A few days later Alya and I walked into the classroom to find that everyone was talking, Ms. Bustier wasn't there yet.

"I heard her parents own a club in Italy!" Someone said.

"She told me she has been dancing under professional teaching since she was 4!"

"She said she was a famous break dancer, there were posters of her everywhere!"

I looked at Alya, "What are they talking about?"

"Oh! They must be talking about the new girl, Lila!" She responded. She pulled out her phone and opened her blog, "She says she came here a couple years ago and became best friends with Ladybug, and convinced her to join the breakdance world! I got a great interview with her for the Ladyblog."

She tapped on a video and the new girl, Lila, talked about how she and Ladybug were "Totes besties."

"I've never met her..." I mumbled, "We're not besties."

"Well of course you're not besties!" Alya said, "She just got here, you haven't been introduced, and I'M your bestie."

We laughed. If only she knew.

I looked across the classroom and saw Adrien and Lila, who I could easily recognize from the video, talking. Lila was smiling and laughing and touching his chest. Adrien smiled, but looked slightly uncomfortable.

I frowned and furrowed my eyebrows, "Why is she talking to Adrien?"

Alya smirked at me, "Do I detect a hint of jealousy?"

"ME- WHAT- UM- WHAT- NO- NO WAY! I'M N-NOT-"

"They seem to be hitting it off."

I looked back to Adrien and Lila.

Lila had a finger on his chest and was smiling. She took his hand and led him out of the classroom.

"Oh no." I said.

"Please don't start." Alya said, holding her head.

"SHE'S SO BEAUTIFUL AND FOREIGN AND INTERESTING AND SHE'S A FAMOUS BREAKDANCER IN ITALY AND HER PARENTS OWN A CLUB MY PARENTS DON'T OWN A CLUB THEY OWN A BAKERY HE'S GOING TO FALL IN LOVE WITH HER AND SHE'S GOING TO FALL IN LOVE WITH HIM AND THEY'RE GOING TO GET MARRIED AND I WILL END UP A CRAZY CAT LADY WITH A BUNCH OF CATS NAMED HUGO, EMMA, AND LOUIS!"

Alya sighed, "Marinette you're so over dramatic!" She laughed, "If you love this boy go get him!"

"I can't just go up to him and-"

I looked across the room as Lila led Adrien away...

"Okay I'm gonna go see what they're talking about."

"You're gonna spy on them?"

"NO. I'm just... Going to... Happen, to pass by... and just happen, to overhear."

Alya laughed as I grabbed my bag and walked out of the room.

-----

Lila and Adrien had sat down on the bench in the hallway.

I walked past them casually, slinging my bag over my shoulder and walking to the water fountain. I took a sip so they wouldn't notice me, then as they turned their heads back to each other, I jumped behind the fountain, peeping my eyes over the top.

"So I heard you have a breakdance club here in Paris!"

"Yeah." Adrien said, "We do. I've seen the champions dance. They're so good." He sighed and cupped his chin in his hands, "Especially Ladybug. She's amazing. And a great dancer. And she's beautiful. And-"

I started to blush, Adrien liked Ladybug....

Lila frowned, but her cheesy smile was back in a second, "Sounds like you got the hots for her."

Adrien blushed a bit, "W- well I- um..."

"You know I'm best friends with her."

I hissed, "Liar."

"You are?" Adrien said, obviously shocked, "But, you just moved here."

"I..." She said, probably thinking of her next lie, "I met here before she came to was in the break dance business, on a visit to France. I convinced her to start breakdancing. We're best friends!"

"Wow!"

I growled. Well if Lila and Ladybug we're such good friends, I'm sure she wouldn't mind a visit from Ladybug would she?

I smirked and slung my bag over my shoulder and ran into the bathroom to change.

-----

I walked out of the bathroom, leaving my bag inside so Adrien wouldn't notice that it was mine. I walked casually out of the bathroom and into the hallway.

Adrien's eyes widened and he smiled as he saw me, "Ladybug!"

"Hi Adrien!" I said with a wave. I turned to Lila, "And hello Lila!" I said with a smirk.

"H-Hi Ladybug...." Lila said, failing to meet my eyes.

"It's been so long!" I said, "When was it the last time we met? Oh right! NEVER!"

"Oh no...." Lila said, putting her face in her hands.

I looked at Adrien, "She was lying to you to get your love." I looked back at Lila, "I hate liars, especially when they lie about me." I said, crossing my arms.

I heard Lila start to sob, then she stood up and ran out of the hallway, and the studio all together.

I smirked at my success.

"Don't you think that was a little much?" Adrien said, standing up to face me. His green eyes peered into mine.

