who looked uncertain about this. “Don’t be a party pooper, Penny.”

“His father might sue you,” she pointed out.

“Like I care. I have money.” He grinned. “And for what? Giving his kid a makeover?”

“French law—”

“Nope, don’t care. It’s happening. Get his sizes and go to my favorite stores. Adrien, what color scheme?”

Adrien blinked. He hadn’t thought that far. He glanced at Marinette. “Um, do you think Chat Noir would mind if I used his colors? I think of him when I think teenage rebellion.”

That was more because being Chat Noir had up to this point been his way of rebelling, but she didn’t need to know that.

To his surprise, Marinette grinned, the smile wide enough to match Jagged’s. “Oh, I like that idea. Chains and spikes? Fake lip ring and septum?”

“Absolutely!”

Jagged made a shooing motion at Penny, who rolled her eyes and headed toward the door, before joining in. “Now how about this idea: black and neon green hair, done to look like a skunk’s stripes!”

Adrien was surprised to find himself laughing honestly at the idea. He’d been so angry less than an hour ago, but this was truly fun. “This makes me think of those J-Rock bands, how they used to dress up.”

Jagged’s phone let out a guitar riff and he glanced at it. “Oh, right. Penny needs your measurements. Shoe size, too. Definitely some stomping boots, I think.”

He handed over his unlocked phone for Adrien to text.

“I’ll call the salon, yeah?”

Adrien nodded, texting the information, then froze. “Wait, Chloé might tell my father.”

That got a laugh. “Nah. They’re discrete. They bring everything up here for me—I won’t be around people if I’m getting my hair dyed.”

While Jagged made the call, Adrien finished the text. When he looked up, Marinette was watching him. She turned pink when she realized he’d caught her.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” she asked after a moment.

He sighed, slumping back on the sofa and resting his hand on Fang’s head again. “No, but I don’t have any better ones. That stupid news claiming I’m with Lila’s going to hit tomorrow. And I’m so done with this, with him treating me like I’m property.”

Marinette looked worried, and he tried to muster up a smile. From her expression, he didn’t manage it.

“Maybe…” she started, then trailed off.

“Maybe?”

She didn’t look at him. “Maybe you should look into laws involving child labor and parental responsibility. You… you might be able to get emancipated.”

That startled him—something he hadn’t even thought of before. He hadn’t even been aware it was an option.

When Marinette did look at him, her eyes were stormy. “He’s so… cruel to you. Maybe there’s legal recourse.”

“I’ll think about it,” he murmured. That seemed like such a drastic measure. “I don’t know if I want to go that far.”

She nodded, and he excused himself to go to the bathroom.

Plagg shot out of his pocket the moment the door was closed. “I’m so proud of you kid. This is gonna be great!”

“Thanks, Plagg.”

The kwami grabbed the proffered wedge of camembert.

“And think about what Pigtails said. Your dad’s a real piece of work, and you deserve better.”

“I will.”

Adrien could feel the idea turning over in his mind, as though gathering strength. When he left the bathroom, Jagged met him excitedly.

“I have just the idea! A temporary face tattoo!”

[miracul0us-multishipper]

Is there any chance or plans to continue the Marillion AU in the future? I really like it.

Thank you so much! It went a bit unnoticed, so I kinda forgot about it, but I still had one chapter half-ready and managed to finish it now:

The Fight

Marillion found Stoneheart at the Eiffel Tower. He had grown into a giant by now, and swatted the police helicopters away like flies. Ladybird and Chat Noir were busy talking to the police at the ground, giving her an opening to talk to her champion.

Unnoticed she slipped behind a car, with clean view of the tower.

“Stoneheart!”, she called him, summoning the glowing outline back. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m teaching Chloé a lesson!”, he answered, beaming with excitement. “You were right, Marillion; she’s the real monster. And when she’s out of the way, I’ll talk to Mylène!”

She pinched the bridge of her nose. Oh boy.

