Marinette's Room

Marinette groaned as she looked at her phone. Even though Lila decided to lie about some condition that makes her confused and not always sure what happens, Alya found no proof that Marinette was innocent. In fact, the more the reporter investigated, the more she believed that Marinette was capable of doing such horrible things. The test answers were defiantly some fluke, but Alya strongly believed Marinette stole Lila's necklace, pinning it as Marinette's jealousy over Lila hanging out with Adrien.

The last text she sent said, "Girl, I don't understand how you can be so mean to Lila. After everything she has done to try be nice to you, you treat her like garbage because your jealous that she and Adrien hang out. If you can't get over your jealousy and try to be nice, I don't think I want to be best friends anymore." Marinette sighed, if her best friend didn't believe her, no one else in the class will. Everyone will turn against her, just as Lila promised. Well, everyone but Adrien. When they opened her locker to find the 'evidence' Lila planted, he was the only one who tried to stand up for her before being silenced. But even he wouldn't be able to get her unexspelled.

She tossed her phone to the end of her chaise, picking up her sketchbook to continue on her new dress she was making for the school dance four months from then. Normally she would show her designs to Alya, but her best friend, or rather former best friend, didn't want to talk to her at all. Tikki looked up at her chosen, her plate of cookies forgotten, "Cheer up Marinette, you had worse from Hawkmoth and you always came out on top."

"Yeah, but this isn't something I can punch or pull out a lucky charm to solve the problem. Lila has everyone convinced that I am being mean to Lila." Tikki didn't reply rushing to hide as a knock came from her trapdoor. "Come in!", Marinette called.

Her mother poked head in and smiled at her, "The school has agreed to let you come back, as long as you don't cause any trouble."

"Thanks mama!"

"Goodnight dear!"

"Goodnight mama!" Sabine headed down and closed the door.

Tikki zipped out, "See? Its already getting better!"

"But Tikki everyone hates me now. How am I supposed to even go to school?" Mari sighed, head down in defeat. Tikki opened her mouth to say something, when Marinette's discarded phone lit. Tikki flew over and gasped at the name of the sender.

"Looks like not everyone hates you," she beamed at her. Marinette sighed and picked up the phone, only drop it after reading the senders ID: Adrien333. Collecting herself, she picked up her phone to read his text: "Hey Mari! sorry i didn't help you earlier at school. i managed to convince Lila to make up another lie to convince Mr. Damocles to let you back into school! :) Are you OK?". Marinette gasped, surprised that Adrien stood up for her. She blushed as she typed back, "I'm doing better now thanks! :) How did you convince her?" She waited a moment to ensure she didn't write anything awkward or embarrassing before hitting send. "Wow, Adrien did that for you!"

Marinette sighed, "She still got away with it Tikki, everyone believes her lies!"

"Except Adrien," the kwami said, as Marinette's phone lit up again. "I told her if she wanted to do the photo shoot my dad offered her, she had to help you, though i wish she came clean instead. but i'm glad cause school would suck without you Mari :)". Marinette blushed, reading the text over and over. "Seems like Adrien wants you in class tomorrow. Maybe our boy is gonna stop being so dense," Tikki smirked as Marinette's face got hotter.

She struggled to type a simple thank you and send it without disaster, but this is Marinette. Instead of hitting send, she hit call. She freaked, dropping her phone again. Scrambling to pick it up, she hit the face time button. She tried to hit end call, but before she could the worst case scenario happened: he picked up. A handsome boy with messy blonde hair, lying on his bed with a semi surprised look on his face. "Hey Mari, whats up?", he asked. As the bluenette stammered, he noticed her shirt, a black shirt with a green paw print. He realized it was Chat Noir themed shirt blushing slightly.

"You that sorry I'm very called I," Marinette sighed, putting her head in her hands. "Ugh, I mean I'm very sorry that I called you," the girl corrected, face beat red.

"You don't have to apologize, Mari, I enjoy talking to you," Adrien still looking at her shirt, "So, you like Chat Noir a lot?"

"What, oh yeah, it''s just a shirt I made for fun, nothing special really," Marinette stammered out, "though I would never let him see me in it, his ego is big enough, haha." As Adrien raised his eyebrow she quickly recovered, "I mean from what I know about him when he protected me and from the Ladyblog, not personally cause he is a superhero and I'm not, haha."

