Yeah, I'm Done
is a Miraculous Ladybug salt fic by Unmasked Again
.
Months after Marinette's friends abandon her for Lila, she finally gives up on getting them back. No longer caring what happens to them, she settles back and focuses on her own burgeoning design career. Meanwhile, her classmates learn that life isn't so easy without their 'everyday Ladybug' helping them through their difficulties, and that Lila is a lot less useful than she seemed. And unfortunately for them, by the time they come crawling back, Marinette is no longer interested in taking up their burdens again.
This fanfic contains examples of:
- Accomplice by Inaction:
- Caline Bustier refuses to do anything about how anyone is treating Marinette. Even the ones who are openly and brazenly bullying her don't receive any rebuke or admonishment for their actions.
- Adrien is fully aware that Lila has been slandering Marinette and turning all of their classmates against her. Yet he doesn't lift a finger or say a single word in her defense. The closest he comes to "supporting" her is idly asking her what she thinks of Lila being exposed, reminding the rest of the class that she exists, and he expects everyone to be forgiven for how they treated her... and is surprised to learn she doesn't consider any of them to be her friends, including him.
- Adults Are Useless: Bustier let Marinette shoulder far more responsibility than her position as Class President should have involved, and doesn't do anything to assist Alya after she replaces her. She doesn't even bother informing Alya of any of her duties as the new rep; not the ones that naturally come with the position or everything she foists off on her.
- All for Nothing: Everyone that fell for Lila's deception is collectively furious when they realize that they spent nearly two years sucking up to her and celebrating all her fake achievements and got nothing but more lies in return. As Marinette silently notes, none of them bring up how they'd sacrificed their friendship with her in the process.
- All Take and No Give: All of Marinette's classmates took her generous nature for granted, expecting her to do any favors they asked for even while they were shunning and ignoring her. Miss Bustier also banned Marinette from participating in any of the trips or activities she organized for the rest of the class, and expected her to keep bringing treats and presents for everyone's birthdays even after she stepped down as the Class President.
- And There Was Much Rejoicing: The whole class cheers when Marinette announces that she's stepping down as their representative. Marinette silently compares it to how everyone celebrated when Chloé got ousted from the role, much to her private dismay.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Miss Bustier pretends to be invested in her students' well-being, yet blithely ignores how many of her students are bullying Marinette, letting them openly harass her during class while singling her out for Selective Enforcement. She also lets Alya flounder without any guidance or assistance with planning their class trip or any of the fundraisers for it, and only cares once Marinette spells out that people who actually give a damn have learned about her neglience and are planning to press charges.
- Blaming the Victim: Marinette calls Miss Bustier out on this directly during her “The Reason You Suck” Speech.
- Bully Turned Buddy: Downplayed; Chloé becomes one of Marinette's models after the rest of the class abandons Marinette. But only because she bribes her by offering for her mother to promote the fashion show in exchange for her involvement.
- Caught on Tape: Near the end, Marinette reveals that she'd been recording her classes, ostensibly to keep up with her lessons in case she got wrongfully expelled again. This means she has ample evidence of Bustier's poor practices, as well of all the bullying she was subjected to.
- Crossing the Burnt Bridge: Once they learn the truth about Lila (and Adrien gives them a little "nudge" the day after), Marinette's classmates fall all over themselves apologizing, only for her to calmly explain that no, she's not interested in being "friends" with them again after how they treated her. None of them are willing to take the hint, and their harassment continues up until Bustier "generously" invites her to join them on their school trip.
- Deal with the Devil:
- Downplayed and Played for Laughs. In order to get Nadja to promote her new website on her show, Marinette agreed to babysit Manon for free for five random days, which Nadja can cash in at any time.
- When Marinette holds her fashion show, Chloé arranges for her mother to promote it, provided that Chloé gets to participate as one of the models. While uncertain about this, Marinette agrees to her terms.
- Death Glare:
- Alya shoots a nasty look at Marinette while informing Miss Bustier that she doesn't want Marinette to join them on the class trips. She also glares at Nino when he doesn't immediately offer any goodies for the bake sale.
- Marinette glares Miss Bustier down while calling her out on being such a useless teacher.
- Dramatically Missing the Point:
- After Miss Bustier informs her that she's still not allowed to join the class on any trips, Marinette assures her that she doesn't mind, since she always hated how much work it entailed and listing out all the steps. This warning flies clear over Alya's head, and she's surprised when Marinette doesn't offer any help with the class bake sale.
