#Lila rossi for the win

[kittysuicoffee]

If am honest I wish Gabriel had lost during the last episode of season five that was bull shit Marinette should had never let her guard down. That was a stupid move and I am not happy like girl this man hurts your friends and family and you think he was just gonna give up no honey no that was stupid. You can’t talk no jutsu on someone like Gabriel I mean come on!

At least we got Lila she would do way better then Gabriel and she can cause more damage too since Lila have no need to love ones in her life and just wants power so she would do things that can hurt people a lot more. Plus she thinks of ways to get whatever she wanted is a manipulative. So it won’t surprise me if she’s able to burn Paris into the ground along with ladybug/Marinette…

[saturnrin]

I love the idea that everything (positive) that Lila lies about somehow comes true for Marinette.

Lila lies about having connections to the queen of England? Suddenly, Marinette is getting regular commissions from the queen herself and forms quite the acquaintance-ship w the royal family.

Lila "is practically family" to an Italian mafia? Marinettes grandmother has quite an eccentric background, and through her, Marinette somehow manages to get a local Italian Mafia to pseudo-adopt her. (Only because she refused to actually be adopted, much to their disappointment)

Lila "went on tour" with Jagged Stone? Guess who wants his favorite designer to accompany him for his U.S. tour during the summer?

Oh, Lila says she acted in a movie for Graham de Vanily Films? Guess who ends up accidentally staring in a Graham de Vanily film?

I just want all the positive things that Lila lies about to happen to Marinette, who is sufficiently surprised every time (you'd think she'd be used to it by now), meanwhile, in the background, Lila gets progressively more pissed.

And the worst part? Every time she tries to upstage Marinette with something even bigger and grander than Marrinettes' own accomplishments? No matter how ridiculous, Marinette somehow ends up stumbling upon That. Exact. Opportunity.

It's incredibly frustrating.

You could say Marinette has some miraculous luck, despite how adamantly Tikki denies any involvement in these increasingly ridiculous turns of events.

All in all; Lila is frustrated, Marinette is frustrated, and Tikki is very amused (as are Adrien and Plagg, who watch this shit-show from the background).

[jennrypan]

So..MLB basically says.

Gabriel, Tomoe, Jagged Stone, Audrey and Andre are ALLLLL worthy of redemption and theyre actually NOT that bad despite one being an actual terrorist and the others being either overbearing to an abusive degree, neglectful and childish or verbally abuse.

BUT NO ITS FINE CUZ YOU KNOW WHOS THE WORST???

LILA AND CHLOE CUS THEY WERE MEAN TO THE MC. THESE 14 YEAR OLD LITTLE ASSHOLES ARE FAR WORSE THAN THE LITERAL ADULT DIRT BAGS SURROUNDING THEM.

Obviously Chloe and Lila are assholes and deserve repercussions for being bullies and treating others like shit, anyone with a brain can see that but to be so heinous and down right stupid to claim these kids are more fucked up than the actual adults who are fully aware of whats going on?? Whos been alive longer?? Seriously?? Make that make sense.

Why does Gabriel get to redeem himself after spending months terrorizing Paris, killing people, neglecting his son and even physically abusing him when he deems it fit?? Why does he get a pass?? Cuz his baby mom got sick doin shit she knows she shouldnt be doing?? Really??

Why does Audrey and Andre get to not see anyone call them out for how they made Chloe?? Why does Andre get to disown Chloe and start over with her nicer copy?? After making her into the spoiled brat she is cuz HE GAVE HER EVERYTHING SHE WANTED, HE COULDVE PUT HIS FOOT DOWN BUT HE DIDNT?? HES A GROWN MAN, and suddenly hes done?? Cuz he wanted to be some dumbass director?? Seriously?? Sir you made your daughter that way and allowed your shitty wife to talk down to her and destroy her self worth, you allowed your daughter to keep demanding things from people and never ONCE tried to speak up, and suddenly you wanna start over with a kid that isnt even yours??

Jagged Stone literally abandons his whole ass kids cuz "kids arent cool" and he KNEW WHERE THEY WERE, KNEW WHO THEY WERE, and likely wouldve NEVER told them unless Luka in his akumatized form actually found him cuz hes a fucking man child going through a midlife crisis

(also lol @ all the salt fics saying hed be there for Marinette more than her own parents. Mf wasnt even there for his own kids, bffr)

I cant really say much on Tomoe cuz we dont really get much on her besides little hints but giving how Kagami is and how she mentions she wasnt even allowed to draw shows that Tomoe is exactly like Gabriel and what do ya know..Kagamis also a senti monster. Its fucked up!

Why do these grown ass adults get passes but Lila and Chloe dont? Chloes apparently a little soulless monster and Lila?? Is a fucking sociopath pulling an Orphan with all these new identities?? What the fuck??

Also lets not forget, Felix tried to make Adrien lose his friends, mocked Adrien for being an abused kid, found out Adriens mother is in the basement and REFUSES TO TELL HIM?? He gave Gabriel all of the miraculous, and instead of helping his COUSIN, he helps this random girl hes now suddenly obsessed with?? What?? But no yeah FELIX deserves to be forgiven despite all of his actions also being just as selfish and terrible as Chloe and Lila but go the fuck off ig, but EVEN STILL HES NOT WORSE THAN GABRIEL

[plumsaffron]

Here's something from dec 14-17 @kuu-asaur

Basically this thread reply starts with.

Luka pfp saying the models between kids and adults are very distinct. Cerise only seems older but that's all.

Then the Op says oh I'm 23 but people think I'm 16.

Which easily convinces the Luka pfp to be convinced that she made be an adult by that logic (but that should make it void considering the previous statement of looks older since you know people younger still made be seen as older.) that she is an adult.

Why?

Cause Lila flirting with Adrien means she has to be.

Really?

I'm gonna laugh in episode Felix now (would Marinette qualify too? Idrc. It's really dumb take)

Other replies are she's: 40 or idk she's ugly bitter old woman

old girl in her twenties passing 14

Idk I hope she gets arrested for false identities because it's illegal and she's going to hell.

Hmph illegal huh? That's nice. I guess Marino and Felix are going too.

Sigh why are these humans like this? What does wanting this do?

They rather eat raw meats and ignore ramifications of illnesses from their folly

They got that Esther from Orphan kink again I guess.

[hufflepotato-18]

Gabriel insulted Lila too many times and now his life is about to be ruined

yes, and it will be both fantastic and horrible to see.

[leaderwon]

HATE THAT...

chapter 30 — lila rossi

Synopsis :- In a world where lovers are destined and written by fate, You hated the idea of a soulmate, or maybe you just hated him. Jake wanted a soulmate, a lover to be with for the rest of eternity. Just not you. Not wanting eachother, the both of you occupy yourself with someone else. But the universe had other plans.

luna's diary : half asleep while writing, ignore my mistake

prev — masterlist — next

Your clock read 4:56 pm as you got up from your nap. You looked at the tiny mirror at your bedside table, noticing your bloodshot eyes. You couldn't remember if you brokedown before falling asleep.

Your eyes landed into to the empty bed a few feet away from yours. The worst part of going through all this? Your own bestfriends not believing you. How you wished god would listen to your wishes and you would finally wakeup from this nightmare you were in.

