Secrets…Revealed…?

A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction by B. Moon.

8 months. That's how long the Ladyblog had been up and running. 8 months to the day, Paris had been saved for the first time by the incredible superhero duo Ladybug and Chat Noir. The event sparked the reporter in Alya wide open, and she quickly put her brain to use trying to discover the civilians behind the masks.

After almost an entire school year, it looks like she might have finally done it, too. She had all her notes currently compiled on her phone and linked with her computer, so she could edit them at any time. Her blog ran hundreds of videos and photos of the 2 super heroes. Everything from new reports, bystander phone clips, and even one or two exclusive interviews.

8 months of photos, news reports, videos, and her own personal collection of clues from various battles she had been witness to all were leading up to this moment.

"Do you really think you're close to discovering Ladybug's secret identity, Alya?" asked her blue-haired best friend, Marinette. The two of them were currently in the reporter's room, computer on and folder open to Ladybug evidence. Marinette laid lounging on a light brown bean bag chair, watching as her reporter friend typed frantically at the keys.

"I'm positive I'm close!" Alya replied confidently, keys not once moving out of sync with the keyboard. "After that last Akuma attack, there were some pretty big clues. All of which, of course, will need to be fine-tuned before making a sure decision."

Marinette gave a reluctant grin. "That's great, Alya!" she said with a thumbs up.

Alya's mom's voice called out from the floor below. "Alya, come help your sister with the table!"

Alya sighed. "Sit tight, alright? I'll be back in a few minutes." And with that, Alya descended the stairs.

As soon as she was out of sight, Tikki burst from Marinette's purse.

"This is not good!" she cried "If Alya discovers who you are, that would be disastrous!"

"I know, Tikki! But what am I supposed to do?" cried Marinette in to her hands. "It's not like I can mislead her any more. She somehow just keeps getting closer and… closer…"

A slow realization hit Marinette's brain as she looked at the dull light of the monitor.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures." She said. She jumped on the chair, and started going through the first few documents she found.

"Alya, please forgive me." Marinette whispered as she began editing the documents in small and subtle ways. From hair styles to personalities, the

A few minutes later, the sounds of footsteps stomping came up the stairs. Quick as a bug, she saved and closed the documents before jumping back on to the bean bag chair. She grabbed her phone out of her purse and opened it up to the nearest app.

Marinette looked up as her friend's face came in to view.

"Hey, Alya," she said "My parents need me over at the bakery really quick. You don't mind if I take off, do you?"

Alya just laughed. "No way, girl! I know how parents can be. Go on, I'll be fine!"

Marinette smiled. She put her phone to her face and pretended to talk to her mom as she ran downstairs and out the door. As soon as she turned the corner from the house, she stopped talking and dropped the phone from her face. Making sure nobody was around, Marinette started speaking to the red kwami in her purse.

"I really don't feel very good about this, Tikki." She said. "I know Ladybug is supposed to stay a secret, but lying to Alya like this just doesn't feel right."

Tikki burst from the purse and hovered in front of Marinette's face. "I know it might not seem right, but sometimes we have to do things that don't feel right to protect a greater purpose. Things will be ok, Marinette! Trust me!"

Marinette sighed. "I hope you're right, Tikki."

-¡MIRACULOUS!-

Marinette was walking up the steps to her classroom when she heard Alya's confused voice mumbling behind her. She looked back to see her friend flipping through her phone like a madwoman.

"Uhhhh, are you ok, Alya?" Marinette asked "You look a little flustered."

"Fine! I'm fine!" Alya shouted. Marinette raised an eyebrow.

"Ugh. Sorry, Marinette. It's just – this doesn't make any sense!" the reporter apologized

"What, did you not figure out Ladybug's identity yet?" she asked

Alya shook her head. "No, I DID. But it doesn't make sense!"

A bead of sweat trickled down Marinette's forehead. "W-w-what do you mean, you figured it out? Who-o is it?"

Alya looked at her friend with a look of utter seriousness in her eyes.

"Oh, no, Marinette, I'm NOT giving this away until they want it. I can sort of understand why they would want to keep their identity a secret, now."

"O-oh? Really?" Marinette was fully panicking on the inside. Alya probably knew it was her and was just trying to goad her in to confessing. Before Marinette could speak up again, the bell rang, and both classmates ran inside to their seats.

The day progressed as normally as any other sans-akuma day did. Lunch, however, was a little different. Usually, Marinette and Alya would either eat in the park or at one of their houses. But with the knowledge of Ladybug's identity fresh in Alya's mind, she had to decline eating with her friend for one day.

Marinette forgave her friend, and walked to her parent's bakery so she could stew away from everyone else in her own guilt.

Alya, meanwhile, began following a certain blond haired model.

-¡MIRACULOUS!-

FLUSSSSHHHH.

The noise echoed across the pristine bathroom. A green stall door clicked open, and Adrien Agreste walked out, completely oblivious to the only other person in the room. He turned the faucet on and began to wash his hands when a distinctly female voice spoke out.

"Adrien, we need to talk" spoke Alya. Adrien nearly jumped out of his skin as he turned to look at her.

"What on earth are you doing here, Alya!? This is the men's room!" he criticized

Alya just rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't be such a boy."

"No, really, Alya. What are you doing here?" he questioned

"I'm sorry, Adrien, but I really needed to talk to you in private. This was the best I could do at such short notice." Alya apologized

"Well, alright, I guess. What did you need to talk about?" he asked

Alya walked closer to him. "I know your secret, Adrien Agreste." She said

Oh, no. thought Adrien.

"W-what secret? I don't have any secrets!" he babbled. Alya just looked at him with concern.

"Oh, honey, it's ok, I promise I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to." She spoke soothingly.

'Oh, NO. She DOES know. How did she find out? What did I do wrong? How does she know that I'm-'?

"I know you're the secret identity of Ladybug, Adrien Agreste."

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is assessing the problem.

Rerouting…

Running diagnostics

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"Wait, what?"