It is often said that 'Evil triumphs when good people do nothing.' Marinette Dupain-Cheng did her best to stand up for what she thought was right, only to find that nobody else stood with her. Not even those who claimed they would. Lila Rossi promised that she would turn everyone against her, and she succeeded. Her depression drew Hawkmoth in like a flame — one that would set what was left ablaze.
Fifteen years later, Kamala Lavillant-Couffaine just wants to be left alone. Just wants to keep her head down and stay out of the spotlight. Easier said than done, though, especially after she finds herself with a strange little box and a ghost in her head. A ghost named Marinette Dupain-Cheng.
Apex_Primus
's Sins of the Past is a Miraculous Ladybug Revenge Fic and Flash Forward Fic where Marinette was taken out of the equation. The villains won, and yet, strangely, several Miraculous-powered heroes are still active... though the Ladybug isn't one of them. Not until Kamala stumbles headlong into the role.
This Fan Work contains examples of:
- Action Survivor: Kamala's first fight against an Akuma has her mostly trying to not be killed by Nemesis while Marinette gives (mostly) good advice on how to do that.
- Adaptational Jerkass: Adrien and Alya have any positive traits filed off. Adrien particularly is altered so the tragic backstory before the story proper can happen.
- Alas, Poor Villain: Gabriel failed in his attempts at gaining both miraculi and is reduced to a bitter and senile old man under his adult son's care. No sign of whether it's an act, considering there is still a villain with the Butterfly Miraculous active.
- The Bad Guy Wins: Lila Rossi successfully isolated Marinette. Hawkmoth finished the job. Fifteen years later, Lila has become Mayor of Paris, with Team Miraculous answering directly to her.
- Badass Boast: Nemesis, facing down a team of seven adult Miraculous heroes, declares that "I judge your weakness, and I make them my strength." After proving those are no idle words, she adds:Nemesis: "Come, heroes, meet your match."
- Berserk Button: Amicia punches Kamala's when she declares that her parents "aren't so great after all." After they're both sent to the principal, Kamala returns fire by taunting her with the observation that "At least my parents are great enough to care," unaware that Amicia never knew her parents to begin with.
- …But He Sounds Handsome: Several of the Miraculous heroes brag about their costumed selves, singing their own praises.
- Can't Get Away with Nuthin': Kamala lashing out at Amicia after she insults her parents gets her grounded for two months and causes the first Akuma to attack Paris in fifteen years.
- Condescending Compassion: While Adelene and Amicia are trying to reach out to the 'new girl', they also act as though Kamala is obligated to accept their efforts, and both lash out at her for rejecting them.
- Contrasting Sequel Main Character: While Marinette was a humble bakers' daughter with impressive talent who was regarded as a friendly, helpful 'Everyday Ladybug' — at least until Lila came along — Kamala is an introverted girl with famous parents who quickly garners a rep for being standoffish and supposedly snobbish. Though she tries to avoid conflict, she also proves snarky and abrasive when others push her too far, such as when her classmates refuse to respect her boundaries.
- Despair Event Horizon: Marinette crossed it when she told Adrien everything Lila had put her through, only for him to coldly ask why she was still trying to expose her, as that would only get Lila Akumatized, and declared that Marinette was "just another bully."
- Disappointed in You:
- When she stood accused of assaulting Lila, several of Marinette's classmates expressed this, with one commenting "I thought you were supposed to be our Everyday Ladybug?"
- Adrien then hammered that point home further by declaring that she was no better than a bully herself.
- Both of Kamala's parents are incredibly disappointed when they hear that she had an altercation with Amicia.
- Downer Beginning: Opens with Lila accomplishing exactly what she set out to do, with Adrien blaming Marinette for having the audacity to stand up for herself. At her lowest point, one of Hawkmoth's butterflies finds her, and he immediately greets her as 'little bug'.
- Driving Question: Exactly what happened fifteen years ago?
- Et Tu, Brute?: Adrien's abandonment of her after his past declaration of support effectively breaks Marinette.
- Even the Guys Want Him: Alya drily notes that in addition to all the ladies who have pursued him over the years, Adrien has also had his share of male suitors.
- Fallen Princess: Chloe's family no longer holds the power and prestige they had during her childhood, and she's introduced working as a librarian reminiscing about her Glory Days.
- Half-Identical Twins: Aside from their genders, the main thing setting the Le Chien twins apart from each other are their hairstyles, which are reminiscent of what their parents had when they were their age. Jacque has his hair in a short quiff, while Jacqueline sports a bob.
