(Cross-posted on AO3)
After more than a decade of countless battles against those who harm Paris and protecting her loved ones from harm, the adrenaline that came from facing certain harm never truly went away. Even when her Ladybug mask was slowly replaced by one of a fashion icon, there was always that instinct to protect whenever someone was put in danger.
Marinette's shoulders slumped as she leaned forwards, arm resting on her concrete balcony. Her fingers gently rustled her short blue hair, mind racing.
For so long, being Ladybug was her first priority above all else. She had to stay strong for her city. But for better or for worse, her singular role as a hero slowly evolved as the months went on. Before she could even blink, Marinette was holding the Miracle Box, the elusive contraption which held this world's most powerful objects. Before she could even object, Marinette was nominated as the new guardian. Master Fu, as much as she cherished him, had never truly asked if she wanted these new responsibilities. But it wasn't the sudden changes that nearly killed her, it was the fact that she was never able to say goodbye.
"Goodbye". What a funny word, Marinette would muse. The word made it seem as if it was a good thing. She had to say "goodbye" to her normal life, she had to say "goodbye" to the truth, and she had to say "goodbye" to her old self, the one everyone knew and loved. And that was only when she first put on the mask that fateful day.
Although she may have realized it long after Master Fu became a peaceful shell of his former self, he was right. Her entire life, especially now, has always been defined by change, and she had to accept that.
And so she did. After battling Miracle Queen, Marinette nearly sprinted back home and unhinged a floorboard in her room, tucking away the now ladybug themed box. Although the pain of losing her mentor, the only person who truly knew every side of her, was still fresh, Marinette knew she had to move on. It was what he would have wanted.
The amount of sleepless nights Marinette had to endure grew exponentially. Her reflexes grew more keen, and even the slightest of sounds at night awoke Marinette almost instantly. The bags under her eyes grew, and she eventually started growing distant with the people she loved. Despite all she was losing, Marinette didn't hinder. She knew she had to protect the miraculous with her life. In the back of her mind, however, she was slowly counting down the days. No matter how well she protected the miraculous, she would eventually have to pass down the box, and her memories along with it. That was the hardest part for her to accept.
But like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, Marinette continued on with life. As the weight of the Miracle box grew lighter and Marinette retired from being Ladybug altogether, it seemed she'd finally be able to have it all. Marinette had finally gotten together with the love of her life and eventually took over the Gabriel brand, renaming it to "Coccinelle". A few years after Coccinelle reached its prime in the industry, she was able to fulfill her lifelong dream and start a family. To the normal witness, it seemed Marinette was living the perfect life - and she was - but as time went on, the clock continued to tick down to 0.
Marinette loved everything she had with her whole heart, but deep down she knew that the time to say "goodbye" was slowly approaching. Despite that moment in time being so long ago, Marinette soon found herself thrusted back to when she was 14-years-old, sitting in the corner of the Parisian storage deposit, reading Master Fu's final letter. In life, she would suffer changes and loss, but no matter what, she had to accept it. Everything she had spent her whole life working to build was about to be stripped away from her, and yet Marinette had to accept it.
Although she had waited for so long to tell Adrien that their time together was limited, he still accepted their fate, even before she truly did. When the two had to eventually break the news to their children that their mother may never be the same, they accepted and welcomed the change, promising to still love her. Even then, Marinette had yet to truly accept what was coming.
Between the episodes of worry for the future, the retired heroine began training a new Ladybug, one who learned about their limited time together early on. As she grew stronger and started to save Paris as the elusive Madame Coccinelle, the younger Ladybug grew to accept that the responsibility that she had admired for so long would soon become hers.
As time went on and Paris was at the safest it's ever been, the time of "goodbye"s neared. The number of lessons Marinette taught began to dwindle, as it became obvious to both that the hour was near. And whether they wanted to or not, the time before the succession soon became defined by only the length of a single car ride.
"Hey Bugaboo, are you alright?"
Marinette exhaled as she turned to her husband, forming a weak smile before turning back to the evening sky.
Adrien walked next to her, gently grasping her hand. "No matter what happens, I'm ready to face the next chapter of our lives with you."
A small chuckle escaped Marinette's lips as she finally met Adrien face-to-face. "I know, and I am so thankful for that, but how can I promise the same?"
He squeezed her hand. "Being Ladybug never defined who you were. Even without the alter-ego you were smart, kind, and overall amazing. Even if you forget most of your life I'm not leaving you. You'll always have me, I promise."
"Thank you." Marinette responded, her shoulders relaxing. "You're the best husband I could've ever asked for."
Cobblestone streets morphed to emerald trees as Marinette watched the world change from the familiar concrete of downtown Paris to rural France. She always loved to take a stroll through Paris, as its intricate architecture allowed her to constantly come up with new design ideas. With every building came with an entire sketchbook of memories, something Marinette would soon lose forever.
After half an hour of driving, Marinette and Adrien finally reached their destination: a small house deeped in the heart of a small forest on the outskirts of Paris. Opening the car door, Adrien extended his hand to Marinette, who smiled weakly and took it.
Walking up the stone steps that led to the front door, past events flashed through Marinette's mind. She remembered walking throughout the Parisian streets, searching for a worthy candidate to take up the harrowing responsibility of keeping watch over almost unlimited power. She remembered catching the eyes of a young girl who wore a red leather jacket. She remembered the girl's genuine worry after a thief "stole" her purse. And the memory of watching her new protege chanting "Spots On!" for the first time was still fresh in her mind.
The sun against her back, Marinette knocked on the door.
The wooden door creaked open as the current Ladybug, Evangeline, forced a smile, her eyes puffy from tears that were now wiped away.
"It's time?"
Marinette nodded, trying to fight against her own mind's pleas to not go through with the succession.
Opening her bag, Marinette pulled out the Ladybug-themed Miracle Box and placed it on the kitchen table, her hands trembling. Turning to Adrien, she gripped his hand.
"Are you ready?" Marinette questioned, although she wasn't sure who she was asking.
The room went silent, as both Evangeline and Adrien nodded.
Taking a deep breath, Marinette focused her attention on Evangeline, who's eyes were now watery.
"I…" Marinette's lips quivered, before eventually steadying herself. "I… Marinette Dupain-Cheng, hereby relinquish the Miracle Box and name Madame Coccinelle the new Guardian."
Goodbye's were a funny thing. Most of the time they were only used to reassure someone that this was not the end. Sometimes, they were used to close a chapter in someone's life. For Marinette, Goodbye's were something she tried to avoid, despite knowing that her attempts would be futile. No longer did she fear the word Goodbye, for the purpose of the word was never to scare her, but to tell her that change was good, and peace was near.
"I don't understand… Who are you?"
A/N: I'm pretty sure a good majority of you guys don't remember me, and that's okay. A while back I used to write shitty fanfictions for Miraculous. Things changed and I eventually moved on, but I never really felt satisfied with just disappearing from the site completely. And so, here I am, back with one last fanfiction to say goodbye to the Miraculous fandom as a whole. So Bug Out, and I wish you guys the best.