It was a lazy afternoon.

Ms. Bustier was called for an emergency faculty meeting and the class just finished the activity given to them. They were all grouped in their own little world as Alix and Kim were playing thumb wars, Rose and Juleka were gushing about the latest magazine release, Max and Nathaniel were discussing about the design and software of the newly released Mecha Strike,Chloe ordered Sabrina around, Ivan and Mylene were adorably talking to each other while Alya took pictures of Marinette staring lovingly at Adrien who was talking to Nino.

It was their normal life before Hawkmoth terrorized Paris. They were all dazed and distracted when Chloe suddenly spoke up.

"What on earth is that hideous box?" Chloe pointedly asked, gaining everyone's attention. They all looked at Nino who started taking things out of his bag ('Mon dieu!' Chloe thought dreadfully. 'His desk is a disgusting mess. Does he never clean up his bag?') when he suddenly pulled out a rectangular wooden box with a black and white pattern. Chloe's face was scrunched up in disgust but her eyes glinting in genuine curiosity fooled no one.

"It's a chess board," Nino patiently explained. Chloe have been redeeming herself for the past days and have taken to starting small talk every once and a while. The whole class humored her despite her deceptive snarky statements. They all know it's just her way of reaching out. "This is just an old thing my uncle wanted me to bring over to him after class. Hey, any of you guys play chess?"

The word chess triggered Alya.

She took the small wooden board and thought of spicing things up a bit for a certain designer and golden boy. Her previous plans to get the two closer have all comically failed and the only progress they have is a proper good morning greeting once.

It's now or never.

"Why don't we spice things up a bit? Let's make it a girls versus boys battle. Each side will choose a representative and the losing team will treat the winners to ice cream." Alya smirked, confident that this plan will work.

"Oh, that sounds like fun." Marinette cooed, oblivious to what is happening in Alya's brain. I'm doing this for you, girl!

"Isn't chess a long game though?" Mylene curiously asked.

"Not necessarily," Max explained, pushing his glasses up his nose. "For example, you can use a chess clock to set a time limit so that the game won't be too long."

"I also have a chess clock with me." Nino showed them the clock and set the timer to five minutes.

"Awesome! Now, who will be our chosen knight?" Alix declared, pun intended of course and Adrien smiled at this, as her eyes twinkled mischievously.

"I think Max will be our best candidate for this." Nathaniel suggested, earning Alya's glare.

Oh, this oblivious artist! Alya was beginning to think all artists were dense. He was ruining the plan!

Fortunately, Max stepped up and declined. "I am honored to be your first choice. Chess is a very complicated game with endless patterns and strategies but I'm afraid I only know the basics."

The boys shrugged and then looked at Sunshine Boy. He was surprised as everyone looked at him expectantly. "Dude, you told me before you could play, right?" Nino gently asked.

"Um, okay, but I'm not that good though?" Adrien sheepingly said.

Nino laughed. "Nah, the last time you said you weren't good at something, you ended up in the front covers of the magazines." Nino grabbed Adrien's hand and lifted it up. "Adrien's our sacrificial pawn!"

The boys cheered as Adrien asked a wary, "Sacrificial pawn..?"

No one paid attention to him.

"Well, while you guys were arguing who to play, we already decided our own player." Alya stated. Nino muttered a small 'Oh no, not her.' and she couldn't help but grin. All the girls were smiling ear-to-ear, Chloe even smirked a little, as they can practically taste the free ice cream. No one but Alya and Nino knew this but Marinette is a freaking Bobby Fischer. She is a chess genius.

The three of them were at the park, playing with Alya's little sisters when the twins suddenly wanted to ride the carousel. Alya didn't have any money on her and the girls were starting to throw the temper tantrum of the century. Marinette, in all her panicked glory, went to the part where speed chess players were, played for 10 minutes, and then got them enough money for five of them to ride.

It was really amazing. So now that she has the stage all set, it was only a matter of time for Sunshine Boy to see Marinette in her zone. Alya just knows it will sweep him off of his feet.

"Go, Mari!" Rose shrieked.

"Destroy them!" Alix shouted.

"For the ice cream!" Kim howled.

The class continued to cheer on the two. Alya smirked. Oh this is going to be fun.

Marinette shifted in her seat uncomfortably. She hasn't played in a long time and Adrien was seating in front of her. She thought she was already used to it, but him facing her directly was a completely different thing. She was pretty sure her face was flushed.

Why did she agree to this again?!

She snapped out of her thoughts when Adrien spoke up. "May the best team win?" Adrien smiled sweetly, sensing her discomfort. His eyes were so kind and gentle, the most loving shade of green, reflecting his caring soul. But when Alya nudged her with a 'good luck', it was then she remembered where she was.

Marinette steadied herself and tried to calm down. The girls were counting on her to win this. Also, free ice cream! There was no way she was going to let them down, even if it meant facing this beautiful angel in front of her.

So as Nino finished setting up the board and clock to five minutes, Marinette confidently offered her hand to Adrien and said, "We will win."

Adrien was taken aback. He's always known Marinette is a strong and spirited person, with her being class president for a reason, but she's always been so timid around him that he sometimes forgot. Seeing her like this made his stomach churn. He was... amused to see fire in her eyes, determined to win. He couldn't stop himself from smiling as he shook her hand.

"Let's see about that."

