Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was eight AM Thursday morning, and the air already smelled like bullshit. 

“Marinette!” Rose cheered as soon as she walked into the classroom. “I’m so excited for the party this weekend!”

Next to her, Juleka looked up through her bangs. “Same,” the Goth girl added in her whispery voice. “I’m getting ready to make the juice. Strawberry basil.”

Marinette gave them both grateful smiles, hiding a yawn behind her hand. She hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep, so busy had she been finalizing costs and making last arrangements and reservations. “Thank you for helping out. I only have to finish your dresses, as well as mine, and then make the macarons and decorations.”

“Did you get your studying done?” Juleka asked. 

Marinette listed her head. “Huh?”

“Le Bac,” Rose chirped. “It’s coming up! Jule and I are all set!”

“Oh no,” Marinette breathed. “I haven’t even started.” She pasted on a smile, though. “Well, as soon as I finish getting ready for the party I can study.” Glancing over to where Alya was, she shot her old best friend a smile, hoping to get one in return, but Alya just shook her head and looked away. Some bridges could never be rebuilt. At least she still had this tenuous grasp on friendship with Rose and Juleka. 

“I can’t wait!” Rose exclaimed. 

“Wait for what?” A sickeningly sweet voice joined the conversation, and Marinette’s smile slipped. Lila had arrived. 

“The party!” said Rose brightly. “Marinette’s almost got everything ready, including our dresses! Good thing too, because it’s this Saturday!”

“Th-the party?” Lila asked. 

Marinette felt a foreboding chill crawl down her spine.

“What’s wrong?” Rose was immediately at Lila’s side, blue eyes wide. 

“I never got an invitation,” Lila confessed quietly, her green eyes filling with tears. Only Marinette saw the small, spiteful smile that made its way across her face. 

Horrified, Rose turned to Marinette, as did Alya and Chloé. “Lila didn’t get an invitation?”

“You didn’t send her one?” Alya burst out. “What kind of--”

“Shut up, Césaire,” Chloé barked. “Let Dupain-Cheng explain herself.” Alya glowered at Chloé, and the blonde rolled her eyes and checked her manicure. “Utterly ridiculous.”

“I did send an invitation,” Marinette told them. “I sent everyone in class one.” Even if she had hovered over the Send button for fifteen agonizing minutes, debating whether or not Lila deserved to be there...she had definitely sent one. “Lila was on that list.”

“I didn’t get one!” Lila wailed. The commotion brought Adrien over from where he had been talking to Nino. 

“What’s the matter?” the blonde boy asked. Marinette folded her shaking hands behind her back, hoping. Maybe Adrien would fix it. 

“Marinette didn’t send me an invitation to the party that she planned to celebrate graduation,” Lila said tearfully. “I knew she hated me, but not this much. And I couldn’t even go anyway, because my mother’s making me go on an embassy trip this weekend!”

“Marinette?” Adrien looked accusingly at her, and that was when she knew. 

It was over.
She’d lost. 

Let Lila get her way. Marinette would be out of here soon. Off to university(she had totally forgotten about Le Bac so what if she didn’t get in anywhere?) or just the bakery, but she never had to return to Francoise-Dupont again. But the one thing she couldn’t stomach was leaving here hated by all her classmates for things she had never even done. 

“Lila,” Marinette said firmly. “I. Sent. You. An. Invitation. It’s not my fault if you chose to ignore it. It’s not my fault your mother had previous arrangements. And it’s not my fault that you decided to make the one thing that I have been working for for nearly three months go awry because you felt like it.” 

She’d gone too far. She knew it the second she said it. 

“I’m so sorry!” Lila burst into tears, and their classmates gave Marinette aghast looks. The Italian brunette sobbed into her hands. “Why are you doing this to me? I just wanted to be friends with you! I never even wanted Adrien, so leave me alone! Please, I just wanted to have friends, but you’re making me feel so bad!”

Marinette stumbled backwards, her eyes wide. “Lila, what are you saying? I--I--”

Alya glared at Marinette with more fury than the dark-haired girl had ever seen her former friend have. “You need to chill, big-time. What you’re doing to Lila is awful.”

“Not cool, dudette.” Nino shook his head sorrowfully. 

“Alya,” Marinette said weakly. “She’s lying. I was never mean to her, I swear.”
Lila lifted her head to let out a trembling laugh punctuated by another sob. “I’m lying? After everything you’ve done I thought you would be tired of using that excuse.” Her green eyes spilled over again, and Marinette fisted her hands. “I don’t know why you hate me! I’m sorry I can’t come to the party the day you planned it, but you didn’t have to be so hurtful.”

“Marinette, don’t you think you’re being a little too mean?” Rose spoke up. 

“Yeah,” Alix said. “It isn’t Lila’s fault she has to take a trip this weekend. Don’t take it out on her!”

“You’re just angry because now that everyone knows what you’re really like, everyone likes Lila more!” Sabrina added. 

“There’s a 83.77% possibility that Marinette never sent that invitation,” Max spoke up. “She has exhibited jealous tendencies towards Lila before.”

“What’s this about now?” came a voice from behind Marinette. She turned to see Félix, a bored expression on his sharp-featured face. Even without trying, he towered over her, his uniform immaculate as usual and his blonde hair swept over his forehead. His deep-green eyes were narrowed. “I’m trying to study for le Baccalaureate, and you all are being uncommonly noisy.”

“Marinette was yelling at Lila for going on a trip this weekend,” Nathaniel said. 

“The party is this weekend,” said Félix. “Why is Rossi travelling all of a sudden?”

Lila wiped her eyes. “My mother has a diplomatic trip and I have to come along. I didn’t mean to make Marinette mad. And she never even sent an invitation!”

“It doesn’t seem like she’s mad,” said Félix. “Just rather tired.”

“I am tired,” Marinette whispered. Tired of trying so hard only for Lila to wreck everything again. So, so tired. Next to her, Félix reached out and put his hand over hers behind her back. No one else could see it, but the small gesture brought tears to her eyes. Why was the one boy who was continually cold to everyone being kind to her? Why couldn’t it have been Alya, or even Adrien? 

But as she looked behind Lila, to where her former crush was standing, all she saw was resignation in his gaze. Adrien looked away after a second. 

“Can’t you just leave me alone?” said Lila, then. 

“I haven’t done anything to you!” It came out a scream, and her classmates backed away. Marinette was screaming in Lila’s face, tears of rage pouring down her face, when there was a hand on her shoulder. Not Félix this time, though.
Mme Bustier looked displeased. “Marinette, may I speak with you outside?”

When they got outside, Marinette expected the teacher to smile or hug her, the way she had when Chloé had ruined the bag she’d made for Mme Bustier, but the red-haired teacher just sighed. “Marinette, I thought I could count on you.”

“W-what?” Marinette couldn’t believe her ears. “Lila’s a liar! She ruined the party I spent weeks planning--and--”

“Marinette, please.” Mme Bustier held up a hand to stop her. “You’ve been my best student all year, and you are always such a shining example. What happened? Suddenly you’re acting up and yelling at Lila in the middle of the class...this isn’t like you at all.”

Marinette’s mouth opened. “She made everyone hate me, Mme Bustier! It’s not my fau--”

“Then maybe you should have tried harder,” said Mme Bustier. “I know you have it in you to forgive everyone. Where’s the old Marinette, the one that was so sweet and kind to all her classmates? Maybe you need to take some time off from school to think about it.”

“You’re suspending me?” Marinette cried.

Mme Bustier shook her head wearily. “I don’t have a choice. Collect your things and go on home.”

“I--” Marinette closed her mouth and blinked back tears as Mme Bustier walked back inside the classroom, already smiling again. “It’s not...not fair,” she whispered. 

“Marinette?” someone asked. Marinette wiped the tears out of her eyes, clearing her vision, to see Félix standing in front of her. “Are you alright?”
“Ye--wait.” Marinette stared at him. “Did you just call me Marinette?”

“Of course not,” Félix snapped. “Why would I do a stupid thing like that? Just tell me if you’re okay or not so I don’t have to be bothered by thinking of you later on, Dupain-Cheng. It’s a yes or no question.”

“I just got suspended,” Marinette said miserably. “The least you could do is not be so rude.”

“You what?” Félix’s eyes widened. “Wait one moment.” He turned and stalked back into the classroom. 

Mme Bustier returned, Félix behind her. “I thought I dismissed you.”

“It’s not fair,” Marinette said. “I don’t think suspension is fa-”

“And it’s not up to you, I didn’t think. Are you the teacher?”

“No,” Marinette admitted. 

“You are a student,” said Mme Bustier. “So please do as I say and return home.” She turned to Félix. “Next time you interfere in any of my decisions I will inform your mother.”

“Fine.” Félix returned to the classroom, shooting a quick glance at Marinette. 

Marinette turned around and ran before Mme Bustier could yell at her again, tears jumping out of her eyes as she ran out of the school. 

She pushed through the bakery doors and stormed up the stairs to her room. Her parents didn’t even see her, so preoccupied with customers were they. 

The kwami tried to comfort her, little voice piping in her ear. “Marinette, everything will be okay. Just keep your chin u--”

“Just leave me alone, Tikki!” Marinette hid her face in her cat pillow, and reluctantly the kwami flitted up to the rooftop to give her some space. Her sobs echoed through the bedroom, and she tried to control her breathing, but to no avail. All she could think about was how she’d been planning this party for weeks now, had everything ready to go, and Lila had ruined it. Worst of all, not one single person had stepped up to help her. The only person who had even bothered to voice their displeasure was Félix, and even then he’d probably only done it because he didn’t like Lila. No one cared about her. 

A familiar whisper of wings flapped in through the hatch that Tikki had gone through. Marinette lifted her head to see an akuma butterfly flitting towards her. Alarmed, she sat up, shielding her face with her hands. Think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts--

The butterfly landed on the frayed ribbon in her hands. 

“No! Go away,” Marinette begged, trying to shoo it away. “I don’t want to be akumatized! I’m okay, really I am--”

The ribbon turned black, overwhelmed by her confusion and rage and sadness, and a familiar reddish tint spread across her face. The butterfly mask glowed to life. 

“Manynette,” said a familiar voice. “I’m Hawk Moth. I am giving you the power to become all the parts of yourself that you wished to be. In return, all I ask is one thing. That you bring me Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculous’.”

The rage and pain and hatred. So much of it. All she wanted was to close her eyes and sleep--no, she wanted to be happy--no, take charge, do what was right--finish the dresses for the party--bake the macarons to take--tell Lila and Alya and Mme Bustier precisely what she thought of them----study for Le Bac--return to a time when she was happy--Ladybug--”Aahh!” Marinette collapsed onto her hands and knees. “I don’t want to be akumatized!”

Tikki zoomed into the room. “Marinette?” The kwami’s eyes widened when she saw Marinette clutching the blackened ribbon, the butterfly mask aglow over her face. 

“No one does at first.” Was Hawk Moth….empathising with her? “But emotions are powerful. What do you want to do? Really?”

“I--I--” Marinette clutched her head. She could hear Tikki imploring her to fight it off, to not give in to the anger. Why couldn’t she just shut up? All she did was give Marinette advice to be kinder and nicer and helpful and never once tell her to stand up for herself--but no. This wasn’t Tikki’s fault. “It’s my fault. If I hadn’t been mean to Lila--”

But were you? the voice in her head whispered. Were you truly mean to her, or are you just saying that?

“Marinette,” Tikki pleaded. “You can do this!”

“No, Tikki.” Marinette’s head slumped forward. “I can’t. I’m just so tired…”

The black engulfed her. 

Manynette smiled. 

