Summary:
Alya finds out Ladybug's identity and reveals it to the world. She doesn't understand the gravity of what she's done or why Marinette would be upset with her, saying that Paris deserves to know the identity of its hero. She still thinks Lila and Ladybug are friends and has rationalized in her mind that now that everyone knows Ladybug's identity, Marinette doesn’t need to pretend to hate Lila to protect her anymore. She doesn't think that Hawkmoth will target Marinette and her family because he never seemed to target Lila even though she's Ladybug's best friend.
Alya is shaking with excitement as she uploads the video to her blog. She can’t believe she got this scoop. She can’t believe she’s the first one to expose Ladybug’s identity.
She’s a little upset that Marinette never told her, but she did pick her to be Rena Rouge, and even though it’s been a while, she guesses it kind of balances out.
She is still absolutely going to have words with her bestie later, but she doesn’t think twice about posting the life changing video onto her blog.
All she’s thinking about is how it’s so cool that she’s the one who found Ladybugs identity. It’s so cool that she’s the one who’s revealing it. It’s so cool that her best friend, Marinette, is Ladybug. Her views are going to go through the roof. Television channels are going to be talking about this, they’re going to be calling her and asking to use her footage.
And of course, Lila and Marinette can be besties! Marinette doesn’t have to pretend to hate her to protect her identity! Everything is falling into place.
This is the true beginning of her long illustrious career as a reporter. She has stars in her eyes as she publishes the video, and she turns her notifications off before she goes to bed. It’ll give her something to look forward to in the morning.
*****
Adrien gets the notification that the Ladyblog has posted, and he’s clicking it before he even reads the update.
As soon as he finishes the video he feels sick.
He should’ve read the notification.
Alya has exposed Ladybug’s identity.
Ladybug is Marinette.
But that’s not why he’s so appalled, sickened even, by the video.
It makes sense for Marinette to be Ladybug, now that he’s thinking about it. She’s creative, she’s strong, a quick thinker, and an amazing leader. He already calls her their ‘everyday Ladybug’ as it is, she must’ve been laughing inside every time, knowing he didn’t even know how right he was.
Of course Marinette is Ladybug.
But her identity has been exposed. It’s been exposed in such a crude, callous way. A shaky video taken by someone clearly crouched behind a trash can in an alley. Marinette’s privacy, her personhood, has been stolen from her by the one person who should’ve been protecting it. By her very best friend. By Ladybug’s self proclaimed “biggest fan.”
Ladybug never wanted to reveal her identity, and as much as he’s given her flak for it, as frustrating as it is, she’s right. It’s dangerous. And knowing who she is, knowing her family, how many people are out there that she cares about and who care about her, it makes even more sense. Adrien has no one. But Marinette, God. Marinette has everyone. She has a heart full of love and no qualms about giving it out to anyone she meets.
Marinette is so, so good. So kind. So caring.
Hawkmoth has no problem using and abusing the emotions of even babies in order to get what he wants.
