"Marinette!" I hear a familiar voice shout. "Your alarm's been going off for fifteen minutes! You're going to be late for your first day back at school!"
I immediately shoot up at the last sentence.
First day back at school.....?
I look around to see I'm in my room, but it doesn't look the same as it has for the past two years.
Ok, everything's still pink, but there's not a trace of anything Adrien related.
The only time my room was like this was two years ago, before I met Adrien, and before-
My hands shoot up to my ears and feel for earrings that I've worn for years.
They're not there...
"Marinette!"
"Coming!" I respond. I take a deep breath, and hesitantly open the trap door, walking down the steps to see my mom working in the kitchen. "Morning, Mom."
I sit at the table and pour my milk, switching to the cereal before I remember something.
If I went back for two years, then I can fix so many mistakes I've made. Starting with...
I gently set down the cereal container, preventing the unlucky chain reaction from the first time.
I finish my breakfast and get ready, going downstairs to the bakery to hear my dad humming the national anthem. He turns to me with a box in hand, pushing them towards me.
"What's this?" I ask.
"The macaroons for your class! You didn't forget did you?"
"The macaroons!" I exclaim, trying to sound convincing. "Right! Thanks, Dad. They'll love 'em!"
"It's the least I can do after you lent me one of your designs!" he exclaims with a sing-song, showing a sketchbook with the bakery logo on it. My mom hands me my backpack, and after kissing the two of them on the cheek, I rush out the door.
The crosslight turns red, and I skid to a halt at the corner. I look to the street and see an elderly man crossing, shaky and slow.
That's...Master Fu! This was the first time I saw him! When...
I look to the side to see a car speeding towards him, not in any hurry to stop.
As quickly as possible, I grab onto his arm, and pull him to the sidewalk, just as the car rushes past.
I trip over the sidewalk, and watch as the box of macaroons goes flying. I land flat on my face and look back up to see the oncoming foot traffic destroy the stray macaroons.
Guess I can't fix everything...
"What a disaster!" a voice exclaims. I turn back and see Master Fu's still here.
"I..."
This is when you get your miraculous, Marinette! Do it like the first time or the next two years of your life change forever!
"D-don't worry, I'm no stranger to disaster," I say, repeating what happened the first time. "Besides, there are still a few left."
He reaches up and takes one, taking a bit of it before giving a hum of approval and mumbling through his full mouth, "Delicious!"
I give a nervous smile before the school bell rings, and give a worried look towards the school. "Have a nice day sir!" I exclaim before rushing towards the building.
I run past the man hold the doors open, jumping the stairs and burst into the classroom just as Ms. Bustier tells Nino to sit in the front, which he reluctantly does. Walking up to my seat, I set my stuff down just to see a hand slam on the desk, and an all to familiar voice shouts, "Marinette Dupain-Cheng!"
I look up to see Chloe, make-up caked face and all, smirking down at me. "That's my seat!" she grates.
"No it's not Chloe," I say flatly.
"Excuse me!" she screeches. "Adrien's arriving today, and since that's going to be his seat, this going to be my seat, got it? Go sit by that new girl over there."
Now or never...
"Actually Chloe, I think that she should sit over here." I look over to Alya to see her looking up at me in confusion. "She looks pretty nice, and definitely doesn't deserve to deal with you like the rest of us have."
Chloe lets out an enraged huff and drags Sabrina down to their seat as Alya rushes to my side.
"That was awesome, girl!" she exclaims. "Just like Majestia! She says 'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good people do nothing.' And that evil girl over there," she says, pointing to Chloe. "You totally beat her!"
I look over at the box of macaroons and push it over to her.
I don't have a last one to split, but hopefully, this will do instead.
"Marinette," I say, introducing myself.
"Alya," she smiles back, taking a macaroon from the box.
As Ms. Bustier begins her lesson, I look over to Chloe to see her face full of disappointment. "Ughh, he should've been here by now," she says softly.
At the end of class, Ms. Bustier makes an announcement, but a growl from the back interrupts her, and I turn to see Ivan ready to punch Kim. "Kim!" He shouts.