You unlocked your phone and swiped up to see if you had recieved a notification. Ofcourse there's nothing.

Everything from all those years ago was happening again and you had no idea how to stop it. Worse part? you had friends which you didn't last time and they didn't believe you.

You sighed starting to get ready. What was the point of going anyway? You were about to be disappointed even more.

Would they remove you from the team? You wouldn't surprise if they did.

Getting out of the room you previously shared with Ningning, you saw how dull your dorm felt. You missed them. Your initial plan of grabbing a snack before you left was ruined as you slowly started to lose your appetite.

The air was thick with tension and awkwardness as you jogged around waiting for your coach to show up. On the corner of your eye, you could see Iseul with her crutches sitting and staring at you. God that fake bitch.

As you were jogging, a group of girls bumped shoulders with you. "Oh look it's the bully!" One of them said laughing at you. Ignore them.

"Iseul is so nice tho, why would you want to bully her?" "imagine being so insecure you go bully someone else" "Are your parents proud?" were the comments you heard as you continued jogging.

Park Iseul that fucking liar.

Your thoughts were interrupted by your coach blowing his whistle. About time he arrived. All you wanted to do was finish with practice and go back home and sleep as you attempt to forget everything.

"Thank you to all of those who were interested in captaincy this year. With the votings of the sports faculty and a background check, we have come to a tie between Y/n and Iseul" Your coaching said as he made eye contact with the two of you.

What the fuck?

You heard a bunch of whispers around you as your coach started again, "Since Iseul is injured and will be unable to play for a few matches, Y/n is the leader. Congratulations Y/n, I'm intrigued to see what changes you'll bring to the team"

"The bully?" You heard a girl question your coach. "But, she's the reason why I'm like this. Coach you know I'm a better player" Iseul tried to argue before she was interrupted "No buts, the descision is final. You're dismissed."

You could feel Iseul throw daggers at the back of your head. "You just keep getting annoying, don't you?" She said finally managing to limp towards you. Deciding to ignore her, you started walking towards the other side until she spoke up again. "Just you wait, I'll make you life worse than how it is" She said as she smirked at you.

"No, Iseul" You spoke. You were not going to let her win, not this time. "I will prove my innocence and I will expose your lies. I don't know how, but i will bring you down, Just you wait" You said as she scoffed "Good luck with that."

TAGLIST (open!send an ask to be added COMMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED) : @fertilizedtoesw @ynsvnte @jaeyunluvr @liinori @n1k1mura @syzavxy @alex-is-sleeping @hoondiors @baevsxii @rikimylove @enhaslxt @erehkinnie30 @desistay @ifuckedheeseung @haechansbbg @sumzysworld @simjyunnie @cha0thicpisces @noobgod1269 @sol3chu @potatosoulp1h @welovechaes @firstclassjaylee @miniature-tragedy @beommii @jiyechoi @dimplewonie @feeling-woozi @jjunie-0 @butterfliesinthenightsky @iheartjayke @minthoons @dreamiestay @layla240 @heeseungismymanz @suneng @vlaeaex @vixensss @woorcve @hyunjinheartbreakprince @blujk @electrobutterfly @dismaldiary @melancholy-z (bold cannot be tagged)

[cantheywinthehungergames]

Submitted anonymously

Tribute Name: Cerise Bianca (formerly Lila Rossi, AKA Volpina)

Age: 13-15 (throughout series)

Restrictions: No superhuman abilities of any kind

If you would like to see your favorite character either as a tribute or as a mentor, please fill out this Google Form. Just keep in mind that for mentor polls, they will be posted every Saturday so chances are it could take a long time before they are posted.

Please also look at my pinned post for submission rules as well as a list of previously submitted characters prior to submitting your character.

[princess-of-the-corner]

Rose: Hmm, ya know, now that Lilla's back we really do have three famous people in class. Finally enough for kiss marry kill!

Juleka: Killing? Morbid, I'm in.

Rose: We have confirmation, anyone else want in?

Marinette: This sounds super inappropriate.

Lila: Its all right with me, I know your answers ahead of time Marinette, I won't take offence :3c

Marinette (Aggressive eyebrow twitching)

Nathanial: I'm up.

Ivan: Can the marriage be ceremonial? Cos Mylene and I are already dating.

Rose: No, that's playing the game wrong.

Chloe: You're already playing the game wrong!

Alyx: boo, buzz kill.

Chloe (Flips her off) I'm right though, everyone will just choose to kill me, some of you already tried-

Adrien: Hey-

Chloe: As Akuma, I know, point is, you're undermine one third of the games entire structure, it needs three equals participants or its just lazy!

Nino: Did not expect to be agreeing with Chloe, also you OK with this dude?

Adrien: Eh, you should hear backstage chatter in dressings rooms, though I think Chloe makes a point. What if we sub in Kagami for Chloe? She's nice.

Marinette: Plus, Kagami's pretty and rich and good with a sword! (Buries face in hands in despair)

Alya: (Pats her head)

Kagami (Opens door) I heard my name being shouted, am I needed for something?

Sabrina: They're playing kiss, marry kill and you're being swapped into Chloe's place so there's no easy kill option.

Kagami: I see, well I will put on my best effort, but given I don't share a class with the players I know I am at a disadvantage. Still, I enjoy a challenge.

Rose: Don't worry Kagami, Juleka and I are definitely killing Adrien instead of you.

Kagami: How charming, you have my gratitude.

Adrien: Love wins!

Kagami: Now I only need to strike down Miss Rossi.

Lila (Please say she's not being literal)

Mylene: This game is so violent.

Chloe: It should also be more sordid, but I guess Fu-

Marinette: OK, so whose first!?

So Chloé since you took yourself out of the running what's your answer?

[xhanisai]

Anonymous

AO3

Pairing - Adrinette

Prompt - 'Anonymous'

Summary -

Marinette was already a very accomplished woman with a portfolio to die for and she took huge pride in it.

But she didn’t have any friends.

Never had a boyfriend.

Never had a classmate be it back in her school days or even now, ask her to hang out with them or request to work as a group willingly.

She’s so, so, so alone.

.

Suddenly, Marinette noted a guy from the reflection on the window glass who sat on the table beside hers and he was blatantly staring.

~(x)~

.

.

.

 Settling down on her favourite seat by the window after collecting her usual coffee order from the counter, Marinette let out a deep exhale from the exhaustion that sunk its fangs deep into her muscles and joints. Dieu, she was tempted to just drop all of her responsibilities and run away to another country without telling anyone for a week. A month even. As long as it would take to ease her overworked body and sleep-deprived brain because the fraying string that was keeping her together was at its limit.

 Ugh.

 At the end of the day, this was the road she chose for her life. She was currently in her final year at ESMOD, studying fashion design as an undergraduate, barely twenty years old and one of the few youngest students on her course. Marinette went through hell and back trying to get into this university, sacrificing her social life (or lack of), her brain (it was already in shambles), her poor fingers (which had been stabbed a million times with needles) and so on just to get accepted.

 And yet, all she could feel was how absolutely drained she was. 

