Marinette Dupain-Cheng looked at the form nervously. She debated whether or not she should fill it out or not. She looked at her parents as they were watching her from behind the counter of their bakery. Her mother, Sabine said to her.

"Whatever you decide, honey, we'll support you no matter."

Tom, her father mentioned, "Of course it would a shame to let such a great opportunity get away from you. I mean it's not every day that a Selection happens, after all it only comes once in a generation."

Marinette sighed, "I know, Dad, but every girl in the city will be putting their name in, what are the chances I'll get pick? I'll tell you, none!"

Sabine countered, "Oh, sweetie, don't say that you have just as much a chance as any other girl."

"I guess you're right, Mom, but it's still a pretty big decision. I need to clear my head to figure this out."

Her father said, "Okay, Marinette, just be sure to be back by dinner."

She went to her parents to hug them and kissed their cheeks, saying, "I will." before leaving the shop.

Marinette walked down the street seeing people going about their day and could hear some of them talking about the Selection.

The Selection has been a huge deal ever since the Agreste family started to rule France. The royal palace was right in the heart of Paris and it was sealed off from the public. The only time that gates would be opened was when a Selection happened where the royal prince would choose a wife to be his future queen.

The prince, Adrien Agreste was next in line for the throne and he was known throughout the entire city. His likeness could found in magazines, on TV, the internet, billboards… Needless to say, Marinette would collect pictures of Adrien and place them in her room. She had a crush on the future king and entering the Selection would be a dream come true for her to finally meet him. But at the same time she worried she wouldn't get chosen or worst if she did get chosen but then Adrien would just reject her and send her back home! It was enough to make a girl's heart ache. And there was also the small matter of another thing that could diminish her chances. So now she had to decide if she wanted to enter the Selection or not.

Suddenly her best friend, Alya Cesaire appeared beside her making her jump, "Girl! Did you get the form?!"

Marinette calmed down and replied, "Yes, but I don't know if I should do it or not."

"Don't know if you should do it or not?! Seriously?! You've been crushing on him ever since you were a kid!" they started to walk around in the park as Alya continued, "It's always been, Adrien this! Or Adrien that! You got it bad, girl."

"I know that Alya, but what happens if I do get chosen and I meet him but then he doesn't like me and throws me out on the first day!"

"Marinette, that won't happen! You're way too sweet and nice, of course he's going to like you. And he won't throw you out on the first day; I hear the prince is way too sophisticated for that."

"Are you going to enter?"

"And ruin your chances, no way!"

"Oh, Alya, you're the best friend a girl could have!" and the two hugged.

"Hey, I know how much getting Adrien means to you."

"Still… it's not really fair that you won't enter just because I want Adrien for myself, what if it turned out you two were meant to be together and I ruined your only chance for happiness?!" she started to panic.

"Girl, chill! From pictures alone I can tell that Adrien is not the one for me."

Marinette calmed down again then sighed, "Still, Alya… what chance do I have of getting him when thousands of girls are entering this thing and let's not forget that he's a One! I'm a Four! That's way out of his league!"

"Marinette, just because we have a caste system doesn't mean we're actually our numbers. I'm a Four too but I don't let that stop me from doing other things I love doing."

"But one day you'll have to do a job that is your number. My parents are going to hand the bakery over to me so at least I'll be doing something I'm good at, I don't think I could any other job a Four does."

"You do have a point. But it'll be awhile before I have to choose what job is suitable for a Four like me. Still, it's totally unfair that we have talents other castes have for careers, take you for example, you could be the greatest fashion designer in the world but because you're not a Three it won't happen."

"It would be wonderful to be a Three so I can create new fashions every day. But the law is the law after all."

"Well it's a stupid law…"

"Alya!"

"Well it is! If I was in the Selection I would tell Prince Adrien exactly that! He is the next king after all, he could change the law just like that! Then everyone could be what they wanted to be and not have to do something they don't want to!"

Upon saying that it occurred to them that Alya could enter the Selection after all without her getting in Marinette's way.

"Think you would be okay with that?" she asked.

"Of course! Besides you're very brave for wanting to speak to the prince about the castes."

"Hey, its unjust system and we need a just king for wanting to make it right. Also think of it this way, if we both end up in the Selection then I can be there to give you support." she winked.

The two friends hugged again with Marinette saying, "You really are the best, Alya!"

"Hey, I'm there for you girl. So… do you want to fill out the forms together?"

Marinette got out her form and looked at it before facing Alya again and nodded her head in determination.

When Marinette got back home that night, she told her parents that she did it and that Alya and her already mailed off the forms. Though Marinette can remember how her hands were shaking when she put it in the mailbox. She had dinner with her family before going up to her room where a small red Kwami with black spots on her face floated from the purse.

"Oh, Tikki, do you think I did the right thing?" she asked.

"It was your choice, Marinette. You love Adrien and to have the chance to be his princess is a great opportunity."

"That's what Dad said, and you're both are not wrong. But will this affect my duties as Ladybug? I'm supposed to help Paris when an Akuma attacks but if I'm going to be too busy at the palace…"

"We'll worry about that after you get chosen."