Their classmates cheered. Alya huffed proudly beside Marinette, a terrifying glint in her eyes. Adrien looked at the board, noticed for the first time he had the black pieces (he mentally noted it was kind of like the shade of Marinette's hair) and concentrated.

He clicked on his clock first and Marinette made her first move.

It all happened so fast.

First, she moved her pieces to protect the center. Adrien countered her as much as he can. Five minutes were too little time but he has to defend his position and eventually secure an attack.

But he never imagined Marinette to be so aggressive. After building up her side, she kept on breaking down his defenses at such a rapid speed his head is starting to hurt. Their classmates watched in fascination as both of their hands were basically flying around, trying to beat each other before the clock runs out.

Alya couldn't help but smirk as Adrien's pieces were starting to get lesser and lesser as time passed, but he's proven to be a good match for Marinette as he's holding strong against her. She was honestly impressed. Marinette fought against master players and won and now here he was being evenly matched with her.

They were down to fifty-two seconds when the entire class' Akuma Alert! phone alarms rang off at the same time the school bell did.

Alya groaned as they all went to the back of the room. Of course Hawkmoth will ruin this for her! She was so close to giving the two a chance to have a date. Why did he choose the chance to come back now?!

Marinette and Adrien froze. As protocol, they are supposed to stay inside the room and huddle at the back, but they both started to excuse themselves out.

"Ah, erm, I need to go to the bathroom!" Marinette squeaked.

"Um, my head suddenly hurts and I need to go to the clinic." Adrien reasoned. But before they went out, Marinette made one final move on the board and smiled.

"Hey, Adrien?" Marinette asked.

"Yes?" Adrien replied

She grinned. "Checkmate."

And with that, she went out to journey into the 'bathroom', leaving a stunned Adrien behind.

Alya, who witnessed all of this happen, may or may not have shouted in victory.

"Hey, Chaton, what took you so long?" Ladybug asked. She's currently looking for the hiding akuma victim Le Gambito, a master strategist. He's been setting up traps for the last thirty minutes and she's doing her best to figure out his pattern.

"My Lady! We've finally mitten up." Chat teased. "There was... something that happened. Forgive my lateness, your most gallant knight is now at your service." He bowed at her and she couldn't help but roll her eyes in an attempt to hide her smile.

Chat was still a little disoriented when he arrived, which got her worried, but she needed his help now. Le Gambito has turned the city into a weird maze of some sorts, and she's encountered controlled civilians guarding at each end of the maze. They're easy enough to fight, but so far, she's sparred against a controlled priest, a soldier, and a knight on top of a black horse.

It was a wonder how Chat even managed to find her this quick.

"What's up with the map? Look no further, milady, I am everything you are searching for."

Ladybug rolled her eyes at his attempt at flirtation. "No, this was the Lucky Charm I had a while ago. I still don't know what to do with it."

"Well, who are we up against?" Chat inquired.

"An akuma named Le Gambito. He's been hiding and I've only seen him once. I think he's at the middle of this maze, we just need to find it."

They made a turn and found another controlled civilian on top of a white horse.

Another horse? Really?

Exasperated, Ladybug struck the same item the last one had.

And the maze was still there. They can't keep on fighting these civilians, it'll take too much of their time.

"How'd you know where to hit it?" Chat wondered. "Is it the same item for everyone in this maze?"

"Well, yes," Ladybug started to explain. "There was a priest whose item was the same but in a different place. The soldier was in a different one too, but the horses are the same—"

Wait. A black and white horse with a knight. A priest. A soldier.

"Chat!" Ladybug shrieked. "This is not a maze, it's a board! No wonder they were all squared. And the controlled civilians are acting as pieces! This is like a real life Wizard Chess!"

Chat's eyes widened. "Fur real, milady? Nice observation!"

"Yes, now, so this is all connected." She took out the map she has been holding on to. "The priest was at..." Ladybug recalled.

As she was busy mapping out, Chat couldn't help but marvel at her intelligence. She was lost in her own thoughts for a while. But as soon as she looked at him, eyes smiling and all, Chat couldn't help but notice how she looked familiar.

The way her eyebrows knit in concentration, or how she absentmidedly bites her bottom lip. She looks so familiar but he can't just pinpoint who.

"I got it!" Ladybug declared, her eyes all fired up. Even that looks familiar, Chat thought to himself. They both went to the location of the latest akuma victim, to no one's surprise he was actually there, his Lady was a genius after all.

The battle continued for another five minutes (Five minutes, Chat recounted, it was all so familiar.) andLadybug finally caught the akuma.

Chat was proud of her, he didn't even need to use his cataclysm when Ladybug, love of his life, spoke, "Checkmate." with a huge grin on her face and that's when it hit him.

Oh, crap baskets!

He stood frozen in place as Ladybug cleaned up the city with her magic once again.

He unsteadily bumped his fist with hers and he was sure she could feel him shaking as she looked at him with eyes full of worry.

"Chat, is everything okay?" Ladybu—Marinette asked. Chat gulped in reply, he had no idea how to tell her he discovered her secret identity, and he was thankful for the beep of her earrings.

She clicked her tongue. "We'll talk about this later." And she set off towards the city's skyscrapers.

Oh, they will, alright. Sooner than she thinks. School isn't due for another hour after all.

Marinette is Ladybug. Ladybug is Marinette.

Chat grinned.

Checkmate, princess.