“You can’t just kidnap them, Stoneheart!”, she rebuked. “You’re scaring Mylène to bits! Why didn’t you just wait until after school to have a calm conversation with her?!”

“But…”, he stammered with a confused pout. “But I missed her!”

Emotion personified, indeed. Sighing, she looked up.

“Okay, don’t worry. We can still save this. You’ll release Chloé, and then you’ll explain the heroes and the public that this was just a misunderstanding. After that, you tell Mylène how you feel, we call it a day and everybody’s saved. Alright?”

“I don’t want to release Chloé! She’s a bully!”

“Believe me, I know. But that’s not up for debate. Put her down, now!”

Stoneheart grumbled, then shrugged. 

“If you insist…”

-

Ladybird raised her arms and turned to the cops. 

“No! Don’t attack, you’ll only make him stronger!”

Captain Raincomprix only gave her a glare, his broken arm still in a sling.

“Oh, hush. Leave it to the professionals this time! You didn’t do it right the last time either!”

Her blood began to boil and she raised her finger, both a threat and an accusation.

“Why, you little-“

“Ladybird!”, a startled Chat censored, but that didn’t stop her.

“Without us, there wouldn’t be a “This time” at all!”, she raged. “We saved your butts, cut us some slack for rookie mistakes.”

She wanted to give him a few more pieces of her mind, but Chat was already pulling her aside.

“Ladybird, leave him alone. He’s got every right to be suspicious of us!”, he reasoned. “We need to convince him we can do this - by defeating Stoneheart for good this time. We gotta think of something!”

His words reminded her of something. If Ladybird had thought this through we wouldn’t be in this mess!

It hurt to admit it, but… Marinette was right. Alya had underestimated this whole superhero thing, and now they were facing the consequences. 

“Okay,” she told Chat, forcing her anger to dissolve. She had to be chill, rational. “We know where his Akuma is, right? In the hand he’s holding Mylène. So-“

“I demand you release my daughter!”, the mayor screamed at this moment, cutting her off. He was holding a megaphone, and Ladybird had to roll her eyes. Did he seriously expect the Akuma to listen?!

“Gladly!”, came it from the tower and Ladybird stiffened.

She jumped around, just in time to see how he hurled the screaming girl at her father. Shouts came from everywhere at once, and before she knew it herself, Ladybird was running. But she had reacted too late, so confident in herself that she had taken her eyes off the monster. Chloé was falling, falling and Ladybird knew she wouldn’t make it, she’d be too late, Chloé would-

A flash of purple came from the corner of her eyes, and suddenly there was another figure in the air. Lilac arms wrapped around Chloé, and black gloves held onto her as the figure descended, landing safely on the ground.

Ladybird came to a stop, too baffled to walk on.

Was that…?

“Are you alright?”, a soft voice asked. It took Ladybird a moment to  realize the question was directed at Chloé, and a few more moments to get that it had come from the girl in purple. The girl with a butterfly-shaped mask. The girl that could only be…

“Hawkmoth!”, Ladybird snarled and threw her yo-yo. Her enemy dodged, dropping Chloé and somersaulting back. Before Ladybird could pull back and aim again, Hawkmoth had retreated to a safe distance and jumped on the Tower, landing on her rocky creation.

“No!”, she announced. “I am Marillion, the new butterfly! And there’s no need for fighting!”

She nudged Stoneheart, who nodded with a groan.

“Okay, okay. She’s right. This was a misunderstanding.”

“That misunderstanding almost cost a girl her life!”, Chat yelled back, and Marillion stomped, making Stoneheart jump.

“It was an accident, he misunderstood me. And he’s very sorry, right?”

Stoneheart pouted, giving Ladybird the chance to step next to her partner and speak up.

“Don’t come with that whole “misunderstood” bullshit! You’re a threat to Paris!”

Marillion’s face turned angry.

“I’m the threat?!”

Fuming, she took a step forwards and spread her arms.

