Chapter 18: Trial, Firing, Instating and Forgiving

After what felt like an eternity, the bus arrived at Françoise Dupont High School. Damocles spoke as they parked.

"You must now proceed home from over here," he told them. "We shall resume classes tomorrow -"

"Mr Damocles," came a voice. Marching out of a limousine was a well-dressed woman with a bun and rectangular glasses, holding an iPad. And who should be on the face of the iPad but Adrien's father himself!

"Mr Agreste," said Damocles sheepishly. "What a pleasure to see you."

"You stupid man," hissed Adrien's father. "How dare you put my son in danger! He has been at enough risk with a predator following him over a petty grudge! And now you have the nerve to send him to school immediately afterwards!"

"But, sir -"

"Silence! As a school governor, I have decided to organise a disciplinary hearing next Sunday! I expect that you and that incompetent teacher to face consequences!"

Mr Damocles looked defeated.

"Very well, sir," he sighed. "You can all go home. School will reopen after the hearing."

The well-dressed woman beckoned to Adrien.

"Come along, Adrien," she said. "Let's go home."

Adrien turned to Marinette, Alya and Nino, gave a small wave, and walked towards the limousine.

Alya looked uneasy, for some reason: she was trying to avoid Marinette. Marinette decided to give her the space, and walked home herself.

Upon entering the bakery, Tom Dupain, who had been standing nervously in the doorway, rushed into the front room - and picked up his only child in a bear hug.

"Dad - it's good to see you - but I can't breathe," gasped Marinette, as he swung her around.

"Sorry about that, my sweet," said Tom, setting her down and planting a kiss on her head. "I'm just glad to have you back in one piece. Now, why don't you go upstairs? Your mum and I will be in the kitchen."

Marinette nodded absent-mindedly and went upstairs to have a shower and get changed. Tikki talked to her once Marinette got out of the bathroom.

"Home, sweet home," said Tikki. "But what's going to happen next, Marinette?"

"There'll be a disciplinary hearing for Mr Damocles and Ms Bustier," explained Marinette, "and it's not hard to see why now. And hopefully Wayhem and Lila will be brought to justice."

"I'm sure Lila will," said Tikki. "Her mother was well mad at her!"

"Tikki, you know what?" quipped Marinette. "I think you've won the award for understatement of the year. I'll bring you some cookies in a bit."

"Alright, Marinette," giggled Tikki. "No hurry."

Marinette went downstairs to the living room, where Tom and Sabine were sitting.

"There you are, dear," said Sabine. "We're glad you're safe."

"If you're ready," said Tom, "would you like to tell us what happened?"

Marinette hesitated a second, then went into details. While she couldn't tell them about her escapades as Ladybug, she did tell them about how Lila had turned the class against her, and how they had fought.

"Well, while you shouldn't have slapped her," said Tom sternly, "I agree with you. Lila was equally wrong, maybe more wrong, in turning everyone against you in the first place."

"I know," said Marinette. "It wasn't my proudest moment."

"Well, keep that in mind," said Sabine, "violence is unacceptable, unless it's self-defence." That reminded Marinette of what she, as Ladybug, had told Nino, who was Carapace at that moment. Come to think of it, it was no wonder Carapace had beaten up Wayhem: he was concerned about his best friend, Adrien, and he was angry when he'd discovered his intentions against him! In spite of the vast divide that had occurred, Nino did care for Adrien after all.

"So, ultimately," said Tom inquiringly, "that guy was out for Adrien because he'd been snubbed?"

"Yeah," said Marinette bitterly. "Some people... they get so carried away with selfish intentions, they kill."

"Valuable life lessons to be kept in mind," said Sabine wisely. "Keep your priorities in order."

"Now, why don't we watch the news?" suggested Tom. He turned the television on, and switched to the news channel.

Nadja Chamack was there.

"Don't be bemused, it's just the news," she said. "Wayhem Capaldi, the killer of Fabio Chapdelaine, will be trialled next Saturday, the 24th of May. Adrien Agreste, who was being stalked by Capaldi, will testify."

"That's not the only hearing, apparently," said Marinette. "Mr Agreste is also one of the school governors - and he's taking a disciplinary hearing with Mr Damocles and Ms Bustier! He's angry at them for keeping Adrien in Lyon."

"I certainly can't blame him. But will you be required as well?" asked Sabine.

"I don't know yet," said Marinette quietly. "I might be, though. And if I am, I'll take Adrien's side, you can be sure."

"Adrien," said his father's personal assistant, Nathalie, "are you ready yet?"

"Yeah, Nathalie," said Adrien hurriedly. "I'm coming."

