A/N: Hi everyone! This is the sequel to my story, One Truth and a Lie, so please read it first before starting this. Thank you to everyone who followed my story this long! I'm a few chapters ahead, and I'm hoping to stay that way and post somewhat consistently.

Just to be clear, this entire storyline started with the episode Ladybug, but since I'm so used to typing Shadow Moth at this point, I figured he would change his name even if he didn't merge both Miraculous, so we're going to say that his name has changed but not much else.

Thank you to Zoey2301, NimbusRider, Cold-heart-Angel23, LustLets, and Libra-no-ninja9 for the reviews/support at the end of my previous story. I'm glad you enjoyed my story, and hope that you'll like this one. Now, I present to you, One Chance at the Truth.

Adrien/Cat Noir P.O.V.

The breeze is nice and warm, with the first tastes of summer. It's pleasant out today, but it would be nicer if I wasn't waiting for Nino to finish his motivational speech.

"...and after the disaster of last year's film, we need to step up our game," my best friend finishes, balancing awkwardly on top of a movie trailer we rented for storing costumes and makeup. "Final two scenes today. Who's with me?"

From the side, Alix groans, tightening the laces on her rollerblades. "Nino, we've been over this. We'll never get it done if you don't start filming!"

"The public is only held off for an hour, and we've already gone into fifteen minutes of that time," Max sighs, leaning over the soundboard he's manning.

"Come on!" And of course, there's Alya too, one of the main actors in this film Nino has dreamed up. "This is important, you guys." Honestly, I don't have my whole heart in this, even though I know it means a lot to Nino.

No, lately, I'm too distracted to focus my energy on anything that isn't work. Certainly not memorizing a script that I helped him write, because my mind is everywhere else. So instead of being "that one character," as he asked me to play, I'm playing a minor role.

Nino, sighing, climbs down to take his spot by the cameras. "Okay, rolling in three… two… action!"

And I tune out everything; my eyes have now become focused on the horizon, where I half-expect a supervillain to appear. They're more frequent these days, which is why Tikki always travels with me everywhere to purify akumas when I can't spare my Cataclysm. I can't use both Miraculous without activating the ultimate power… and I pleaded with Master Fu not to choose a replacement holder. No one could replace her.

I'm just tired, way too tired for this. But I promised Nino, so here I am. Crying on the inside, as they would say. And lately, I think I have reason to.

"Adrien." Chloe sighs, breaking into my train of thought; she's standing in the area, too, checking her phone, because it's a miracle she was allowed to watch us film at all. "Your cue?"

"Right." My eyes fall on the scene ahead. "Why didn't you try out for this?"

"Why would I try out for an amateur film, Adrien?" Tossing her blonde hair, she leans against the trailer behind her. "I came to watch because I had nothing better to do. Plus, Sabrina's here, too."

At least she's ceased calling me nicknames now, but then a lot of things have changed. For example, our whole school's dynamic. Everything that made our class close-knit has unraveled, and this is Nino's contribution to keeping everyone together.

Our lead actors, who are, naturally, Mylène and Ivan, are just about to kiss when Nino catches my eye from behind the camera and nods. My cue. Sighing, I dash onscreen, trying to look as frantic as possible as an explosion sounds from the soundboard. "Run!"

There, my one line. Then I'm off-screen as the special effects take hold, and Sabrina, who's playing the villain, steps out from a plume of red smoke. Our effects have certainly gotten better, but I guess it takes better funding, too. Chloe contributed what I couldn't upon my request. She's better than she was before, and that says a lot.

The only thing that really sucks is the costume. Because- surprise, surprise- the one person who provided costumes is gone. She's gone… and hopefully doing better than I am.

Sabrina isn't too convincing in the red-magenta rental suit, which is actually more red-orange and tacky, but she plays her character well. "I told you, we're meant to be!" she cries, pointing with drama at Ivan, who, of course, backs up, though he narrowly misses tripping, something that happens a lot. "Now you'll see what happens to those who defy me!"