Chapter Text

The nine of them stood in a circle in the bedroom. Presinette, in a spotless school uniform, hair in a perfect bun and holding a folder filled with papers and party planning receipts. Studynette, in comfortable clothes and holding a stack of textbooks. Bakinette, wearing an apron and wielding a whisk, ready to make macarons enough for their class twice over. Sleepinette, in pajamas and swaying where she stood, eyes half closed. Sewinette, holding a bundle of fabric and swathes of tulle draped over her arms. Happinette, in a strawberry-pink jacket and skirt, earbuds plugged in and the cord trailing from her skirt pocket. Babynette, a five-year old version of Marinette in a red and white-striped dress and holding a lollipop, about to unwrap it.  Buginette, Ladybug costume already on and mask in place over her eyes, yo-yo in hand. And Saltinette, black hoodie puddling around her shoulders and scowling darkly. Her eyes were narrowed and sharp, and her fists were clenched as she stood in a defensive position, feet apart. Her teeth were gritted. Ready to bite back. 

“Manynette!” Presinette declared. “We all have things to do, myself most of all. So let’s get our jobs done, and after that, report back here so we can retrieve the Miraculous. Everyone got that?”

“Yes!” came eight responses. 

At once, Presinette sat at the desk and turned on the computer, opening it to the last thing playing. A clip of Adrien’s perfume commercial, left over from Marinette’s crush days. Though the collage was long gone, the pieces of Adrien’s green eyes and glowing smile torn into pieces in the trash, Marinette had never been able to abandon the commercial that had brought her literal hours of peaceful daydreaming. That was over, though. Long over. 

“Radiant...carefree...dre--”

Saltinette slammed her hand down on the mouse and deleted it, causing Happinette to let out a whimper. “We still like Adrien...don’t we?”

“No, we don’t,” Saltinette snapped. “All he ever does is let Lila ruin our life and then tell us to just ignore her! We’re tired of him!” 

“He’s so kind,” Happinette swooned. “And good-looking, and friendly, and he even forgives Lila for doing things--”

“Shut up,” Saltinette hissed. “I will never, ever. Ever. EVER. Forgive Adrien Agreste for what he has put us through. He wasted his kindness when he forgave Lila and let her make everyone hate us. Looks don’t matter as long as you know what’s on the inside. And forgiving Lila….that’s what I hate most about him. He’s nothing but a plain vanilla doormat!”

Happinette giggled. “You have a lot to say, that’s for sure! Well, if you don’t love Adrien as much as I do, then what about Félix? Aren’t we mad at him for being cold to us? I want friendliness...warmth…” She hugged herself, swaying around. “Not chilly. Not Félix.”

“You know what? Félix may be a devious, backhanded, intelligent jerk, but at least he’s honest about it!” Saltinette growled. “Instead of being such an annoying bitch why don’t you figure out how to Pavlov yourself into liking him instead! Maybe then you’ll stop whining about Adrien. Adrien, Adrien, Adrien...ugh.”
“Saltinette?” Babynette turned big eyes to the sulky one, popping her strawberry lollipop in her mouth. “Don’ you think we shoul’ be nicer?”

“No!” Glowering, Saltinette opened the door and was about to stomp outside before Sewinette pulled her back. 

“We’re not done deciding what everyone has to do, are we?” Sewinette asked. 

Presinette shook her head. “Not in the least.” Spinning around in the swivel chair, she faced each in turn. “I’ll finalise the party details. Sewinette, you finish the dresses for Rose, Juleka, Sabrina, and yourself. Bakinette, you get the macarons and the tarts made, as well as croissants. And don’t forget, you also need to handle the wedding cake orders that you promised you’d do.” Bakinette nodded determinedly. “Studynette, get through those textbooks. Le Bac is coming up, and the rest of our life depends on how we do. Sleepinette….” There was a pause. The others looked around for the dozing one, and saw her fast asleep on the bed. “Well, she’s got it handled. Saltinette, stay put and be quiet. We can’t have you outside doing who knows what.” 

Saltinette muttered something under her breath. 

“Happinette, you also need to stay here,” said Presinette.
“Okay!” Happinette chirped. “As long as I can be helpful!”

“Buginette, you--” Presinette broke off. “Where’s Buginette?”

It was Babynette who ran to the window and saw the red-suited figure swinging away. “She left! Oh no!”

Well, it was too late to call her back. The Ladybug part of Marinette couldn’t be recalled unless someone--someone that had had a hand in drawing out that akumatised part of her-- caught her attention. And though Presinette knew who had been the reason for her being, she didn’t know the others. But getting to work was far more pressing. 

Presinette opened her inbox, seeing messages from the Hotel Paris confirming their reservation of the ballroom for the night. Chloé had been willing to manhandle her father into renting it to them for free, which had cut down on costs significantly. 

However, there were still the dinner caterers, as well as the live music, since Nino had wanted to be Alya’s date he wouldn’t DJ for the night, to confirm. She also had to finalise tickets for the Seine river cruises for everyone, as well as passes to the Eiffel tower observation deck for the couples. Most people had paid their fees already, but there were some she had to track down...starting with Kim. He hadn’t paid up for the Seine cruise that he was bringing Ondine along on. 

“All of you!” announced Presinette. The other Manynettes raised their heads from their various projects, Sewinette stopping the sewing machine so the hum left the air. “I need to go and find the people who haven’t paid in full for the party. That means you all need to stay here and stay quiet, or our parents will find us.”

“Okay!” Babynette agreed. “Can I watch TV?”

“You can watch TV,” Presinette allowed. “But keep the volume down.”

Happily, Babynette toddled over to where the TV remote was and turned it on. Happinette sat down on the floor to watch as well, pulling Babynette onto her lap as colored cartoon characters laughed and danced. 

Sewinette turned back to the machine, winding the spool of violet thread through her fingers as the machine began to hum once more. “Be sure Maman and Papa don’t see you leaving, just in case one of us has to go downstairs.”

“Yes, that’s a good point,” Presinette said. “And under no circumstances are Babynette or Saltinette allowed to leave this room. A five year old will cause questions, as will she.” She pointed to Saltinette, still seething to herself in the corner. Saltinette avoided her glance and bit into an apple lying on Marinette’s desk, crunching it loudly. 

Sleepinette was still fast asleep on the bed, and Bakinette was jiggling her legs, turning the whisk over in her hands anxiously. “I really have to get to work.”

“You can start baking as soon as I get back,” Presinette said. “Half an hour, okay?”

“Half an hour,” Bakinette agreed. 

Presinette was out the door before any of the others could ask if they could do this or that. Her parents were in the front, taking customers’ orders, and they didn’t even notice her as she went past them. Work, must work, Presinette thought. The only way we’ll ever be happy is if we work to be the perfect class president. Then maybe Mme Bustier would love her again and all would be well...yes. 

“LE CHIEN KIM,” Presinette barked. She had made it to the schoolyard, where Kim and Alix were revving up for yet another race--really, did these two never get tired of challenging one another. 

Kim jumped and shrieked and almost fell off his skateboard. “Aah!”

Holding back a snicker, Alix put her hands on her hips and faced Presinette. “What is it now?”

“Kim hasn’t yet paid for the river cruise,” said Presinette, ignoring Alix’s fight-me tone. The pink-haired girl seemed to have been really rubbed the wrong way by what Lila had said earlier. But since she wasn’t important to Presinette’s work, it didn’t bother her. “I require full payment in order to proceed. And I also ask that you stop holding races on school grounds. You are disrupting the peace and setting a bad example for Mme Bustier’s class. Being the top students in the school, we have a reputation to uphold.”

Alix gaped. “Umm, what’s gotten into you? You’re not usually this uptight.”

Presinette ignored that as well, holding out her hand to Kim. “The money.”

Kim dug in his pockets, coming up with a wad of franc notes and a sheepish look. “This is all I have on me.”

Presinette counted the notes rapidly. “You’re ten short. I want them by the end of the day or you won’t set foot on that boat, Ondine or no Ondine.” She marched away, ignoring Kim’s complaint. Her next victim was Marc. 

He was in the art room with Nathaniel, eating lunch. They both jumped guiltily when Presinette entered the room, Marc dropping the cookie he was in the process of handing to Nathaniel. “I need your pass for the Eiffel tower,” Presinette said. “Proper documentation is a fundamental part of planning, and if I don’t have that documentation, we have a problem.”

Marc gulped and pulled out the ticket. “Sorry. I was caught up in writing Nath’s script…”

“Excuses mean nothing to me.” Presinette made a note in her folder that he had indeed gotten the correct information. “That’s all. Enjoy your lunch.”

“Marinette, is something wrong?” Nathaniel called out. “You’re acting a bit...strange.”

“Everything is exactly the way I need it to be,” said Presinette as she left. “And for the record, it’s Presinette.”

Marc and Nathaniel exchanged confused looks. What? 

“Gosh, I’m tired.” Rose yawned. Then she saw Marinette walking by, a folder in her crossed arms. “Hey, isn’t that--”

“Marinette,” said Juleka. “But Félix said she had been suspended. Why is she back at school?”

“Maybe he was wrong,” Rose suggested. 

The Goth girl shook her head. “I doubt that. Félix doesn’t like to be wrong. Especially not about Marinette…”

Presinette had planned to go back to the bakery. She really had. But then she’d accidentally loosened her grip on the folder, and five papers had fluttered away in the breeze. Panicked, she’d raced after them, only managing to catch the last one right where André had set up his cart for the day. 

“Ah, Marinette!” he called out upon seeing her. “A treat for the sweet?”

Presinette shook her head. “I’m really very busy. I don’t have time for ice cream.”

André shook his head. “For that I prescribe cherry vanilla crush, for people in a rush.” He looked more closely at her. “But no, that won’t do...today you need something new.” Digging his scoop into the trays on the cart, he handed her a single scoop of ice cream with red syrup. “Dark chocolate raspberry. A good day to you.”

Presinette accepted the ice cream and took a lick--perfect. “Thank you, you too.”

Holding her ice cream, she licked the drips as she walked down the street. It was the lunch break for schools, so a fair amount of people were out and about, rushing to cafes or shops or home to eat lunch. 

There was still so much she needed to do. Maybe getting ice cream hadn’t been the best idea after all. But as the class president, she needed to set the best example possible, and refusing an offer made of kindness was perhaps not the best choice. So, she thought, it all evened out. The only thing left to do was figure out how best to lead the class and regain Mme Bustier’s affection. Because that was what a good class president was. A role model, an object of envy, of affection. The person you most envied and at the same time never wanted to be, because they did the right thing every single time. 

Presinette gritted her teeth. Marinette had spent too long wallowing around in her own fears to be the president that people needed. 

Thank goodness she was here to fix that. 

And she would fix it. 

Just as soon as she finished her ice cream.

Chapter Text

Presinette had not yet returned. She was worried. What if she never got to make the macarons? Taking a quick glance around the room, she saw that all the others were occupied.

Sewinette was still hunched over her machine, while Happinette was still cuddling Babynette while they watched Team Umizoomi. Studynette was feverishly flipping through the pages of the textbook open on her lap, and Sleepinette was still dreaming peacefully. Surely no one would miss her if she left...right?

 She took a step towards the door and caught the eye of Saltinette. Panicked, she flapped her hands, and the whisk dropped to the floor. 

The others looked up, and Saltinette laughed under her breath. “That was stupid.”

Bakinette huffed. “Well, you don’t need to be so rude. I’m doing the best I can! I just want to bake!”

“Then why don’t you go ahead and do that?” Saltinette raised her eyebrows. 

Bakinette bit her lip, unsure if the bitter Manynette was setting her up for something. But the desire to do her job won out, and she opened the door. “I’ll be back before you know it!”

---

“Oh, Marinette.” Sabine looked relieved to see her. “Have you finished your homework?”

“Uh-huh!” Bakinette nodded. “Studyn--I--already did all the work for tomorrow.”

Giving Bakinette a closer look, Sabine raised her eyebrows. “Weren’t you wearing a shirt and pants to school today?”

“Ummm--” Bakinette looked down at her skirt and shirt. “Well, I changed my clothes. They were….wrinkled...kind of? Anyway I put this on instead.”

