Some school life. Just simple school life. And if you believe that the Akuma class can have "just simple school life", let me tell you the French government is planning to sell the Eiffel Tower for scraps and I'm their agent. Oh, and there's totally no reference on just why Lila recognized that Fox Miraculous Holder on the book. I swear! On the other hand, parts of this and some of the next chapters are based on quicksilversquared's "A Different Kind of Inspiration".
P.S.: Let me thank the Lila Protection Squad Discord for some help-turns out the cultural differences between the various parts of Italy are greater than I thought.

Chapter 05: Slice of Life

It was a calm Saturday, and Lila, not having bonded much with her classmates yet, had thought to take the chance to try that place suggested by her friend-and it had indeed satisfied her mother, for the time being. Still, Maria, not having a friend proud of certain traditions, was puzzled by the name, and asked about it.

"This place, this gym, started out as a Savate club-and our art may have been born in the south but was later forged in the street fights of Paris during the Belle Epoque, fights that involved gangs called Apache(1)." the professeur, Remy Eclair, explained. "Some of my colleagues don't like bringing it up, but I feel we should remember the errors of the past so we won't repeat them. That being part of why we slowly expanded to offer a few other styles and our students are trained to compete in MMA tournaments: the other instructors and I aspire to teach young men and women how to avoid our mistakes."

"I see." Maria replied. "But why the Omega?"

"I like the letter, why?"

Both of Lila's parents pinched their noses at the reveal. Lila, on the other hand, was savoring the situation: she needed proper venting, and perfecting her boxing skills(2) and learning something new at this Omega Apacheria was just the thing.

"Hey! Aren't you my cousin's new classmate?"

Lila turned, and saw Bridgette Dupain in a full Savate outfit-and someone expected to enter and possibly win the World Games(3) in Muay Thai. She didn't want her interest in MMA to become public, and not just because of the (small) chance it'd get her exposed at Vorpika, but keeping Bridgette from getting it out will be worth the chance of training with Anansi.

"And now you know." Marinette said to her Kwami, who had just heard why Marinette had known how to calm Lila-and a few other things. "I-I'll understand if you'll want a better Ladybug, I mean-"

Marinette was interrupted by Tikki hugging her head, calming her down.

"What you told me is why you're an amazing Ladybug." the Kwami replied.

"But-"

"My past holder Jehanne and her family had to face hostility for their loyalty to the Crown, she even had her house burned, and yet she was always calm and sweet, and proud of having never killed once-just like you, in your way. Just try and not be too generous like her…"

"I suppos-wait, Jehanne, too generous… YOU MEAN JEANNE D'ARC?!"

"No, Jeanne Romée, from Domremy…"

It would take a while, and Marinette's parents asking why she had shouted about France's national hero, before Tikki realized that her most self-sacrificial user was known with a different name now(4). And so much pressure on Marinette.

"Auroch, do you have a moment?" Remy Eclair asked to the gym's boxing instructor. As "quirky" (to say the least) and greedy as he was, the American boxer he had nicknamed after the ancestor of cows was a great asset to the gym, having helped his students perfecting their use of fists and quickly dealing with any problem or information need-just like what he needed to ask him right now. "I need you to find out a few things about our newest student."

"Let me see." the boxer said as he took Lila's file. "Dammit, name too long to be unmockable and too short to be mocked properly, a bit unlucky for being Ladybug's friend. So, what do ya need to know?"

"Her mother was quite insistent about us teaching restraint."

"Say no more. And no, being a diplomat's daughter won't stop me."

"So what?" Vorpika said to Ladybug that night when they and Chat Noir met for patrol and the spotted heroine explained what she had found out from her Kwami.

"But-it's Jeanne d'Arc! La Pucelle!" Chat Noir protested.

"Nǚwáng Húlí. Or if you prefer, Donna Volpe. She saved ALL OF ITALY in one fell swoop, and shortened World War II-because I doubt the Germans would have collapsed in 1944 if those seventeen divisions had been available. And do you see me complain about the pressure? No!"