 The pride and giddiness she held for the first few weeks during the first year of her course were immediately obliterated by the mountains of work and deadlines and essays that were forced upon her shoulders on an almost weekly basis. As if that wasn’t enough, there were far too many people on her course who could give her childhood bullies (Chloé Bourgeois and Lila Rossi) a run for their money in terms of brattiness, nepotism and even sabotaging other people’s work because they found it ‘funny’.

 UGH.

 She was well aware of how competitive and brutal the fashion industry was and that unfortunately, whether she liked it or not, the richer you were the more power and opportunities you had. Marinette could be the best fashion designer in the world but critics could choose to bestow awards and prizes to other designers because of money and influence.

 ‘Maybe I should have stuck to freelancing and commissions like I did back in school…’ She thought to herself despondently, staring through the window with a bittersweet smile and taking a sip of her hot beverage. The delicious drink eased her soul just a little but Marinette couldn’t help but keep musing about the current state of her life.

 Granted, she did have a few good things going on that many people would kill to have or to have accomplished. Such as loving, doting parents who worked hard every day and supported her dreams since day one or designing products commissioned by big names like Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale and even winning contests (such as Gabriel Agreste’s bowler hat competition) just to get her name out there.

 Marinette was already a very accomplished woman with a portfolio to die for and she took huge pride in it.

 But she didn’t have any friends.

 Never had a boyfriend.

 Never had a classmate be it back in her school days or even now, ask her to hang out with them or request to work as a group willingly.

 She’s so, so, so alone.

 .

 Suddenly, Marinette noted a guy from the reflection on the window glass who sat on the table beside hers and he was blatantly staring.

 At first, she wanted to chalk it up to him looking out through the window too, maybe looking for inspiration or taking a break from whatever he was working on on his laptop. She wasn’t so vain and proud to think that her looks were enough to warrant blatant staring like that. However, she noted that his complexion took on a pink hue and his eyes were completely glued to her frame.

 Oh dear.

 ‘Please don’t be a creep. Please don’t be a creep.’ Her mind repeated over and over again like a mantra and she now watched the man back in her peripheral vision. He was actually really, really pretty (as much as it pained her to admit). Way prettier than she expected. 

 His blond hair was short and stylishly tousled in a style that was very similar to the hot men in the K-dramas her maman loved to watch. He wore round, thin glasses with a silver rim that suited his face perfectly and accentuated his brilliant green eyes. He also had a bit of a babyface too which (again, much to her dismay) skyrocketed his cuteness levels through the roof and had it not been for the structure of his body, she would have thought he was a high schooler.

 Last but not least, the man was very well dressed in palettes of greens, blacks and greys. All of his clothes boasted how well-made they were and the high quality (as well as the price) shone through with just a glance. They were casually styled but belonged to brands that would charge an entire year’s worth of tuition fees for one article of clothing.

 ‘A very well-off guy then? Probably a micro-celebrity or something…’ Marinette flickered her eyes back to the reflection on the window, only to note that the man’s eyes darted from her figure to his laptop screen and rinse and repeat. He was typing away a storm and Marinette didn’t know whether to be amazed that he was able to do that whilst keeping his eyes on her or a little freaked out.

 .

 So she turned around completely and faced him. 

 The man almost leapt out of his seat like a cat and then stammered out word soup and for a second there, she felt a little bit bad for surprising him like that in the first place. Then again, he was the one who was staring to begin with. The poor guy was so red, he looked like he was about to explode and he was tugging on the side of his thick black turtleneck, hoping to cool himself down.

 How cute.

 Marinette flashed him a smirk, picked up her coffee and promptly made her way out of the café without a word, blind to the way he reached out a sullen arm and the pitiful pout that plastered itself on his face.

 ‘Pretty people do get away with everything, huh.’ The designer sighed to herself, knowing very well that she wouldn’t have even spared him a glance if it weren’t for how cute she found him. Like a little kitten in the most unexpected place and you can’t help but be intrigued, can you?

 Oh well. 

 Back to coursework.

~(x)~

 “—The number one top-selling romance ever? A must-read? Surely this is just another Twilight or something like that.” Marinette scoffed to herself after browsing through the internet, looking for a good book to read as a treat for finishing everything in time for her deadlines. “‘Ladybug’…interesting title.” She decided to give the book a chance and found a preview to see if it was worth her while after all.

‘It was as if all time and space stood still and the air was knocked out of my lungs the minute my eyes were captured by a sea of blue. Beautiful, gorgeous, baby blues that glittered and shone like the sun reflecting off the sea from dusk till dawn. Her rosy lips were quirked up into an adorable, dimpled smile after she took a sip from her chosen beverage for the day. I guessed it was cinnamon. She looked like the type of girl to indulge in warm spices. Her midnight hair was tied up in a neat, cute bun. So, so cute. Wrapped by a poppy red ribbon with black polka dots. It was so hard to soak her in with the few glances I selfishly allowed myself to have. Every time I looked, I fell more and more into this wonderful, thrilling feeling. I never thought I was capable of feeling this way. I never thought that someone like me would ever experience what others would make songs and arts and poetries about.

 I think this is…

 Love. Until I know her name, I shall call her "Ladybug". If there are any benevolent beings left in this universe, please allow me to see her again in this cold, cruel world.’ Marinette stood up from her computer chair and let out a shuddering exhale, rereading the last line twice, thrice, until she lost count. She couldn’t believe it. It was him…

 Him. The cute man who watched her as if she were the most exquisite painting in the world and then almost exploded on the spot when she caught him in the act.

 Him!

 Marinette rushed to the bottom of the screen to check out the author’s details only to furrow her brows at the name he went by as. Her frown then unconsciously perked up into a smirk and she couldn’t help but think how fitting the name was for him. She searched it up, only coming across similar results that talked about how he was an anonymous writer from France who mainly wrote stories about heroes, family mysteries and the occasional horror or two.

 ‘Ladybug’ was his first ever story that revolved around romance and his fans couldn’t help but speculate if the author himself has fallen in love for the first time in real life. If it were to be true then Marinette was determined to come across this strange but enigmatic man. She wanted to kick her past self for not attempting to make conversation with him back in the café! "I'll find you Chat Noir...I will!" She vowed. The least that silly cat can do is buy her a coffee after using what little interaction they had as inspiration for the love interest in his story, no?

.

.

.

~(x)~

[themattress]

I’m sorry, but I'm still not over this. There is very little tweaking that would need to be done to the Season 5 finale of Miraculous Ladybug to make it a series finale (and it very well could have been one!), and thus how would these major antagonists have concluded their runs?

Gabriel Agreste / Hawk Moth / Shadow Moth / Monarch: He basically wins; sucker-punching Marinette and at last obtaining the two Miraculouses he’d always been after, using them to rewrite reality so he can join his wife in death (since he was dying anyway so it isn’t a sacrifice). Adrien (who now only has memories of him as a good father and not an abusive bastard) and most of Paris is left oblivious to his crimes, and he even gets honored as a hero who sacrificed his life to defeat his own supervillainous alter-ego once and for all.

Nathalie Sancoeur / Mayura: Her fatal illness is removed and she gets to live a peaceful life alongside her new girlfriend Emilie Agreste. Her crimes against Paris also go undiscovered.