“Hmm.” Sabine wrinkled her brow at Bakinette, but then moved out from behind the countertop. “Would you mind finishing these tarts? The front is filled with customers and your father will be needing some help. Afterwards, you can get started on the party things.”

“Okay, Maman,” Bakinette agreed. “You go ahead. I’ll get all this done!” She reached for her pink apron hanging on a hook by the countertop and slipped it over her head, tying the back on. “I promise I’ll do the best job I can.”

“I believe it, sweetheart,” Sabine replied. “You’re such a help.” She left Bakinette to her own devices in the kitchen, hurrying to the front to help her husband. 

Rolling up her sleeves, Bakinette got to work. 

---

Bakinette piped out whorls of cotton-candy-pink frosting in a spill of roses down the side of the cake she’d just about finished. She’d need to deliver this cake this evening: it was for Myléne's birthday. After finishing the cake decorations she needed to start on the macarons and croissants, or she’d never finish in time for the party.

“Marinette, sweetheart?” Sabine popped her head in the door. “We’re going to close up the bakery. You’ve been working for quite a while. Would you like to rest?”

“Don’t worry, Maman! I’ve got it covered,” Bakinette said as she dumped in sugar. “You and Papa take a break. I’ll get everything finished!”

“If you’re sure, sweetheart.” Her mother patted Bakinette’s head and left the kitchen with a smile at what she thought was her daughter. 

----

The front door opened, and two students walked in. Sabine looked up from the till, putting away one last franc note, and recognised Marinette’s friends. “Alya, Nino, how are you both?”
Alya shifted, looking uncomfortable. “Hi, Mme Cheng.”

Nino waved as well, a half-smile on his face.

“Would you like to go upstairs to Marinette’s room?” Sabine offered. “I’ll tell her you’re here to visit. You haven’t been over for quite some time.”

That was when the third student stepped out from behind the two of Marinette’s friends. A brown-haired girl with green eyes and a smile. 

Sabine looked closer at her--hadn’t she seen her somewhere before? Then she remembered--it was the girl Marinette had been so upset about, the one that had been unkind to her at school. 

“Hello, Mme Cheng,” the girl greeted. “I’m Lila Rossi, Marinette’s classmate. It’s so nice to meet you.”

Sabine smiled automatically, although she felt uneasy. This girl was sweet--surely Marinette had been exaggerating about her? Such a polite girl could not possibly be that mean to Marinette. That would mean Sabine needed to speak with her daughter later on. “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Lila. Would you like to go up to Marinette’s room while she finishes baking for the party?”

“About that…” Alya twisted her hands together. “We’ll head up to Marinette’s room, yes. Thank you.”

The three teenagers headed upstairs to where Alya knew Marinette’s room was, and Alya turned the knob. There was faint music and chatter--the TV was on, and she could hear paper rustling as well as Marinette’s sewing machine humming. As she did, it rattled and stuck. Alya shook it. “Marinette? Are you in there?”

The door opened a crack, and the TV that had been playing in the background shut off all of a sudden. The sewing machine stopped, and the pages stopped turning. There was a scuffle of noise, and then Marinette, clad in a grey hoodie and black leggings, opened the door. 

“Can we come--” Alya reached for the door to push it open, but Marinette held up her hand. Surprised, Alya stepped backwards. 

“Don’t come in.” Marinette blocked the door with her body, an uncharacteristic scowl on her face. “What do you want?”

“Listen, Marinette….” Alya took a deep breath. “We’ve all talked about this. The class and us, I mean, and we decided that you’ve done enough.”

Marinette just stared at them, unmoving. “Okay.
It was unnerving, seeing her so annoyed-looking, but Alya forged onward. “So you can just forget about the party planning, okay? You don’t need to worry about baking any macarons or decorating or anything. Lila has friends in the catering business, and she can also hire decorators for free. You’re off the hook.”
“Great,” Marinette said sarcastically. “Is that all you came to tell me?”

“Why are you being like this?” Alya said, throwing up her hands. “What did we ever do to you to deserve this?”

“Really, Marinette,” Lila said. “Alya’s being so nice right now, telling you that you don’t have to help out anymore, and you’re just acting rude!” 

“It’s okay, dudette.” Nino put his hand on Lila’s arm. “Don’t get all worked up.”

Marinette turned to go back inside her room. “Bye now. And Alya? I really hope you have another dress lined up. Because you can forget about mine.”

“WHAT?” Alya cried. “But--”

“You haven’t even paid me yet,” Marinette pointed out. “Until you do, I can do what I want. And what I want is to not give it to you, because you suck. Have a great afternoon.” She slammed the door in their faces. 

---

Pissed, Alya stomped down the stairs and blew by Marinette’s mother, not even bothering to say goodbye. How could she do that? They’d been friends for years, and all of a sudden Marinette was acting like this? After everything Alya had done for her…

---

Lila smirked. Césaire was doing exactly what Lila had meant her to do. The perfectness of manipulation...the delight of holding the strings. She followed Césaire and Lahiffe out the door, offering a wave to Dupain-Cheng’s mother. It was good to be on top.

---

Ahh. Bakinette sighed deeply, feeling the sweet relief of finally doing what she’d been aching to get to. Presinette was so mean, keeping her from doing her job. Baking was the only thing that could ever make her happy. Only if she finished every single macaron and every last wedding cake and tart and croissant could she finally rest. 

The door opened, but she was so absorbed in her baking that she didn’t see when a small head bobbed underneath her counter. Babynette toddled past her and out the door, determined to find her parents. 

Bakinette caught the tail end of a pink-ribboned pigtail, but stayed focused on piping out each pink rose of buttercream frosting onto the cake. Now was not the time to be distracted by trivialities.

Wrapping the cake box up and sealing it shut, Bakinette left it on the counter and looked around for a safe place to sit down. Saltinette entered the room, hands deep in her pockets. “I can watch the cake for you,” she offered. “Take a rest and then take it over.”

“Okay!” Bakinette went to go take a break, and Saltinette smiled as she ripped the tape off the box. That wishy-washy Myléne didn’t deserve cake. Not hers. 

---

Bakinette pedaled her bike through the streets of Paris, humming under her breath. Her helmet was securely fastened, and the cake was tied to the straws of the basket in front of the handlebars. Her parents had been nowhere to be seen, so she’d just left the house with the cake, figuring they weren’t worried. If they really cared, she thought, they’d notice that she was different. Not their daughter, but the best possible part of her. If Marinette wasn’t so determined to please others, she’d have all the time she wanted to bake. After all, baking was the most important thing of all, and Bakinette considered herself the best Manynette. 

When she got to Myléne’s house, the petite girl and Ivan were sitting outside. Myléne’s braids bounced as she jumped up and came to help Bakinette take the cake out of the basket. 

“Thank you so much, Marinette!” Myléne exclaimed. 

“No problem,” Bakinette said. “But it’s actually Bakinette.”

They didn’t hear her. As expected. No one paid attention to her…. “I’ll go ahead and go. Enjoy the cake!” Bakinette waved as she got back onto her bike and left. 

---

When Marinette had biked away, Myléne opened the box to sneak a glimpse of the cake. The best cake in all of Paris, she loved to say. There was nothing like the moist, crumbly vanilla cake and light strawberry fill--

“Oh!” Myléne gasped in horror and surprise as she looked inside the box. If Saltinette had seen the girl’s reaction, she would have cackled outright. The cake was smashed inside the box, pink roses dripping bloodily over the broken layers of vanilla cake and strawberry filling. To make matters worse, there had been water poured over the cake. The wax paper had kept it from damaging the paper box, but the cake was a sodden, broken mess. Myléne covered her eyes as tears dripped down her face. “The cake…”

Ivan put his arms around his sobbing girlfriend. “It’ll be okay, Myl. Marinette probably didn’t realize the cake had been damaged.” But even he had to admit--it looked intentional. Just how angry had Marinette been with them for ostracizing her? Although she had been mean to Lila, perhaps they’d gone overboard….

---

Bakinette made her way home on the bike, humming once again. The delivery had gone well, and the macarons would be cooling on their rack. They had only to be filled, and the croissants to be brushed with butter and put in the oven, and then she could do whatever she wanted. 

But when she got back home, Presinette was standing behind the door of the bedroom, and she did not look happy. “I told you to stay put.”

“Ah...haha…” Bakinette scratched the back of her neck. “I really wanted to bake. It’s my job.”

“And it’s my job to keep order,” Presinette said. “How else am I expected to be a perfect class president if no one will listen to my directions?”

“I’m sorry,” Bakinette said. 

Presinette shook her head. “I told you one thing. One thing, Bakinette. It wasn’t even hard.”

“But I needed to bake!” Bakinette insisted. “We want to do what we have to do in order to make everyone happy!”

“You all are such people-pleasers,” Saltinette said. “It makes me sick. Clearly, I’m the only Manynette with any kind of common sense. The best Manynette, anyway.” She examined her nails. “None of you have any idea what I’m feeling.”

“We’re all Manynette,” Presinette said. “We know.”

“None of you,” Saltinette repeated. 

“Stop,” Presinette ordered. 

“None of you.”

“Saltinette.”

“None of you.”

Happinette let out a whimper.

“None of you.”

Studynette looked up from her books.

“None of you.”

Sleepinette startled awake. 

“ NONE OF YOU!”

The lamp shattered and the lights went out. 

Chapter Text

Babynette creaked open the door and crept outside. Cartoons were boring now; and besides Happinette had turned on Paris’s Sweetheart to watch the latest show. She wanted two things. A snack, and to find Maman and Papa. 

    “Oh, hello there.” 

Babynette looked up to see Maman smiling down at her. She chirped happily and put her arms out to be picked up. “Maman!”

Instead of picking her up, Sabine frowned slightly. “Where are your parents, sweetheart? The bakery is closing soon.”

Tom came over to see what the matter was. He looked down at Babynette, still insisting “Maman!” and smiled. 

“Oh, look at that. Wouldn’t you know it? She looks just like Marinette did at that age.” 

“Papa!” Babynette chirped. “Pick me up!”

“I don’t see her parents anywhere,” Sabine said worriedly. “Do you think they’ve forgotten about her?”
    “Well, in that case, we can keep her,” Tom joked. 

“Tom!” Sabine put her hands on her hips. “We can’t just let her...let her…” They turned to see Babynette now struggling to reach the countertop, where a jar of cookies was set. 

“I want a snack!” Babynette demanded. 

“You can have a cookie, of course,” Sabine said. She picked up Babynette and held her, and Babynette wrapped her arms around Sabine’s neck. It was strange how much this little one reminded her of Marinette. Holding her reminded her of the days she’d carried Marinette around the bakery, telling her which utensil was that, and all the different kinds of pastry and pie crusts. 

Sabine opened the cookie jar and took out a sprinkle cookie, and Babynette snatched it from her hands and took a big bite. “Thank you,” she said indistinctly around the cookie she was munching. 

“What’s your name, sweetheart?” Sabine asked. 

Babynette thought. She wasn’t Marinette, she was Manynette, but at the same time she was part of Marinette...her mother had called her something when she was little, occasionally. “Rin! Rinrin. Rin,” she said. 

“What a cute name.” Tom took her from Sabine, and Babynette cuddled. “Are you sure we can’t keep her?”

“We’ll watch her until her parents come back to get her,” Sabine said. “But I don’t think Marinette would like another sister, honey. Plus, she’s probably missing her family.” 

The bell over the door tinkled, and a familiar girl came through the door. Lila Rossi, from earlier. Babynette stuck out her tongue behind Lila’s back. 

“Oh, hello,” Sabine said slowly. “Did you forget something?”
    “I left my compact here,” Lila said. “I think I dropped it upsetairs. Do you mind if I run up and check?”

“Not at all.” Sabine waved her upstairs, and Lila hurried up the stairs. On the way, the brunette’s gaze fell on Babynette, munching her cookie. 

“Oh, how cute,” Lila cooed. She bopped Babynette on the nose and kept on her way up the stairs. Moments later she returned. “I found it! Thank you, Mme Cheng.” 

