Diamond Absolutes (Bargaining)

"With great power, there must also come great responsibility."

-Benjamin Parker

When Adrien finally got home, he went to his room and made sure to start playing his music behind him. Plagg finally came out of his hiding spot to ask, "Ditching homework to go look for your friend! I'm glad I'm becoming a bad influence on you!"

"She's missing, not answering her texts, and her mom just died," Adrien said as he opened his large window, "I've...been there. I get it. And I'm going to make sure she gets home safe. Plagg! Claws o-"

He was interrupted by a notification from his phone, stating breaking news. He opened it to find a new video from local reporter Nadja, "Don't be bemused. It's just the news! With me, Nadja Chamack! Surprise and shock as Parisians videos leak online of Ladybug dropping a man off a building earlier today. We warn everyone at home that the following video contains disturbing content."

Adrien watched in silent horror as the video played, showing Ladybug indeed holding a man against a ledge, before letting him go so that he would fall. There was a sickening crunch as his legs broke on impact and he screamed in agony before being pulled back up to the roof. Nadja went on to add, "The man has been identified as a suspect in a bus jacking earlier today. Police have yet to provide comment but witnesses express a mix of shock and surprise."

Adrien put the phone away. That couldn't be right. Maybe it was an illusion by Volpina? Or a trick by Hawkmoth. The Ladybug he knew would never do this. Plagg was there to add his own comment, "Sounds like your friend isn't the only one having a bad day."

"It can't be real. I'm going to look for Marinette first. We'll find Ladybug later! Plagg! Claws out!"

Marinette landed in a quiet alley and transformed back into her normal clothes. She needed a moment to catch her breath and clear her head. What had she done? Had she gone completely insane? It was wrong! It was awful! That was the kind of thing Hawkmoth or Lila would do. Maybe Chloé on a really bad day. But her? What was wrong with her?

And worst, part of her enjoyed it. She enjoyed watching people squirm and suffer. She looked down at the phone again - the only clue she had to finding the others responsible. How could something so small feel so wrong? And right at the same time. She flipped it open and started going through the call logs. All the calls were from the same number. Maybe the contacts? But the only thing there was a single number. Who was on the other end of this number?

"Marinette? Can we talk about what happened?" Tikki asked. Marinette jumped at the sound of her voice, closing the phone but still holding out in front of her. She didn't want to talk about this. All she wanted was to find the ones responsible. She started walking, "There's nothing to talk about, Tikki."

Tikki flew out in front of her and stopped her in her tracks, "You dropped a man off a roof!"

"He lived," she said dryly, averting her eyes to avoid looking the Kwami in the eyes. But she moved to say in her line to sight anyway, "That's not the point, Marinette!"

"I saved the people on the bus, right?" She snapped back angrily, feeling her hands shake. The last thing she needed right now was to be berated. To be told off. She didn't want to hear that right now. But her anger cooled when Tikki's eyes sank, "You're not supposed to use your powers like that!"

"He ones where the others were and he wasn't talking," she knew she was grasping at straws to justify what she did. Maybe, if she could find the right reason, Tikki would leave her alone. But the little Kwami floater there silently with her big sad eyes full of disappointment. She couldn't bare to look at her any more and started walking. The little Kwami began, "Marinette...I understand why you're doing this. I really do."

Marinette turned on the Kwami, annoyed now, "Oh, you do? Then you also understand how important this is to me."

Tikki stared at her solemnly, her big eyes fixed on her sadly, "Marinette. You're a miraculous holder. You have a responsibility to use these powers in-"

Marinette has already heard enough and cut the poor bug off, "Don't talk to me about responsibility right now Tikki. Please...not right now."

The Kwami still went on, "You're hurting, Marinette. I get it."

Marinette felt something inside her snap, "How would you get it, Tikki? You haven't lost anyone before!"

The little kwami stared at her silently - the way a parent does when a child has done wrong and they expected the child to figure that out. Marinette averted her gaze again, "I'm sorry."

Tikki flew right up to her face and hugged her cheek, "Don't be. Because you're not the first. And you won't be the last."

It was a grim reminder of the fact that she wasn't the first Ladybug. But Tikki's voice seemed ready to crack. The little kwami was thousands of years old but hardly ever talked about the past. And now here she was just as ready to cry as Marinette was, "What?"

The little kwami nuzzled her cheek, "Marinette, there've been countless ladybugs before. All of them using these powers for what they thought was best. But not all of them got...happy endings. There've been so many before you who...turned out wrong. I just don't want to see that happen to you. I've lost enough lady bugs. I don't want to lose another. Joan was burned at the stake, Mulan committed suicide, Hippolyta was killed by...please Marinette. Don't do anything that'll make you be like them."

There was the guilt again. This time it was for worrying her partner and she hung her head in shame. What was she doing. She put the phone away in her pocket and hugged her little partner, "I'm sorry."

The two held each other for a long time until she heard a voice overhead. Tikki retreated into her purse and she looked up to see Chat of all people, "Marinette. There you are. Where have you been? Everyone's worried sick about you!"

Marinette froze, staring at the cat themed hero as her mind raced. So much had happened in so little time that she wasn't sure what to say. Between everything that happened since last night, where would she even begin? Hey Chat! My mom dad and I threw one of her killers off a roof! It was strange how moments like these brought out a sense of self reflection that wouldn't be possible otherwise. She must've been quiet for a while because Chat went on, "Look, I know about what happened. I'm...I'm sorry."

No, she should be sorry. Her father was probably worried sick about her. But...how could she see him knowing what she did? Who would she ever be able to tell about what she did? It was all just too much. And for the first time since this mess began, Marinette let the tears roll from her eyes. Chat Noir held her close into a hug, letting her use his shoulder to cry on as she wept.