"So, you will have to answer the judge's questions," said Nathalie, as she took Adrien to the car, "and give evidence against Wayhem Capaldi. D'you think you can handle that?"

"Yes, Nathalie."

"Excellent. Are you feeling quite alright?"

"Of course, Nathalie, just preoccupied."

Adrien leaned his head against the window of the car, as he and Nathalie were driven to court.

The courtroom was as unwelcoming as Adrien had expected it to be. Sara Chapdelaine was there with her and Fabio's daughter Lottie - Theo was with his grandparents, she explained. Until the hearing began, Adrien kept Lottie company.

"Hey," he said. "Good to see you again."

"Hello, M-Mister Adrien," said Lottie a bit shyly.

"What's that book you've got over there?" he asked.

"It's a D-Disney Princess book," said the girl.

"Oh, you like Disney Princesses?"

Lottie nodded. Adrien smiled at the thought: he himself liked Disney Princesses, and other stuff that was thought of as 'for girls'. But he liked cars and technology and action too - he himself was a superhero!

"Would you like us to read it together until the trial begins?" he asked. The girl nodded once more, and Adrien began to read out to her.

"Snow White meets Cinderella," he began. "One day, Snow White was..."

The trial had begun not long after Adrien had finished the third story. He, Nathalie, Lottie and Sara were sitting in one box; Lottie napping in her mother's arms.

"Wayhem Capaldi, we have been told that you murdered Fabio Chapdelaine, and later seriously injured Jacques De Toussaint, with the ultimate intention of trying to murder Adrien Agreste," said the judge. "Is this true?"

"I deserved Adrien's autograph!" cried Wayhem. "And he told me he couldn't give it to me! He cared only about his own leisure; it was because of me that he's as famous as he is!"

"Adrien Agreste, do you have to say anything?" asked the judge.

"I did refuse to give Wayhem my autograph," said Adrien, rising to his feet. "And until he was caught, I was unaware that he had been after me."

"Sara Chapdelaine, do you have to say anything?"

"I believe that my husband," said Sara Chapdelaine, daughter in her clutch as she spoke, "was killed in a moment of cowardice and foolishness. And I believe that Wayhem Capaldi -" she gave Lottie a little, soothing shake to keep her from waking - "should be appropriately punished.

"Is that all?" said the judge. There was silence.

"Very well. The court finds Wayhem Capaldi guilty of stalking, first-degree murder and assault. You are hereby sentenced to a minimum of thirty years in prison. Guards, seize him."

As Wayhem was taken by a prison guard to the jailhouse, he turned to Adrien.

"Adrien!" he called. "You're my best friend! Save me!"

Adrien called back.

"If we're still friends, Wayhem, you'll do the right thing," he said. "Justice has been served, so take it as it comes."

Wayhem looked defeated as he was dragged away.

The school's disciplinary hearing was the next day. Surprisingly, all the students were called to school, and so were their parents.

"If that headmaster of yours is in trouble with Adrien's father," said Tom to his daughter as he sat beside her, "then I doubt he'll have a job for much longer. Gabriel Agreste is one of the most influential people in town, and being the school governor on top of that..."

"I know," said Marinette. "Well, we'll just have to watch and see what happens.

In walked the woman who had been taking Adrien home the day before, and like she had previously, she was holding an iPad through which Gabriel Agreste's image was being projected.

She sat at the head of the table. Gabriel began to speak.

"I, Gabriel Agreste, begin this hearing by questioning the principal, Mr Damocles. You intentionally kept your students, including my son, in Lyon whilst it was in danger, did you not?" said Mr Agreste coldly.

"W-well," murmured Mr Damocles nervously, "t-they did h-have an education to c-complete... and w-we c-could only c-conduct it p-practically..."

"That will do. In addition, we need to address the fact that you, and Ms Bustier here, deliberately bowed to the demands of Mayor Bourgeois and acted in favour of his daughter, Chloe. Not only did you reserve an entire hotel room for her, but over the years, you allowed her to bully the other students - including Adrien's classmate, a Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

Marinette looked at her father, then her mother. They took each of her hands.

Of course - Chloe would pick on Marinette every day. She'd belittle, vandalise, steal... and whenever Marinette told Bustier about it, what did she get in response?

"Chloe's just a little different - that's why she acts like this! It's important that we all be tolerant of each other."

Marinette felt like a weight had been taken off her.

