Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous Ladybug. I only own my OCs in this FanFiction.

Fluctuat nec mergitur

"She is tossed by the waves, but does not sink."

The motto of Paris.


Vanessa showed Marinette around the school on the way to the cafeteria. Just as she asked, Marinette changed her clothes for new ones.

A pink jacket with long sleeves and white rims and cuffs, a black top, and white skinny trousers with her signature flowers embellished on the legs.

New school, new outfit.

The cafeteria was bustling with so many girls between the ages of 12 and 18, practically every student present for lunch. She followed Vanessa, tray in hand, careful to not knock to anyone, or trip, or do anything embarrassing. So far, she made it without incident. That is until they just passed a table where a tall girl stood up, making Marinette and Vanessa stop in their tracks.

"Hi, Vanessa." She said, her greeting both warm and cool. A very stunning girl of dirty-blonde hair in a poofy ponytail, brown eyes, and porcelain skin. She was dressed in a fashionable white top with black polka dots, black shorts to show off her long strong legs along with black ballet flats with laces tied up calves and around her neck, a gold heart-shaped locket with a swan embedded on it.

"Hey," Vanessa said back. She turned to Marinette. "Meet Swanhilde von Lebedev. She does ballet."

"I live for ballet." Swanhilde corrected, carrying a charming tone that hid a stern warning of her dedication.

Marinette made a squeak in her throat. This was definitely the alpha girl of Olympe, possibly a mean character like Chloe or (worse case) Lila.

"This is Marinette, our new girl, now if you can excuse us…"

Vanessa moved forward, but Swanhilde stop out a long arm, stopping her.

"Vanessa, have you forgotten? New meat who wants to eat has to prove it."

"Excuse me?" Marinette asked politely.

"Come on, Hild. She's new."

"Exactly. She must do this if she wants to be an Olympe girl."

"What is she talking about?"

Vanessa groaned but answered anyway. "There's a school tradition. You can't eat until you show your talent."

"So, Marinette…Show your talent." Swanhilde urged. Her posse stared at Marinette eagerly, lying in wait.

"I'm not forcing her to do-"

"It's ok."

Swallowing down her fear, Marinette handed out her sketchbook. Swanhilde while smirking, took it and flicked through the pages. Unexpectedly, so many emotions took over her retraction, from shocked to astonishment to pure delight. She gave the sketchbook to her friends and they took the same expressions as their leader.

"There's are really good, so beautiful." Swanhilde confessed sincerely.

Vanessa grinned at Marinette, really happy for her. "That not all. She designed Jagged Stone's latest album and won a hat-making contest by Gabriel Agreste."

"Here, she can do more." Swanhilde sat down and patted the chair beside her, smiling at Marinette. "You passed, new girl. Sit down."

Marinette shyly smiles back, seating down between Vanessa and Swanhilde. One of the other girls handed the sketchbook back to her.

"That was easy." Marinette noted, already tasting her lunch.

Vanessa giggled, sipping her drink. "You never know what to expect of St Trinians."


After lunch came the classes.

Marinette signed up to a fashion design class where she loved it. Then an hour after was Maths, History and Geography much to her dismay. The performing arts school kept up the basic education for the girls.

Mr Damocles was right. This school was so strict, it was almost impossible to turn up late at anything. The teachers kept a case eye on her and the students, especially the matron. She had the eyes of a hawk that woman, herding them like chickens.

Anyway, when classes finished, the girls either practice their talent or do study hall for homework for two hours and dinner is made. And then bedtime.


What teenage girl goes to sleep at bedtime?

Marinette and Vanessa talked for god knows how long while getting ready for bed, talking about their families, their interests, their hobbies, almost everything.

"It's so cool that your parents own a bakery. My mom's a lawyer and my dad, well, he's the mayor of the capital of England." Vanessa was saying while fixing her hair.

Marinette sniffed a chuckle, already nuzzled in her new bed, complete with her pink blanket and cat-pillow. "Both of our families are pretty well-known."

Her friend shrugged. "Very. At first, my family was all about politics. Then Crystal starred in her first film and in came the film and music industry."

"Must be so exciting."

"Yeah, I guess." Vanessa said in a causal tone and turned her head away from Marinette, hiding a somewhat sad face.

"Why are you here? In Paris?" Marinette asked. "Wouldn't the mayor of London's daughter be in, well, London?"