Babynette saw her slip a piece of paper into her pocket on the sly, and her wide eyes narrowed. She may have been five, but five was still old enough to know when someone was doing something they shouldn’t. She made a chirping noise, unsure what to call the brunette, and Lila turned. “Yes?”
    “Oh, that’s Rin,” Sabine said. “Her parents left her here, I think.”

“That’s too bad,” Lila frowned. “Why don’t I take her to the police station? I’m sure her parents would look there.”
    “Are you sure?” Sabine checked. 

Lila smiled sweetly. “Of course. It’s not a problem.”

“Then thank you,” Sabine said, relieved. “Take a croissant on the house.” She handed Lila a paper-wrapped treat, and Lila put it in her purse and stooped to pick up Babynette. 

“Come on, sweetie. Let’s go find your parents.”

Babynette struggled, but Lila was much bigger and stronger than her, and the older girl picked her up and held her tightly. “That’s a good girl. Bye, Mme Cheng.” She headed out the door, the bell jingling behind her. 

Babynette struggled and shrieked, yelling “Put me down!” but Lila ignored her. The brunette’s sweet smile had soured into a frown. 

“Ugh, shut up. Babies are so freaking annoying,” she grumbled. Babynette kept struggling, and Lila squeezed her hard around the chest. Deprived of her airflow, Babynette had to stop crying out. “There. That’s much better.” Lila pinched her wrist hard. “You be good until we get to the photoshoot, okay? I need to look good for Adrien. And what better way to do that then to be a good Samaritan?”
    Babynette was disgusted. “Bleh.” She spit up all over Lila’s orange jacket. 

Horrified, Lila let out a loud shriek. “My jacket! Ugh, what is this?” Babynette bit her arm, and Lila dropped her. “Ow! What the hell!” 

As fast as she could, Babynette ran away down the street, heedless of cars and passersby. Lila stormed away, muttering under her breath and cursing in Italian whenever she looked at her jacket. 

Footsteps sounded behind Lila, and she turned. “What do you want?” she snapped. Then she saw Marinette in a grey hoodie and scowled. “Dupain-Cheng. I thought you were suspended.”

Marinette tilted her head. “That depends. What did you put in your pocket?”
    “Nothing.” Lila instinctively put her hand over her pocket. “What do you care? Go home and cry about how much everyone hates you, why don’t you?” For some reason, Marinette unnerved her. Maybe it was the dark look in her eyes that Lila had never seen before.

“Give me back the photo,” Marinette said calmly. She held out her hand. “I know how your mind works. You took the photo of Adrien that you dropped in my room earlier, and when you get to school tomorrow, you’ll tell everyone I took it. Alya and Nino, being there earlier, will be obvious witnesses. Not only will my suspension be extended, I’ll be expelled. So give it back, Lila.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lila said. “I dropped my makeup compact in your room eafrlier. Not any photo.”

“Give me the photo back and I won’t say anything,” Marinette bargained. 

Lila looked between Marinette and her pocket….and huffed. “Fine! You win this one.” She unearthed a photo of Adrien and handed it over. It was of him, showering in the privacy of his room. “Do whatever you want with it.”

Marinette tore it into shreds. “You disgust me. When did you take this? When he thought he was alone?”

“Does it matter?” 

“You’re sickening. I hate Adrien Agreste, but even I can say with certainty that he doesn’t deserve anything like that done to him. You better run.”

“What?” Lila said, confused. 

“I said. You better. Run.” Marinette took a step forward, and Lila turned and dashed away, panicked. 

Saltinette let the pieces of the photo flutter to the sidewalk, and then she bent over with her hands on her knees, laughter spilling out. “That wasn’t even part one.” When she was done...when she was done...yes, Lila would wish she had never come to Paris. 

--- 

Lila dashed to the photoshoot, but then something occurred to her. Marinette had not been there when she’d picked the photo up from where she’d stashed it in the hallway. So how had she known? There was something funny about all this. 

And that stupid kid had ruined her sweater. She was going to have to get it dry-cleaned, and that was the only one like it she had. This sucked. 

---

Alone in a doorway, Babynette wrapped her arms around her knees and laid her head down on top of them. She had had her snack….and she got to see Maman and Papa. 

In another minute she was nothing but purple and black spots fizzling away in midair, the sparks catching the wind and flying out over the city to seep into the hearts of eight identical Manynettes.

Chapter Text

Studynette had gotten ⅓ of the way through her French Literature textbook, and she was nearly up to where Mme Bustier’s class had left off. It was disappointing to realize just how behind Marinette had been, but no matter. Studynette could do the work for her, and do it twice as well as Marinette would have done.

The other Manynettes were gathered in the room, looking for all the world like four girls at a sleepover. Well, if those four girls looked exactly identical, right down to the blue-black pigtails and freckles spattered across their noses. Sleepinette was covered with a soft pink blanket, her head resting on the cat pillow on the bed. 

Presinette was sitting at the desk, spinning around in the desk chair, flushed with the triumph of collecting everyone’s fees. Her folder had doubled in size, papers sticking out this way and that; invoices and receipts for the party. Bakinette had arrived just a few minutes before, and was dusting macarons with a shower of glitter, knelt over the tray that she’d put on the floor so as to get the best view. 

Buginette was still nowhere to be seen--the other Manynettes had come to the conclusion that she was patrolling the city as Ladybug. Hopefully she’d be discreet. 

Saltinette was huddled in the corner, on her phone, ignoring the others. Happinette had asked her what she was doing once, and Saltinette had shot her a black glare, at which the cheerful Manynette had backed down immediately. Saltinette scared Happinette, mostly because Happinette knew if she spent enough time with the sulky Manynette, she’d lose her ability to smile and make the most of everything. 

On her phone, Saltinette opened the messaging app. 

Alya. Delete. 

Rose. Delete.

Juleka. Delete.

Nino. Delete.

Alix. Delete.

Nathaniel. Delete.

Marc. Delete.

The last one gave her pause, though. 

Adrien. 

Her finger hovered over the delete button before she stopped. An idea had just come to mind. A perfectly awful one. She smiled. 

Through the open window drifted a stream of black and purple; the Manynettes looked up to see them floating towards the four of them.

Saltinette’s phone fell to the floor, hitting the carpet with a muted thump, as the black fizz seeped into her hoodie chest. 

“Aah!” Sewinette doubled over, her hands dropping from the sewing machine as she grasped at her chest. “W-what’s happening?”

Presinette looked around her as the black spots receded into her uniform shirt and disappeared. “I believe that was Babynette. Her objective has been fulfilled.”

“Stop talking like a book and explain for real!” Sewinette panicked. “Why can I feel her memories? I don’t like it!”

Studynette closed her textbook and turned to see the other Manynette wringing her hands in panic. “Calm down. It’s just that once we finish what we want to do, we are divided among the rest. It seems as though Hawk Moth didn’t plan to keep all of us existing at the same time. Probably he’s taxed by the weight of keeping us up and running.”

“I can’t disappear! I still have to finish Rose and Juleka’s dresses, and ours too--” Sewinette hunched back over the machine and flicked it back on, hemming the skirts faster than ever. 

“B-but--” Happinette paused the K-pop video she’d been dancing to to appeal to the others. “I’m not going to disappear, right? If I just want to be happy--and I’m happy right now!”

“No, you won’t,” Presinette said calmly. “Marinette’s idea of happiness is somewhat different from yours. What’s your goal right now?”
Happinette bounced up and down. “To get Adrien to love me! Also to make everyone happy again!”

“There you go,” said Presinette. “Only when you complete that will you be split among the rest of us. So you have plenty of time, okay?”

Cheery again, Happinette turned the dance video back on again. “Okay!”

Just then, Bakinette looked up. The glitter sprinkles dropped out of her hand, landing on the floor with a soft thud. “I can’t feel my fingers.” She held up her hands, turning them palm-up. They were translucent, thin streams of glittery purple and black running through the vein pathways. As the other three Manynettes stared in shock, Bakinette turned insubstantial and dissolved into a shower of black fizz. The popping bubbles split into five pathways and streamed towards each Manynette in turn, two streams phasing out of the window into the open air. 

“Bakinette!” Sewinette cried. “No! She wasn’t done, was she?”
“I assume so,” Presinette said. “Since she had just finished decorating the macarons she was preparing for the party.”

“But I didn’t want her to go….” Sewinette’s shoulders slumped. “We were going to deliver the dresses together.”

“There’s nothing we can do now,” Presinette said.

“You seem to know a lot about this,” Saltinette spoke up. “It’s a little suspicious, how the rest of us had no idea about any of this. Who’s to say you don’t control when we disappear?”
“H-huh?” Studynette bit her thumbnail, her eyes worried. “What are you saying?”
“You don’t mean Presinette is doing this?” Happinette said, her smile slipping. 

“That’s not true at all!” Presinette defended. “What would I gain from you being absorbed among the rest of us? The more people I can control, the more order I can gain.”

“So you’re saying you control us!” Saltinette stabbed her finger in Presinette’s direction. “I knew it!”

“Uh,” Sleepinette murmured, lifting her head. “What’s going on? I’m trying to get some rest.”
“Don’t mind us,” Saltinette said with a smirk in her direction. “Just find the comfiest place to sleep, okay?”
Her eyelids slipping to half-mast, Sleepinette nodded dreamily. “Comfy….yeah.” 

“I don’t want to disappear!” Sewinette freaked out, while Presinette was trying to calm Studynette down. “This is seriously not good--how will I ever finish these dresses?”

“I knew you had too much self-interest!” Studynette yelled at Presinette. “You just want my memories so you can be a more convincing persona!”

“No way!” Presinette shook her head wildly, her composed demeanor slipping. “You’ve got it all wrong--”
As the three Manynettes argued, no one except Saltinette noticed when Sleepinette slipped open the door and crept out, holding her blanket around her shoulders like a cape. Saltinette let one self-satisfied smile creep over her face before she joined in the argument. Once there was division enough among the remaining Manynettes...then she could make her move.

Chapter Text

Sleepinette walked through the streets, her blanket dragging behind her on the sidewalks. 

  There was an empty park bench over there, underneath a tree. The bright sunshine had warmed the bench, and she lay down, pillowing up her blanket underneath her head. If only she could sleep forever and never wake up.

In moments, her eyes had closed, and she fell into a deep sleep, from which no argument could wake her, so deeply had she slipped into dreams. As her chest rose and fell with even, deep breaths, the edges of her form started to fizzle and tingle, and she dissolved into black spots, leaving nothing but a bundled-up pink blanket on the edge of the bench and some very confused children playing by said bench. 

----

Saltinette felt the edges of memories, hard and sharp in her mind, and knew that Sleepinette was gone. In her mind, her fingers rubbed up against the memories and her finger slipped on one, bleeding black. They were sharp as broken piano keys, jagged edges of snapped keys, but now she could picture more of the city in her mind’s eye. 

Her phone buzzed with an incoming text, and without even reading it she deleted it. The only thing she wanted to do was smash it, throw it down to the ground and stomp it into glass dust and anger, but there was one last thing that would cement her to Paris. Hawk Moth couldn’t control all of them, no matter how much he would have liked to. 

Saltinette clicked on Adrien’s text conversation and opened the thread. The last message was two days ago, from him, saying that he would have to miss hanging out with them once again, as he was slated to attend a Gabriel photoshoot. She smiled. Perfect. 

>> Adrien >>

Let’s stop hanging out. It’s pretty clear that you don’t care about your friends, or else you would have helped me out with Lila. Because of you, I’m alone and everyone hates me. So don’t talk to me anymore, okay? I can’t stand the sight of you. You make me sick. 

-sent

“Ahaha!” Saltinette laughed outright, her hand over her mouth. “What will you reply to that? You stupid bastard.”

Gleeful in her misery, she deleted the text she’d just sent--Adrien would see it, but not anyone who picked up her phone--and handed it off to Happinette. “It’s all yours.”

