Marinette held Adrien's hand tight, silently giving him as much support as she could while the heroes discussed what just happened in class. Recess was short, but it was enough time for them to sit at their usual hidden spot and look at each other, speechless, for a good minute before Alya decided to talk first.
''We can't shame her in public, or share with the class all we know about her lies'' Stated the reporter, and while Nino looked confused for a second, he caught up soon enough.
''You think people will believe her if she keeps using sentimonsters to make us look bad?'' Adrien asked, and Nino must have been wondering the same because he nodded along.
''You saw what just happened. Not everyone believes her, but enough still do. She has said the most outrageous lies and I tried for years to disprove her, but no one chose to believe me instead of her'' Said Marinette. She hoped Alya and Nino didn't feel too bad about it still, it was not her intention, but her point still stood. She shook her head before continuing:
''She's going to ruin our reputations, that's how she operates. The problem is, she knows who we are, and she decided she would go against our hero personas and hold everything else she knows as leverage''
''I just don't get it, what does she gain with all this?'' Asked Nino, then Adrien chimed in:
''Yeah I don't understand either to be honest. Before, she was against Marinette cause she was the only person that wanted to reveal her lies, she also wanted to be with me, have a lot of people following her around and be popular… Now though? '' He left that question open, shaking his head. They spent a few seconds quietly pondering about the girls motivations for everything she was doing.
Marinette was done thinking about Lila's motivations a long time ago, however. That girl was just deranged in her opinion, her crossing new lines recently was not that much of a surprise to the heroine. She knew enough, that Lila wanted to ruin the lives of anyone who opposed her, the reasons behind that being less important than stopping her.
''Well her leverage against us just means this is like a cold war, or something'' Said the DJ. ''If she starts poking too much she knows we will tell on her, and her truths are way more damaging to her reputation than ours'' He sounded so sure of it. But he was not there when Chat lost control of Destruction. It might have been an accident, but the fact of the matter was that it did happen. Marinette did not want to even consider what would become of Adrien's life if people knew he was Chat Noir, specially when they were already starting to distrust the hero. Even if they somehow repaired his public image, there was also the topic of Hawkmoth. It turned out, they had a lot more to lose than Lila did, and the girl probably knew that.
''Do you guys think she knows who Hawkmoth is?'' Marinette wondered out loud in a whisper. She did not want to bring that topic to Adrien, the boy had enough stress as it was, but it was important.
''She might'' Said the model. He looked extremely sad, which was not good for Marinette's heart. ''We don't know how she learned our identities, or took the box, or anything really. We need to act as if she has the upper hand even if we are not sure she does... At least until we learn more''
''Or just take the box back'' Said Marinette, still holding her boyfriend's hands. ''That's the biggest issue here, we just need to go to her house and steal it back before she starts using the other miraculous'' Alya frowned after hearing it, and the designer knew her friend had a little epiphany there.
''Why is she using just the peacock miraculous, though?'' Asked Alya, making everyone else match her expression.
''It's the best one for ruining our images'' Answered Adrien, but Marinette started to see where Alyas question came from.
''No, she has the horse, she could teleport to our houses and steal our miraculous while we sleep. She also has the mouse… and the other ones, she could mix them all and do a lot more damage than what she has done, it's really weird that she's using just the one that is broken, too'' She rambled, and the other heroes frowns turned into agreeing nods and gaping mouths. Marinette knew better than anyone else how much manipulation and power one could have when combining the jewels, even if it was for a short time.
''That's right! Why is she using the one that will damage her health? She must have already felt some symptoms, my father said they were mild at first but still present. And she must have practiced a little before getting the sentimonster she wanted'' Adrien joined the designer's ramble.
''Maybe she's waiting to use the other ones, who knows what that girl is planning, honestly'' Alya seemed to agree that it was very strange that Lila only used one miraculous after a week of having them all, but Marinette understood her desire to be cautious and not draw conclusions too fast. ''Maybe she has used them, just not in a way we can see yet'' concluded the reporter. That was a scary thought, too. Marinette didn't even know yet what the other jewels did, but the possibilities were quite concerning.
''We gotta get that box back'' Affirmed Nino.
''We don't know where she lives now'' Said Adrien, and Marinette didn't like how low energy he sounded suddenly.
''Me and Nino can try to figure that out'' Offered Alya, and Marinette was not sure if the internet would be of a lot of help with that. But for now, it was better than nothing.
''Kitty, didn't your father had a story to tell us about the peacock miraculous?'' She asked the blond, and he light up a bit, head looking up again.
''Yeah! let's go today, maybe he knows why Lila seems to be using only that one'' He suggested.
The group chatted a bit more about their plans and then had to go back to class. Marinette asked her partner on the way back if they should still patrol that night as they agreed before, and he nodded, saying that it might even be good for their reputation if Paris saw them doing their duties. She really hoped that people were not so feeble minded and that everyone was on the hero's side, but after years of watching the best people she knew fall for Lila's lies, she was not feeling too positive.