"Ivan!" Ms. Bustier exclaims in a tight voice. "What is going on?"
"It's Kim!" he shouts stridently. "I'm so gonna get y-"
"Ivan!" Ms. Bustier interrupts. "Go to the principal's office!"
Ivan frowns, growling as he crumples the piece of paper in his hand. Grabbing his bag, he stomps out of the room.
We go to the library and start studying but are cut short by a huge thud, sending us out of our chairs and on the floor.
"Come on!" Alya exclaims, picking me up from the floor by my arm, dragging me to the surveillance screens.
On the top left screen, a stone beast shouts, "Kim!"
"A real-life supervillain!" Alya squeals. "GPS, check. Battery, check. I am so outta here!"
"Wait, Alya!" I shout after her.
"Where there's a supervillain, there's always a superhero close behind! No way I'm missing this!" She bursts through the doors and runs out.
Don't stop her, Marinette, you need her to defeat Stoneheart.
I look back to the screen to see a car skid to a stop at Stoneheart's feet. When the people inside run, he grabs it, shouts Kim' name again and throws a car at the camera, cutting off the footage. I flinch and shutter before grabbing my bag and rushing home.
Closing the trapdoor to my room, I rummage through my drawers and cabinets.
Where did I find it...where did I-
I quickly turn to my computer screen, where the news is going.
A black box with ruby red designs and symbol rests on the desk.
I rush to it, snatching up and popping it open, smiling at the familiar red globe, and almost squeal as it changes to form a more creature like shape.
As soon as it takes the shape of Tikki, she rushes to hug me.
"Marinette!" she squeaks. "Thank god you're ok!"
"It's so good to see you Tikki!" I exclaimed, holding my hands up to nuzzle Tikki on my cheek. "I'm so happy you remember, I don't know what I would do if I had to go through this alone."
"Anyways," Tikki says, interrupting the moment. "I'd love to catch up and talk, but we'd better get the future on track by defeating this Akuma."
"Right!" I huff. "Tikki, Spots on!" I feel giddy as a wave of energy flows through me, and giggle at the sensation of transforming I never thought I'd feel again.
I let out a sigh of relief as I look in the mirror, the same Ladybug from a couple years ago staring back, with a few alterations to the suit: Black gloves going to my elbows, and black boots up to my knees.
You look great! Tikki squeaks from inside my mind.
Thanks! But I need to get to Stoneheart.
"Marinette! Did you get home ok?" My mom asks from downstairs.
I dash up to the balcony just before she opens the trapdoor, and throw my yo-yo, swinging away.
As I continue to the stadium, I remember when Chat and I first met.
I knocked him off his stick...
I giggle at the memory, and stop behind a to see Chat walking on his stick between two buildings. "I'm startin' to get the hang of this!" he exclaims. I chuckle, and purposely swing right into him, sending us both falling, and we come to an abrupt stop as my yo-yo wraps itself around us, and latches itself to Chat's stick.
I let out a hearty laugh, and it doesn't take long for him to join in.
"Was that an accident, or did you just do that to get a laugh?" Chat asks as I release us.
"Can't it be both?" I chuckle.
"I'm...uh...Chat Noir. Yeah, Chat Noir. And you?"
A loud boom sounds, and we look over to see a building collapse.
He steps back, getting a running start before extending his stick and flying off. I roll my eyes at his showing off, and swing towards the stadium.
When I get there, Chat's already mid-fight with Stoneheart, Alya inevitably filming in the corner. When a goal goes flying towards her, I'm about to throw my yo-yo as Chat throws his stick, and it extends in time to launch back the goal away from Alya, just as Stoneheart scoops up Chat.
I throw my yo-yo, wrapping it around Stonehearts legs and swing under them, skidding to a stop and tugging on the string, sending Stoneheart to the floor and Chat rolling at the goal behind me. He quickly gets back up and exclaims, "Let's kick his rocky behind, Wonderbug!" I grab him by the tail, holding his back until he hangs loosely, struggling to regain his balance when I release him.
"He gets bigger with ever attack, Chat Noir."