“Thanks!” Happinette chirped, and she did an impromptu twirl. “Now I can go and see Adrien!”

“Good luck with that.” Saltinette gave her a little wave, and the moment the pink-dressed Manynette was out the door, she collapsed in laughter. Presinette and Studynette were still arguing amongst themselves, and neither noticed the absence of Happinette. 

This is going so well , Saltinette cheered privately. Now all I need to do is be there tomorrow morning at school for when I can make my move. Marinette would thank me for this. If she were here. 

----

Back in Marinette’s room.

Sewinette turned off the sewing machine and held up Rose’s dress for a final once-over. She’d layered the pink skirt with lace and satin flowers, fit for a fairytale. Lying on the chair was Juleka’s, deep violet fabric with black cap sleeves and a high collar. Gently she put them in their dress bags, making sure not to ruffle a single ribbon, and tied the tops shut to protect the dresses from the elements. 

“I’m going to deliver these,” she said. Presinette had her head in her hands and her papers were everywhere, while Studynette was crying onto her textbooks, big tears landing on the pages of French Literature. Saltinette gave her an affirmative nod, and Sewinette opened the door and hurried outside to take over the dresses. She’d just take them to Juleka--Rose was always over at her house anyway so it would be easier than to take each dress to each house, as they were in totally different directions. 

About halfway there, she heard someone’s footsteps behind her. They were quick, as though the person was trying to catch up with her, so she turned around. It was Félix, walking quickly to make his way to her.  Sewinette slowed to allow him a bit of time. 

“Hello there,” Sewinette said. Félix fell into step beside her.

“Where are you going?” 

“I’m walking to Juleka’s. She and Rose are waiting for me to deliver their dresses,” Sewinette answered. 

“Shall I take one of the dress bags?” Without waiting for an answer, Félix tugged the top one out of her hands and held it for her. “Lead the way. I’ve never been to the Couffaines’. Do they live in a house or an apartment?”
Sewinette pointed. “They live on the water. Right there, the Liberty.” She pointed towards the houseboat moored to the dock, and Félix nodded.

“Right. That’s certainly unique.”

They made their way towards the houseboat. Juleka and Rose were sitting on the edge of the dock, swinging their legs and chatting. Rose jumped up and waved when she saw the two of them approaching. “Marinette! Félix!”

“It’s Sewinette, actually,” Sewinette corrected. 

Félix gave her a strange look. “What did you just say?”

Whatever answer she might have given was drowned out by Rose’s enthusiastic thanks as she took the dresses from them and skipped away. Before Félix could question her further, Sewinette hurried away. She didn’t want to be at fault for the Manynettes getting discovered…

---

Félix looked after Marinette rushing away. He was tempted to call out to her, but refrained. It was annoying how he hadn’t even gotten the chance to ask if she was upset about the suspension. And strange. Hadn’t she just been sleeping on a park bench? But then again, seeing as she was fine enough to bring the dresses to her friends, although ‘friends’ was not the title he would have awarded them...maybe she was mad at him. 

Then he laughed behind his hand. Imagine Marinette actually being mad at him. A few passersby gave the boy snickering to himself odd looks, but he ignored them. 

Misunderstandings had never once been a problem, and they were not about to be a problem now. He headed towards the Dupain-Cheng bakery.

Chapter Text

Happinette skipped down the street, her pink skirt swishing and her hands deep in her hoodie pockets, clutching onto her phone. The headphone cords trailing from her pockets were pink also, and she’d put them over her ears, Drop Pop Candy volume up to 100%. 

She had Marinette’s wallet with her, and the urge to spend struck her--stopping at a vendor’s cart, she bought herself a chocolate croissant, hot from the rack. Butter made her fingers shiny as she munched the flaky pastry, tossing the paper wrapper into a nearby trash can. 

The river was sparkling: in fact, everything was sparkling, awash in a faint pink tinge. Happinette’s eyes glowed dark pink as she gazed around at everything, seeing nothing but good things. 

Now sucking on a bubblegum lollipop that had resided in her skirt pocket, Happinette strolled down the street, making her way up and down flights of stairs at random, making sure to keep the river on the right side of her so she could find her way back to the bakery. 

Her phone buzzed, and Happinette tapped the button on the side of her headphones to pause her music as she pulled it from her pocket. Her eyes blazed bright pink as she saw the name on her phone screen-- Adrien.

The railing overlooking the river was bare of bird feces and litter, and she pulled herself up to sit on it, toes wiggling in anticipation. The sun beat warm onto her body, filling her with a delicious sense of giddy joy, the smell of salt filling her nose.

She opened the message as fast as she could, her hands trembling with joy. Adrien!

>> Marinette >>

I’m sorry. I was a bad friend to you, and I don’t deserve to talk to you anymore. I won’t talk to you again after this, whether at school or outside. Goodbye. --Adrien. 

“N-no...no…” Happinette whimpered, already composing a text-- “This can’t be happening--”

Adrien, I don't know why you think we can't be friends anymore, but please, talk to me! I want to be here for you.

"And...sent."

Ping.

Your message could not be delivered. 

“Adrien?”
Not delivered. 

“No!”

Not delivered. 

“He blocked me….” The phone fell from Happinette’s hands, suspended by her headphone cords, and she collapsed onto a nearby bench. “Adrien…” The world no longer looked so rosy and bright. As she watched, the sky grayed, and the people around her lost colour, their skin washing into sepia tones. The river dulled to a brownish-green, and a gray tear leaked from her eye. The sea-salt smell faded, replaced with the salt on her tongue. Had she bit her lip? Did it matter?

Adrien, what happened?

As she sat there, a flash of blonde caught her eye, and she was on her feet in an instant. Her surroundings were still grayed out and dull, but the blonde hair and green eyes shone bright as ever--the person she loved most, the only one that she could see in colour-- “Adrien?”

“Marinette?” It was not Adrien’s kind voice, this voice was sharper. 

“Oh, it’s Félix.” Happinette wilted in disappointment, before brightening up again. “Can you take me to Adrien?”

Félix coughed. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Adrien!” Happinette chirped. “He’s the only one in the entire world who can make me feel better again, I think.” She held up her phone. “He sent this text…”

Félix read the message in only a few seconds. “Out of the blue? That’s odd.”

“I made him upset,” Happinette wailed. “He must hate me--but I don’t know what I did! So you have to let me see him, so I can apologize!”

“Marinette,” Félix began. “I think...maybe you shouldn’t do that right now. He just sent you that. And besides--”

“You have to!” Happinette grabbed his coat sleeve. “Please, please, Félix! I’ll never be happy again if I can’t!”

At that, Félix looked taken completely aback. He swallowed, looked away, and then nodded resignedly. “Clearly, you need to get some sleep.”
“What?” Happinette let go of his sleeve, her eyes widening in surprise. “You won’t take me?”

Félix put his hands on her shoulders. “Listen to me, Marinette. You’ve been acting strange lately, and I’m not quite sure why. I can help you, if you ever need to talk to me. But seeing Adrien when you’re acting this way is not a good idea.”

Happinette’s eyes darkened, and she shoved Félix away. “What would you know?”
Félix stumbled. The venom in her tone surprised even him. “I--”

“No. You shut up.” Happinette grabbed him by the collar. “I asked you nicely. I was nice. I did everything right. Everyone wants me to be happy and nice and sweet and polite all the time, and I was. So why won’t you do what I want?”

“Marinette--” Félix tried to push her hands away, but her grip was impossibly strong. 

“I’m talking. And stop calling me Marinette,” Happinette said levelly. “It’s so goddamn annoying. You think you know everything. Félix Graham de Vanily, the boy who can’t do anything wrong. You think we’re friends? We’re not. You just can’t find anyone else willing to hang around with you for longer than ten minutes.” She pulled his collar tighter. “I was nice to you because I had to. I’m only happy because everyone will hate me if I’m not. You don’t have a clue what it’s like to be hated, because you think it’s normal.”

Félix’s eyes were hurt, but he couldn’t speak without gasping for breath--Happinette released him. The band around his neck when she’d yanked his shirt tight was red, the skin darker. “Does it hurt?” Happinette asked. “Does it? That’s nothing compared to what I feel every single day. I need to be happy, because this world will crush me if I’m not.”

She climbed up onto the railing overlooking the river, and looked down. “If you won’t take me to Adrien, I have no choice. Nothing but Adrien will make me happy. I know that much. The only person I love, the only one I can see in color--” 

“MARINETTE!” 

“I told you, I’m not Marinette,” she said. There was a smile on her face, a smile Félix had never seen before, bitter and twisted in agony. She lifted up a hand, almost tenderly, and touched his cheek.  An instant later, she stepped backwards off the railing.

Happinette….what did I ever want to be? 

Marinette crouched in the corner of her darkened room, crying. Her shirt was covered in toilet water from the bathroom--Lila had made sure to splash her with a full bucket of it that afternoon. “I can’t remember what makes me happy anymore! It’s not fair!”

She clutched a photo of Adrien in her hands, gripping it so tightly that the paper crinkled. “Even--even thinking about Adrien--I’m not happy!” Taking the paper, she tore it in two. “I should be sad! I should be angry I’m ripping this! But I can’t seem to feel anything…”

The torn pieces of the photo fluttered to the floor as Marinette laid her head down on the rug, her tears soaking into the thin weave of it. “I can’t remember being happy…”

The water was cold as it closed over her head, but she didn't feel it. Didn't want to feel. Didn't feel anything at all.

"Maybe it was supposed to be like this. If I'm Marinette, and she is me..."

"Maybe we were never meant to be happy.

The last breath left her lungs and she welcomed the darkness that enveloped her with whatever measure of joy she had left.

Chapter Text

Buginette soared overhead, searching for the slightest hint of trouble. Down below, something caught her eye. A group of people had gathered around the river and were shouting and screaming. There was a flash of blonde--Félix. Why was he there? Had he inadvertently akumatised someone? She swung down. 

“She just fell in!” Félix was pleading. “Marinette can’t swim!” He was being dragged back by three students who were trying to hold him from jumping into the river. In the water, Buginette saw a pink skirt ballooning out underwater, and headphones floating to the surface, cord trailing atop the water. 

A woman saw Buginette and yelled to her. “Ladybug!”

She didn’t need to be told twice. Buginette wrapped her yo-yo around the railing and tied the other end around her waist before diving in. She cut through the water until she reached Happinette, whose lips were turned up in a smile even as she sank deeper into the darkness of the river. Sputtering, they surfaced, and Happinette coughed up water. “Oops.”
“That was stupid!” Buginette chastised. “You need to be more subtle. If they find out we’re an Akuma…”

“I don’t want to die!” Happinette shrieked, and the sound made Buginette flinch. Rather than happy and sweet, it was pained and angry. “I just wanted to upset Félix! I need. To. Be. Happy!”

“Okay,” Buginette said. “Okay.” Placating, like she was calming a small animal. Pulling on her yo-yo, they soared up and over the railing. She deposited the once-more smiling Happinette on the ground, soaking wet and cheerful. Félix grabbed her hands. 

“Why on Earth would you do that? Are you being this stupid on purpose?”

Happinette’s smile slipped, and Buginette intervened. “It was an accident. I’ll take her home.”

“An accident…” Félix trailed off, staring at them. “Ladybug?”

“Yes?” 

“You’re not usually out in the daytime without an Akuma around.”

Buginette smiled. “No, I’m not.”

They left Félix and the crowd dispersing, puzzled. 

There were things to do. Buginette deposited the sullen, sodden Happinette in the safety of Marinette’s bedroom and zipped off again. Her caller was buzzing--she flipped open her yo-yo and clicked Accept on the messages Chat Noir had left her. 

>>Ladybug, hey. I just saw you going past, and I was wondering why--can you please call me back when you get this?
>>Ladybug? I just checked, and there aren’t any Akuma alerts, and we don’t have patrol until later tonight--call me, okay?
>>....Ladybug, why don’t we meet up at the library? We should talk. 

