Marinette silently groaned as she called off her transformation, she turned into Ladybird every time.
"It's okay, Marinette, just focus. I believe in you!" Marinette smiled and let Tikki nuzzle her finger before taking a deep breath. She's got this, it was just a measly transformation. Her bright red skirt and grey sweater along with the navy blue tights she war disappeared as her suit replaced it. Fifth time's the charm, instead of seeing her usual cargo pants and boots, Marinette- no- ladybug, saw red with black spots, there was no antennae headband or utility belt. No combat boots or pockets.
Finally.
Hopefully this would be the last time she'd have to transform into Ladybug ever again.
The bluenette wasted no time in yo-yoing towards the celebration, landing on the stage with a smile just as the mayor finished his speech. Marinette refused to even look anywhere but the fence at the back of the crowd, not wanting to spot anyone from her new or old class.
"Perfect timing as always! People of Paris, please join me in welcoming Ladybug! Our beloved heroine!" People cheered and clapped as the Mayor and her shook hands.
"Hello, Paris. Thank you, on behalf of me and my team, we are honored and humbled. It has brought me so much joy to see Paris move past the horrible wrongs committed by Gabrielle Agreste and Nathalie Sancouer. I'd like to thank programs like Words of Hope and others that focus on continuing to spread positivity. I encourage people to participate in these rehabilitation programs. No one was safe from the effects of Hawkmoth's reign of terror but by standing together we can overcome. Together we can rise." People cheered even louder as the bluenette thanked the crowd, spotting Damian with his phone recording her entire speech, likely to show his brothers.
"Wonderful speech, Ladybug. Shall we?" they mayor motioned towards the waiting photographers and reporters.
"I'm sorry, mayor Bourgeois, I need to get going. I am simply here to reassure Parisian's that I'll be here if they need me. Thank you for watching over Paris." Ladybug enthusiastically waved before launching her yo-yo.
"Bug, out!" The girl gave her weapon a tug and swung away, relieved she was able to keep her eyes away from the front of the crowd where she knew two certain brunettes would have been.
Hopefully Robin would give a favorable report back to Batman- who was she kidding? The guy had a stick up his butt, he'd probably say she was overly friendly or something.
Speaking about her former partner at all, let alone with a positive tone left a bad taste in Marinette's mouth. She quickly returned to the group, staring at the ground in thought. The celebration hadn't been long, neither were the speeches but almost everything was closed because of the parade.
"It looks like there's a festival, can we check it out?" Ms. Ruiz took a glance at her watch.
"Alright, we'll have to leave in an hour or so to make it to the theater for the new French Revolution movie, we got all the permission slips just in time." Everyone nodded, Mr. Bernard told them to stick to pairs at the least and to meet back up at the Ladybug and Chat Noir's statue in an hour's time.
Marinette was dragged to check out some posters with the girls, she didn't pay much attention. Still thinking.
'Alya used to love those types of posters, she and Nino used to spend hours strolling the city looking for one's just like it. They used to be so nice, why did Lila have to join our class? Why did she have to lie? Why did this happen to me? What did I do to deserve the way she- they treated me? I was a good person wasn't I? I babysat, helped my parents, did my school work, I was and am I hero. Why did it happen to me? What did I do to deserve it? I stuck up for the truth, for honesty and kindness. Sure, I wasn't perfect but-'
Marinette's thoughts switched from self-deprecating to angry.
'But why would they believe Lila? Sure she told interesting stories but how could they trust some random new girl over me? How could they stoop so low as to insult and hate me? Even if I was jealous, I was still the girl they trusted as class rep. I was- am still I good person, right? I volunteer, I do my best to be kind, forgive, be happy and spread love not hate. Why did they think I was capable of the horrible things she accused me of? Who could do s-' Someone tapped on Marinette's shoulder.
The other girls were no longer looking at the posters, already at the next book. Damian was standing there, his face neutral.
"If you're going to have a panic attack at least don't do so in public." Marinette was dragged from her thoughts at Damian's comment.
"What?"
"You can see the goose bumps, your hands are shaking and you were taking short, fast breaths. Three symptoms of a panic attack." Marinette was still reeling from his comment, had her distress been that obvious?
Damian watched Marinette's eyes lose focus as she started over thinking again, what the hell had the Rossi girl done to her? He couldn't get her to flinch but some lying Italian could significantly effect her months after their last confrontation? Not that Damian wanted to have the same effect as the brunette but still, he'd almost be offended if he wasn't so worried. Her shortness of breath becomes more obvious.
