There was a reason that almost all the other students avoided the Akuma Class like the plague. It wasn’t the fact that their teacher led them like a cult leader would their followers, though that contributed. It wasn’t even that a serial liar, a neurotic reporter, and a genius with a superiority complex were all in the group.
No, the reason that the Akuma Class didn’t have many friends outside their group was because they lived up to their name. At least once a week, though usually more than that, one of them would get akumatized over the dumbest, pettiest crap and start terrorizing the school. Anything could set them off, and it didn’t help that Chloé Bourgeois, a girl who lived for causing chaos, was also in their class.
The rest of the school had learned their lesson on not messing with the Akuma Class only a few months after akumas started showing up. Bustier could hide the facts all she wanted from parents, but the majority of the school’s population were very much informed on how often these kids got so upset they got possessed by an evil butterfly man... Usually because they ended up being the Akuma of the Day’s unintended victims.
That wasn’t even the worst part. The rest of the teachers had found ways to avoid akumas. There were rewards for going a certain amount of time without akumization, and there was the threat of detention if you intentionally caused or took an Akuma (which luckily had only happened a few times). There was free professional therapy available to students, paid for by the guidance counselor, and short classes on how to resist akumas. The students were well prepared to face akumas, and knew how to get rid of them and resist them.
All except Bustier’s class. Bustier thought the rest of the school’s methods were too harsh and mean, and instead she declined the offers on her students’ behalves, keeping them out of the loop that help was available. Instead, she preached love and kindness, and forced the students to forgive each other and work together in peace, even though most of them still had grudges against each other for past akumizations. This made the perfect hotspot for all the negative emotions that Hawkmoth needed to make his villains. It would be stupid not to take advantage of it.
When Marinette was moved to Mendeleiev’s class, she was delighted to realize all of the resources available to her. She was already amazing at resisting akumas, but she was finally able to get some real therapy over all the things she’d been forced to see as a result of being in the Akuma Class. She’d been in horrifying positions, enough so she was terrified of akumas, and always hid as soon as she could when one came around. And the best thing about having dozens of new friends that adored you was easy access to the best hiding spots and escorts to take you there.
Marinette was touched by how much her friends wanted her safe, most knowing of her fear and seeing her as the first priority when akumas struck, focusing on getting her safely away. And it provided an incredible source of alibis, because when she asked to be alone, they allowed it, and some even waited outside her hiding spot, guarding it. It was great.
But what was great for Marinette was terrible for her old classmates, because without someone to calm them down from their temper tantrums, their akumization rate went way up. Usually it was once or twice a week. Now it was almost every day. Marinette was often the unwitting victim, and found herself having to console her old classmates as Ladybug now, as they pitched fits about Marinette ‘abandoning’ them. It was very, very, very tiring. She tried to give them advice and get them to lay off her civilian self, but Lila’s words had some truth. They only listened to what they wanted to hear, and deflected Ladybug’s advice because it would mean facing consequences for their actions.
They thought Ladybug was too serious and mean, what with the years-long coddling they received from Bustier. So they reached out to Chat Noir.
It didn’t go well.
“Yo, Chase!” A voice said as the bleach blonde boy picked up the phone. Chase grinned as he heard it, watching Marinette as she bounced around the fabric store they were in like a kid in a candy store.
”What’s up, Meuric?” He asked happily, looking through vintage fabrics to see if there was anything that caught his eye. He was kinda feeling like 1920s would be a cool aesthetic to work with again. Maybe an authentic flapper dress and not the historically-inaccurate knockoffs he keeps seeing online.
“You’re still out with Nettie, right?” The Welsh boy’s voice seemed a little nervous.
”Yeah, we’re at the fabric store, getting stuff for the upcoming fashion competition. Did something happen?”
”Just keep her away from her house. Chat Noir gave really bad advice to that akuma class girl— the reporter, y’know? Anyway, she’s been akumatized and she’s trying to force Marinette to be friends with her again.” Meuric said this all in a very tired tone.
”Again? You think that dumbass would learn, and yet here we are.” Chase sighed very heavily.
”Oh yeah, the akuma is also targeting Chat Noir to try and force him to fall in love with Marinette because she mistook his advice as him admitting he loved Marinette. I had to hear the conversation, and oh boy, it wasn’t pretty. I’m starting to sense a pattern of Chat Noir giving terrible advice and then getting targeted by the akuma he powered.”
”No wonder the coward is starting to avoid battles. My house isn’t far from here. I’ll let her finish shopping if I can, then I’ll squirrel her away in the studio.” Chase decided.
”Good idea. I’ll keep you updated. Promise me you won’t try to beat up Chat Noir?” Mauric asked tentatively.
”If he comes near my princess he’s getting my steeled toe boot up his ass. Otherwise I promise I will behave myself.” Chase compromised
”Fair enough.” Mauric concludes. “Be safe.”
”No promises on that one.” Chase grins, and ends the call after saying goodbye. Marinette runs up to him with a bolt of fabric, and Chase turns his attention to her, not concerned about today’s akuma class brand akuma.