“Citizens of Paris!”, she spoke, eyes blazing. “You have suffered enough from your heroes incompetence! I swear to you, I mean no harm. I merely want to help those who feel down, to work through their emotion, to find a solution! And I will not allow two Wannabe-Heroes to risk the well-being of those they claim to care about.”

She glared at Chat.

“Don’t think I forgot you wanted to cataclysm Ivan, yesterday. If you stand in my way, or hurt my champion,” she growled. “I will take your Miraculous’!”

Marillion’s stare was relentless, seething with a protective fury that stole Ladybird’s breath. Something in her chest fluttered. In this moment, the superheroine could not think of anything more beautiful than the girl on the tower.

Realizing where her thoughts were headed, she jumped. No. Nonono, not happening. Action, she needed action! 

Ladybird glanced at Chat. He seemed to falter, to hesitate. Everybody was standing still, staring at Marillion. They were evaluating her, thinking about her words. Ladybird clenched her hands to fists.

No. She would not allow the villainess - because that’s what she was! - to shake trust in them any further.

Her clapping echoed on the place when she stepped forwards, regarding her opponent with an icy look.

“Nice try, Hawkmoth - or Marillion, or whatever you want to call yourself.”, she said, trying to drown her hammering pulse out. “But we know who’s the villain here. I won’t let you reverse the roles! Without you, none of this would have happened!”

Yeah, every good hero started out with an even better speech. This would be hers.

“Marillion, I promise you: No matter how long it takes, we will stop you! And then we’ll take your Miraculous!”

Not waiting for Chat Noir, she spun her Yo-yo and went in for the attack. With a jump she was on the tower, hurling her Yo-Yo at Marillion. She dodged, but was forced to retreat.

“Stoneheart, get Mylène out of here!”, she yelled to her servant, blocking another attack with her cane. Ladybird growled.

“I won’t let you take hostages! Chat!”, she called when her partner caught up to them. “Save Mylène!”

“Aye aye!”

“Did you not listen to a word I said?”, Marillion groaned. “You two menaces will end up hurting the girl!”

“Was that a threat?”, Ladybird snarled and went for her head, but her opponent dodged, pausing just long enough to face palm. 

They continued their dance, a rapid succession of attacks and retreats, their weapons too incompatible to allow a consistent fight. 

“Feel like giving up yet?”, Ladybird taunted and narrowly avoided a hit of her cane. Marillion snickered, a sound far too sweet for the villain she was. “Why, are you tired already?”

“Just tired of wasting time!”, she gave back. “We’ll win in the end. Might as well cut this short.”

“So sure of yourself?”

Marillion was slowly moving the fight to the upper levels of the tower, Ladybird noticed - trying to follow her champion. Not so fast! A kick in the chest send the villainess stumbling back, giving Chat more time. 

“Of course!”, Ladybird continued, smugly pulling back her yoyo. “I’m the hero, you’re the bad guy. Good always triumphs over evil.”

She smirked.

“Save yourself the trouble and give up.”

Suddenly Marillions hand shot out, catching the yoyo by the wire before Ladybird could fully retrieve it. With a yank she made her lose her footing, wasting no time to attack. Before Ladybird could even scream, the butterfly wilder had pounced and slammed into her, pinning her to the ground. 

“Oh, don’t you know?”, Marillion asked mockingly sweet. “A true hero never gives up.”

Too stunned to move, Ladybird had no choice but to stare up at her enemy. Her pitch black pigtails. Her fiendishly fierce gaze. Her villainously vibrant eyes. Or - damn it - her condescendingly cute freckles. Not that she was admiring her! She was simply cataloguing her enemies appearance, for superhero reasons! 

“S-Shut up!”, she shook herself out of it. With a swing of her legs - superhuman strength, heck yeah! - she  gathered momentum and threw them back, reversing their positions. “You’re not the hero! Don’t think being pretty makes you good!”

Wait, what?