Tomoe Tsurugi: She’s now in charge of Gabriel’s business, and still an active member of a creepy secret eugenics cult dedicated to replacing humanity with perfected sentimonsters.

Felix Fathom / Argos: He keeps the Peacock Miraculous he obtained through a horrific betrayal that led to devastating consequences for all of Paris and now even has a girlfriend.

Lila Rossi / Iris Verdi / Cerise: Her being exposed as a liar and expelled from school ended up meaning jack shit since “Lila Rossi” is just one identity of this person who’s apparently always been an aspiring supervillain, complete with her own evil lair and special resources. And now she’s obtained the Butterfly Miraculous, so things can only continue to go her way.

Chloe Bourgeois: She earns the hatred of all of Paris which she is forced to leave behind, loses all her power and privileges, her father disowns her in favor of her half-sister, her friend and minion Sabrina turns on her, Adrien wants nothing more to do with her, Marinette wins a final victory over her on behalf of all the students she’s bullied over the years, and she’s trapped in the custody of her abusive mother who intends to take her abuse to a new level. 

OK, yeah, as I think we can all see: one of these things is not like the others!

Seriously, Thomas Astruc, what is your damage in regards to the character of Chloe!?

[aliensunflower-fics]

CHANGING FACES Chapter 5: Bitter Truths

[ Prefer to read on Archive of Our Own? Link HERE! ]

[ Previous Chapter - Next Chapter ]

After years of dealing with each other Lila Rossi win’s when she  convinces Hawkmoth that Marinette is Ladybug. In order to throw off  suspicion and keep the Miracle Box safe Marinette and her supportive parents leave Paris and head to Gotham of all places. In this new place  away from her friends and her unhealthy routines Marinette is forced to  confront herself and change for the better. Helping her on her journey  is a surprising new friend and potential ally. When Alya missing her  friend learns about the chance to win a free trip to Gotham she  convinces the class to work hard to qualify. When her new life clashes  with her old one will Marinette be able to hold on strong to her new  confidence or will she crumble under the pressure?

( This fic will be for the most part comedic, fluffy, and sweet, with only a bit of seriousness to tie it together. With only the mildest salt  because I don’t think the class or Adrien are bad people just that they  can be naive and selfish thanks to the canon writing. I hope you enjoy  reading this work and have fun with me on this journey. )

CHAPTER 5:

Bitter Truths

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was leaving Paris… Kind of. Thanks to her job as Ladybug a part of her would always remain attached to the place she’d called home for 16 years. But while Marinette knew her leaving was not the end of her time in the city of romance, the same could not be said for her friends and classmates. And while they were able to put on a brave face in front of the baker's daughter and act okay their real feelings bubbled under the surface.

_____________

Alya had not been taking the news well. Marinette had been the first friend she’d made in Paris and though they had not spent much time together lately they still texted, hung out and cared for each other. Alya knew that Marinette was someone you don't meet very often, someone genuinely caring who’d give you the shirt off their back. Of course things were not always perfect but even when they got rocky Marinette never stopped caring and neither did Alya. And maybe that was why it was so hard not to view Marinette leaving as a betrayal.

Alya KNEW it wasn’t. She knew that Marinette had many bad akuma experiences, she knew her friend had been struggling with her mental health, she knew that Marinette had a breaking point. She knew and yet… She had not stepped in to try and help. Alya had seen how hard Marinette had worked for others, how much she’d given, how much she sacrificed, how tired she was getting. Alya wanted to make up excuses for herself, she’d been too busy to help, or that Marinette was a big girl who could advocate for herself, or that their classmates never meant any harm by it so it wasn’t that bad. But the truth was; Alya didn’t want to talk about it or meddle or change things, she convinced herself that her friend would be fine, that she was truly some civilian superhero who could handle it all because she always did!

And then Marinette told them she was leaving. And it felt like ice water being dumped on Alya’s head. She felt so angry, so betrayed, so hurt. But then Marinette had cried and Alya’s anger evaporated as she listened to her friend. Marinette didn’t want to leave them or lose them. But she needed to leave in order to save herself. Not just from Hawkmoth and the akumas, but from the unhealthy routines she’d allowed herself to get caught up in. And Alya knew, she had to let her go. They would stay friends of course because no way was Alya abandoning someone as great as Marinette, but maybe a little distance could be something good for them? So even if it hurt and even if Alya wanted to hold on to her friend and never let go. She would.

In the remaining time they had left Alya stuck close to Marinette inviting her over for sleepovers, sitting with her in the back of class, dragging her to fun hangouts after school. Sometimes while they were together laughing until it hurt Alya would forget Marinette was really leaving then her parents would call to ask about furniture in the new Gotham house and Alya would feel reality come crashing back down. Some Days when Marinette could not hang out because she needed to prepare things for her move Alya would go home and sit in front of her computer working on her blog and in this loneliness Alya could admit that a part of her had still not accepted that Marinette was really moving.

Deep down Alya somehow still expected everything to go back to normal, that a miraculous cure would fix the damage or that the class would band together like they always do to fix it! But it was a normal fire and so no Miracle Cure fixed the empty space that once held the best bakery in Paris. And as for the class well… It had always been Marinette who led the charge to fix whatever was wrong and restore the status quo and now she was abandoning ship. Sure Alya could try to take over Marinette’s old post but… She had no idea how she’d even begin to fix this mess. And even if she could fix it would Marinette even want to stay?

_____________

Nino was observant, more observant than people tended to give him credit for, and so as much as he wanted to say that Marinette moving was a shock he had not seen coming… It wasn’t. Nino had known Marinette longer than most of the class, he’d seen her deal with Chloe’s constant harassment, Bustier's overbearing expectations, Adrien’s naive but harmful requests, the class's constant requests and herd mentality, and finally Lila’s honey coated hostility.

Honestly, Nino could not really understand why he’d never done anything to stop it all. When he was little he could chock it up to fear after all Chloe was a tiny terror and Nino a shy boy, but as they got older and Marinette became more and more like family to him… Why? He could not claim he hadn’t seen it and heck when it came to Lila and Marinette clear aggression Nino was more aware of it then even Alya had been as he’d been willing to see that Lila wasn’t the perfect angel she claimed, she could be just as jealous and petty as Marinette could. Yet still he’d said nothing and done nothing to protect his friend.

Somedays when things were going wrong and Marinette seemed overwhelmed he’d think about stepping in to help, but each time he’d find himself prioritizing something else, a date with Alya, a rare hangout with his bro Adrien, or an urgent music commission, and by the next day when he had the ‘time’ to help Marinette it was already over and done. Eventually Nino just figured that Marinette never really needed the help, Alya and the class had him convinced that she was a supergirl that her complaints and distress were just venting but that she’d be fine. And she always was so sure that him stepping up to help her would just get in her way.

Well now Nino knew better. Every hang out they left Marinette out of so she could ‘work’, every stressful task they’d passed off on her thinking she was better at it, every snide comment or petty jab they let her handle alone. The bakery burning down was just the last straw on the mountain of reasons why Marinette had to put herself first, get on a plane and say ‘later guys’. And honestly Nino didn’t know how to handle it.

