Wild Hearts || Miraculous Ladybug

17|| Pigeons Ruin Everything

Uhhh, hi? I know it's been over a month since I've updated, but please don't kill me. To make up for it, here's a very long chapter. Enjoy!

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Mondays were notoriously dreadful.

It was the first day of the work week, when children and adults alike were the furthest away from the joyful and carefree days of the weekend. A day when everyone burrows a little deeper underneath their bed sheets when their alarms go off, wishing to bathe in the warmth for a little longer, to deny that Sunday has passed for one minute more.

Once they finally accept their fate and slide out of bed, most go through their routine sluggishly, low on energy and excitement. Colors seemed to be dulled and noise muted, as if the world itself was morning the day.

However, despite the downcast feeling Mondays brought, it also brought a strange sense of calm. Mondays were a breath a fresh air, the start of a new week. They were a moment to take a step back, wind down from the wild adventures of the weekend, and prepare for the days to come.

Some, such as Elizabeth, found this calm to be relaxing.

As she got ready and went to school, she assumed that this Monday would be no different.

She was very, very wrong.

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"You only have one day to work on your fashion piece and it must be your own design," Principal Damocles explained to the half-awake class. Elizabeth blinked blearily, frowning at the colorful picture of ribbons and scissors on the projection screen below.

Apparently, today was the school's yearly "creation day", where the students participated in different creative endeavors. Her seatmate explained in hushed whispers that the project varied from year to year; one time they had to do a portrait painting of somebody they admired (it was obvious that Nathaniel won that one) and another time they made clay pots to give to a neighboring nursing home.

It seemed like a cool idea; if not for the fact that she had to participate. She had much more important things to do than design an article of clothing.

Her eyes flickered away from the adults in the front, scanning over her fellow classmates. Just like her, most of them had bored expressions on their faces, spare Chloe and Marinette. Heck, Alix had fallen asleep two seats below her, snoring lightly as Mylene tried to discretely shake her awake.

Elizabeth sighed and looked back at her bushy-haired principal.

Today was going to be a long, long day.

"In ten hours your finished presentation will be judged by none other than the great fashion designer, Gabriel Agreste," the principal continued, taking a step back and holding a hand out as a picture of the man flashed across the screen. Then the principal smiles and looked at a certain green-eyed boy in the front row, adding, "the father of our very own student Adrien Agreste!"

That seemed to catch people's attention. Hushed whispered of interest filled the room as Adrien rubbed the back of his neck bashfully from all the eyes on him.

"In fact, Adrien will model the winning design in his next photo shoot," the principal added, and just like that, he had won over Elizabeth's classmates. Interest turned into excitement until Elizabeth could practically feel energy sparking the air.

Once it settled down, the Mr. Damocles spoke again. "And now to announce this year's theme: derby hats!"

What the heck is a derby hat? Elizabeth wondered, her mouth forming a small 'o' when a picture of one was shown on screen.