She has a wicked cackle; I'll give her that. It really sends chills through me, bringing me back to attention as two light flashes accompany the sound of thunder that rumbles the ground beneath us. Alya switches on the fog machine, and red smoke pours out, clouding the screen as Nino pans the camera away, closing the scene with Sabrina's laugh.

"That's a wrap- everyone pack up so we can get to the next spot!" he calls, and a series of cheers sound as Ivan, Mylène, and Sabrina wave away the smoke and step over to the trailer to change into their next costumes.

I stand off to the side as everyone packs up their things, watching the boats traveling below us on the river. Vaguely, I can recall Reverser's akumatization, fighting him here. More specifically, me jumping into my partner's arms before we toppled over the edge of the bridge.

Glancing down, I wince. "Did we really fall so far that day?"

From my pocket, Tikki and Plagg peer out to examine the scene. "Looks like it," Plagg remarks, unconcerned.

"It's good that your powers were protecting you when Reverser attacked," she remarks. "The effects of his reverse spells would have affected you much more if you were not transformed."

"Hopefully I never know what that feels like," I mutter; Tikki shrugs before disappearing into my pocket again with Plagg. They like to make commentary on things like this, but only to me. Around Nino, who obviously knows my identity, they still find it weird.

"Dude." From behind, Nino taps my shoulder; it explains why the kwamis disappeared so quickly. "Something up?"

"Non, I'm fine. What, did I miss something?"

"You did fine, Adrien…" He frowns, twisting his jade bracelet. "Between you refusing to take a main role and how distracted you've been lately, I figured something was wrong."

"Nothing's wrong," I sigh. "Come on; where are we going next?"

"Well, the final fight scene is in the courtyard of L'Arc de Triomphe, but seriously, bro. What's up?" I stay silent, fingering my ring. He thinks it over for a moment. "You stressed?"

I shrug. "I mean, yeah…"

"Non, that's not it." He scrutinizes me and then sighs deeply. "Missing her again?"

This time I nod, because that's probably the biggest thing on my mind right now- Marinette, and how much I miss her even six months later.

"Why haven't you tried contacting her?" he sighs, lowering his voice to a whisper in case anyone is listening as they pass by. "Mari definitely misses you, too."

"Je ne sais pas…"

"She does."

"I don't have her new number," I mumble. "You said she changed it after the hate messages quadrupled… and with good reason."

"I can just give it to you-"

"Non." I turn my head away. "It's fine, Nino. I'm okay."

Nino falls silent for a moment, obviously thinking this over again, but then he speaks once more, even quieter. "It's because of what happened right before she got on that train, huh?"

Even if I was trying to hide it, I cringe, immediately giving away that this is the reason I can't let myself contact Marinette because of what happened.

If Nino hadn't been involved, I wouldn't have told him, but he saw me running off after dropping Marinette off at her home that day. She was less than an hour from leaving Paris, and he called me over and spent probably thirty minutes trying to convince me to go tell her that I still had feelings for her.

I didn't see the point, not until we got there (Nino insisted on coming along to make sure I didn't chicken out, but he stayed out of sight.) I told Marinette… I told her that I was still in love with her.

I just wanted it off my chest… I didn't know if she still knew this, but I felt I had matured… to the point where her knowing about my feelings meant more. I never, ever imagined that she would tell me that she loved me. Somehow… somehow, Marinette fell in love with me, for real.

Of course, after I figured out her identity, I knew she had panicked and pretended to have feelings for me as a cover that one time. She probably didn't expect such a backlash, but I knew she wasn't really in love with me. Which was why this declaration, so open and genuine, caught me entirely off guard.

And she kissed me. Well… we kissed, though I wasn't expecting it at first. For a moment, I was able to forget everything and just take it in. She loved me.

It hurt more than I could ever have imagined when she left, when she walked away, and I had no choice but to watch her leave. I don't know what I was thinking when I spoke my last words to her through the window of her train car. I told her I would love her forever… and though I was shocked at myself at first, I'm starting to wonder if I was right. If I'll be heartbroken over her forever.

I know she heard me, or at least read my lips. She looked stunned at them, but her last gaze at me was full of meaning… full of love.

