"We can't find her! She's disappeared!" Rena growled, still searching everywhere she could think to.
"She can't have gotten far!" Polymouse assured.
"She's powerless now. Does it even matter?" Pegasus asked. "We've got the butterfly. It's over."
"But she can't just get away with it!" Rena argued. "That wouldn't be right. And who knows what she'll do now to try and turn the tables."
"Rena is right." Chat agreed, running side by side with Ladybug. "We can't take any chances. She still has her memories. She could try to catch us off guard."
"Off guard." Ladybug mumbled, slowly stopping and changing course. "My mother!" She took off toward the bakery and Chat hurried to follow, Bridgette's voice coming over the comm unit as he swung over a gap in the rooftops.
"Felix and I were recharging nearby. We'll meet you there!"
"Let's hope Lila isn't that smart."
———
Sabine bustled about the kitchen, pots and pans overflowing with multiple different varieties of food. Nooroo sat quietly on the countertop, anxiously taking bites of a cookie she had given him as he examined his surroundings.
"The soup is almost finished." Sabine told the kwami gently. "Would you like a taste?"
"Yes ma'am." The kwami answered, floating closer as he sniffed the air.
"Here." Sabine took a ladle and carefully brought a small spoonful of soup to Nooroo, blowing on it lightly to cool it off. "Just don't go all soup crazy like Tikki does with galette."
"I won't ma'am." Nooroo promised solemnly, taking a small sip. A small thud from upstairs startled the kwami and he squealed, flying erratically and knocking into the ladle, spilling a bit of soup on Sabine's shirt. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
"No no. Here. Don't worry." Sabine hurried to find a towel and dab at the stain. "All is well, Nooroo. It can be washed." Sabine hummed then glanced upstairs. "But perhaps we should check out that noise, hmm?"
"Yes Ma'am." Nooroo began floating towards the stairs, Sabine behind him, when suddenly the tiny god stopped and whimpered.
"What is it Nooroo?"
"I think it's a trap!" The kwami cried. "I feel a strong negative emotion down below, but nothing above."
"Someone's trying to distract us. To sneak up from the lower floor." Sabine clarified, mind already turning over several different possibilities.
"If I'm correct, yes."
"Then let's play our own little trick. Okay?" Sabine turned down the hall and led Nooroo to the laundry room, pulling the door slightly shut behind them.
Sure enough, moments later they heard the tiny click of the front door opening and the hushed footfalls across the front hall. Nooroo trembled on Sabine's shoulder, terrified but ready to fight for his new temporary master. Sabine hoped it wouldn't come to that.
———
Madre Orso turned to her partner with a frown.
"Looks like we got here first. I'll go in and check on Marinette's mother if you'll keep watch."
"Sure." Pavone agreed, already leaning back against a wall with his arms crossed lazily. Madre rolled her eyes. Felix could be so hard to read sometimes. She tried the kitchen door only to find it locked. Huffing, she went around to the front of the building and sighed in frustration when that door refused to budge as well.
"I can't get in without breaking something. Both doors are locked."
"There's a balcony. Bet there's a door up there." Pavone nodded towards the patio above them and Madre Orso nodded with a smile, already halfway up before he'd finished his sentence. Sure enough, Marinette's balcony was accessible through a trap door and Bridgette was more than happy to find it unlocked. Slipping in, Madre Orso found herself on Marinette's bed and she hurried to get down the ladder. A soft rustling sound interrupted the silence and Madre Orso froze, contemplating her next move.
"Marinette's mom?" She whispered quietly. Nothing answered back so Madre Orso carefully crossed the room, finding yet another trap door. She peeked through, seeing nothing, and slowly opened it just enough to shimmy her body through, descending the stairs as quietly as she could. Her feet had barely touched the floor when she heard a soft laugh.
"You're not Marinette's mother. But you'll do."
———
"Pavone!" Ladybug called as they made it to the bakery. "Where's Madre Orso?"
"Inside. She went to check on your mother. I'm keeping watch."
"How long has she been inside?" Chat asked, peering into the bakery windows.
"Just a few minutes. I've been patient. I'll continue to keep watch if you'd like to check on your mother."
"Thank you, Felix." Ladybug and Chat Noir both entered through the balcony, quietly discussing strategic moves as they crossed the room.
"You know, I have your miraculous. I could kill you if I wanted." Lila's voice rang from below, startling Ladybug and Chat Noir into silence.
"Ladybug would bring me back." Bridgette's voice answered.
"I'll ask you one more time. Where are Marinette's parents?"
"I don't know. I came here looking for them."
A loud thud echoed in the room and Ladybug cringed when she recognized the third voice.
"I'm right here you bully!" Sabine yelled, another thud and a loud crash sounded from below and Chat hurried to open the trap door, peering through.
Sabine launched another vase at Lila who dodged and placed the Bear miraculous in her coat pocket.
"Kaarhu!" Bridgette cried as the kwami appeared, confusion evident in its features.
"Holder?" Kaarhu asked, head tilted to the side.
"Kaarhu!" Lila yelled, picking up the kwami in her fist as she dodged another vase. "I demand you tell me your transformation words and your powers!"
"But I-" The kwami struggled. "The transformation words are Kaarhu Bear it, Master. Bluff will allow you to intimidate your opponents and Fortitude will make whoever you choose stronger but please-"
"Kaarhu, Bear it!" And Lila was transformed.
"Stop! Leave him alone!" Bridgette cried as Sabine turned to her new little partner.
"Nooroo-"
"Dark wings rise!" The kwami finished for her, eyes wide as Sabine repeated the phrase and transformed.
"We have to help them!" Ladybug dashed down the stairs, her partner behind her.