- Despite Marinette telling them point blank that there is no Crossing the Burnt Bridge, her classmates repeatedly attempt to reingratiate themselves, not understanding why she keeps turning down every invitation. Even after she reveals that her family lawyer is going to be presenting the school board with two years' worth of evidence of all their crimes, they spend their last class trip trying to brainstorm ways to make her take them back.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: After having Miss Bustier foist off all her duties as a teacher onto her, spending the better part of two years being mistreated by her classmates and False Friends after they fell for Lila's Malicious Slander and spending one of those years working her backside off and getting nothing in return, Marinette quits her thankless position as the Class President and focuses on building up her brand as a fashion designer instead. Oh, and she also gathers evidence of Miss Bustier's unprofessional conduct and her bullies' crimes, ensuring that they'll finally face punishment. The story ends with her first big fashion show proving to be a huge hit, and Marinette looking forward to a bright future.
- Entitled Bastard:
- Miss Bustier encourages this mentality amongst her students, having grown accustomed to foisting off all the hard work of organizing fundraisers, celebrations and the like upon Marinette and expecting her to continue even while denying her the ability to enjoy the fruits of her labors.
- When Alya announces the upcoming class bake sale, she looks straight at Marinette while prompting "So who's going to bring what?", and acts surprised when Marinette doesn't volunteer anything.
- After Lila gets outed, all of Marinette's former friends expect to be forgiven for how they treated her, and don't understand why she shrugs off their apologies.
- Fair-Weather Foe: Aside from the supposedly neutral Adrien, the rest of Miss Bustier's class socially isolates Marinette. Several bully her more overtly than others, while Miss Bustier bans her from school trips. After Lila gets exposed and Marinette makes clear that Nothing Is the Same Anymore, they fall all over themselves acting extra nice and inviting her to everything they do, and Bustier makes a big deal of announcing she's free to join them on their last trip of the school year.
- Forgiven, but Not Forgotten: While she silently forgives her former friends for their betrayal long before Lila is exposed and any of them even think about apologizing, Marinette also resolves to never forget how easily they turned upon her. Once the apologies finally come, she calmly informs them that she's uninterested in rekindling and repairing their "friendships".
- Friend of Masked Self: In order to promote her first fashion show, Marinette Invokes this by staging a selfie shoot with Ladybug... with Tikki's help.
- Got Volunteered: After Marinette refuses to help with the bake sale, Alya asks Nino what he can bring in, then glares at him when he protests that he normally just handles the music. Once he volunteers that his mother could make blondies, Alya prompts Rose next, pressuring each of the other students to promise to bring something, even if they're not the ones making those things themselves.
- Karma Houdini Warranty: At first, Lila gets away with turning the whole class against Marinette, while Miss Bustier practices Selective Enforcement and only punishes Marinette. The tide starts shifting after Marinette quits being the class rep and refuses to help with any class-related matters anymore, but it's not until Lila's mother swings by to drop off her lunch that her web of lies unravels, and the rest of the class learns that no, they won't be easily forgiven. And then Marinette casually reveals that she has evidence of their crimes and Bustier's neglect, idly observing that their upcoming class trip is likely to be their last...
- Karmic Shunning: Marinette's classmates mistakenly believe they're subjecting her to this when they refuse to acknowledge her birthday or anything she's doing for them. This includes getting her banned from participating in the class trip, even when she's the one who ensured they got to go in the first place.
- Liar Revealed: Lila's true nature gets exposed to everyone when she forgets to bring her lunch one day... and her mom finds it and decides to drop it off at school for her. Rose asks how her meeting in Achu went, only for Mrs. Rossi to reply she's never been to Achu, with things rapidly snowballing from there.
- Mass "Oh, Crap!":
- When Adrien asks Marinette what she thinks of the whole situation with Lila, the rest of her classmates abruptly remember her existence and stumble all over themselves telling her how sorry they are for not believing her.
- When Marinette reveals that all of the bullying Bustier let slide in her classroom was Caught on Tape, the teacher pales while all of the students who were involved in said incidents look ill.
- Neutrality Backlash: Adrien considers himself to be a neutral party in the whole conflict: he's the only member of their class willing to talk to Marinette and treat her normally, even as he refuses to do anything about the others isolating and bullying her. When Marinette declares that she doesn't consider any of them to be her friends, she makes clear that includes him.