- Happily Married: Juleka and Rose have become the big 'power couple' of their band, and Kim and Ondine are happily together with three kids.
- Hero with Bad Publicity: The new Ladybug is set up as one when Mayor Rossi declares her to be a vigilante unaffiliated with Team Miraculous.
- If I Can't Have You…: A variation. Unless and until the new Ladybug surrenders to her influence, Lila plans to paint her a danger to Paris.
- I Just Want to Be Normal: As the adopted daughter of two famous rock stars, who's been homeschooled until very recently, Kamala just wants the luxury of anonymity and to be left alone.
- In the Hood: Kamala prefers to keep her hoodie up when she can. While this is thwarted at school, she's able to incorporate a hood into her Ladybug costume.
- Invisible to Normals: Kamala is the only one able to see or hear Marinette.
- Just a Kid: Played With; the members of the adult Team Miraculous recognize that the unknown Ladybug is likely around the same age they were when they first became heroes, and their discomfort with her doesn't just stem from her being a Kid Hero.
- The Lost Lenore: It's implied that Adrien is still yearning for his lost Ladybug years afterwards, as despite having plenty of suitors, he isn't interested in finding anyone.
- Made Out to Be a Jerkass:
- Marinette suffered this fate, courtesy of Lila and Adrien's lack of empathy.
- Kamala's classmates Adelene and Amicia accuse her of trying to provoke them and cause conflict by rejecting their efforts to force their overtures of friendship onto her. Adelene, in particular, insists that Kamala's acting like she's better than they are simply because of who her parents are.
- Mama Bear: Juleka and Rose are both protective of their daughter. When Nemesis attacks, they shield her in both their civilian forms and as Tigerclaw and Pearlescent.
- My God, What Have I Done?: When Nemesis attacks, Kamala is forced to flee the scene of the resulting car crash. Not only does she blame herself for Amicia becoming an Akuma, despite not even knowing what an Akuma is, she also berates herself for abandoning her parents, unaware that they're the ones who saved her and got her away from the scene as Tigerclaw and Pearlescent.
- Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Gabriel is unintentionally responsible for the earrings ending up with Kamala, leading to the return of Ladybug and all that comes with it.
- No Sympathy: After hearing Marinette's tale of woe, Adrien bluntly informs her that she's the real problem in this whole scenario.
- Our Ghosts Are Different: Marinette is a spirit bound to the Miraculous of Creation and can only be seen (and possibly interact with) Kamala when she wears the earrings. She remembers most of her life, such as her friends and school but also implies some parts of her memory are missing or jumbled.
- Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!: Juleka jokes that Prince Ali helped them adopt Kamala from Achu. Rose, deeply offended, insists that they filled out all the paperwork legally.
- Socially Awkward Hero: Kamala is absolutely terrible at relating to people and takes the attempts of Amicia and Adelenne to welcome her to school very badly, though in Kamala's defense they kept pushing even after Kamala makes it clear she just wants to be left alone. It's implied that the combination of home-schooling and having famous parents resulted in her awkwardness and part of her Character Development is learning to interact with people with Marinette's guidance.
- Spirit Advisor: Marinette is this to Kamala while she's wearing her earrings much like Tikki was to her, though Tikki herself is missing for some reason, appearing as a translucent adult version of herself. When Kamala transforms Marinette becomes a voice in her head that gives her instructions on how to be Ladybug (along with color commentary that Kamala doesn't particularly care for.
- Theme Twin Naming: Jacque and Jacqueline, Kim and Ondine's teenaged Half-Identical Twins.
- Villain with Good Publicity: Lila managed to work her way up to the office of Mayor of Paris and even commands the remnants of Team Miraculous in Ladybug's absence, seemingly popular with both her constituents and the Miraculous Wielders themselves. With Marinette (maybe?) dead, only Adrien knows that Lila is a serial liar and, according to Rose and Juleka when discussing him with their daughter, Adrien still prefers to avoid conflict, meaning Lila is pretty much unopposed at the start of the story.
- What You Are in the Dark: Before Lila enacted her final plan, she 'generously offered' Marinette one last chance to back down and admit defeat. Marinette chose to stand her ground, knowing that this act in and of itself wouldn't magically expose the liar. Her reward for maintaining her principles was losing everything.
- Working with the Ex: Alya and Nino went through a divorce; Rena Rouge and Carapace are both active members of Team Miraculous.
- Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Lila Rossi pulled one off as her coup de grâce fifteen years ago, socking herself right in her own face with a journal in order to frame Marinette.
