The Big Reveal

8 - Marinette's story

Warning! This part contains spoilers from "Volpina" episode (Season 1) and "Collector" (Season 2).

Marinette closed her eyes and sighed. That was the moment to tell him the truth. The whole truth.

"Well. It started on the day when Lila came to our school. She went with you to the library."

"How do you know that?" Adrien asked.

"I followed you." She answered. "As you probably figured out, I was jealous." She smiled remembering that moment. Well, she hadn't been happy that day, but today she knew Adrien's feelings. "You were not supposed to interrupt!"

"OK, I'm shutting up." He promised.

"So, I hid behind a bookshelf. Lila was so intrusive! I thought I would kill her!" Marinette gritted her teeth and Adrien grinned. "Well, I made a mess. Some books fell, I turned down a trolley... You know how I'm clumsy when I'm nervous."

"That explains a lot." He smiled.

"You were to be quiet!" she reminded. "Or I'll never finish. So... Then Tikki noticed your book and told me that she needed to be sure if it wasn't the very special book. And then all your books tipped out. And...

"That was you?!" Adrien exclaimed. "You took my book?!

She was the reason of his problems? Of being imprisoned at his own house?

"ADRIEN!!!" both kwamis shouted at him.

"Shut up! Or she'll never end!" Plagg growled.

"She even hasn't started yet!" Tikki added. "Come on, Marinette!"

"Oh, OK... Well... Uhm... I hid under the table. Don't ask how I got there!" she shouted seeing that Adrien opened his mouth to make a question. "Please... Don't interrupt. I saw that Lila moved your book with her foot and then she took it. So, as soon as you left the library I wanted to follow you and tell you that she's a theft. But Tikki forced me to get the book back. So, I followed Lila. Then you came to the park, and she threw the book to a trashcan. And Tikki took the book. But I got angry when I heard Lila's lies. So, I transformed and said openly what I was thinking about her. And then she was akumanized and transformed into Volpina. You know the rest... And then..." she sighed. "And then Tikki told me that it was the saint book about the miraculous. And that there was someone who had been looking for it for many, many years. So, she took me to Master Fu. I had been there once when Tikki was ill." Adrien made a move like he was about to ask if kwamis could be ill, but Marinette was faster and put her finger on his lips again. "And then Master Fu told me that the owner of the book must be Hawkmoth. And then I..." she stopped suddenly.

"Keep going, Marinette!" Tikki encouraged her. "You're doing so well."

"I'm so sorry, Adrien! But at first, I thought that... I thought that you were Hawkmoth..." she looked anxious at him. Adrien laughed hearing that.

"Really, kid? It's funny for you?" Plagg asked looking at him with disgust.

"Then, at school, I found out that was your father's book." Marinette continued. "And I felt relief that it wasn't you. On the other hand, that meant your father was Hawkmoth. And then your dad was akumanized... And I was completely lost. So, I went back to Master Fu and told him everything and asked him for the book. I had to return it to your father, otherwise you would never come back to school. And... And I asked Master Fu... if Hawkmoth could akumanize himself..."

"And what did he say?" Adrien asked breathless.

"He wasn't sure." Marinette answered with fading tone. "He didn't deny. I'm so sorry..."

"But he didn't confirm, did he?" Adrien spotted. "What happened later? How the book was returned?"

"I brought it back."

"What?!" Adrien exclaimed.

"Master Fu made photos of all pages and he's been analysing secrets of our miraculous now. And I went to your dad to return the book."

"In person?" Adrien looked at Marinette in disbelief.

"I've told you she's brave..." Plagg muttered.

"Yes, in person." She answered simply. "Otherwise you wouldn't come back to school."

"Oh, Marinette!" Adrien exclaimed and hugged her. "Why didn't you tell me? I was wondering why my dad changed his mind. He didn't tell me anything."

"Because I asked him for not telling you."

"I can't believe that you've done something like that for me..."

"You know, usually I do much more dangerous things for you..." she smiled.

"As Ladybug. But as Marinette... I can't believe that. You are... You're... you know, there are no words to say how amazing you are!" he looked at her with admiration and kissed her.