hmmm

Bad idea to start a story when I am swimming in work. Also, this chapter grew a lot. And from now on I will deviate a lot from the original episodes.

Anyway, enjoy!

Origins Part 2

Marinette felt her breath hitch as she watched the news. They sure had relied fast on the idea of Ladybug and Chat Noir.

She felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder, looking up at her dad smiling at her. He believed in Ladybug and Chat Noir too, which made her doubt herself even more. She did giggle at his attempt to cheer her up, even if he thought she was scared of the monster and not about the fact she had been right there, failing at saving the city.

Marinette climbed up the stairs to grab her purse and glanced at the drawer where she had stashed the earrings. She couldn't be Ladybug, she was a klutz, a clumsy girl who couldn't stand up for herself. But maybe she would be able to find someone who would.

She thought of Alya, the new girl that sat next to her now in class. She had already created a blog about Ladybug and Marinette was impressed at her for it as she looked at it. Indeed, it had plenty of views for a short time since the video and that day. But Alya's gushing only made her feel smaller.

"What if she's not cut out to be a superhero? Even though everyone thinks she is,"

"What are you talking about girl? Oh, wait," Alya moved closer to her and smiled "I know what this is about."

Oh no, Marinette gasped, her nerves spiking up. Had she vocalized her fears too obvious? She wasn't going to be Ladybug again but had she already blown up her identity already?

"You're scared! But don't be!" Alya went on to gush more about Ladybug "I believe in her."

Those words resonated in Marinette. She smiled and followed after her, only to find out the rest of their classmates surrounding Ivan.

Oh, Marinette could feel her anger surging at Chloé's words. Attacking Ivan even if he had no control of himself. She was the worst.

"I'll go check on him" Marinette turned to Alya and followed after her classmate to the locker room. She didn't know exactly how Ivan felt, as she hadn't had the chance to fall in love, but she knew Ivan and the way he looked at Mylene. It was downright adorable but not her place to say that.

"I'm sure Mylene has feelings for you too, go talk to her," she suggested instead. Even after encouraging Ivan with other methods to express his emotions, Marinette did know there was going to be a positive outcome from this situation. And hopefully, avoid the reappearance of Stone Heart.

She left the locker room to catch up with Alya, glad there was still time before the beginning of the lesson. Maybe she couldn't be Ladybug, but hearing her friend determined about wanting to be a superhero encouraged her to decide on slipping the earrings in her bag. Alya could be a better superheroine than she was.

Marinette smiled to herself as they crossed the threshold, only to find a new guy kneeling in front of her seat with what was-

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

On the other side, Adrien was running towards school. He felt motivated, elated even, to give it a shot at trying to get in. Not to mention, his new companion, that black little cat with a borderline obsession for Camembert cheese, was a more than welcome addition to what had been his life.

He couldn't help the small satisfaction when he beat Nathalie to the doors of the school. He looked at the place, amused at the number of teens just casually talking with each other outside of the classroom doors.

Adrien turned to a side and found a girl just walking away from someone he recognized.

"Hey Chloe," he called out to the only friend he's had since childhood.

"Adrikins! You came!" she almost tackled him in a hug, earning the attention of nearly everyone around to look at the entrance where he was. Oh, oh that was going to be a small problem for sure.

Chloe clung to his arm as she guided him through the corridor, Adrien giving the other students a small polite smile and signed autographs they were asking. It wasn't something unexpected –he had a feeling it was bound to happen- but nonetheless, he went along with it.

"This is your seat Adrikins, I saved it for you," Chloe said once they reached the classroom. Adrien smiled and thanked her as he sat down at the very front, next to a guy with glasses and dare he say cool headphones.

Right, time to make acquaintances, Adrien told himself.

"Hi, Adrien," he smiled as he offered his hand for a handshake. Those were good. Not too formal but not too casual either.

What the guy said, however, was not what he thought would happen.