"You and I have a much different sense of worth." Ladybug said. "How am I supposed to be worth of her?!"

"As my grandmother used to say, you aren't, just do your best and surpass her. And if you fail… Well, you still did better than you would have done otherwise. You're my pard, and I won't let you make me look bad."

Ladybug blinked for a moment, and just hugged her ally, much to Vorpika and Chat Noir's confusion. It would take a while before she realized what she had called Ladybug.

"You can ask, if you want." Ladybug said to her partner after the patrol ended and Vorpika had left.

"Why did you hug her?" Chat asked, as expected.

"She called me a pard-and in Italy they use that word only for the true friends, at least if you read the right comics(5)."

Chat looked at his partner as if she had suddenly grown another head, so ridiculous the idea was, before reminding her of one thing: "My Lady, she's planning to beat you to a pulp as soon as we've dealt with Papillon."

"Come on, if Chloe can be nice to some people then Lila can become friendlier." Ladybug replied. "I know she can."

"Welcome! Glad to see you here!"

Lila blinked at the strangeness of the situation. She had already realized that Chloe Bourgeois wasn't the friendliest person, and yet that Monday she had arrived at school early and was greeting all her classmates-with the most strained smile she had ever seen when it came to Marinette. And now she had been greeting her with a sickeningly sweet tone in her voice-the kind that made her itch to punch the talker in the face.

"Come, I'll bring you to the infirmary." she said instead, half sarcastically and half actually worried the blonde had some mind-altering condition.

"Miss Bustier insists we all take turns in greeting our classmates, now move your ass and get in." Chloe replied with a less abnormal tone.

That explained it-and she didn't like it. She could be wrong, but in Lila's book such a trick hinted at the teacher being desperate about some bullying-and not having any idea this kind of things didn't work. It was worth investigating it-maybe she had been underestimating Marinette. Who knew, maybe she'd become a friend, or a pard, and-

"PORCA MATRIGNA!"

And she finally realized what she had called Ladybug. But why?! She couldn't be growing fond of her! Not after what she had done! Or could she? She needed to take out Papillon soon, or she may forget she's supposed to squash the bug!

"What was that?" Alya asked Marinette.

"I think it was the Roman equivalent of parbleu." was the answer of the one who understood Italian. It had to be that, otherwise she couldn't explain why Lila had insulted the stepmother she didn't have. "No idea why, though." and that was actually a lie-by Lila's deer-on-headlights look, Marinette strongly suspected she had just realized she had referred to Ladybug as a pard. Something to give her back her good mood, after what she had just discovered the previous day.

"A bit strong for that… And I don't think she has a creative block too."

"Alya!"

"You think there's a spot for her too?"

"Wait, you mean today? It was supposed to be just between us…"

"And you said you think she needs a good friend-and maybe she can help you with that block."

"You're right, but-"

"Hey, Lila! Are you busy today?"

Alya being Alya, less than a minute later Lila had promised to go with her at Marinette's house. And having started to understand the Italian girl, the future host just hoped it wouldn't go too bad…

"Marinette, dear, is this to get around the pet ban?" Tomas Dupain asked his daughter after taking a single look at Lila-much to said daughter's embarrassment. And fear. Why, of all the embarrassing things he knew about her, he had to share that?

"What do you mean?" Lila asked, suspicious about the situation.

"Oh, nothing much-Marinette wanted a pet fox as a child, but we couldn't let her due the bakery." Sabine Cheng added.

And while Alya-the traitor-snickered at the news, Lila slowly turned to Marinette, surprise having replaced suspicion on her face-and then she apparently realized something, by the look she shot her before lowering her head.

"I can't believe you…" she whispered, anger in her words. "All of this… I trusted you… And you only wanted my body! You pervert!"

Neither Alya nor Marinette said anything, the former was too busy laughing openly at what was happening and the latter was looking at the hammy fox with the same face she had when she had found out Kim was crushing on Chloe. And she wasn't finished.

