I believe in you Ladybug!

Part 1

"I just don't understand why she's so mean to me! I've reached out, I've tried to be her friend!"
The entire class looked around at Marinette, who stood at her seat, quivering with equal sorrow and anger.
"It's not like I asked to be Ladybug's best friend! She tells me everything, and now Marinette's calling me a liar?" Lila cried, hands over her face, gingerly holding a swollen eye. "I just wanted to show the world how amazing she is by giving Alya a couple of quotes for the Ladyblog!"
Marinette almost scoffed. "You ran into your locker door."
"You're still calling me a liar! You hurt me!" Lila sobbed. 
Nino was the first to rise to Lila's defense. "You've always not liked her Marinette. Besides, why would Lila lie?"
Marinette looked over at her friend in shock, mirroring Adrien's look. But the class wasn't done yet.
"Marinette you're usually so nice to people. Why would you do this?" Mylene asked across the room.
"I know why." Alya spoke up next and Marinette looked to her with tears in her eyes. "Marinette had always hated Lila because she loves Adrien and she doesn't like that Lila gets all the attention."
"Alya." Marinette whispered in shock. "Why would you say that?"
Alya stared Marinette in the face. "It's true isn't it?"
"Well yes, but I-"
"See? Straight from the source." Alya folded her arms as if that settled the matter.
Marinette looked around the room in desperation, trying to find someone that believed her. "Adrien?" She whispered desperately. But Adrien only watched her in shock.
Marinette nodded, resigned. Leaving everything but her small shoulder bag behind, she left the classroom.

"Marinette?" Tiki called faintly through the fabric of the small bag.
Marinette continued to sob loudly into her hands from the safety of the bathroom stall. Until she stopped. And there was a harsh voice coming from Tiki's owner, one she had never used before.
"Yes Hawkmoth."
Without another thought Tiki left Marinette's purse and ran off to tell Plagg, pausing only to watch her owner's body be enveloped in purple and black.

"Plagg. Plagg!" Tiki called when she finally made her way back to the classroom.
"Sugar cube!" Plagg answered. "I'm so glad you're okay. I was worried something would happen to your owner."
Tiki almost let out a sob herself then and there. "Something has happened. She was akumatized!"
Plagg embraced Tiki in a hasty hug. "At least you're safe. We need to tell Chat Noir."
But at that moment the class started to scream.
"Lila . . . " A voice whispered. "The princess wants to see you . . . "
Adrien picked up the bag housing the kwamis and ran out of the classroom, darting into the boys bathroom. "Plagg, we have a - Tiki?"
"Adrien, we have a problem. Ladybug can't help you in the fight today."
"What, why? What happened to my lady?"
"I can't tell you, but we need to end this fight fast and help her!"
Adrien nodded, resolved. "Plagg, transform me!"

Princess Justice walked ever so carefully down the walkway on the Eiffel Tower towards Lila who was staggering backwards in terror. "You're going to tell all your lies. You're finally going to feel the way you made me feel!"
Chat Noir watched and waited from the Champ de Mars, clustered with the other heroes.
"What do we do?" Alya asked fearfully. "Without Ladybug . . ."
"Tiki can purify the akuma, and call for a lucky charm, but I have to ask you all to stay here."
"What, why?" Chloe asked, outraged.
Chat shook his head. "We can't risk letting Hawkmoth find out who you really are. And since Ladybug has all your Miraculouses . . ."
"So what, you're going in there alone?" Nino asked, shocked.
"If we all work together, we have a better chance." Luka agreed, solemnly. "Besides, this is Marinette were talking about. She's powerful."
Alya scoffed. "Oh she's pretty powerful alright."
Luka looked over at the girl, shocked. " What do you -"
But Chat cut him off. "Whatever happened today to get her akumatized doesn't matter. She's a citizen of Paris, and we need to save her."
Chat cast one more look around the crowd of people  crying all around him, all feeling the worst way they had made anyone else feel. It was sickening, and extraordinarily hopeless. Newly determined, Chat Noir jumped and landed between Princess Justice and Lila Rossi.
Luka turned to Tiki. "Can you call a lucky charm? Maybe we can figure out how to use it and help out Chat Noir."
Tiki nodded and lifted her tiny arm. "Lucky Charm!" She called, and a tiny metal object naded in her hand. "It's a bee." She explained. "Why would this help? Chloe, where are you going?!" But Chloe was already running towards the Eiffel Tower. She huffed up the stairs to the platform where Chat was battling the elaborately dressed Princess Justice.
"Ladybug!" Chloe cried. "I believe in you!"
Lila, who had taken refuge behind Chloe, sputtered. "Ladybug isn't here, I would know."
"Yeah, isn't that interesting, that Ladybug's a no show, since she's your 'best friend' and all. But we can talk later, I'm here for Ladybug." Chloe locked eyes with a shocked Princess Justice.
"I'm sorry, Ladybug." Chloe confessed. "I should've defended you. Especially after what you've done for me."
Purple lines hovered in front of Princess Justice's face. Hawkmoth was trying to talk to her, but she remained frozen.
"You're not the type to hurt people who bully you. I should know, I used to do the same thing that Lila does."
Princess Justice's face screwed up, and those purple lines didn't disappear. So Chloe tried again.
She reached out and grabbed Princess Justice's hand. "You gave me purpose when I didn't have any. And I thought that meant being a hero of Paris. But I know now, it's being on your team. Being a hero is more than being a public figure. It's about saving people. You saved me, ladybug. Now please, let go of your akuma. Let me help to save you this time."
Princess Justice struggled for a moment longer, but eventually collapsed and a purple butterfly flew out of her fist. Tiki spotted it touched it, purifying the purple butterfly and sending a white butterfly away.
Marinette sat on the floor of the platform, tears running down her face. Chat was already holding her in his arms.
"Marinette!" Tiki cried, flying down to her, where Marinette held her close. "I knew you could do it! You're one of the strongest Ladybug's I've ever known."
"Marinette?" Alya asked from the stairs where she and the rest if the heroes had watched the entire scene.
" I think it's best if you leave." Chloe said scathingly to the group.
"I'm not going anywhere. That's my best friend!" Alya cried, pointing at Marinette, and trying to push past Chloe.
"Am I?" Marinette asked from the floor. "Am I your best friend, Alya?"
Alya froze. "Well yes, you are."
Marinette shook her head, ever so slowly. "I don't think a best friend acts like that."
Alya hung her head. "Can we talk?" She asked looking around.
"Why should we, nothing we say to each other is a secret after all." Marinette bit back at Alya.
"Careful, my lady. You don't want to get akumatized again." Chat warned with a hand on her shoulder.
"But Marinette . . . I don't want to lose our friendship."  Alya admitted.
"Should've thought of that before you outed her secret." Chloe told her. Chloe turned to Chat. "I think it'd be best if she stayed with me at the Hotel tonight."
Chat looked over at Marinette in a silent question. Marinette gave Chloe a watery smile. " Thanks."
Chloe nodded. "Of course. We should go before we attract too much attention."