Chapter Text
With Max's help, the team quickly threw all the evidence together. Chloe had Marinette's speech basically memorized and she lead them all to the principles office to speak.
Alya, who was mostly quiet and just seemed frustrated with herself, ended up having the best proof of all. She had a video from the bathroom stall that clearly showed Lila dumping water directly in Marinette's bag and calling Marinette names.
It was proof of bullying.
Indisputable evidence.
Together, Chloe, Adrien, Nino, Max, Alya, Luka, (he just kinda appeared and followed behind while strumming guitar randomly and telling people he was checking their vibes), Kim & Alix, (who had some sort of bet going on), and Kagami, (they passed by her in the hallway, and as soon as Adrien mentioned Marinette was in trouble, she was on board) marched towards Damocles' office.
A whole protection squad of sorts.
The defenders of Marinette Dupain-Cheng. And the truth. And justice. They weren't actual superheroes, like Ladybug, (other than Chloe, who was a part time hero, and probably Adrien, but that's another thing to unpack) but they were close enough. Even heroes need backup sometimes.
Having a mask wasn't a necessary part of being a hero.
And- maybe Chloe just wanted to feel like a superhero again, but she was going to do good.
This time, for the right reasons. For friendship, justice, and love and only maybe a tiny bit of vengeance.
Lila had hurt Marinette, and Chloe wasn't going to let anyone hurt Marinette again.
(Hawkmoth was next on her hit list, but that's a different story)
When they got to the front office, they were told by the Secretary that the Principle was already in a very important meeting.
They explained their cause, (reporting a bully), and the Secretary didn't seem that surprised.
When they mentioned Marinette and Lila, she nodded. "Of course, she said some of her friends would testify for her. I just hope you can help that poor girl."
The group shared a look.
"Didn't Marinette go home?"
"Yeah." Chloe nodded. "She left after eighth period. She didn't want to do this alone."
Kim elbowed Alix. "I bet you that she didn't."
She smirked. "Well, I bet you that she did."
"Statistically speaking, Marinette is one of two likely characters to be in that room?"
"Who's the other?"
Before Max could respond, likely with some graph and data, the food to the principal's office was opened.
A familiar pig-tailed girl sat in the chair, and turned around to give a soft smile to Alya. She wiped away the tears in her eyes and tried to look strong.
"Oh my gosh, thank you guys so much for coming to help me. I just hope we can get rid of all the bullies and be friends."
The group was stunned. None of them had actually expected to see her talking to the principal, especially on her own.
It was such a risky move.
And if it hadn't been for them, it probably would've worked.
"Wow. She seemed like such a nice girl. But I guess she had me fooled.."
"She had us all fooled, until she cornered me in the bathroom and threatened to take away my friends."
"And it was completely unprovoked?"
"Completely. I was nice to her. We weren't best friends, but I never did anything to hurt her."
"Do you know why she would do something like this?"
"Well, I didn't. But Alya told me that it probably head something to do with Adrien."
Adrien turned to Nino, who shrugged.
"Adrien, Agreste?"
"Yeah. She has a huge, obsessive crush over him. Everyone knows it-"
"I didn't know." Adrien mumbled.
"-she was jealous of how close I was with Adrien. We are very good friends after all."
"I'm sorry that we didn't address this problem sooner."
"Well, I tried to. We tried to get her expelled."
"I remember. But you said you then repealed everything that you said. Right?"
"She made me say that. She threatened to hurt my family."
"This is more serious than I thought."
"Please. Do whatever you can to get rid of her. I just don't want to be hurt any more."
Mr. Damocles shook his head. "I just can't believe that Marinette would hurt anyone. She's always been such a sweet girl."
Lila turned back to Mr. Damocles, her sausage-like pigtails swinging after her. "Like I said, all of my friends would love to tell you more. Wouldn't they?"
Adrien had to physically hold Chloe back as she growled. "Oh, you have no idea what we would like to say, bitc-"
Nino covered Chloe's mouth with his hand. "Like Chloe was saying, we have some information that you might find interesting. Max?"
Max stepped forward with his laptop. "If you look in these folders, you'll find evidence that proves that the bully is actually-"
"A choo!" Lila sneezed so hard that she punched Max's computer screen. "Excuse me. I'm so sorry! I never meant to-"
"Sure, Lila." Max sighed. "The information was also saved to this USB. In case anything happened."