"You're friends with Chloe then, huh?" he said with a slight squint of the eyes, tone unimpressed as he looked behind him.

Adrien turned around and gasped when he saw Chloe giving his friend Sabrina –she had mentioned her before- used chewing gum to place in the seat next to him.

"Hey!" he stood up, disgusted by it "what's that all about?"

What Chloe said made him want to squirm. Attitude adjustment? He might not know about 'school culture' as Chloe put it out but he did know what she did was downright mean.

Adrien kneeled and pushed it, trying to remove the gum but it just spread more. This was not good.

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

Adrien turned around to see who must be the one that sat there. It didn't help the laughing from Chloe and Sabrina as he tried to explain himself.

"You're friends with Chloe, right?" the girl glared at him after she covered the gum with a handkerchief. Two was a coincidence, Adrien knew but judging by the situation this was not a good one. He sat back down and sighed. So much for his official first day at school.

"Why didn't you tell her it was Chloe's idea?" the guy with glasses asked him. Adrien frowned –well, pouted but he was not going to admit to that- and came clean to him, who he later introduced himself as Nino. That made him smile. Now if he could apologize to the pigtail hair girl then things could get better.

Marinette spared a glance at him and frowned. The guy looked way too familiar for her to see him for the first time.

"I know I've seen him somewhere before…" she turned to Alya showing her phone and gasped. Adrien Agreste, the son of her favourite designer? At their school?

"Daddy's boy, teen supermodel and Chloe's buddy? Forget it," Alya rolled her eyes but Marinette frowned more. Adrien, she had heard that name already, and the boy looked way too similar to...

"Agreste, Adrien" the teacher started to call attendance, snapping Marinette out of her thoughts. Besides, it didn't matter anymore, she was not going to be a superhero either way.

Until Stone Heart broke down the door of their classroom and barged through it, taking Mylene and Chloe with him. Adrien took the opportunity to sneak out while Marinette hid behind a desk, hoping for Alya to catch on to what she was going to become.

"If you say so!" Alya exclaimed and ran out of the classroom, but left her bag behind, where Marinette had left the earrings inside.

Marinette groaned and ran after her. She had to give them to her. She ran to where Chat Noir was already facing Stone Heart and Alya had crawled behind a container to record.

It all happened in slow motion in front of her eyes. The car about to crush her, Chat Noir diverting it only to be captured by Stone Heart, her friend trapped by the weight of the car. She couldn't take it anymore.

Marinette dug into the bag and put the earrings back on.

"I can't sit back and do nothing!"

Marinette still felt unsure if she was capable of doing this. But Alya was in danger, she needed to help her and she could give it a try.

"Tikki spots on!"

The transformation felt warmer, more confident in her. She could do this. She could save Alya, save Chat Noir, she could help Ivan.

"You can't stay here, it's too dangerous," she told Alya after getting her out. She hoped this time she would listen as she went after Stone Heart.

Getting Chat Noir out was easier, and she did indulge a little in having him hanging upside down.

"Lady, have I ever told you, you turn my world upside down?"

Ladybug was amused for sure.

They jumped across rooftops towards the Eiffel Tower, where the original Stone Heart was. At the very least Chloe was out of danger, but the police were planning to attack and that was not going to work.

"You've already failed once."

Marinette shrunk a little. They were right, she had failed already. She should have done it right from the beginning.

"No," Chat Noir stopped her "he's wrong because without you she wouldn't be here" he looked at where Chloe was "and because without us they won't make it, and we'll prove that to them, trust me on this, ok?"

Marinette looked at him, the trust and honesty in his eyes making her smile.

They both jumped when they saw a materialization of black butterflies into ahead. And that was the cherry of her day.

Hawkmoth? Seriously?

So he had to be the supervillain.

It was so ridiculous and him saying they were the ones doing damage? She was not going to take any of that.

"No matter how long it takes; we will find you! And you will hand us your miraculous!"

