"I feel…better." Marinette whispered as her transformation took over. Stretching out each of her limbs, she nearly cried at the sudden relief. The pain had been eating her up. But now- "Ha!" She exclaimed excitedly, hands curling into fists as she took to the rooftops, running full speed for the first time in what seemed like years. She had made it to the rooftop across from the Agreste household within minutes, landing with a small thud. "Plagg, claws in." As Marinette detransformed, Plagg reappeared with a smug smile.
"See! Wasn't that so much- Marinette?" Plagg watched in worry as his new holder crumpled to the ground, tears in her eyes as she grabbed for her abdomen again. "It's back?" He questioned, fear blossoming in his eyes.
"I- I..it was so much better. And then I-"
"You detransformed and it came back." Plagg contemplated the thought for a moment before yelling in anger. "That's not- how is that possible?"
"Plagg, It's so much worse- I can't breath- I need-"
"Bug, bug, take a breath. Did you bring something for me to eat?"
"No! I didn't know! I didn't know you-"
"Shhh. Shhh. I know where I can get more cheese. You stay here okay? Lay down. On your back." The Kwami guided Marinette into a comfortable position on the rooftop and hurried to reassure her. "Chat Noir lives nearby. My cheese should still be there- No. it better be there. Or I'll maim him. But don't worry. I'll grab some and be right back."
"Hurry." Marinette groaned out through gritted teeth.
"I will!" Plagg took off towards the mansion across the street, hopeful that with Marinette laying down she wouldn't be able to see exactly where he was headed. But if she did- would it really be all that bad? Plagg was convinced not. But still, better not risk it while she was vulnerable.
"Chat Noir! Chat Noir!" Plagg yelled as he phased into his old holder's room, heading straight for his hidden cheese stash. He tumbled into the stash, shoving cheese in his mouth, completely unaware of the two teens standing with their mouths hanging open in the middle of the room.
"Plagg?" Adrien questioned, an eyebrow raised. "What's going on?"
"It's Marinette! She-" Plagg decided to forego chewing and swallowed the cheese whole. "She's in pain. She has been this whole time. She transformed and it got better but as soon as she detransformed- She's a roof over, in severe pain. I've got to go transform her back." Plagg took off for the window as Alya and Adrien shared a quick glance.
"Tikki, Spots On!"
"Trixx, Let's Pounce!"
~•••••~
"I'm here. I'm here." Plagg hurried to yell as he made it back to the roof where he'd left Marinette. The teen girl nodded through the pain and hurried to transform.
"Plagg, claws out! Please!" Marinette finally took a full breath as her transformation washed over her once more. The pain faded into the background, then disappeared completely, leaving Lady Noir to wonder what she could possibly do next. Detransforming meant more pain. But staying transformed indefinitely couldn't be an option. She had school, parents, friends..
"M'Lady!" A concerned voice called from her side, causing Lady Noir to turn her head slightly. There Mister Bug stood, worried eyes searching hers, Rena Furtive beside him.
"Girl, are you okay?" Rena took a quick step closer, worry increasing when Lady Noir refused to answer.
"Are you still in pain?" Mister Bug asked, walking to his partner and bending down to her level. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he looked her up and down, eyes searching for wounds he wouldn't find.
"No. It..went away..when I transformed back."
"But if you detransform-" Rena began, fingers fidgeting at her hip. "Will it.."
"It came back stronger. It felt like when it first happened..all over again." Lady Noir curled in on herself, bringing her knees to her chest as Mister Bug shared another quick glance with Rena.
"Maybe Tikki.."
"What can Tikki do that Plagg can't?" Marinette fussed, crossing her arms. "He's doing his best! And it's..it's not working. I'm never going to be able to fight again. I might not even be able to sew again. Just moving my arms or turning or..or.."
"I'm sure Plagg is trying." Mister Bug assured, though he really couldn't imagine his kwami putting effort into much of anything. "But Plagg is the embodiment of destruction. Tikki is creation, healing..maybe Tikki's help would last longer. It's what she's meant to do."
"I don't..I don't want to be Ladybug again. I'm scared!" Lady Noir confessed, hands trembling as her lower lip jutted out. Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill over, and Mister Bug hurried to encase her in his arms.
"Oh, honey." Mister Bug kissed her hair, doing his best to comfort her, before lifting her chin with his finger. "Look at me, bug. I know what you went through was scary..traumatizing. But you are the strongest woman I know. And seeing you in pain..I don't want to be selfish but I can't- I can't live my life seeing you like this. Please. Please take Tikki back. I'll detransform right now. Take the earrings. Be Ladybug again. Tikki will do everything in her power to heal you. I know she will."
"If you detransform..I'll see who you are."
"I'm weirdly okay with that. Almost like I've wanted that to be the case for years now." Mister Bug joked, smoothing a hand through her hair.
"Chat.." Lady Noir whispered, eyes glistening over with tears. "I'm so sorry..I should have listening to you sooner. I should have told you-"
"Oh hush." Mister Bug laughed, leaning down to kiss her cheek. "We all know all the mistakes I've made these past few years. But we're here now. I love you, you love me, our team is mostly a happy family…"
"Chat." Lady Noir groaned, rolling her eyes.
"What! I'm just saying- I have a feeling we'll be okay. So what do you say?" Mister Bug smiled, holding out his hand to her.
"Will you be Ladybug again?"
~•••••~
"Sir." Natalie greeted, stepping into Gabriel's atelier. "I have something I'd like to discuss with you." Natalie took a seat in front of Gabriel's desk and the man nodded, waving a hand in acceptance.
"If you must. What is it?" Gabriel placed his sketch book back down on his desk and played absentmindedly with his pencil.
"Adrien's friend..Marinette. I've been considering her lately." Natalie leaned over her tablet nervously and Gabriel frowned, raising an eyebrow.
"How so?"
"Well, as you know…the known holders of the miraculous on Ladybug's team have all been children around the same age as Ladybug and Chat Noir. Many, if not all, of these holders have attended school with Adrien at some point. That leads me to believe that Ladybug herself might attend the same school..Chat Noir as well."
"And?" Gabriel pushed, leaning back in his chair.
"In Adrien's class alone there are at least five know holders. Chloe Bourgeois, Max Kanté, Kim Lê Chiên, Nino Lahiffe and Alya Cesairé. Ladybug being so close in age.."
"Out with it. What does that have to do with the designer girl?"
"Sir..I think that Marinette might be Ladybug."
~•••••~
"Not finding any in this photo, Gabriel!" Nooroo cried, flipping through one of the yearbooks from Françoise Dupont.
"She's not wearing them here either." Gabriel sighed, closing the book he had been searching through. "Natalie?" He turned to the woman making notes on her tablet and shook her head.
"She's never seen wearing the studs until after Ladybug first showed here in Paris. On occasion she would be wearing another set..but never the studs."
"Natalie." Gabriel questioned, head tilting slight as he scratched at his chin. "If this Marinette girl..if she's Ladybug..Chat Noir couldn't be too far away. Do you think he's in their class as well? Adrien brought his friend over to speak about helping her recover. Do you think they know her identity?"
"Sir, if Adrien knows who she is and has been helping her recover..don't you think-"
"That I nearly murdered my son's girlfriend? Yes, I had considered that possibility."
"To be truthful, you most likely did murder her. She just came back to life."
"Natalie that's not..that's not helping."