It's time for the Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu Championship! If I win this, I'll move on to the next round, and soon I'll be in the Grand Prix Final!

... If everything goes well and I don't choke like last year.

My name was called. It was my turn to pull a number, determining my order in the competition.

'Anything but first... Anything but first....' I thought to myself.

I pulled the piece of paper out of the bag to reveal... The number one. "Oh no oh no oh no...." I mumbled under my breath as the assistant wrote down my name and said, "Congratulations Ms. Dupain-Cheng! You will skate first!"

I sighed as I walked back to my seat. "Don't worry Marinette," Adrien said, putting a hand on my shoulder to console me, "I drew first plenty of times, and I still made it!"

"Yeah, but you're... You." I replied.

I heard some muffled screaming.

"Marinette there's not need to be upset...." Adrien said, confused.

"That's... Not me...." I said, just as confused as him.

I looked to my right and saw a girl in a pink warmup suit, mumbling and smiling into her hands.

"Um... Are you alright?" Adrien asked, holding a hand out to her.

The girl put her hands down and have the biggest smile I've ever seen. Her eyes were bright blue and as wide as a deer's. She clutched her hands around her pixie cut of blonde hair, "I CAN'T BELIEVE I GOT TO SEE YOU DRAW THE FIRST SPOT AGAIN MARINETTE! NOT ONLY THAT BUT I GOT TO SEE YOU WITH THE ADRIEN AGRESTE!" She grabbed my hands, "WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE SUCH AN AMAZING SKATER WITH SUCH AN AMAZING COACH?!"

I blushed and looked at Adrien, who looked down at me and back at the girl, "I'm sorry," I said, "But have we met?"

The girl's jaw dropped. "WHAT?! Y-you don't remember me? I've been following your progress for years-"

Suddenly the assistant called the name, "Rose Lavillant!" And the young girl jumped up and ran to the assistant with her smile back on her face.

"Do you know her?" I asked Adrien as we watched the girl, Rose, draw the number four out of the bag. She did a little victory dance.

-----

Adrien and I went to practice with the other skaters. Adrien tried to cheer me up with a tiny stuffed animal version of his beloved cat, Plagg, who had begun to like me before we left.

"Plagg is cheering for you Marinette!" Adrien shouted from the behind the rim of the rink as I practiced my 'Ladybug' routine.

As I skated I felt someone staring at me. I looked around the room during a spin and saw that it was Rose. I continued to spin and tried to get myself back into my zone, but I couldn't help but listen to Rose's coach try to gain her attention.

"Don't lose focus!" The coach said, "Remember how you did at the Nationals last year! Don't let the other skaters distract you!"

I couldn't help but think this advice was aimed at me. As I finished my practice skate I thought of how I had cracked under pressure last year.

But I couldn't do that this year. I had to prove myself. I had to prove to the world that Adrien wasn't wasting his time on me.

I had to win.

For Adrien.

-----

I pushed through the crowd, trying to find a familiar face. We had just gone through a grueling interview, and Adrien said he was going to get changed, but I didn't expect he would take this long. I was about to go on and I didn't have a coach!

Eventually I found Alya, holding a sign with my name on it. I weaved my way through the crowd of people towards her.

"Alya! Have you seen Adrien? It's almost time for the competition!" I said.

Alya nodded to her left, "You can see why he's been caught up."

I looked in that direction. Adrien was in a designer tux that absolutely made my heart melt. Apparently I wasn't the only one with a melted heart. A swarm of teenage girls were surrounding him, he was smiling awkwardly. He looked up and made eye contact with me and shrugged.

I giggled and walked over to him. The girls parted and let me through, mumbling some things about me.

"What are you wearing?" I asked.

"It's my first time as a coach... I didn't know what to wear... My dad always told me 'when in doubt, dress your best'... So yeah." He said with a laugh, rubbing a hand through his hair, making all the girls swoon.

