Graceful Shadow

Prologue

Marinette's life has been complicated since she was Ladybug, running her own fashion channel called MDC and dealing with a liar. Marinette was walking to school dreading to face her former classmates and their endless bullying and accusations from Lila Rossi. Lila had kept her promise to Marinette, she turned the class against her including her best friend, Alya. The liar would make up tall tales and stories to make Marinette look like a bully and the class would instantly buy it. Sometimes Lila would come in with fake bruises and fake notes just to prove her point. Because of that, Marinette has been shoved, kicked, and even punched by her classmates when they blamed her for whatever Lila has told them.

Sometimes they would steal her homework and sketchbook or even tell her parents what Lila said. The poor girl couldn't catch a break at school, no one beside Marc, Nathaniel, Mylene, Luka, Juleka, Rose, Ivan and Adrian believed her in school; outside of her class Kagami believed her as well. Her teacher was no help either; she would just tell Marinette that she needed to be an example to the class. Sometimes, the teacher would have her just plan all of the lessons, activities, and field trips. It got worse when Lila fed lies to her parents and now, they barely trust her anymore. 

Now her parents hardly let her leave the house and make her work with them in the bakery. Although, something was about to happen that would change Marinette's life. After another day of dealing with Lila and her horde of sheep, she walked home in tears and tore up homework courtesy of her classmates. However, when she got home, she saw her parents waiting for her with her suitcases all packed. "Papa? Mama? What's going on?" she asked.

Her mother looked at her with a serious look on her face. "Marinette, your father and I are tired of your excuses and bullying your classmate, Lila." Sabine started out.

"I'm not a bully, mama. It's..."

"Enough!" Sabine shouted, interrupting Marinette, "This behavior is why we are sending you to America to live with an old friend of mine."

Marinette felt her whole world just crumble into pieces; her parents were sending her away to America. She tried to reason with her parents, but their minds were already made up, they were sending her to America, tomorrow at the latest. Marinette ran up to her old bedroom and blocked the door from letting her parents in. All the kwamis came out of hiding and went to comfort their guardian. Marinette knew that Hawk Moth was still at large, and Paris still needed Ladybug. She decided to spend the night at Juleka and Luka's house to think over what her plan was going to be.

She called Luka and asked if she could spend the night at his place, thankfully he was ok with it. She also asked that he call up the rest of the MPS (Marinette Protection Squad) to meet up there as well. Once she got off the phone with Luka, she had all the kwamis get inside her purse. She went back down to the bakery where the rest of her bags were including her parents. Her parents told her that her flight is leaving tomorrow morning and she is not to come back until she gets straightened out. With that, she picked up her suitcases and left the bakery for good. Marinette got to the boat house and Luka was waiting for her by the docks.

He hugged Marinette tight, apologizing that she was in this awful position. He then led her to his room where the rest of the squad was waiting for them. Marc told them that Kagami was running a little late. "So, what's the big emergency?" Adrian asked.

Marinette sat down on the bed and took a deep breath. "My parents are sending me to America." she stated.

All her friends gasped at Marinette's news, Lila had gone too far with her parents and now Marinette was being sent to another country. "I can't believe that they would do that." Mylene stated.

As they were coming up with plans to help Marinette, Kagami came inside and got them to stop talking, she told them that it would not change Marinette's fate. She stated to Marinette that this might also be a chance for a fresh start away from Lila. Marinette told them that her parents were sending her to Metropolis in America. Nathaniel and Marc went all starry eyed, Metropolis is home to Superman, and they were big fans. Marinette couldn't help but giggle at their reactions. "Maybe you're right, Kagami. Maybe change will be a good thing." Marinette said.

The next day came for Marinette to leave Paris, all of her friends came with her to the airport to wish her off. They each had a gift for her as a thank you for everything she has done for them. Rose, Juleka, and Mylene gifted Marinette a charm bracelet with a charm that represents each of them. A sunflower, a rose, a tulip, a dragon, a buttercup, a pencil, a paintbrush, a guitar, a skull, and a marigold. Nathaniel and Marc gave her their new comic issue to have a part of Paris with her. Ivan gave her a ladybug pin since she was their "everyday Ladybug." Kagami gave her a Japanese flower hair pin for good luck.

Luka and Adrian gifted Marinette a new sketchbook after her old one got ripped to shreds by Lila and her sheep. Adrian said that it was not just for her fashion cite, it was a thank you for her getting him and Luka together. She hugged her friends then she heard her flight number being called, she waved goodbye to all her friends then left Paris on the flight. After a long flight from Paris, Marinette finally landed in Metropolis airport. She grabbed all her bags and headed outside to see where she was going. Marinette was walking to the exit, but she tripped on her own feet and ended up on the floor, dropping her backpack and spilling out.

She quickly got up from the floor and started to pick up all of her things and put them back in her bag. No one offered to help her until a bald man in a business suit came over and helped Marinette. "Thank you so much. I'm so clumsy." Marinette spoke.

The man picked up her new sketchbook and he ended up seeing her designs. "These are good. You have talent." the man stated then handed the book to Marinette.

She heard someone calling out her name and that was when she saw a woman with black hair and blue eyes dressed like a reporter waiting near a car. The woman introduced herself as Lois Lane and she was Sabine's old college friend. The minute Lois saw Marinette, she didn't ask about why she was here or what happened in Paris. On the way to Lois's house, Marinette finally broke down and told Lois the whole truth about her situation. Lois was both shocked and hurt that her friend believed some girl over her own daughter. She told Marinette that she can stay with her for as long as she needed.