"Still… I love you so much!" Lila said, moving in the most melodramatic way she could and offering her hair to Marinette. "Here! My foxlike hair! It's yours!"

Marinette just used it to drag Lila to her room, making sure Lila was following so she risk harming her or ruin that hair (if Juleka and their old classmate Mina were any hint, people with hair that long tended to be quite proud of it), quickly followed by Alya as soon as she realized they had left while she had been laughing.

"You're just too easy to tease." Lila said after they had reached Marinette's room and got her hair back. Then she realized another thing. "And as unbelievable as it sounds, you aren't the first one with the same reason to be attracted to my foxy charm. And no-" she continued as Alya looked about to ask who she was talking about "I'm not telling who. It's her secret, and it came out in a rather embarrassing situation."

While she didn't show it, Marinette was relieved by Lila's willingness to keep Ladybug's secrets. Then, of course, she asked something she had hoped she wouldn't ask: "Now, why did you girls wanted me here, exactly?"

"We're friends, right?" and of course Alya did exactly the wrong thing: deny any ulterior motives.

"Leaving aside we're not that close yet, I'm the daughter of a diplomat, I've experienced far too many liars much better than you will ever be."

"She thought you could help with my creative block." Marinette admitted before Alya could make things worse.

"Yeah, my girl just got caught a case of thinking she can't do it, comparing herself to the big names like Gabriel Agreste, or Valentino." Alya continued, repeating what Marinette had improvised to hide she felt not up to task of being Jeanne d'Arc's successor.

Lila just looked at them with a strange smile, then she asked Marinette: "Can I use your PC for a moment? I need to show you a few things."

"Sure."

Lila went and connected to the Ladyblog's wiki, and showed some of the data Alya and others had found on past Holders of the Ladybug Miraculous: "Here she is: La Mariquita, had a decisive role in the Mexican War of Independence, some even attribute to her the utter failure to even leave port of Barradas' expedition and their recognition of Mexican independence in the same year(6). Now, this stained glass window in Notre Dame shows Jeanne d'Arc, that Jeanne d'Arc, facing Jacques "Darkblade" d'Argencourt in her 1429 attack on the city-that may have well be aimed specifically to destroy his supposedly demonic sword(7). Oh, and this one I actually saw a couple times when I lived in Tokyo, Ladybug's immediate predecessor Benten-chan(8), who gave her life to annihilate a terrorist organization, finishing the job started by her predecessor Bo Rùa. Who, if I read among certain lines right, also played a part in France doing the smart thing with the Việt Minh in 1946(9). Ladybug knows of these ladies, and sometimes she feels overwhelmed… But still soldiers on, doing her best to be as good as them if not better. And considering that, from what I've seen, the only reason you aren't Ladybug was that whoever held on the Ladybug Miraculous after Benten-chan's death met Ladybug before you… Agreste, Valentino, and Coco Chanel together won't cause you problems for much longer."

Marinette was of two minds. On one hand, she appreciated Lila's attempt at helping her, even with the lie-she hadn't known of La Mariquita and Bo Rùa until Lila had mentioned them, and had only suspected that one of Tokyo's past superheroes had been her predecessor. On the other hand… How was she supposed to compare to them?!

"Come on, I know Coco Chanel was revolutionary, but you are a genius too." Lila commented, guessing the wrong reason for Marinette's barely repressed panic. Then she finally gave a less disastrous suggestion: "Have you tried to look around the city for inspiration?"

Marinette just pointed at the bulletin board near her desk and the dozens of sketches of people and monuments on them.

"Then, what about the Station of Lyon(10)? To paraphrase a certain saying, the best part of Paris is the train from and to Rome(11), to better appreciate the best places in the world, and just a glimpse may help."

It took a moment for Marinette and Alya to realize Lila was actually serious about that.

"I should actually go there to feel inspired by Rome…" Marinette replied.

