Lethal Retribution
is a Miraculous Ladybug fanfic. It is Recursive Fanfiction to The Karma of Lies.
Some time after Ladybug triumphs over her enemies, she is enjoying herself in Paris, but then she learns things might not be as good as one could hope for. In particular, the Parisian public is still angry about the harm that was done to her. And when one particularly zealous member decides to take his anger out on the former hero Adrien Agreste, things get dark for all concerned.
Lethal Retribution contains examples of:
- Adapted Out: This fic takes place a few months after chapter 11 of The Karma of Lies, but with the original story's epilogue not having happened yet. As such, Marinette has yet to give Lila the potential bad future.
- Deconstruction Fic: What happens when a Betrayal Fic protagonist has an entire city of devoted followers that want her former friends to pay more than they already did? They outright murder them.
- From Bad to Worse: Already traumatized by the sight of Adrien's death, Marinette has no idea that Karma is planning to make her life worse all because she unintentionally undid the karmic punishment he brought to the Guardians
- Indirect Serial Killer: Marinette worries that she might have unintentionally became this because of how she badmouthed her classmates on live TV and how many of the Parisians have threatened them directly.
- Loony Fan: Marinette has several loony fans that want to continue getting revenge on her former classmates, even threatening to burn down their homes. Marinette tries to talk these deranged supporters down, but it still ends with one breaking into Adrien's home and killing him.
- Morton's Fork: Marinette feels that even if she were to try and revive Adrien, he'd most likely be Driven to Suicide anyway due to the trauma of his murder and the fact that the Parisian public hated him enough to kill him in the first place.
- Recursive Fanfiction: To The Karma of Lies.
- Sudden Sequel Death Syndrome: Adrien survived the original story but is killed in this one.
- Tempting Fate: Marinette opens the story thinking about how her life is perfect and everything is great. Then things start to fall apart.