"But Mr Agreste -" began Bustier. "I try to teach my class about non-confrontation and peace - it goes against what I teach -"

"Excuse me, Miss," came a voice: Nathaniel's. "I myself have brought this issue to you several times, not only as Class Representative, but also as a student. I have to say, there's a fine line between peace and passivity. I have been bullied by Chloe. So have many others in class, like Marinette, Alya, Rose, Juleka, Kim, Max, Ivan, Mylene, Sabrina, my own boyfriend Marc - heck, just about everyone. And instead of sitting by and letting Chloe carry on, couldn't you have at least had a talk with her about her conduct and treatment of others? Because not only would the others have had a lot more peace..." he smirked unpleasantly. "I think Chloe would have a much lighter punishment than she will now."

Everyone - except Chloe ("Ridiculous! Utterly ri-diculous!"), Bustier, Damocles and Mr Agreste - started clapping.

"Your friend Nathaniel put it best!" cheered Tom.

"Not only that," continued Nathaniel, "but when Lila accused Marinette of destroying a painting back at the museum - or should I say, framed her - you immediately took Lila's side and refused to listen to Marinette's side. That is not what a teacher should do. Ms Bustier, Mr Damocles, it took me a lot of guts to say this, but you're not fit to call yourselves teachers. A real teacher would listen to all sides of a story if there was a conflict. A real teacher would not enable the bully and blame the victim, and disguise it as promoting peace. A real teacher would not bow down to the delusional demands of anyone, no matter how influential or rich or powerful they might be. And that, Mr Damocles -" Nathaniel was almost shouting by this point "- is exactly what you have done. You have bowed down to the delusional demands of Mayor Bourgeois, and operated so that everything worked in Chloe's favour. And I, as a student and as Class Representative, resent that. Thank you."

Nathaniel sat down, and gasped for air. His mother didn't know if she should scold him or applaud him.

"Thank you, Mr Kurtzberg," said Mr Agreste - he, too, was moved by this fiery speech. "That is indeed what I was about to move onto. Cassius Damocles, Caline Bustier, if you are bowed by the Mayor of Paris, you must also be bowed by your school governor. You, for the safety of our students, including my son... are fired."

Bustier and Damocles gasped.

"But-but-" stuttered Bustier.

"You should have thought of that before you enacted your passive, helpless policies," snarled Mr Agreste. "I suggest you leave now, now that you're not working here anymore."

Ms Bustier wept and Mr Damocles blustered as they both exited the room.

"But Mr Agreste," began Nathaniel, "who's going to be our new headmaster?"

"It doesn't have to be a headmaster," came a woman's crisp voice.

In walked the school's respected - and feared - Science and Maths teacher, Helena Mendeleiev.

"I will punish bullies," said Mendeleiev. "And for starters, I sentence you, Ms Chloe Bourgeois, to a year's worth of detention!"

"WHAT?!" gasped Chloe, and she, too, started sobbing.

"You can't do that, Ms Mendeleiev," said her father, Mayor Andre Bourgeois.

"You might have manipulated Cassius, Mr Mayor," said Mendeleiev firmly, "but you will not manipulate me. Secondly, I pronounce Mr Fred Haprele the new homeroom teacher."

The students - sans Chloe, of course - started clapping again. Fred Haprele was Mylene's father, who was also a Drama instructor and a janitor at school. He was firm, but kind and fun, and everyone liked him. Mylene was especially pleased.

"I'm so happy for you, dad," she said, hugging her father.

"Thank you, my star," said Fred, blushing. "And here's hoping you'll make it up to Marinette, now that she's innocent?"

"Of course," said Mylene earnestly.

"Very well," said Mr Agreste. "Hearing dismissed."

And everyone got up to leave. Marinette and her parents were walking out of the building - when Marinette got tackled in a hug by Alya.

"Girl, I am so sorry!" Alya sobbed. "I shouldn't have believed that snake over you! Can you forgive me?"

"And me?" said Mylene timidly.

"And me?" pouted Rose.

"And me?" chorused Juleka, Kim, Max, Nino and Ivan.

Marinette paused. "Well, you did hurt my feelings..." she said.

Everyone looked dejected.

"Of course I forgive you," smiled Marinette, and everyone had a nice group hug. Once that was done, Marinette rushed up to Nathaniel and wrung his hand.

"Thank you for that, Nate," she said gratefully. "I sure wasn't expecting that!"

"Well, I am Class Rep, Marinette," he grinned goofily. "I was happy to do it. You're our friend and you deserve justice."

"Well, you spoke on behalf of everyone, and you did a great job," said Marinette. Afterwards, she joined her parents, and they walked home. They would enjoy a movie later that night.

Whew! That was long (I hope). I have to add: Nathaniel's speech was inspired by Australian Senator Sarah Hanson-Young's speech against misogyny. I hope you enjoyed reading this.