(My first shot at Lila salt. I hope you like)
In the back of the classroom Marinette sat on the edge of her seat. Today was the day they announced the video winner and she couldn't wait to see if her and her friends had won. Not to have a huge ego, but Marinette was sure they had a great chance of winning.
Ms. Bustier walked into the classroom and all conversations stilled and Adrien looked to the front of the classroom. For some reason he had been staring at Marinette more lately, he usually just ignored her. But now, she had to go out of her way to avoid him, she had taken to slinking out the windows and down a drain pipe when Adrien started blocking the door. She always got to school an hour early to sneak into the classroom, but then Adrien started getting here early just to guard the front doors. So Marinette had to start climbing up the drain pipe and into the classroom, good thing Tikki could faze through the windows to unlock them for her.
"Everyone, I have the movie contest results." Ms. Bustier started. "And they are very interesting and unusual." Everyone was on the edge of their seats, they had stated many times that there was no way they could loose. "The winner will not be announced." Gasps filled the room along with a lot of questions.
"What?!"
"Why?"
"How could they not announce the winner?"
"Now we will never know if we won the contest."
"Class please quiet down so I can explain." Ms. Bustier calmly said. "The reason the winner will not be announced right now, is because one of the judges is connected to a big shot producer and he thought it was good enough to show him. When the producer saw the film he immediately decided to release it as the next big movie."
Everyone erupted into chatter how this was better than they thought possible and how all of their dreams are coming true. "Lila, we couldn't have done this without you! Thank you so much. This is amazing!!!!"
"Wait class." Ms. Bustier called with a large frown. "I'm sorry to say, it's not our class." The room was filled with loud groans and protests and Marinette started to get a headache. "But class, all classes participating in the movie contest are invited to the premiere."
"No way is their movie was better than ours!" Alya complained.
"But we should still go to the premiere to support our fellow schoolmates." Lila sweetly said. Marinette was sure she had ulterior motives, probably the fact that it was a big-shot producer coming to the premiere.
"Your so considerate, Lila." Rose said.
"Yeah, girl." Alya agreed. "Unlike some people, who wouldn't even help out with with our movie." Marinette knew exactly who that was pointed at and if she recalled correctly, they were the ones who didn't want her.
"At least she still gets to enjoy the benefits of the premiere." Lila said in her sweet voice, but Marinette knew the game she was playing.
"She shouldn't!" Alya declared.
"But-" Adrien tried to protest, which was the most he had done in......well....... she couldn't remember.
"Adrien, I know you are a little naive and sheltered. But Marinette didn't do any of the work, which means she shouldn't enjoy any of the benefits." Alya said very certain of herself.
Marinette didn't really care, so she just walked out. Ms. Bustier halfheartedly tried to stop her, but she just ignored her teacher. If her classmates didn't want her, she would get new classmates. Marinette had already applied for a transfer of classes, at first Mr. Damocles was against it, until Ms. Mendeleiev and her entire class petitioned for Marinette to join their class. So in one week she would be free of the Akuma Class as everyone else called it or as Ms. Mendeleiev's class called it, the Stupid-And-One-Brain-Cell-They-All-Share Class.
When Marinette walked into Ms. Mendeleiev's class she was crushed beneath a large hug and screams. It took her a while to decipher between all the loud screams and chatter but when she did four words got stuck in her head on replay, "We won the contest."
**********
Marinette clutched the edge of her satin red dress, and tried not to sweat. It would do no good to visibly freak out, soon she would be in front of millions of cameras and she didn't want her masterpiece ruined before she even stepped out of the limo.
It was a simple red satin dress with a sweetheart neckline and a black ribbon around her waist. But the stunning part of the dress was the black designs that created a strap at the top and flowed down her front and off to the side before falling to the floor. (^^Picture at the top^^ It is not my own work.)
"Who else feels like their about to throw up and laugh at the same time?" Allegra wheezed. She was wearing a beautiful blue mermaid gown with green sheer fabric overlay that shimmered in the light.
"Me." A fidgety Claude agreed, he was looking a little green and had knocked off the jokes. He was wearing a black suit with a sea-foam green tie that matched his sister Allegra's dress. Claude cleaned up nice, but the professional look was ruined by the sea-foam green hoodie he wore underneath the black jacket.
Marinette, Vivian, Allegra, Claude, Mireille, Aurore, Luka, Kagami, and Aline all road in the same limo while the rest of the class road in the next one. They were driving to the movie premiere which, thanks to the big-shot producer, Ladybug, Jagged Stone, Clara Nightingale, and Hawkmoth actually being in the movie -Marinette had given him and invitation through the akuma that was going after her former classmates-, it was the biggest deal in France.
