I Trusted You

Absurdity

Lila was apprehensive to go to school the following day. She was afraid of all her classmates giving her hard time because of the incident that had transpired at the masquerade.

She was right. While she sat on her seat everyone glared at her, shaking their heads. She could hear what they had said.

“I thought Lila was nice!”

“How dare she do that to Marinette!”

“I wish she were expelled.”

“I don’t like her at all.”

“She’s terrible!”

Even Nathaniel scooted his chair away from her, scowling.

Lila didn’t want to admit that she felt hurt by her classmate's reactions. Ugh, whatever. I don't care what these imbeciles think about me.

Marinette was still a little upset about the situation and refused to look at Lila. Adrien saw her distress and moved his chair to face her. "Don't let Lila bother you, Marinette."

She smiled. "I won't. It's just... I didn't know Lila could embarrass me so much."

"I didn't either. But you're better than her," Adrien said, frowning at Lila from a distance.

"Thanks, Adrien.”

Lila saw the two communicating and glared at them. She was more eager to begin plotting with Shadowmoth as if she couldn’t get revenge from Marinette, she’d put all her anger out on Ladybug.

I will win in the end, Marinette!

----

“What exactly is your plan, Mr. Agreste?” Lila asked as she sat back on one of the many armchairs in the Agreste mansion.

Gabriel looked at his wife’s painting, inspecting the details. “I won’t spill just yet. All I’ll tell you is that this is your opportunity to get sweet revenge from Ladybug.”

"I can't argue with that. I'll do anything to get Ladybug to back down. She's so annoying, " Lila responded.

"Then you'll love what I have in mind, " Gabriel grinned as he pressed down the buttons on the picture and descended into his lair.

----

Ladybug sat back, enjoying the view of the sunset as Chat Noir landed behind her. “Looks like you’re the one who’s late now, kitty,” she laughed.

He gave her a tight smile. “Yeah.”

He sat down in awkward silence next to her, looking at the colorful hues of the sunset in front of them.

Suddenly, a crash sounded from behind them, They nearly jumped out of their skins, startled. “What’s that?” Chat Noir asked, worried.

“I don’t know, but it seems like… wait, an akuma?!”

"Simon says… turn into a duckling!” the akumatized person cackled as he turned one civilian walking down the street into a duckling.

"Quack!" the duck waddled down the street.

Ladybug and Chat Noir exchanged glances in bewilderment.

“Simon Says? That’s… unexpected,” Chat Noir said, raising an eyebrow. “What do you think we should-“

“I’m getting Vesperia. She can paralyze him. You distract Simon Says. I’ll be back!” Ladybug swung away from the rooftop, leaving Chat Noir confused and disgruntled.

“But of course. It’s not as if I’m enough of a help to the elusive Lady Luck anymore. She needs more cooperative superheroes” he mumbled sarcastically, taking out his baton and hurling it at Simon Says. “Hey! Why don’t you try to hit me? It’s not as if Ladybug would mind.”

Simon Says turned to ChatNoir, shaking his head. “What a dumb little kitten. Simon says... turn into a frog!”

Ladybug returned with Vesperia after a few minutes to Chat Noir dodging Simon Says’ attacks. “Vesperia! Paralyze him!”

Vesperia leaped towards the villain, shouting “Pollen!” and paralyzed him with her powers. Ladybug took her lucky charm, which turned out to be a hammer to break the akumatized object. She purified the akuma and repaired all the changed done by Simon Says.

Chat Noir stood with crossed arms, once again not having done anything. “That was easy,” he grunted.

“Yeah! My lucky charm wasn’t even that complicated this time! I’m glad.” She turned to Vesperia. “Chat Noir, I’m just going to take Vesperia’s miraculous. I’ll be right back,” she said as she disappeared into a corner.

“Oh yeah, Ladybug! You’re the guardian after all!” he shouted back. “And I’m just a useless sidekick,” he muttered saltily.

I might as well just go. He took his stick out and propelled himself back home.

Ladybug returned soon after. “I’m back, kitt- Chat Noir? Where are you?” She searched the area, puzzled. “Okay… maybe his miraculous beeped,” she said, forgetting the fact that Chat Noir hadn’t used his powers that battle. She shrugged and swung away back to her home.

---

"And Ladybug has won again, with the help of Vesperia!" sounded Nadja Chamack from Gabriel's computer. He grinned.

“Perfect.”

Lila was confused. “Perfect? What do you mean? You weren’t successful in getting their miraculouses.”

“That’s the point, Miss Rossi. You’ll see what this leads to. And I’m sure you won’t be disappointed with your revenge.”

“If it destroys Ladybug’s life, I have no problem with this plan.” she said, smiling.

---

Plagg took a bite out of his seemingly never-ending supply of cheese. "Why don't you just tell her you want to do something?" he asked Adrien.

"Oh, but I can't. She won't need me, " Adrien answered, his voice muffled by his pillow.

"Of course she'll need you. You're the holder of the black cat miraculous. You're powerful."

"Not as powerful as Ladybug with her crew. All I was was a distraction!"

He rolled over at the side of his bed. "At least she managed to get the job done. I'm so useless. "

Plagg softened. "Kid, you aren't useless. Hang in there. Maybe Ladybug is having hardships of her own about her guardianship. Don't jump to conclusions. "

For the first time, Plagg was giving good advice. Adrien smiled gratefully at him. "Thanks, Plagg."

----

"I wonder why Shadowmoth is akumatizing such... weird targets. Gigantitan never worked out. Simon Says was just... unexpected. And at sunset too? " Marinette questioned.

"Maybe he just ran out of targets. At least they're not difficult ones! " Tikki said, nibbling on a cookie.

"Yeah. Also, don't you think Chat Noir was acting a bit... weird today? "

"As in? "

"I mean, he seemed off."

"Marinette, you always say that and then second-guess yourself. Stop worrying. Maybe he had a bad day. "

Marinette frowned. "Maybe. Good night, Tikki, " She said and fell into a dreamless sleep.