A/N: Hey! I'm sorry I'm not very active lately. I have reasons, mostly writer's block. There's a fair bit of writing a story to submit to a contest (deadline June 1, so I need to prepare!). If I win, they'll publish it, and I'll try to link to it on my profile. If I don't, I'll put it on my FictionPress account. I should know by October-November, probably.

I decided to post this chapter on my birthday because it is my FAVORITE chapter so far, thanks to Reading2MuchFanfiction. I even get warm fuzzy feelings reading it! I probably won't be doing much else to celebrate, but maybe I can get a few birthday reviews?

Funny thing. My birthday. My sister's birthday. Also the birthday of like ten other people I know IRL. Is it your birthday too? I hope it's a good one!

Credit for the (so! fun!) interview goes to Reading2MuchFanfiction. You had a wonderful idea! I LOVE how this turned out! Sabrina is so clever in this hehehe.

Y'all are awesome. I can't believe I actually kept getting reviews even though I didn't post for two months, and even got added to a community! Ahhh! Tysm! Enjoy!

reveals

[[[[[[[[[[adrien]]]]]]]]]]

I've done a lot of things since I became Chat Noir. Funny-in-retrospect things. Scary things. Amusing things. Embarrassing things. Things done in anger, or under the influence of an akuma. To tell the truth, if I didn't learn something from it, I tried my best to forget it. If I learned something from it, I tried to remember the lesson and forget the incident.

This one is going to be very hard to forget.

Coccinelle and I run after the rabbit, calling "Good akumatized bunny! Come here sweet bunny! Who's a good little carrot-muncher! Not you, that's for sure!"

Coccinelle tosses me a Ladybug-esque glare. "Chat, tell the bunny you're sorry. It's a very sweet bunny, and we want it to come here so we can give it carrots and lettuce, right?" Under her breath, she hisses, "Would you want to go to someone who'd just insulted you?"

"Alright. Sorry, bunny! I meant to say you're a darling little creature and I could just-"

"Maybe it's better if you don't chase the bunny," Coccinelle interrupts. "Cats eat rabbits, don't they? Find Carapace and Queen Bee; they can help me."

I suddenly feel very guilty over what I almost said. "Right. I'm probably scaring it more. ...I'll just go get Carapace and Queen Bee then."

((((((((((sabrina))))))))))

"Gotcha, little dude!" Carapace snatches the bunny up, and it snaps at him, showing pointy teeth too big for its mouth. "Eesh, you're just like the rabbit in that American movie. Can't get through the suit," he chuckles, letting it gnaw fruitlessly at his wrist. "Hey, that tickles!"

I wince. "Carapace...I think you need to kill it."

He and Queen Bee look at me, stunned.

"Kill it?" Queen Bee asks. "But...we're the good guys. We don't kill helpless animals."

The rabbit does its level best to chew off Carapace's thumb.

"It'll be alive again after the Cure," I argue. "Come on, so no akumas have directly killed anyone yet. You're gonna tell me there's anytime, ever, the Eiffel Tower is one hundred percent empty? People die here, and it never makes the news because Ladybug brings them back."

I died here. I was in the Eiffel Tower once when an akuma brought it down. The akuma wasn't defeated for another hour. I was dead for one hour.

...no one noticed.

Carapace tilts his head. "You know, she has a point," he says to no one in particular. "Sorry, little guy."

And he brings his shield down on the rabbit, letting it fall to the ground.

I look away before the bunny dies. "Lucky Charm!" A portrait of the rabbit and its owner falls into my hand. I hurl it back into the air. "Miraculous Ladybug!"

Queen Bee looks at me as magical ladybugs begin fixing Paris. "You can't say that. You're not Ladybug!" She looks about ready to Venom me.

"It's the Ladybug Miraculous," I say. "That doesn't change with its holder."

"C'mon, little guy," I hear Carapace say. "Let's get you back to your owner."

I turn around. The bunny, alive and soft brown, is nosing Carapace's hand as if looking for carrots. Sweet thing.

I try to channel Ladybug while talking to the rabbit's owner. "You were akumatized, but you're fine now. No, I'm not Ladybug, I'm Coccinelle. Ladybug is…" I pause, trying to remember the story. "...on vacation. She left me as her temporary replacement. No, I don't know when she's getting back. She shouldn't be gone long. Have a nice day!"

I heave a sigh of relief as I swing away. That was the most awkward thing I have ever experienced!

"Lila, wait!"

I spoke too soon. I look down to see Alya holding out her phone. "You promised me an interview!"

I stop. Open my mouth to call her out. Before I can speak, however, I see another way this could go. I could call Alya out, tell her I'm not Lila. Or…

...or I could ruin Lila's reputation.

A smile sneaks onto my face.

"Yes, Alya?"

Alya grins, holding her phone higher. "Lila, what do you think of taking Ladybug's place temporarily? You are her best friend, after all-do you know where she's gone on vacation? Do you feel like she prepared you to save Paris, or like you were dropped into a job you weren't ready for?"

I consider my words carefully. Wouldn't do to break character as Lila. "Well, I wasn't sure at first, but Ladybug asked so nicely I could hardly refuse! She did actually tell me where she went, but I'm afraid I can't tell you." I give a Lila-esque laugh. "And of course she prepared me! I've been training with her ever since she got her powers. We're besties."

"What about your secret identity?" Alya asks. "Ladybug was always so strict about hers."

I smile. "Oh, secrets, secrets, are no fun. Secrets, secrets, hurt someone. You have no idea how glad I am to be done with the charade! I've been lying my tail off ever since I transferred away from Ladybug's class. I thought maybe if I got caught, my parents would transfer me back to Ladybug's class." There. No one will suspect Mari as Ladybug now. "I can't stand the François-Dupont class, you see-except you, of course, Alya, but especially the incompetent teacher and the rest of those simpleminded goons. You're my only real friend there; everyone else is just a tool. I manipulate them into doing things for me so I don't have to. And they love me!" I give an incredulous laugh. "Isn't it crazy?"

Alya is only staring, so I continue. "I lie to everyone, all the time! They must be blind to not see it; it's not as if I try to hide my lies. The only one in my class who sees through my lies is the only girl who hasn't been akumatized! Can you believe that? I can't stand it!"

It's when Chat appears behind Alya and gives me a disapproving look that I realize. I may have gone too far. I backpedal. "But of course, I'll be the best ladybug I can be until our Ladybug returns!" I give the camera Lila's smarmiest smile and swing away, barely making it to an alley before I transform back.

"Sabrina," Tikki begins.

"I had to say it," I say. "She's gotten away with too much for too long."

"I'm proud of you."

I look up at the tiny kwami, my eyes welling up. "R-really?" I'm not sure anyone's ever said that to me before.

Tikki smiles warmly. "Really. You are one of my cleverest Ladybugs."

{{{{{{{{{{marinette}}}}}}}}}}

Oh, Sabrina, Sabrina, Sabrina. You almost had me thinking it was Lila in the suit! How are you such a good actress?

You did act like you disliked me...oh well. It's not as if school will really get worse. I don't think Lila can have it out for me more than she already does.

I wonder when Adrien will figure out that I'm Ladybug? Maybe I should tell you to give him a hint. Poor clueless kitty.

A/N: Yes, this is a "Marinette found out first" fic.

What do you think will happen in school? I'm so looking forward to writing that!

Oh, and one last thing. I have a new poll on my profile, about titles for my novel. If you've got a minute, please check it out and vote! Thanks!