Okay sorry in advance for my really long AN at the beginning of this. You can skip to the non bold part if you already know what the scarlett lady au is or if you don't care and just want to ignore me.

this is based off of that scarlett lady au going around tumblr. I really like the idea of chloe getting a real redemption arc, not the "oh you accidentally got a miraculous haha you're good now?" That we've gotten from the show.

In case you don't know anything about this AU. Basically, Marinette never received the Ladybug miraculous. Chloe stole it before Mari ever saw it, and instead of a Ladybug, Chloe becomes Scarlett Lady. Adrien is still Chat Noir, but Chloe being Chloe, treats him like a sidekick, not a partner, think her relationship with Sabrina. Chat does everything, but Scarlett gets the credit. Eventually, Fu realizes something is wrong and Marinette gets the bee miraculous. She becomes Marigold, the kind partner Chat never had, but deserves. They start out a little shaky, but become a great team. Eventually she retrieves the miraculous and Marinette becomes Ladybug and all is right with the world.

And then I saw this writing prompt on pinterest and thought it was perfect for this "We don't need to fight, do we? I don't want to fight. I'd rather sleep."

... but then didn't up using it, oof, but it really felt like it fit the mood of Scarlett. Like she could help... but she has better things to do, like nothing. She thinks it would be more convenient to do nothing at all than fight an Akuma. She wouldn't risk breaking a nail doing nothing.

This is told first person pov from Adrien's perspective because I'm messing with different writing styles.

...

I flinched at the beeping of my phone. Akuma Alert.

Great. Another reason for my friends to think I'm flaky and don't care about friendships. I won't be able to make it to the park in time for Marinette's birthday party. Not when I have to fight this... monster by myself.

And I'm not talking about the Akuma.

No, I have to deal with Scarlet.

Ugh.

When I was young, I had a friend. Her name was Chloe, and despite being my closest friend, and basically like a sister to me, she was kind of an obnoxious, pretentious brat. I love her, like a sibling and I want the best for her, but she's a horrible person.

For a while, I thought that she was the worst person that I could ever meet. When I first went to school, everyone was so nice that I couldn't believe how Chloe treated them. It was so unfair. They were sweet and nice and she was, frankly, bossy and rude, especially to the sweet and cute Marinette.

But I thought that I would never meet another person as difficult to deal with as Chloe.

Then I met Scarlett. I know the Scarlett Lady™, Paris' true hero, defender of the innocent, girl of many names, better than anyone else.

I mean, obviously. As her "sidekick," *cough* I do all the work *cough* I am the only person to see her in action.

Or rather, inaction. Because she does does nothing. Scarlett is infuriating, not because she's bossy and rude, which she is at an extent comparable to Chloe, but it's her lack of effort that really rubs me the wrong way.

Now, if she'd own up and admit that I did most of the work, maybe I wouldn't despise her so much, but no. Every Akuma fight has followed a pattern.

1: I show up at the scene as Chat Noir and start to fight. I try to figure out what the akumatized object is.

2: I make some pun and piss off the akuma enough to distract it.

3: Using that distraction, I destroy the akumatized object and the person transforms back into their normal self.

Now, you're probably wondering, where does Scar come into this equation? If she's the hero doesn't she fight too? Shouldn't she be part of the planning and defeating? She sounds like she should be your sidekick, Chat Noir.

okay ill admit it. I was probably the only person that thought that last one, but still. I do practically everything, Scarlett steps in at the last possible moment and purifies the akuma, restoring Paris to it's former glory, and getting rid of all evidence that the akuma had attacked.

Its like there's a pickle jar that no one can open. No one. And I show up and loosen it till it pops, and then the pickle jar is stolen from me and she takes the lid off, no sweat. She didn't exactly do any of the work, it just looks like she did.

And then she always talks to the news about how great she is. I'm just sick of it.

Even Plagg, the magical being who gives me my super powers agrees that something is wrong.

He says that the Ladybug miraculous requires someone pure of heart, and kind. Someone like Marinette. okay he didn't say the Marinette part, but I felt it was heavily implied. There's no one as amazing as she is... but I digress.

He thinks that either the earrings ended up in the wrong hands, somehow, OR that Scarlett will have a change of heart. a big change of heart. and become the heroine that Paris needs, and was destined to have.

If I'm being honest, I think its the first. For a while I had hoped that it was the latter, but its been three years. She should've changed her heart already.

Something is wrong.

For my sake and for Paris, we need two real heroes. I'm going a little crazy, doing all of the work, with none of the credit. Something has to change...

But it won't.

...

I get out of bed, and transform, groaning. "Claws out." Despite being utterly exhausted and done, there's something just magical about transforming into Chat Noir. A New energy fill my veins. It's invigorating, exhilarating, exciting, insane...

It's miraculous.

And I love it.

As much as I complain about my lack of a competent partner, I really do like it be a hero. I was born to do this. Something about saving people, jumping around in a sunlight leather catsuit just feels so right.

And that sounded so wrong.

God. My father would be horrified if be ever found out that I was the one in that outfit. So scandalous.

Maybe that's a little bit of it. I want to be a normal teen, but I can't. Maybe this is my teenage rebellion. After all, it's the only way I get some sense of freedom. I was homeschooled until last year. I'm watched at almost all times. But being Chat Noir, I can get away from that. Away from the reputation and honor. I can be myself.

I do like to be a hero, even if it's a little more than one person can handle alone.

The great William Shakespeare once said, "Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them."

Someone like Marinette, was born great. Shes kind to everyone and is just naturally a beautiful person. Someone like my father, achieved greatness. He started out with nothing, and grew to be one of the biggest names in fashion.

But I didn't ask for this. It just showed up.

Literally, one day, a box showed up on my desk and suddenly I could transform into a magical hero.

I think that greatness was thrust upon me.

Scarlett was given a similar opportunity, but somehow, she used it to be the Worst Person Ever™.

It gets really tiring, but I'm a superhero, it's what I do. I right the bad guys and get none of the credit. Just because I'm used to it, doesn't mean I like it.

Sure I'm stressed and falling behind on homework, but i have a duty to protect Paris from Hawkmoth and his destructive akuma.

Someone has to protect Paris, and if I don't, no one will.

...

AN: yeah so let me know what you think?

It's just a oneshot for now but I might write more, idk.

I like this au, but I'm not sure how to introduce Marigold. I just wanted to write this side of Adrien, the frustrated, annoyed side. In the show, we never see him get upset. Like one time he was like "Ladybug why don't you tell me stuff" but then he immediately let it go? Like that's not what people do?

Anyways, please leave a review, favorite and or follow, feel free to read all my other stuff (sorry in advance)

Maddiebug out.