Author's Note: And we're back! I'm still working on my writing competition entries, but this story keeps poking at me, so I finally gave in and wrote the next chapter. We are now heading into Hell Week! What adventures await our heroes? Only time will tell :)
"So how are you going to run the Ladyblog?" asks Marinette. "Since you know who I am now."
"Well, I'll still be doing regular updates, but I'm going to put a little less emphasis on figuring out your identity."
"Thanks, girl," replies Marinette with a grateful smile.
Alya laughs. "Girl, of course! Are you kidding me? I've been dying to find out who Ladybug is for the past year and tell people, but now that I know it's you, I'll keep your secret as long as you need me to."
"You know that includes Nino, right? I know you guys are dating, but it's really important for us to keep our identities a secret."
"Adrien hasn't told him?"
"No."
"Well, yeah, I guess he would have told me if Adrien had said anything. That boy can't keep a secret to save his life. But don't worry girl, I won't tell him. You can trust me!"
"I know," says Marinette. "That's why we're best friends!"
Alya smiles and her phone buzzes. It's a text from her mother; she's waiting outside to take her home.
"Hey, so I've gotta go, but I'll see you tomorrow!"
Marinette waves goodbye to Alya, and as soon as she closes the hatch above her and descends down the stairs, she pulls out her phone to text Adrien. He has to know what happened tonight.
Marinette: So Alya knows who we are now
Adrien: what? how?
Marinette: she saw us destransform at the school
Adrien: oh man, was she mad?
Marinette: kind of. But everything's okay now
Adrien: are you okay? It's kind of been a crazy week for you
Marinette: I know. I'm fine.
Adrien: Wait, she's not going to tell Nino, is she?
Marinette: I told her not to, and I trust her
Adrien: okay good. I feel weird about hiding it from him now though, it doesn't feel right
Marinette: I was thinking the same thing. But idk what we should do
Adrien: …do you wanna transform and meet up to talk about it?
Marinette looks at Tikki, who is snoozing contentedly on top of the empty cookie plate, and shakes her head with a smile.
Marinette: no, let's just talk when we see each other again tomorrow
Adrien: Okay. bonne nuit, j'taime
Marinette: J'taime aussi xxxxx
The next day after school, the cast of the play meets up in a spare classroom instead of the theater. With the exception of Marinette, Adrien, and Alya, everyone on the cast and crew is subdued and quiet, and Professeur Seydoux looks weary as she walks up to the front.
"Hello, everyone, I have an important announcement to share. As you all know, due to the fire last night, we will be unable to host our play in the school theater. Luckily, one of your classmates has offered to host our cast at an alternative venue. We will now be putting on our production at City Hall, thanks to the kind offer of Mademoiselle Chloe Bourgeois."
Chloe enters the room like a queen, head held high and ponytail swinging, and a subtle undercurrent of tension floods the room. There must be a catch to her unexpectedly generous offer, especially considering that she hasn't even been a part of the production up to this point. It's only a matter of time before the ball drops.
"Thank you for the kind introduction, Professeur Seydoux," she says, smiling beatifically at the cast and crew and waving like a poised beauty queen.
"I wasn't introducing you, Chloe. Everyone in here is in your class. They already know who you are," says Professeur Seydoux, exasperated.
Chloe waves dismissively at the teacher. "That's irrelevant. Anyway, my father will only allow the play to be held at City Hall under one condition."
Though everyone can see the rapidly pulsing vein on Professeur Seydoux's forehead, she manages to stay calm, and responds in a low voice, "And what is that, may I ask?"
"It will only be possible if I play Ladybug instead of Marinette," says Chloe, in a sickeningly sweet voice, dripping with poisonous treacle.
Professeur Seydoux shakes her head. "I'm sorry, Chloe, but that's impossible. We are starting technical rehearsals next week and there is no time to recast."
Chloe scowls. "Well then, I guess you won't have a play then, will you?!" she screeches, flouncing out of the room and slamming the door.
Professeur Seydoux sits down in despair. "Why must all of this be happening now?"