In the time they had left Nino felt himself retreating just like he’d always done. He let Alya monopolize the last of Marinette’s time and he just left the asian girl alone like he always did because she was fine, she was always fine. But he could not deny the slight hole he felt forming as what was an old dear friend, no maybe even more like a sister packed up and got ready to leave. Saying goodbye and ‘i'm sorry’ felt too hard so Nino instead made her a playlist of all her favorite songs to keep her company on the plane ride to America. It was the least he could do.

_____________

Bustier could hardly believe her star student was leaving and she’d gotten the news before the class had in a rather harsh meeting with the Dupain-Cheng parents. Bustier wanted to consider herself a good educator; she knew she had a very hands off approach, believing in the philosophy that teenagers needed the space to make mistakes and grow and choosing to impart messages of kindness and patience into her students. In her mind she was shaping future adults who would make the world a kinder, more forgiving and patient place. But the Dupain-Chengs did not seem to agree.

In the hour long meeting they had they tore into herself and poor Mr. Damocles blaming the both of them for putting too much pressure and work on kids, not being harsher on bullies, and ignoring the mental health of their student body. Bustier did try her best to explain her philosophy to the two angry parents but they just would not listen. In the end they got nowhere and simply demanded Marinette’s paperwork so they could have it translated for her new American school.

Bustier of course did not want Marinette to leave, she was the golden standard for what a student should be, well minus her tardiness and occasional distracted nature. She was a real go-getter, who relished and loved the extra work that challenged her, not to mention that she was a prime example of Bustiers philosophy, a beacon of maturity and forgiveness. It would be a true shame to see her go.

_____________

For the students of Bustier there was a deep sadness that took root in the class in Marinette's last month.

Rose did her best not to cry or react negatively trying to be a beacon of joy and excitement like always but she could not fully hide how much she’d miss Marinette. Who had always defended her and treated her with respect and care. Rose knew that Marinette was the warm beating heart of their classroom, the one who made things feel fun and special. Without her they would be like every other class… Only with more akumas.

Juleka who handled the news better had wished she could say that she saw it coming but she didn’t rather Luka had as he’d warned his sister years ago that someone like Marinette would one day hit her limit and need to prioritize herself and when that happened the class would be left floundering. She was more than a little annoyed he was right and more then a little sad though she did her best to respect the twin tailed girls choice.

Kim and Max both tried to play it cool acting like they were fine with the change but they were both failing miserably. Kim, who had grown up with Marinette, broke down in tears twice looking at old kindergarten pictures. Max meanwhile tried to remain logical and cool about everything but could not help his obvious moodier and more bleak outlook on life. He and Marinette may not have been close but he would never forget how she always looked out for him and helped him.

Ivan and Mylene, the couple Marinette helped get together in the first place, were gripped by a deep sadness. Marinette was the one who helped them find the spark they needed to start dating, she had also helped out during misunderstandings and fights the two had. When Mylene was scared or anxious she knew she could just phone Marinette and the girl would help talk her back into a more relaxed state. And Ivan knew he could truly relax around Marinette without fear of judgment. They wanted to respect Marinette’s choices but still they struggled to be happy for her.

Nathanial and Alix both buried their feelings in their hobbies. Alix pretended she was cool with everything while obviously dodging any talk about it and skating around claiming she needed practice for an upcoming competition. Nathaniel meanwhile kept quiet but insisted he was fine if asked. Yet in his art that he worked on so diligently one could not help but notice that the new hero for he and Marcs comic looked suspiciously like Marinette.

As for Chloe and Sabrina, well the class just assumed they didn’t care. But this wasn’t quite the truth. Sabrina liked Marinette and appreciated the girl for how often she tried to help her out of the bad relationship she and Chloe had built for themselves. She was sad to see Marinette leave but was able to respect the decision fully aware as to why it was happening and why it was for the best. Chloe meanwhile did her best not to care but she did. Truthfully her life had not been going great lately and while she managed to keep it hidden from her classmates the truth was she was facing consequences behind the scenes for her previous actions and a lot of therapy to boot. Chloe had been wanting to apologize to Marinette but her therapist had told her that doing so would only serve to make HER feel better not Marinette and that the best thing she could do was to leave the girl alone. So even if she’d regret it for the rest of her life Chloe shut up and left Marinette in peace.

_____________

Adrien wasn’t sure what he was supposed to feel when Marinette announced her plan to leave. The first emotion he’d registered had been guilt, followed by sadness, and anger, and then more guilt, before it all settled into a comfortable numbness as he shoved his negativity down and plastered a fake smile on his face. Why was he getting upset? There was no reason to get upset! Because there was no way that Marinette was really leaving! … Right?

Marinette was their class president, their everyday ladybug, she was kind and resourceful and forgiving… well she was mostly forgiving. Sure she hadn’t really spoken to him after last years ‘incident’ but she still gave Adrien pastries on Fridays with the rest of the class and she never snubbed him at hangouts. So surely she would forgive him any day now and they would go back to being friends… Maybe even more? And well that couldn’t happen if she just left them so this had to be a joke, or a silly idea her parents were talking about right?

No, there was just no way she was leaving! Marinette would do what she always did and she’d find some way to raise money to fix the bakery and it would be just the same as before and she’d stay in Paris. But as the days turned into weeks and Marinette booked her flight, showed off pictures of their new home in America. Well Adrien started to feel doubt creep in and the guilt he’d suppressed came flooding back. A tiny little voice in his head could not help but ask if the reason Marinette was leaving was all his fault.

He hadn’t meant to hurt her so badly. He really did think that Lila had changed when he believed her words. It was just a dumb mistake really! And it had been over a year so surely Marinette could not still be mad about it… Could she? Eventually as Marinette’s last week in Dupont dawned, the bitter memories filled Adrien’s head like a ghost.

 It had been a little over a year ago. Lila, having been attending Dupont for a while, had as far as Adrien knew stopped telling lies. She still bragged about her fabulous life and the people she met with her connections as a top Gabriel model but she seemed better and Adrien was honestly a little proud of her and the changes she’d made to become a better person. He was also proud of Marinette for listening to him and giving Lila the chance she needed to grow as a person.

With what he thought as peace and harmony completely restored to his class and life Adrien was shocked when one day as he arrived at a modeling shoot he discovered a crying Lila hiding in his changing room. Lila and him weren’t friends, not really but seeing the girl sobbing as she clutched her phone mascara running down her face Adrien could not help but pity the girl. After getting her to calm down enough to talk to him Lila confided in him that the reason for her hiding and crying her eyes out was her mother canceling their plans again.

And wasn’t that just relatable? Adrien knew very well what it was like to reach out to a parent only to be met with disappointment and canceled plans. As Lila cleaned the ruined makeup off of her face the two spoke openly about all the things their parents had ‘forgotten’ or missed or canceled and Adrien found himself laughing a little as he let some of his perfect boy persona drop. Adrien loved his other friends, sure but they could not really understand what it was like to have a parent like Gabriel Agreste but Lila did.