I don't know if she's getting over me, but I do know that if I take a risk and try to find that out, I might end up heartbroken all over again and ruin whatever she's started to do with her life since we separated. I'm sure someone else is worthy of her affection, and it's not like we don't have the rest of our lives to find someone else.

I can't make up my mind, and lately, it's been driving me crazy. And Nino seems to get that.

"You know," he starts, "it's never too late to find out."

"I can't, Nino." My fists tighten on the bridge rail, and I keep my gaze away from everything except the water. "It wouldn't work. You know it wouldn't work."

He sighs. "You tell yourself that…" he mumbles. "Well… let's go. That final scene won't shoot itself."

I'm not in the next scene, so naturally, I stay off to the side, watching the fight scene unfold with many special effects. We have to redo a lot of takes, but we're finally getting to the part where the hero has to step in and fight the villain (the hero would be Alya in this movie) when my phone buzzes with an akuma alert.

Nino glances up from his spot; clearly he's gotten the alert, too, and his eyes go wide in panic. I know the feeling- usually, his big movies always get interrupted by something like this, and typically an alert like this would mean he'd have to abandon his movie to help me.

I shake my head silently at him, backing away. "I'll handle it," I whisper, and he nods quickly, his eyes widening in gratitude as I turn and hurry away from the film site.

"Ugh," Plagg groans as I veer around a corner into an alley several yards away. "Akuma already?"

"Unfortunately." I sigh deeply. "Hopefully we can keep it away from here so Nino can finish his scene."

Tikki peers out and nods hopefully. "Maybe it's a smaller one?"

"Right." I nod. "Let's get this over with. Plagg, claws out."

But it's all wishful thinking, because when I find the site where the supervillain is, all the hope of this being a quick and easy fight leaves me. "What were the odds of it being him?"

Tikki, perched on my shoulder, releases a sigh before darting out of sight into one of my pockets. None other than Reverser is down the street, pursuing a man who looks a lot like a publisher. His ears must have been burning.

Pulling out my stick, I take a deep breath and launch myself forward toward the fight, taking a moment in the air to observe what's going on. Nothing looks like it has changed, except Reverser is shouting, "You're going to appreciate my exposé, or nothing in Paris will ever look the same to you again!"

"Didn't know he wrote exposés," I sigh to myself, coming down. I land just in front of the man as he trips and focus my gaze on Reverser, even as I speak to him. "Hey, you. Get somewhere hidden."

The publisher runs off, and furious, Reverser raises a paper airplane toward me and snaps, "You're going to support me, too!"

Deftly avoiding it, I question, "And what's this exposé even about?"

"It's- wait. Hey." He tilts his head suddenly, studying me as his large paper airplane lowers to almost street level. "You look different. What's up with your suit?"

A heavy sigh escapes me. "This again? It's no big deal."

Okay, so maybe Plagg changed up my suit a bit. It has a hood now, rimmed with a green fabric. A strange neon green outlines the creases of the leather suit around me, which apparently looks cooler, and… not much else has really changed.

It actually doesn't matter to me, because here I am, defending Paris alone- who's going to notice? Who's close enough to me to see it a lot? Nino, maybe, but that's it. And maybe Alya, except I haven't spoken to her much for a while. But Parisians make a big deal out of it whenever they finally notice.

It has taken citizens months, literally months, to start noticing this simple change. It's really starting to get on my nerves.

At least I can take his pause to my advantage. Running forward, I leap up and kick him right off of his transport- he doesn't have time to react as he's thrown back across the street. In one swift move, I tear the large airplane through the middle but even crushed under my foot, there's no akuma. Wonderful.

Another paper airplane whistles by my ear and I back up, trying to get a good look at Reverser while he's trying to hit me. Go figure, he looks different now. It has been almost a year since he was last akumatized- a true achievement. But I guess now, his akuma is wherever he's getting those paper airplanes he won't stop throwing at me. I can't tell if they're appearing in his hands or what.

"So…" I figure it's better to find out where he was when he was akumatized- and for that, I need some context. "What's this exposé?"

He scowls, but doesn't seem to have a problem with telling me. "I wrote a piece to expose what really happened six months ago."

My whole body tenses up. "You mean… with Ladybug?"