"Didn't you meet him when you were a superhero?"

"Me? A superhero? Noooo, thats a silly thought, I'm way too clumsy for that," Mari blurted out, realizing he might know her secret.

Adrien blinked, "Did Ladybug give you a miraculous when Ms. Mendeleiev was akumatized?"

"Oh yeah that, I didn't talk to Chat Noir at all, just Ladybug who asked me to help," Mari relaxed, relieved that Adrien didn't think she was Ladybug. "But then I gave my miraculous back too soon, revealing my identity to Chat Noir and Ms. Mendeleiev, so now I can't be a superhero again," she pouted.

"But your still our everyday Ladybug." Marinette slightly panicked, but then remembered he said the same thing on Heroes Day at their class picnic.

"Thanks Adrien," her blushed growing darker, "It's late I should probably go to bed now. Good night."

"Goodnight Mari." She hung up, climbed into her bed and screamed into her pillow. Tikki just laughed and smiled as her chosen.

Adrien's Room

Adrien set down his phone, then checked too make sure Plagg was still asleep. Once he confirmed the grumpy kwami of destruction was asleep, he went to his computer and opened a locked folder. A list of similarities between Marinette and Ladybug came up, along with a photo of both girls, with the physical similarities listed between them. Adrien added to his list of 'evidence' "Was nervous when questioned about being a superhero" and "hesitated but then seen relieved when called Ladybug."

He first started this little investigation after Kwami Buster, when he saw Marinette leaving at the same time as he did, leave the bathroom the same time, and run back inside when he did. It was all too suspicious, but then he saw both of them side by side, convincing him that they were two completely different people. But as he carried Ms. Mendeleiev away, he saw a flash similar to when Rene Rouge stops her illusions, followed by the miraculous ladybug cure fixing the building.

Later when he thought about it, Multimouse used his miraculous with hers, as well as Ladybug's. He didn't remember seeing the fox kwami flying with the rest, meaning Multimouse may have merged with fox miraculous too, giving her the power of illusion, allowing her to trick him. He smiled, realizing Marinette played him, tricking him that the akuma was captured and the city was cured.

He then started to investigate this, working off of past experiences. He ended up with this list of reasons:

1. Both have blue eyes and blue hair in pigtails.

2. Mari is never around when Ladybug fights an akuma.

3. Neither can stand Lila, while everyone else loves her.

4. She always stands against injustice.

5. A Ladybug landed on the love letter that was unsigned but in Mari's handwriting. Also it responded to mine, which I threw out in the classroom, so maybe Mari grabbed it?

6. Before Kwami Buster attacked, she went to the bathroom the same time I left to yell at Plagg.

7. Was nervous when questioned about being a superhero.

8. Hesitated but then seen relieved when called Ladybug.

"Nice list kid," a mischievous voice came from behind him. Adrien panicked, as Plagg told him that if he found out Ladybug's identity, he would have to give up his miraculous. Plagg clearly wasn't concerned, "so you think pigtails is Ladybug eh? Didn't you see them at the same time? How long have you been working on this?"

"Since Kwami Buster, is Mari really Ladybug?" Adrien asked eagerly. Plagg laughed and shook his head.

"Sorry no secrets coming out of me. Besides its supposed to be a secret remember?"

"I know, otherwise I lose my miraculous."

"No, if I tell you, the guardian will shave my whiskers off. Tikki also told me that she would smite me if I spilled. But if you find out on your own, I can't be blamed. Also if you keep your mouth shut, we won't be separated."

"What if I gave yo a truckload of cheese? Then will you tell me?"

Plagg fly in front of his chosen's face, seeing the kid was serious. Then he saw a red shape outside the window of Adriens row. It was Tikki, making a throat cutting gesture. "No cheese is worth Tikki's wrath," a look of terror coming across his face.

"Ugh fine, I'll do it my self." Adrien look at the pictures of the two girls on the screen, wondering if he really was that lucky. Plagg meanwhile, flew to his cheese stash, relieved that his chosen wasn't as dense as he really seemed to be. For weeks, Plagg has been visiting Master Fu just to vent on how dense Adrien has been, occasionally joined by Tikki, also frustrated by their chosen heroes. Fu would smile and say all will be ok. And for the first time, Plagg was starting to believe him. Now whether he should tell Tikki or not.