I blushed and stuttered, "I-I, I just can't stand it when people lie about me... I just wanted to show her that her lies have punishments...."

"I understand." Adrien said, "I don't like people making lies about me either. But you were a little harsh... Hopefully this won't come to haunt us- I-I mean you, later." He walked by me and walked back into the classroom doorway, giving me what looked like a wistful smile, "You better change back, before someone sees you." Then closed the door behind him.

Have I made a horrible mistake?

I looked around to make sure no one saw me, then ran back into the bathroom.

-----

Lila ran out of the studio, not bothering to get her bag from the classroom. She sat down on the bench outside the dance studio.

She pulled her phone out of her pocket, looking at the Club Miraculous website dedicated to Ladybug and Chat Noir.

She growled.

"I HATE YOU LADYBUG!" She shouted. She threw her phone across the sidewalk.

A man in a suit walked by. He picked up the phone and brushed it off, thankfully it was undamaged. He walked over to the bench and sat down next to Lila an handed her her phone.

"I see you're very passionate about your hatred for Ladybug." The man said, "I think you're just the kind of person I need to take her on."

Lila looked up and took her phone back. She suddenly recognized the man, she had seen his picture when she signed up for the studio. "You- You are-"

"I know who I am." The man said. "And I want to help you challenge Ladybug. I've seen your dance resume, and I think you can defeat her and her partner Chat Noir. Discover their identities, and finally bring order back to my studio."

"How?" Lila asked.

"Just go to the back of the storage closet, there are instructions waiting for you."

"Thank you." Lila said as she stood up, "Thank you Mr. A-"

"Shh. Call me Hawkmoth. Just go."

And with that, Lila ran back into the studio and into the storage closet.

-----

I hadn't even taken off all of my makeup when my pager buzzed with the notification of a challenge. I reapplied my eye makeup and checked the clock, I still had time before class started. I ran out of the bathroom and into the storage closet, and ran down the stairs.

But when I was down there, someone was already facing the challenger. It wasn't Chat, it was a girl in a tan crop top with a orange jacket over it, orange baggy pants that were tan on the inside, matching orange shoes, and a tan hat with fox ears coming out the top. She also had a fox tail necklace.

She danced well, she was really good in fact. But who was she? And why was she facing our challenger?

Suddenly Chat leaned on my shoulder, "What's with the frown My Lady?" he looked at the girl, "Jealous of our competition?"

I glared at him, "No! I'm just wondering why she's facing a challenger when we are the champions."

"EVERYONE GIVE IT UP FOR OUR SPECIAL GUEST, VOLPINA!" DJ N said.

The crowd went wild.

"I AM VOLPINA!" The girl shouted, throwing her hands in the air, "DON'T YOU ALL LOVE ME PEOPLE?!"

The crowd shouted in agreement.

Chat and I walked down the rest of the stairs and the crowd parted for us, making a path to the dance floor.

"Who are you?" I asked. I didn't trust this girl.

"What, can't you hear?" The girl said, "I'm Volpina. I'm a dance club champion from Italy. And you," She poked my shoulder, "Are Ladybug, the champion of Club Miraculous. It's good you're here I could use your help."

She ran through the crowd and up the stairs, leaving us assuming we'd follow her. And we did.

We made it up the stairs and Volpina motioned for us to be very quiet. She closed the door to the club behind her and started heading out into the hallway.

We peeked our heads through the doorway, and saw a man in a suit, holding a black costume bag similar to mine when I first got my costume. His back was to us so we couldn't see his face.

"Is that-" Chat asked.

"Hawkmoth." Volpina said, finishing his sentence for him, "I recognize him. He used to send challengers to my club and supply them with costumes, but now he's moved to France. He follows me."

"But we've been dealing with Hawkmoth for months now-" I started to say.

"Shh!" Volpina whispered. She turned to Chat, "Chat, can you sneak through the classroom and block his exit from the main door? You're obviously the strongest out of us."

"Why thank you," Chat said with a smile, flexing his muscles, "I got this."

I stuck my tongue out in disgust.

Chat snuck out of the doorway and tiptoed into the back door of the classroom.

I wanted to object, but, if this was really Hawkmoth....

"What should I do?" I asked in a whisper.

"You can stay right here!" Volpina said. She grabbed my shoulders and slammed me against the wall.

"W-What are you doing?!"

"It's time for your identity to be revealed Ladybug." She said menacingly, "At least now you can't say we never met!"

My eyes widened with realization.

The hair.

The eyes.

Knowing Hawkmoth.

The lies.

"Lila?"

"You will call me Volpina!" Lila shouted in response, "And no one will be calling you Ladybug once I reveal your true identity."

She licked her fingers, and was about to wipe off my makeup,

"CHAT!" I shouted.