"Bien sûr, and it took a lot of research!" He folds his arms. "I was out for three weeks and missed everything, but I spoke with so many people on the matter because it didn't make sense to me!"

"It didn't make sense to anyone, but no one admitted it," I mumble, thinking it over. "And you believe…"

"Well, it wouldn't be an exposé if I believed this garbage about her bullying Lila. I didn't know who Lila was before this." Reverser narrows his eyes. "No publisher in this city will even consider it! Not even that guy- he hasn't published anything in months, and he still won't take my work!"

I raise an eyebrow. "I mean, did you expect them to? Hardly anyone in Paris actually believes that, and they aren't open to changing-"

"That's enough!" The glowing outline on his face must remind him that he's against me, too, because he lunges forward with another paper airplane, and I barely get the chance to dodge it. "I bet you didn't believe her, either! I saw the news- you didn't defend her!"

It doesn't take a smart person to figure out why that was. Because Hawk Moth was still there- back when he was Hawk Moth, that is- and he was still closing in on us at the time. What could I have done when only a moment later, he tried to take her Miraculous and throw her off the tower?

Seeing as there's no reasoning with him, I move on to my next tactic- beating him to the akuma. I know where the publisher guy went, so I deflect another paper airplane back at Reverser; he dodges it, and I take that time to run down the street toward the nearest train station.

Finding the man about to board the subway, I catch his arm and pull him away. "Hey- where is your office? Where did you meet with Marc?"

"That kid who attacked me?" The man scowls. "He found me on the street and asked me to publish in person after I returned his work. Of course I didn't, but he had this whole manuscript that he'd revised, instead of printing it out, and-"

"Right, right." I back up, wondering if I could be so lucky as to get this over with like that. "That works. Merci, monsieur."

"Teach him his place!" the man calls after me as I run toward the opposite exit, and I can't help rolling my eyes. Sure, Marc went a bit far on all this, and I'm not supposed to, but I kind of hope he follows me into the train station and takes care of that publisher himself. What a jerk.

Down the street from where I was just fighting Reverser, I find torn pages. Probably the remains of the manuscript, but even the fragments contain good writing. Looks like he really was trying to expose Lila as a liar and clear Marinette's name, but by this point, I know better than to hope it would work.

The full manuscript isn't here, but I think I know where Reverser has it. I just need to find him and sneak up on him, which would work better if I had someone's help. Since I can't pull Nino away from his work right now, it's up to me.

"This one's difficult," I mumble as I make my way up to a rooftop, keeping a close eye out for Reverser. "Tikki, be ready to catch the akuma."

She peers out of my pocket to give a determined nod, and I continue across the city in search of Reverser. And when I find him… of course. Of course, he's found the publisher and is closing in on him again.

"You have one last chance," Reverser snaps. "Publish my manuscript, or I'll make sure you never have a client again!"

"You'll make sure of that the moment I publish your work!" the man fires back, regrettably, because then, a paper airplane hits him full in the face and he starts talking backward. That's new.

I sneak around the back of him through an alleyway, catching sight of the bag that he's been carrying this whole time. I just need to use my power on the whole thing, and hopefully, I can quickly get away with the akuma. When I'm sure he's still focused on the man in front of him, I lunge out at Reverser, out into the open.

And he turns almost immediately despite my silent approach- he was waiting for that, I realize far too late as I skid to a stop and reach for my stick to deflect the paper airplane I know is coming. But it's too late- it's already in flight, and the stick slips from my hands… and…

A bright green shield surrounds me out of nowhere- I look back to see Carapace on the roof above with a grin. "Finish him off!" he calls. "I got you covered!"

The shield still around me, I manage to get around Reverser as his paper airplanes bounce uselessly off of my protection. He shouts angrily, but is seemingly less coordinated when up close. Just as I slide around to grab his bag, the shield disappears, and I call my power. "Cataclysm!" And his bag crumbles into dust, the papers inside going with them.

Tikki is quick to dart out of her hiding spot and lunge at the akuma, purifying it with a single touch. Reverser immediately transforms back to Marc, who scowls irritably at the publisher who is still speaking backward. Which I ignore, because Tikki will use her next power in a moment, anyways.