"Oh, no it's fine. Mr. Damocles has already heard what I have to say. He doesn't need anything else."
"Actually, I'd like to see that." He took the USB from Max, plugging it into his computer. "Why is there a folder entitled "Pac-Man?"
"That's a personal project. Its the second folder-"
"Ah, yes." Damocles clicked on it, looking through the first set of documents. "Wow. This is certainly shocking."
"The lengths they would go to, for a friend? Certainly." Lila nodded. "They're all conspiring against me. They're bullies too!"
Kagami tilted her head. "I just kinda got dragged in here. I don't even know who you are, or what is happening-"
"Oh right-" Adrien whispered something to Alya who showed Kagami the video.
Kagami scowled. "It is Lila who is the bully. And a coward."
"I don't even know you-"
"You have no honor. Marinette is an amazing person, and-"
"Ugh." Lila flipped her hair. "It's not my fault everyone of you is in love with her or something."
Chloe, Adrien, Alya, Nino and Kagami all turned red and started stammering excuses.
"I'm not in love with her, but I have known Mari for a very long time." Kim crossed his arms. "She's the kind of person who would help anyone. She's not a bully."
"She helped me with my video game."
"She helped me with my crush."
"She helped me make new friends."
Lila waved. "Yeah, yeah, we get it. She's helped a lot of people. She's fooled all of you too."
"Its over Lila. You've lost, give up."
"Marinette is a bad person. I just want to make this school safer."
Chloe raised her arm, like she was going to slap Lila. "All you do is spread lies."
"Sure, hit me. Prove that you are all bullies."
"I have to be the bigger person." Chloe put her arm down. "Marinette taught me to be better. A better friend, a better classmate, a better person. If you think that you can convince anyone that she is a bulky, you are sorely mistaken. I will defend her if it's the last thing I do."
Mr. Damocles cleared his throat. "As sweet as that declaration of friendship was, I'm going to need you all to step outside for a moment."
"Why?"
"I've called Marinette in to my office. I'd like to hear her side of the story."
"But you already heard my side-"
"Exactly. And last time I only heard your side. I think, especially when we consider your lying disorder, I have to be able to look at this case from all sides."
"But I'm telling the truth."
"Are you sure?"
Lila stomped out without another word.
The team all walked out, and Marinette walked in.
Alone.
"She's going to fail."
"Shut up Lila." Nino and Adrien held Chloe back, once again.
"I can't believe I was ever friends with you." Alya
Lila smirked. "Believe me, she won't be able to get out of this one. I have the principal wrapped around my finger just wait and see-"
They didn't have to wait very long.
After about five minutes, Mr. Damocles opened the door to his office.
Marinette walked out, looking pale, but threw her arms around Chloe. "Thank you."
The blonde patted her head. "How'd it go?"
"We did it."
Chloe shook her head. "You did it."
"No, Chloe you did it. I panicked because all of my evidence was destroyed. You managed to bring justice even without it."
Chloe blushed. "I had some help. I got a whole team together."
"Don't be humble. I know it was mostly you." Marinette smiled. "Do you want to get some ice cream with me?"
"Yeah, of course, but what about-" Chloe made a not so subtle gesture at Adrien, who awkwardly waved.
"Fighting over boys was what got me in this mess in the first place. Besides, he's in love with someone else."
"Yeah, Ladybug."
Marinette froze. "Haha, well, it wouldn't work out anyways. I'm so awkward. And me and him are really more like best friends. Besides, I'm pretty sure that he doesn't want to date anyone at the moment."
Adrien breathed a sigh of relief. "Yeah. I'd kinda just like to be friends."
"Of course. We are all friends here."
"But-"
"I think we have a chance, Chloe. We used to be best friends after all."
"Yeah, and then you had to go and get pretty."
Marinette blushed. "You got pretty too."
Lila scolded, as the rest of their friends cheered.
"Finally!" Nino threw a fist in the air.
Kagami nodded."The tension between you two was unbearable. Neither of you was making a move. I thought I'd have to."
"I thought we'd have to lock you in a closet to get you to confess your feelings." Everyone stared at Alya. "What?"
Their first kiss was short and sweet, because they had a crowd watching.
The next one, not so much.