Miraculous Ladybug: Season Six | Part One

Chapter Ten: Gabriel Agreste

Marinette's POV
    I stand face to face with my living nightmare, being honest about a vast lie I have fabricated to protect Adrien from his father's desires. It's barely been a month since Monarch's defeat, and I continue to feel the same fear I did once I uncovered who was behind the mask of Paris's biggest threat. Instead of turning it into my victory by unmasking Monarch, I protected his identity and his sick motives. I made a martyr out of Gabriel Agreste, the person behind the terroristic threats that occurred in Paris for over a year. I hold back my tears, looking at Alya and Su-Han as the pit in my stomach becomes more present. "Girl, was it someone close to you?" Alya asks, concerned, relaxing her shoulders. I bite my lip, glancing over at Tikki; if I had to guess, she's telling me to get it over with. I take a sharp inhale as a singular tear rolls down my left cheek. "Close is a strong word for how I feel about him, Alya." I retorted, clasping my fists into balls. The anger and frustration began to boil my blood. I have lied to everyone I cared for to protect Adrien? No, I covered Gabriel and his reputation. I close my eyes, inhaling through my nose, trying to calm down; I cannot risk being akumatized, especially now. "You both may want to find a seat," I added, unballing my fists to find my words.
    They both obliged, and I joined them huddled in a small circle on my floor as if we were in elementary during group reading time. "You must be honest, Marinette," Su-Han started with a stern face; he was completely and utterly determined to get this information out of me, more so than anyone else, including Alya. I look at Alya, "Promise you won't tell a soul, not even Nino. No LadyBlog, not a peep." I ordered without hesitation in my voice. Despite nearly sobbing, my voice did not shake or crack. I know this is for the better of humanity. Alya nods without looking away from my eyes, displaying "trust me" all over her face. I inhaled one last time, "I had to protect his identity from Paris to protect his son from seeing his true intention," I started looking at both of them; they looked unreal; they had not moved a muscle. I hesitate again before continuing, "He originally wanted the miraculouses of creation and destruction to make a wish for his wife to return from her slumbers. His name is-" I lost my voice. I cannot speak of his name without my eyes becoming glassy. Suddenly, I am overwhelmed with the anger in my body; I can feel the heat radiate all over my body. Alya tilts her head as if she's thinking of the same person, but she can't believe that unless she realizes I have fabricated all of those lies. I straighten my posture, attempting to regain my composure.
    I took one final look at Su-Han and Alya before their perceptions of me changed. "I wasn't protecting his son; I was protecting his reputation from the whole world. If I were protecting his son, I would have told him the truth myself, but I couldn't bear to see him realize how much of a monster his father was, more so than he already did. I wanted Adrien to see his father as the hero because that is what he deserved to see. Not some man in a mask who put on a facade to the public that he and his family were perfect. Someone who would sacrifice his life for his son, which is, in reality, what he did. Gabriel Agreste sacrificed his life to protect his son from discovering he was a monster." I wept, not noticing the tears strolling down my cheeks until I finished my explanation. I look away from Su-Han and Alya, wishing I could go back and be completely honest with the media despite Gabriel's order. I don't know why I obeyed him; fear controls me, and this proves it. "I'm a coward." I sob quietly, waiting for a response from either one of them, looking down at my knees.

Third Person POV
    "You're no coward, Marinette, but you have made a huge mistake in judging this issue. You have made a hero out of the hero; if Paris ever gets this information, we can only imagine the revolts against Ladybug and her allies." Grand Master Su-Han finally responded to Marinette before standing up slowly. Alya continues to sit across from her in awe; she cannot believe how naive she is, Gabriel Agreste. A hero? Doubtful. "Marinette, aside from this newly proclaimed villain, you have many more problems in your future. You may have a whole army of citizens." Su-Han continues looking down at her, crying herself into a pool of tears. "I-I can't let anyone know the truth." She croaks through sobs, thinking of who could've known where to find the brooch. She looks up at Alya with her tear-stained face, "We have a bigger problem. Someone found the brooch in his home. They must know who he is." She continues to think out loud in pure fear. Su-Han face softened at the thought of Parisians uncovering the truth and revolting their saviors. "Marinette-" Alya begins reaching towards her friend, "You need to tell Chat." She whimpered, beginning to form tears out of fear of what the future has in store for them. Marinette's face hardens, "Why should I? So more people are aware of the lie I created to protect Adrien... Gabriel?" She mutters. Alya stands up, wiping the tears off her face, "He deserves to know just as much as we do." She states sternly, her voice is so powerful it sends shivers down Marinette's spine. "He needs to know that the enemy may use this information for their advantage, and it's better you tell him rather than whoever they are. Chat can be akumatized too, and the smallest mistake could destroy the world." Alya spat, looking down at her best friend, who began sobbing again. Marinette sits there thinking about the last time he was akumatized in an alternative timeline that she had to fix with BunnyX. "I have to tell him." She whispers, unknowing if it were for the better of Paris... let alone them.