"I'm a four hundred foot tall platypus bear-" He snapped in front of Marinette to get her attention as he spoke. "- with pink horns and silver wings." The girl's eyes widened before blinking twice.
"Wha-?" Damian rolled his eyes before motioning for her to follow. They walked to the park again, far away from the statue and sat on a bench.
"Go on, rant and explain." She looked at him like Damian was insane. "Don't look at me like that, just go- talk about whatever 'horrible' trauma you carry with you. What could some petty girl do that makes you so upset? What does she do that I don't?" Marinette's eyes crinkled as she struggled to hide her smile, she snorted. Until she wasn't, the bluenette let out a high but heart laugh as she struggled to contain her giggles.
He cocked a brow at her laughter.
"S-" She burst out laughing again. "S-sorr-" Another fit of uncontainable giggles.
"What's so funny?" She tried to stifle her laughter.
"Y-you, you're'-" She burst out laughing loudly again until she finally gained enough composure to finish her sentence. "You're jealous."
As Marinette said it out loud she burst out laughing, hysterical as she struggled to breathe. He waited for her to finish. Marinette finally sobered up.
"I am not, I'm merely trying to understand. What made her so awful that you left? I need to take notes." Marinette laughed at that, still on the high from earlier. She seems to struggle to find the right words.
"She- all my friends- they- they believed her. I showed them proof of her lies, I begged for them to believe me. I did everything I could think of to get them to see I was telling the truth. They refused to listen. I refused to back down. Adrien said her lies weren't hurting anyone but they were. They were hurting me. I was called the liar. I was shoved when people walked by, glared at, yelled at. I never wanted any of that to happen to her, I just wanted her to stop saying she knew MDC, that she was best friends with Ladybug. That she was a civilian aid. They were all lies. Jagged never had a cat, you can't get tinnitus from running and it has nothing to do with your elbow. The believed her." Damian was genuinely taken aback by the sheer stupidity of the lies, that was what Marinette had to deal with? Some liar and the sheep that followed her to the slaughter? She seemed to catch onto his thoughts.
"Being yelled at, called a bully and an attention-slut. The people you loved and trusted screaming the worst things you could imagine. All the things you confided in them suddenly turned my insecurities into insults. It hurt. Imagine Jon yelling at you about the one part of yourself that you really can't stand. Watching the person you used to like's face of revelation as your old crush on them was announced. Every day before school, notes in your locker telling you to leave and never come back, to stop lying, that every insult was true and then some." The image of Jon and his other teammates calling Damian a killer and a monster crossed Damian's mind.
"Idiots, like I said before. I'm insulted, you're more scared of them than me." Marinette snorted.
"Yeah, well, the mental image of you getting tailed by cats doesn't fade easily. Neither does the one of you holding a little baby Mar'i as she coos at you." Damian huffed.
"Whatever, better? Or do I need to get you a sticker?"
"What no offer to kiss the boo-boo better?" Marinette sarcastically shot back, standing. "Come on, the hour's up. It's time to head to the movie." Damian stood and they started walking.
"I am aware of the time."
"Really? I thought you were too busy insisting on me spilling my guts. Next time, it's your turn."
"There won't be a next time." Marinette rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, right, I saw when I mentioned Jon. You've got your own sad little back story, and one day I'll get you to 'pour your heart out'- if you even have one that is." Damian rolled his eyes but noticed her intentionally provoking him. The class was close enough that they likely spotted them.
"Don't be so ridiculous, it's not going to happen."
"Really? 'Cause I say it is. Just you wait, brat-" Just as expected Mme. Ruiz broke it up.
"OKAY! Who's ready for the movie, let's get going." Damian and Marinette glared at each other before looking forward. Marinette rejoined her roommates while Damian hung back. The theater was only a few blocks away so they walked.
People quietly spoke, some dreading the likely bloody film about the even bloodier French Revolution.
"Once, I visited the place where they beheaded everyone." Someone started up, waiting for someone to get him to continue his story.
"Really? What-" Marinette was cut off by bumping into someone, they grabbed her by the shoulders to stop both of them from falling.
"Kagami?"
"Hello, Marinette, I didn't know you were back in Paris. Agreste said you left." Some girls' jaws dropped at the word Agreste, Damian simply noted that the other bluenette was Kagami T'surigi, world class fencing prodigy and daughter of Tomo T'surigi.
"I did, I'm here on a class trip. How are you?"
"Good, should I tell mother you send your regards?"
"Yes, and text me! I know you're busy but I wanna hear from you." The girl nodded with a small smile that made Marinette beam.
