Revelation AU
What if Felix took Adrien’s place again the day Lila tried to take over class rep duties.
Let’s just say thanks to his stalking, Felix knows Lila is a liar who makes Adrien uncomfortable and Marinette unhappy. He warns Kagami about it, who in turn wishes to expose Lila after being manipulated by her.
Knowing Lila has had too much time to sway the school to her side, Felix proposes an idea but needs Kagami’s help. Like Lila, Felix is a master at deception, at least when pretending to be Adrien.
When Gabriel fires Lila Rossi, Felix suspected Lila would want revenge on Adrien to hurt Gabriel. As such, he insisted that he take Adrien’s place for that day in school. Kagami lured Adrien and knocked him unconscious, allowing Felix to take his place while Kagami stayed with Adrien to keep him from interrupting their plan.
When Marinette tried to argue that Chloe should be punished for cheating, and how Caline suggested that Chloe was going to need a lot of work, Lila suggested she take over Marinette’s duties since Marinette is too busy with her love life.
Felix: I’m sorry, Lila. It’s just what you said. The reason you were not around to vote for Marinette is because you were on one of your MANY trips for charity. I know you’ve had more time for us now, except last I heard, you said you were going overseas. I know you’ll try to be there for us, but we all know how you can’t help answering the call for help from your many other friends overseas, even changing your plans at the last minute because you told us how much you cherish bonds overseas, knowing you can’t dismiss friendship that easily.
And just like that, Lila is also unreliable for being class president.
Lila: I will try to be there for the rest of the school year, even my mother put her foot down about that.
Felix quickly interrupts: Oh no! Are you that exhausted? We shouldn’t put more pressure on her.
Lila: But I have more free time on my hands.
Felix: Um, I heard you refuse to join Mylene’s cause to help Ramier’s cause to build pigeon shelters next week. And Marinette is not even going to be there! Not to mention I’m worried that Chloe might take advantage of you like she’s taking advantage of Sabrina, she’s already trying to take back power, but we all know that Chloe will dump her deputy duties on Sabrina, again. You’re too nice, Lila.
No matter what Lila says, Felix is ready to counter her.
And then comes the killing blow
Felix: I know you mean well, but my father also told about your special disease
He looked at Miss Caline Bustier, who now recalls Lila’s lying disorder
Felix: It’s embarrassing but my father does do background checking, Principal Damocles told him about your uncontrollable lying disease. I know Miss Bustier wanted to keep this a secret so we would not worry over you like we do over Rose, but we’re your friends Lila, you don’t have to hide this from us.
Alya is unsure if Adrien is telling the truth or he really wants to defend Marinette
Caline: I think you’re right Adrien. Lila needs all the support she can get, and she can only get that if we help her be honest
She just confirmed what “Adrien“ said.
The class is stunned. Lila really was a liar. And Ms Bustier did not even tell them. It was hard to tell whether their feelings of betrayal were directed more towards their naive teacher or Lila.
Lila herself was feeling quite furious with Adrien.
Naturally Hawkmoth was attracted to the akuma class…again.
He sensed Lila Rossi’s hatred to Adrien. Not a good idea. (Sure Lila tried to direct some hatred Marinette’s way but the latter was clearly surprised by Adrien’s move). Nathalie was already breathing down his neck on his treatment of Adrien.
Someone else in the class will have to do.
There was obviously a divide.
Some actually thought Lila had a lying disorder and could not control it.
Others like Alya Cesaire were immediately apologetic for not believing Marinette, cursing their own gullibility, and angry at Ms Bustier for keeping it from them.
Yes, Alya’s guilt was prime for akumatization.
Except…what is this? Her resistance to the akuma…it was so similar to…Viperion/Luka. Alya knows Ladybug’s secret identity.
True, Alya rejected the akuma and Hawkmoth summoned it back, but the idea that two friends of his son knew Ladybug suggested the possibility that the heroine herself was within Adrien’s social circle.
But who? He had akumatized most of them. All except…Marientte Dupain-Cheng!
Oh wait. If Alya is aware that Marinette is Ladybug, how could she actually believe that Ladybug is best friends with Lila?
He discusses this with Nathalie.
