Different person, same Ladybug 🐞

Chapter 7: Checkmate

I gently moved the boy aside and pulled some napkins from my bag.

"B-but I didn't do it!" Adrien said in a nervous tone. I looked at him. It was the kind of look that said, please go away. I don't want to talk about this right now. 

Adrien went to his seat. 

I DID know he didn't do it, it was just fun to tease him.

I sighed, this day has been stressful enough. I didn't need to babysit both Chat Noir and Adrien. I didn't understand. Why, I mean, How did Marinette simply just do it? This job was extremely hard, and tiring. Yet there that girl was, everyday. I personally didn't understand how someone can be, " Clumsy " yet still be Ladybug like a pro. 

Earlier today, I tried to do a backflip like Ladybug does. I assumed maybe the suit boosts your strength, agility, and flexiblity. 

Lets just say it didn't end well, for my back and my face. 

I sighed for the millionth time. This life wasn't what I expected it to be. It was hard and I don't really know what is happening. It's almost like I'm watching from the sidelines even though I am the main character in this story.

Here's me being honest, I don't think I'm cut out to be Ladybug. If anything, it would be better if I were someone like Lila Rossi. It would be better, for me, and for the world. And I would say I'm chosen for something greater than this, but I'm not. I truly am not. Yesterday was an example of that, seeing how it took more than a few hours to defeat Ivan.

I doubt I'll be able to do this. 

In a normal situation, I would think I'm crazy. I would've loved to have superpowers and a good looking love interest. That was kind of the dream. But as Marinette, I don't think that's possible. I'm already caught up with this, "school drama" if you'd like to call it. 

I zoned out for the rest of the class, not really caring. And then I realized something. Ivan hasn't been akumatized. He was right there, in the back of the class. Mari had told him to write a love song for Melene (Idk how to spell her name, just roll with it), I didn't. 

My eyes widened as I realized this shocking truth. If Ivan wasn't going to be akumatized, what would happen? Would he get akumatized later in the story? What if the original story isn't fixed? Can I hope to change it?

Can I change it?

That question rammed into my head like a wreaking ball. If I can change the story, maybe I can make things better. Make things better for everyone. 

This new idea lit a new candle to guide me through this strange world. 

I looked at everyone here in class. Melene had to go to the restroom, that's were she meets Ivan. But Ivan is here in the classroom. And he has no intention of getting out of his seat. 

Does he? 

I studied him, trying to judge his motives. It seemed he was writing something, was it the song? Was I wrong? (That rhymed)

I wanted to see but he was in the back and I was in the front. There was no way I could see. 

I crossed my fingers, hopefully. 

Hopefully.

Suddenly, I saw a purple butterfly fly swiftly into the room. Ivan's writing pace became faster, his pencil in a hard grip. I immediatly got up and ran towards Ivan, people's shock and surprised voices filled my ears as I reached out and touched the butterfly. 

I felt a purple cloud surrounding me, then I saw everyone. How scared they looked, was it me that made them scared? I turned to see Ivan, his face contorted in shock. I gave him a soft smile. It's all right, I mouth. Then, I hear Hawkmoth's words fill my head.

"This is your second chance Stone- Wait, you're not Stoneheart." I grin and nod, having anxiety makes you in a constant threat of being akumatized. Since the anxiety is running through your head like an endless number of streams that can't be stopped. "No I'm not, Gabriel" I say and I hear a gasp on the other end. 

"Wh-who? No, how?" He says astonished. I just nodded. "Yes, my dear friend. I know who you are, and what a terrible father you are to you dearest son." 

Hawkmoth's breath quickened in fear. "Have you done something to my son?!" My grin gets wider, and I watch as other people look at me in confuzzlement. (I didn't have a word, so I made one)

I stared particularly at Adrien agreste. I wonder, what would happen if I did something to his son while getting akumatized. But what could I do? There was nothing, sure I am sorta a heartless person, but not that bad. 

I sighed. "My dearest Hawkmoth, did you know." I wander around the classroom tracing my hands on the desks. "That the akuma can't be freed unless the person you akumatized has no negative feelings?" 

I could sort of feel Hawkmoth nod, his breath shaking in unrhymatic beats. "Also, did you know." I give a wistful smile to the window, seeing the purple butterflies swirl through the air. "That if you are a person with anxiety, the anxiety never really leaves?"  This got Hawky scared as fuck. "So, my dear Gabriel" I say with my mouth smiling as wide as the sun, "The only thing you can do, is detransform and release every single person in Paris who is a stone being."

"Checkmate"