"At this point I could suggest a brief break, but if you intend to go pro you can't have that, or the fabric store."

"You're a genius!" Alya added. "Mari, she's right, maybe the fabric will talk to you."

"I think you've been watching too much Project Runway, Alya." Marinette replied after snorting and rolling her eyes.

"Well, have you?"

"No, I haven't."

"Then, field trip!"

And so, the aspiring journalist dragged the other two girls to Marinette's favorite fabric store.

As she visited the fabric store with her tentative friends, Lila thought at the strange situation, also wondering at just why they hadn't asked her help. She could understand in the diplomatic world, what with the absurd mix of lies and truths international relationship were based on, but among common people she felt it was stupid.

Still, in a way they were bonding, even if she felt Marinette too had some hidden reason for it-the girl struck her as somewhat paranoid, and allowing a recent acquaintance in her room was just too strange.

Not that she wasn't manipulating her herself-she hadn't suggested the fabric store just because her composer uncle used to go at the music instrument shop for inspiration, but also because she had seen a certain announcement on the web, and she was waiting for the store to put it on their announcement board. And if her intuition was right, it was just the challenge the pigtailed genius needed. And maybe even unnecessary, by what she was hearing.

"It does, from what I can tell, but I get squicked out by the whole 'it's actually skin' thing, I think." Marinette was saying to Alya, answering a question if leather draped well. "If I could get past that, I could probably come up with some ideas for jackets and whatnot. Jagged Stone has some amazing leather jackets that I'd love to kind of replicate, but… Skin. It gives me creative block."

"Then I know just what you need." Lila said, knowing it would also work with her original plan. Then she spotted an employee stapling the awaited announcement at the bulletin board, and as she pointed to it she added: "In fact, it's actually two things you need-and one has just come out there."

"Wait, what-Mr. Agreste is holding a design contest! Oh, no, this is the worst possible timing! I don't have any ideas!"

"Read it in full."

"'Outfits must be designed using nontypical fabrics. No cotton or wool knits/weaves, silk, et cetera. Fastenings such as buttons and zippers are allowed. Contact Bessie Leroy with questions.'" she read off the flier, before adding she was a lower designer at Gabriel. Then she looked at Lila and asked: "Did you knew?"

"Checked their page this morning to have something to speak with you and Adrien, and discovered an early announcement. At a guess, he wants to know what kinds of materials are out there and the best way of doing that is a contest, or maybe he's tired of contest dominated by silk dresses. This little trick should push designers out of their comfort zone."

"Yes, but this will make it harder to be inspire-what's that smile? It's-"

"Predatory? Scary? I probably showed it off to Ladybug when I was Volpina-because it comes out only when a plan comes together and I came quite close to win. But I digress… Now, tell me: did you know there's a material almost identical to leather but made out of cork?"

Five minutes later it was Marinette to drag the other two back to her home, already having the basis for a design. The fact that, as long as one followed the very simple and clearly outlined procedures, Agreste would pay for the materials in order to let potential talents with little money enter his contests and (hopefully) his company, something Marinette believed had been his missing wife's idea and he continued because it worked and Lila believed was simply the result of him being a good and astute businessman, meant the budding designer wouldn't have troubles with her design. The only thing that hadn't been going well in Lila's opinion was the red-and-black combo that would homage Ladybug, but in Paris that was the same as wearing orange in honor of Donna Volpe and the actual Volpina back in Rome, and she could take it. Then Marinette surprised her. Surprised her, and triggered her mistrust.

"I said I want to fit this to you, so you can have it once I'm done with the contest." Marinette repeated. She was a bit surprised herself by what she had decided, but she just wanted to do it.

"Why?" Lila asked, suddenly cold. "This is the kind of things one does for their friends, and unless I've missed something we're still at the "friendly acquaintances" stage. Or you want to become friends really, really fast?"

