History Fanfic / BackToUs

* BalconySpeech: [[spoiler:During the confrontation between Team Miraculous and AVA at City Hall, Ladybug tells Alix she's never been so disappointed in her. In response, Alix goes to the window and addresses AVA with a megaphone. "You wanna hear something funny? And by 'funny', I mean ''stupid''? Ladybug's here right now, with her merry band of misfit heroes. She ''rudely'' interrupted my meeting with the mayor, and then she has the ''nerve'' to claim that she's disappointed with ''me''! ...You know what disappoints ''me'', Ladybug? A hero who chooses to fraternize with a 'reformed' hero who, just a few months ago, would gladly see ''us'' burning in that fire down there instead of ''him''. I'm disappointed by a hero who claims she wants to help, but then comes up with some ''bullshit plan'' about a ''peace'' rally. I mean, what the fuck is up with ''that''? Instead of telling us to stand and fight, you want us to sit down and be ''quiet''? You really expect us to ''accept'' that? We, who have been accused of evil beyond our control, and ''you'', who should know better than ''anybody else'' what we have to go through because of it? Are you telling us to lay down and die?! Well we will ''not'' sit down and be quiet! We will ''not'' lay down and die! We are Akumatized Victims Anonymous, and if you think we're a problem, then we'll ''give you a fucking problem''!!"]]

-->'''Ladybug''': …You know, I once pitied you. All of you. I thought your mistaken convictions were my partner's fault -- ''my'' fault. I thought I had failed you, that I somehow fell short of your expectations of what a hero ''should'' be. But now I see you. You're nothing but scared children, lashing out at something you don't understand in exactly the wrong way, making the situation ''worse'' than it actually is. So in the name of your 'justice', you terrorize the city I love in your own way -- with fearmongering and ignorance. And then you accuse ''me'' of 'throwing my weight around', acting like I'm a hypocrite, when you know damn well that the difference between what you want to do to the akumatized victims and what I did to Hawk Moth is ''intent''. I didn't mean to kill Hawk Moth. I was responsible, but I never wanted him dead. But you threw ''bombs'' into ''another citizen's house'' for something he had ''no'' control over! If you think the akumatized victims are monsters, then what does that make you?

-->'''Ladybug''': Citizens of Paris. Today, I am forced to say something I have never had the cause to say ever since becoming Paris' hero: I'm disappointed in you. Just a minute ago, a woman's ''life'' almost ended, because she was dreading this ''exact reaction'' from you. Tell me, Paris -- when did this behavior become acceptable? Standing here before you now, I'm ashamed to be a citizen of Paris myself -- ashamed to be your hero! Who in their right mind would want to defend a city that's so determined to destroy itself from the inside out? When did you lose your heart, Paris? How could you act so thoughtlessly? How could you have become so cruel? (''glances up at Chat'') This madness ''has'' to end. The akumatized victims have no more control over their emotions than any other citizen of Paris. To blame them for being taken advantage of is to blame them for daring to be upset, which is ridiculous. ''No one'' can control their emotions like that. And before you say something ridiculous, like they had the darkness inside them all along or something, ''think'': how would you feel if it was someone you loved? A relative you adore? Your best friend? ...What if ''you're'' next? Is this how you want to be saved? Coming back to yourself, confused, scared... surrounded by angry people who have no idea what they're talking about? I'm trying. I'm doing everything I can. But I'll say it: I'm scared, too. Scared of what this new enemy means, of the damage he's causing... and what we've become as a result. I'm scared, but I know that this is not right. Things shouldn’t be like this. I'll always be here to protect Paris... but just because I ''can'' do it alone doesn't mean that I ''want'' to. The only way I can keep going...is to know that you're on my side. I need your support. I...I need you. Please, please don't make me do this alone anymore. Come back. (''She watches as Chat turns and leaves. When she looks back to the mob, she notes that at least some of them have been affected by her loss of composure.'') We can be better than this, Paris, and we ''will'' be. I'm going to get to the bottom of this, and I'm going to stop this second Hawk Moth... but I can only do that if I know that Hawk Moth's victims will ''not'' be harassed for something they had no control over. I don't judge or blame any of the victims, and neither should you. Please, let's bring back the Paris that I love. The Paris that I'm proud to protect. Let's be better together, Paris.

* ShoutOut: In Chapter 26, Nino compares "a feud between akuma haters and former akumatized victims" to [[Comicbook/CivilWar "some sort of civil war" and "something straight out of Marvel comics"]].

''[[http://www.archiveofourown.org/works/7253290?view_adult=true&view_full_work=true Back To Us]]'' by [=DarkReyna16=] is a completed ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'' fanfiction published on Website/ArchiveOfOurOwn.

* UnexpectedVirgin: Adrien, [[spoiler:which amuses Marinette (more his {{adorkable}}ness while telling her than the fact itself) even as she tells him it's nothing to be ashamed of.]]