"Fine then," he replies. "Let's use our powers. CATACLYSM!" The bubbly black aura surrounds his right hand, and he smirks, "Apparently I destroy whatever I touch." He reaches out to destroy the goal but I quickly stop him.
"Chat, stop!"
"What?" he asks, turning back to me.
He can't destroy Stoneheart. I remind myself. Besides, it'll be fun to see him get kicked to his ass.
"You know what?" I chuckle. "Prove it."
"Prove it?" he asks, confused.
"Destroy... this goal."
"Alright," he smirks. He places his hand on the pole, and the goal turns black and crumbles as the aura around his hand fades. He takes an attacking stance and shouts, "Time to rumble, soon to be rubble!"
He jumps in the air dramatically, and lands my its feet and places his powerless hand on its foot, tapping it a few times before sitting and sighing, "I guess I only get one shot to use my power."
I roll my eyes and laugh as he comes flying, landing on his back.
"LUCKY CHARM!" The same wetsuit from the first time falls into my hands, and I mummer, "Guess the circumstances haven't changed."
I fix the hose in the head opening on the wet-suit and wrap my yo-yo around Chat's feet. "Trust me, don't resist."
I swing him towards Stone heart as he screams, "This girl's crazy!"
When Stoneheart catches him, I run and shout, "Over here, Hart of stone!" He grabs me, dropping the purple stone. "Alya! The tap!"
As soon as the tap is turned on, the wetsuit blows up, prying his hand open for me to run and break the purple stone. As the Akuma begins to fly away, I take out my yo-yo, but before I can do anything else, I hear Tikki's voice in my head.
You can't purify it, Marinette!
What do you mean, Tikki? I ask her worriedly.
The second fight against Stoneheart is very important. Preventing it from happening could change the course of the next two years, and probably not in the way it should be.
I sigh, mumbling, "Damn it," and watch the Akuma fly away.
I turn back to Stoneheart and Chat to see the rock separate, and Ivan and Chat fall to the floor as the rocks disappear. I look back at my hand to see the stone change back into paper.
"What's going on?" Ivan asks. "What am I doing here?"
"You were incredible Miss...uhh.."
"Call me Ladybug," I tell him.
"Ladybug,.." He sighs dreamily.
We bump fists and exclaim, "Pound it," and Chat's ring beeps.
"You'd better go," I say. "Our identities must remain secret."
"Farewell, M'ladybug," he says, bowing. "Let's do this again soon ok!" He leaps up the levels, extending his staff as he jumps out of sight.
I roll my eyes and turn back to Ivan, who sits on the field, facing down, looking sad. I walk over to him and tell him, "There's no shame in telling someone you love them."
He looks up at me and opens his mouth to say something, but is interrupted by Alya. "Uncanny! Amazing! Spectacular! Are you going to be protecting Paris from now on? How did you get your powers? Did you get stung by a radioactive ladybug? I have so many questions for you Miss...Miss...?"
"Ladybug," I say smiling. I walk away, throwing my yo-yo up to swing back home.
When I detransform and fall through the hatch, I sit on the chaise and let out a sigh of defeat. "Did I really have to let the Akuma go, Tikki?" I groan.
"I'm sorry, Marinette" She squeaks. "But a lot of important stuff happens during the second battle against Stoneheart, maybe even more than the first! Without it, you might not get to the future you want."
"Ok." I sigh.
"Marinette!" My mom calls. "Dinnertime."
I run downstairs I turn to the TV, where Mayor Bougious in announcing a celebration in honor of Chat Noir and me.
While I eat, I cower away from the TV, scared to hear about the new Stonehearts. Even so, I eventually catch wind of the tragedy when my mom cries out in horror.
"Just as Paris is about to celebrate the appearance of our two new superheroes, Ladybug and Chat Noir, a new wave of panic is sweeping across the capital as dozens of people are mysteriously transformed into stone monsters. It's simply unbelievable!"
I run back upstairs and roll into my chair, massaging my temples to stop an incoming headache.
"This was definitely one of the worst parts of being Ladybug."
"This was when you quit!" Tikki gasps, remembering.
"Tikki," I sigh. "Being ladybug was hard enough the first time. And the second time will only be a little bit easier. But I won't quit this time."