Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Adrien stands stiffly as he waits for his father to address him. He was summoned for a reason he isn’t completely sure of. Natalie stands by the door, silent as a sentry with a clipboard in her hand.

“Adrien, why is the Mayor wondering if you’ll be attending public school with Chloe?” Gabriel finally says, hardly looking up from his screen.

Adrien bristles slightly before he replies, “I saw her at a school fair last week. I was just hoping to ask if it would be ok for me to switch schools. They have a fencing program there, and I could take independent Mandarin lessons-” Gabriel’s sharp look silences him.

“Institut Worths is a prestigious school for the elites of society, and you dare to embarrass me by attending a public school?” He makes harsh eye contact. "Chloe attended the last few years as a punishment for bullying at Institut Worths. I’ve already heard a report of you getting kicked out of fencing, basketball, and journalism. I do not care for your mediocre interests, but failing is not something an Agreste does. You’ve disappointed me.” He waves his hand and turns back to his work, ending the conversation.

“Father, please! I never ask you for anything! I go to every stupid photoshoot for your brand, I have perfect grades, and I was president of my class. Chloe’s school may be poor and pathetic, but she likes it, and I can't stand going to Worths for one more year!” Tears stream down his face as he takes a step towards his father, not brave enough to get any closer, but desperate to make his father see him.

“Your tantrum will not convince me. You are dismissed, Adrien.”

Adrien says nothing as he leaves, his sniffles doing nothing to soften his father’s heart. Once he is out of thestudy, he runs up the stairs and into his room, closing the door behind him. A small black creature shoots from his coat’s pocket.

“Well, that was downright pathetic.” The creature comments, grabbing a piece of moldy cheese from the tray by Adrien’s bed and flying to the highest shelf in the room to nibble on it. He watches Adrien carefully, his tail twitching.

Adrien lies on his bed, pulling at the tight gray turtleneck that feels more suffocating than fashionable at the moment. Everything about his wardrobe is suffocating, nothing but the Agreste brand with neutral colors of the seasonal trends.

“I hoped, just once, he would at least pretend to care enough to say yes. I’ve done everything he’s asked, and I’m still not perfect enough for him.” Adrien stifles a sob.

Plagg frowns. "Humans aren’t perfect. Trying to be something impossible is stupid. Just run away and skip school. All you gotta do is work with Ladybug to find the butterfly miraculous and then return me to Master Fu, and then you can do whatever you want.”

“If Adrien wears the Gabriel brand in a public school, it would be good for promotional content. You could expand your consumer audience beyond your current customers. But of course, it is only my opinion, sir. Perhaps you can call it a favor to the mayor, who has felt disgraced by sending his daughter to Françoise Dupont.” Natalie keeps a steady gaze on him.

“If you think that I would send Adrien to that—“ he pauses, and suddenly smiles. “Tell him I’ve conceded. In the fall, he will attend Chloe’s school.”

“What are you plotting, sir?” Natalie tries to keep a neutral tone, but she knows Gabriel too well not to ask.

“Nothing.” He chuckles darkly.

“You will not include Adrien in your plans.” Natalie orders.

“You are in no position to oppose me. Besides, it’s his mother whom I plan to save.”

Natalie knocks on Adrien’s door, waiting a moment before letting herself in. She gave Adrien some time alone, enrolling him begrudgingly now that she knew his father’s plan.

“Adrien?” She calls, but quickly realizes that he’s not in his room. She notices the platter of cheese he likely stole from the kitchen, something not in his strict diet, but Natalie felt bad enough for the boy not to say anything. Another thing that catches her attention is the sound of the TV.

“-Stormy Weather, she calls herself. Ladybug is already on the scene, and, oh, there’s Cat Noir, arriving fashionably late, as usual. Did you catch what he said, Nadja? I think he made a cat pun. He’s really leaning into his cat persona-” Natalie turns off the television.

“Damn him,” she whispers. She quickly scribbles out a note and sets it on Adrien’s bed, and stalks over to her boss’s office.

Ladybug tightens her grip on her yo-yo as she watches Stormy Weather call for a heavy rain cloud. “Stick to the plan,” she says to Cat Noir.

“As meow-velous as your plan sounds… I hate it.” He spins his staff idly, sending it clattering against a chimney just to hear the noise. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t mastered the spin; he messed up on purpose.

“And what is your brilliant alternative?” She asks, calling for a lucky charm and getting an umbrella to shield herself as the rain travels over them.

“We ditch the rules, smash the magic thingamajig, and you get the bug. No complicated you-go-right-I-go-left or whatever your plan was. I already forgot.” He shakes the water from his golden hair, but the steady rain keeps his locks sticking to his face.

“You mean run in blind and hope for the best?” Ladybug is practically seething.

“Yeah. Improvision is the spice of life, Miss Ladybug.” He flashes a grin. Ladybug pinches the bridge of her nose, but doesn't argue further.