Buginette closed the yo-yo with a snap. So her partner wanted to talk? She could stop for a….chat. And now she thought of it, this fit in perfectly with her plans. “The library.”

She swung to a neat landing on the rooftop--Chat Noir was already there, his tail switching as he perched lightly on the edge. “Milady!” He perked up when he saw her, his green eyes brightening. “I was beginning to worry!”

“I’m here now.” Buginette approached him. “I’m sorry for making you wait.”

“Are you okay? You’re acting...different,” Chat Noir said as she stopped right in front of where he sat, leaning in close. 

“I’m fine.” Buginette smiled. “Better than fine. It’s just…” She paused. “I’ve been wanting to do this for awhile.”

“Milady?”

Buginette leaned forward and kissed him. 

Chat Noir didn’t resist--he kissed her back, and Buginette let his closed eyes serve as her cue to put her hands on his. His eyes flickered open as she placed her hand over his, where the ring was, and she kissed him harder to distract him. When he was completely absorbed in the kiss, Buginette slid the Miraculous off deftly--he never even felt it. 

A short burst of light accompanied his detransformation, and his eyes flew open. Buginette broke the kiss, stepping back, and gasped, her fingers closing on his ring. He hadn’t even noticed she’d taken it on purpose. 

Adrien Agreste. Sitting on the ledge, his green eyes on hers, filled with adoration. “I guess the cat’s out of the bag. My ring back?” He held out his hand to receive it back. 

Rather than love, or adoration, or any emotion Marinette might have felt...all Buginette felt was disgust. Sheer, overwhelming, sickening disgust. “You’re Chat Noir.”

Adrien’s cheeks were red, but he was smiling shyly. “I am.”

She stepped back. “You...you ruined my life.” Our life. Manynette’s life. This boy had brought her nothing but hatred and heartache and pain--and--Adrien had taken her hand, looking confused--she shoved him away. “Get away from me!” Buginette clutched his Miraculous tightly in her fist and backed away more. “I--” The butterfly mask blazed over her face. 

“Manynette.” Hawk Moth’s sinister voice was different. Older. Sadder. What had he seen, all of a sudden, that had made him this way? “Bring me the Miraculous of the Black Cat. Now.”

Buginette closed her fist tightly. Adrien reached out to take back his ring, and she tucked her hand to her side. “I’m keeping this.”

The butterfly mask led her to the observatory. Hawk Moth directed her through alleyways and around corners, and Buginette made her way there faster, faster, the ring secreted away in her pocket. 

She slipped in through the open window of the observatory, located just near the Agreste house, where Marinette had walked so many times, hoping to catch a glimpse of Adrien, and came face-to-face with her enemy.

He smiled. “Ladybug. How good of you to join me. The Miraculouses, if you please?” He extended one gloved hand towards her, and Buginette made as if to remove her earrings. Her hand never touched them, though, and Hawk Moth’s smile vanished. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I can’t give you the Miraculous.” Buginette let her hand fall to her side. “You’ll use them for selfish gain. I must protect this city.” Stepping towards him, she reached for his throat. “I’m very sorry, but I do have to destroy you.”

Hawk Moth slapped her hand away. “You cannot kill me.” He laughed, slightly strained. “If I die, you will ask well, as you are merely a creation of mine.”

“I’m Ladybug,” Buginette said. “My job is to kill you.”

“I control you,” Hawk Moth said. 

“No, our desires do. You are merely the tool that brings us to life,” Buginette replied. “And my desire is to be the best Ladybug possible. Your death protects Paris.” 

“Your job is to defeat Akumas. Not me,” Hawk Moth told her. “So walk away and do what you’re supposed to do. Or should you destroy yourself?”

“I…” Buginette paused. 

Hawk Moth smiled, victorious. “Your job is to destroy Akumas, but you yourself are one. This puts us in quite the conundrum. Will she kill me...or herself, since her purpose is to do the latter?”

Buginette snarled, confused. “Stop talking!”

“You admit I’m correct,” Hawk Moth said. “What will you do? I’ll let you think about it.” He turned to face the open window, white butterflies flapping around him. 

Buginette couldn’t waste any more time. She pulled Chat Noir’s ring from her pocket and slid it on, saying “Claws out,” under her breath. When she had transformed, she took a step forward, a deep breath slipping out. “Cataclysm.” Buginette said it matter-of-factly.

Hawk Moth didn’t seem to notice. She gazed at the man who had created her, watching him stare blankly out the open conservatory window. His cane was on the floor beside him, the hands that had made her sagging and lifeless.

A drop of dampness traced its way down his cheek and she lunged. Buginette reached out and tapped him on the shoulder gently. “You don’t deserve to live.”

His mouth opened in--not surprise. Just pain. An emptiness was in his eyes, far deeper than the threat that death would cause.  In seconds, he had turned the color of rust and crumbled to dust, the remains caught in a gust and swept out the open observatory window. 

And though the enemy was gone, Buginette remained. Why? Her job was done. Without Hawk Moth to create Akumas, she could no longer exist. None of the others should be allowed to exist. 

Hawk Moth’s words came back to her. Your job is to destroy Akumas….but you yourself are one…

Buginette collapsed to her knees, clutching her splitting head. She could hear the others screaming in unison, and vaguely recognized that she was screaming as well. The butterfly Miraculous was on the floor in front of her, sparking faintly with black flashes. It should be destroyed--should have been, since she used the Cataclysm--but why?

“I can’t---exist--” Buginette gritted out. She gripped the sides of her head, her fingers digging into her cheeks, and her nails pierced the skin--rip it off, rip it off, hurry up! “We...cannot...all exist...”

Red gushed out when she ripped her face off--bright blood spilled out onto the floor, and what was left of Buginette collapsed, twitching and dissolving into nothingness. The streams of black and purple dissolved out and over the city, searching for their recipients.

Chapter Text

Saltinette was in agony. Waves of pain crashed over her, and somewhere within the recesses of her twisted, darkened mind, something snapped. She could feel Buginette’s tearing her face off as though her own skin were coming apart, ripped by her own hands, and the screams of the other four in the room were but a dim symphony to her own suffering. 

“We cannot...all...exist…”

Presinette was shaking in the corner, holding her face in her hands and sobbing, and Studynette was bent over her textbooks, her eyes shut and her mouth open. Sewinette had crumpled over the desk, her nose bleeding onto the computer keyboard, and Happinette was rocking back and forth on the bed, her eyes wide and empty. 

Sewinette’s head was ringing, her temples splitting, and she had no doubt the others felt it too. A haze washed over her eyes, misting everything in red, or perhaps that was the blood splattering in her face, because Happinette was stabbing Studynette over and over again.
“I need to stay...happy--”

Studynette choked and gasped, blood spattering from her mouth, and she jerked as Happinette stabbed her in the chest once again. Blood streaked Happinette’s face, illuminating her manic smile and her bright eyes as she drove the kitchen knife in once again. 

Saltinette’s own agony lessened as Studynette died, and she could feel the tinges of sanity returning to her. Presinette stood unsteadily and tried to wrench the knife from Happinette’s hands, but Happinette turned on her, and held the knife over her head to drive it into her face. 

With a short sob, Sewinette threw herself at Presinette, knocking her to the ground, and the knife embedded itself in Sewinette’s throat and stuck out the other side, blood spurting over Presinette who was lying beneath her on the ground. Sewinette clawed at her throat, her eyes wide, and Happinette shoved it in deeper until the handle was up against her collarbone. 

When the two girls lay dead, eyes wide, on the ground, Happinette began to laugh. Insane laughter that bounced off the walls and pervaded Saltinette’s skull until all she could hear was that goddamned laughter--”Shut up!” She scratched Happinette across her face, opening a gash with her nails, and at once, Happinette shut her mouth, falling silent. 

Sewinette and Studynette began to lose form, dissolving into nothingness, and at once, Saltinette could feel their memories as though they had always been part of her. 

Happinette wrapped her arms around her chest and sat silently against the wall, limp and blank-faced as a doll, even with the blood streaking her face and staining her hoodie and skirt. Red was smeared in her hair also, and it was all over Presinette, who lay on the floor, shell-shocked. Sewinette’s blood was covering her front almost completely, and she covered her mouth to stifle a retch. 

Saltinette stared at the scene, which moments before had been total and undeniable evidence of murder, and now looked as though they’d disposed of the corpses. “You killed them.”

Happinette looked up at her, blank.

“We...we should get some sleep.” Presinette was staring at the ceiling, but her voice was composed as ever. “We do have school tomorrow, after all.”

Saltinette climbed onto the bed and closed her eyes. “I guess so.” Tomorrow, she could finally see what her damage had caused. Tomorrow, she would reap the consequences of her joy and delight. 

Bitterness. 

It was delicious. 

Although, she was still unsettled. Happinette seemed...unhinged. Maybe tomorrow morning Saltinette would push her out the window and get it over with. 

She woke up once in the night. 

Moonlight streamed through the roof hatch, along with the scrape...scrape...scrape...of Happinette sharpening her kitchen knife with the paperweight on the desk. Her eyes, wide and blank, stared straight into Saltinette’s until Saltinette shut them and turned over. 

Mme Bustier had not yet begun class when Saltinette stepped through the doors, a bright smile on her face. Her very being was resonating with the joy of havoc and chaos, and she had to stifle a laugh--she couldn’t wait to see what her stupid classmates would try to do. 

Presinette and Happinette had remained behind in Marinette’s room. Their parents had been out last night, which put into account very nicely why they had not come when they heard the shrieking. So today, it was Saltinette’s turn to shine. 

“Marinette!” Rose jumped up, the only person happy to see her. Everyone else had frozen expressions when they saw her. “My dress is so pretty, thank you!”

Saltinette barely concealed a sneer. That idiotic Sewinette had made the dresses well, after all, even after Saltinette’s advice to rip them to shreds and destroy them, as penance for Rose and Juleka’s ignorance. Instead, she smiled. “I’m so glad you like your dress.” 

“Marinette.” This voice was not as gushing and polite. “What did you do to Mylene’s cake?”

“Oh, you’re talking to me again?” Saltinette smirked at Alya, whose cheeks turned red with anger. “What a shock. I thought we were done for good. A shame, now I’ll have to waste my energy on whatever inane thing you have to spout.”

“Y-you--” Alya gripped her phone, glass charms clattering against her hand. Next to her, Lila glared with equal venom. 

Behind them was Adrien, although his eyes were red-rimmed, and he looked exhausted. Saltinette let out a giggle. “Did you sleep well, Adrien?”

He stared at her. 

“You’re not very...chatty,” Saltinette said. “Did something happen?”

There was no way she could have known, which was what made it all the more fun to see Adrien’s eyes widen in shock and horror. “How do you--”

“Does anyone else have anything to say to me?” Saltinette asked, cutting him off. “Because I have things to do. Places to be, you know. I’m just so awfully busy prancing around like a show pony for you idiots.”

Gasps from the class. 

If only someone would applaud, but no. An audience might have been nice, Saltinette thought. She opened her backpack and removed her laptop, placing it atop Alya’s desk. “I hope you won’t mind me borrowing your space.” Opening it up, Saltinette placed the USB in the port on the corner, and the Google Slides icon began to load. 

Thank goodness for Presinette’s forward thinking, for she had collected every single one of Marinette’s journal entries, phone recordings, and photo evidence, and compiled them into this delightful presentation. 

Saltinette cleared her throat. “I present to everyone here, my record of being bullied for the entirety of two years at Francois-Dupont high school. Suspect? None other than one Lila Rossi.” She held out her hand in a gesture to the brunette standing beside Alya, whose eyes had narrowed. “Feel free to click through. I was very thorough in my collection of evidence.” She stepped aside and let her classmates cluster around the laptop, gasping and whispering as they went through the slideshow. 

They hadn’t seen more than half of it before Alya turned around and grabbed Saltinette’s upper arm, gripping her tightly. “What is this? This is all untrue.”