- Never Filled Out Official Paperwork: Alya doesn't realize right away that she needs to get her trips approved by the school board well ahead of time, or that it can take months for everything to be properly prepared and processed. Near the end of the school year, she has to rush to get a trip to the local amusement park approved at the last minute.
- Nothing Is the Same Anymore: Marinette spells this out for everyone twice:
- First, in the wake of Lila being exposed as a manipulative Bitch in Sheep's Clothing, Marinette makes clear that no amount of apologizing is going to make her accept Alya, Adrien, Rose or anyone else as her "friends". Those bridges have been torched beyond repair, and she's long since moved on, advising them to do the same.
- Later, when Miss Bustier tries inviting her on the beach trip, Marinette reveals that it's probably going to be the last one they take as a class, because her family is going to spend the summer bringing all the evidence of Miss Bustier's neglect and the others' crimes to the school board. So not only is Bustier unlikely to have a job by the time the next school year begins, her students are probably going to be assigned to different classes, potentially transferring to other schools entirely, with Marinette's biggest tormentors finally facing consequences for all their crimes.
- Offscreen Karma: While the story ends before any of it comes to pass, Marinette predicts that the weekend beach trip is likely to be the last one her former friends have as a class, since her family lawyer is going to be presenting the school board with all the evidence she's gathered of Bustier's gross negligence and the blatant bullying she let several of her students get away with.
- Oh, Crap!: Lila's eyes widen when her mother walks into her class, having come to deliver the lunch she'd accidentally left behind.
- Poor Communication Kills: Alya incorrectly assumed that Bustier ordered baked goods to celebrate each of her students' birthdays, unaware that Marinette was actually bringing them in. It takes two birthdays for Alya to remark on their absence, only for Bustier to dismissively declare that it was Marinette's job.
- “The Reason You Suck” Speech:
- After her classmates fail to understand why she's rejected their apologies, Marinette hits them with one:Alya: Didn't you hear us? We're sorry. We should've trusted you, we know that now. We'll make it up to you, we promise.
Marinette: No. Thank you. I don't need you to make it up to me. I don't want you to make it up to me. Just keep doing what you've been doing.
Rose: But, but... We're friends again.
Adrien: Yeah. It can go back to the way it was.
Marinette: [putting down her pencil to look at everyone] Let me make this clear because I have no intention of repeating myself: we are not friends. None of you are my friends. You were mean. You called me names. You spread nasty lies about me because Lila told you to. You excluded me from all class activities, despite the fact that last year I did the majority of the fundraising, the planning, and the work. You hurt me. Things will not go back to the way they were. We are not friends. And we will never be friends again. No amount of apologies will change that.
Alya: Girl, we're—
Marinette: Just move on. I have. - Later, when Bustier announces that Marinette's been officially invited to their latest class trip after excluding her for so long, Marinette hits her with one, which turns into a callout for the whole class again:Marinette: I'm good. Seeing as my behavior hasn't changed, I think it's best I don't go, right Miss Bustier? That was what you said? And obviously you thought that was a good reason. It wasn't like you, an adult woman, caved into peer pressure from your students and a childish need to avoid confrontational situations. I mean, you called me out in front of the entire class to tell me I couldn't go. Not the first or last time, by the way, you did something so... crass. Not the most sensitive way either.
Bustier: Well, I think—
Marinette: I'm so glad I started to record lessons last year, for you know notes? You know, after that expulsion incident? I worried about what I'd miss. It make it so easy for my parents to understand why I was excluded from class events because they could watch it. I mean, I have months and months of video evidence they just... loved. They got to see exactly what this class is like on an everyday basis, and exactly how you run it. So did our lawyer, who seemed rather interested in my school. It turns out that physically harming, via tripping or pushing others into walls as you walked by just hard enough for it to hurt. Or destroying private property, like a phone, spilling water on a laptop, or sketchbooks filled with work for commissions. Or verbally bullying someone. Or sending horrible texts daily, all of which I saved and printed out, can be considered harassment. Which is illegal and the perpetrators involved could face criminal charges as well as be sued for the destruction of said property and for emotional ramifications I suffered. But a teacher would never let anything like that happen in front of them so it wouldn’t be on any of the videos I have, right?
