Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or elements relating to Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir.
Miraculous: Borderline
Chapter 10: Severing Ties
Chloe Bourgeois could only gape in dumbfounded shock as Ladybug reached back to pull off her miraculous earrings.
"What are you doing?" Chloe hissed, her eyes darting around. "People will—"
There was a brilliant flash, and Ladybug's costume vanished. In her place stood a dark-haired girl with sky-blue eyes and a sorrowful expression. Her hand was outstretched with her miraculous earrings perched on the top of her palm.
"Take them," Marinette said softly.
Chloe could only stare. "W-what? I can't—But you are—"
"Chloe, please," Marinette pleaded. "You have to take them and promise me that you will fulfill the Ladybug legacy with honor."
Marinette's words seemed to snap Chloe out of her daze. Chloe looked at Marinette and for a moment, her sneer was back and Chloe seemed to laugh in her face.
"Of course I will!" Chloe asserted.
She snatched the Ladybug earrings up and stared at them up-close for a moment, her face bright with wonder and awe. Then she pinned them up in her ears and Tikki appeared.
The Ladybug kwami hovered between the two rivals, her gaze darting between the two girls—one face frozen in wonder and awe, and the other face pinched with pain and regret.
Tikki shook her head frantically, her face a mask of horror and hurt.
"Marinette, what have you done!" Tikki cried.
Marinette turned her gaze away from Tikki and deliberately ignored her ex-kwami, even though it hurt her heart to do so. She couldn't find it in herself to explain anything to Tikki, for she knew Tikki would never approve.
Instead, Marinette fixed her eyes on Chloe's and spoke firmly.
"Chloe. Promise me you'll uphold Ladybug's legacy in honor."
Chloe hesitated.
Marinette's eyes hardened. "Promise me!"
Chloe flinched and snapped, "I promise! It's just—"
Chloe bit her lip, and a timid expression flitted across her face. She looked at Marinette anew, as if she'd never seen her before, and when Chloe spoke, her voice was soft and distant.
"Does that mean...you've been Ladybug all along?" Chloe asked.
Marinette shook her head. "Doesn't matter, Chloe. Just remember: Don't tell anyone you're Ladybug because that will give villains a way to attack you in person. Promise me that too."
Chloe nodded quickly. She looked like she was still in shock, but to her credit, she seemed to be holding it together.
"I promise," Chloe blurted out.
"Good," Marinette said.
Marinette blinked away the sudden tears that sprang to her eyes. She still refused to look at Tikki, whose silence spoke more than words ever could, but Marinette knew that what she'd done could never be undone. Or forgiven.
Even by Tikki.
Oh, Tikki. I wish you could understand.
"I—" Marinette's voice caught as she struggled to envision a life without Tikki. She couldn't do it.
What have I done.
She felt hollow and empty inside, her stomach writhing in despair. Yet Marinette was willing to stand firm in her decision, adamant about the fact that she was a danger to this city as long as she was Ladybug, the lead superhero. She couldn't be a leader when she was this vulnerable. Superheroes had to sacrifice things for the greater good, and Marinette was no exception. She had to follow through with her decision.
Marinette forced herself to take a deep breath, and when she spoke again, her voice was steady. "Okay Chloe. Don't speak of this to anyone. Please."
Chloe nodded again. She seemed speechless, unable to do or say anything other than stare at Marinette as if she were memorizing Marinette feature by feature.
Marinette turned to leave when Chloe spoke.
"Marinette?"
Marinette turned. Chloe's face was the softest Marinette had ever seen. She looked almost painfully shy.
Chloe swallowed and locked eyes with Marinette. "Thanks for trusting me. I won't let you down."
Marinette nodded, finding it difficult to swallow herself. Her words caught in her throat, and she had to clear her throat several times before she could finally speak.
"I believe in you," Marinette whispered hoarsely, then turned on her heel and hastily made her way to the elevator.
Marinette rode the elevator the whole way down in silence, letting her tears slip down her cheeks as she stared at the elevator wall without seeing anything.
Marinette felt like she had just made the biggest mistake in her life, and there was no way to undo what she had done. She'd severed her ties with her best friend, handed over her miraculous to her biggest rival, and given up on life as Ladybug.
All because she'd been too weak to resist Hawk Moth's evil akuma.
Marinette bowed her head as she walked out of the elevator.
It served her right. Someone like her should never handle such a powerful miraculous.
On the other hand, Chloe probably could. Although Chloe could be an all-time jerk sometimes, Marinette had discovered that Chloe harbored a soft side and could be loyal. And unlike Alya and Nino, Chloe was rarely affected by others' negative emotions, which meant that she'd be perfect for Ladybug.
Chloe was strong too, and she could be smart. Both great qualities for Ladybug.
But there was more to it. Marinette had swallowed her pride to ask for Chloe's help not just because Chloe could be quick and loyal. Chloe was also spiteful and angry. And as it had been proved recently, Marinette was like that too.
Chloe was the perfect person to replace her because they shared many qualities together, all except for Marinette's emotional weakness. So, naturally, Chloe Bourgeois would make a better Ladybug—
Much better than Marinette Dupain-Cheng could ever be .
End of Chapter 10: Severing Ties