The Rebellion of Adrien Agreste

by Rose Thorne

Disclaimer: Don't own Miraculous Ladybug or make any money writing fanfiction.

Chapter Thirteen

They had to wait for Jagged to coax Fang out of the limo before they could proceed with phase two of the plan. Juleka murmured something to Rose, who dashed into the school and returned with Luka's guitar.

Juleka took it and drifted to the open limo door, which had Fang hanging halfway out of it.

"I know without your guitar you feel like you're missing a limb, so I figure you shouldn't be without it today." She handed it to him. "Especially after this drama."

Luka peered out the limo and flashed a little smile. "Thanks, sis. I wanted to work on a song for Adrien, anyway. He should know what his heartsong sounds like."

Adrien blushed at that, ducking his head.

This wasn't part of the script, but they'd all decided ad-libbing was a good idea if anything came to mind. He'd told Luka to pretend all the reporters were naked, and apparently that had calmed him enough.

He moved back to the limo door, keeping out of Fang's path, and took Luka's hand. "I look forward to hearing it, ma luciole."

An enraged high-pitched sort of bellow sounded from behind him, and Adrien turned to see Lila stomping toward him, her face a mottled red. She froze when Fang snapped in her direction, clearly bothered by her movements.

"Yeah, Fang here doesn't like when brats like yourself harass his friends. Adrien and Luka here? They're friends." Jagged crossed his arms. "You're just the liar who claimed to save my nonexistent kitten from a runway."

Lila fumed, then turned on Marinette, who stood near her parents. "You! You did this!"

Tom protectively moved in front of his daughter as the Italian took a step in her direction, straightening his spine to increase his height.

M. Damocles cleared his throat. "Mlle. Rossi, you are on very thin ice. Stop harassing your classmates."

"I'll see you later," Adrien murmured, letting go of Luka's hand to move closer to Marinette, just in case she needed defending.

He noticed Juleka doing the same thing—and he wasn't the only one, if Lila's narrowing eyes were any indication.

Lila's posture changed, becoming demure and defensive, as though she was protecting herself from harm. "I'm sorry, M. Damocles. I-I just can't believe Marinette would go this far to bully me!"

The girl fled past the principal into the school, crying fake tears. M. Damocles blinked, looking confused. Adrien hoped he wasn't buying into that sham.

"Fang's better at crocodile tears than she is," Jagged snorted, shutting the limo door now that Fang was completely out. "What a prima donna."

The press didn't hear him and ignored the limo as it pulled away with Luka, instead taking the opportunity to swarm Marinette, calling out questions.

"What led to Jagged Stone employing a 14-year-old girl as his designer?"

"Do you care to comment on your rivalry with Mlle. Rossi?"

"Is it true the text messages to the press were fake and you're the real bully?"

Adrien frowned at that one, and pulled out his phone, turning it on so he could display the messages. Keeping it off wasn't necessary since his father likely could see his location on TV.

The questions continued to ring out until…

"You seem awfully close with Mlle. Tsurugi. Are you dating?" That one was from Alec Cataldi.

Marinette blushed brightly at that question, looking more overwhelmed than he had ever seen her.

Jagged shoved his way through the crowd. "Oi! What are you doing prying into the romantic life of an underage teenager? Bloody paparazzi!"

Cataldi in question immediately backed off, and Penny grabbed Jagged's arm to keep him from advancing.

That gave Adrien the opportunity to finish opening his text messages, pulling up the ones from Lila. He shoved his phone toward the reporters, scrolling up and down so they could see.

"Not faked," Adrien announced, his voice icy. "And not 'leaked,' either. I made sure they went public intentionally. I do not tolerate threats against my friends. We are finished with questions, as we have other business to attend to."

When several reporters started to ask more questions anyway, he channeled his father, as much as he hated to do that. "I will remind you that under French law taking pictures and footage of minors without permission is quite illegal, and we've tolerated that up to this point."

Dead silence fell immediately, and the reporters backed off, the implied threat effective.

The space allowed them to move forward into the school, trailed by Fang. The bell rang as they entered, but the courtyard was filled with students and teachers, mostly gaping at them.