“I never said that?!”, Marillion asked in confusion and Ladybird panicked. “NEITHER DID I! Argh! Forget it, just give me your miraculous!”

After a short brawl, both of them ended up on their feet again, quickly resuming their previous fight. Just like before, Marillion was still pursuing the other two. That - and only that! - caused Ladybird to get distracted, sloppier. A mistimed throw of her yo-yo, followed by a skillful swing of Marillions cane sent her falling down her beam, barely catching herself a few meters further down. 

“Oh f… Crap!”

Maillion had quite the head start now, closing in on her partner. 

“Oh fu- Damn!”

Ladybirds yoyo had fallen to a lower floor, and without retrieving it, she wouldn’t be able to purify the akuma. Looking down to search for it, she encountered yet another problem.

“Oh- fuck.”

Dozens of stone monsters came crawling up the tower, surprisingly quick for their size. If she wanted her yoyo, she’d have to go through them.

Hang in there, Chat Noir, she thought with a last worried glance upwards. This is going to be a close one.

-

“Holy shit, that was a close one!”, Chat squealed after Stonehearts fist had missed him by a hairs breadth. The hero had tried to use his staff to free Mylène, but Stonehearts grip was too tight and he didn’t want to accidentally hurt his captive. 

“Stoneheart!”, yelled a voice just then, when it couldn’t get any worse. Marillion, light as a feather, landed in front of him and gestured the monster to move. “I’ll handle him. You go talk to Mylène!”

Ladybird was nowhere to be seen, so Chat Noir turned to face Marillion alone. The purple-clad girl made no move to attack, simply circling him with her weapon ready. She was playing for time.

“We don’t have to fight.”, she proposed and he matched her pace, not willing to let her get behind him. “I’m trying to help Ivan!”

“By turning him into a monster?”, he scoffed, going in for the attack. Her cane parried his baton with an unexpected strength, and she lost no time to push back. “By letting him work out his emotions!”, she replied, diving under his next attack and trying to grab his arm. He in turn reached for hers, only to find them locked in a battle of brawn, no one willing to give up any ground. “Do you have any idea how he felt this morning?”, she pressed out, all her upper body strength needed to keep him at bay. Locked in this position, he could see how she wrinkled her nose in concentration. “He was devastated! Heartbroken! Was I supposed to just leave him like that?”

“Harming others is no solution!”, Chat gave back, eyes returning to hers again. He blinked, surprised. He hadn’t expected her to look this… sincere. 

“Bottling his feelings up isn’t either!”

She huffed, gaining a few centimeters. 

“He’s only human. Just let me help him to get through this! How would you feel if your only options were misery in solitude, or being mocked for your feelings?”

That hit a little too close to home. Literally. 

“Everyone deserves to let loose for a while.”, Marillion pleaded and Chat gulped. Tell that to my dad, please. “I can help Ivan to process everything, to find a solution. I just need to be there for him.”

“Why-“ he huffed out, the “-should I believe you” falling victim to his exhaustion. Marillion answered anyway, bluebell eyes burning into his.

“Because I care.”

She cares. Without expecting anything in return. Against his will, Chat felt his grip give a little. Marillion wasn’t evil, he realized. Not like Hawkmoth. She truly believed she could help. After being trapped inside a cold, loveless home for so long, he couldn’t help but melt at her words. His heart, already racing from their fight, sped up to twice its former pace.

An angry shout shook him out of his reverie, just when a furious Ladybird was sailing over his head and into one of Stonehearts copies. 

“Hang in there, Kitty!”, she yelled over her shoulder, punching the monster into the ground with her bare fists. “I’ll save you!”

Immediately his resolve returned and he shoved Marillion backwards, finally gaining the upper hand.

“I believe you!”, he insisted, not breaking eye contact. “You’re a good person, I can feel it. You’re just… misguided!”

She blinked.

“…what?”

“Misguided! But don’t worry, we can fix this.”