-----

Meanwhile, Chat had snuck through the classroom and had opened the other door, luckily everyone had snuck into the club so no one saw him in his Chat Noir form.

He popped out of the other classroom door and stopped Hawkmoth in his tracks.

Hawkmoth stumbled backwards and dropped the costume bag he was holding.

He didn't seem like the evil villain he had imagined... But....

"Hey!" Chat said, "Stop right there!"

Hawkmoth looked around for an escape, but he found none.

"Who are you?"

"Look kid, I'm not the real Hawkmoth. I just work for him." He looked panicked, "Volpina, me, this whole thing is an act. Don't hurt me!"

Chat rolled his eyes, there was no way this was the big villain they were waiting for.

"CHAT!" He heard Ladybug shout.

"Get out of my sight." Chat said seriously.

He sprinted back down the hall.

-----

Chat sprinted into view just as Volpina was about to wipe off my makeup.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF HER." He said. He grabbed Volpina by the wrist and pulled her away from me, "If you want to battle us, keep it on the dance floor."

Volpina glared at him and ripped her hand away. "Fine. See you on the dance floor."

She stomped away and down the stairs to the club.

Chat ran over to me.

"Are you okay Ladybug?" He asked, he put a hand on my shoulder and brushed a stray hair out of my face. He looked at me with wide green eyes. He cupped my cheek with his hand.

My eyes were wide as I looked at him. He was so concerned about me, even though I had rejected him so many times.

"I-I'm fine..." I said, holding my hand to the one that he had on my cheek, "She just... just tried to reveal my identity. Thank you. Thank you for... for saving me."

Chat smiled and laughed, relieved. He pulled me into a hug, brushing my hair back soothingly, "Thank goodness you're okay."

I sighed with relief. I could have stayed in his arms forever. It felt like home.

But we had a challenger to face.

I let go and looked at Chat in the eyes.

"Come on, Kitty." I said, "Let's go dance."

I took his hand and we left for the club.

-----

The crowd cheered as we entered the club. They made a path towards the center of the dance floor for us.

Volpina looked at us with her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed.

"ARE YOU READY FOR A DANCE BATTLE CLUB MIRACULOUS?!" DJ N shouted into the mic.

The crowd whooped and hollered as the music began.

Volpina went first. She slid forward and span into a one handed handstand. She came out of it with a cartwheel and landed, going straight into a six-step. She did a coffee grinder and span up. Using the momentum from her spin she went into a circular disc, then ran towards us and posed twice, then span around into a toe stand. She backed away, motioning for the crowd to cheer her, and they did.

I looked at Chat, "You ready?"

Chat smiled back, "You know it."

We nodded to each other and started to dance. In perfect sync we stepped forward, pointing from side to side, then jumped into second position, pointing down, then back to first, pointing up with both hands. We shook our shoulders and lowered our arms so we were pointing at each other. Chat grabbed my hands and span me around, then grabbed my waist and threw me up in the air in a spin. I did a toe touch in the air and landed on the ground in front of Chat in a kneeling pose, and he posed behind me.

The crowd shouted and applauded, cheering for us.

"YEAH!" DJ N shouted, "LADYBUG AND CHAT NOIR WIN AGAIN!

Volpina screamed in frustration. She tore off her necklace and slammed it on the floor. She kneeled down and covered her face with her hands.

I walked over and kneeled down next to her. "I'm sorry for embarrassing you Lila. I shouldn't have done that."

She looked up and glared at me, "I don't want your pity Ladybug." She stood up, "We'll never be friends." she picked up the pieces of her necklace and walked out of the club.

"Meow-ch." Chat said, "That was just cold."

I laughed, "Come on Chat, we're gonna be late for class." I flicked his little bell and ran up the stairs.

-----

I ran into class just as Ms. Bustier came in. Other students were running in too, they must have visited the club when Nino announced there was a challenge.

I saw Adrien and Nino and Alya run in, but no Lila.

Guilt hit me, but at least I had tried.

Ms. Bustier walked in, "So sorry I'm late kids, the traffic was a nightmare."

And we went on with class.

-----

Gabriel Agreste sat in his office, in the comforts of his home. He watch on his tablet as students ran back through the hallways and into the classroom.

He sighed.

"Another day, another failure." He said to himself, "I still don't know who those kids are." He flicked his screen and it changed to the newest video on the Ladyblog, of that student he supplied costumes with being defeated, "And she was so close too." He swiped his screen again and it showed the security footage of Volpina almost revealing Ladybug.

He put down the tablet and turn around.

"I guess if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself."

He pulled away the painting of his wife, revealing a closet with an old costume bag inside.

"It's time for Hawkmoth to make an appearance."

-----