She didn't question where that confidence came from, she just knew she was going to get rid of that ugly face. She was not going to let that joke of a villain bother her city.

"Let me make this promise to you!" Ladybug yelled as she stood on the Eiffel Tower "no matter who wants to harm you, Ladybug and Chat Noir will do everything in our power to keep you safe!"

Chat Noir looked mesmerized at his partner and the swarm of purified butterflies flying around.

"Wow, I love her" he couldn't help but mutter.

Stone Heart had to cut down his realization, jumping towards the tower to help his partner.

They climbed up the tower, jumping and somersaulting to the very top where Stone Heart kept Mylene. Adrien looked at Ladybug as she put the plan into action, both working together to save Ivan, Mylene and catching the Akuma. He was indeed breathless at her resourcefulness, both smiling at the swarm of magic ladybugs fixing everyone that had been turned.

"It's miraculous!" Ladybug smiled at the magic.

They both smiled at Mylene and Ivan sorting things out.

"They are so made for each other,"

"Like us, two" Chat Noir turned to her as his ring started to beep.

"See you soon Chat Noir" she poked his nose and jumped away, smiling as she felt the wind on her face.

The next day couldn't start any better, with Alya already waiting for her to go into class. She was determined to find a perfect scoop of Ladybug, which made her smile even more. The new confidence in her made her look at the classroom and pull Alya back to her original seat.

She didn't back down from Chloe, feeling good for finally standing up to the girl.

Adrien arrived at the classroom and looked at the change. He waved at the girl only to receive the cold shoulder. He sighed and sat down next to Nino.

"Dude, you want to make friends right? Well go talk to Marinette, you know about the chewing gum."

"But what should I say to her?"

Wait, Marinette?

"Just be yourself," Nino smiled at him.

Marinette? Adrien's mind started to whirl. He had heard that name, the same name from the girl with blue eyes that had saved Paris the day before and was also the brilliant, smart superheroine he had the pleasure to work with.

Oh, oh no.

Adrien thought about it the rest of the day, up until it was over and students were heading out. The weather was rainy by the time Adrien reached the main doors where Marinette was looking at the rain.

"Hey," he tried again, only for her to ignore him.

"I just wanted you to know that I was only trying to take the chewing gum off your seat, I swear."

Marinette looked at him, looked at the boy confessing how new everything was to him, just to stand there and offer her his umbrella. She looked into his eyes, the familiarity striking her just as the thunder rumbled.

"Chat?"

Adrien's eyes widened. She recognized him.

"Ladybug?" Adrien gave her a small smile. He asked but he didn't need her to confirm. The smile on her face, the shining of her eyes. She was there.

Marinette took the umbrella with a smile, only for it to close on her with a loud snap.

They couldn't help it but laugh at the comedic timing, up until a pair of small figures dashed out of their hiding spots to look at them baffled.

"Wait," Plagg looked at Marinette, then at Tikki "you already know?!"

"Oh…" Marinette glanced at Tikki "I uh…"

"We kind of introduced the first time," Adrien stepped in.

"But you were supposed to not- "

"I'm sorry," Marinette looked back at the kwamis "I should have known and- "

"I didn't know the not telling applied to my partner as well," Adrien added, glancing at Marinette "but no one else knows."

The kwamis looked at each other and frowned.

"I…suppose,"

"Well, this saves us a lot of time for sure" Plagg shrugged and went back into the shirt pocket of Adrien.

"Rude much," Tikki shook her head "but as long as no one else knows…I suppose we could work something out."

Marinette gave her a small smile as she flew back to her purse.

"Partners and classmates then," Adrien smiled at her just as his car showed up.

"What about friends?" Marinette said, giggling at Adrien's bashful smile.

"See you tomorrow then?"

"See you tomorrow partner," Marinette waved as he walked towards the car, taking her bag to finally go home.

Both teens were unaware of the man staring from the corner, rubbing his beard with an amused smile.

"Those two are made for each other."