She pulls her yo-yo into position. “Fine. But if we lose—“

“It’s going to be great!” He yells as he uses his staff to make him fly off the roof.

Two weeks before, Master Fu had felt the awakening of Nooroo, one of the missing Kwamis he’d been searching Paris for. With the help of the two most powerful Kwamis, he decided to get some help tracking the miraculous.

“Both of you stay quiet.” Fu had lectured softly as he walked through the Tuileries Gardens.

“I’m so hungry, Master. This scavenger hunt for people to help find Nooroo is stupid. Just let me fly around and go through all the houses in Paris, and I’ll find him.” A squeaky voice complained.

“Nooroo has a user. We need to put your miraculous into circulation again.”

“Is that cheese?” The creature flew through the bag and zipped to the model.

“Plagg!” The little red bug raced to follow him. “What are you doing?! We have to find our users as soon as possible. This is a high school fair.”

“Calm down, Tikki. Ugh, this is just foam. Help me find something edible.” He flew under the tables, Tikki hot on his heels as she tried to dissuade him. Master Fu attempted to follow them, but lost them in the crowd.

He went to the end of the row, finding that Tikki was staring at a colorful poster with fascination.

“Where is Plagg?” Fu asked quietly. He too gazed at the poster, which was titled: "The Science of Style: How Color Affects Mood and Perception."

“I lost him. But look at this poster, Master. It’s so orderly and structured, with color and information that shows resourcefulness. I want to meet the person who made this poster.” She turned to Fu.

“We don’t have time.” He scanned the nearby tables and saw the bright green eyes protruding from a giant skyscraper model. “There he is.” Fu made his way to where the cat kwami hid.

“Watch out!” Someone yelled. He looked up to see the tower model falling above him. He quickly put his hands above his head, trying to shield himself from the object, unsure whether this was his Kwami's work.

Suddenly, a girl jumped between him and the falling model, catching it before it hit the ground. She struggled a little to hold it, her arms wobbled slightly, and her breathing was heavy. She pushed the tower to the side as gently as she could, and it fell neatly with a thud.

The girl ran over to the crying child, who must have caused the fall, and spoke to her softly. She pulled a bracelet from her pocket and handed it to the child, and gave a warm smile.

"I made this for my fashion project, but I think you should have it." The child accepted the bracelet happily and ran off to find her mother.

"Are you okay, Master?" Tikki asked. Plagg darted from the fallen tower model to Fu's bag.

"Of course he's fine," Plagg grumbled. But he did have a bit of remorse in his gaze, which was something.

"Master, can we stay for just a minute? I want to see more of that girl who saved your life." Tikki ignored Plagg.

"Fine," Fu relented. He walked over to the table Tikki had been staring at before, the girl with black hair tied in pigtails who saved Fu's life, standing there awkwardly.

"Good morning, young lady," Fu greeted.

"Oh, hello-Good morning!" she stammers. Fu quickly noticed how easy it was for her to talk to the crying child, but being put on the spot made her nervous. "Do you want to hear about how fashion affects your mood?"

"No, I simply came over to thank you for saving me. That was very brave."

"Oh, yeah. You're welcome. I didn't even think about it. That poor little girl was so sorry. She thought she saw a cat. I'm glad you weren't injured, sir." She gave him an awkward smile.

"Master, I want her to be my holder," Tikki whispered as she hid behind his head.

"Do you have any more of those bracelets?" Fu asked.

"Oh, yes! Let me grab my bag!" She went behind her poster.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Fu responded to the kwami quietly.

"Yeah, I bet Marinette hates cats," Plagg agreed.

"Marinette?" Tikki looks at the poster, finding the girl's name as Plagg must have done. "Can I have her, Master? Please?" she begged.

"Here you go." Marinette returned with a charm bracelet, which she handed to Fu. He saw Tikki, with her miraculous in hand, jump into the girl's bag.

"Thank you, young lady. I will be sure to remember this moment often." He took the charm and walked away, hoping that Tikki made the right choice.

He made his way through the crowd, trying to get out of the fair to find a suitable adult to carry the responsibility of the kwami of destruction.

"-which is why I hate green designer shoes-" A girl bumped into Fu roughly, pushing him to the ground. "Ugh, who let old people in here? This place is already filled with degenerates," she scoffed. The boy with her, hidden by sunglasses and a hoodie, despite the summer heat, crouched down by Fu.

"That's not very nice, Chloe." He helped Fu to his feet as Chloe rolled her eyes.

"Well, it's not my fault if someone can't walk in a straight line. Come on, Adrien."

The boy ignored her. "Are you alright, sir?"

Fu nodded, studying the boy's posture, his silence. Adrien didn't seem bothered by Chloe's cruelty—but he didn't seem surprised either. He seemed used to people doing everything for him, and yet he instantly crouched onto the ground to help a stranger.

"I'm fine. Thank you."