Vanessa bit her lip, and then she turned back and answered honestly. "I wanted some space. Too much attention in England. Any other school would kill one of their own kids to let me attend. Everyone wants to know a Camberwell! When Crissy's my age, she pranced around, demanding this and that 'cause she's the mayor's daughter. She likes the attention."

Marinette rolled her eyes, knowing the kind.

"Olympe is different because the girls here are more focused on their art than their next twitter post. What about you? Why did you leave your old school?"

Now Marinette was the one in hesitation. Flashback burned her mind, cruel reminders of her final days in her old life, the sting of betrayal still fresh. Tears fell from her eyes in response. She glanced away, down to her pillow where Tikki hid. The little god quietly beckoned her to open up about the experience. Talking about it could help her move on, fully embrace her new life and friends.

"…A new girl joined my class. She lies about everything, I mean everything! Meeting directors, actors, princes, having disabilities to avoid homework. She said she saved Jagged Stone's cat from a running plane and got tinnitus. She claimed to be getting private acting lessons from your sister!"

The British girl looked flabbergasted. "What? No way!"

"I didn't believe her, but I was the only one who didn't! She pulled the wool over everyone's eyes. And that…stuck me out. She made sure none of my so-called 'friends' were there for me…even the boy I love. I was lucky to leave at the first chance. I can't stay here any longer."

Marinette breathed heavily after her confession. She felt tired and relieved at the same time, tired of the burden and relieved of letting it go.

Was Vanessa said was. "God."

After a minute, she spoke again. "Lies, huh? My dad always says "The truth is hard but simple. A lie is always fabricated. You only need to look at a lie in the eye and watch it fall apart." Nothing gets pass him." She laughed at the remembrance of her father and family. "My family is all about the truth. Every day, our faces are splash against magazines, newspapers, posters. We tell one little white lie and the media and my dad blows it out of proposition! I'm so used to being asked about my family that I just talk about them so much, even to you and you don't care."

Vanessa hugged herself, her grin dropped long ago.

"I feel like...Princess Diana sometimes. Being the center of attention is too much. Always in the spotlight blinds me. It's difficult to breath so you can't say what you want. And I'm isolated from everyone else. Put on a high pedestal and can't get down. Everyone wants to know you, want to know what you've done, where you've been, who you know…"

"But no one actually what's to know to the real you." Marinette finished for her, making the other girl faced in surprise. "How you like your tea, what you on TV on a bad day, what part of toast you eat first. The magazine cover only tells a glorified column on her, but not your life story, not the real you."

Vanessa stares at Marinette for a while until her smile returned.

"I'm really glad you're here." She said truthfully.

Marinette returned the smile. "Me too."

Vanessa was the polar opposite of Lila. Everything Lila lied to been at and done and everyone lied to know, Vanessa did it and knew them.

Well, except for the illegal stuff and knowing a superhero.

Vanessa actually knew several celebrities and has been around the world due to her political father and actress half-sister, and for proof, she has photographs and contacts to prove it. She made sense. She doesn't use others for her own gain, she has her own gain.

And knowing so much came with such pressure and high expectations. Vanessa was real. Lila was false.

A yawn escaped from Vanessa's mouth. "Good night."

"Night."

Both girls bundled in their beds, falling fast asleep for a new day in the morning.

But after a moment passed, Marinette got up, wide awake as she was never asleep to begin with. She tiptoed across the floor, trying desperately not to rouse her new roommate. She made it to the balcony. It was smaller than her old one, lined with other balconies of other rooms where other girls slept soundly. Gold curtains flowed in the gentle, cold air. Vines reached the roof, climbing beside the balconies. Thankfully her floor was the highest level.

A pink and red flash engulfed Marinette to Ladybug and she was already sneaking out by the vibes and jumping on roofs.


Chat Noir was oddly quiet. He said nothing, did nothing but follow Ladybug around, a sad kitten on her heels, his head lost in another head she wouldn't understand.

"What's the matter, kitty? No puns tonight?"

Ladybug found her friendly question unanswered.

"Not talking? What, another cat got your tongue?"

When she twirled around with a laugh, she stopped upon seeing her partner in a pitiful state. His body was sagging, and his fake ears flatten downward, he even had the same big watery eyes as Puss in Boots, giving him the sad cat look right down to the tail.

"Chat? Why are you so…out of character?"

He faced her sadly, his bottom lip puttered. Whimpers threatened to release from him and he covered them up with a sigh. "Milady. A friend of mine…well…she-"

"LADYBUG!"

