Miraculous Ladybug: Season Six | Part One

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Miraculous Tales of Ladybug

Ladybug stands in the sewer, staring down at her bug phone, awaiting for Argos to arrive with the jar. She has been watching Alya's coverage from the Ladyblog in case she needed to step in, assuming that Chat Noir would lose his proper focus if she stepped in when they didn't need help.

    "I just don't know what to do when there's an active threat, but Chat Noir and his allies were already there. I'm worried if I would assist them, they would lose focus and attack me instead of the actual threat." Marinette explains to Alya in her bedroom. Alya sighs, shaking her head, "You know that wouldn't look good for your image if he is always the one attacking the villain. The press is already aware Ladybug lost the brooch; they may speculate that you are using its power for your own good." Marinette bites her lip, "I don't think they would go that far unless Chat openly states something condescending about me."
    Alya looks down at her phone, "You obviously still need to be present in these fights somehow so everything can be fixed and the Akuma doesn't spread like a disease to other Parisians." She adds, pulling up the Ladyblog. Marinette's eyes widened, "You're a genius! I'll be in the shadows! We both still have the same motive, of course; taking back the brooch, some continuing to be present in silence, will still settle Paris's suspicions!"

    "Ladybug, here," Argo states, throwing the jar towards her, breaking at her feet. "At least make sure I'm paying attention next time?" She mutters as she swings her yo-yo to deevilize the winged bug. He shrugs, turning away, "Wait- Argos," Ladybug stops him as he touches the latter to the streets; he turns and looks back at her. "Has he- has Chat Noir said anything-" "About you? Not really. Nothing he hasn't already said." Argos states coldly as he looks back up towards the utility hole. He inhales, "You need to come out of hiding eventually; it's hard to say what he told that reporter from earlier." He mumbles, climbing up to the surface. "He talked to a REPORTER?" She exclaims, falling against the wall. Argos was already gone by the time she whipped out her bug phone to find the news.

Ladybug and Chat Noir: Who is The Real Enemy?
    Ladybug states she had lost the brooch... could she be using it for her own gain?

She groans, gripping her yo-yo until her knuckles turn white, "I-" She choked, looking up towards the surface. She swallows her screams as she slowly climbs out of the hole and finds a little alley to detransform in. She stands there for a moment, staring at her actual phone. She bites her lip so hard that she starts to taste the metallic taste of her blood before deciding to call for help. "I need you, now. It got worse." She whispers on the phone before hanging up. She slides down the alley wall, running her hands through her hair in a panic. She begins to breathe heavily as the sound of crowds begins to fill the streets once again. What have I done?

"Marinette? What are you doing here?" She looks up to see a masked person dressed in all black; she sighs, bringing her hand up to her head. How long have I been here? Did I fall asleep? "I- I don't remember. What are you doing here?" She inquires, watching him frown down at her. "Patrolling, you know... keeping Paris safe." He responds, smirking as he squats down next to her. She frowns before erupting in sobs, "Chat-" He jumps from her sudden outburst of tears as she regains her composure. "I- I'm an awful person, Chat Noir." She mumbles through her tears, bringing her knees to her chest. He blinks in confusion, "Now why would.. say that?" He asks, tilting his head slightly. She looks at him deadpan as tears trickle down her flushed cheeks. She shakes her head, "It's nothing, some silly high school drama you wouldn't care about!" She chirped through her tears to try to get the focus off of her.
He squinted at her, "You know you don't need to lie to me." He responded sternly, touching her hand that was wrapped around her knee. She looks up at him, blushing through her stained cheeks. "C-hat, you shouldn't be here." She whispers, looking away from him and bringing her head down between her thighs. He sighs, retracting his hand from hers, "I've been hurt too, I get it." He whispers, continuing to look in her direction even though she isn't. She sniffs, "Yeah, sure, you're Chat Noir who could ever hurt you." She mumbles, acting oblivious to the situation between him and Ladybug. "Have you not seen the news lately? Ladybug and I-" He choked on his response, covering his mouth in the process. She looks back at him with tears in her eyes, "I try not to pay attention if I'm being honest... It frightens me to know there's another villain out there." She murmurs through her arm that was covering her mouth. He nods, "I get it; I wish I could too. I made a huge mistake by talking to the press today." He smiles, bringing his hand to his forehead, "I implied Ladybug was the villain behind the recent akumazations." He chuckles softly as his smile falls. "W-why would you imply that?" She inquires softly, turning towards him. He shrugs, "I don't know. I didn't mean for it to go that way, obviously. She and I aren't on the best terms right now." He looks away from her, looking down at the concrete underneath them.
Marinette sighs, "I thought you two were best friends... what happened?" She whispered, hoping he wouldn't tell her too much as she is a citizen, and if he told her, he wouldn't hesitate to tell others. He looks back at her, "I thought I knew her. Have you ever been lied to before, Marinette?" He responds with another question. She blinked and nodded back at him, "Of course I have," His gaze softened, looking at her as he propped his head on his hand. "Well, has your best friend... Alya. Has she lied to you before? Not something small like a surprise birthday but like something that could affect your entire perspective of the person?" She grimaces at this hypothetical and shakes her head, "Not that I recall, but she is still my best friend. She wouldn't have done something harmful without a justifiable reason. Did Ladybug lie to you?"
He looks away again, thinking of what to tell her. I can't tell her; who knows who she might tell. "Yeah, she did. I think she had a reason, but it wasn't really a reason that could be justified not to tell her partner, you know what I mean?" He muttered, turning his head back towards her. She frowned, leaning over to him, "I'm sure to her it was important not to say anything. Have you thought of the consequences she had to think about if she would tell you... whatever it was." He lays his head on hers gently, "Not necessarily; she said she was protecting someone... but they really had nothing to do with...." He trembled in the silence of the beginning of the night of Paris. She inhales, pulling away from him, "I have to go; it's getting late." She whispers, using the wall to stand up. He watches her from below, "I- I can take you home." He stammered, standing up with her and looking into her eyes. She nods in agreement, "That would be nice." She smiled gently as he took out his staff.
    Chat Noir grabs her by her waist and vaults up into the night sky, a similar view they once had a few months ago, only this time they both are entirely silent. Marinette looks over to the bakery and closes her eyes, wishing this nightmare would end soon. "Marinette, you never told me why you were in that alley." Chat acknowledges quietly, looking over at her under the moonlight gaze. Marinette looks down below, staring at the city lights as Parisians flood the streets. "I was hiding from the akumazation from earlier today; I guess I fell asleep in the process." She lies, shrugging before looking back up at him. Chat's facial expression changed to a sour expression, "I- I'm so sorry." He whispers, leaning down towards the Dupain bakery. They land on her balcony in silence; Marinette looks away from the masked superhero. "You should go; it's not safe for you to be out here by yourself." She mumbles, opening her trapdoor and leaving him alone on the balcony. He stands in the moon's light for a moment in awe, upset she left so soon. I should know she isn't in love with me; she doesn't know... She can't know. His shadow begins to cast over her trapdoor; pondering, he shakes his head and vaults away into Paris.