"I would recommend not walking around alone when people like her a running loose." He offered a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, though it was still full of humor. "Here." Adrien pulled a bottle of water from his hoodie pocket. "You look like you could use this."

"Adrien, if you don't hurry up, your bodyguard is going to find you. This is the first time I've seen you in months, and you're wasting it on a clumsy old guy!" she hissed.

"Just give me a minute, Chlo," he said. She grumbled but stayed put, waiting for him. "Do you need help getting out of the fair? The entrance is back that way." Adrien pointed.

"Thank you-" Fu felt a tug from his bag.

"Adrien, there you are. What are you doing?" A sleek woman with glasses, a suit, heels, and a red streak in her dark hair walked up to Adrien.

Fu took the distraction to back away as he lifted his bag. "What is it?" he asked.

"Bye, Master." Plagg held his ring and quickly flew out of the bag, not offering an explanation that he knew Fu would oppose.

"Sorry, Natalie. Chloe said she needed my help with something, then I bumped into this man. I really didn't mean to take so long." He took off his sunglasses and bowed his head.

"The photographer is threatening to quit if he can't get his model back in place. Hurry up, we'll have to get you out of this ridiculous disguise." Her voice faded as they walked away. Chloe huffed angrily and typed on her phone. She seemed to realize Fu was still there and gave him a sideways glance.

"What do you want, old man? An apology?" She turned and walked away angrily.

Fu watched as Adrien accepted the lecture from Natalie quietly, pulling off his grey hoodie to reveal a navy tailored shirt that complemented his casual black jeans.

"You both know what to do now." Fu muttered under his breath.

When night had finally fallen, Fu found himself on the rooftop he knew the kwamis would send their holders to. He stayed hidden to watch the interaction between the heroes before he accepted them as his last hope to find the missing miraculous. Dusuu had led him to Paris when she was activated almost 16 years ago, but it was Nooroo that was active now.

The girl with the pigtails arrived first, her costume making her black hair longer and bluer. Her muscles bulged and her height was exaggerated by the suit.

"I hope this is the place," she muttered as she paced, spinning her yo-yo nervously. Her eyes scanned Paris for either Fu or the partner her Kwami had mentioned.

Thump. Both Fu and the girl turned to see a tall figure clad in black leather jump up to the edge of the rooftop with a flourish. His tail whipped behind him, and his ears twitched as if he were a real cat.

"Bonsoir." He gives a comical bow. "You must be the bug I was told about." The cool night breeze ruffles his golden hair, and his cocky smile immediately has the girl wary.

The girl stared at him agape. "The bug? Excuse you."

"Are you offended?" He hesitated for a moment before smirking. "I guess you're not the guardian. Plagg said the guardian was wise." He circled her, taking her in. His tail flicked with amusement. He could tell she wasn't intimidated by him, but anyone could see that she didn't trust him.

"I guess that assures me you aren't him either, stray." She fired back, crossing her arms.

She sized him up, too, his height, his brawn, his ears that mirrored what he must be thinking. He was only a few inches taller than her, but he would be about a foot taller than her civilian form. He looked decently strong, but her suit had given her more muscle definition, too. His cat ears turned slightly to catch the sound of the breeze shaking the tree where Fu hid.

"I prefer 'Dashing Hero of Paris'." He flexes his muscles. Fu wondered how this boy could be the calm and polite boy of that morning who helped him up.

"There's no way you're dressed in leather in the summer and expect to be called dashing. I bet when we have to do any fighting, you'll be sweating up a storm." She gave him a smart smile, her blue eyes bright with annoyance.

"At least I'm not wearing polka dots. Those have been out of season for like three years." He jumped closer to her, getting into her personal space.

"I'll have you know that last year, Gabriel Agreste's own fashion line had polka dots in several pieces." She retorted, shoving him away.

"You're a fan of Agreste? I should've known you had poor taste." He scoffed, shaking his head as he backed away. Fu, by now had enough of their bickering and stepped out of his hiding place.

"That's enough." He stepped into the moonlight, his voice echoing around them.

Both of them jumped, back to back, as they searched the roof for the source of the voice. When the boy met Fu's eyes, he gave a shocked expression of recognition.

"Bug, I think I found the guardian." He gave her a nudge, and she turned to follow his gaze.

"Both of you are cautious. That is good. But you also like to argue and don't seem to work well together. That may be able to be fixed. You may call me Master Fu." He walked towards them, his small frame tiny compared to theirs.

"Why did our kwamis tell us to come here, Master Fu?" the girl asked.

"I wanted to explain why I need both of you, and give you a chance to back out." He gave them a moment to voice their desire to quit, but when both of them stared at him blankly, he continued, "What would you like to be called?"

"I'm M-"

"Not your real name. A superhero name," Fu corrected himself.

"I'm… Cat Noir," the boy said proudly. He even puffed out his chest a little.

"Then I'll be Ladybug."