I laughed, "Come on Fancy Pants, let's get to the ice."

-----

"Ladies, your practice time is up, please leave the ice." The overhead speaker announced kindly. All of the other skaters left the ice, but since I was going first, I only skated over to Adrien.

He handed me my water bottle, but his usual smile wasn't on his face. I took a sip and wondered what was wrong.

"What's wrong Adrien?" I asked.

"Come here." He said sternly.

"What?"

"Just come closer."

Hesitantly I skated closer to the edge of the rink.

Suddenly Adrien snatched me up into a giant hug. I heard the paparazzi's cameras clicking.

"Show me that you're a hero." He whispered as let go and held my shoulders, "Show them all who Ladybug is."

At first I was shocked. I stood there with my mouth hanging open and my cheeks bright red, they must have blended in with the red face paint I put on for Ladybug's mask, then I nodded and skated out onto the ice as they announced my piece.

"Marinette will be skating to a piece called, 'Ladybug'" The announcers said.

I let out a deep breath as the music began.

Going through every movement, I tried to tell the story I had created in my head.

'In the daytime, I'm Marinette.' I thought, 'A normal girl with a normal life...' I span around and moved into position for my big jump, 'But there's something about me that no one knows yet... Because I...' I leaped into the air in a triple lutz, 'I am Ladybug!'

The audience burst into applause as I landed the jump.

Perfect. Know if I use this momentum to go into a quad...

I tried, but I over rotated as hand to put my hand on the ground in order to stay on my feet. That would be a significant reduction....

I tried not to let it bother me, but when I went into my jump combination I got nervous, causing what was meant to be a triple into a double.

'Brush it off, brush it off. Just get to the ending of the story!' I told myself, 'How did it go?' I went into the combination spin, 'Okay... Ladybug saves the city and everyone loves her, including the boy she secretly loves!'

I raised my hand into the air in victory, my ending pose. The audience clapped.

I skated back to the gate and put on my skate covers. Adrien talked to me about how I needed to focus on the performance instead of the jumps.

"I think in the free program you should lower the jump difficulty, so you can focus on performance." He said as we walked around the rink.

"But I need those points-"

"Marinette, when you aren't nervous, you can do anything. These jumps are making you nervous. I want to see you perform. Performance points can help you win."

I was awestruck. He really isn't just the pretty face the media makes him out to be.

The announcers announced my score over the speakers. I had a new personal best!

Someone jumped up behind me and wrapped me in a hug, "YOU DID SO GOOD LADYBUG!" I squirmed out of the hug and turned around to see Rose, who was bouncing on her heels and cupping her cheeks with her hands, "MARINETTE I LOVED YOUR PIECE! AND THE STORY IS AMAZING, IT REALLY SHOWS HOW LOVE ALWAYS CONQUERS HATE! I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE YOUR FREE SKATE!" And the girl ran off to do her own performance.

"Love... Love always conquers hate." I repeated. That was a good idea.

-----

Soon it was time for the free skate.

Since I went first in the short program, I would be going last in the free skate.

While I was stretching, Rose came up to me with a determined look on her face.

"Marinette, will you please watch my free skate piece? I really want you to see it. I want to show that I can be just as good as your 'Ladybug' piece!"

"Oh, um, sure Rose! Of course!"

She giggled and ran out to the ice rink.

As she took off her covers and skated off onto the ice, Adrien and I walked towards the edge of the rink.

"Skater Rose Lavillant will be skating to the piece, 'Princess Fragrance'" The announcers said over the speakers.

I suddenly remembered who she was, she beat at last years competition. She always said she wanted to be a Princess, even last year her pieces were to music from Princess ballets like Sleeping Beauty and Snow White.

I cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted, "GOOD LUCK ROSE! GOOD LUCK!"

Rose looked in my direction and smiled widely.

We watched her skate for most of the piece, then I had to go warm up.

I walked to a secluded spot then stretched.

