Mayura

Unmade

Sitting at his beloved guardian's bedside, Adrien could do nothing but watch over Nathalie as she slept. Every few minutes, she would thrash from side to side, wince, or jolt, though it was never enough to wake her up. Her mind and body were simply too exhausted. Unable to look away from the painful sight, Adrien remembered his mother's suffering: Now, the woman he had taken as a surrogate mother was in the same agony, and he was powerless to do anything. Even with his Miraculous, he was nothing more than the same, helpless child he was when Emilie passed away.

Biting his lip and holding back his tears, the blond young man quietly leaned over his beloved caretaker and forced the lump in his throat down. Once he was close enough to her ear, he took in a trembling breath. "I love you…Mom," he finally managed to whisper. Before he pulled back, Adrien kissed his guardian's chilled and pale cheek, and she seemed to finally find rest as she slept. With that glimmer of hope, the young man was able to walk away with some semblance of peace.

"You doing okay, kid?" Plagg asked once he and Adrien were alone in the hallway.

"No, I'm not," Adrien sighed. Despite his pain, the young man forced himself to remain composed and rational. "My dad's gonna be back to check on her soon. Let's talk at Master's place, okay?" The Kwami nodded his little head before settling into his partner's bag.

Once Gabriel returned, Adrien relayed Nathalie's condition, bid his father goodbye, and excused himself to attend his class. Gabriel accepted without question, entered his bedroom, and sat down at his friend's bedside. After taking a second to watch over his suffering family, Adrien prayed, turned his back, and made his way outside.

For what felt like hours, Marinette, Alya, Master Fu, and the Kwami's sat in utter silence with their tortured friend. Everyone felt the sorrow and pain choking out the air in the room as Adrien attempted to keep his red, tear-glazed eyes and unhappy expression hidden under his hair as he stared at the floor.

"Adrien, I know you are suffering," Master Fu finally spoke up. "But you mustn't keep deh pain hidden away. You have seen what chaos dat choice will bring." Adrien bit his lower lip and took in a trembling breath.

"…How long has she been sick?" Marinette asked, her voice gentle and loving.

Loudly clearing his throat and attempting to keep his voice steady, Adrien shook his head. "I don't know," he choked out, just barely above a whisper. "But…she's in pain… an' there's nothing I can do." His last words coming out as a cough, the blond young man finally lost his composure and began crying aloud, though he covered his miserable eyes with his hand.

Alya and Master Fu watched in helpless empathy as their friend suffered. Once she saw he couldn't stop by himself, Marinette stood up, walked up behind Adrien, knelt down, and wrapped her arms loosely around his neck while resting them upon his shoulders. Gently hushing her friend, the young woman closed her eyes and listened to his cries and gasps. "Adrien, I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry." As the others looked away out of respect, Marinette remained at her friend's side until he finally calmed himself.

After time had passed, Adrien sipped the hot tea his master had given him, and prepared himself to recount the nightmare. "…I…I didn't know she was sick," he began, still avoiding eye contact with his friends. "Then, my dad said that she'd passed out and wasn't waking up…She was so pale, and her skin was…It was cold. Um…She's hooked up to an IV drip, so I know she's getting food and medicine now. I just…I don't know what it is, I don't know how stable she is…and I can't even be there for her while she's sick. It's just too painful. I mean, I want to be there for her. God knows I do…But when there's nothing I can do…I don't want her to be alone when she wakes up, but…I just don't know."

"Adrien, you can't be by her side all the time," Alya replied, her voice strong but gentle. "Nobody is that strong. Just be there when she wakes up, okay?" Adrien forced himself to smile and nod his head, though the tears still lingered in his eyes.

"Adrien," Master Fu spoke up, commanding the attention of everyone in the room. "Dat is not all dat troubles you…is it?"

Adrien cupped his hands and gazed down at the wooden floor, which soon became stained with tears yet again. "I mean…" he choked out through a throbbing throat and a trembling voice. "…What's the point of having powers if we can't save the people we care about? …Why can't we stop people from dying when they're not supposed to?"

As silence fell over the room once again, Marinette recalled her own time of doubt and powerlessness. Alya looked down at her hands, Volpina's hands, and soon became lost in thought. Master Fu let out a heavy sigh, pressed his walking stick into the floor, and forced himself up.