After that Adrien found he enjoyed photo-shoots with Lila a lot more. It was wonderful having a friend on set. They’d vent about their absentee parents, joke around about the over dramatic camera man, and confide in each other over how their other classmates were wonderful people but just didn’t ‘get’ what it was really like to be them, living with such high expectations. Slowly without realizing it Adrien started to take Lila's side in every small argument or fight. Even when he knew Lila was being a bit catty with Marinette he would still defend the Italian feeling annoyed with Marinette for being so patty. Where he would previously track Marinette down after these types of fights to comfort her and tell her they weren't a big deal he was now ignoring the Asian girl feeling like she was unfairly judging Lila.

It was around that time that he learned about Marinette’s feelings for him. It was an accident of course, he had forgotten his book-bag and when he'd gone back to get it from his locker he somehow walked into an argument between the girl squad and Marinette. He knew eavesdropping was bad but he could not help it, and so he was shocked as he realized the girls were trying to come up with an ultra romantic plot for Marinette to confess her ‘love’ for none other than himself! Adrien Agreste.

Now Adrien has always been loyal to his dearest Ladybug but the superhero had made it clear she was not interested, so why shouldn’t he take a chance on Marinette? She was plenty pretty and kind besides the idea of dating sounded fun and it's what normal kids his age did. He had an extra hop in his step as he went to the photo-shoot that evening thinking about Marinette and her future confession. His extra pep must have been noticed by Lila who could not help but inquire.

That was when Adrien made a second mistake in trusting Lila. She congratulated him but Adrien noticed the obvious strain in her voice and concern on her face. Curious what was wrong he tried to ask Lila what it was wrong but she dismissed the question claiming that Adrien would never believe her anyway. When he pushed harder Lila blended her face into the perfect picture of concern and care.

 “Well yes Marinette is very sweet and all but, well are you sure she really likes you for you Adrien? She might just be a fangirl in love with the idea of ‘Sunshine Agreste’. I just don't want to see you get hurt.”

That small seed of doubt had all it had taken for Lila to get her claws into Adriens mind. In the following days as Marinette worked up her courage to confess, Lila, like the snake she was, whispered into Adriens ear bringing doubt to every kind and sweet action Marinette made.

 “Adrien you didn’t confide in Marinette about your true feelings toward your father, instead you confided in Chloe and me.”

 “Marinette can hardly hold a conversation with you because she's so starstruck about your dad, does she care more about you or his fashion brand?”

 “Just ask Alya but Marinette is very jealous and possessive of you. Is that really love or just a superfan who wants to date you Adrien?”

 “I just don’t want to see your heart get broken. Marinette is a good person, we both know that but maybe dating her is just a bad idea for both of you. Wouldn't it be better to just stay friends?”

Each carefully crafted word blinded Adrien more and more to Marinette’s true nature. Where he once saw a cute kind girl with a crush on him he now saw a slightly obsessed super fan who needed to understand that he would never date her and that she needed to apologize for her possessive and jealous antics toward his friends!

The following Monday when Marinette finally gathered her courage after what Adrien only later found out from Alya was YEARS of hardcore crushing to finally confess the true depth of her feelings to Adrien with a cute box of handmade pastries and a pair of hand knit mittens. Well he didn’t give the response Marinette was hoping for. Truth be told, the response he gave in return was harsh, and mean. Honestly Adrien could hardly remember now what he said at the time but he knows he went too far, he accused her of being shallow, a super fan who only wanted to date him because of his dad, he demanded she apologize to Chloe and Lila for her actions while jealous. And finally he told her that he didn’t even want to be her friend not until she worked on becoming a better person.

Adrien hadn’t realized what a stupid mistake he made until after Marinette ran off sobbing with Juleka and Rose in hot pursuit. Nino and Alya had looked at him in horror and anger. And the class besides Chloe and Lila avoided him for the rest of the day. He still did not fully register what an idiot he was until a day later when Alya took the initiative at lunch to trap him and interrogate him. Adrien never admitted that it was Lila who planted the ideas in his head even under Alya’s death glare but he did learn that he had been an idiot he learned about all the previous failed attempts, about how long Marinette had tried to win him over, how many times she’d sacrificed her own happiness for his. It was a bitter pill to swallow and with Marinette refusing to speak, look, or be within 5 feet of him, apologizing was something Adrien found hard to do.

But the hardest part of apologizing was actually DOING it. Admitting that maybe he’d been fooled by Lila again was not something he wanted because they were friends now and Lila didn’t mean it right? She’d just been looking out for him; she didn't know that Marinette was sincere. But if Adrien told Marinette that he had no doubt the girl would only get angry. But apologizing without bringing up Lila meant he would have nothing to say, no proper explanation to give, and with how crushed Marinette seemed and the death glares fierce but small Rose gave him each time he tried to get close to Marinette kept him away. He’d apologize later when things were less awkward. That's what he told himself anyway.

But it had been over a year now, and he had no apology to give and Marinette kept her distance and her silence to herself. And now… Now she was going to Gotham City all the way across the ocean in America.

 And so Adrien had to wonder. Did he help cause this? Did Marinette want to leave because of him? From what Nino told him he wasn’t the cause… At least… He wasn't the ONLY cause. But the idea of Marinette leaving them forever only communicating via her computer left Adrien’s stomach turning. Maybe if he just apologized… Maybe she’d change her mind? The two of them could catch up and make up for lost time, they could date, and fall in love and she’d stay in Paris for him. She just needed to forgive him already and talk to him. Surely she would do so surely she didn’t mean to leave Paris with their friendship in such a sorry state right? But as Marinette’s last week came and went and the whole class went to the airport to see her off bright and early in the morning Adrien simply stood by confused about how it was all playing out. Everything had always worked out before, Marinette was supposed to rally everyone together and fix it just like always. So then… Why didn’t that happen this time?

As Marinette turned one last time to blow the class a kiss and wave goodbye he watched her disappear into the crowd with her parents. Adrien held his breath and waited. Waited for her to run back to them. Waited for things to go back to normal like they were supposed to. He waited… And waited… But she never came back.

_____________

Lila should have been celebrating right about now. She’d done it. She had gotten Marinette to leave, and not even just leave the school, no, she got the little goody two shoes ‘better than you’ BRAT to leave the whole country! This should have been her moment, her time to gloat and grin and shine in all her victory because she had finally WON.

But as Lila sat lounging on her balcony sipping her delightfully fruity and expensive sparkling water and reading texts in the class group chat and receiving videos of the last pathetic tearful goodbyes the class was making with Marinette at the airport the model could not help but feel robbed of her victory.

Marinette was supposed to leave, tail between her legs, tears in her eyes, running away from Paris like a whimpering pathetic mutt to some backwater little town where she would languish in obscurity and nothingness for the rest of her days. But instead of that delightful scene Marinette was leaving Paris very much still loved by her friends, heading off a bigger more beautiful bakery and home, in fucking Gotham City no less.

Lila felt her grip on her champagne flute tighten as she downed her sparkling water and seethed. It just had to be GOTHAM didn’t it. That putrid black stain on her otherwise flawless life. At first Lila was sure that Marinette had figured out about Lila’s past in the city of bats, something that should have been impossible as her name had been concealed in all the records and news broadcasts due to her status as a child at the time. But there was still a risk that Marinette had found something so Lila manipulated the sheep into asking Marinette questions and getting answers out of the stupid girl.

