LadyBugOut AU (Snippets)

The Interview Ruse

Summary:
Marinette "reveals herself" as the creator of LadyBugOut.

(note: since Marinette mentions the "new heroes" here, might as well say that the "canon" (in quotes because others are welcome to come up with their own names) for the heroes are "Cadmeancio" for Fox!Luka, "Heavy Matal" for Turtle!Ivan, and "Fukiya" for Bee!Kagami.)

Chapter Text
“Thanks again for the opportunity, Ladybug!” Marinette exclaimed, staring just above an empty chair a few meters away.

She waited a few seconds, then stared at the camera and waved.

Standing up, she walked over to the camera and stopped the recording.

Turning, Marinette gave Tikki a smile. “Ready for the other side, Tikki?”

Tikki tilted her head. “I still don’t think I get it. Why would you want people to see you and Ladybug together?”

Marinette smiled. “To clear me as Ladybug, for one thing. No one’s going to suspect that we’re the same person if there’s a video of both of us.”

She paused, then added, “Plus, this could all be traced back to me anyway. I’d rather have it out now than have someone figure it out later, or it’ll just look really suspicious.”

Tikki let out a small hum, then flew over to the computer. “So… you can just put the two videos together on here?”

“That’s right,” Marinette confirmed. “And, if they don’t sync up perfectly, I can just do a little–” She waved a hand with a dramatic flourish. “–Marinette magic, so it’ll look good.”

Tikki nodded, staring thoughtfully at the screen. Then, she looked at Marinette, concerned.

Marinette blinked. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m just worried,” Tikki admitted. “What if Hawk Moth sends his victims after you?”

Marinette let out a snort, then smirked. “Let him.”

“Wh–” Tikki’s eyes were wide. “Let him?”

“That just makes my job easier,” Marinette replied, moving over to her computer chair and sitting down on it. “Thanks to LadyBugOut, I can keep track of every news channel that could possibly report when someone’s been akumatized, and I get notified of any akuma that people see. If I see something on the news or hear that there’s an akuma that I won’t be able to get to in time, all I gotta do is head home, turn into Ladybug, and wait. Hawk Moth is going to deliver his villains straight to me.”

Leaning back, Marinette titled her head towards Tikki. “Besides, even if someone might be akumatized in the bakery or at school, I know that Hawk Moth doesn’t have full control of his victims. I’m already saying in the video that me and Ladybug have a strict business relationship, so he’d know that I don’t know her identity and that using me as a bargaining chip would be just as good as using anyone else.

“If anything, me running the blog is the exact reason why they shouldn’t go after me. I’ve been learning self-defense hands-on for every bee post I’ve made and, accordingly to Ladybug–” She winked. “–I know all the secrets of akumatized objects. If I supposedly have contact with Ladybug, all I have to do is get my hands on their object and break it, then call Ladybug.”

“What if they want you to call Ladybug to bring her to them?”

Marinette pulled out her phone, showing Tikki a fake contact that was a silhouette of Ladybug. Faking an apologetic tone, Marinette said, “Oh, sorry, Hawk Moth. Looks like Ladybug’s not transformed right now. No can do.”