Marinette heard the crowd before the limo had stopped at the red carpet. She held her breath as the door opened and cameras blinded her to try to get the first shots of the mysterious new actors. As the lead actor, Mireille, in her pale pink a-line dress, was the first to step out, but she froze when the cameras blinded her and the crowd grew louder. Claude was the next one out to help her, he quickly took her arm and whispered reassurance to her.
Vivian in her violet empire waist dress was next, because she was co-director and the villain. Then Aurore stepped out in her dark blue cocktail dress. Allegra, Luka, and Kagami were next until it was Marinette and Aline left. Marinette stepped out first and then held out her hand for Aline to take. When she stepped out in her rose and gold colored puffy princess dress the cameras went wild, even more so went a foot man brought around a wheel chair. -Aline could only stand for short periods of time-
Then as Marinette and Aline were walking -Marinette was pushing Aline- up the red carpet, Marinette spotted a little girl waving a notebook and pen for autographs. She walked over to the little girl and smiled before taking the pen and signing the notebook. Than she took both of them over to Aline and had her autograph it. Aline's smile got bigger, which was hard to do because it was already so big. Then Marinette wheeled her up to the door and walked in to the biggest event of her life.
**********
Lila was enjoying herself at the premiere, now that she had everyone wrapped around her little finger everything was perfect. She had even broken Marinette and stolen all her friends just like she promised. Now she was partying with the high and mighty............ and the insufferable leach that called herself her BFF that was chatting her ear off.
Lila was just about to excuse herself to go to the bathroom just to get away from Alya, when she saw her. Marinette. How in the world did Marinette sneak in to the premiere? Lila was determined to get her kicked out, so she told Alya and pointed her out. It was amusing to see Alya's face turn a bright red in anger.
"Marinette! How did you sneak in! Security!" Alya yelled as she stomped over to Marinette, creating a scene just like Lila had predicted.
What Lila didn't expect was for Marinette to just roll her eyes and tap her toe on the floor like she was dealing with a petulant child, "I didn't sneak in."
"She's with us." A dark haired girl in a violet dress that looked familiar to Lila said.
"What?!" Alya exclaimed and Lila was shocked.
The girl stood up taller and even though everyone was staring at them she stood with an air of authority, "I am Vivian, Co-Director and a lead actress in this film, Marinette is the other director and a lead actress." To say Lila was surprised would be an understatement, she was down right shocked and a little jealous. "So you should either not approach us the rest of the night or leave now." Alya looked like she was just slapped, and quickly backed away in embarrassment.
"Everyone! It's time to start the movie!" Lila barely heard the big-shot producer call everyone into the theater as she was to busy standing dumbly next to Alya. Who was just as stunned as Lila, maybe even more so. Lila was in such a stunned state that she didn't realized that she had entered the theater with the rest of her class, until she was sitting next to Alya and the movie was starting.
The movie started with an overview of the Paris skyline (Ladybug had used her yo-yo to film that) "Paris is a glorious city with the beautiful Eiffel Tower landmark, with it's majestic buildings and peaceful rivers, Paris is the most wonderful city in the world........ But I may be a little biased, because it's my home, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.
"Though Paris isn't all beautiful scenery,,,,,,,, there is a magical terrorist by the name of Hawkmoth wreaking havoc. Luckily we have superheros like Ladybug and Chat Noir to save us." While Estelle was speaking the view panned to a shot of an akuma attack. "But this story isn't about them." The camera panned away and over to a dance studio, "This story is mine."
The words 'Based on a true story' flashed on the screen, before rolling the opening credits with the background of dancers feet or arms doing dancing.
Lila was starting to think that what that girl Vivian said was a joke until the words 'Staring Mireille Caquet, Co-Director Marinette Dupain-Cheng-' Lila stopped paying attention to the names at that point. She was stuck on the feeling of 'what did I do?' And 'why out of all people did I have to be mean to the one that could get me somewhere?' Lila had definitely screwed up, not that she would ever admit that though.
**********
Alya was sick to her stomach. For the last two weeks all anyone talked about was the movie and....................... Marinette. Her old BFF. The one she threw away as soon as someone more interesting came along. Alya didn't even realize that Marintte had moved so completely on that she didn't care about her, until the day after the premiere when Alya tried to talk to Marinette but all she got was looked down upon and told to go away.
Now Alya and the rest of Ms. Bustier's class was sitting in her living room getting ready for the special broadcast by Nadja Chamack. After the last new story finished up, the show switched to Nadja in the interviewing room she had used for Ladybug and Chat Noir's interview. And mine. Alya though dejectedly.