The two jolted apart, the cat boy snapping out of his depression, and glanced in the same direction.

"HEY, LADYBUG, OVER HERE!"

Alya called from her window, waving frantically, trying to get the heroine's attention.

Chat Noir chuckled a bit. "She looks like a demented windmill."

Ladybug, however, went silent. Her own eyes and lips twitched in different corners, all turning in hidden fury. Chat Noir noticed her controlled posture and decided on suggesting to leave.

"Let's go and check a different part of Paris…"

"LILA ROSSI SAID YOU'LL TELL ME YOUR SECRET IDENTITY! SHE'S YOUR BEST FRIEND!"

The name opened a can of worms, worms named fury and anger and betrayal, the emotions boiled over, bubbling, overflowing, cooking out of control.

"Milady!"

Chat Noir tried to grab her, only in vain as Ladybug leapt in time to fly across the air, landing spider-like on Alya's windowsill, glaring hard at Alya's blissful grim of happiness. The spotted heroine stepped into the bedroom, the bedroom she once spent hours babysitting twins, listening to Alya's babble on about Paris's superheroes and her music-loving boyfriend, advancing on the blogger who had her phone up, talking to herself and imaginary fans.

"Here's a prime chance that Ladybug will tell me her secret identity, promised by her best friend Lila Ros-"

"Turn the phone off."

Needless to say, Alya was confused. "What? But Lad-"

"Turn. It. Off."

Obedient as a child told by their teacher, Alya shut down her phone and put it on her bed. Chat Noir sat on windowsill, entering just in time when Ladybug spoke, hands on her nose in a breathing exercise.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Ladybug started off as calm, the calm before the storm. "I will not tell you my secret identity and I never will. Too many times you ask me this, I don't want to hear another word of it."

"Paris needs to know who are." Alya protested, frustrating Ladybug further.

"I am Ladybug, defender of Paris! That's all you and everyone else needs to know. I care about the city of Paris, not my next FaceBook post! Ask yourself, why does a superhero keep their citizen identity secret? Read a comic or watch a movie, look around your room!"

She gestured to Alya's room. There were posters, action figures, DVDs, comic books, magazines, mainly all related to her obsession of superheroes.

"Superheroes keep their secret identities secret because they don't want to be hounded by bloodthirsty reporters or their loved ones held hostages by their greatest enemy. They'll be condemned to live a life in endless scrutiny. How can a hero work under that?"

"Some heroes do."

"And most heroes don't. Your thick brain doesn't get from right and wrong if it was your hands. You know nothing of being a superhero."

"I do! You chose me to wield the fox miraculous!"

"Clearly that wasn't enough! Would you endanger your family for 5 minutes of fame?"

Alya fell quiet, thinking about her family, especially her little sisters.

"Hawkmoth is more dangerous than you think. I only protect Paris. I don't fraternize with civilians for good reason. For their safety."

Alya felt so embarrassed. She began to cry, making Ladybug feel guilty. "Lila said you'll tell me your identity. You promised! She promised!"

The name riled Ladybug up the wall.

"Why would I tell her my identity? She's not even my friend."

"What do you mean? She said she is, your best friend."

"No, she's not. That video you posted a while back, was nothing but a loudmouth blabbing 10 minutes live of being 'my best friend'. You posted that nonsense without checking with me just for the sake of posting something."

"Excuse me?" Alya got up in Ladybug's face in defense. "My blog is legitimate! I don't post garage!"

"Obviously you do. You're more than happy to post fake news so I don't bother correcting you since you don't listen!"

"She said she's your best friend."

"On who's authority?"

"Lila's!"

Lila Lila LILA!

"That's it? The word of a teenage girl? Here's the truth: I first met Lila when she was akumatized into Volpina after you posted that video. She doesn't know who I am, she only wanted to be on live camera to flaunt."

"That can't be true!"

"Why, 'cause it doesn't sound good? It doesn't have excitement? Danger? No consequences? This is real life, real people get hurt! Not only was you and she did is dangerous, it was stupid! Do you really think I'll let my 'best friend' to tell other people, give interviews to hundreds of people, and become potential hostages with the promise of my identity! WRONG! She's lying! She has no proof what so ever! Even Hawkmoth knows she's fake! The truth is hard but simple. A lie is always fabricated. You only need to look at a lie in the eye and watch it fall apart. So, tell me. Has Lila ever looked you in the eye?"