''Hey Kitty, what did you use your cataclysm on? I forgot to ask you earlier'' Said Marinette while they both walked towards the boys mansion after leaving the car. She made sure the bodyguard behind them wouldn't hear her, not sure if he was on board with all the family secrets. She knew the man was actually a sentimonster, but she hadn't asked Adrien what he knew.
''Oh, um'' Instead of directly answering, he lifted his right hand and showed it to Marinette, who giggled after looking at it. The left hand of the model looked normal with the girls manicure still on it, but the right one was back to black. ''You destroy what I create, all my work, gone'' She joked, and Adrien grinned.
''That's how we achieve balance, my lady'' He countered.
Still smiling, laughing and keeping the joke up, they both entered the house to be greeted by Nathalie, who was waiting for them.
''This way'' She said, serious as always. The couple followed the woman to Gabriel Agreste's office, where he was sitting on one of the couches, reading a magazine.
''Ohh! is that the new edition of Runway magazine?'' Marinette blurted, not really stopping herself to consider who she was talking to. Yeah, she addressed him a lot when she was wearing her mask, she had zero respect for Hawkmoth after all. But Gabriel Agreste, fashion icon and superstar designer? The man was still intimidating to a certain degree.
Gabriel smiled, a thing that Marinette wasn't sure she ever saw before, then put the magazine down and gestured for the couple to sit in front of him.
''Yeah, Miranda will come to the Easter fashion gala and her new spring collection is going to be our main topic of conversation, as usual'' He said nonchalantly. Marinette gaped, just the mental image of two of her idols being on the same room (A room she was invited to!) being too much excitement. Adrien by side chuckled, then gently pushed her jaw closed. She snapped out of that little starstruck moment then channeled her inner Ladybug.
''So'' The girl cleared her throat, sitting down in front of her boyfriend's father and crossing her legs ''Adrien told me you know something about the peacock miraculous that we don't?'' She inquired, doing her best to sound like she meant business.
''Yes, I'll go to the point so we can have dinner soon, if you are willing to stay, Miss Dupain-Cheng'' Said Gabriel, and when the girl nodded in response he continued. ''I assume Adrien already told you what happened with Emily?'' Another nod by Marinette ''Good. As you both know, I spent most of these last years trying to translate the book, but since it was too much of a time investment, I had to narrow my investigation to the information I was looking for, and not much else''
Marinette noticed he didn't even flinch when mentioning his dead wife's name, such a weird sight, even for a seemingly emotionless man like Gabriel Agreste.
''So I stumbled upon this story about the peacock jewel. I knew it was the cause of Emily's sickness, so I wanted to know why it did that to her while the butterfly didn't do anything to me. Turns out, the peacock miraculous, as well as its Kwami, were cursed by the other gods'' He stopped for a moment so Adrien and Marinette would absorb what he just said.
Tikki and Plagg came out of their usual hiding spots, and the little cat god was the first to talk, interrupting his opposite: ''I don't remember any of that!''
''That's because we were not in the box when that happened, you stinky sock!. Listen to the story'' Said Tikki.
''You know about this, Tikki?'' Asked Marinette, and Tikki looked at her while shaking her head.
''No, I only know that something happened a long time ago with Duusu, since he can't get inside the box with the rest, but that is all. I think our memories about that whole incident were wiped'' Clarified the tiny bug. Marinette wasn't sure how to feel about listening to this story anymore, if it was a big enough of a secret that the memories of the literal gods that cursed one of their own were erased.
''Oh that, yeah I cataclysmed our memories'' Said Plagg nonchalantly, then sat down at Adriens shoulder, like his comment didn't matter. The boy looked just as overwhelmed as Marinette felt, but he found the will to laugh at the tiny cat's antics anyways.
''How can you remember you did that, if you did that to yourself too?'' The model asked to the kwami in his shoulder, half joking and half curious.
''I left a note, duh''
The humans in the room collectively decided that the tiny cat was not a good source of information, so Gabriel cleared his throat and continued talking.
''As I was saying, I found this story about an old user of the peacock miraculous, a heroine who lived such a long time ago, that even in a book as old as the grimoire she was described as an ancient legend. She used the jewel for years helping people out and keeping balance, whatever that means, but then she got arrogant. She started creating sentimonster armies for a military general whose name is not mentioned but I have my theories. The guardian of the miraculous of that time didn't like her recent creations, so he called her to the temple where the monks guarded the jewels that were not in use. I couldn't translate that part too well, but it seems there was an argument and she was asked to give up her miraculous, forever''
Marinette was paying attention, but at the same time she was picturing in her head how that discussion must have gone. It probably looked like the talk she never had the courage to give to Chloe.
''The holder of the peacock didn't want to give her power up, of course. So she attacked the guardian and ended up killing him. The kwamis decided to punish her with a curse: Her and her spirit, not sure if that word is right but it's what I translated it to, would never be able to use a miraculous again. But since she was still in possession of the peacock when she got the curse, it leaked to the jewel and its kwami too. As your kwami said, Ladybug, Duusu can't get inside the miraculous box, and whoever tries to use the peacock miraculous for too long will suffer the same fate as that older hero, and Emily.'' Gabriel finished saying.
''What happened to the peacock user after she got cursed?'' Asked Adrien.
