Miraculous Ladybug: Season Six | Part One

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Explanation

Marinette sits at her desk, staring at the papers she had crumpled up and threw to the side. She lays her head in her hands and groans quietly. Alya, who was assisting her, watches from behind. "Maybe it's for the best if you aren't superficial... Just be honest with them." She recommends crossing her arms as she speaks. Marinette sighs, "I'm trying to do that, but I want to be as clear as possible, Alya!" She exclaims, turning around to face her. Alya shakes her head as she meets palms, "They want you to be as real as you possibly can, Marinette. They won't like that you scripted the whole meeting beforehand." She mutters, lowering her hand to look at her. Marinette turns back to her desk and crumples up another sheet of notebook paper. "I'm going to be honest, but how am I supposed to know if they're going to trust me... especially after everything?" She mumbles, lowering her head down to her desk. Alya touches Marinette's shoulder from behind, "Because I trust you, Viperion, Purple Tigress, Ryuko, and many others already have our faith in you, Marinette." She smiles, looking at her through the mirror on her desk. She covers her eyes in defeat, "I know you guys do, but Chat Noir will be the hardest to convince." She murmurs, shaking her head. Alya pulls away, "Then convince his allies he won't fight all of us." She replies sternly as she turns Marinette around in her chair. "It's already seven; we need to leave- You need to leave." She adds, glancing up at the clock. Marinette inhales, "I hope Argos found everyone... he told me it was better for him to tell everyone instead of me." She exhales as she stands from her chair, also looking at the clock.
Alya tilts her head in confusion, "I thought you were going to tell everyone; why did he decide it was better if he did so?" She asks, recrossing her arms. Marinette shrugs, "Something about how they already have no trust in Ladybug and that they may plan a counterattack if they didn't hear it from someone neutral blah blah." She says as she makes a hand movement to mock him. Alya giggles, "I'll see you there then," She says, heading to the trap door.