He knew how this went, now. Dashing hero, well-meaning, cute villainess… Didn’t every anime say love fixed it all? Well, he’d gladly accept his role as her love interest.

“I’ll help you! Just release the akuma, and we’ll work something out… over dinner maybe?”

He beamed at her, missing how her eye started to twitch.

“Are you serious?”

“It’s okay, take your time. Lunch would be okay for me too. I’m not nocturnal.”

Hm… She didn’t exactly look convinced. Had he talked about himself too much? Oh god, he should’ve talked about her instead!

“Not that you wouldn’t look absolutely pawsome in an evening dress. Graceful as a Venus butterfly, I imagine.”

Marillions took a very deep sigh and let her head hang, then she smiled at him. An innocent, absolutely adorable smile so cute he felt like it had punched him in the face. His cheeks grew hot under the mask when she leaned closer.

“Not in any of your nine lives”, she beamed, and before her words really registered in his mind, she had already let go of his arm, swirled him around and kicked him over the railing. A very unheroic scream escaped him, before he collided with an equally ruffled Ladybird mid-air and slammed with her into the next platform. 

“She’s amazing!”, he sighed when his head stopped spinning.

“She is dead!”, Ladybird hissed between clenched teeth. 

Pretending she wasn’t blushing when Marillion winked at them from two stories above.

- - -

Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe

gay

[silvia7272]

1 ~ My ‘Lying’ Prologue

You won’t believe how I had tried to write how Marinette was going to meet Rosina but then I started writing more and more ML-Class Salt and I couldn’t stop myself. It was quite enjoyable so I thought this would be a good place to start. This is how the class first started to become salty. You better grab some popcorn; you can hold the salt cause I’ve got plenty down here.

Word Count: 2094

***

Collège Françoise Dupont had always been a place Marinette had enjoyed going to. Besides fashion, baking and music, she loved hanging out with her friends.

She loved being friends with Alya and helping her with all her Ladyblog stuff as much as she could, talking to her about her dreams and aspirations had been a great past time.

She loved Rose with how honest she was towards her feelings.

She loved Juleka and how she was better at overcoming her shyness.

She loved Alix with her art and amazing roller-skating.

She loved Mylène with how passionate she was about what she believed in.

She loved hanging out with all her female friends, they had tried to help her with so many ridiculous schemes to confess her love to Adrien it was too many to count, but they stood by her side always.

She… Could tolerate Sabrina, and Chloé to an extent, she knew they held a close friendship and didn’t want to disturb it. And Chloé… Was Chloé. They tried not to get in each others way too often.

She loved Nino and his passion for music, his DJ skills were great, she was sure he could become famous in no time.

She loved being able to offer encouragement and support to Nathaniel and Marc, each of their comics looked so cool she couldn’t wait to read it.

She loved being friends with Kim, they had been ever since Kindergarten. His crazy bets were bound to excite her after school each day.

She loved Max and always playing games like Ultimate Mecha Strike III, and totally beating him by the way.

She loved Ivan for how sweet he could be when he tried to show his feelings for Mylène.

And she loved… Loved Adrien.

He was kind. Pushover

Generous. Pitied

Caring. Traitor

Forgiving. Afraid of repercussions

.

.

.

But she ruined it.

She had claimed so many tales that the others lapped up at any mention of fame.

She had strung every last one of her classmates along like sheep and cattle.

She had changed so much in the school, she was excluded to the back in her class, away from everyone else. And when Marinette had tried to expose her?

She had turned it all around.

She had threatened her, enough for an Akuma to be sent her way in the bath stall.

She had bid her time, waiting until people truly believed her, until she enacted on her plan to ‘Dethrone the Princess of the school’

She had first started with little remarks about the bluenette, ones that didn’t seem overly malicious as she couldn’t start out too big right?

She had to make sure they grew in size as an appropriate time passed on. And soon… It had worked.

She had… Turned everyone against her.

