Line #8 Fanfic/TheHighRoadMiraculousLadybug


1	''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/32687698 the high road]]'' is a ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'' fanfic by [[https://archiveofourown.org/users/agnes_writes/pseuds/agnes_writes anges_writes]] in which Marinette opts to deal with Lila through BotheringByTheBook. Since Adrien insists that they shouldn't expose her, and everyone acts as though it's ''her fault'' they can't get along, why not give them [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor exactly what they want?]]
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3	If she's taking the high road, they're all coming along for the ride. Let them all learn what it's like to be forced to bend over backwards to appease a {{Manipulative B\|astard}}itch.
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5	----
6	!!This fanfic contains examples of:
7	* AbileneParadox: The main reason it takes so long for Marinette's classmates to compare notes is that each of them thinks they are the only one to realize the truth, so they only attempt to speak individually with Marinette.
8	* AccusationFic: {{Downplayed\|Trope}}; the fic effectively dismantles Adrien's advice about taking "the high road" by forcing him and the rest of the class to unwillingly join Marinette in giving the BitchInSheepsClothing everything she wants. Said road turns out to be much less appealing when they're all paying the price for taking it, rather than only forcing ''Marinette'' to make nice with her.
9	* AdultsAreUseless: Weaponized; Marinette knows that Ms. Bustier won't do anything to address the bullying in her class, expecting her 'good students' to lead by example and TurnTheOtherCheek. Thus, she knows that Bustier won't step in and intervene when her efforts to cater to Lila hurt the rest of the class, eventually forcing them to take matters into their own hands.
10	* BeatThemAtTheirOwnGame: One of Lila's favorite tactics is PlayingTheVictimCard. Marinette pretends to be completely taken in by her deception, then feigns shock and horror when the class finally rallies together and "exposes the truth" to her.
11	* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor:
12	** Adrien wanted Marinette to take 'the high road' and ignore how Lila was manipulating everyone, claiming that it didn't ''really'' matter and that it was more important to maintain the {{Status Quo\|IsGod}} and keep Lila from being akumatized. Marinette takes that to the logical extreme, appeasing Lila in ways that inconvenience ''him'' -- and everyone else.
13	** Similarly, Alya and the rest of the class wanted her to just "get along" with Lila. They rethink this once ''they're'' the ones being pressured to go out of their way to cater to the ConsummateLiar.
14	** Lila wanted to have the world revolve around her every whim. Marinette gives her ''exactly'' what she wanted, letting her LackOfEmpathy and foresight dig her own grave, as her classmates grow tired of being forced to comply with her every request.
15	* BeneathSuspicion: Marinette takes advantage of her reputation as the "Everyday Ladybug" to make sure no one suspects that her dragging all her classmates into pretty much becoming Lila's servants is part of a scheme to bring Lila down.
16	* BewareTheNiceOnes:
17	** Marinette uses her reputation for being a people-pleasing 'Everyday Ladybug' to her advantage here.
18	** Tikki also reveals a surprisingly mischievous side, being 100% on board with Marinette's {{Guile Hero}}ine approach.
19	* BotheringByTheBook: The crux of Marinette's plan. If ''she'' has to cater to Lila's every whim, ''so does everyone else''.
20	* CassandraTruth: Marinette learned that nobody wanted to believe her warnings about Lila. Adrien and the others subsequently learn how it feels to be TheCassandra, as their attempts to warn her about what's happening seemingly fall upon deaf ears.
21	* ClusterFBomb: Adrien drops one during his rant upon hitting his breaking point.
22	* ConfoundThemWithKindness: Marinette's opening is giving Lila a gorgeous handmade jacket as an offering of goodwill. Despite Lila's suspicions, there is nothing tainted or sabotaged about the jacket at all. In reality, Marinette's plan is much subtler than that. It works, persuading Lila that Marinette has decided to embrace her friendship, and thus blinding her to the larger plot.
23	* CrazyPrepared: {{Downplayed\|Trope}}; when Lila complains about her tinnitus, Marinette brings out a seating chart she'd prepared ''specifically'' to cater to every condition she claimed to have, much to Lila's surprise.
24	* ExplainExplainOhCrap: Confronted by Alya and Nino, Adrien defends himself by pointing out how they refused to believe ''Marinette'' when she warned them, and that he hoped Lila would change her ways, only to watch her keep lying and Marinette fall into her clutches as a direct result of his advice.
25	* TheGadfly: Marinette is clearly having too much fun watching everything play out and even decides to keep her plot to herself, just for the fun of it.
26	* GoneHorriblyRight: Deliberatedly invoked by Marinette; her classmates wanted her to get along with Lila, so she did that, and then some by dragging everybody else into making sure all of Lila's whims are catered to. This prompts them into taking everything Lila says with a grain of salt and finding holes in her claims, if only to escape being her servants.