Ladybug swings towards the top of the designated building top, landing almost flawlessly. "We were worried you wouldn't show up, Ladybug." Ryuko put her hands together, expressing her gratitude. Ladybug shakes her head, "No, this is too important to avoid." She mutters, straightening her posture and turning her head to look over Paris as the sunsets on them. "Do you think it's too late?" She asks quietly as the wind blows, messing up her bangs in the process. Argos shakes his head, walking over to her, "No, it would never be too late." He whispers, watching Purple Tigress jump from building to building until she meets the designated one. She stretches once she lands, "You guys couldn't have picked a more obvious building with, you know... a banner at least?" She teased, placing her hand on her hip. Argos and Ladybug turn around to face her, "I think that defeats the purpose," Argos rolls his eyes, walking back over to Ryuko. Tigress shrugs before walking over to join them.
As more holders begin to appear, Ladybug grows nervous; her palms start to feel clammy at the sight of the people she hasn't seen in weeks. They, of course, distance themselves into their own little groups, away from Ladybug and her remaining allies. Chat Noir is the only one not to have arrived when Argos brings the different groups into a larger circle. "As you all know, we brought you here to discuss... political matters... that have conflicted our work. Despite these issues, we still remain one crucial issue: the miraculous of the butterfly is no longer in our possession." Ladybug hesitantly grabs her left arm for support, glancing over to Viperion for reassurance. She inhales, "I'm glad-" "Are you seriously going to lie to us again? You obviously have it. You haven't been at a single fight in WEEKS!" Polymouse accuses, pointing her index in the direction of Ladybug. Argos steps in front of her, "No, she has. In secret, where else do you think I put those akumas, Multi?" He hisses, glaring at her ignorance before stepping away from Ladybug again. She sighs, "Alright, she still could've used the miraculous without you knowing!" She claims, throwing her hands above her head. Rena rolls her eyes, "We had Akuma attacks before Ladybug took her time of absence; she wouldn't have the time to create an issue and defeat a villain." She mutters, crossing her arms while leaning against Carapace. Poly nods, "Continue then," She finishes as Ladybug's jaw drops.
She inhales through her nose, closing her mouth, "Okay, I do not have the brooch, nor would I have ever turned against you guys." She continues making eye contact with everyone around her. "I did, however, neglect to tell all of you who the identity of Monarch was, and I am truly sorry for that. He demanded me to protect the knowledge of his identity from his son, which all of you know and are very close to from what I have observed." She explains while fidgeting her fingers, "I never wanted to hide his identity, but I don't know what the consequences would've been if I did tell you all. I was worried you all would mention it, and it would spread like wildfire." She states, putting her hands down by her sides. "I understand, Ladybug." Pigella approaches, placing her hand against her chest, "It makes sense now; Chat Noir failed to mention that." She whispers, looking over at Tigress and Vesperia, smiling gently. Tigress smiles back slowly, hopeful her friend has found the light. "I get it too, dude," Carapace admits, looking back at Rena, "I'm sorry for not believing you either," He apologizes, grabbing her hands. She smiles and nods back, accepting the apology.
Many apologies later, Chat Noir is still nowhere in sight. Ladybug grimaces, "Argos, you did inform him, correct?" She whispers as everyone else begins to rekindle their friendships. He nods, "It would be foolish of me to forget the key component of this mess." He replies, staring over the moonlit city. She sighs, joining him and observing the scenery. "Tsk tsk, what some explanation." They heard from a distance from above where they were standing. Ladybug and Argos look up to see Chat Noir standing on his staff in the moonlight. He brings himself down slowly, glaring at Ladybug. He walks over to her, "Here's the difference between me and them, Ladybug. You don't know my identity. You don't know if I have connections to this "Adrien Agreste," yet you still failed to tell me. Don't you trust me?" He hisses through his gritted teeth. "Hey man, just because you do-" Carapace begins reaching over towards him. Chat turns around immediately to face him, regaining his composure and cutting him off in the process. "Carapace, you, out of all people here, should know how it feels to be lied to by Rena?" He snarls, crossing his arms as he gets up into his face. "Chat Noir, this isn't who you are, and you know that." Viperion snaps, pulling him off of the turtle-themed miraculous holder. He rolls his eyes in response, pushing him off of him in the process.
He turns back to Ladybug, who is now as pale as a sheet of paper, stunned. "Don't you trust me... Ladybug?" He smiles slyly, reaching over towards her earrings. Argos bodyslams him to the ground, "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?" He shouts, pinning him to the ground, "Don't you see she was PROTECTING someone else and NOT Gabriel Agreste?" He snaps, staring into his piercing green eyes. Chat Noir kicks him off of him, grabbing his staff, "I'm not leaving until I make everything right." He smirks as Ladybug's eyes widen, reaching for her earrings.

"This is almost too perfect, the negative emotions of a former friend who has been deceived," Chrysalis whispers, grabbing her cane. "Show Chat Noir the truth, my beautiful Akuma." She demands, letting a dark purple butterfly fly out of her window as she watches in pleasure. "This will be the end of Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Ladybug, too," She smirks to herself, crossing her arms as the Akuma reaches the beginning of a fight she didn't even have to manipulate. The Akuma touches the bell of Chat Noir's suit before immediately conforming to whatever Chrysalis's demands are before she even has the chance to explain herself. Ladybug runs out of his way, "I will need everyone for this," She states as her voice shakes slightly through her orders.
"Predator Noir, isn't it sad that your partner had lied to you? Wouldn't you love it if she would just disappear with the rest of the liars in Paris?" Chrysalis smirks inside of his head, slowly persuading him. Chat grabbed the back of his head, attempting to retaliate, but it was too late. "Y-yes." He mumbles, picking his head up slowly, watching the rest of the heroes scatter to their positions. "Good, I am Chrysalis; you will retrieve Ladybug's miraculous and hand over yours after you defeat her. In return, I will make the wish of eradicating liars." She demands, putting her hands together in joy. "As you wish, Chrysalis." He whispers as his body transforms.
"Chrysalis," Ladybug mumbles to herself next to Argos. She looks at him as he lets go of a feather, "It's a distraction; go to the others. He's after you, Marinette." He whispers lowly so no one around him can hear. Her body freezes before nodding and heading over to another rooftop, where she finds Pegasus with a portal opened for her to jump through.