“You would know,” Saltinette shot back. “Since you always check your sources.”

Alya’s eyes widened and she jerked away from the blue-haired girl. Saltinette laughed.

The door banged open. 

“Miss Césaire.” Félix’s tone was colder than ice. “Step away from the Akuma. Now.” 

Chapter Text

Alya had only just turned away from Saltinette when the classroom door clicked open. 

“Hello, everyone. I do hope I’ve come on time.” Presinette tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and clicked her pen, exposing the nib. 

“Marinette….?” Rose looked between Saltinette and Presinette, her blue eyes filled with confusion. “But how are there two?”

“Simple. They’re both her,” Félix said. “Clearly, she was split into two...or more, upon being akumatized.”

“That’s correct.” Presinette smiled. “But I assure you, we mean no harm. I am simply here to collect Saltinette.”

“Go ahead and try,” snarled Saltinette. “I finally got my chance, and you show up to fuck me over? Nice.”

Presinette sighed. “Considering Buginette is dead, we need to be more careful about our situation.” She turned to Félix. “I’m very interested to hear how you figured us out.”

Félix shrugged. “It was reasonably simple. I happened to see Marinette at multiple places throughout the city. Besides speaking to her, I caught glimpses of her moving from place to place, but her outfits and mannerisms changed each time I interacted with her. There was no way she could have gotten from place to place, as well as changed her clothes each time, that quickly. I also noticed that Ladybug was different, and it stood to reason.”

“What does Ladybug have to do with Dupain-Cheng?” Chloe snapped. 

Félix sighed. “I thought you had at least three braincells. What are the chances that Marinette just happens to leave every time Ladybug is spotted fighting an Akuma?”

Blank stares. 

“Oh my God. You all really are this stupid.” Félix dropped his head into his hands. “I should have stayed in London.”

“Wait, wait,” Alix butted in. “So you’re saying Marinette is Ladybug? And you knew and didn’t tell us?”

“Besides the point!” Kim said. “He called us stupid!”

“CAN EVERYONE SHUT UP,” Chloe barked. The class fell silent. “Thank you.” She turned to Presinette. “How do we know you’re not going to attack us? All of Hawk Moth’s party pack villains have attacked us without fail, and if Ladybug isn’t here, we’re sitting ducks.”

Presinette smiled. “Hawk Moth will no longer interfere with us.” She extended her hand, uncurling her fingers. “Adrien would know this.” In the palm of her hand rested two things. A butterfly pin and a black ring with a green cat’s paw. 

Adrien gasped when he saw them. “The Miraculous? But how?”

“Buginette, or Ladybug, had the foresight to track down Hawk Moth. After killing him, she herself died,” said Presinette. “I was able to track down the Miraculous from our shared memories. Rest assured, Hawk Moth will no longer be a problem. Neither will we.”

But no sooner than she’d reached out a hand to place on Chloe’s shoulder and said “Trust me, we mean no harm,” then she stiffened. The point of a blade jutted from Presinette’s collarbone, just above her chest. Her eyes were wide and shocked. 

As she slumped forward, Chloe let out a shriek and jumped back. “Aah!” Her eyes had fixed on the teenage girl stepping through the doorway, fluffy pink skirt swinging. 

“Hi, everyone!” Happinette skipped towards them, waving her hands. In one, she held the knife she’d taken from the bakery, stained with Presinette’s blood. Her face, though the dried blood from killing Studynette and Sewinette was still coated across her cheeks and splattered all over her clothes, was bright and beaming. “It’s so great to see you all here!”

The Miraculouses clattered out of Presinette’s hands as she collapsed onto the ground, dead, and Félix was fastest of all, snatching up the Butterfly Miraculous before anyone else. Unfortunately for the other, Saltinette had swept the ring into her hand and backed away from Happinette and the others. 

Alya let out a muffled gasp behind her hands and stepped back as Happinette drew close to them. Lila paled to almost dead white when she saw the bloodstained Akuma leaning in close. “What is that?”

Happinette pouted. “I’m not a that, how rude! I’m Happinette.” She threw her arms around Lila and hugged her tightly. “I want to be happy all the time. I’m sure you understand.”

“Let go--of me--” Lila gritted out. 

“Now, listen, okay?” Happinette patted her on the back with her free hand. “I just wanted you to know that I hate you more than anything else in the world. I may be walking and talking, but you killed me a long time ago.”

Lila let out a choke, and when Happinette released her, slid to the ground, the knife in Happinette’s hand sliding out from beside her spine. A gush of bright blood renewed Happinette’s mania, and she laughed brightly, blood landing in her mouth. “Who’s next?”

Félix had stepped forward. “Akumas have never killed anyone intentionally. What have you done?”

“Killed her intentionally.” Happinette laughed. “Also, your concern was so cute yesterday. If I wasn’t totally obsessed with Adrien, I’d have liked you.”

“Shut up!” Saltinette was on her feet and lunging at Happinette. “Just shut up!” She raked her nails down Happinette’s face, opening up lines. Happinette didn’t seem fazed--she just laughed as Saltinette attacked her.

“You’re that angry because of what I said? Is it because…”

“Don’t say it!” Saltinette hit her across the face. “If you say it I’ll kill you!”

“Go ahead and try. You’re pathetic,” Happinette spat, her smile still wide and white. “Oh, what a shame, you can’t even tell Félix how much you love him because you think he’s going to hate you! You’re spiteful and mean because you can’t find any other way to be? At least I can express my feelings!”

Saltinette screamed in wordless rage and threw herself at Happinette, but with a quick twist of Happinette’s hand, a long gash was opened down Saltinette’s cheek, and she was on the floor, holding her bleeding face. “You bitch !”

“Name-calling? Well, whatever. I don’t think I care anymore.” The other girl forgotten, Happinette tapped her chin thoughtfully. “So, who’s next to die? Oh, I know!” Her finger pointed at each of her classmates in turn, landing finally on Adrien. “You win!”

Adrien’s eyes widened. “What--”

He was dead before he could finish his sentence, Happinette yanking the knife out from between his ribs. “Too easy! How disappointing.” She giggled. “Well, he deserved it. How’s that for taking the high road?”

“You killed them,” Rose whimpered. “Lila...Adrien…”

Happinette turned her wide smile on the petite blonde girl. “They ruined my life. Fair is fair, after all.”

Then a blow made her stumble, and nearly fall. “Hey!” Kim hit her with the chair again over the head, and Happinette fell this time. The chair toppled down to land on her, and she jerked as it hit her, crying out in pain. “Stop!”

“You’re a murderer!” Alix shouted. 

Happinette forced her way up and lifted her knife. “I’ll kill...you…” She was forced to step backwards...backwards, by Kim and Alix, who were boxing her in--with a scream, she toppled out the open window and fell to the ground three floors below. Blood pooled beneath her head--they could see a dark stain spreading underneath her, and her limbs were at horrible perpendiculars. 

Impossibly, she got up. Her neck was hanging at a strange angle, and they could see splinters of bone sticking out of her arms and legs, torn as the skin was.

“Oh, God,” Alya whispered as Happinette made her way back towards the school. “She’s coming back…”

“This isn’t possible!” Alix slammed her hand down on the nearest desktop. “That should have killed her!”

No one thought to run or hide.

Faster than they all thought, the classroom door reopened. Unsteadily she staggered towards them, her face still alight with that needless, incessant joy. It was incomprehensible how she could still be smiling. 

“Stay away from us!” Rose panicked, backing away from the walking corpse. 

“But you killed me…” Happinette raised the knife. “I just wanted to return the favor.”

“We didn’t!” Alya defended. “We never killed anyone!”

“You willfully ignored Lila’s treatment of me.” Happinette leaned in close, her sparkling pink gaze meeting Alya’s. “You let her attack and abuse me, and I never had the chance to speak up for myself. I never had the chance to stand up for myself, either. And when I told you she was a liar, you told me I was making it up. That Lila was nice, and kind, and a good friend. I was just jealous.”

Alya squeezed her eyes shut and looked away. “That was a mistake, okay? I’m sorry!”

“Not sorry enough. You see, I’ll be happy if I kill all of you. Everyone in here has done me wrong,” Happinette said. “Your deaths will make me so happy!” She spread her arms out as if to embrace them all, her eyes alight. “So, who wants to be first?”

Alya shuddered as the knife’s edge touched her neck, drawing a thin line of blood to bubble out, and she braced herself for the pain of having her throat cut when the knife slipped suddenly, coming away from her. 

Had Félix been a second later, Alya would most certainly be dead, but as it was, Happinette was the one who hit the classroom floor. Félix twisted her wrist and her fingers opened, the knife dropping out. “Let me go!”

“You can’t kill any more people!” Félix put his knee on Happinette’s back, forcing her hands behind her back as well, and Alya let out a deep breath of relief. 

Happinette shrieked and struggled, trying to free herself. “You of all people should understand! You knew I’d been struggling, and you stood by!”

Félix flinched as though he’d been hit. 

“And you did nothing--” Her voice broke, and her head slumped to the floor. “I just want to die.”

“No, you don’t!” Félix dragged her up and shook her. “Don’t say stupid things like that! We need you, okay?”
Happinette turned her face to stare at the ground. “No...you really don’t. No one does. The only person who needs me might have been you.”

“What do you mean might have? I do need you,” Félix confessed. He let Happinette’s feet down to the ground, still holding onto her to ensure she wasn’t going to run. 

“Do you.” Happinette’s tone was flat. “I can’t believe that.”

Félix hugged her tightly, pulling her close. Happinette let out a squeak as her face met his shoulder, his jacket soft against her cheek. “I’m sorry.”

“Happy...is it so hard for me to want to be?” Happinette said. “I never wanted anyone to think less of me.”

When he released her, Happinette swayed on the spot for a moment, and then collapsed. Blood streamed from her mouth, and she died finally, her body solid and then dissolving in another minute. She had bitten her tongue off. 

When the blackness receded, there was nothing left of Happinette except her last whisper. Please can I be….

In the corner of the classroom, forgotten, Saltinette was sobbing, big tears dripping from her eyes. “I wanted to be hugged, too. It’s not fair. Why did I have to be the one that stayed until the end? I wanted someone to notice what I was doing so I could have been the first to go.”

“What are you saying?” Alya sat down in front of her, looking into her eyes. 

“I wanted you all to hate me so much that I would have to die. Someone would have to notice I wasn’t the real Marinette, and they’d destroy me.” Saltinette wiped her eyes roughly. “But no one did, and instead, I felt happy. I was happy I was hurting all of you. It made me feel so much better to ruin things for you the way my life was ruined.”

“We should have done something,” Juleka said. 

“Yeah.” For once, Alix was unusually soft-spoken. 

“It’s too late, though.” Saltinette’s voice was barely audible. “I have to carry everyone else’s pain and hatred and fear. I can feel myself dying, but I can’t do anything but suffer. Just like Marinette did when we were her. Why should I have to be the one to die with all this pain?”

“You don’t have to be, Marinette!” Rose put her arms around Saltinette in a quick hug, before releasing her. “We’ll help you carry it. Promise.”

“But…” Saltinette turned to Félix. “You have to hate me. I made you hate me. This can’t be any happy ending.”

Félix took her hands in his. “No matter what you do, I don’t think I could ever hate you.”

Saltinette sniffled. “So I guess I failed after all.”

“That’s not true. I’m just impossible to win against.” Félix leaned forward and kissed her, Saltinette’s eyes opening wide when his lips met hers. 

When Saltinette pulled away,  Félix immediately yanked back and formed the first word of an apology, but she held up her hand to stop him. “No. Please don’t apologize. I wanted to do that as well… but it will be that much harder for me to go.”

“It’s okay.” Félix let her hands go. “I understand.”

Tears beginning to drip down her face again, Saltinette took off the ribbon that wrapped around her wrist. “I wish I could remember this. I want to hold onto this memory.” She looked around the classroom, at her classmates looking back at her, at their expressions. Some were smiling at her, others more serious. But they believed her now. They could see now. Maybe then, it hadn’t all been for nothing.

