This is in honour of an amazing writer and fellow fan that passed away tragically in a car accident. For more information, please see #MiraculousMae at post/170745024355/miraculousmae
Mae was a wonderful writer that enriched the Miraculous Fandom with her strong and amazing writing. Her works included "A Beautiful Mistake", "Both of You", "Bring Me Home", as well as various collabs such as "Under Lock and Key" with edendaphne, "The Other You" with Totally Lucky ( chocoluckchipz), and "Broken" with bbwoulfc.
This work is a sequel to Mae's "Bring Me Home"
Never Forgotten
In loving memory of Mae:
A soul from the Miraculous Fandom that was taken away far too soon
"Are you sure Eden?" she asked, closing her eyes briefly as a silent tear rolled down her spotted mask, "Okay, we'll be there … thank you for letting us know."
Ladybug put down her yoyo as she ended the call. She exchanged a single look with her partner, who's cat ears drooped and shoulder sagged against hers. They didn't say a word, their feet dangling precariously off the Eiffel Tower as they clung onto one another.
"When's the funeral?" Cat Noir eventually asked, never taking his eyes off the sleeping city below.
"In three days time," she replied.
"Do you have the address?"
She nodded, "Eden sent it to me."
He didn't respond, holding his wife close as he felt her tremble in his arms.
Marinette gently readjusted the blanket on him and swept his blonde hair out of his eyes. Adrien was fast asleep, only a thin pillow between his head and her lap. She wasn't surprised that he was terribly exhausted – neither had slept for the past three days since they had first received the news. They had immediately cancelled their upcoming trip to Tibet, leaving Emma with her grandparents before the two of them rushed to the airport, ready to take off as soon as they were certain about where they had to go. The plane had barely left the runway before he passed out on top of her. She had asked for an extra pillow and blanket for him and only him. She knew she couldn't sleep, not with everything on her mind. She spent hours simply gazing out of the small oval window, watching as the world passed them by. It seemed eerily silent, knowing that a soul had been taken from this world far too soon – the absence of that single heartbeat poking at her own like a cold iron rod. She wondered if anybody else could feel it too.
She only nudged Adrien awake when the plane finally settled for landing. He blinked, bleary-eyed as they grabbed their luggage and made their way through customs, only stopping briefly to buy a donut for Tikki and some cheap cheese for Plagg.
Even Plagg didn't have the indecency to complain, simply chewing the plastic-tasting cheese in silence as Adrien went to hire a car. He insisted on driving; at least he'd slept a few hours on the plane, he reasoned. She sighed, sitting in the passenger seat as she pulled out the address for him on her phone. Despite her lack of sleep, Marinette was restless. She wanted to do something other than sit and wait, her heart pumping with enough adrenaline to run the whole way there if she could. They were almost at the entrance when Adrien gasped and looked at his partner.
"Mari, the clothes, we forgot to change!"
She flashed him a sad smile, "Don't worry Chaton," she replied, "We will be there transformed remember?"
"Oh, right, sorry …" Adrien paused, gripping the steering wheel with one hand so tightly that his knuckles began to blanch, "I just … I don't know. It's hard. Too soon."
He shifted gears again as Marinette closed her eyes.
"It wasn't supposed to happen."
"It's just terrible. Every time I think about her …"
"Please, don't finish that sentence, Adrien," Marinette whispered, placing her hand on his and squeezing it tightly, "I don't want to think about it right now."
"Right, Princess. We're here anyway."
Adrien parked the car at least a mile away from the front gates, making sure that no one could see them. After a pink and green flash from inside, Ladybug and Chat Noir exited the vehicle and leapt over the tall stonewall of the cemetery. They decided not to join the crowd that had already gathered around the gravesite, instead climbing the nearest oak tree and perching above on one of its thickest branches. They recognised a few people out of the dozens below them. Eden was amongst them, her eyes bloodshot behind her brimstone glasses as she pulled a stray curl behind her ear. She looked a lot older than her twenty-four years, her wavy brown hair swept up into a messy yet elegant bun and her black dress fluttering in the light breeze that blew across the field. Nearby a man stood crisp in his black suit holding his three-year-old son with one arm as his slightly older but still painfully young six-year-old daughter clutched at his shaking hand. She had loved so many and left so many people behind.
The ceremony was short and lovely. Seven people stepped before the gathering, each with their own short speeches in her memory.
The young children looked innocently up at their father with confusion as he stared blankly at the newly dug grave of his wife. No one's eyes remained dry. The ceremony ended, flowers were placed and the people slowly began to depart. Ladybug and Chat Noir waited patiently in their spot until every last mourner had left and the cemetery was empty. It was only then did the heroes drop themselves gracefully to the ground, making their own way to the newest tombstone. They stood there in silence for what seemed to last forever, holding hands tightly.
In loving memory of Maerynn, a loving wife and mother
"There are no words for it," Chat mumbled, his voice raw with emotions, "We will miss you so much."
His partner repressed a sob as she unhooked the yoyo from her hip. Without a word, Ladybug tossed it in the air. Red sparkles lit the sky as a lotus flower appeared in thin air and settled in her outstretched palm. The magic had understood her silent request. It was made of transparent glass the colour of red wine, each petal tip tinged in black with a green paw print imprinted in its centre. She blew a gentle kiss on it before she placed it on the headstone amongst the already blooming forest of bouquets.
"We can't thank you enough for what you did for us," she whispered, "We won't forget you Mae. Rest in peace."
With new-formed tears in their eyes, Chat hugged his partner's shoulders before he slowly led her away from the grave of an amazing, talented and passionate woman that would forever remain in their hearts.
Fin.
Hey everybody,
This was something that I found especially difficult to write. Maerynn's work throughout the Miraculous Fandom was something that inspired me in so many aspects of my life. I am beyond devastated that such a talented and creative woman could be taken away from this world so soon. This has taken a huge emotional toll on me and my heart goes out to all of her family and friends through this unimaginably difficult time. I am still somewhat in shock and reminded of just how fragile life can be.
I hope that this work memorialises her importance to the Miraculous Fandom and that neither her or her compassionate warmth will ever be forgotten. #MiraculousMae
Yours truly,
SwordGold
