Switched

Chapter 5 - Akuma

The class could hear lots of commotion from outside. Everyone ran to the window to get a better look, despite the teacher's pleas to go back to their seats. People were running from a woman with short, dark, curly hair and a dark, flowing, royal blue dress with lots of ruffles. The center of the dress had a golden symbol on it. It was the symbol of honesty and integrity. She had golden eyes and a gold streak in her hair to match the symbol on her dress. She wore a royal blue mask to match the color of the dress. From what they could see out the window, she appeared to be shooting gold lasers out of her eyes at the citizens as they desperately tried to get away. People are always afraid of akumatizations, no matter how many akuma attacks Paris gets.

Marinette and Adrien gave each other equally concerned looks. What are we going to do? Marinette thought to herself. The look on Adrien's face, more precisely her face, told her that he must've been thinking something similar. His panicked expression increased the worry she was already feeling.

Luckily, Marinette was good at thinking under pressure. She had to be since she was Ladybug. She always knew how to get out of the worst situations.

Before taking action, she thought of what the best way to go about the situation was. Should we switch miraculouses? Marinette could give Adrien his ring and Adrien could give Marinette her earrings. They could fight as Ladynoire and Mister Bug, but since they're in each other's bodies, it would be as if they were in their normal suits. Shadowmoth would be suspicious if they were using each other's miraculous and fighting well, but what difference would it make? If Shadowmoth suspected something was up, would it matter? It would be even more suspicious if they wore each other's suits and fought horribly. Marinette decided the best course of action was to switch miraculouses with Adrien and get Tikki back, but how would they do that?

"Everyone, please head back to your seats!" Miss Bustier announced. "For now, it's safest if we stay put and let Ladybug and Chat Noir deal with the villain."

Ladybug and Chat Noir can't do that if they're stuck in the classroom, Marinette thought to herself, annoyed. She couldn't blame her though. How would Miss Bustier know Ladybug and Chat Noir are in her classroom? Marinette didn't know Chat Noir had been in her class all year until today. I can't believe Adrien, the boy I've been crazy about since the first day of school, is my partner, Chat Noir. They had always been two very different people in Marinette's mind. Although, during her recent conversation with Adrien, she felt like everything he was saying sounded like both Adrien and Chat Noir. For that one conversation, she felt as if they had become one person. During the conversation, her heart yearned for both Adrien and Chat Noir. She was starting to love both of Adrien's personas.

Adrien said he's always loved me as Marinette. Is that true? Honestly, I feel the same way, so it's likely true. Maybe I was so blinded by my love for Adrien that I didn't realize my love for Chat Noir deep down. Marinette smiled at the thought. She was glad they were the same person. It felt easier for her to talk to Adrien after knowing he's Chat Noir. Talking to Chat Noir has always been so easy. Now seeing the Chat Noir in Adrien, she didn't feel so nervous talking to him.

Marinette realized she was getting sidetracked. She had to focus on the akuma attack right now.

Her first idea was to ask Alya to distract the class so she and Adrien could get away, but she remembered she was in Adrien's body. She would need to be in her own body to do that. Oh no. What if Alya tries to talk to Adrien about a plan? He doesn't know that she knows I'm Ladybug. When Marinette looked over at Alya, she saw her doing exactly what she didn't want her to do.

She saw Alya whispering to the person she thought was Marinette. Before she could stop it, Alya had walked away and Adrien was left standing there with a confused expression.