***

She remembered when she had come into class that exact morning, because she was late everyone had already taken their seats.

The moment she had entered the classroom all heads turned to her.

“Sorry, Mlle Bustier I had to err- um-” To her surprise, she held a hard glare at the girl. Actually, everyone did.

“That’s enough excuses Marinette, I should send you to the Principal after everything that’s happened” Mlle Bustier announced, shocking the girl.

“What but I-?” She wasn’t able to finish.

“I thought we were friends Marinette, but now you say I could never be an Olympian?”

“Or you thought my voice was painful for anyone within ear reach to listen to!”

“Or I should always be covered in any pictures ever taken because I’m such an eyesore!”

“Or I’ll never be anything in the music industry. How dare you lie to me all these years dude!?” The stray of accusations pointed to the girl were almost enough to make her cry… Almost.

“How could you!? I thought you ‘supported me’, but now I see that you’ve always been a deceitful manipulative liar!” Her former Best Friend held so much anger in her eyes as angry tears stained her cheeks.

“But I- I would never say that! You have to believe me, who told you?” Marinette pleaded. No, Alya was her best friend, there was no way she wouldn’t believe her. Right?

“From someone a lot more trustworthy, Lila told us all of your dirty little secrets. She couldn’t bear to keep the truth from us, even after you threatened her in the bathroom where no one else was there. That’s low Marinette, even for you! Just because you want Adrien all to yourself, Lila doesn’t even like him that way! How could you be such a jerk!” She stared in shock than anger as she looked at the liar.

“Why would you lie about all of this Lila, how could you?” Lila faked her cries as she covered her eyes.

“I had to tell them the truth, I knew you hated me, but I couldn’t stand by any longer and let you lie to everyone, I appreciate every one of my friends. I don’t care if you hate me more”

“If this is because you’re jealous forget it! That’s no excuse for doing this Marinette!” Alix yelled, she winced, even Alix? But she had always been so loyal.

‘Loyalty only goes so far’ She thought sadly.

“That was a brave thing to do Lila. Marinette apologise right now to Lila at once! I thought you were a good example for the class, not turn into a bully!”

“But she’s lying-” She got cut off.

“Not another word or you’ll be going home” Mlle Bustier warned.

“But!”

“Marinette this is your last warning!” She lowered her head and walked to the back as all the students glared at her, except for one.

***

Marinette sneaked off to the lockers. She couldn’t even cry, or she’d be turned into an Akuma, and nobody would want that.

Because she was Ladybug.

Soon you won’t have any friends left at all. Trust me.

You will lose your friends and wind up all alone.

“She was right, she really did turn everyone against me. I really am alone” She exhaled a shaky breath and before Tikki could comfort her the door opened.

“Marinette. There you are. I was wondering where you ran off to?”

‘Adrien, Adrien’s really here. He knows I’m telling the truth; he must be here to help me’ That was the last nice thought she had about him.

“Adrien I-”

“Marinette we talked about this, exposing her isn’t the right thing to do, what if she had become Akumatized in front of the whole class?” He held a disapproving gaze, one that shocked Marinette.

“But she really was lying, if I don’t say anything now, everyone truly will hate me for something I never did.”

“But we both know you’re strong enough already Marinette you’re our ‘Everyday Ladybug’. I know you can hold out from any Akuma until her lies are uncovered”

“Adrien what about my friends, they all think I said all of this stuff even though it's untrue”

“I’m sure if you do more nice things they’ll turn around in the end” She still looked unsure, so Adrien carried on.

“They’ll forgive and you’ll forget, then after everything, we’ll all be friends again. You’re strong enough already, I know a bit of solitude won’t hurt you. At least you aren’t always stuck in your room with no one to talk to. If you just take the high road and don’t rock the boat everything will turn out alright in the end, we’ll all be happy and forgive everyone for their mistakes. We may even forgive Lila. Ok? I’ll stand by you as well”

She wanted to say no, desperately wanted to. That this wasn’t fair on her, that she had only done what was right, that the truth should come out now.