In hindsight, Marinette realized she should have seen this coming, considering what she had realized about Lila. But it wasn't a problem, all it took was to remember where she had hidden her pre-Ladybug diaries this time (she had thought the traps were enough, but after Chloe sent Sabrina to steal her then-current diary she had decided to increase the precautions) and show one to Lila.

"Here. Read a page, any page." Marinette said after picking it.

"Did I hear something that could have been a lock or a deactivated bear trap?"

"Sabrina stole her diary once." Alya explained.

"Oook…"

Lila took the diary and opened it, slowly reading one of the page-and then widening her eyes and reading it again, and three times, and then flickering through the pages. It would have been comical if she hadn't know what caused that reaction.

"But-oh-Madonna santa, ched'è ch'a puttana incora campa?!"

"I wonder that myself." Marinette replied as she took back the diary. "And please, don't correct the situation."

"But-"

"Don't. She's not worth the trouble. But… Do you understand now?"

Lila just nodded.

"Did you have to shout that loud?" Remy asked his fellow instructor as he, Nora "Anansi" Cesaire and Bridgette came to him.

"No, but it's funnier. And it's about your research." Auroch replied. "The girl's got boxing in the blood, her father, Andrea-he he-Rossi-"

"It's a perfectly manly name in Italy(12)." Bridgette pointed out.

"Whatever. Anyway, her father Andrea Rossi was a boxer, and was expected to get the Olympic gold and then gun for the Heavyweight championship but he injured his hand right before the selection, and by the time he healed he had to look for a steadier job, if you get what I mean."

"Uh-hu." Nora replied before noticing something on the screen. "Wait, the date of his retirement-"

"Congrats, you noticed one of the reasons for the parents' protectiveness. And you won't ever hint to anyone about it. Anyway, as I was saying the man taught his daughter how to fight, enough she won a few amateur matches and even got in a kickboxing one 'bout five weeks ago… An' now you'll see why the lady was so insistent on restraint."

Auroch opened a YouTube video, showing Lila in a kickboxing getup facing a blonde girl and giving her a rather unsettling glare, while the blonde smirked. Said smirk disappeared once Lila hit her with a one-two on the nose, followed by two other crosses as the nose started bleeding and continuing until the referee intervened.

"That was a bit harsher than I'd expect from two teens." Remy commented.

"You say that-last guy I've seen hitting with such determination was Buster Douglas in Tokyo, and I see no dead mom for the girl(13). They had a score, and Rossi settled it-and the still alive mom doesn't want a repeat. Something I can understand, wouldn't have got in so much trouble had my parents done the same."

"Well, I suppose we can help the girl too, can't we?" Remy said. "We'll have to count on you girls-Bridgette, you're about the same age, and you, Anansi… Well, the girl seems to look up to you."

"No problem, boss!" Nora answered while Bridgette struck her chest in the Savate salute.

"It's good, isn't it?" Andrea Rossi asked his daughter as they dined. "After Selah, your mother and I were starting to fear you wouldn't trust new people."

"I'm not letting that fatah(14)win." Lila coldly replied, the contempt for the other girl evident in the use of Arabic in place of the usual Romanesco. "But where's mother?"

"At the embassy." Andrea replied with a sigh. "She called in earlier and said she's got an important translation to complete."

"I see."

After dinner, Lila went back to her room, thinking about the day's discoveries, when Trixx had to ask her about one thing:

"Isn't your mother too important for translation work?" the Kwami asked.

"Welcome to the diplomatic world, where you lie even to your family and they won't call you out." Lila replied with fake mirth. "I think she got involved with something from the intelligence… Or it may just be a secret negotiation, or who knows. Or cares. All I know is that she has disappeared again. And right as I'd need her advice. Again."

"It's about the Bourgeois girl, isn't it?"

"Who else? I mean, you've seen what she did. And don't you try and convince me you didn't read that diary…"

"You should support Marinette when she needs it. Dealing with the bullies should be the teachers' job, and doing it in their place could get you in trouble."

"So, just watch and do the bare minimum?"