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Ladybug." Cat Noir took her gloved hand and planted a kiss on her knuckles.

"Likewise, Cat Noir." She snatched her hand back.

"First, demonstrate your power," Fu ordered.

"Lucky Charm," Ladybug said, a dotted stopwatch landing in her hands.

"Cataclysm!" Cat Noir yelled dramatically, his hand pulsating with deadly power. Fu handed him a pencil from his pocket to destroy, watching as it turned to ash in Cat Noir's hand.

"Good. The kwamis explained that much. Now, the miraculous you were recruited to find is the butterfly miraculous. The one who possesses it may use it to give people abilities based on their desires.

"Cat Noir, you will destroy the object that holds the akuma, and Ladybug, you will capture it with your yoyo. This is why you must work together." Fu gave them both a look. "Any questions?"

"Tikki mentioned my energy levels being connected to my power usage. She said you would explain it better." Ladybug shuffled her feet slightly, almost shy.

"Each user has enough energy to summon their ability at least once. Powers like the Cataclysm and Akumatization require more energy than the Lucky Charm. How many times you can use your power is based on your age and energy levels when you transform," Fu explained.

"What happens if I use my cataclysm more than once?" Cat Noir asked, spinning his staff absentmindedly.

"It will drain energy you don't have. You may feel dizzy, lightheaded, and even pass out. Sometimes, your kwami will deactivate as well. Do not overexceed your limit."

Fu had eventually let them return home, their resolve strong, and their faith in each other beginning to blossom.

The next day was when the real challenge came. Their first akumatized villain, where they learned their enemy's name, and that Ladybug had a talent for elaborate plans, and Cat Noir had a gift for ignoring them and still winning.

"Hey, Ice Queen, what's with all the terrorizing? Why don't you pick on someone your own temperature?" Cat Noir spins his tail, improvising his lines as well as the plan. With Ladybug's permission, he knew he had to make it spectacular.

"My name is not Ice Queen! It's Stormy Weather!" She screams, her anger amplified by the akuma.

"And I'm Cat Noir. A pleasure." He dodges her windy attack with a grin.

She narrows her eyes. "You think this is a joke? I am Paris's weather girl! Everyone will pay for what they've done to me, starting with you!"

"Me-ouch. You haven't even asked for my tragic backstory." Cat Noir feigns hurt as Ladybug flies past him to kick Stormy.

"Stop making jokes and get her parasol!" she orders angrily.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Cat Noir replies. Ladybug calls her Lucky Charm, a bucket that she puts over Stormy's head. With the few seconds she can't see, he delivers a punch to her stomach, which has her dropping her parasol. She crumples to the floor as Ladybug tosses the object to Cat Noir.

"Cataclysm!" He yells, destroying the object and releasing the akuma.

"You're such a show off." Ladybug catches the butterfly in her yo-yo and lets it free with a, "Bye-bye, little butterfly."

"We really do make the purr-fect team. Second Akuma, and we've only been scolded by Fu once for arguing. Pound it?" He holds out his fist. She gives him an annoyed look but fist bumps him.

"Pound it." She quickly throws her yoyo, slinging away gracefully.

"What happened?" The formerly akumatized girl, Aurore Beauréal, rubs her head.

"Thanks a lot, Ladybug," he mutters, turning to the girl with a large smile. "Do you need help getting home?"

Once everything is settled, he returns home, tired and sulking.

"Where's my camenbert!" Plagg complains.

"Probably in the cupboard, you stinky cat." Adrien notices the note on his bed and is hasty to read it. "He said yes."

A genuine smile forms on his lips. "Plagg, get ready for public school. We’re going to François Dupont in the fall."

Chapter Text

"I signed you up for after-school fencing on Tuesdays and Thursdays, swimming on Fridays, and Mandarin on Mondays and Wednesdays. Photoshoots are still scheduled throughout the week. One of the brands is working with Miss Bourgious, so you'll get to see her after school occasionally, too." She gives Adrien a small smile that he doesn't catch since his eyes are glued to his phone.

"What did I tell you about devices at the table?" she chastises.

"Sorry, I was just texting Chloé, who I will be modeling with occasionally." He gives a tight-lipped smile, indicating that he was, in fact, paying attention.

"Your bodyguard will drive you over. Text either him or me if there are any issues. There's no fencing today, but it will start on Thursday. I will forward you the schedule so you don't forget," she tells him.

"Thanks, Natalie. I'll see you after school." He puts his phone in the pocket of his black jeans, pulling at his gray Gabriel sweater over a white button-up. He never liked his Father's designs, and especially not after his mother died. He slings his bag over his shoulder and runs to the door excitedly.

"Oof!" Marinette's books and papers go flying as she bumps someone in her haste. "I'm so sorry!" she exclaims without even looking at who she ran into. She crouches on the floor to pick up her books.