    Marinette goes down her ladder; her legs are nearly numb from the adrenaline rush. She looks over towards her desk, papers scattered along them. Homework, planning, designs, and more. She falls to her knees, laying her head down on the wooden floor, and begins to sob. Tikki flies out of her purse, "He doesn't hate you!" She expresses trying to make light of the situation. Marinette sniffs before looking up, "Tikki, he doesn't have to say it to be true." She whispers through her tears strolling down her chapped cheeks. Tikki winces, going down to eye level, "He doesn't; if he did, his motive wouldn't be to stop whoever has the miraculous of the butterfly." She explains as Marinette sits up crisscrossed, laying her forehead on her palm. "I don't know what to do, Tikki. I accidentally flaked on Luka from earlier when I was the one who called for help." She whispered as her voice began to break finally. Tikki inhales, "I'm sure he'll understand." Marinette nods, reaching for her phone from her back pocket.

    The following day, Marinette sits at her desk writing down ideas, wondering in her mind. "Do you think I should hold a meeting with everyone and explain myself... or is that too straightforward?" She inquires, turning around in her pink chair. Luka stands above her with his arms crossed over his chest. He shrugs, "It's probably the only thing you can do now to settle them down." He replies, watching her turn back around. She sighs, "Knowing my luck, it'll backfire." She mutters, picking up her pencil. Luka lays his hand on her shoulder, "It's the only opportunity you will have before everything worsens."
    "Considering all of Paris thinks that Ladybug is using the miraculous of the butterfly for her own intentions when they all know the truth, yeah, sure, it may be for the best." She whispers, putting the eraser of the pencil against her lips. "I talked to Chat Noir yesterday... He didn't seem to be filled with as much hatred towards Ladybug as he did when I told him that night." She mentions looking back at Luka. Luka inhales, "You weren't Ladybug, you were a civilian." He responds bluntly, leaning away from her. She nods, turning back around, "I figured he would sugarcoat it to protect their image... even if he implied she was a villain."
    Luka sighs, looking over at Sass, who shrugs in response. "Yeah, you could say that." He mutters, removing his hand from her shoulder. Marinette finishes her sketch of everyone with a miraculous meeting in a secluded area, like a rooftop, of all of them surrounding her as she explains what really happened the night Monarch made his wish and the night Gabriel Agreste had died. "What do you think?" She asks, moving out of the way for him to view the paper. He approves, "I think it's a good setting, but how will you execute it?" She thinks, "I guess, to be honest, and send them all a message in hopes they receive it in time. Something like, "Meet me here with the other, and I will tell the complete and utter truth, no excuses." "Do you think they will believe you after everything?" He inquires, uncrossing his arms turning her around in her chair. She grimaces, "I can only hope so, Luka." She whispers, looking up at him from the chair. He bows his head, "I hope so too, Marinette." He responds, pulling away to face the trapdoor that leads downstairs. "I'm sorry you're in the middle of this, Luka." She states as he lifts the trapdoor. He glances at her, dropping the door handle, "I'm not the only one in the middle of it, Marinette." He hisses before reopening the door.