"Miraculous Ladybug!"

Ladybug watched as her lucky charm - a pair of scissors - exploded into a million little ladybugs, working to repair all the damage caused by the latest akuma along with their sentimonster.

Resurrecting those killed in the crossfire...

Ladybug blankly watched the ladybugs disperse, her mind racing.

The information Tikki had told her was flying through her brain.

The broken miraculous, the terrifying consequences...

It was almost too much.

"Bugaboo, is there a problem?"

Ladybug jumped, at the sound of Chat Noir's voice, and she turned to him - realizing that he had his fist raised.

She pounded it quickly, shaking her head.

"There's no problem - just... have a lot on my mind is all."

There was no anger in her words, just exhaustion.

The ceremony must've taken more out of her than she thought...

A beep sounded through the air as her miraculous went off.

Two minutes left.

"We should go," Ladybug sighed, reaching for her yo-yo.

"Don't you want to tell me what's wrong instead?" Chat Noir asked before she could throw it, "You didn't even react when I called you Bugaboo."

"I'm just a little tired and need some time to process something I learned recently."

There was silence for a moment.

"I know the ideal place for that," Chat Noir promised.

Ladybug looked at him in surprise, "You do?"

She was thankful he didn't push the issue.

Yet, anyway.

"Of course, m'lady - why don't you find somewhere to recharge before we go?"

Just as he spoke, a beeping sound emitted from her earrings.

One minute left.

"Sure thing."

One recharge later and the two heroes met back up, Ladybug following Chat Noir's lead, curious to the place he found.

Was it a quiet garden?

Maybe it was a place near the seine?
Maybe it was-

"A theatre?" Ladybug questioned when they landed in front of a familiar building, "Chat-"

"Shh, I thought you didn't want to talk."

Ladybug bristled, "I didn't say that! I just told you I needed some time."

"And I'm giving you that time."

"I'm not going on a date with you," Ladybug sighed, clenching her hand around her yoyo.

"Don't think of it as a 'date' then, my lady," Chat Noir suggested.

Ladybug just gave him a hard stare, with a raised eyebrow.

"Okay, so that's a no..."

"I don't know how many times I have to tell you this; but I'm in love with someone else!"

Chat Noir didn't say anything to that.
Ladybug sighed, throwing her yoyo in the distance, "I'll see you around, Chat."

With a tug of her yo-yo, she was off; swinging from building to building with her yo-yo.

Letting the wind whip past her, the whistling so loud it blocked all of her thoughts before she could form them.

It was comforting.

Maybe she should do this more often?

But all too soon, Ladybug landed on her balcony, plopping face first onto her bed and letting out a groan into her pillow.

She really should have expected that...

Of course Chat Noir would take any opportunity to flirt with her.

Of course Chat Noir would take advantage of the situation...

With a sigh, she released her transformation.

"Marinette?"

"I just need a moment, Tikki," Marinette sighed.

Everything just seemed like too much now.

The ceremony, the long akuma fight, Chat Noir...

... Marinette was exhausted.

With another sigh, she got up and made her way over to the cupboard with the miracle box in it.

Hopefully soon she'd get the puzzle box done.

The design was finalized for both that and the new miracle box - she just had to get the materials for both...

Would she have time to do that tonight..?

"Marinette?"

Tikki's concerned voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Sorry," Marinette mumbled, opening the cupboard fully.

She tapped the miracle box with the special code she and the kwami came up with.

Three taps.

A pause.

One more followed by another pause and finally two more taps.

She stifled a yawn as the kwami all flew out, "So what's next on the schedule? Preparing for the ritual? Or wait, more guardian training? Tikki and I got interrupted with that akuma after all."

"Marinette, you should rest - the ceremony takes a lot out of you, and you've been fighting that akuma and sentimonster for at least half an hour," Tikki scolded.

"There's still so much to do Tikki, I have to go shopping for the different materials I need, make the puzzle box, prepare for the ritual, not to mention reading the rest of the grimoire-"

Marinette was cut off by all of her kwami flying into her arms in a big group hug.

"You don't have to do all of that yourself," Wayzz told her softly.

"Yeah, that's what we're here for," Xuppu added loudly.

Marinette wrapped her arms around the tiny bodies in response.

"Let us gather the materials for the ritual at least," Daizzi replied.

"Kalkki can open the portals for that," Trixx suggested.