"Well, if it isn't Baker Girl, Marinette. I thought I told you not to come today. You see, my very best friend, Adrien Agreste, is coming, and I don't want him to have to see someone like you around." Chloé's voice is cruel as she sneers.

Marinette looks up, her hands shaking. Alix, Kim, and Sabrina stand around their Queen, laughing as if she made a good joke. "It's the first day, Cloe. I'll stay out of the way, but don't make me go home." She glances around self-consciously, feeling as if everyone in the courtyard was watching her, laughing behind her back.

"Do you want me to drag her out of the school?" Kim asks, cracking his knuckles.

"Hey, Chloé!" A blond boy waves at her, his designer clothes pressed and perfect.

"Hmm, no. I'm feeling a bit merciful. There's my Adrikins, now. Hurry up and clean your mess."

She waves her hand dismissively and steps around Marinette. "Adrikins!" She calls, embracing her friend. Alix leans down and picks up a few books—her way of telling Marinette that she's not like Chloé, but quickly follows Sabrina to their leader's side.

"Hey, Chlo. I see you still have a habit of bumping into people, even at school," Adrien jokes, glancing at Marinette.

"She was just leaving." Chloé glares at her, making her gather her reading materials haphazardly, and races to class. "Come on, we have homeroom Literature with Mrs. Bustier. I'm sure you'll love her." She grabs Adrien's arm and practically drags him into the classroom.

"Good morning, Chloé," Mrs. Bustier greets warmly, half distracted by her clipboard as she takes attendance.

"This is Adrien Agreste, son of the fashion designer, Gabriel. He's very important and he's my best friend." Before the teacher can respond with more than a smile, she pulls Adrien to the tables. "I saved you a seat, next to me."

"That table already has someone sitting there," Adrien points out. She looks down to see Marinette glancing between the two with worry.

"Chloé, this has always been my seat," Marinette whispers.

"Ugh, why are you talking?" Kim snorts, glancing at Chloé for validation.

"She's such a charity case, it's pathetic." Chloé places a hand on Adrien's chest dramatically. Sabrina leans against the other side of the table. Alix stands by Chloé, her arms crossed.

"Just move, Marinette. Chloé doesn't want your handmade clothes touching her seat any longer." Alix nods for her to go. Marinette gathers her things and stands, brushing past Adrien as she heads to an empty seat in the back.

"Chloé-" Adrien starts quietly, so just she can hear, planning on offering some advice as her friends sit nearby.

"I'm handling it, Adrikins," she whispers back. He doesn't say anything as Marinette sits by a girl with glasses.

Adrien and Chloé take their places, Adrien whispering to Chloé, "Why were you so mean to her. And your friends, too. She's the same girl from the hallway, too, right? Did she do something to you guys?"

"I'm Alya," the girl says, Marinette's relief palpable as she introduces herself too.

"I've already told you about Dupain-Cheng." Chloé gives him a look.

"That's her?! But I thought you said you liked her-" She covers his mouth with both hands. Mrs. Bustier has started introducing herself, making the classroom buzz quiet.

"No one needs to know that, least of all her. I am the most powerful person in this school, and my pathetic crush on the baker girl would only make everyone look down on me." She releases him and pulls out a pencil from her gold bag.

"I doubt that would be the case." He bumps her shoulder with his, giving her a teasing glance that has her rolling her eyes. "At least be nice while I'm around. Maybe if I can tell your dad how much you've changed, he'll let you go back to Worths or somewhere abroad. They don't have many fashion schools in Paris."

After the World Literature class orientation and a History orientation that went smoothly without Marinette or Chloé getting in each other's way, Adrien and Alya head to advanced Physics, while most of the rest of the students find themselves in Life Science with Ms. Mandelaiv.

"Miss, we don't have any whiteboards in the back. Maybe you should get some from the office. I would hate for some people to miss out on your lecture." Chloé croons to Ms. Mandelaiv, a ploy to get her out of the room.

"You're right, Chloé. Thanks for letting me know. You're in charge while I'm gone." She leaves the classroom quickly, though everyone knew she would take this opportunity to grab a coffee from the teacher's lounge.

That was exactly what Chloé wanted. "Welcome back to school, everyone. As you all know, the social event of the semester is Sunday at Le Grand Paris' rooftop pool." Alix and Sabrina stand up to aid Chloé.

"Not everyone's invited," Sabrina chimes in, sticking her nose in the air haughtily.

"Are you going to cash in your favors?" Alix asks Chloé.

"For this party, yes. But I also want to remind everyone that they are responsible for my academic success." She nods to Alix, who searches the room for her first victim.

"Max, do you remember when Chloé convinced Principal Damocles not to suspend you for hacking the school's WiFi? You'll be at the party, won't you? We'll need some extra servers, and you're good at staying out of the way." She stares Max down until he nods silently.

"And you should also do our math homework," Sabrina adds. "Unless you want the principal to hear about how you've been 'borrowing' lab equipment for your latest tin can."

