The nightmares have become reality. Hurt, pain, guilt, sadness. Oh, this is going to be so fun.
It all started as a normal day, Marinette actually being early to school because of no recent Akuma attacks.
'Bye mom! Bye dad!'
'Goodbye, sweetie. Stay safe.'
'I will mom!' She said, as she runs excitedly to school. 'Today is going to be great. I can feel it.'
Poor, poor girl. She has no idea what's going to happen this fateful day.
Ladybug will fall under my control. Your downfall is inevitable, Ladybug. And the key to Cat Noir's downfall, is yours.
'Alya!'
'Hey girl! It's the end of the year already! So? Are you gonna ask Adrien out to the prom or what?'
'Alya, come on, you know I want to but I just can't. Every word would come out as a stutter, and I'll just embarrass myself even more.'
'Oh come on girl! You just need a little encouragement!'
'I don't know, Alya.'
'Look! He's coming! Stay cool, Marinette. You can do this.'
'Wait, what—'
With that, Alya ran off, winking to Marinette, leaving her in full blown panic mode for seconds as Adrien, pretty face, blonde hair, green eyes and all walked over to Marinette.
Sirens were blaring in Marinette's head, mixed with her internal screams.
'Ok ok ok, I just need to do this. I can do this, I just need to talk to him, like a normal, normal, sane person, I mean, come on he's just another kid in my school but he's the hottest kid in my school and the dreamiest and oh my god he's right in front of me now.'
'Hey Marinette. Good morning.'
'Ah, um, uh, yes! Morning. Good!'
'Oh my god kill me please.'
'Ha, uh hey Marinette, why did Alya run off just now?'
'Actually,' she said, and suddenly the words came to her mind, having something to talk about, though she still couldn't look him in the eyes, she managed to form a coherent sentence. 'Alya and I were talking but then she TOTALLY BAILED ON ME!' She yelled across the entire courtyard, giving Alya the stink eye. Which Alya completely ignored, choosing instead to feign talking to Nino.
Adrien went silent for a second. He didn't realise a girl so petite could produce such a loud sound. He coughed slightly, before responding. 'Well, okay... Ahem, so Marinette, have you got a date for prom?'
'Huh? Prom? Oh. OH. Yes, prom. I mean no, no date me, I MEAN I DATE DON'T but of course, date I you, I mean, I MEAN—' Marinette was a whole new level of flustered, having caught off guard by the topic of prom, but before she could regain her composure, typical Chloe Bourgeois ran over to Adrien, draping her arms around him.
'Hey Adrikins~' she said, making flirty faces at him, either not noticing or ignoring the momentary look of disgust on Adrien's before he covered it up with a forced smile, not wanting to be mean.
'Hey...Chloe.'
'Adrikins, since we're going to prom together, could you get your father to make us matching outfits? That'd give us bonus couple points!'
Marinette's train of thought crashed.
'What.'
'Hold on Chloe, we're going to prom together? How come I didn't know about this?'
'What do you mean Adrikins, are you saying you don't want to go to prom with me? But that's ridiculous. Everyone wants to go to prom with moi.'
'Chloe, I can't go to prom. My dad doesn't allow it.'
'We can solve that! I think Mr. Agreste would be easily convinced if he received a call from my daddy.'
'What!? Chloe, no!'
Marinette having finally deciding to speak up, snatched Chloe's phone away from her. 'I'll take this, thank you. I don't think Mr. Agreste would be bothered even if the mayor calls him. He's famous worldwide, he could easily make a living in Milan even if the mayor banned him from France.'
Chloe simply stared at Marinette. 'Oh no, my phone seems to be missing, I think it's been wrapped inside that human-sized piece of trash. Sabrina,' she snapped her fingers.
'Yes Chloe?'
'Help me get it back.'
'Um.. yes Chloe!'
Sabrina grabbed at Marinette, trying to pry her fingers away that were clasping onto the device like a bulldog clip. While Chloe watched on with a look of mirth on her face.
