Coming Home Again

Chapter 18

Marinette's POV

Something in me snapped and I lost full control.

I started to laugh. I laughed and laughed. I laughed like a maniac, I mean, I could be compared to the Joker. I couldn't stop. The woman raised an eyebrow, and I laughed harder, tears coming from my eyes. "What is wrong with you?!" I screamed, no more laughter. She didn't look phased at all. "I could've gone home! I could've been with my sibling! But no! Because of this man-" I said pointing to Gabriel, "I had to be on my toes 24/7! I couldn't have a break because of the constant fear of being akumatized. I have seen everybody in this room die! More than once! One of the most recent akumas, there was something going wrong with me, and I was distracted! So guess what? I was fifteen minutes late! I forgot to cleanse the akuma because I was so distracted, and they multiplied. When I finally collected all of them, I almost forgot to use my Miraculous Ladybug, so everyone in this room would have been dead if it weren't for me!" I said, "But guess what? No one has the painful memories because that is part of the cure! If you all knew...IF YOU ALL SAW everything going on, you wouldn't believe it! I'm sixteen! Do you think a girl my age should have to deal with this?! Remember the old guardian? Hm? The man that gave me a miraculous?! Do you remember? Of course not! Because everyone is too stupid to put the pieces together! That man found me on the streets, after I ran away from home when I was nine! NINE! But no body knows that except for my friends! NOW, probably everyone here can figure out who I am with just a bit of research! Honestly, I don't even care anymore. Wanna know why?! Because the man that made my life miserable for years is goin' to prison! For which, I hope for the rest of his life! If not, I don't know what I'll do!"

The woman looked at me like I was lying. My eyes widened, "So you think this is a joke?! Do you?!"

"Yes. I do. I think you're saying all of this to get out of jail."

Ms. Park's POV

Ladybug just got done with her rant, and I can't believe that anyone would believe it. Everyone looked at her with sympathy, but I knew she was lying, Gabriel told me so. He said she explained her elaborate plan to him, as she put those Ladybug handcuffs on him. I looked at her with a expression that said I wasn't buying it. "So you think this is a joke?! Do you?!"

"Yes. I do. I think you're saying all of this to get out of jail."

Her face turned blood red, and she said in a calm voice, "Do you know who Lila Rossi is?" I was confused by the question, but shook my head no. "She's the girl claiming to be my best friend. The girl that lies with every breath. Now, she was working with Hawkmoth, Gabriel, but tried time and time again to frame me for things I didn't do. Are you like her?" What? I was confused. Gabriel didn't say anything about a Lila Rossi. "Confused? Yeah. Gabriel was working with her and his assistant, Nathalie! But Nathalie fled before I could get to her, and I didn't mention Lila because she is a pathological liar that can lie her way out of any situation." I looked at Gabriel, and he looked tense....so Ladybug is telling the truth. I guess I still have to try. I want to get payed.

Marinette's POV

I hate this woman. She won't believe a word I say. "Who are you, Ladybug," she said.

I scoffed, "Like I'll tell you."

The judge looked at me, "You can't refuse to answer a question," he said with a sympathetic smile.

"Then how about this. I'm a girl that has gone through way more than I should have. And some may refer to me as a cold person, but I used to be nice. You can ask Queenie over there. I used to be the best person in the world. Then, I thought my sibling died, and I ran away, came to Paris. Here I am," I said, "And you are not going to ask me who I am under the mask." I said that last part with a certain tone, that sent chills down everyone's spine in the room.

"Thought your sibling died?"

"That is not something we will discuss. It isn't relevant. And it could lead to who I am."

"But-"

"No!" I said, "That is not something we are going to discuss! It. Isn't. Relevant. I just said that because that was the reason behind me running away from home."

"Ok, then. Where did you run away from?"

"Woman! I swear, if you ask me one more thing that is personal, I'll leave and you won't get anymore answers." The judge was about to tell me that I had to answer again, but my glare shut him up.

"I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable. I'm just trying to defend my client," she said. I scoffed and rolled my eyes. I really hate this woman. "Is there any evidence that you could bring here?"

"Yes." She looked at me to go on. "The Grimore. It's in the language of the guardians, impossible to decipher. But, I'm the only one who knows the language, so Mrs. Trust-me-not won't believe my translation."

"No. No I won't. Is there anything else that you could prove?"

"Yes," I said, and the woman looked at me. "But it's in the Agreste mansion."

"What's in the Agreste mansion?"

"Gabriel's secret liar," I said in a weird voice.

Long Time Skip- Still Marinette's POV

Gabriel got sentenced to life in prison, and Adrien is like...really depressed. He is still living in his house, just alone. He has all of his and his dad's money, and the Gabriel Brand is ruined. It's over. I mean, it wouldn't even matter, because Adrien wouldn't do anything with it, and Gabriel is in jail. Luckily, that means MT is even bigger. Everyone apparently loves the anonymous fashion designer with the initials MT. It's huge.

Now, it's about time for me and Chloe to go home. Bruce hasn't kicked us out yet, but we know he is soon. I packed my bags and left them on my bed, and so did Chloe. We went to the living room where everyone was to say bye. I went to Jason, "Hey Jay. We're going to go back to Paris I guess," I said as he raised an eyebrow.

"What? I thought you were staying here. You have to. After you got arrested by Dick, it was part of the deal to stay with us," he said.

My eyes widened, "What? You mean- Wait. I get to stay here with you guys?" I said smiling.

"I thought you knew that, Pixie," he said.

"Cool!" I said. "I'm going to go to my room for a minute." 'To unpack' I said in my head. I walked back smiling, Chloe had a panicked expression on her face though, and I raised an eyebrow. Then I realized what was going on in her head.

Letter: O

Word Count: 1241