"I-it's an AI-assisted drone, actually—" he stutters.

"Didn't Chloé get you into a meet and greet with Clara Nightingale?" Kim asks Rose, joining in on the fun because he would do anything for Chloé.

"Your hair is always so… neat. I'm sure you would be honored to style my hair for the party, right, Rose?" Chloé asks sweetly. She puts her hands on her cheeks innocently.

"Of course!"

"Mylène, you wouldn't mind bringing me lunch every day? Gluten-free, artisanal, imported—don't mess it up or I'll give you another fear to add to your pin collection," she threatens coldly.

"You're not gluten intolerant, though," Ivan says, since Mylène is shaking too much to defend herself.

"I don't tolerate mediocrity. You'll take money from a baseball cap here. Since he actually has a job. Which reminds me. Didn't everyone appreciate hearing you're tracks on the radio?" She turns to Nino, her smile friendly.

"I'll do the music for your party, dude. Just stop blackmailing me into doing stuff," he mutters.

"Blackmail?!" She puts a hand on her chest. "That hurts. My guest list is smaller than Paris Fashion Week, and the catering is the finest cuisine some of you will ever be in the presence of."

"Hey, quiet kid." Alix nods to a boy with red hair and a sketchbook. "Chloé's shoes need to shine. You should be able to see your reflection in her heels."

"Perfect. Now that everyone knows their standing-"

"What about Marinette?" Kim asks.

"How silly of you to even think she was invited. I would rather drink tap water than imagine Dupain-Cheng at such an elaborate event." She tosses her hair, just as Ms. Mandelaiv returns with a pile of mini whiteboards. Chloé's clique passes them out, their smiles threatening and cruel.

"Miss, Marinette was being very disruptive while you were gone," Chloé says sweetly.

"Yeah, she wouldn't stop talking," Kim adds, regardless.

The teacher hesitates, knowing something is off, but following her golden student's wish anyway. "To the principal's office. It's the first day of school, and you're already causing trouble." She shakes her head as Marinette silently packs up her things and walks out, quiet tears streaming down her face.

In the hallway, Marinette hugs her knees to her chest and puts her head down. Chloé is off to get her shoes cleaned, so she feels safe enough to cry in the hallway, even for a second.

"Hey, Marinette, right? I don't know if you got Chloé's loud introduction, but I'm Adrien. I just wanted to—" she lifts her head, her tears cutting him off better than words.

He's so fake, she thinks, taking in his worried smile.

"Don't bother. I'm fine." She pushes herself up from the ground and wipes her tears.

"Did something happen?" he wonders. Marinette doesn't take his tone as genuinely curious.

"Leave me alone. Find someone else to be your punching bag this year." She sees Alya in the crowd and rushes over, glad to have made at least one friend who hasn't been silenced or tainted by Chloé's influence.

"Adrikins! I just came back from my shoe shine." She hugs him around the neck, even though his eyes are still on Marinette as she talks to Alya. He finally turns to Chloé and offers a smile.

"Let me see." He looks intently at her sparkling gold heels, not a speck of dirt on them despite already having spent several hours at school. "Looks good. I'm sure if your attitude matched, you'd definitely impress a certain young lady," he teases. She pushes him angrily, almost losing her temper, before looking around to make sure no one heard.

"Not so loud! It's almost lunch, so you have to run home for your Model Diet. I'm having something brought, so don't worry about me, Adrikins. I'll see you in Geometry in the afternoon." She plants a kiss on his cheek, Sabrina and Alix leaving the classroom to join her.

Marinette flops on her bed, a heavy sigh escaping her. Still in her school clothes, she doesn't bother getting up to change.

"Tikki, why are people so mean?" She groans into her pillow. School had gone on as usual, Chloé's biting remarks hidden from Adrien, which only made him look more like an accomplice. Everyone followed her whims, afraid of her father's power and the blackmail she threatened with.

"Are you talking about Chloé or Adrien?" She pulls the hair out of Marinette's face with only a bit of struggle. "Come on, you're not going to be able to breathe if you keep smothering your face in that pillow."

"Both of them are the worst. They pretend to care at first, then when you tell them your insecurities and are vulnerable with them, they spread rumors and make you lose all your friends." She uses her finger to brush through her messy hair, each knot just making her more frustrated.

"Is that what happened with Chloé? You were friends once?" Tikki wonders curiously.

"I doubt she ever considered me a friend, but yeah. Last year, at the beginning, I was the person who was supposed to help her get settled at school. She was a bit pushy, but she was privileged; I didn't hold it against her. But when I told her I liked a boy, she made sure to date him and told me he was a horrible choice." Marinette covers her face in shame as she relives the moment.

"That's pretty mean. But Adrien hasn't done anything like that to you for you to hate him so easily," Tikki reminds her. Plagg may have odd tastes, but he would never choose a bully as his holder. The stupid cat Kwami had been bold enough to wink at her during class when their owners weren't paying attention.