''She was ostracized from the temple and lived a short life, dying from the curse'' Answered the man.
''No wonder we wiped our memories about it… That curse was a mistake'' Said Tikki, and Marinette noticed the little bug's eyes were watery.
''I say she deserved it'' Commented Plagg, receiving a hit on the head by the lucky kwami.
''Idiot! Duusu did not deserve that! She can't enter the box anymore, she can't converge with the rest of us, she must be losing her mind!'' The red kwami stopped her rant with both of her tiny hands covering her mouth, as if she said too much.
Marinette learnt a long time ago that Tikki knew a lot of things, and that she would probably never hear most of them in her lifetime. She accepted that, she had this impulse to solve problems, but because of her experience in meddling too much when she was not called for and the consequences of that, she knew the kwamis business were on that category and very much preferred to not antagonize Tikki.
''Lila is cursed too'' She commented in a whisper and Adrien nodded, probably thinking the same thing.
''Miss Rossi?'' Asked a confused Gabriel. They briefly explained to him what happened earlier that day, along with the revelation that Lila had the box and their theory that she was only using one miraculous, the peacock.
''She will die if she abuses it'' Said the man in a flat tone, like he didn't really care if that actually happened.
''She attacked Master Fu, just like that old holder did… Maybe that is what the book meant when they say ´´her spirit will be cursed too´´ … maybe it's not her soul or anything like that, but the um.. essence of her actions?'' Marinette was thinking out loud.
''That makes a lot of sense Marinette'' Agreed Tikki.
''That girl… She could die like an idiot because of her petty antagonism with us!'' Adrien got up, suddenly angry. Marinette found it to be incredible how much he still cared about other people, specially people like Lila, when it was his reputation and his future what was in danger. He really was a hero at heart, Marinette thought smiling. Adrien looked at her and his rage deflated instantly.
''What are you so happy about? Don't tell me you want Lila dead'' He didn't sound like that last part was a serious consideration, but Marinette chuckled anyways at his conclusion.
''No Kitty, it would solve all our problems though'' She joked.
After an a lot less awkward than expected dinner at the Agreste mansion, Ladybug and Chat Noir went out to the night to patrol the city of Paris.
They wanted to make sure people saw them doing good, so they took all the very public routes they knew of, feeling relieved when people still saluted them as they leaped from one rooftop to the next.
It just so happened that that night was the one two very fishy looking agents were looking for the duo, and the heroes being extremely visible made their jobs easier.
The heroes were sitting on one of the balconies when two men down on the street called for them. Without hesitating, they went down to ask what could they help them with. They looked like police officers after all.
Turns out, they were the same ´´officers´´ that guarded Master Fu's home after his attack. Both heroes noticed this fact as soon as they landed beside them, as one of them had the same nasty looking scar on his face. Chat recognized the other one from his incursion inside the guardians house.
''What can we do for you Mister….'' Ladybug said cautiously, her body prepared to jump out any moment. She didn't know exactly what irked her to think they were dangerous, but she listened to her instincts, and so did her partner beside her, who looked ready for action too.
''You can call me Agent A'' Said the one with the scar. He had a slight accent. ''My partner is Agent T, we are part of an organization dedicated to…the study and containment of magical and supernatural artifacts, beings and people, such as you'' He was straight to the point, at least, thought Ladybug. With that presentation, she was even less likely to relax in front of these two.
''We have been aware of Paris's duo of superheroes since your first appearance, you never knew of our existence because it was not necessary before'' As Agent A. said that, the other one growled angrily, as if he wanted to comment something else but knew it was not appropriate.
''And you come to us now because….?'' Inquired Chat Noir, who decided to step in front of his lady in a protective manner. His instincts were screaming danger even louder than Ladybugs were.
''Because we have reasons now to believe you are not... adequate for your ´´jobs´´, to put it simple. If the city of Paris doesn't want your presence anymore, we are the ones in charge of making sure people like you are dealt with'' Said Agent A. Ladybug was officially intimidated now, but Chat at her side scoffed.
''You realize we have powers, right? You can't take them easily, just ask Hawkmoth how that went for him'' He said mockingly, but Agent A. smiled.
''You are a little kid who can't even use the full power of his miraculous yet, Plagg must be bored with all the teenager drama, too'' At that both heroes gaped. How did they know the kwamis name?
''Tell us who Hawkmoth is and we will not bother you again unless you commit a serious crime'' This time the other man talked, Agent T. He was furious, Ladybug could tell as much by his tone and how he gritted his teeth as he spoke. This man hated them.
Ladybug frowned, tired of getting bullied and judged even though she had done nothing wrong. ''He has been dealt with, we will not disclose his identity. You can tell your boss or whoever that Ladybug and Chat Noir will not be intimidated by your bully tactics. I know what you want, you want our miraculous just like Hawkmoth did. Not gonna happen. Let's go kitty''
She knew her partner was still shaken, so she lightly touched his shoulder before spinning her yoyo to get out of there. She made sure he followed her.
Before losing sight of the two men, Ladybug looked back one more time just to see Agent A. smiling at her.