'Chloe, this isn't funny!' Adrien said, trying to dismantle the cat fight. Which, luckily, stopped because Marinette's fingers were clawed into a reddish, flesh-pink, and the bell had just rung. Marinette let go of the phone and everyone made their way to class, with Chloe glaring at Marinette throughout the entire day, plotting how she could make her suffer.
During Art class however, the teacher had assigned Sabrina to another group and Alya, Marinette and Adrien had to be in the same group with Chloe. No sooner had the teacher given them time to complete their project, Chloe had started bickering and complaining.
'Teacher! I REFUSE TO WORK WITH MARINETTE AND HER PETTY FRIEND ALYA! PLEASE ASSIGN ME AND ADRIEN TO ANOTHER GROUP SO WE WON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE TORTURE OF SEEING THERE UGLY FACES!'
'Excuse me Chloe?' Marinette, stood up, eye twitching.
'Marinette! Come on girl. She isn't worth our time.' Alya tried to get Marinette to calm down, but to no avail.
'Marinette. There's no need to get angry. It's just Chloe.' Adrien joined in with Alya, who was still struggling to calm Marinette down.
'Marinette Dupain-Cheng! That is the last straw. I saw what you did to Chloe this morning, and now this? This is unacceptable. Please go to the principal's office immediately for harassing and bullying Chloe!' the teacher ordered.
At this, Chloe snickered. 'But miss, I—'
'I saw with my own eyes what you were doing. Tomorrow I want to see you apologize to Miss Bourgeois! Now OUT!
Marinette went outside, angered, sad and feeling unjust.
Seeing Marinette so down, Tikki flew out of her purse to cheer her up.
'Come on Marinette. Cheer up. It wasn't your fault. Marinette? Marinette, where are you going? School's not over yet!'
'I know.' Marinette let out a frustrated sigh. 'I—I just don't care anymore. I just need to get out of here.'
'What? Marinette wait!'
'I can't believe it. Chloe insulted me first and yet Alya and Adrien told me to back off. Hmph! I don't get it! It wasn't my fault! Why didn't my friends back me up? Why did the teacher side with Chloe?' She huffed, stomping towards the park.
'Marinette, listen. You shouldn't waste your time with someone like Chloe and you should know that.'
'I know. It's just—' she sighed. 'I've always been tolerating and staying positive about Chloe, and everyone always kind of forgives her and it's just that. She's always okay, and repeats her mistakes. I don't get it. It isn't fair. I just want this one, one time where someone can finally put her in her place, BE IT AKUMA OR NOT!'
'Well—if your going to do it with Ladybug, then I'm not helping you do it!'
'Fine! I won't do it with Ladybug!'
Marinette pulls her earrings off, and Tikki disappears.
What's this? A Miraculous holder? Is this possible? Have I struck gold? Muahahaha, is this the key to power? Hahaha. Fly away, my butterfly minion, and bring her to me!
The little butterfly took off, flapping away, eventually reaching its target, the earrings in Marinette's hand.
She puts the earrings on instinctively, as the frame of the purple butterfly appears on her face.
'Ladybug. Your life as a civilian is miserable, isn't it? Friends turning their backs on you, the teacher punishing you unjustly, being bullied too. Aren't you getting sick of it? But I, Hawk Moth, can change all of that for you. Just live up to the saying, "Join what you can't stop". Bring me Cat Noir's Miraculous, and all your problems will be solved.'
Like most victims, Marinette agreed almost immediately, without a thought.
'Of course, Hawk Moth.'
(Ahem, I dunno which one to choose, but credit to the owners.)
~~~
'Has Marinette returned from the principal's office yet?' Alya asks.
'I dunno, but her bag's still here,' Nino replies.
Nino, Alya and Adrien were at lunch, waiting for Marinette who was no where to be seen.
'Is she avoiding us?' Adrien said.
'No way. She'd want to vent.' Alya commented. 'I checked the girl's bathroom thousands of times. She wasn't in there.'
'H-Hey! What is that!?' Nino shouts.