-----

Soon it was my turn to skate. I walked to the edge of the rink to Adrien and took off my jacket, showing my new costume. It was made of a red silky material, sheer at the bottom of the skirt. I still wore a mask, but this costume was much more professional. Adrien had it made.

"You look great." Adrien said with a soft smile.

I blushed, "Thank you."

He held open the gate for me, "My Lady."

I rolled my eyes and smiled slightly as I skated out onto the ice.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng will be skating to a piece called 'Miraculous on Ice'."

I took a deep breath before the music started. Despite what Adrien has told me, I'm going to keep all of my quads in the program. I need to win.

The music at the beginning represented when I was feeling alone, my loss last year, etc.

I started by going into a quad double, Adrien had changed it to a triple, but I needed to save my stamina for the second half. I could feel a pang of guilt hit my stomach, what was Adrien thinking right now?

Soon the music changed to the part where Adrien came to my life.

I couldn't help but feel I wasn't doing the choreography to the best of my ability. Maybe it was because I was focusing to much on the jumps? It didn't matter right now, I had to focus!

The music softened. I let my arms flow free. This is where it shows that I've found something. Something like love.

As the music was revamped, I prepared myself for what was supposed to be a triple salchow, but in my head I prepared myself to make it a quad.

I leaped-

No! I landed it, but I touched the ground with my hand.

I shook it off, the crowd seemed to like it anyway.

Next a triple loop- Nailed it!

Then a triple axel- I barely made it through. But the crowd clapped.

Just before the music went into its crescendo, I could hear someone say, in a voice just loud enough for me to hear...

"I can't look away...."

Stay focused Marinette.

I went into the step sequence. This was actually fun. I wasn't just skating to win... I was skating for myself.

I can do this.

I jumped into a quad-

And-

... I slammed my face into the edge of the rink. The crowd gave a collective "ooooooh...."

I felt blood trickle down my face as I skated to center ice. I saw drops of blood fly off as I went into my spin combination.

I span and span and span at top speed until the music descended, and I rose into my ending pose, my arm outstretched... Towards Adrien. I didn't mean for that to happen, it just did.

The music came to an end and the audience burst into applause, but I only looked at Adrien. I nervously wrung my hands, and gave him a shrug.

Adrien first ran a hand through his hair and looked at the floor. I felt guilt pang through my stomach. Then he looked up and held his arms out.

I smiled widely and skated across the ice as fast as I could, and I ran into his arms. I didn't want to move. I just wanted to stay in his arms forever.

Adrien pushed me off gently. He wiped the blood off of my nose, "We better get you some tissues, my little Ladybug." He said with a laugh.

-----

I wore my formal attire at the press conference. The other skaters that had qualified for the Cup of China were also there, but I was to be revealing my theme for this year first. I nervously held my card with my theme written on it and bounced in my seat, waiting for my name to be called.

"Skater Dupain-Cheng?" The announcer asked, "Your theme?"

I stood up and shakily placed my card on the stand. The photographers clicked photos and the reporters ooohed and ahhhed.

The sign said, "The power of love."

The announcer handed me his microphone and I said, "I felt along for so long... I felt as if I couldn't do anything... T-then I met Adrien." My voice grew stronger, "As I got to know him, a feeling grew inside me. I don't really know what that feeling is yet, but I've decided to call it love. And love has power. It can help you do anything. It's limitless! And I know, that with this power I can bust through all of my limits and win the Grand Prix Final!"

-----

Author's Note:

HEYO WHAT IS UP MY HOMIES!

Sorry it took so long for this chapter to come up, but choosing which character goes with which character is really hard (Especially when it comes to choosing for my smol bean Minimi)

THANK YOU FOR 200+ FOLLOWERS I APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH!

Also, once I'm close to done with this fanfic I'm going to start either or both a Percy Jackson fanfic and/or another Miraculous Ladybug fanfic.

See you in the next chapter!

<3

~The Author