Carapace leaps down to join me, and I lower my voice and mumble, "I took the job so you could finish filming- you didn't have to come!"

"How would you have used your power if you were speaking backward like that guy?" he replies.

"I've done it before. Seriously."

"Look, one of the costumes got ripped and while it was getting repaired, I figured I could take a quick ten minutes. And it's been a bit over ten minutes, but…" He shrugs. "Look, dude, you deserve help when you can get it. And that's my job."

A sigh passes my lips, but he did just save me a lot more effort. And I really need that these days. "Merci, Carapace. I'll… take care of the rest- go back to filming."

He nods with a quick grin crossing his face. "You heading back after?"

"Bien sûr." Even if I don't really want to. But I can't let Nino know that, so I manage a smile until he's gone, and then turn to face Marc. By now, the familiar magical ladybugs are repairing the city, so I approach him as Tikki flies back to my pocket again.

"Hey." I offer him a hand up, and he reluctantly takes it and stands, gathering his bag again and the rejected manuscript. "I heard about your exposé."

He huffs. "Yeah, but publishers don't want it."

"Maybe self-publish?" He doesn't answer. "Look, I'd like to read it. I'm sure there's plenty of people who would promote it, and maybe you could convince your readers about Marinette."

"I want to." He tugs his hood further down. "I haven't been able to talk with her, because she changed her number, and I can't find anyone to believe her. Except you, I guess." Marc scowls at me. "Did you from the beginning? Before you knew she was-"

"Of course I did. Who do you think knew Lila's true nature from the start?" I protest. In my head echoes her name. Marinette must have known from the start, before anyone else, but I stick by my answer nonetheless. "I don't have time to go through this… and frankly, it won't do anyone any good hearing my opinion. They didn't listen before, so why would they now?"

"Maybe you should try again."

I raise my eyebrow at this shy writer, giving me advice. It's good advice, but I have to move away from the subject because I know what Marinette wanted.

I want her back, but I still worry that she doesn't need me messing up her new life. Plus, I have to weigh my options. Is Lila doing enough damage nowadays for this to be crucial? Am I willing to take that risk when the city is already wary of me lately?

"I'll think about it." I back up, hearing my ring beeping again. "Bon chance, Marc. I think you'll find a way to get your work published. Keep trying."

"Thanks," he calls half-heartedly. It's the best I can do, because nothing is going to change that publisher's mind, the way he was talking. It's enough to infuriate me, just thinking about ignorant people like him.

I make my way across the rooftops toward the courtyard where they're finishing up filming, finding a safe spot on a rooftop to detransform. It's nice up here; the breeze is still nice and cool against the sunlight. Summer has always been my favorite season, but even the nice weather isn't going to cheer me up right now.

Plagg and Tikki, of course, are trying their best. As I lean my back against a chimney, letting them get back their energy, they exchange a glance I know well by now. Ever since Tikki moved in, she and Plagg have been giving each other that look, conspiring behind my back.

"Adrien, maybe Marc was right about speaking up," Tikki finally points out. "It's been a while, and Lila can't get away with this forever."

"I don't know what she would want, though," I mumble. "Besides… Lila actually hasn't been horrible lately. It's not like she's doing the same thing to anyone else right now, so she's not a major threat."

It was no surprise to me when Lila ran for class president a few months ago, with Alya as her vice, and won unanimously. Exempt from me. Because I ran with Nino as my vice president, and people didn't even listen to my speech. It was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life.

I didn't have to bring up Marinette. At this point, she was fresh in everyone's minds, and sympathy was high for Lila, who was still recovering from the "trauma" left by Marinette. Her speech was all about improving anti-bullying methods and bringing the whole school together in union. She didn't go into specifics. And Alya kept wincing. The whole time.

Maybe it wasn't a big deal to anyone when Mylène voiced that she would've run for vice president, and Alya immediately dropped to give Mylène her spot. But it was a big deal to me, because something makes me wonder if Alya is as adoring of Lila as she seems. But then again, this is all old news. She betrayed Marinette for Lila, and what would have changed?

