Work Text:
Accidentally sleeping in, Marinette wakes up and haphazardly gets ready for school. She's an hour late. Make that an hour and something minutes as she runs from her house to school. Thank God her first classes are with Miss Bustier. Caline always was the lenient one among the teachers.
"Zzz" Plagg is sleeping in her bag this time, using a bundle of green yarn to feel comfy. Marinette quietly slips in, carrying her bag with the sleepy kitty in it, and heads to her seat.
"?!" The bluenette immediately spotted the difference, that being the absence of her best friend: Alya Césaire.
'Where is she?' Marinette sits down, looking straight at the board. They're going to discuss Chapter Three all the way to Six of: 'France, the First Thousand Years.' Marinette rolls her eyes. She'll tutor Alya later if her bestie needs help. 'Right now, I need to find out where she is.'
"Nino." Marinette whispers, tapping her friend's shoulder. Nino Lahiffe is a chill guy, the go-to person when you need music to start or end the day. Not a social person, but pretty decent to talk to. Same guy she feels would be ideal to Alya. "Where is she?"
"..." Nino doesn't look at her, he doesn't need to, and says in a soft and resigned voice. "She's been suspended.."
"What?!" Marinette yelled. The semester hasn't even begun and her buddy got suspended?! Marinette quickly looked at Chloé, confident this is all her fault again.
"Marinette." Miss Bustier spoke as she continued to write on the board. "If you're going to come late, would you please do it discretely?"
"Sorry.." Marinette apologized half-heartedly and leaned towards her table. "What happened?"
"The short story?" Nino finally turns to face her, unaware of a certain blonde listening in on them. "Accused of breaking into Chloé's locker. I mean, Misterbug's locker-"
"WHAT?!" Marinette screeched. Her voice was so loud that everyone looked at her in surprise. Marinette covered her mouth with both hands but the deed was done.
"That's it, Marinette!" Miss Bustier turned to face the suspect, clearly disappointed at her behavior. "Go to the principal's office immediately!"
"..." Marinette grabbed her bag, leaving the classroom to go in search of her bestie. She took one glimpse back inside the classroom, staring at Chloé. Marinette quickly shivered when they made eye contact and hurried along.
...
"Whew! Morning, bread." Plagg zipped out of the bag, stretching his limbs before swirling around his chosen. "What's with all the hissing about?"
"Alya thinks Chloé is... Is Misterbug!" Marinette uttered the cursed revelation. She doesn't know what to think.
"What? Did she see a kwami or something?" Plagg paused when Marinette raised her hand. They're right in front of the principal's office and something doesn't seem right.
"Mr. Damocles?" Marinette carefully opened the door, only halfway to see a frozen principal with a pink stop icon in front of him. It's the same icon of a gadget. That could only mean one thing! As soon as computer screen lit up, Marinette prepares to transform.
"Hold it, pigtails." Plagg pushed her cheeks, staring at the akumatized student. "Don't rush in without a plan. That's not your thing."
"You're right." Marinette lowered her hand, watching her classmate speak. Without her partner, she can't de-akumatize Alya. She could be stuck like that forever! But if Chloé really is Misterbug then that means!
(1) Chloé Bourgeois likes her;
(2) Chloé Bourgeois changes physique during transformation;
(3) Chloé Bourgeois is a working student and;
(4) Misterbug is a liar.
She can understand (1) to (3) but Marinette cannot understand (4) outcome. Misterbug didn't look like he was lying when he said he's been homeschooled for the majority of his life. Misterbug also stated he's good at everything which Chloé is not. Chloé's strongest points lean to the business management field than a Jack of all Trades.
"So what's the plan?" Plagg watched Lady Wifi get the truth out of the principal. Yup. This is again Chloé's own doing. Usually, if a student violates the rules in school, they get reprimanded and a detention to fix the 'bad behavior.' If the situation has Chloé added into the equation, expect suspensions and massive clean-ups. The school is so biased, but ideal for her secret part-time.
"For my next scoop, I'll be taking you to meet the person who's been hiding behind the Ladybug mask!" Lady Wifi grinned, freezing the principal before he could run out for help. Marinette didn't do anything, not exactly caring on the principal. Same principal who refuses to let her bring knitting needles set. All because it's daAnGERous.
"Stay connected!" Alya turns the screen off, allowing Marinette to see one of her powers which is to enter an electronic device.
"That is... A pretty good skill." Marinette pinched her chin. Teleportation via phones. Also, if she modifies Alya's attire then it would be a fabulous dress or swimsuit or-
"Get your head out of the gutter. She's gone." Plagg entered and went out of the principal's room, landing on her head. "I guess that means Chloé has a crush on you all along~"
"Gah! We are not talking about this!" Marinette shook her head furiously, running out of the school like the rest of her classmates. Plagg hid in her jacket, snickering.
*Kling.
"You're early today." Tom looks up at his daughter, smiling. Marinette returns the smile, guilty for not being able to tell her parents the truth.
"Yeah. An akuma happened today and our teacher gave us an assignment." Marinette casually walked to her room, taking her time because she knows the next area will be a hassle. "Don't call me okay? I gotta finish my work before dinner!"
"I know dear! Good luck." Sabine tells her daughter.
"Thanks Maman!" Marinette closed the trap door underneath her. As long as she keeps her grades up, her parents won't question the things she does. They know how hard and long it takes to start a career as a fashion designer, but they also don't want to spoil her rotten. Therefore, her parents aren't that intrusive in her life to get the money she needs to start-up her dream job. 'As long as she gets a grade not lower than a B-.'
"The moment of truth." Lady Noire perched on top of a building, spying on the girl who could be her superhero partner. She holds her staff out, twisting it to shift it into a phone/binocular item. She zooms in with the staff's function, staring at Chloé emerging in red and black.
"This can't be..." Lady Noire fixed her filters to see Misterbug not really looking like himself/herself(?) She learned from Plagg that the miraculous can change the holder's appearance, but she never expected on this degree.
"What if he's trans?" Noire bit her lower lip, feeling bad. What if Misterbug didn't want to be judged? Lady Noire asked herself. "So what pronoun does Misterbug want?"
"He, his or him." Misterbug landed beside her, resting his arm on her shoulder.
"Bug? But then who's-?" Lady Noire looked back at the hotel with the questionable rich girl.
"Come on, M'lady. You don't actually believe I'm a girl, do you?" Misterbug frowned and they both saw Chloé accidentally tying herself up.
"N-no way! Of course I didn't." Lady Noire let out an awkward laugh, not sure if she should tell him that their kwamis could magic everything about them during transformation. It's for anonymity's sake.
"She's obviously one of my fans." Misterbug pulled back, ready to use his yoyo. "A copycat I presume?"
"Right..." Lady Noire scratched her right cat ear, discarding all of the stuff she thought on Chloé - That Chloé is not a trans. That Chloé is not in love with her. That Chloé is not a working student. - and stick to a fact she'd rather live by.