But… This was Adrien, and her last friend.

So… She took his advice.

But he didn’t keep his promise.

***

After that day, she tried to follow his advice. She tried to get all of her friends to like her again. She made macarons and croissants, cakes and pastries for them all to try, she spent some nights staying up all night to perfect her recipes she was sure the class would like, even… Lila.

But Lila had been ‘specifically allergic’ to hers even if Marinette overheard how ‘lemon’ was her favourite.

So, they threw them all away.

She had tried to design and give homemade bags and controller skins to them, but Lila didn’t like the material even if she knew part of her outfit held the exact same material.

So, they threw them all away.

Her final straw had been when she had made so many class trips to Theme Parks, Museums, Gaming Centres, Conventions. As Class President, she had to be the one in charge of trips as the teachers were ‘too busy’ instead. She tried to include everyone's interest and so far it worked. They had absolutely loved the idea of it, claimed it would be the best time of their lives. There were so many praises being thrown around the girl thought.

‘Finally, they’ll see I want us to be friends again. We’ll all go out to meals and movies like before. They’ll apologise and we can be like we were before she came. We can plot and have me and Adrien together-’

“Wow Lila, it was so cool you got us the tickets for the last anime convention. I thought they ran out of them last I checked?” Nathaniel asked while studying the tickets, he had always wanted to go but thought the class wouldn’t want to do something like this but he was surprised, she had told him otherwise, just like she had told him to get rid of Marc, after all in Lila’s words ‘he was limiting your potential’

Marinette remembered him crying in the locker room with no one around, she had been the only one there to comfort and successfully stop an Akumatization from happening.

“Well you see when you know a family friend who actually works in this industry you get so many free passes”

‘What?’

“It's just a pity that Marinette was repulsed by the idea of all of us going. She said it was the stupidest thing she had ever heard and that I was such a loser to ever think of it in the first place. And the fact that she made me do all of the work, how could she be Class President?” The class glared at her, and each insulted her, even if it was her idea.

But when she looked over to see the familiar blond boy.

The sweet, blond who had promised would be there for her…

…Turned to look the other way.

Don’t rock the boat Marinette

I’ll stand by you as well

He lied.

Just like she had done.

Just like… Lila.

It shouldn’t have been surprising; he was a major pushover when it came to friends and his Father. When Chloé and Adrien were friends she could step all over him and he wouldn’t say a word, but had he really done anything for her?

Not really.

Huh, it seemed ironic, the one who hated liars had become a liar.

Marinette had lost her crush on Adrien after that.

She stopped talking to him after that.

He didn’t even talk to her, he was always too ‘busy’.

With all of the class trips happening she had been forgotten.

“Oopsie the times wrong, we go at 9, not 8”

She lied.

“Mlle Bustier? Marinette told me she couldn’t afford this trip and to take her off the form, she didn’t want to do it herself because she wanted to go for free”

She lied!

“How could you Marinette!? You know I have a fear of waterfalls, my Aunt fell down one last year, I had to spend months in the hospital by her side waiting for her to wake up.”

Why couldn’t anyone see she was lying!?

But it didn’t matter.

She didn’t have anyone else.

She had lost all her friends.

She had lost her crush.

She had lost the title of Class President, which was then given to the liar. Even when Chloé was Class President they never had a Re-Election because it would be unfair.

She got her way.

And she had lost everything.

.

.

.

Collège Françoise Dupont had always been a place Marinette had enjoyed going to. Besides fashion, baking and music, she loved hanging out with her friends.

…

Not anymore.

***

I really hope I did this right. And I hope I made up for the salt compared to the last one, I really hope it’s pouring with salt. Anyway, I hope you like this and hopefully the next one you’ll see the introduction of Marinette and Rosina. And just as a fun fact, I used 94 she’s in this, amazing huh. Not including that one by the way.