After recovering from the yelling, Alya thought hard only to come upon the sad recognition that Lila never looked her in the eye when she 'said' she was Ladybug's best friend and promised get Ladybug to confess her long-awaited identity. She made a fool out of her.

"Don't come crying to me when Lila said she's Rena Rouge."

Chat Noir watch horrified at the scene of the usually poised Ladybug letting loose her uncontrollable emotions, watching her angrily lashes out to a helpless girl.

"I hate liars. I only lie to protect others from my duties as a superhero. It's a burden I carry to protect you. I thought you're trustworthy, honest, actually care about justice and your family in danger. Guess I was wrong. I should've handled Sapotis on my own."

Her words shattered her fan.

"From now on, no more exclusive interviews with you. I'll only talk to professional reporters from now on who wants to know how to help and where to find Hawkmoth. I can't trust you as an ally anymore. You're not a reporter, you're a jackal. Hardly a fox. Now that's my final world. Goodbye."

One final glare made, and Ladybug propelled out through the window, narrowly passing Chat Noir, her partner in protecting slipping out after her, leaving behind one heartbroken girl going through feelings of her own.

Ashamed, embarrassed, betrayed, horrified, guilty, devastated, gullible.

Too much to take what has happened today, this morning and this evening, Alya fell her knees, collapsing against her bed, to break down crying.


Ladybug bounced on tall roofs to escape the Césaire residence, trying to leave the horrible scene she caused, forget her ex best friend's guilty expression. She just wanted to leave. Lila caused too much trouble not to have it bite her in the butt. This was why she left at the first chance. This was why she told Vanessa.

A fresh new start.

Her old life wasn't supposed to find her.

Her new life was supposed to protect her. It was supposed to keep her safe.

Where can she go now?

"Ladybug!"

Her arms were grabbed from behind, another body holding her back.

"Ladybug!"

She trashed against him, struggling to keep going.

"Ladybug, stop, stop!"

Chat Noir trapped her in his arms in an effort to cage her.

"What was about that? What's wrong with you?"

"I can't take it anymore. I can't be perfect all the time. I can't keep my feelings in any longer. She has crossed the line."

Either she meant Lila or Alya, it doesn't matter. The damage was already done. The stress of balancing a double life become too hard to handle any longer at this point. The stress overloading combined with the drama of her old life, her hard brain and sharp eyes couldn't see straight.

"I can't trust anyone. Nobody trusts me. Everyone prefers Ladybug, no one prefers the real me. They'll believes a liar over the truth! As I tell that backstabber, I have responsibilities as a superhero. There's too much to lose to give my identity away. Hawkmoth will use that to his advantage, not to mention every news agency in the world will be knocking on my door! She doesn't understand that! NO ONE UNDERSTANDS THAT!"

"Ladybug, calm down!"

Going crazy in Chat Noir's arms, she didn't listen. She continued throwing her tantrum, banging her fists on him, screaming bloody Mary. Chat Noir gawked of disbelief, baffled at the sudden turn of events, more specially the unexpected outburst of his composed lady. He wanted to help her so much though his expertness fell short on tantrums. Then he remembered what his mother used to do with him as a child having a fit. In perfect likeness of his mother, he hugged her close to his beating heat, allowing her to rage on and on, refusing to let go as she trashed about, letting her cry her fury out. In the end, the fighting stopped. She sobbed in his chest, pigtailed-head buried. Rendered to vulnerable, Ladybug was currently in no condition to carry on.

"You're angry. You're tired. Go home. You need to relax. Maybe some time off will be useful."

"I can't just abandon Paris!" She wailed, threatening to slip back to her fit.

"I'll do the extra patrols, I got nothing else to do. If there's anything trouble, I'll let you know." He lifted her face up by the chin, bringing her big watery eyes to his view. He hated seeing hated those eyes on anyone he loved. "Do it for me. Please?"

Ladybug hesitated, stubborn not to leave. Yet the genuine begging made her to reconsider. Her cat-boy put on big eyes of his own, pleading with her.

A sigh of defeat made eventually. "Alright, kitty."

The boy in black smiled at the girl in red. Just before she planned to go, she welcomed the hug, basking in his safe warmth. Then she pulled away, ultimately disappearing into the night.


Getting back inside was difficult than getting out than she thought at first. Coming back the way she sneaked out was the easy part. Remembering that she had a roommate in her new bedroom was the hard part.