"What?!" Kalkki huffed, flying over, "Absolutely not Trixx, that would be highly irresponsible!"

"You know what happens when a kwami uses their powers without a holder," Wayzz added.

"You mean like you did a couple weeks ago Wayzz?" Trixx huffed.

"Marinette fixed the damage before it became a problem - besides, it was necessary, Su-Han would've gotten the box otherwise," Wayzz argued, pouting just a little.

"So, you're saying that if there's an emergency; then I can use my powers?" Trixx concluded cheekily.

Wayzz just sighed, "Trixx, please."

"There has to be a way for you to practice without causing disasters," Marinette piped up, interrupting Trixx's response.

Wayzz thought for a moment, "Well... we can probably practice in the miracle box - it's a pocket dimension, so it doesn't affect the outside world."

"I... suppose that could work," Trixx grumbled.

"I want to get a better handle on my powers too!" Fluff piped up excitedly.

"I do too!" Ziggy shouted.
"Me too!" Daizzi flew around excitedly.

"Me three!" Xuppu cut in.

"We'll all practice so we can help you my queen," Pollen cheered from her spot on Marinette's head.

It was touching that they wanted to help her out, it really was.

It felt... nice...

"But for now, you ssssshould ressssst," Sass piped up, trying - and failing - to sound intimidating.

Marinette giggled, "Alright - I suppose a quick nap wouldn't hurt."

She didn't bother changing out of her clothes, falling into her bed with a sigh.

She really was exhausted.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•

Marinette walked into school the next morning, a cheesy croissant in hand.

She wasn't late, in fact; she was pretty early as was her usual nowadays.

It's amazing what an actual schedule could do.

Actually, scratch that; it was amazing what a normal sleep schedule could do.

Well, as normal as she could get with her being a superhero that's supposed to be on duty every time there's an akuma - or a sentimonster - to take care of.

Fortunately, Hawkmoth hadn't created any night time akuma since Miracle Queen.

Which was a blessing, since that meant she could finally get her sleep schedule back on track.

Marinette was so lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice someone walking towards her until it was too late.

"Shit, sorry," Marinette squeaked, scrambling to pick up her things from the floor.

A familiar set of eyes met her own as they helped.

"Alya! I'm so, so sorry..." Marinette told her, accepting her things back from her.

"No sweat, I know how you are," Alya replied with a smile.

"Right..." Marinette answered, getting up from the floor.

She fiddled with her necklace a bit.

Trixx's miraculous.

The fox's tail had curled in on itself to form a rose-gold spiral pendant.

Trixx had wanted to come with her to school today, for some reason.

They probably just wanted to get out of her room, and honestly - Marinette couldn't blame them.

Though her taking Trixx opened the possibility of the kwami joining her while she was at school - or even running errands - which Xuppu and Daizzi seemed interested in.

They argued back and forth all throughout breakfast, until Sass broke them apart and asked Marinette what she thought about it.

She ended up agreeing to take them both out on separate errands.

She just couldn't bring herself to say no...

Her room must be so stuffy with so many kwami; and she didn't know what the miracle dimension was like either so it could be just as bad and-

"-ette?"

Marinette jumped.

She hadn't realized Alya was talking until she felt her hand on her shoulder.

"W - what?" Marinette stuttered, "Sorry, could you repeat that?"
Alya rolled her eyes fondly, "I was asking if you wanted to hang out with us after school today."

"Us?" Marinette parroted.

"Yeah, Juleka, Rose, Alix, Mylène, Lila and I - we're going to the park for a few hours."

"Oh, sorry Alya..." Marinette started awkwardly, "But I already have plans for today..."

Since she didn't end up buying the materials last night - and Kalkki couldn't make any portals for the other kwami - she decided to go shopping this afternoon.

She didn't have anything planned that would get in the way, so it seemed like the perfect time.

And she wasn't about to change her plans to hang out with Lila of all people.

Alya frowned, "You know you can just tell me if you don't want to."

"But I really do have plans today," Marinette argued, furrowing her eyebrows.

"It's because of Lila isn't it?"

Marinette frowned, "It's not just about Lila."
"So it is about her," Alya decided, "You have to stop obsessing over her; it isn't healthy."

"I'm not obsessing," Marinette defended, "Besides, I do already have plans - I have to run a few errands for my mom after school."

Alya narrowed her eyes, but before she could argue Rose came up to them.

"Hey Marinette! Alya!" Rose greeted cheerfully.