* DoorStopper: The longest ''Miraculous'' fic on Archive Of Our Own, at 446,244 words spanning 36 chapters. ''What Are Friends For'' adds another 6,252, while another side story, ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/11383557 Not Your Choice]]'', adds another 1,357.

* NeverLiveItDown: InUniverse, a couple of times.
** Ladybug's culpability in Hawk Moth's death is thrown in her face several times by her critics, usually misrepresenting it as her murdering him, and usually in response to her objection to using lethal force against akuma victims. [[spoiler:It especially hurts when Adrien brings it up at the height of their argument in Chapter 33.]]
** On a lighter note, [[spoiler:Alya refuses to let Nino forget that he gave her the Fox Miraculous by mistake, at one point wondering aloud what would have happened if he had given it to Adrien.]]

* ContrivedCoincidence: Despite the Butterfly Miraculous being presumably in enemy hands for seven years, the second wave of akuma attacks only begins within days of Adrien's return to Paris. Adrien admits that this had him paranoid for a while, but he can't see any way the Butterfly could have known who he was or that Chat Noir was back. [[spoiler:As it happens, she did, and [[SubvertedTrope it was not a coincidence]].]]

* GetARoom: Said by Marinette to Alya and Nino. Alya's response: "This ''is'' a room. You and a bunch of other people just happen to be in it." (For the record, they're in a gelato shop.)

* HeelRealization[=/=]HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:Chat Noir, though more anti-hero than villain, eventually realises his mistakes and returns to Ladybug's side, resolving to fix the mess he helped create.]]

* InternalReveal: [[spoiler: The first one happens when Adrien reveals himself to Ivan, and from there the story continues to accumulate them.]]

* MythologyGag: The protagonists of the ''Miraculous Ladybug'' pilot video are both referenced by supporting characters: Felix Chevalier is introduced as Marinette's co-worker at ''Tres Bien'' Boutique [[spoiler:and is revealed to be Adrien's cousin]], while Bridgette (a common fan nickname for the original version of Marinette) Reine is the Deputy Mayor of Paris - her resemblance to an older Marinette is noted a few chapters before we find out her name.

* NeverLiveItDown: InUniverse, Ladybug's culpability in Hawk Moth's death is thrown in her face several times by her critics, usually misrepresenting it as her murdering him, and usually in response to her objection to using lethal force against akuma victims. [[spoiler:It especially hurts when Adrien brings it up at the height of their argument in Chapter 33.]]

* ReformedButRejected: [[spoiler: Happens to Chat Noir to varying degrees, and he knows that he has no right to expect otherwise. While Ladybug is ready to welcome back her partner with open arms after his heartfelt apology, Emerald Shell is grudging at best - he doesn't like him or trust him, but he's willing to work with him and see if he's serious about fixing the mess he created. The Paris public are largely hostile, with most former akuma victims still feeling betrayed (with exceptions such as Ivan and Alya) and the Anti-Akuma Taskforce feeling betrayed by his reformation. AVA take it to the point of spraying graffiti of Chat being violently attacked by them, and later burning him in effigy during their protest at City Hall.]]

* SecretSecretKeeper: In Chapter 19, Alya figures out that Nino is Emerald Shell when he calls her "babe" in costume and builds on that to deduce Marinette is Ladybug. [[spoiler:Nino finds out towards the end of Chapter 31, while Marinette only learns in the final chapter.]]

** NotSoStoic: [[spoiler:When his crush on Bridgette is pointed out.]]

* TeethClenchedTeamwork: [[spoiler:Chat Noir and Emerald Shell after the former returns to Ladybug's side. They've since gotten better, perhaps VitriolicBestBuds or FireForgedFriends (in fact, they're described as fire-forged teammates in the narration) by the time they reveal themselves.]]

* TitleDrop: [[spoiler:After Chat Noir asks Ladybug how she could ever forgive him after the way he hurt her, she replies "Because we’re partners, ''chaton''. No matter what, we’re always meant to be partners. So, though you strayed for a while… I think you were always meant to come back to me. Back to ''us''."]]

* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Adrien's new attitude towards akumas is revealed to be rooted in some advice his cousin gave him, the night he almost ran away from his aunt and uncle after finding out that they were only treating him so well out of misguided fear. "If you don’t want to be mistaken for a demon…then show them what ''real'' demons look like." [[spoiler:Adrien confronts Felix about this later, and Felix protests that he misunderstood him. "Adrien, I never meant for you to change. What I meant was that you should just keep being you — this upbeat young man, optimistic nearly to the point of foolishness. Eventually, my parents would have realized that they were wrong about you, that you were nothing like Gabriel. I never said that you should have to prove yourself." In response, Adrien angrily maintains that Felix should have made himself clearer, and Marinette, eavesdropping on the conversation, considers the role Felix played in this mess [[ThisIsUnforgivable unforgivable.]]]]