"If I get chosen. And that's another thing, what are the odds I will have a shot of winning the lottery and for Adrien to chose me as his wife?!"

"You got as much chance as anyone else, Marinette. You just have to believe that things will work out in the end."

"I hope you're right." she sighed, "Well, it's time to go on patrol, so… Tikki, spots on!"

Within a matter of minutes, Marinette transformed into Paris's beloved superhero: Ladybug.

Ladybug had been around for centuries according to Tikki but there hadn't been a Chosen in France for a very long time. Mainly the Guardian of the Miraculous had to keep the miraculous safe from falling into the wrong hands during the great revolution before the Agrestes rose to power as the new rulers. There was still some unrest to this day as many people question why the Agrestes were royals and Ones while everyone else was below them.

Alya had the right idea of telling the prince about how unfair the caste system was and Marinette wished she had the guts to do the same. After all, if she was the superheroine, Ladybug that fought off any crime or akumas then she should have the courage to speak out to his royal highness. But as it was she felt like a different person outside the mask and therefore any confidence she had as Ladybug gone.

Using her yo-yo she swung off her balcony and landed on top of the building close to the bakery and started running. It wasn't long before she was joined by her partner Chat Noir that jumped in next to her.

He said with a smirk, "Evening, Milady."

She rolled her eyes at her partner's obvious flirting as she said, "Nice to see you too, Kitty." It was no secret that Chat had the hugest crush on her in fact a lot of boys in Paris had a crush on her given how amazing she was as Ladybug but since she was in love with the prince she couldn't let Chat be more then what they were even if she did feel a little something for him.

Eventually the two superheroes found themselves on the Eiffel Tower as they looked over the entire city.

She spoke first, "Can you believe it's been a year since we've been protecting the city?"

Chat smiled and answered, "I know. It's been the best year of my life actually." before his face sagged and Ladybug noticed.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just… all of that is about to change soon…"

"How so?"

"I… There are things happening in my life that are beyond my control and I don't know if I'll be able to help out as often as I like from now on."

"Oh no… I hope everything works out so you can still be here. It just wouldn't be the same without you, after all what's Ladybug without Chat Noir?"

He smiled at her words before he softly uttered, "If I can't be here in the future, can you at least reveal your identity to me? I've been wanting to know ever since our first mission together…"

She sadly frowned and replied, "Chaton, you know we can't… We made a promise to never reveal our identities… it's too-"

"Risky, I know." he held her hand close to his face, "But I'm worried that I'll never see you again, milady…" he kissed it.

"Oh, Chat… I wish I could but…"

He sighed dejectedly, "I understand…"

Feeling sorry for him, she moved her other hand to his face and caressed it. She could see the look on his face that he enjoyed the touch and started to purr.

She told him, "Whatever happens, please know that you were the best partner I could ever ask for…"

He tenderly replied, "You too…"

Once they had finishing patrolling for the night, the two had departed ways.

Chat Noir could see the spires of the palace in his view and took out his baton to make a leap over the gates and onto a large balcony. He went into the room that was adjoined to it and said, "Claws in."

He detransformed and Plagg, his black cat Kwami floated right beside him. Chat Noir had returned to being Adrien Agreste, the crown prince of France.

Adrien sighed forlornly and got ready for bed.

Plagg commented, "So I guess you're never going to know who Ladybug is."

"Tonight was my last chance of ever knowing, Plagg. I could have found out who she was and try to convince her to enter the Selection. That way, I could have chosen her to be my wife and I wouldn't have to worry having to make another choice."

"Ugh, humans have to make these things so complicated. I don't see why you have been force to do this anyway, what's wrong with you choosing any girl you want without having a huge contest getting in the way?"

"Believe me, Plagg, I question the same thing but this is something my family has done for the last few generations and I am obligated to continue it regardless of I how I truly feel. That's why I was so happy when you came into my life when you did. You gave me a chance at freedom and I was able to do something worthwhile for my people. Being a hero to them… But that will most likely end the moment I get married and will have to focus on my duties more so that I will take over as king someday."

"That's rough… I certainly don't envy having your life, kid."

Adrien held his hand out and Plagg landed in it. The teen rubbed his finger on the kwami's head before giving him some camembert.

"At least you know how hard this life gets, there's several people out there that think it's a easygoing existence and while I can understand that some have it harder than most it's still better than having your freedom stripped away and how you're not your own person but this perfect figure that has to please everyone around you."

He went to the balcony to look out while sighing, "The only girl I could ever imagine having for a wife and queen was Ladybug, not only is she beautiful but is this kind, amazing, and brave person that puts duty first to protect this city. Ever since our first meeting I couldn't stop thinking about her as I vowed to love whoever was behind that mask."

Plagg suggested, "Well, maybe you can find someone who is like Ladybug. It'll be the closest thing you're ever going to get if you don't want to be miserable for the rest of your life."

"That's the problem, Plagg, there's never going to be another Ladybug because there is only one. So I just know none of the girls chosen will be like her. Don't doubt my father will be making the choices firsthand and he'll want me to have someone that he'll approve of just like all the other things that I have ever done in my life. In the end it'll be his decision… not mine…" with a final sigh he went straight to bed with Plagg looking on in sadness.