I actually managed to keep my ideas specific when I ran- raising money for our school so that new advancements could be established. My biggest idea was installing an elevator so that moving around the school would be easier, and we could have kids with physical disabilities able to attend. And I felt like it would actually gain some support.

What I got instead was everyone in the class looking away at their phones or notes or having side conversations. It was obvious they were doing it on purpose. Mme. Bustier, so busy speaking with Lila off to the side, didn't even reprimand them. That day is the reason I've retracted from a social life so much since. I can't go through anything like that again.

It's not like I didn't speak with everyone else after. Mme. Bustier apologized for being so busy with Lila and offered to let me rethink a speech for a second vote, but I couldn't do that to myself. Nino and I went around talking to our classmates… or trying. No one would specifically answer if Nino asked about their lack of respect for my speech, and no one would answer at all if I asked.

I don't know what was up with them or why everyone started being so rude to me out of nowhere, but I don't care. At least, I don't want to care. I have Nino- I have Chloe and Sabrina, even if things are a bit weird still. And I have Kagami, so who cares? Who cares about all this?

"She has her eye on you, kid." Plagg rolls his eyes. "She's a cheap cheese trying to spoil your camembert and other delicacies, and keeping her around with just spread the sourness to every other cheese on the plate-"

"Plagg, enough with the cheese metaphors." Tikki gulps down the rest of her macaron whole and rises up to face me. "But Stinky Sock is right for once."

"For once?"

"You know deep down that Lila made everyone uneasy about you before the campaign, even if you never admit it," Tikki continues. I swallow hard and avert my gaze at this, because it's true. Too true. "You're on thin ice, and with what happened to Marinette? You can't wait for her to spread lies about you, Adrien."

"Even if she isn't spreading them now," Plagg puts in, "do you really want to give her a chance to? It's been months, kid. She's had her fun, and now she should be paying in full for what she did."

I tip my head back, gazing upward at the clear blue sky. "If Marinette couldn't do it, what makes you think I can prove she was innocent? The only evidence that still stands is Lila's own words. How would I get her to admit what she did again? After all the evidence was destroyed last time?"

Neither of the kwamis have an answer to that. I stand up and cross the roof carefully to a staircase on the side of the building. Taking a look at the view once again, I can't help but whisper to myself, "What I should really focus on is getting back the butterfly Miraculous. He's more of a threat now."

Heading down, I consider that maybe, because he no longer has the peacock Miraculous as backup, I can take him on. Even so, Ladybug and I already had such a hard time facing him in the past. Now I'm alone, and Hawk Moth has upgraded himself to Shadow Moth (the only thing he's gained is knowledge from the translated Grimoire, but it hasn't done much for him except change his look.)

It's still intimidating. I have Nino, of course, and on occasion, I call on other heroes for help. Those being Ryuko (and very rarely, Queen Bee), not to mention a new hero, Traquemoiselle. Sabrina Raincomprix, of course. But even then, even though Nino has his Miraculous at all times, Chloe knows how to signal me, Sabrina is typically with her, and Kagami will literally take on akumas with or without Miraculous… it scares me to think of taking on Shadow Moth, defeating him for good.

Even if I can't simply put things back to the way they were, bring Marinette back and resume our lives from six months ago… I want to have my partner back. It's not safe for her to have a Miraculous, nor be in Paris, when Hawk Moth knows her identity, knows how much I care about her. I can't let her be kidnapped again.

And there's the peacock Miraculous effects, which have still been affecting her even this long after. Master Fu has mentioned that she's improving but still sends her the remedial tea anyways. I can't ignore that he looks worried every time he seals up a new package.

My first step to getting my partner back is stopping Shadow Moth, but it's going to take more than that. It's the most essential only because if I don't defeat him, he might end up defeating me.

Luckily, filming the last scene goes off without a hitch; the second half goes better than Nino expected, and he excitedly shows me all the footage when I make my way back to the filming spot. "I think we're ready to put this together at the school and submit it tomorrow," he eagerly tells me. "Maybe we could film a bonus scene, but I want to get these saved. This film is going to win for sure!"

"I hope so," I admit. "You put a lot of work into this."