Nathalie: but Alya is that gullible. Didn’t she believe Chloe of all people was Ladybug? Despite witnessing Ladybug saving Chloe from Stoneheart?
Gabriel: it’s time we invited Marinette to our home again. It will be a chance for Adrien to tell her about his trip to London. (Aka akumatize and see if she really is Ladybug)
Meanwhile, Alya confessed Monarch discovered she knows Ladybug and has to leave town. She joins Luka with his dad and Penny.
Marinette feels guilty for telling Alya the truth. Tikki reminds her that Alya knowing has helped her before.
Before Alya left with Luka, the latter warned Marinette to be careful with her secret identity. “Monarch might decide to investigate our common friends. And you’re the one of the few he hasn’t akumatized.”
Marinette: few…Adrien! Wait, what am I saying, Adrien can’t be confused for Ladybug.
At the invitation for brunch, Gabriel knew Marinette was still oblivious to Adrien’s impending departure (he would have akumatized her otherwise).
Gabriel: I wouldn’t want to keep two lovebirds apart in these precious moments Adrien has in Paris.
Adrien dropped his fork. “Father!”
Marinette looked at her boyfriend in concern. “Adrien, what’s wrong?”
Gabriel: you didn’t tell her?
Adrien shut his eyes. “I’m moving to London at the end of the school year.”
Gabriel: as soon as the school day is over, he’ll be packing his bags.
Adrien: but I’ll miss the dance!
Gabriel: so is Kagami but I don’t hear her complaining to her mother.
Marinette understood immediately. Gabriel disapproved of her so much, he was willing to send Adrien away, take him away from his friends. “You can’t do that! It’s not right!”
“Oh, and what would you know of right, Ms Dupain Cheng. My own surveillance cameras have caught you spying on my house. Your male friends threw a wild party under my very roof while I was absent, draining even my back up power reserves. I’ve already shown my generosity by not suing them for the power disruption or demanding a restraining order on your presence. Do not test my patience.”
Marinette and Adrien were horrified, for different reasons. Adrien knew about Marinette’s stalker habits already but to hear that his father was capable of using the law to punish his friends…he knew he needed to tread carefully. Marinette was horrified to see her own flaws turned against her.
Gabriel settled down, forcing a smile on his face as he civilly asked, “And what do you think of my pancakes now, Marinette. Do you think my new recipe is better than before?”
Both knew they could not insult him and make their own situation worse, not when Gabriel has already proven himself of capable of following up his own threats.
“It’s certainly efficient,” Marinette finally managed.
They finished the breakfast in silence. Gabriel happily eating his pancakes. Marinette and Adrien holding hands tightly under the table.
Nathalie came in. “Adrien, your piano teacher is here.”
Gabriel: it’s been nice having you here again, Marinette. But good times never last long.
It took all Marinette’s willpower not to run or call Gabriel out for his cruelty. As soon as the coast was clear, she sank down against the wall and cried.
Her despair just begging Monarch to akumatize her.
Unfortunately for him, Tikki was also on alert should Marinette be depressed enough for an akuma. (Being in an akumatized purse was not fun!)
Tikki: Marinette, an akuma!
Marinette freaked and ran, worried that Ladybug’s immediate purification would give her identity away.
Rather than let the butterfly go rogue and cause another startrain, Monarch summoned the butterfly back. He can be patient. Sooner or later, Marinette has to break down and he will be ready.
Knowing she had to stay positive, Marinette devotes her energy to try to be optimistic, thinking of how she can get Gabriel to change his mind, or ways to make a long distance relationship work.
This was enough to make Gabriel give up and instead wait for Adrien to leave for London.
By that time, Marinette had already tried several plans to convince Gabriel to stay. She got Wayhem to organize Adrien’s fans to strike about Adrien’s departure but was countered by Gabriel saying Paris was too dangerous for Adrien. She threaten to call child care services except Adrien (influenced by the Graham wedding rings) vetoes this plan. She considered using Cosmobug to visit Adrien except Marinette doesn’t have the money or time to make such frequent visits plausible.
Eventually Marinette came to accept Adrien’s departure and both agree to work out a long distance relationship.
Gabriel is extremely disappointed that Marinette isn’t more unhappy when Adrien leaves. Oh well, it doesn’t matter. project Alliance will continue as plan.