"Oh... hi, Rose," Marinette mumbled.

Alya waved at her with a smile.

"Is everything okay with you two?" Rose asked, concern flashing in her blue eyes.

"Yeah-"
"Actually," Alya cut in, "We were just talking about how Marinette can't hang out with us today, because she doesn't want to hang around Lila."
Marinette stiffened at Rose's gaze.

Was she going to make a big deal out of it too?

Tell Marinette that she was overeating and should just get over it?

Marinette hated that was her first thought about her friend.

"Well, she doesn't have to," Rose pointed out.

"W - what?" Marinette's mouth opened slightly in surprise.

"You don't have to hang around Lila if you don't want to," Rose repeated with a smile, "Not everyone gets along, and that's okay - we shouldn't force it."
Alya frowned, "But-"
The bell ringing cut Alya off, signalling to them they should start walking.

The three all walked in silence to Bustier's class, with Alya slowly pulling ahead.
What Rose said...

Was it really okay?
None of her friends told her that before, in fact - they always seemed to make a big deal out of her not wanting to be around Lila for more than five minutes.

But...

The more Marinette thought about it, the more she realized that Rose never made her feel bad for not wanting to hang out.

Regardless of her reason...

Marinette had just assumed it was because she never said it was because of Lila, but...

Apparently that wasn't the case...?

Marinette sighed as she entered the classroom, noticing that Alya was already in her seat, her back facing the doorway as she talked with Nino.

She hesitated at the sight, glancing at the empty seat next to Ivan.

Should she... should she just sit somewhere else today?

She really didn't want to sit next to Alya today...

But would sitting with Ivan be any better?

Even though Lila had decided to sit next to Sabrina ever since it was announced that Chloé wouldn't be coming back to school...

It was just a row back, it wouldn't change much...

Marinette would still be close to Alya, and-

"Marinette?" Rose asked, drawing her gaze to the blonde.

"I don't want..." Marinette's voice trailed off as she looked back at her seat.

"Do you want to take my seat today?"

Marinette's gaze snapped back to Rose in surprise, "Really? You guys wouldn't mind?"

"I certainly don't mind, but we should ask Juleka if it's okay first," Rose told her, beginning to walk to their spot in the back.

Marinette followed, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Hey Rose," Juleka greeted quietly, giving her a quick peck on the lips.

"Hey to you too," Rose giggled, "I'm going to sit next to Alya today, do you mind if Marinette takes my seat?"

"Not at all," Juleka smiled.

"Thank you both so much," Marinette sighed in relief as she sat next to Juleka.

"It's not a problem - I'm happy to help!" Rose replied happily.

Juleka nodded, "Yeah."

"Hey, did you two want to come to the bakery for lunch?" Marinette asked after a moment.

"Yes!" Rose agreed immediately.

"It wouldn't be much trouble?" Juleka asked quietly.

"Not at all," Marinette waved off her worries.

It's been too long since she spent the lunch period at the cafeteria with her friends.

But with Lila still prowling about, she didn't want to take any chances.

Marinette even asked her friends if they wanted to come with her multiple times; but they always turned her down...

Well, she supposed she didn't ask either Rose or Juleka that often. She just got unlucky the two times she did ask, as they already had plans.

She was excited to spend this lunch with them, at least.

It would be... nice.

She really did miss this feeling.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•

"I can't believe she would do this to me!" Lila sobbed, "I knew she didn't like me that much, but - but..."

Marinette had just finished lunch with her two friends, but the commotion in Bustier's class had prevented all three of them from entering.

Mylène, Alya, Sabrina, Kim and Adrien were already in the classroom - all seeming to comfort a sobbing Lila.

Why did Marinette have a bad feeling about this...?

"I didn't think she would actually stoop that far..." Mylène replied sadly.

"That doesn't seem like Marinette though...?" Kim tilted his head.

"Yeah, Lila... are you sure it was her?" Nathaniel piped up quietly with a small frown.

Marinette's gaze snapped to the red-head.

She hadn't even noticed him sitting in his usual seat... she was far too focused on the group standing around the desk.

"Oh, I know it doesn't seem like her, and I know you two were close..." Lila started, causing Nathaniel to flinch a little, "But trust me what I tell you Marinette really did yell at me..."

"Lila?" Rose piped up quietly, "What happened...?"

Unfortunately, that drew everyone's attention to the doorway as Rose stepped further inside.