The elderly man turned away from his students and their Kwami, walked over to his fireplace, and prodded the logs. "Adrien…" he choked out, still fighting demons of his own. "I have watched you over deh years. Yours is a story filled with pain, loss, doubt…but also redemption, sacrifice, mercy, loyalty, and hope. We all dream of changing deh world, but we can each only do so much, until our sun sets. It is not our place as Miraculous to alter deh natural order. We can only use our powers as dey were given to us."

"…Master," Adrien said just above a whisper as Plagg placed his little hand on his partner's shoulder. "…Have you ever lost someone, even though you thought you had the power to save them?"

Tightly closing his eyes, the old master forced himself to recall the trauma of his life. "Yes, Adrien," he finally confessed. All eyes focused on Master Fu as his legendary composure was broken. "…I was young when I was chosen to become a Guardian…I was granted a very precious Miraculous, with which I vowed to protect deh ones I loved…" The elderly man turned and faced his students as a grim expression overtook his face. "But I could not turn deh tides of fate. I had to watch my loved ones die as I carried on." Master Fu's eyes began to shift about the room until they finally settled on the floor, as if staring into the past itself. "We all die…Dat is God's plan. We cannot defeat death: We can only work to protect and preserve life while it is here. Before I learned…I made a terrible mistake…Lives were lost because of me…" In that instant, the unbreakable man shattered with the presence of only a few tears. In that instant, none of the Miraculous could deny that their master was human, after all. "Like each of you, I let myself believe my powers were worthless. I mourned my losses, but felt I could never atone for my sins…To dis day, I cannot escape deh guilt and shame of what I have done, and what I failed to stop…But I have learned, destiny is not something to be fought…Every life, every death, every victory, and every defeat has a purpose. In your darkest hours, remember dat." With that, the man turned back to his fire.

Rising to his feet, Adrien looked at his master, who chose not to face him, stood still for a moment, and silently ran from the room with Plagg.

"Adrien!" Marinette called out as she sprang to her feet, only for her beloved friend to slam the door and continue on his way. The dark-haired young woman threw out her hand, trying so desperately to reach the one she had loved for so long. Alya jumped to her feet and grabbed her friend's wrist.

"Let him go," Master Fu ordered, still facing his flames. "Dere is nothing we can do for him. He will listen to reason only when he is ready."

Unable to contain her emotions any longer, Alya let go of Marinette's arm, and turned toward her master. "Is that what we're destined for?" she demanded, having care not to raise her voice too greatly. "To just sit back and watch?"

"Alya," Marinette exclaimed, her voice firm but gentle. "That's not what he's saying…"

"Stay out of this!" Alya roared, shooting her best friend an icy glance. "Master, answer me: Why are we here, then? What's the point of all this?"

Master Fu finally turned away from his fire and faced the newest Miraculous. His face was grave but untouched by the emotions around him. "Have care how you speak," he ordered without anger or spite. The magnitude of her master's words subdued Alya's anger and, if only for an instant, washed over her with fear and shame. "I know dis is difficult…But it is not to the Miraculous to give or take life. All you can do…is give dem a reason to live. Never forget dat we are not gods…but, rather, servants. Dat is all we were meant to be…Dat will be all for today." The old master returned to his fireplace, having no further concern.

"I'm sorry, Master," Alya declared with a bow.

"I understand your pain, Alya," Master Fu warmly replied. "As I do Adrien's. As I do yours, Marinette." Marinette glanced at her master and smiled slightly. "Power comes at a price…especially for ones as young as deh three of you. I know I have kept much from you, but you must believe when I tell you…dis too…shall pass. Adrien will come to you when his mind is settled. You will know what to tell him." Alya and Marinette nodded their heads. "Now, if you will excuse me, it has been far too long since I have slept…"

Taking the hint, the two young women bowed to their master, gathered their things, and prepared to take leave. Suddenly, Alya ran over to the elderly man, graced him with a quick hug, and departed. Marinette, on the other hand, waited until she was alone with her master, and slowly approached him. "Master Fu," she finally spoke up. "You know better than anyone else how dangerous it is to keep secrets. When you're ready, I'm here."

"Thank you, Marinette," the old master warmly replied. Marinette nodded her head, smiled at her master, and left to catch up with Alya after closing the door behind her. "…And please…find it in your heart to forgive an old fool."