[Bustier pales, while everyone who bullied Marinette looks ill]
Marinette: [shakes head] I asked them to chill for now because you're the teacher. You did what you did for a reason. It’s not like you'd shirk your responsibilities on the class representative. Or force some poor student to be a model example and mediator for all class issues. Or god forbid, cater to the bullies and blame the victim; allow one of your students to be verbally and physically harassed daily. The videos I have surely would never show anything like that; let alone prove it in a court of law... No matter what my lawyer says. But again, you don't have to tell me why. You had to have had a good reason. Otherwise, I would have to take this to the school board. And a judge in a court of law. And see if you can explain it to them. Maybe I'll even send them to my mom's best friend Nadja so she can put them on her show and the world can see too. And we can find out what everyone thinks of you and your teaching methods.
- After her classmates fail to understand why she's rejected their apologies, Marinette hits them with one:
- Rejected Apology: Marinette makes it clear she has no interest in reconnecting with the class after they finally wise up about Lila. They keep trying to invite her to fun activities, but she insists she's 'too busy' and focuses on her design business instead. Unlike many other salt fics, Marinette isn't actually angry at them anymore (with the exception of Bustier); she just isn't interested in being "friends" again.
- Removing the Crucial Teammate: Without Marinette, the class can't put together a successful fundraiser or even complete the paperwork needed to go on any of the exciting trips they want to do.
- Shame If Something Happened: In a variant where the protagonist is doing the threatening, Marinette warns Miss Bustier and her classmates that she's thinking of pressing charges against the whole lot for how they mistreated her... and if they keep pushing and harassing her, she'll kickstart the legal process before summer starts.
- Shout-Out: Tikki agrees to let Marinette stage some selfies with Ladybug in exchange for a tray full of chocolate chip cookies and an evening with Marinette's TV, stating that she wants to get caught up on Game of Thrones.
- Sketchy Successor: Alya takes over as the new Class President after Marinette steps down and Lila turns down the position. It's swiftly made clear that she has no idea what she's doing, and Miss Bustier doesn't lift a finger to help or explain anything, leaving her to flounder without any guidance.
- Something We Forgot: When Lila's deception is exposed, the whole class angrily yells at her for tricking them... save for Adrien and Marinette. The latter notes that not a single one of them bring up the way that Lila convinced them to turn against her. In fact, none of them remember Marinette's existence at all until Adrien asks her what she thinks about the whole situation the following day, spurring a wave of frantic apologies.
- Spanner in the Works: Ultimately, what brings Lila down is her accidentally leaving her lunch at home one day, with her mother deciding that she'll personally deliver it to her daughter's classroom. Once Mrs. Rossi walks in, all it takes is an innocent question from one of her doting followers for everything to rapidly unravel.
- Take This Job and Shove It: Marinette remains the Class President for a significant amount of time after everyone turns against her, and has to deal with handling the bulk of Miss Bustier's responsibilities for her while getting nothing but scorn and casual cruelties in return. She eventually steps down and lets Alya take over, refusing to help out with anything else.
- They Just Don't Get It: No matter how many times Marinette spells out to Adrien, Alya and the rest that there's no crossing the bridges they burnt, they keep pestering her with invitations to hang out again. Even after she warns them that her family is going to be suing Miss Bustier for her neglience and implies she'll also press charges against them if they don't leave her alone, they waste their last trip together scheming to continue their harassment, convinced she'll have to give in eventually.
- Turn the Other Cheek: Averted. Adrien, Rose, and the rest of the class mistakenly assume that apologizing to Marinette automatically resolves the conflict and that things will immediately "go back to normal", only for her to bluntly inform them that she's not interested in returning to the old status quo.
- We Used to Be Friends: Thanks to Lila, none of Marinette's classmates consider her to be their friend anymore. After they finally learn how they were being manipulated, Marinette makes clear that there's no mending fences; they weren't very good friends before, they haven't been friends at all for nearly two years, and she has no interest in trying to be friends again after how they treated her.
- Wrong Genre Savvy: Adrien believes he's in the sort of story where everything gets magically fixed by the words "I'm sorry," and all his classmates need to do to repair their sundered bonds with Marinette is apologize. Even after they all continue to ignore her existence after Lila's exposure and have to be reminded that oh yeah, they all turned against her on a liar's say-so.
- You're Just Jealous: All of Marinette's classmates latch onto this as an excuse to dismiss her efforts to warn them about Lila, condemning her as 'a jealous bitch.'
