126. After compiling all of the signed papers together, Marinette calculated they had 126 signatures from citizens of Paris who want to keep skateboarding legal. It was a lot considering they only had one event so far, but surely the mayor would insist on more. They needed to meet up again as soon as possible and get more signatures.

Logging onto the skateboarding forum, Marinette was surprised to see how many tags her account, 'Ladybug', had gotten.

"This is bad!" Screamed one.

"I'm not sure I can do this anymore...." Sighed another.

All of them had a link attachment. Clicking on it, she was surprised to be taken to the Agreste brand website. Skimming over the post, Marinette saw that Mr. Agreste was putting out a reward for whoever could unmask all the skateboarders.

The forum was right, this was bad. If anyone figured out the members' true identities, they would be taken to the mayor, their parents, all the authority figures in Paris, and then how would they get more signatures? With the reward Mr. Agreste was offering, surely many people would be after them. They needed a plan, and fast.

As Ladybug, Marinette sent a message to Chat Noir:

Ladybug: Are you seeing this, Chat?

Chat Noir: Heard about it last night. Are you okay?

Ladybug: Worried. We can't let our identities get out.

Chat Noir: I know but... I think if we worked together without masks on, we may be able to get more signatures? It would make things easier to plan too.

Ladybug: No way. It could be disastrous. Anyone could be swayed by this reward to go after us, even our own. You realize that, right?

No response for a few minutes.

Chat Noir: I understand. Just wish I could help you more.

Ladybug: Help me by staying safe. Now- when are we going to meet up again? The sooner the better in my eyes, less people will know about the reward.

Chat Noir: Makes sense. What about in front of the mayor's house? Really send a message?

Ladybug: Can't, that's private property. The school?

Chat Noir: Point made. The school at nightfall then. I'll spread the word.

- - - - -

Adrien posted the time and place of the next meeting before quickly closing his laptop, hearing the door to his bedroom open.

"How are you feeling, son?" Asked his father.

"Fine, nothing hurts." Adrien replied coldly.

Gabriel Agreste visibly gulped and turned away to look out the window, arms folded behind his back, "I assume your attitude is because you saw the message I sent to the public."

"You'd be right."

The man quickly turned back around, "I am trying to protect you."

"By taking away one of the only activities in my schedule I got to choose for myself? The sport that I love?"

"I'd hardly call it a sport-"

"Father this whole situation is ridiculous, you can see it too, surely?"

"Anything that hurts my only child should not be accessible to the children of Paris." His father snapped back.

"You barely let me be a child!" Adrien retorted.

"That is enough!" Gabriel shouted.

Adrien fell silent for a moment before replying, "Could I least go visit Nino during the gap in my schedule now?"

"That boy is a bad influence."

"You can't ban him from Paris though...." Adrien grumbled.

With a sigh, Mr. Agreste said, "Fine. Fix your attitude by the time you get back. And don't stay out too late, with those hooligans on the street." He finished before leaving the room.

Adrien immediately started fixing up his cover, forming the pillows under his sheets to look like a body. His father rarely checked on him when he was working, so he wouldn't notice if his son came in the front door at night or not. He grabbed his bag and rushed out the door, ready to become Chat Noir once again.

- - - - -

Less than half of the people who showed up to the first protest returned. Ladybug knew it was due to the message from Gabriel Agreste, but it was still disheartening to see so many people turn away from the cause so quickly. At this rate it would just be her by the time everyone in Paris found out about the reward....

Chat Noir jumping up onto the picnic table she was sitting on jolted her out of her thoughts.

"Hello skaters of Paris!" He shouted out to the small crowd, pulling them forward with his call,

"Ladybug and I, Chat Noir, do not fear the threats of the oppressor, Gabriel Agreste, and you should not either! Only with all of our abilities and wills combined, can we avail, and bring this wonderful sport back to Paris streets!"

Chat Noir stepped down from his high up position on the picnic table and gracefully got down on his knee, taking Ladybug's hand in his own and bowing his head, giving it a small kiss before saying, "And I for one have faith in our fearless leader."