"I'd rather not wait to find out if he's really as bad as Chloé." She sighs. "I think I need some fresh air. Come on, Tikki." She opens the hatch to the roof porch, Tikki following, and she climbs up.

"Spots on," she murmurs, grabbing the yoyo as soon as it materializes on her hip and throwing it to launch herself away. The cool afternoon air clears her head and lifts her mood as she flies between buildings.

She catches sight of someone sitting on a rooftop—the one Master Fu had introduced himself on—his black costume contrasting with the cream limestone.

"Hey, Cat Noir." She lands beside him, taking a deep breath.

"Rough day?" he asks, patting the spot by him for her to sit.

"You have no idea," she laughs, letting her legs fall over the edge, though she wouldn't be shy to admit that it gave her a bit of a scare to look down.

"Yeah, me too." They come to a quiet understanding, though his loud crunching on chips—when did he get a tube of spicy Pringles?—breaks the silence every few seconds. Though they barely know each other, there is a sort of familiarity between them that makes moments like this not feel awkward.

"You're a girl, right?" Cat Noir starts, his mouth full. He gets a quizical look from Ladybug that had him continuing. "So, uh, totally random and hypothetical question: What do you do if your best friend is mean to the girl they like, and now she thinks you're a jerk too?"

"Don't talk with your mouth full," she chastises. He swallows and sticks out his tongue. "Do you like this girl?" she wonders.

"More than I like you." He grins, but there's little bite to his words.

"Just stop being friends with the bully. He's probably bad news, and it might rub off on you." She stifles a yawn.

"What if he's the only friend I have? I think everyone doesn't like me by association. But I'm a paw-some person to be around. So thier missing out!" He crosses his arms. He glances at Ladybug for her next bit of advice, despite his constant ignoring of her plans and advice. Maybe he'd take it for once.

"It's not enough that you're different from your friend. You have to prove it. Doing nothing is the same as participating." She puts her hand out, and he puts a chip in her palm, a payment for her advice.

"I guess I really gotta claw my way out of this mess, huh?" he jokes. She rolls her eyes, his shameless and absurd humor ruining the serious and vulnerable moment she thought they had before.

"I can't believe I took you seriously. You act like such a child."

"Technically, I am still a kid. But if I get to keep the mask, I'd be the funniest adult, too." He stretches, his tail flicking lazily.

"How much of a kid?" She asks, slightly concerned. Her suit made her feel more like an adult, with the height increase, muscle definition, and quicker reflexes.

"Old enough to stay up past bedtime, young enough to still get grounded. High school. Whatta 'bout you?" He licks his fingers, getting every last crumb of chip seasoning.

"Same." They watch the sunset in silence. When the stars start to show, she gets up. "I should probably get home, I already missed dinner. It was nice talking to you, Cat Noir."

"Likewise, my Ladybug." He gives a bow before she yo-yos away.

With a new plan of what to do, Adrien arrives at school and searches for Marinette. Luckily, Chloé unknowingly gave him an opportunity to fix things today. He just had to take Ladybug's advice and follow his gut.

"Adrien, over here!" Chloe calls. He follows her, only because Marinette seems to be running late. "Sabrina did your orientation homework. She just needs you to print her name. Luckily, it was multiple choice, but she'll need something you wrote to learn your handwriting. She's very good at forgery, so don't worry about getting caught." She hooks her arm into Adrien's.

Sabrina sparkles at the compliment, holding out the paper for Adrien. Alix and Kim are busy bickering a little way away, which only holds Adrien's attention for a second.

"No thanks, Chlo. I can do my own homework. You should, too. Sabrina can't cover for you forever." He shakes his head. The buzz of talking around them is minimal as people avoid the group. A few give him an odd look, likely after hearing his refusal to accept Chloé's help.

Chloé seems surprised by his response, scoffing softly before replying, "It’s not cheating if Sabrina does it — she loves helping me."

"I-I'm sorry," Sabrina whispers, taking the paper back, crumpling it in her hands.

"Can you ask Mrs. Bustier if we need our reading books today? I preordered mine, and they just came," Chloé orders. Sabrina gives a small smile as she races off to complete the task. Then, in a hushed tone, "You don't know how anything works here, Adrien. People don't just cross me without regretting it. You remember Worths, right? I'm ten times more powerful here. Daddy's money, favors, and secrets are my ticket to breezing through high school, and I offered to share it with you because you're my friend."

"And I'm saying I don't need it. I appreciate it, but I prefer doing my own work. And I'd be really proud of you for trying. You may even surprise yourself if you tried." He catches sight of Marinette walking in through the giant double door entrance, hugging the walls as she makes her way to class. "I'll catch up with you in homeroom. I have to do something first."