"Alright, don't stay in Paris too long. Agreste might sniff you out and proclaim his 'undying love for you' again." Kagami teased.
"Oh, shut it. He said it to you first." The girls laughed before waving goodbye. The class kept walking at Mr. Bernard and Ms. Ruiz's insistence. Sophie Daniels grabbed onto Marinette's arm as they walked.
"You know Adrien Agreste?"
"Who's that?" Greg asked.
"French model, super rich, super famous son of a fashion designer. The dude's like their only model except some new brunette girl with these weird front ponytail things." Someone comments.
"What's he like?"
"Uh, I mean, I haven't seen him in a while. I transferred out of class in Paris a while ago. A week or two before I moved to Gotham."
"You were in the same class as him?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, he was nice. Really busy, has all these tutors and lessons after school- plus photoshoots."
"Was he funny? What did that girl say about undying love? Did you two date?"
"WHAT? Never!" Marinette gagged at the thought. "He was a friend, a very persistent friend." 'Inside and out of the mask.' she mentally added. The bluenette remembers when she took Chat's miraculous. He begged her not to do it, that it was his only way to be himself. She removed the ring, saw it was Adrien, he'd been pursuing Marinette as Adrien for a few weeks, after Kagami rejected him. She said she was too busy and he was passive, hearing about his actions through Marinette on the rare occasions the two girls had time to catch up. He begged her but she just dropped him off in his room and left, the next day Marinette saw Adrien was a tired wreck. She had tried to get through to him, tried to get him to be the bold Chat Noir he claimed he was but he showed no promise.
"Alrighty, here we are. take a ticket and single file into the theater. No talking." And that was that, by the end of the bloody and simultaneously boring film on the French Revolution was over no one was thinking about anything but getting the vivid mental pictures out of their head.
"Have you seen my-? Oh there it is!" Marinette smiled as she found her light blue beret. She put the hat on, completing the look. Marinette looked over herself, her black jeans matching nicely with the light grey of her sweater. Her favorite brown ankle boots fit perfectly. Marinette grabbed her black bag with small, random, white spots decorating it. She loved the shoulder bag, she just got it at a cute shop not too far from her bakery.
"Alex get your big butt out of bed!"
"No." Maddie groaned as her sister refused to wake up. Marinette laughed as Maddie literally dragged her sister of the bed, Alex fell of the end of mattress the fluffy covers wrapped around her, hardly breaking her fall.
"Ow."
"C'mon, we're gonna be late! We're touring the City of Science and Industry today!"
"No."
"Alex, if you take too long, we'll miss breakfast." Marinette's comment seemed to do the trick, she asked Marinette to make sure the class waited while she ran around the room getting ready as quickly as possible. Breakfast was her favorite meal of the day, 'nothing's better than a warm, buttery croissant right when you get out of bed.'
"Alright, I'll text you if they're already at breakfast or still waiting at the elevators." Marinette made sure she had Tikki and Kalkki before walking out of the hotel room, leaving two bickering sisters behind her.
The hallway was filled with half awake students and two coffee deprived teachers. Everyone was quietly talking, it was far too early to be up. Because of the Heroes Day celebration their tours for both the day before and today had to be squeezed together. They'd visit the city of science and industry before having lunch and then visiting the National Museum of Natural History, both places were very understanding and accommodating to the situation. The only person that seemed unaffected by the time was Damian.
"Good morning!" Everyone gave the bluenette half hearted greetings, "Alex slept in, she and Maddie are almost ready."
"Alright, we're just missing them and... that's it I think." People stayed quiet as they slowly woke up, the quiet was abruptly interrupted by a ringtone. Damian rolled his eyes when he saw the caller ID.
"What do you want?"
...
"I emailed it to you-"
...
"Why would I add it to the server when you specifically told me to email it?" Damian harshly snapped back, Marinette gave him a disapproving look and some of the venom left his tone.
...
"Yes, the financials for this quarter. I told you, we expected their stock to drop- they're already recovering-"
...
"That doesn't make it any less valuable, it's a solid acquisition. If anything, now is the time to invest- fine." Damian was obviously annoyed as he made his way to the room bickering about some stock or business thingy. It only hit Marinette now that he was probably given a lot of responsibility not only in school but also in gaining experience to one day help run his father's company.
Damian came out a few minutes later, still bickering before ending the call. Maddie and Alex soon stumbled their way out of the hotel room. With Damian looking as annoyed as he was and Marinette still sending him vicious glares, despite their being less lethal, it was bound to be an interesting day.