Gabriel stood at Nathalie's bedside, unable to look away from her pale, unhappy face as she slept. The day had been so long, and there was still so much for to fight through. For so long, he had been unable to speak, but the time had finally come: "Nathalie," the silver-haired man spoke just above a warm whisper. "I don't know if you can hear me. I can't bring myself to wake you up and prolong your suffering…But please, know that I am eternally grateful for all you have done for my family and I…I would never ask you to do this for me…And the fact that you made this sacrifice for Emilie and I, without being asked or ordered…only reinforces the fact that I do not deserve you."

Nathalie's chest elevated as she took in a heavy breath. For the first time in so long, she was at peace. Looking out the window, Gabriel watched as petals separated from the trees that grew them, only to soar across the sky and vanish within seconds. "…Forgive me, Nathalie," the man prayed. "Forgive a thankless man: One who deserved to die in her place, as well as yours. I can never repay my debt to you…nor can I take back what I have done to you. I pray you find it in your heart to forgive the monster I have become."

As Gabriel returned to his chair beside his beloved assistant, he rested his head in the palms of his hands. Somewhere in the haze and darkness of the profound agony that seemed to consume all but the renewed sense of hope, Nathalie's weak voice uttered words of redemption that only Gabriel would ever hear. Lifting his head from his silent tears and sorrow, the man gazed in awe at the unconscious woman before him. Could it be? Was there a God? And if there was, why had He taken pity on a sinner? Why would He send Nathalie to one who had fallen so far and turned his back on the light?

Sitting alone on a rooftop ledge, Adrien looked out over the city he had spent years trying to protect. Plagg soon rose out of his makeshift bed and sat at his partner's side. For a minute, they sat in silence.

"Wha'cha thinking, kid?" the black cat Kwami finally broke through the stillness.

"I don't know," Adrien answered while staring down at the city. His voice was stable for now, but the cracks were beginning to surface yet again. "I feel sick…If I only knew what was wrong with her… Maybe we could stop it."

"You mean, if it was, like, cancer?" Plagg tried to support his partner. Adrien nodded his head, inspiring the Kwami to do the same. "Yeah, I could see that. We'd just use that White Cataclysm of yours, and it'd all be gone. How would we do it without her or your old man knowing, though?"

The young man felt a cool breeze flow through the beautiful blond locks his mother had blessed him with, and smiled to himself. "I wouldn't mind if Nathalie knew," he answered with hope in his voice. "I mean, I wouldn't want her to worry about me, but she'd understand. My dad, though…"

"Yeah, I know," the Kwami replied, knowing his partner's father all too well. "You know, when you and I first met, you were the only person I cared about…I didn't know anyone else and really didn't want to. But, over time, I started to understand why keep some of those people close to you. Nathalie's a really special lady, isn't she?"

"She is," Adrien agreed, his voice warm. "She's amazing. Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve her. She sacrifices so much to be there for me."

"Don't say stuff like that, Adrien," Plagg scolded his dear friend. "You deserve the best. You and Nathalie deserve each other…but not in a weird way."

"Thanks, man," Adrien replied. Though his mood was lightened, the young man couldn't shake the unsettled feeling in his stomach. "I'm glad I have a friend like you."

Plagg smiled, but was soon reminded of something troubling. "But, uh…I'm not the only friend you've got, you know," the Kwami forced himself to do what was right. "Maybe you should go talk to Marinette and them. You know, let them know you're okay."

"I know," the blond answered. "Thanks, Plagg. Just give me a few more minutes here." Plagg nodded his head, rested his head against his friend's hip, and watched over the city with him.

Ella and Etta Césaire ran through the kitchen, each too deeply involved in their game to notice their big sister sitting at the table. Alya smiled as she watched the little ones playing and enjoying themselves. At their age, life was simple, pure, and full of happiness and possibilities. They had no worries, no concerns, and no sorrows. Reaching out her hand, the young woman grabbed a bag of potato chips. Suddenly, the young woman felt something forcing her hand down, only to find Trixx resting atop her knuckles.

"Alya, you're doing it again," the fox Kwami scolded her partner. "Are you even paying attention?"

"Leave me alone," the redheaded young woman unhappily accepted as she released the bag.

"I know you're stressed out," Trixx calmed herself, making sure to keep her voice down while the twins were in the other room. "But you don't wanna start binging again. Talk to me, Alya. What's going on up there?"

Alya let out a heavy sigh through her nostrils. "It's a lot of things," she answered. "I was already worked up about what Master Fu told me, now Adrien's upset, Nathalie's sick, and it just feels like…" Terrified of what she was about to say, the young woman froze.