She turns to look at Marinette. "I'm so sorry, Marinette, but would you be willing to allow her to take your place? I know I'm asking a lot, but we have no other place to put on the play, even though I'm not sure how we would be able to figure out all the outdoor technicalities in such a short amount of time. But at least we would have a venue."
Marinette winks at Alya and Adrien before turning to Professeur Seydoux. "Don't worry, Professeur! For the sake of the show, Chloe can take my place. In fact, I'll even help her learn her lines. The show must go on!"
The professeur sighs with relief. If only all her students could be like this. "Thank you so much, Marinette. You really do embody many of the qualities of Ladybug. Alya and Nino were right to cast you in the role."
Alya laughs under her breath and says "You have no idea," in a low voice, while Adrien smiles on.
Nino looks at both of them, confused. "What are you guys smiling about? Marinette just gave up her part to Chloe and now Adrien has to kiss her! This is horrible!"
Alya and Adrien exchange worried glances. "Umm, it's nothing!" stammers Adrien. "We just thought that it was really awesome of Marinette to do that for the play," adds Alya.
"Hmm," says Nino, looking at them skeptically, but saying nothing.
After the Professeur discusses logistics for conducting rehearsal at City Hall, she dismisses the cast, and everyone scatters in different directions to go home. After everyone leaves, Marinette nods at Alya and Adrien and they make their way over to the theater, which is still covered with yellow tape and barriers.
They pick through the fallen beams and dust and survey the damage.
"Well, this is a fairly simple task!" says Marinette cheerfully. "It'll only take me a few seconds to fix this."
She turns to Alya, eyes sparkling. "Wanna watch me transform into Ladybug?"
Alya's eyes go wide. "Um, YES?"
"Alrighty then. Don't film me though!" says Marinette with a wink. "Tikki, transforme moi!"
A few seconds later, Ladybug is standing there, and Alya's jaw is on the ground.
"That is. The coolest thing. I have ever seen."
Adrien grins. "Mine's pretty cool too. Wanna see it?"
Alya shakes her head and waggles her finger. "Mmm-mmm, nope. Don't show me right now. I'm still processing the amazingness that I just saw. I don't think I can handle two in one day."
Ladybug laughs as Adrien pouts. "Oh, mon chaton, don't feel bad! Alya still wants to see it, just on another day when she can appreciate your transformation in all its glory."
"I guess that's fair," says Adrien sullenly.
Alya raises an eyebrow with concern while Ladybug waves her hand dismissively.
"Don't mind him, he's just being dramatic. This is a quick fix, anyway. Watch!"
She pulls out Lucky Charm and fixes the entire theater as Adrien and Alya watch with appreciation, and when it's spotless, she walks up to Alya and taps her notebook.
"Hey, can I borrow a piece of paper?"
"Of course. What do you need it for?"
"I'm going to write a note to the Professeur saying that the only girl I want playing the role of Ladybug in this production is Marinette Dupain-Cheng."
Alya laughs. "Nice move."
The next day, the three of them exchange pleased glances when the school announcements wax poetic about how Ladybug secretly visited Francoise-Dupont yesterday and restored the theater back to its former glory.
And it's even sweeter when Professeur Seydoux announces at rehearsal that due to the restoration of the theater, the original cast will stay intact, and they are able to witness Chloe turning as red as a fire hydrant as she seethes with fury.
As they settle back into the rhythm of rehearsal, it suddenly occurs to Alya as she's setting up the lighting again that they have a huge, huge problem. And she can't believe that it hasn't occurred to any of them before.
She runs over to Marinette and Adrien, who are in the middle of practicing one of their action scenes, and drags them into a corner backstage, where nobody can hear them.
"We have a big problem."
Marinette and Adrien exchange glances. "What is it?"
"In case you've forgotten, both Ladybug and Chat Noir are invited to this play, since it's honoring the first anniversary of their appearance in Paris. But both of you are in this production. How exactly are you going to be in the play and in the audience at the same time?"
Nino comes out of the shadows. "I can help with that."