"Don't be bemused, it's just the news. Nadja Chamack here with some special guests from the new movie that everyone's been talking about." The camera panned over to where Alya got her first look at Marinette in two weeks, "Mireille, Vivian, Marinette, Claude, Allegra, and Aurore or as you might better know them; Estelle, Lyiene, Kikki, Aldrick, Amelie, and Adalene. The writers of the film."
Mireille giggled, "It's good to be here."
"Today we will be having them answer some questions that a lot of people have been wondering." Nadja continued. "The first question that many people have been wondering is what gave you the idea for this story? Many people have seen the 'based on a true story' at the begin of the movie and were wondering whos story is this?"
Marinette paled slightly and ducked her head a little. Vivian shot her a concerned look before answering, "Marinette's story."
"What?!" The TV host/Sabine's friend exclaimed.
Marinette sighed before elaborating, "Basically, think everything that happened in the first half of the movie. Minis the dancing -I'm a fashion designer kind of girl-"
"She designed and made all of the outfits you see the main characters wearing." Aurore added.
"Her Karma outfit was way better than any of Hawkmoths designs." Claude butted in. Marinette rolled her eyes as the corners of her mouth twitched.
"Really? Lyiene's lies are so outrageous. No one could believe that. And the bathroom threat? That seemed like you wrote that out of an anime show. What about the notes and the akuma?" Nadja was practically on the edge of her seat in concern.
Allegra glared at the wall like it personally offended her, "Every line Lyiene said was exactly how Marinette remembered. I've personally seen the notes myself, I even saw her classmates tripping her down stairs, locking her in janitors closets. But all of that I saw before I met Marinette so I didn't know what was going on."
Vivian took over from there so Allegra didn't end up punching the camera, "And the akuma scene didn't go as planned. What had really happened was Marinette's cousin was visiting and stopped her from jumping-" Vivian was interrupted by lots of gasps from the TV station crew.
"Your saying Marinette was really going to jump off her balcony?!" Nadja had a hand over her mouth in shock. Marinette nodded causing another round of concerned gasps.
Vivian continued, "But the yelling at the akuma was all Marinette. In the script she was just supposed to fearfully whack the akuma with a book."
"I did eventually whack the akuma." Marinette pointed out.
"Yep! That was the day we all learned, 'Don't mess with Marinette, unless you want to get your-"
"Beep." Allegra injected.
"-kicked." Claude finished.
Allegra rolled her eyes, "Ignore my brother's crude language."
"So, what about the idea for Karma?" Nadja asked.
"When we heard Marinette's story, we asked what would happen if she did actually get akumatized and that's when everything just came together." Mireille answered. "How about some different questions now."
Nadja nodded and cleared her throat to get back on track, "Many people have been wondering how a bunch of school kids got stars such as Jagged Stone, Clara Nightingale, Ladybug, Chat Noir-"
"Hawk-freakin-moth." Claude cut in.
"Excuse my brother." Allegra added.
"Yes." Nadja agreed. "So, how did you get them?"
"It was all Marinette." Aurore bragged.
"This girl has crazy connections!" Claude exclaimed, before holding up his hand and ticking off his fingers. "Marinette's designed for Jagged Stone and he literally calls himself her Honorary Uncle. She's worked with Clara Nightingale on a music video. Ladybug has a patrol route that goes past her house and they chat when ever she goes by. And as for Hawkmoth no one actually knows how she pulled that one off."
"Neither do I." Marinette added. "I was having a really bad day when Hawkmoth sent an akuma for me. Instead of getting akumatized I grabbed the movie synopsis, the Hawkmoth lines, and a note that said, 'Hey this is a movie I'm doing, if you would like to do the voice for Hawkmoth please send a recording of your voice saying these lines.' Then I gave it all to the akuma and sent it back to Hawkmoth. A few days later he sent an akuma with a recording device that had the lines on it. "
By the time Marinette finished Nadja had her mouth hanging wide open. "Hey! That was my reaction!" Allegra pointed out.
Everyone laughed and soon Nadja joined in. After that the talked about things like who the little girl in the wheel chair was and how Aline was now getting more movie offers. She was also the most popular girl in the hospital.
Alya muted the TV interview and everyone sat in silence. Well, almost everyone, Lila was spinning stories about how Marinette was making everything up. But Alya wasn't listening, she did what she should have done in the first place, fact check. Everyone was pulling out their phones -minis Adrien and Lila- to look up Lila Rossi and guess what they found nothing.
Everyone started yelling at Lila, except Alya, Nino and Adrien. Alya and Nino realized what a mess they had made and how awful they were to the sweetest girl in the world. Adrien had finally realized what had happened and what he did wrong.
Marinette will never forgive me. That thought ran thru everyone in Ms. Bustier's class -minis Lila- and most of them where correct. Marinette eventually forgave most of them -not Lila- but she never forgot what they had done.