Marinette stiffened under all the various degrees of glares of her classmates, barely feeling Juleka's reassuring touch on her shoulder.

She-

Not again...

Please, today was going so well...

"Marinette! How could you?!" Mylène was the first one to speak.

"W - what...?" Marinette stuttered.

"Oh don't act dumb, you know what you did," Alya exclaimed with narrowed eyes.

"Guys, lay off," Kim cut in, "Marinette is nice, she wouldn't do that to Lila."

"Really?" Alya crossed her arms, "Because I'm not so sure anymore."

"But Alya-" Nathaniel started.

"I know she did it," Alya insisted, "She's always doing crazy things to get attention."

"I - I..." Marinette stuttered.

She knew Alya meant getting Adrien's attention.

But she was doing better, wasn't she...?
"I don't-"

"Marinette, stop pretending you didn't corner Lila at lunch," Alya cut her off.

"Lunch...?" Juleka questioned, clearly confused.

"Yes!" Lila piped up, turning on the waterworks once again, "Marinette was - was yelling at me, saying she'd take all my friends away - and - and then she slapped me."

Marinette shared a look of complete shock and confusion with Juleka and Rose.

"Why would Marinette even do something like that?" Rose exclaimed in disbelief.

"That's what I've been saying!" Kim said way too happily.

"I don't know, why don't you tell us why you did it, Marinette?" Alya replied hotly.

"I didn't do anything!"

"She has a bruise to prove it," Mylène cut in.

Marinette looked closer at Lila, and sure enough there was a red mark on her cheek.

She didn't know if Lila actually slapped herself or if it was just make-up... but she supposed it didn't matter.

Rose frowned, "Are you positive it was Marinette, Lila?"

"A - are you accusing me of lying...?" Lila asked through a few sniffles.

"Wha - no, nono - of course not," Rose rushed to reassure her, "It's just..."

"Impossible, it couldn't have been Marinette," Juleka finished.

"Impossible?" Alya echoed, narrowed eyes glancing at her.

"Yes, impossible - we both ate lunch with her at the bakery today," Rose explained.

"So then Marinette couldn't have been at the school to do the things Lila said," Kim sounded like he solved this big mystery.

Marinette straightened a bit at their words.

It was...

They actually had her back...

She actually had someone's support...

And not just one, but three!

She wasn't facing this alone!

Lila paled a little, "B - but..."

Rose looked offended, "It wasn't Marinette! There's no possible way!"

"It - it was definitely her!" Lila insisted.

"We didn't see you at all during lunch," Juleka replied firmly.

"I'm sure this is just a big misunderstanding, Lila must just be forgetting things again," Kim pointed out with concern, "But that's okay; I forget things all the time too!"

A flash of anger flickered through Lila's features, before returning to her pitiful one.

"I don't think that's what this is," Alya denied, "It just happened, there's no way she forgot that quickly."

"And why would Lila lie about who attacked her?" Mylène questioned.

Marinette had enough.

If Alya and Mylène wanted to believe the worst in Marinette, then fine.

But this?

This was crossing a line.

Rose and Juleka didn't do anything except be her witnesses.

They had no reason to distrust their word.

And yet, here they were.

"You do realize you're accusing both Juleka and Rose of lying - right?" Marinette said slowly.

Mylène flinched in response, averting her gaze.

"That's not what I-" Alya sputtered.

"Meant?" Marinette finished hotly, "Then what exactly do you mean Alya? Because you're taking Lila's side over this, over Rose and Juleka's word - you both are."

"I..." Mylène looked away, not meeting anyone's gaze.

"I - I'm not!" Alya insisted, her eyes narrowing into a glare.

"Either Lila is lying, or Rose and Juleka are," Marinette said evenly, holding her stare, "They can't both be right."

Alya faltered at that, looking away.

"Ah!" LIla suddenly spoke up, "M - maybe Kim's right... I guess it must be my memory issues acting up again..."

"Do you want to do some of those memory exercises again?" Kim offered softly.

Lila nodded weakly, giving him a small smile.

"Let's take our seats, yeah?" Rose asked quietly.

Marinette nodded, following both of her friends to the back.

"Thanks for that Marinette," Juleka mumbled once they took their seats.

Marinette shook her head, "I should really be thanking you guys."

"We didn't do much though...?" Rose questioned.

"But you did," Marinette smiled sadly, "And I can't thank you enough for it."