This made the crowd erupt in cheers, people raising their skateboards up in the air in protest.

"I wish I had as much faith as you." Ladybug whispered to Chat as he stood, giving him a side eye, "And must you always be so dramatic?"

"I can see that smile under all of your skepticism, and that smile motivates me, so I won't be stopping the dramatics anytime soon." Chat Noir replied with a wink.

The cheering suddenly came to a halt when a scream of, "RIDICULOUS!" roared over them. The crowd and the heroes turned, seeing none other than Chloe Bourgeois staring at them from across the street with her hands on her hips.

"You losers are utterly ridiculous!" Chloe echoed herself as she stomped forward, "I made my daddy make it so skateboarding is illegal, my Adrikins daddy sent out a bounty for your heads, and you still think you can go around my city in those silly outfits with your dangerous... boards!" The blonde pushed her way through the crowd so she was face to face with Ladybug herself, "If you know what's good for you, you'll hand over that stupid skateboard and take off your disguise. That's right! Just hand it over!" She said, holding out her hand expectantly.

Ladybug stared at the blonde in confusion. Looking over at the crowd, then to Chat Noir, then back to Chloe, she started to laugh.

"HA HA HA! Oh my goodness, did you really think it would be that easy Chloe?" Ladybug said, her small giggle turning into a full blown cackle.

The crowd started to laugh as well, Chat Noir joined too.

"What?" Chloe began to stammer, "W-Why are you laughing?! Tell me!"

Catching her breath, Ladybug smiled, "Oh I'll tell you," She stepped forward getting extremely close to Chloe's face, forcing the girl to take a step back, "You think because your father is mayor, you own the city. That you own us."

Ladybug took another step forward, and Chloe, another step back.

"But I hate to be the one to break it to you, Paris isn't a monarchy. You aren't a princess, even if you claim to be. Your father is an elected official. The people of Paris chose the mayor, and after they see that all he's done this term is ban a way of exercise for kids and block off a public park- well, I don't think many people will be voting for him! So you can complain all you want. We won't stop skateboarding, as it is not illegal yet- learn the law- and we have the right to protest your father's quote-on-quote reign. You got it?"

Chloe started stumbling backwards as Ladybug marched ahead.

"So unless you have an actual reason that would make us reveal our identities, I suggest you run back home to daddy."

The whoops and hollers from the crowd at this statement made Chloe turn bright red, from anger or embarrassment Ladybug didn't know, but Chloe began to run away back towards her hotel, and that's what mattered.

Chat Noir put a hand on Ladybug's shoulder, "Do you think she took any of that to heart?" He asked.

Ladybug shook her head, "Absolutely not. She'll be calling her father in a matter of seconds."

Ladybug knew that Chloe couldn't hurt her in this disguise, she didn't have the dirt or intimidation she did have on Marinette Dupain-Cheng. This gave her confidence, and even though it was temporary, she planned to use that confidence to lead people against bullies like Chloe.

"Now let's get skating!"

- - - - -

Chloe's father picked up after a few rings, and couldn't even get a hello in before Chloe started screaming about revenge.

"Chloe dearest, I am working my hardest to get this law passed, I promise they won't be able to skateboard for much longer!"

"That isn't fast enough!" Chloe retorted

"There's nothing else I can do, please come back to the hotel and leave those criminals to the police."

Chloe hung up. But as she started to make her way back home, her father's words repeated in her head. The police. Dialing a new number, she didn't even have to wait one ring for Sabrina to pick up.

"Yes Chloe?" Sabrina answered.

"Sabrina, your father the cop is utterly useless in this matter right now, so I'm ordering you to unmask those criminals!"

"B-But Chloe, how am I supposed to-"

"Sabrina, you're supposed to be smart! Think of something! Whatever it takes, it will get you that reward from Mr. Agreste, and it will make you my dearest friend."

"But I thought-"

"Get on it, Sabrina!" Chloe screamed before hanging up.

Sabrina gulped as her phone screen went dark, but quickly got up and started to get dressed. She had business to take care of, for Chloe.