Slipping past the curtains, Ladybug dove straight in her bed, guarded by the covers. Once she felt safe, she whispered low, cuffing her ear.

"Tikki, spots-"

The lights suddenly flashed bright, catching Ladybug in Marinette's new bed.

"…Off?"

Red and pink bubbles flew up and down her body, leaving plain old Marinette in her place. Tikki floated beside her head. Vanessa was the one who turned the lights on. She was wide awake, phone in hand and bug-eyed. Marinette froze, one of her worst fears in reenactment, getting caught of the act of revealing her secret identity to another. She should've realize the mistake earlier. The allure of joining an exciting new school drew her in, the capitative of loyal new friends entrapping her. Two girls in the same room, one citizen, one superhero. How can a secret ego stay secret? Answer: not for long.

"Uh oh." Tikki uttered.

Vanessa stayed rigid for as long as Marinette, both girls staring at each other, silently daring to make the first move.

Vanessa made the first move by gasping.

"Oh…my…GOD!"

"Shush! Be quiet!"

"You're flipping Ladybird!"

"I am not a bird! I'm a bug! But that's not important!"

"You're the hero of Paris! That's why you snuck out! Wait." Vanessa went quiet and thought out loud. "Wait, the girl who lied...She lied about being you, didn't she?"

"Knowing me, actually."

"Oh my god! No wonder you switched schools. I saw the interview. A load of rubbish if you ask me."

"You did?"

"I looked it up on the Ladyblog just now. I saw better interviews in the girl's shower room."

Marinette felt touched until she remembered her new friend knew her secret and freaked out.

"This is bad! This is very, very VERY BAD!"

"How so?"

"No one is supposed to know who I am! It's too dangerous!"

"So is being born into a powerful family! I was actually kidnapped at 12. Wait. Or is it at 8? I always forget."

The lukewarm response only drove Marinette's heart rate faster. "You're taking this way too easily. Absolutely no one knows my secret identity! No one! Not mention my own partner knows."

"I can keep a secret."

The persistent positivity of Vanessa intrigued Marinette as well gave her suspicious. As it happened before, the girl who knew everyone only wanted to know Ladybug. Only Ladybug.

Marinette looked away in shame. "Ladybug is perfect, huh?"

Rushes were heard, the sounds of movement hustled. A hand laid on her shoulder.

"Ladybug has a big job to do."

Marinette glanced, surprised to see that Vanessa had got out of her bed to stand before Marinette, adorning her big smile as she talked in a soft tone.

"Everything comes with responsibility. You have the same look as my dad."

"What look?"

"Like he's carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders and refuses others to help him. The bathroom has a trapdoor, you know that? You can just use that to escape and if anyone asks, I'll tell them you're in the bathroom doing something. The bathroom excuse works everytime. Like I said, I can keep a secret this important. You can trust me."

"…How are you so calm?"

"Knowing every famous person on the planet made me kinda humble. Still, I'm hyped up on the inside. You're my first superhero! Even my own sister hasn't met one! Well, she claimed she has in her old school days."

Marinette never felt so at ease then here and now. The stress lifted from her shoulders a bit, relieving the worst of her fears. She found an ally that understood the reality and carry it with a helpful smile. The girl's sincerity, truthful intentions, even her rambling was refreshing.

Tikki sat on Marinette's lap, smiling as well. "See? I told you a change is good for you."

Vanessa gasped again at Tikki, joy gleaming. "You have your own fairy?"

"Kwami." Marinette corrected.

In one swoop, Vanessa scooped Tikki up and, with child-like delight, nuzzled against her smooth cheek.

"She's so cute! Oh my God! I can't believe my best friend is a magical girl! Like on TV!"

The girls and kwami laughed at the comment, finding it too true.


The two girls were joined to the hip, staying side by side. Throughout the next morning, they stayed together, Vanessa guiding Marinette in doing yoga positions for their morning PE class. Marinette was clumsy doing yoga, no surprise though she pulled through with a smile on her face. Her lithe body arched of happiness, the happiness of a new beginning. A new Marinette born.


Vanessa's comment on Olympe is a reference to St Trinian's, a British gag cartoon comic series in the 1950s. It was created by Ronald Searle and centers on a boarding school for girls, where the teachers and students are out of control to committing crimes and blowing up sheds. The cartoon also has comedy films based in it.