"What was up with Marc, anyways?" he questions as we follow the large group toward the bus stop. "Writing stress or something?"

"There was a publisher rejecting his work." I lower my voice. "It was an exposé about Marinette's… innocence."

His eyes light up. "No way!"

"He wasn't around for everything that happened, so he has no reason to believe Lila."

"But he can't get it published? That sucks." He side-eyes me. "Maybe you could help out with that. I know you want her back, and maybe it's about time we found some more evidence to stop Lila."

"That's what I was saying!" Plagg complains, flying out of my pocket briefly. "But apparently, Lila would have to admit what she did to prove Marinette innocent, or there's no other proof."

"That's sort of true," Nino sighs. "It doesn't mean we can't try."

"Look, you're the only one in contact with her- isn't she happy in her new life?" I question, silently hoping that she isn't. Please don't be.

"Very," Nino proclaims, not seeming to notice my hope fading. "But that's not- oh. I mean, I'm sure she wants to come back here, but-"

"There's no point, Nino. I don't want to pull her away if she has something better in… where was it? Up in Quimper?"

"Bellerose Academy, I think. I don't know, it sounds kinda stiff; not her style. And she must miss Paris."

"We can't decide that for her." Taking my seat at the back of the bus, I can't ignore the stares that followed me down the aisle. Distrustful stares, because there's no denying that Lila has had me on thin ice for a while. Since Marinette left, actually.

"She must know that we need her back, too." Nino tips his head back against the seat. "Look, I guess we can leave the whole thing alone for a bit. But you two were seriously made for each other. I bet the universe is going to find some way to bring you back together."

"I hope so," I whisper, gazing out the window as the bus pulls away.

The moment we've stepped off the bus at the school, however, a flurry of motion sends us immediately into the courtyard, pushed along on every side from other students. "What's going on?" Nino calls, but there's no answer.

But there is a voice speaking out over the crowd; Lila. My eyes narrow as she steps up, halfway up the staircase so she's above the courtyard full of students. The same staircase, I recall, as the one she pretended to be pushed down. She even pretends that staircase brings back traumatic memories.

"Tout le monde!" she calls out, and the chatter and buzz dies down as she shouts out over the student body. "Who's ready for a surprise trip?"

A shocked silence falls over the crowd, and then deafening cheers as people chant, "Lila! Lila!" More like, "Lie-la! Lie-la! Lie-la!"

"Okay, okay! I know you're excited!" she calls with a grin that's more fake than every injury she's ever gotten. "Françoise Dupont collège-lycée is finally participating in the nationals of the Extracurriculars Tournament!"

More thunderous applause and cheering rising, nearly deafening, and through the din, I shout to Nino, "What's that?"

"It's an event by the schools in northern France," Nino explains, raising his voice to be heard. "It tests on all sorts of skills- you know, athletics, sciences, arts... but we've never made it to nationals before. That's what the video game competition was for last year. The one you almost participated in."

"We won, but didn't make it to the nationals," I recall, wondering why I never asked what this whole competition was about when I came into contact with it. "Sounds fun, I guess? Maybe that's why we've been training so hard in fencing lately."

The crowd quiets down, and Lila, reading off a tablet one of the teachers handed to her, explains, "Sign-up sheets are posted around the school; everyone must have a valid permission form if they plan to come on the trip." She goes through the whole list of permissions and rules, before continuing, "Categories will be announced when we get there- and the school we're visiting is Quimper's very own Bellerose Academy!"

Fewer cheers this time because everyone has gotten their excitement out. I merely shrug it off, wondering if I can get my father to let me go… but then I turn, and Nino has gone deathly pale beside me. "You okay, dude?"

"Adrien." Nino turns to me, eyes wide. "That school… did she say Bellerose Academy?"

The name does sound familiar, actually. I nod, and he raises his hands to his face and takes a deep breath, releasing it in a sort-of moan. "Well, now we do know that Lila is planning something new."

"How so?"

"Bellerose Academy?" He lifts his head slightly, his expression grim. "Adrien, that's Marinette's boarding school. We're not bringing her back to Paris, we're going to see her ourselves."