"Don't take too long. The bell rings in like two minutes. I'll save your seat," Chloé says softly, taking a deep breath as she pulls her mask back on. "We'll talk about this later." She walks over and grabs Kim's ear, pulling him behind her as he complains about her favoring Alix.

The clumsy girl that he gravitates to trips over her own shoes. No one helps her up, though many seem to notice.

"Hey, do you need a hand?' Adrien offers his. She cautiously takes it, instantly letting go when she is standing. She dusts off her pink plaid skirt.

"What did Chloé send you to do?" She doesn't meet his eyes, hugging herself as some kind of shield.

"I came here of my own free will because I have something for you." He reaches into his back.

"Great," she says sarcastically, mapping out her exits should she need to run.

He pulls out a black ringed book with stickers and doodles on the cover. "I think Chloé knocked it off your desk yesterday. You left before I could return it." He hands the book to her, which she greedily accepts, hugging it to her chest."

"My sketchbook." She finally meets his gaze, finding only a kind expression, instead of the one she imagined he would have.

He clears his throat. "I didn't look at anything, but the cover is so inviting that it was hard to resist," he jokes, but when he doesn't even get a smile, he sighs. "I'm not like Chloé. I know she has a reputation for belittling people she feels threatened by; she was the same way was Worths, but it hasn't rubbed off on me."

"She's definitely not threatened by me," she argues.

"I'm pretty sure she is. She doesn't have a lot of talent on her own, but you seem like a highly creative person. She's probably jealous, among other things. But I won't tell her if you won't." He winks, which earns a little laugh.

"I guess you're a little better. But you should probably look for better company if you don't want to be associated with her." She gives him a final smile and hurries to class. The bell rings as he steps inside after her. He finds Nathanial on the floor, rubbing Chloé's shoes with a buffer, hidden from the teacher by the table.

"Chloé, that's not your seat," he says, softly enough that only Marinette and a few people sitting nearby notice and turn their heads.

"Give me a second and I'll move over," she grumbles, shooing Nathaniel away. Adrien helps him up and hands him the notebook he left on the table.

"This table isn't yours. It's Marinette's spot. You can sit on the other side with Sabrina, but it's not right to kick people out of their chairs." He lets her stare at him agape for a moment, his arms crossed because he means business. "And I'm sitting somewhere else, too." He goes to the front row, where only a boy with a baseball cap sits. "Hi, I'm Adrien, mind if I sit here?" he asks.

"Sure, dude. Anyone who can stand up to Chloe like that is welcome at my table." He moves his bag and offers a fistbump.

"Ugh, you're being so childish. Fine, I'll play your game, but don't forget that I never betrayed you at the other school. Even your cousin chose popularity over being your friend, but I stayed by your side." She gets up quickly and joins Sabrina. "This is the thanks I get for my loyalty," She mutters under her breath.

Marinette shyly takes her place behind Adrien.

"Alright, now that everything has been sorted out," Mrs. Bustier starts, a little surprised by the exchange, but choosing not to dwell on it too much, "I'll let you finish up the orientation homework I gave you yesterday. It will be due on Friday—"

"I'm here!" Alya runs in through the door, her jacket hanging over her shoulder and her hair messy.

"Thank you for joining us, Miss Cesare. Is there a reason for your tardiness?"

"I stayed up late watching news footage of the akuma a few days ago and slept through my alarm- oh." She notices Marinette sitting in her old seat and shrugs as she sits beside her. "I'm really sorry, it won't happen again, Mrs. Bustier."

Everyone begins working on thier paper, the light buzz of conversation giving the room a calmer atmosphere after the tenseness from a moment before.

"Hey, girl. What did I miss?" Alya whispers to Marinette.

"You're always so needy, Li. Can't you just accept that your boyfriend is going to let you join the drama club this year? You don't need to try out for a main part. You’re too pretty for your own good. Do you really want people staring at you?. You know how jealous I get." The boy grabs his girlfriend's wrist, holding it tight enough to bruise.

"I'm sorry, Augustin. But you know I love acting. And the play they're performing this year is one of my favorites. At least let me try out. I might not even make it-agh!" A cold slap to her face has her clutching her cheek, tears streaming down her face.

"Don't talk back to me, Li. I said I don't want you acting at all. If you disobey me one more time, I'll make sure you don't get enough money for your mom's medication. Is that what you want? You're already such a charity case. I don't know why you can't understand that." He pulls away. She grabs his sleeve, her eyes pleading.

"I'm sorry. Please, you know how much it means to me. You're everything to me. I owe you so much!" She bites the inside of her cheek, repulsed at how low she's sunk to get her mother the expensive medicine she needs.

"Don't touch me. You're a mess. Don't come back after lunch, I don't want to see you until tomorrow. You've pissed me off." He waves his hand, leaving the girl in the giant school parking lot as he gets into his Bugatti and drives off.

A single teardrop falls from her face.

"If I didn't need him, I would make his life a living hell." She shudders as a purple butterfly flies towards her.