  “Plagg, claws out!”

Chapter Text

Marinette was asleep. 

Sleeping, and at the same time awake. 

She wasn’t dreaming, though, and yet, the things she was doing could not have been real. Surely she couldn’t have smashed Mylene’s cake, killed Hawk Moth, stabbed Lila and Adrien, and stolen the Black Cat Miraculous. And yet...here she was. Marinette pounded and screamed, banging on the walls of the body that belonged to her and someone else had taken. This person felt as familiar to her as her own heartbeat, and at the same time their thoughts were connected with hers.

Like her deepest desires had been manifested, the sickest parts of her, the angry bitterness that she had shoved deep down, hoping none of this violent hatred would ever come to light. 

Run, run, find someplace to hide. 

Nine people were screaming along with her, but their screams were all connected, joining into one long thread of run, run, hurry, don’t let them find you. Throughout their cries, and Marinette’s own frustration, she felt the overwhelming sense of fear. 

“Why are we running?” Marinette let herself slump to the ground, giving up on banging and yelling. 

Someone sat beside her, someone with wide empty eyes and a blank expression, like all her emotions had been drained out of her. “I just want to find someplace quiet to die.”

Marinette turned and saw herself, staring at nothing hollowly. “Are you me?”

“I guess.” The other Marinette shrugged. “It doesn’t matter anymore. We all wanted different things at some point, but now all we want is to die. So we’re finding a good place to hide, and then we’ll use Cataclysm.” She returned her gaze to somewhere far beyond. 

“What are you looking at?” asked Marinette. She knew this girl. Happinette.

“This place.” The other her shivered. “I’m wondering if we have to live through that place, too.” After a pause, she elaborated. “You see, there are two, really. I can see both of them. In one of them, we tripped and fell into a second world, switching places with yourself from that other world. You returned, but your life was never the same.

“In the other one I can see, that one is much worse. In that other world, you killed yourself. Just like we are going to, now. But in that other world, you were a magical girl, and you had to fight far more powerful Akumas, and Hawk Moth was planning to destroy the world, and at the end…”

“What happened?”

The other her turned to her. “The end happened.” Then she laughed hysterically. “Isn’t that great? It means our destiny was never happiness. Over and over, I see us die and go mad and be abandoned all alone, because the only way for me to be happy is to die because that way everyone else will be happy and what makes me happy is making other people happy and so we--”

“Please stop,” Marinette said politely. “I don’t want to hear anymore.” 

The blank look returned to Happinette’s eyes, and she resumed staring at the far wall. Only her hands twitched uncontrollably in her lap, twitching and twisting with random jerks. Marinette tore her eyes from that person, and when she looked again, the other girl was gone. 

Marinette stood up. “Hello! Can someone please tell me why I have to die? I don’t think I understand.”

Around her, nine figures shivered into existence, the space bending around them. 

“Our jobs are all complete,” said Presinette. “We have to die because that is the final destiny of any human being. You are no different. And besides, you were going to kill yourself that day anyway. By becoming Akumatized, we were able to extend your lifespan more than it should have been.”

“I was going to kill myself?” Marinette asked. As she did, she saw a sudden vision of herself uncapping a pill bottle. 

“Yes. But it will end soon, anyway. Just like you wanted,” said Presinette. 

Marinette stared at her hands, the hands that were slowly growing more see-through by the second. She turned it this way and that, watching as light punctured through the ever-widening gaps between the molecules. “I might have wanted to die once. But…”

“You want to take it back.” A harsh voice interrupted them. “You want to take everything back, don’t you?”

“Hi, Saltinette,” Marinette said. 

The angry Marinette glowered at her. “You made your choice. I’m the last one left, and soon I’ll be the only one. I’ll unleash this Cataclysm across Paris, and then the globe.” Her outline shivered as she grew more indistinct. “No one will survive.”

“No!” Marinette leaped at her and crashed into an invisible wall. “No!” 

Saltinette laughed. “This is what you wanted.” 

To her horror, Marinette felt tears spilling down her cheeks, her nose running, dripping. She was overflowing with sadness. “I might have wanted to die once, but that doesn’t mean I want to die now. I might have wanted to make others hurt the way I hurt, but there’s a reason I never let it bubble up.” She gazed around, at the blank whiteness of the world, the sheer emptiness of this existence. “Because people change. I’ve changed. And I refuse to let you hurt others on the bullshit excuse that you’re fulfilling a half-baked desire of mine from way too long ago!” 

With a scream, she lunged at Saltinette, and the world faded. 

The class stood silent and stunned. She had yelled “Claws out,” and then just as suddenly slumped to the floor. Now there were three bodies.

Felix knelt over Saltinette’s form, and dimly, they could see her chest rising and falling. His mouth was moving, muttering hushed words only she could hear. 

Then she twitched violently and one arm shot out. Rose screamed and turned her face away as Saltinette sat all the way up, her body heaving in a convulsion that looked straight out of Alien. The cat ears and tail still attached to her body were a horrible juxtaposition to the decidedly inhuman spasms her body was now experiencing.

She was--changing. Her limbs were deforming, branching, and with a sickening crack, a second head sprouted next to the first. A few teens gagged, some gasped, others turned away, and with a sound like a scream, the two halves of Marinette detached. Marinette and Lady Noire.

Or rather, Saltinoire.

Saltinette stood before Marinette, their faces set in identical glares. 

“I won’t let you hurt them,” Marinette said.

Saltinoire gave her a feral grin. “Cataclysm!”

Her hand crackled with black energy, and she lunged at Marinette, who dodged neatly, skipping around a fallen chair. Saltinoire screamed in frustration and dove at her again. Marinette whipped to the side and delivered a spinning kick, knocking Saltinoire back several meters. 

“Take this!” Alix handed Marinette a roller skate.

 “Awesome,” Juleka muttered as Marinette unhooked the strap. 

She swung it back and forth a few times to gain momentum and advanced on her catsuited counterpart, a smile on her face. “Don’t get upset,” Marinette whispered. “I have to do this.” 

She swung the skate directly at Saltinoire. 

Instinctively, she dodged. Time seemed to slow as she skidded out from under it, claws reaching, reaching…

Marinette grabbed her wrist, bent it backwards. Two fingers touched.

Time slowed even more, and then froze.

The rust began to spread through the both of them, overtaking them in shades of black and gray and red-brown before it finally consumed them both. 

There was a sigh in the air when they collapsed. 

Leaving behind only a small pair of black earrings, the Miraculous of the cat, and a small black butterfly, lying dead.

“Earrings?” Chloe scooped them up, the first to step forward. She cradled them incredulously. “Could they be…”

“Ladybug.” A tear dripped down Alya’s cheek. “She really was Ladybug all along.”

“Put them on.”

“ What?” Chloe’s mouth hung open. “You can’t mean…”

“I do.” Felix stood up, looking pale. “If you put the earrings on, you can activate the MIracle Cure. You can save her.”

“Hell yeah,” Chloe said. Immediately, she pulled out her own pearl studs and placed the black earrings in her ears. 

Tikki zipped out from nonbeing and smiled at her. “Hello, Queen Bee.”

Chloe’s face fell. “Please, don’t call me that. I’m no longer Queen Bee. I don’t deserve to hold a Miraculous any longer.” 

Tikki nuzzled her cheek. “Spots on, whenever you’re ready.”

“Tikki, spots on!”

When the flash cleared, Ladybug was before them, identical but for the hair and complexion. 

“I can’t see you,” Sabrina squealed. “Why can’t I see you?” Indeed, you could tell that she was a teenage girl, but the longer you looked, the more her features fuzzed and blurred, until you weren’t sure of anything anymore--what age she was, her main features, even her eyes. 

“The mask obscures you,” Chloe managed. She took her yo-yo and began to swing it back and forth until it gathered the light, and with a strike of whiteness, the akuma vanished. 

“Miraculous Ladybug!”

“Marinette?” Someone was shaking her. 

“Mmrph,” she groaned. Her bed was warm, and she didn’t want to wake up. “Five more minutes, please, Maman.”

“Marinette.” The voice became clear. “Wake up, please.” Clear, and close to tears. 

She opened her eyes a crack. Every single one of her classmates was crouched over her. “Where am I?”

As Marinette sat up, she felt a slight---it was hard to describe. It sounded like a zipper, being pulled closed. The sound of something sealing irrevocably. And with that noise came recognition. 

Every single thing that had happened in the last week came screaming back to her, burrowing itself deep into her memories and refused to come out. She shot up, panting. 

“No! No,” 

One look at Felix’s face confirmed it, and she began to cry. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” 

He shook his head. “No, don’t apologize.”

“We’re the ones who should,” Chloe said. “Obviously, I don’t need to, since I saved you.” She flipped her hair and smirked. “I’m really too amazing to be here.” 

Some things never change, I guess, Marinette thought, She sniffed away her tears.

“I’m sorry,” Juleka murmured. 

“Sorry,” Alix added, as did Nathanael.

“I apologize,” Max said formally.

“Me too,” Kim butted in.

“I’m so sorry,” Rose squealed, followed by Sabrina and Mylene.

“Sorry,” Ivan muttered, unable to meet her eyes. 

“Same, dude,” Nino said. 

“I’m so sorry,” Alya whispered. 

Marinette didn’t look at her. 

Adrien couldn’t meet her eyes. “I’m sorry,” he finally said, and the words were more hollow than ever. Sorry for never believing you, for never supporting you, for never recognizing that I loved you.

The class turned to look at Lila, who was calmly seated at her desk, buffing her nails. 

“So?” Alya finally said. 

Insouciantly, the brunette rolled her green eyes to look at Marinette. “So what?”

“Apologize,” Chloe snipped. 

“She stabbed me,” Lila pointed out. “I don’t need to apologize to trash like her.”

The class turned as one to Marinette, wary expectance in all their eyes. She knew at that moment, if she asked them to beat up Lila, if she asked them to hurt her so badly she’d never return to Paris again, they would.

So she smiled instead, and directed that smile at all of them. Even Lila. 

“It’s a beautiful day outside. Too beautiful to waste here.”

Months later: June-ish

“Did you feel bad about passing on the Ladybug Miraculous?” Marinette shook her head. “I knew I’d find someone who deserved it, and I did. Besides, now that the Butterfly MIraculous is back in the MIraculous box where it belongs, I know Paris will be safe for a little longer.”

“What about Mayura?”

Marinette stopped at that, placing a finger on her chin. “I think…” she began slowly. “As long as evil is out there, there will always be a hero to fight for justice and defend goodness. We may never be rid of the corruption of the Miraculous power, but I know that as long as there are people in Paris and beyond with good souls and true hearts, we’ll be okay.”

“That was inspiring,” Felix said dryly.

 Marinette gave her boyfriend a kiss on the cheek. “You can write that down for me later.” She grabbed his hand. “Now, hurry up! We’re going to be late!”

They crossed the grassy field to where their class was waiting on an enormous picnic blanket, laughing and talking. Alix was throwing a Frisbee with Kim, her rollerblades useless on grass, while Juleka and Rose lay side by side with Ivan and Mylene. She could see Adrien, a smile on his face and his hand in Luka’s, while Nino and Alya shared a pair of earbuds, jamming out. 

Marinette and Felix picked up speed as they met the group, and Marinette deposited the box of macarons she’d brought. “Come on, Fé. You’ve never flown a kite before, have you?”

“So what if I haven’t.” The blonde rolled his eyes. 

Marinette mock-scowled at him. “Hold this.” A gust of wind caught the kite strings and it billowed out as she ran, across the grass and farther along the horizon. 

Laughter tore itself from her throat, wind whipping at her lungs, her bare feet rubbing along soft grass and dirt. She smiled, the heat of the summer warming her inside and out.

Her heart, at least, was all back together. 

The Manynettes had become one, the one they had always been. 

If she kept running, Marinette knew, she might eventually reach the sun.