To be fair, Mme. Mendeleiev was trying to round up her students, but none of them were paying her any mind.

M. Damocles cleared his throat. "Apparently the entire school is tardy," he announced loudly.

There was a rush as the students and teachers cleared the courtyard, with the exception of Mme. Bustier's class, who kept watching since their teacher was beside the principal.

He turned to her. "Caline, go handle your class. I will send M. Agreste and Mlle. Dupain-Cheng along once this… matter is dealt with."

Adrien wasn't fond M. Damocles' dismissive tone, but he figured that'd be destroyed by the lawyer soon enough.

In any case, as Mme. Bustier led the way up the stairs, he took quiet joy in the way his classmates gave Lila a wide berth, like she was contagious. Well, aside from Juleka, who was staying closer than was strictly necessary and smiling menacingly.

They quickly found themselves squeezed a bit tightly into the principal's office—six adults, two teens, and a crocodile were a bit much for the small room.

Jagged took one chair, and Tom took the other, leaving the rest to stand. The lawyer placed her briefcase on the desk to open it, taking out a stack of paperwork and handing it to the principal.

"I'll keep this brief, M. Damocles. M. Dupain and Mme. Cheng are concerned with the lack of investigation into the allegations against their daughter, and the lack of investigation into Mlle. Rossi's claims—from illnesses and disabilities to excuses for absences. It implies not only a degree of favoritism, but additionally calls into question whether this school is following basic procedure."

"That—"

"I am not finished, sir. Furthermore, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng has faced a multitude of instances of harcèlement moral, bullying, including destruction of her property by the mayor's daughter—who, I might add, faced no consequences in another implied instance of favoritism. She has now been targeted by a self-admitted serial liar, whose frankly ludicrous tales managed to fool the authorities at this school, injuring her mental health. That file outlines everything she has faced in the past year."

Adrien could see Marinette's face redden out of the corner of his eye, and knew the lawyer wasn't exaggerating—he'd seen and heard enough last night to know that now. He put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently to let her know he had her back.

The lawyer continued. "While current French Labor Code would see this as a violation, the law has woefully not seen fit to include schools, the workplace of students, in this definition. M. Stone is strongly disgusted by this oversight, and would be happy to see whether a suit on his employee's behalf regarding these incidents could result in precedence in case law."

M. Damocles' eyes had widened, his face pale. Adrien almost felt sorry for him, but it was the inaction of far too many adults that had allowed Lila's reign of terror to go on this long.

"However, we would prefer to resolve this outside of the courts, if at all possible. Since, unfortunately, orders of protection in France are not granted outside of situations of domestic violence. As neither M. Agreste nor Mlle. Dupain-Cheng are in a romantic relationship with Mlle. Rossi, this means they are unable to pursue one under current French law. So I will be frank: my clients seek, at minimum, an investigation into this matter and the immediate removal of Mlle. Rossi from Mme. Bustier's classroom, so their education is not further interrupted by her behavior."

The principal stuttered a few times. "Ah, b-but I have to consider the impact on Mlle. Rossi's education—"

The lawyer smoothly interrupted. "Her education has already been interrupted by alleged travel outside of the country—which presumably you verified with her parents—whereas M. Agreste and Mlle. Dupain-Cheng have been in consistent attendance."

"I-I will need to contact her mother, of course—"

"Yes, I suggest you do that. We will, of course, wait outside until you are finished speaking with Mme. Rossi. Might I suggest, if you are unable to reach her by the number provided to the school, you contact the Embassy? My clients have already been quite patient."

With that, the lawyer closed her suitcase, and stepped over Fang to reach the door. The rest of them followed her out.

Marinette looked a bit light-headed. He led her to a bench and sat with her, Sabine and Tom joining them on either side.

After the door was closed, Adrien murmured. "I thought he was going to wet himself."

The lawyer flashed a shark-like smile. "That is what I'm paid for."

That got a nervous giggle from Marinette, who snuggled into Sabine's side. She looked exhausted.

Adrien took a moment to text Kagami to let her know phase two was in progress. He also told her about the reporter's question—he had no doubt there'd be rumors flying as a result.

I can't stop researching French law. Send help!