"Unless she crosses the line. I mean, it's not like she's a danger to you, right?"

Chloe Bourgeois alternated looking Sabrina and the phone with the article her friend had just pointed her to.

"Well well well… Didn't think the new girl had something like that hiding in her past…" Chloe said once she was past the shock.

"It's not exactly hidden, I mean, there's articles, and-" Sabrina pointed out before getting cut off.

"It's a figure of speech. But this explains a lot. You said there's more?" as Sabrina nodded, Chloe just grinned, knowing that one recent problem was about to be solved.

Notes

(1)"Apache" was the name given to a particularly ferocious (from which the name, comparing them to the perception people used to have of the actual Apache) criminal underworld subculture active in Paris in the early 20th century, subculture that survived the police' attempts at suppressing it because the gangs would stop fighting the moment they spotted the police and in total they outnumbered them about five to one. Due the powerlessness of the police, the Parisians fought it themselves until, in 1914, Joseph Gallieni, military governor of Paris, managed to convince them to join the army in defending Paris from the invading Germans… At which point the Apache found themselves in the middle of World War I, with obvious results.

(2)Lila actually shows some knowledge of boxing defensive techniques in the series, mainly her surprising nimbleness (boxing footwork) and the famous scene of the "killer napkin" (a reflexive parrying).

(3)A multi-sport event meant for sports not included in the Olympic Games, held every four year, one after the latest Summer Olympics, with the athletes being the best in their respective disciplines. Combat sports at the World Games include Ju Jitsu, Sumo, Muay Thai (as stated), and Karate, though the latter could be missing from the 2021 due being disputed in the Tokyo Olympics.

(4)According to the trials transcripts, Jeanne (whose name at the time was indeed spelled "Jehanne") herself stated that, at Domrémy, it was use to take the maternal surname, if one had a surname at all-hence Tikki referring to her with her mother's last name and not with her father's.

(5)Specifically, Tex (Tex Willer for English-speaking audiences), where the word is used by the characters to refer to their friends, and, most significantly, the four main characters, some of the truest friends in comic books, do the same and are referred by fans as "The Pards". The readers would recognize said word, and considering Tex is Italy's most popular comic, even among adults…

(6)In real life, Barradas' "Spearhad Division" actually landed in 1829 and was promptly defeated, and Spain would not recognize Mexican independence until 1836. But as Astruc revealed a past Ladybug Miraculous Holder fought in said war…

(7)Darkblade's nickname was in English even in the original French, and we know Jeanne d'Arc, who attacked Paris in 1429, was a Ladybug Miraculous Holder, so…

(8)Complete OC.

(9)Simply based on the fact a past Ladybug Miraculous Holder is confirmed as Vietnamite.

(10)Contrary to the name, this is one of Paris' train stations, whose full name, Paris-Gare-de-Lyon (Paris Train Station of Lyon), comes from the fact most long distance trains departing from there pass from Lyon.

(11)Specifically, the Roman saying is "There's one good thing about Milan: the train for Rome". Paris and Rome, however, have an exclusive twinship because, supposedly, "Only Paris is worth of Rome; only Rome is worth of Paris", so…

(12)Andrea, deriving from the Greek "Andros" like its English counterpart Andrew and the French one Andrè, means "manly". As far I'm concerned, it's more embarrassing for a girl to have that name.

(13)In 1990, James "Buster" Douglas was a "journeyman" Heavyweight boxer approaching his retirement when he was given a shot at facing then-undefeated Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson. Given their, well, everything, everyone knew this would be another half-round glorified sparring session for Tyson while his manager got around organizing the big match with Evander Holyfield, thus no US arena would host the fight, leading to it being fought at the Tokyo Dome, the only Las Vegas casino that accepted bets gave Douglas 42-1 odds, and Tyson didn't adequately prepare himself… Except Douglas' mother died 23 days before the fight, and for her he fought like he had never done, or would. After the ten most hellish rounds of his career, Tyson lost by knock-out.