"Feels like what?" the fox Kwami insisted.

"…Like this whole thing is falling apart," Alya confessed before supporting her head with her hand and closing her aching eyes. "Maybe it's just me, but…I feel like our team's falling apart. None of us could help Adrien, and all I did was sit there. What good am I?"

"That's not what happened," Trixx sharply replied. "You tried to help him. Besides, you were there for him. What else could you have done, Alya?"

"You know, I think this whole damn thing was a mistake," the young woman angrily exclaimed. "The Miraculous, forming a team, all of it! Where's it gotten us? We're all just as broken as we were before."

"No, you're not," the Kwami declared, her patience waning. "You've all come a long way. If you would stop beating yourself up over every freaking thing…"

"I told the old man, I'm not cut out for this!" Alya's words became hollers. "I'm a mess! What good are we doing?" Trixx maintained a tense scowl as she and her partner's eyes met. Looking up from her hand, the young woman saw her sisters standing in the kitchen doorway. Each little girl seemed unsure of what was happening. "Guys, I…"

"Are you okay, Alya?" Etta asked in her naturally sweet voice.

"You said the D-word," Ella exclaimed.

"I'm sorry," Alya calmed herself. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm just…I'm having a bad day."

"Would you like to play with us?" Ella offered with a smile forming on her face.

"We're playing Ladybug and Cat Noir," Etta added.

"…Do you want me to be their new friend?" Alya asked hopefully. "I think her name is Volpina."

"We don't really know anything about her," the twins accidentally answered in harmony. At that, Alya felt her heart begin to crack.

"You should be Ladybug!" Ella excitedly cried out. "You'd be the best Ladybug! You're so cool and strong and smart."

"Yeah, and I can be Cat Noir!" Etta added. "Ella, you can be the bad guy."

"Why do I always have to be the bad guy?" Ella pouted. "I wanna be one of the good guys!"

"Tell you what, girls," Alya happily stepped in. "How about I be the bad guy this time, and you two can be the Miraculous. How's that sound?"

"Yay!" the twins happily cried out as they threw their little hands in the air.

"Go get ready in the living room, okay?" the eldest of the Césaire siblings warmly instructed. "I'll be there in a few minutes." Ella and Etta nodded their heads and ran into the living room.

"You heard it," Trixx quietly called out, turning her partner around. "From the mouths of babes. Maybe if you stop looking at the bad and start seeing that there's good in you, you'll get somewhere."

"…Yeah, maybe," Alya reluctantly gave in yet again. "…Thanks, Trixx."

"Hey, that's what friends are for, dude," the Kwami lovingly replied. "Just believe in yourself. I'm only here to help you find your way." Alya smiled and nodded her head before entering the living room to play with her sisters. "…We don't make mistakes, Alya," Trixx whispered. "I wish you'd believe it when I say that."

Gazing out her window, Marinette watched as the gray skies released a stream of rain. The melancholy weather seemed all too fitting for a day like this. Letting out a sigh, the dark-haired young woman turned away from Paris and began jotting down ideas at her desk.

"You're worried about Adrien, aren't you?" Tikki declared as she floated beside her dearest friend.

"…Yeah," Marinette answered with a weight on her voice. "I wish there was something I could do, but…It's all such a mess. We're supposed to be a team, but I can tell we're crumbling." Glancing back out the window, the young woman watched as a water droplet split into three separate drops, each sliding down in a different direction. "…I hope Adrien comes around soon. I hate the thoughts of him being alone at a time like this."

"Well, he's got Plagg with him," Tikki volunteered. "Besides, Adrien's strong. He'll be okay."

"Nobody's strong all the time, though," Marinette replied.

"No, but that's why we have friends," the Kwami answered. "Just knowing people are out there who care about you gives us hope. Adrien knows not to keep things to himself. He'll talk to you and Alya when he's ready. Just trust him for now, okay?"

Marinette paused for a moment, only to smile and nod her head. "I keep forgetting, you're the adult here," she playfully teased her beloved friend. "Thanks, Tikki."

Suddenly, a knock on the rooftop door interrupted the two. Gazing up, Marinette smiled and turned to her partner, who already knew. Opening the door, Marinette and Tikki saw Chat Noir, dressed in his black costume, standing in the rain. Without hesitation, the dark-haired girl smiled and opened her umbrella and held it out over her suffering friend's head, just as he once did for her. Chat smiled and graciously accepted, and, for the first time in a long time, there was peace.