* WhamEpisode: Chapter 30: [[spoiler:Marinette's fashion show is attacked by Shade, the Snake Miraculous holder who was previously believed to be helping the Butterfly. As it happens, she ''is'' the Butterfly, she knows who Chat Noir is (having stolen the Butterfly Miraculous from him seven years ago) and most likely knows who Ladybug is (having broken into Marinette's apartment in an earlier chapter).]]

* [[spoiler: InternalReveal]]: [[spoiler: The first one happens when Adrien reveals himself to Ivan, and from there the story continues to accumulate them.]]

* AprilFoolsDay: Reyna posted a link to Chapter 32 [[https://insanitysscribblings.tumblr.com/post/159059547483/reyna-writes-back-to-us-updated-4117 on her Tumblr]], [[spoiler:which turned out to be a {{Rickroll}}.]]

* ManipulativeBastard: [[spoiler:Shade is described as one by Erika, thanks to powers of the Snake Miraculous: "She speaks with honey and velvet, and because of this, it is said that she can convince the most peaceful of rulers to go to war, and make them think that the idea was their own in the first place." As such, it's not too surprising when she turns out to be the Butterfly as well.]]

* [[spoiler: InternalReveal]]: [[spoiler: The first one happens when Marinette reveals herself to Nino, and from there the story continues to accumulate them.]]

* DramaticIrony: [[spoiler:After weighing up his options for the remaining Miraculouses, Nino decides to offer Adrien the Fox necklace, not knowing that he's Chat Noir.]]

* UsefulNotes/VictimBlaming: The rhetoric used by Chat Noir and later the Anti-Akuma taskforce.
-->'''Adrien''': I did everything I could to pursue what I thought was true justice… because there had to be something innately dark in these akumatized victims, right? After all, there was never more than one akuma attack at a time, and it was unlikely that everyone else was just having a really good day, save for this one person who’d been slighted in some way. There had to be ''something'' about these specific victims, other than their anger or their despair, that drew Hawk Moth to them. At least, that’s what I told myself, over and over and over again… But that’s not true. Hawk Moth doesn’t ''cause'' the negative feelings in akuma victims. ''We'' do. …I do. Humanity is responsible for humanity. And to blame the akuma victims for becoming victims…it’s like blaming them for ''feeling'', just like Ladybug said. I knew what it was like to be blamed for my feelings, to be called irrational, overemotional. Having someone cut you down that way — it ''hurts''. Like what you feel doesn’t even matter because it’s inconveniencing someone else. My father made me feel that way all the time when I was upset with him for missing something we’d had planned in favor of work, for restricting me to the house, isolating me from the world… but how was I any better, when I hunted akumatized victims for being taken advantage of by a supervillain? Didn’t I just become my father after all, with such an attitude? I may have been chosen for this life, but I chose it, too. I might’ve been able to say no, to quit… but I needed this. Chat Noir was the only way I was able to feel free… and if I think about it, it’s not that different from when the akumatized victims accept Hawk Moth’s help. We all want to be free of something once in a while, don’t we? Don’t we all feel trapped every now and again? Even lost…or helpless? If I dare to judge akumatized victims for what I believed was weakness of spirit…then what about me? ...I was wrong. I was wrong… and I’m sorry.

* VictimBlaming: The rhetoric used by Chat Noir and later the Anti-Akuma taskforce.

* MistakenForCheating: Alya comes to suspect something's going on with Nino and Marinette after overhearing and misinterpreting a conversation between them about keeping their superhero lives from her, leading her to break up with Nino right when he was about to propose. She figures out the truth before too long and they get back together.

* DoorStopper: The longest ''Miraculous'' fic on Archive Of Our Own, at 444,477 words spanning 36 chapters. ''What Are Friends For'' adds another 6,252, while another side story, ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/11383557 Not Your Choice]]'', adds another 1,357.

** In chapter 35, [[spoiler:Alya gives herself away to Adrien, first by calling him "Tiger" (which she called him as Vixen in the previous chapter) and then when he sees the Fox pendant peeking out of her dress.]]
** In chapter 36, this happens a ''lot''. [[spoiler:First, Marinette learns Alya's identity. Then, Team Miraculous, Camille, and Bridgette all learn that Felix is Pavone. Felix also reveals that he knew about Chat Noir and Camille all along. Chat himself deduces that Erika is Camille.]]

* DoorStopper: The longest ''Miraculous'' fic on Archive Of Our Own at 423000+ words, with just one chapter to go.

** In Chapter 24, circumstantial evidence leads Marinette to deduce that HeroOfAnotherStory Camille is Adrien's ex-girlfriend Erika Soriano.

** In chapter 35, [[spoiler:Alya gives herself away to Adrien, first by calling him "Tiger" (which she called him as Vixen in the previous chapter) and then when he sees the Fox pendant peeking out of her dress. At this point, the only secrets left between the four are that Marinette doesn't know Vixen is Alya or that Alya knows she's Ladybug.]]

** [[spoiler: Oddly enough, Gabriel himself. If it weren't for his murder of Daniel Trace, Desirèe would never have tried to attack Paris.]]