Marinette looked at the empty space, feeling deja vu, and noticed Nooroo by her side, offering an unhelpful shrug.
"Marinette... It has been a while," said a voice behind her.
She turned around to see a table set up - with a teapot in the center, and a cup on either side, on a saucer. On the side opposite her sat Master Fu, with a knowing smile, Wayzz by his side.
"Come now, Marinette, it would be a shame to let the tea cool. I'm sure you have many questions," he beckoned, cocking his head.
The bluenette quickly rushed over and sat down, bursting with questions. "Where to and why did you disappear? At the dojo, I couldn't find you... And my earrings and... And his ring, where did they go?"
"As you know, the protection of the Ladybug earrings and Chat Noir ring is key. For one person to possess them, besides a guardian, is a very bad idea. Often, those who have made a wish, desire to reverse it," he explained, with a knowing smile. He took a sip of his tea and made a happy sound, accompanied by a satisfied sigh. "Delicious..."
Marinette shook her head. "Where are you? How come the miraculous vanished?"
"When a wish is made, they return to their box. And where I am, is a secret that I cannot tell. Marinette, you must let Adrien go. You want him back, but to get him back, you would have to give up something in return. A life for a life, a memory for a memory, an eye for an eye," he sadly said, staring at her.
The girl slowly shook her head. "No, I can't do that, Master Fu. Give me the miraculous... I can set things right. I swear it to you! I could bring Adrien back..." Her eyes began to brim with tears.
He slowly took a sip of tea, eyeing her carefully. "I'm afraid I cannot do that, Marinette. You would find that you would be unhappy with your choice, and wish to wish again. And before long, you would end up with nothing but sadness and regret."
Marinette shook, lowering her head. "I said... Give them to me! I need him in my life... I can't live without him... I didn't even get to say goodbye, Master Fu!"
"It is better this way, Marinette. You must trust me. Learn to let go... What is lost is lost, and if you search so desperately you will never find it." Wayzz nodded to Master Fu's words.
The girl started to laugh. "Trust you? TRUST YOU? The boy I love is gone, and you're telling me to give up on him! I could bring him back... But you'd rather have him dead! You don't care about him... You don't care about anyone!" she shouted, tears streaming down her face, a horrible feeling in her heart.
Master Fu looked shocked. "Now, Marinette-"
"No! That's not my name anymore... Nooroo, dark wings, rise!" she exclaimed, and a familiar outfit came onto her skin. She raised her head and stared at Master Fu with those pink eyes. "I'm Lady Moth now," she whispered, throat strangled.
He shook his head. "Please, try to understand, you cannot play God, you cannot decide who lives and who dies-"
"That's what you're doing, Master Fu! You've decided Adrien doesn't deserve to live. You'd rather him be dead. You murdered him," she growled, voice cold and harsh and oh so angry, no, furious! She shook with what she considered righteous rage. "You will give me those miraculous, Master Fu, or I'll take them from you!"
He lowered his eyes. "I was afraid of this, Marinette... Look what you've become. The very thing you once strove to destroy." He raised a mirror, and she looked at her face and stared at herself.
She looked like Hawk Moth, but her mask was just around her eyes. The rest of her outfit was almost identical to his. Her face went from furious to shocked. She took deep breaths, still shaking. "No... no," she muttered. "NOOOOO!" she screamed, and the glass shattered into tiny pieces.
"It is the truth, Marinette. You desire the same things that he did, and for the same reason - the loss of a loved one. And you were willing to do anything to get them back." He stared at her with intense pity.
She let out a shrill laugh. "Were?" she asked, before chuckling again. "I still am. Nothing will stop me from getting back my Adrien... Just you wait. I will get back the boy I love... No matter what you do or say, nothing can stop me!" A dangerous light shined in her eyes, and she grinned.
And then, just like that, the white world with Master Fu was gone. Marinette was in her bedroom, alone with Nooroo. She sighed, and glanced at her kwami, shaking with fear.
"M-Marinette?" he stuttered.
She lowered her head, allowing her hair to dip in front of her face. "Yes, Nooroo?" she asked softly.
"Did you... Did you mean all that?"
She fell silent, thinking. Did she mean all that?
"...Marinette?" he asked softly.
"Yes," she said.
The kwami frowned. "Did you hear me? I asked-"
"Yes, I did mean all that, Nooroo. You've seen me over these past months... I can't function without him. I need him." She paused, before adding, "Master Fu is a fool to think he can stop me..."
He shook in fear. "Does that mean...?"
She raised her head. "That means there's only one person who can help me now." She smiled. "And I think I'm going to pay him a visit tonight. Nooroo... Dark wings, rise!" she shouted, before transforming, and hopping out the window.
Master Fu sighed after he disconnected the synchronization.
Wayzz looked at him. "Master, what do we do now?"
"There's only one thing to do. If Lady Moth intends to use her miraculous for evil, Paris needs a new Ladybug and Chat Noir. And I think I already have a pair in mind..." He smiled at his kwami.
He nodded. "I trust your judgement, master, but I sensed the presence of a second miraculous there. If she has the peacock, she might also use that one for evil!"
"We will cross that bridge when we get there, Wayzz," the great guardian said with a sad chuckle. "I can only hope that Marinette will change her mind before I have to distribute the miraculous once more..."