"Bluff!" Lila called, instantly causing the other three people in the room to become overwhelmed with fear. They collapsed to the floor, anxiety overtaking their bodies as Lila ripped the butterfly miraculous off of Sabine and chuckled at Nooroo's cries. "Oh come on you cry baby. Not like you haven't been down this path before." Lila stepped over to Chat who growled pathetically and tried to stand, only to be knocked down by a kick to the shoulder. Ladybug watched in horror as Lila reached for the ring on his finger. Lifting her head off the ground, Ladybug fought the fear, teeth grinding with the effort.
"Not anymore." She ground out, pulling herself off the floor and onto her hands and knees.
"What are you going to do?" Lila laughed, easily slipping the ring off Chat's finger and pocketing it. "I have the power here. All of Paris is mine. Once I have your miraculous, the whole world will be mine! They'll all bow to me, fear me-"
"Not me." Ladybug slowly pulled herself to a crouched position, chest heaving with the effort. "I refuse!" Ladybug put one foot out, then the other, her whole body shaking in terror. "I refuse to let anxiety rule my life anymore! No more fear! No more second guessing! Lila, you and Gabriel and Natalie, Amelie- You've all ruled my life for so long and I- I refuse to let you take one more minute from my happy ending." Ladybug gasped for a breath as she slowly stretched out her hand. "Hand me the miraculous and I'll go easy on you."
"Ha!" Lila mocked with a sneer. "You think I'm going to fall for a dumb cliché like that?"
"I said-" Ladybug repeated, drawing her feet together and standing tall. "Hand me the miraculous."
"Or else what?"
"Bloom!"
Suddenly the room was illuminated in a blinding orange light, ladybugs shooting forth from Ladybug's suit and swarming Lila, knocking her off her feet and attacking from every direction. Ladybug crossed the room, still fighting the effects of Kaarhu's power, as Lila frantically swiped at the bugs surrounding her, terrified screams leaving her body as her timer ran out and she was finally forced to detransform. The others in the room slowly came to their senses as Marinette's fingers closed over the bear miraculous, yanking it away from Lila and tossing it to Bridgette who took it with a grateful smile.
"Lila Rossi." Ladybug announced with a brutal tone. "Your reign of terror has been canceled. And you will never, ever, get the chance to renew it."
———
15 Years Later…
"Let's go over it one more time. I know this can be hard to think about, and I know we do this often, but I see improvement each time. Is talking about it helping you?" The short woman behind the desk watched her client carefully as she began gathering her notes from the session. It had been hard over the past few years, but they were making progress.
"I…I think so? I can't be sure. I'm still having the nightmares. At least once a week. I do the breathing exercises you taught me, but when I'm panicking I just can't. It's-"
"Hold on, take a breath." Myléne held up a hand to her client. "The way your breath caught there, that's panic. I know it's hard, but that is exactly what we don't want here. Five W's and an H, please." Myléne motioned to the poster hanging on her office wall and her client nodded, taking a deep breath.
"Who. I'm Nooroo. I'm with you and Tikki and Marinette." Nooroo nodded to his supporters who smiled reassuringly from their spot on Myléne's window seat cushion. "Where. I'm in your office. It's safe. When. It's a little after four-thirty. What is making me panic? Memories. Why? Because I have PTSD. How do I feel now?" Nooroo took a moment to assess his feelings. "Slightly better."
"Good. Do you need to start again?" Myléne asked with a gentle tone, concern for the kwami shining in her eyes.
"No. I think I'm okay."
"Okay, good. That was really good. You're getting a lot better at regulating during an attack. Do you think you're ready?"
"Well, I-" Nooroo turned to look at Marinette and Tikki once more with a small smile. "Yes. I think I'm ready."
———
"There you three are." Adrien greeted Marinette and the kwamis as they entered their apartment, multiple bags in hand.
"Sorry we're late. Nooroo's appointment ran over a bit and then we had to get the party favors and-"
"Don't worry about it a bit, M'lady." Adrien kissed his wife's head and turned to the kwami. "Are you sure you're ready?" He asked Nooroo gently. "We haven't told her yet, so you can back out if you aren't ready yet."
"There's always next year." Marinette reminded. "Just because I got my miraculous so young doesn't mean she has to."
"I'm ready." Nooroo reassured. "I waited last year and I only felt more nervous. I am ready to meet my new holder."
"I'm so proud of you." Marinette praised the kwami before glancing into the living room. "Hey birthday girl! Your dad and I have a surprise for you!"
"Is it finally my own kwami? I've been waiting decades!" Their oldest child complained as she came around the corner.
"You're only fourteen! You haven't even been alive for decades." Adrien laughed, ruffling his daughter's hair. "Emma, you've met Nooroo." Adrien motioned to the kwami who gave a tentative smile.
"Hello, young master."
"Hello, Nooroo." Emma greeted with a mega-watt smile. "You can call me Emma."
"Hello, Emma. I will be pleased to serve you." Nooroo bowed before his new master and Emma giggled.
"I don't want you to serve me Nooroo. I just want you to be my friend. Is that okay?" Emma held out her hands and Nooroo looked up at Marinette and Adrien with a happy grin before floating into his new holder's hands.
"That is..most agreeable, young Emma."
Marinette and Adrien watched in awe as their daughter began to talk with her kwami, mouth going a mile a minute as she befriended the tiny god.
"Oh!" They heard Emma exclaim from her bedroom. "And this is my favorite song. And my favorite food would have to be cookies. What about you?"
"I…also enjoy cookies." Came Nooroo's pleased reply.
"Ooh! Want to go make some?"
"A perfect match." Adrien chuckled, turning to his wife. "We picked well."
"No one better to be the Monarch's successor." Marinette agreed with a smile. "No one like our Emma."