But according to the intel Alya gathered Marinette was actually BORN in that vile place. Because of course she was. There really was just something about Gotham and the people it made, it was like they were designed to see through her lies and ruin her perfect life. If only that horrid place and its horrid people would just sink into the damn ocean. Honestly its like the Joker wasn’t even trying to destroy the place with how much he failed. Pathetic honestly.

Throwing her cell phone onto the table with a clatter Lila sighed and leaned back in her chair letting the sun warm her skin. She should be celebrating, she reminded herself. Marinette was gone one way or another, and Gotham would hopefully eat her up alive and spit her out the same way it had her. Maybe if Lila was really lucky the idiot Parisians would be robbed or taken hostage by Two Face and Marinette would disappear for good. Yes, this was a good thing in the end Lila reminded herself letting a smile slip onto her lips.

Come Monday she would be the new and un-opposed queen of Francois Dupont and all the gullible rich talented little idiots that attended.

She had won. Just like she always did.

( Thank you all for the continued support and feedback about this fic I’m sorry for the slow update. I have a weak immune system and get sick more often then I’d like so I am trying to take better care of my health. Next chapter we will be switching to Damians POV so I hope you guys will like that! Reblogs, comments, art, whatever is always appreciated and loved )

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[celestiall0tus]

Rapture - A Reverse Harem Fantasy AU

Alright, let's get into this.

Synopsis:

Marinette, a 21-year-old crown empress, has been prepared her whole life to take over ruling the empire. Before she can take the throne, she must attend an annual gathering for all nobility across the realm known as the Diamond Gala. It is at this event she will find her royal consort before she can rule. All eyes will be on her as she navigates the dangerous world of courting nobility.

Cast:

Prince Adrien Agreste is the heir to the kingdom of Creation and Destruction, blessed by the kwamis Plagg and Tikki. Sweet, kind, caring, and eyes full of wonder, he has his heart set on earning Marinette's love, and to give her all his love.

Princess Kagami Tsurugi is the heir to the kingdom of Oblivion and Memory, blessed by the kwamis Memoria and Lethe. Reckless, stoic, thoughtful, stubborn, and fighting an ever-losing battle to hold onto her memories. She is set on earning Marinette's heart to hold onto the one memory she refuses to be forgotten.

Prince Kim Ature is the heir of the kingdom of Drudgery and Revelry, blessed by the kwamis Mill and Ziggy, but is personally cursed by Invidia. Bold, over-confident, envious, jealous, rude, and hot-headed, he is determined to show that he is the proper choice for Marinette.

Prince Luka Coufffaine is the crown heir of the kingdom of Paradise, blessed by the kwamis Duusu, Nooroo, Wayzz, Longg, and Sass, and personally cursed by Humilitas. Charming, calm, charismatic, and adaptive, he aims to steal Marinette's heart for personal gains until everything backfires.

Princess Juleka Couffaine is the younger twin and heir of the kingdom of Paradise, blessed by the kwamis Duusu, Nooroo, Wayzz, Longg, and Sass, and personally cursed by Superbia. Flirty, calculating, harsh, and observant. She aims for a prize greater than Marinette's hand.

Princess Chloe Bourgeois is the crown heir of the kingdom of Determination and Lethargy, blessed by the kwamis Stompp and Mell. Bold, arrogant, loud, determined, and outgoing, she aims to prove herself the best, win Marinette's heart, but is deterred when her conscious gets the better of her.

Princess Zoe Bourgeois is the young heir of the kingdom of Determination and Lethargy, blessed by the kwamis of Stompp and Mell, and personally cursed by Patientia. Hesitant, quiet, shy, and patient, she longs to win Marinette's heart, but is unable to until she gets help.

Princess Lila Rossi is the heir of the kingdom of Deception and Honesty, blessed by the kwamis Trixx and Luz, and personally cursed by Gula. Overzealous, bold, charismatic, and a drama queen, she is here to stir up shit and have a good time.

Prince Nathaniel Kurtzberg is the heir of the kingdom of Perception and Ignorance, blessed by the kwamis Mullo and Daizzi. Shy, hesitant, imaginative, and perceptive, he pines over Marinette, desperate for ways to get her attention that always seem to fail.

Prince Marc Anciel is the heir of the kingdom of Body and Soul, blessed by the kwamis Psyche and Terra. Anxious, shy, quiet, and deeply unsure, he is forced to pursue Marinette due to his parents despite his own desires.

Vagabond Queen Alya Cesaire rules over a band of roaming nomads that seek to establish connections, guided and blessed by the kwamis of Freedom and Connection, Kaalki and Fluff. Adventurous, self-assured, brave, and courageous, she aims to forge a bond with Marinette to bring their two kingdoms together.

King Felix Fathom is the ruling monarch of the kingdom of Love and Animosity, blessed by the kwamis Barkk and Orikko, and personally cursed by Libidine. Rude, intuitive, adaptive, and desperate for connection, Felix attends the Gala on Amelie's request to seek bonds that would last him a lifetime and win the heart of the belle of the ball.

King Gabriel Agreste is the ruling monarch of the kingdom of Creation and Destruction, blessed by the kwamis Plagg and Tikki, and personally cursed by Avaritia. Cold, calculating, harsh, dull, and ambitious, he aims to steal away the crown empress to further his own gains for his kingdom.

Ondine is an outcast of mysterious origin, blessed and cursed by kwamis. Bubbly, playful, cheerful, wounded, and set on a quest, she aims to earn more than Marinette's heart.

Rose Lavillant is the personal handmaiden to Marinette that sees to everything for her generous curse and deep-seeded love for Marinette. Eccentric, fiercely loyal, lovesick, and bubbly, she will keep Marinette safe and deter any and all suitors to keep Marinette all to herself.

Alix Kubdel is a wandering Knight-Errant, stopping by the empire's heart for work during the Diamond's Gala. She is contacted by royal consort, Tom Dupain-Cheng, and given the job to be Marinette's personal bodyguard, and to win her love to keep her safe from the other nobles that may seek to use Marinette. Bound by her diligence curse, she accepts the job and takes her place beside Marinette.

[storygirl000]

Thinking over it, I think Lila Rossi is the ultimate culmination of everything that’s wrong with Miraculous Ladybug.

Bad writing? Every episode she appears in has multiple contrivances thrown in to make sure she comes out on top, including the dumbing-down of usually smart characters.

Treatment of Marinette? She’s never been allowed to win in a Lila-centric episode, and is outright treated as wrong for trying to expose her on multiple occasions.

Tendency to treat characters as plot devices rather than actual characters? Lila’s the go-to diabolus ex machina when they want bad things to happen, and rarely ever appears outside of that.

Poor treatment of minority characters? She’s a visibly darker-skinned Italian girl who not only embodies multiple negative Italian stereotypes, but gets next to no development or fleshing out of her motives compared to the show’s other (rich, white, male) villains; literally her only character trait is Evil.

[starguardianniom]

Best Miraculous Ladybug antagonist

All choices are perfectly acceptable. I'm honestly torn between the last 3 and Lila, all 4 of them are so great to watch.

Seriously, the akumatized villains are the biggest threats sometimes, Gabriel could be taken down by Nathalie, Lila and Tomoe most likely.