27	* HoistByHisOwnPetard:
28	** Marinette keeps track of ''every single lie'' Lila tells, especially her [[ObfuscatingDisability "disabilities"]], and works hard to ensure each and every one is accounted for and accommodated... regardless of how that impacts the others. This turns the rest of the class on Lila, especially after they realize she's been deceiving them all along.
29	** Lila's willingness to exploit her classmates without any regard whatsoever also works against her, as she fully capitalizes on all the opportunities she's handed without considering how this might impact the way they view her.
30	* HourglassPlot: Adrien, Alya and the rest of Marinette's classmates gradually find themselves in the same position she started out in: knowing that Lila is a ManipulativeBitch who's taking advantage of their friend, but unable to convince her victim of the AwfulTruth.
31	* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: In a variation, Marinette shuts down Alya's [[ShipperOnDeck Team Adrienette agenda]] by reminding her that Lila likes Adrien as well, declaring that she's more than happy to step aside and let her pursue him without any competition.
32	* InUniverseFactoidFailure: Lila doesn't research her claims, which works against her once her classmates start looking into them. She also misidentifies the Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps as an ice skater, and offers to introduce Nathaniel to the late Creator/StanLee.
33	* JawDrop: Several of Marinette and Lila's classmates have one when the former apologizes to the latter, giving her a handmade custom jacket.
34	* MeaningfulEcho:
35	** Marinette repeats Adrien's claim that Lila's "not hurting anyone" when he comes to her asking to be moved to a different seat.
36	** Later on, she echoes all of the excuses he made for Lila while pressuring Marinette to take "the high road" in the first place.
37	* MyGodWhatHaveIDone:
38	** Adrien gets hit by this when Marinette thanks him for pushing her to give Lila another chance, saying he helped them become friends.
39	** He has a second one that hits even harder while trying to defend himself against an angry Alya, as he [[ExplainExplainOhCrap explains why he didn't want to expose Lila]] and realizes that he unintentionally pushed her into Lila's clutches.
40	** In a downplayed example, Marinette is shocked to hear Adrien releasing a ClusterFBomb when he [[RageBreakingPoint finally can't take it anymore]].
41	* ObfuscatingDisability: One of Lila's favorite tactics, which Marinette weaponizes here.
42	* ObliviousGuiltSlinging:
43	** [[PlayingWithATrope Played With]] in that Marinette knows ''exactly'' what she's doing when she praises her classmates for kindly helping her cater to Lila's every whim, knowing full well that they're uncomfortable with the changes but don't want to disappoint her.
44	** She also thanks Adrien for the advice he'd given her, declaring that "If it weren't for you, I would've missed out on a really amazing friend. I owe you one." Leaving him to wallow in the horror of unintentionally making her Lila's thrall.
45	* PlayingTheVictimCard: Lila loves doing this, turning on the CrocodileTears whenever somebody balks at catering to her whims. Marinette turns this around on her by letting everyone believe she was completely taken in by her deception.
46	* PoorCommunicationKills: As the classmates gradually figure out Lila's true nature, they approach Marinette individually to try and convince her, rather than comparing notes with ''each other''.
47	* RageBreakingPoint: Adrien hits his when Marinette texts the whole class suggesting that they should throw a party for Lila, spurring a ClusterFBomb rant.
48	* TheResenter: The whole class comes to resent Lila for getting special treatment for her laundry list of fake disabilities, especially since they're all pressured to go out of their way to support her.
49	* SweetTooth: Adrien complains that despite her supposed 'gluten allergy', Lila eats more pastries than ''he'' does during photoshoots.
50	* ATasteOfTheirOwnMedicine: Marinette turns the tables on Adrien and the rest of her classmates by taking ''them'' on the high road with her, forcing ''them'' to be the ones making concessions in order to accommodate Lila's BlatantLies, as well as feigning ignorance when they [[CassandraTruth try to convince her that she's being manipulated]].
51	* TemptingFate: The class unknowingly does this when they praise Marinette's thoughtfulness and how she's always looking out for them when she unveils her new seating arrangement chart she drafted to cater to all of Lila's supposed disabilities... before learning just where each of them has been placed.
52	* ThroughHisStomach: [[PlayingWithATrope Played With]]; one of the ways Marinette ensures that the whole class is inconvenienced by the concessions she makes to Lila is by not bringing her usual Friday treats, since Lila has claimed to be allergic to gluten and she didn't have the supplies necessary to fix anything for her... and it wouldn't have been fair if only ''she'' got left out, right?
53	* TooDumbToLive: In spite of Marinette previously doing her best to expose Lila for the liar she was, she completely falls for Marinette's claims of now believing her and wanting to be her friend. This ensures she goes down later in the story once the others catch on.
54	* UnwittingPawn: Ms. Bustier functions as one to both Lila and Marinette; both take full advantage of how Bustier expects her "good" students to lead by example.
55	* WhatTheHellHero: Alya and Nino call Adrien out when he [[SayingTooMuch accidentally reveals]] that he knew about Lila's true nature and pressured Marinette to stop trying to expose her.
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Context Fanfic / TheHighRoadMiraculousLadybug