Marinette's greatest foes are her obsession *cough* sorry "love"*cough* of Adrien and her lack of communication with people in general. I swear the main villains could almost just roll their thumbs sometimes while Marinette makes a mistake while blinded by love or fear of not being in control of everything or leads her to also not communicate things that she definitely should or others communicating more their insecurities instead of letting them pile up, and they would win, actually gets them some pretty good victories in the show. Love and Fear for the win in best antagonists!

[plumsaffron]

If one wishes for Marinette to truly evolve and not want those good to her be dragged down for opposing her by association (as they already unfortunately are still and probably always will be) even further, or not want Marinette's delulu actions of presuming bad or seeking the worst or attempting or succeeding to ruin others as predestined to be valid by many so she should react terribly for any in the future that don't act how she thinks they should or seem lila like enough, the thing that should not be desired is the viewer or fandom's fetish folly against Lila.

[pisoprano]

This is an ML salt post, particularly about Lila Rossi. If you are actually excited about Lila being the main villain in future season(s), this post isn't for you, I just need to rant. A lot.

I hate Lila Rossi. I hate her with a burning passion. Literally every episode where she shows up, my hatred for this character will manifest in me saying "I hate her" the moment she opens her mouth, followed by seething throughout every moment she spends onscreen.

In prior seasons, this wasn't much of an issue--she'd show up for a couple episodes and then she'd disappear 90% of the time, so I could usually just focus on literally anything else in the show. With season 5, however, she started showing up much more. I knew it was coming, of course--the foreshadowing that she would be the successor to Hawkmoth has been visible since season 3, and it was announced that he'd be gone after this season. But if the show had ended at season 5 as originally intended, butterfly!Lila could have been a theoretical problem for adult!Ladybug and adult!Chat Noir in 10 years. But since the powers that be have decided to have the show continue past Gabriel Agreste, Lila is a problem now and will be a problem at least until Chris Lahiffe is a teenage boy, if "Timetagger" is any indication. And we, the audience, will be forced to suffer through all of it.

Why, though, do I hate the idea of Lila being the main villain? I was fine with having Gabriel in the villain seat for five seasons despite him being a terrible father and manipulative git, after all. With Gabriel, there was a particular humanity to him that made him interesting--this entire show is about love and Gabe's love was so overwhelming and myopic and self-serving that he resorted to villainy while convincing himself that he was secretly the hero all along, sacrificing everything (even his morality) for the woman he loved. He used his love as an excuse to justify the harm he caused Paris and his very own son. As he continually reached for forbidden means to get what he wanted, his dreams ballooned in scope--he'd defied the odds when he'd married above his station, he'd defied the odds when he'd become a world-renowned designer, he'd defied the odds when he found the miraculous and created the perfect son--and so it became all too natural for him to fight the impossible fight as Hawkmoth because he deserved to win this too. And the whole time, unbeknownst to either of them, he's fighting against the son who he's been neglecting and controlling in his fight to save someone who never wanted to be saved? That stuff is fascinating.

Lila, though? She's got none of that complexity. She's a consummate liar who hates the protagonists and literally nothing else. In other shows, she'd be the transfer student who shows up for an episode, gets exposed as a fraud by the end of that episode, and then literally never be seen again. This show, however, has Lila overstay the welcome that her character archetype is built for and instead be a recurring problem. And, because a liar can only get away with lying if the surrounding characters don't know she's lying, Lila is made untouchable by the plot. Other villainous characters have some plot immunity to their evilness--Chloe, obviously, has the automatic win condition of demanding her father to get her out of trouble whenever she wants. But Lila's plot immunity comes from an inexplicable ability to manipulate everyone around her (besides our main protagonists, who are forced to only cry wolf). She makes all the supporting cast love her without help, she does so even to characters we'd expect to know better. When she first showed up, her lies weren't even good and still she gets away with her reputation in tact basically every time. The one time where she does get exposed to everyone, she gets to have an easy redo by making up a completely new identity to try again. She's a Villain Sue. And her very presence weakens the story she's in.

Lila only exists because the writers decided to make an absolute hate sink. They absolutely succeeded in doing so. And frankly, that's a problem. Most of the time, if you're going to have a character in a show for any length of time, they should be likeable on some level. They could be sympathetic or competent or proactive or even just have a personality that's fun to watch, but the audience shouldn't feel like the character is a waste of viewing time. Lila isn't someone the audience can identify with, her competence is largely in name only (I will allow that her manipulative skills during season 5 are stronger, but her ludicrously bad prior lying and the unexplained nature of her sudden hypercompetence now aren't nearly enough to make me forgive her here). Lila's sometimes doing things behind the scenes, sure, but she has the laughably petty objectives of "be famous" and "ruin classmate's life" and I cannot take her actions towards achieving these goals seriously as a bit villain, let alone a primary antagonist. And--worst of all--her voice is extremely annoying. I will suffer through a myriad of things, but I can only listen to nails on a chalkboard so long before need to leave the room.

And this might be a bit of a hot take, but honestly? I don't think Lila was even necessary in the first place. In episodes like "Volpina" or "Oni-Chan," she could have been replaced with Chloe (our original mean girl who's clingy with Adrien--she might not be my favorite character either, but at least she's funny). I'm positive that the plot of "Catalyst" and "Miraculer" could have been reworked to happen without Lila's involvement without much effort. The entire subplot of Lila being Adrien's modelling partner was more about Gabriel controlling his son--it could have been easily about forcing Adrien to be alone instead of forcing him to be with someone he didn't like. The fact that Lila shows up so little in the first four seasons just goes to prove how unnecessary she is. She only becomes important in season 5 because the writers now know that they need to prepare for a new supervillain to fill Gabriel's shoes after he leaves--and she's the only one who comes anywhere close to fitting. So, suddenly, she's being far more active than she ever was (almost half of her total appearances are in season 5 alone), but her motivations are less clear than ever, so I'm left assuming that this hollow character must still have the hollowest of motivations--popularity, power, getting back at the kids who rebuffed her... after having 5 seasons of truly delicious drama, why on earth would I want to turn the worst thing about those 5 seasons into main course?

I know I am far from being alone in hating Lila Rossi's character. There are literally thousands of fics tagged with "Lila's Lies Are Exposed" because so many readers want to see her be punished for her actions. I'm actually not really a fan of these--I don't take joy in seeing Lila being taken down. I want her to disappear from the narrative entirely. If the current state of United States politics has taught me anything, it's that that watching a terrible person get their comeuppance is never as satisfying as you think it will be because that terrible person will keep popping up and keep being terrible and keep forcing you to think about them. The best possible punishment I can think of for Lila is to act like she's just an OC made from some background character that never mattered in the first place--and then never have to think about her existence in the show again.

I was happy to watch the first 5 seasons of Miraculous Ladybug. I wish it had only been those 5 seasons (side note: Chat deserved to go up against his father in the final battle. I get that he couldn't since the mandate for more seasons requires the identities to be intact, but this was the point in the narrative when the reveal was meant to happen and it has weakened the story to move it elsewhere). I haven't decided to not watch season 6 at this point, but knowing who I will have to deal with in every episode? It's making it very difficult for me to want to continue any further.