Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous Ladybug. I own only my OCs for the purpose of this FanFiction.

Luctor et Emergo

"I struggle, and I emerge."

A Latin motto.

A week later

So far, this was the most ridiculous akuma Hawkmoth created yet it was the toughest one to defeat.

"Now all of Paris is under my control!"

It wasn't easy to fight a supervillain with the power to flood the city with dense milk.

"Good thing we're not lactose intolerant." Chat Noir commented on that.

Milklord crackled evilly. "Change is no longer an option as long as I am around!"

"For a guy who akumatized just for running out of milk in the morning, he's particularly difficult to beat." Ladybug mentioned, frustration growling through her voice.

She and her partner had been spending the whole day fighting this akuma, going well into the night to boot, going back and forth for a few minutes in school and activities to avoid suspicion.

"Chat, I have an idea. Distract him!"

"Now, now, no use crying over spilled milk." Chat Noir cracked with a wide grin, successfully capturing Milklord's complete attention.

Ladybug worked on her plan. Long story short, she managed to snatch the coffee mug from his hand and smashed it on a wall, releasing the butterfly. Quickly, she cleansed it, purified the whole destroyed city and the villain now was restored to stunned confusion.

"Pound it!"

After exchanging their usual fist bump, the superheroes darted away to a rooftop. Ladybug sagged to her tiptoes, hands on her knees as she inhaled and exhaled desperately.

"That…was…such…a…close…call…It…took….us…nearly two…days…to defeat…him." She said in between gasps.

"Yeah…at the…last…minute." Chat Noir heaved. He regained his breath and put on a serious face. "Ladybug, we can't keep this up."

"…What?"

"This!" Chat Noir threw his arms out to emphasise the whole city. "Fighting akumas non-stop, going back and forth between our civil lives and superhero obligations, getting tired and frustrated as a result, doing all of this on our own, just the two of us! Just last week, we fought 20 akumas! First it was just got fired, faced with divorce papers, beat up by a woman..."

"That woman was an ex-marine!" Ladybug snapped.

He shuddered. "I know. Now it's mostly over little things. Ran out of milk, hated littering, missed her bus, got a B instead of a A, I relate to that."

"Be serious, Chat." Ladybug deadpanned.

But Chat Noir gave her the same deadpanned frown. "I am. They're getting stronger. We're no closer to defeating Hawkmoth than we are defeating these Akumas. Hawkmoth is getting more powerful. He's targeting anyone having a bad day. With akumas and Mayura on his side, we're outnumbered. Face it, we need help! There's only two of us! We need more heroes. We need backup. We need Rena Rouge, Carapace and Queen Bee!"

The names rang piercing through her ears, rattling images of Alya, Nino and Chloe. Anyone from her old life sent waves of agony on her, evidence that she hasn't forgiven any of them yet. The pain still hurt.

"I can't trust them! They can't be trusted!"

"It's not your choice."

"It's not your choice either. I'll fight the akumas alone if I have to."

Ladybug and Chat Noir were then locked in an intense glaring match, silently daring each other to break first. Both heroes holding their opinions firm and held head up, both refusing to wield to submission.

…

…

…

…

…

It was Ladybug who dropped her gaze by default. She couldn't help the yawn coming out.

"It's getting late, even for us. Let's call it a night. See you at the next akuma attack."

She jumped away on her yogo, leaving Chat Noir alone, still possessing the stubborn frown on his face.

It was 5:00am when Ladybug got to her room in Olympe. Vanessa was asleep, snoozing blissfully as a figure emerged from the bathroom, pink and red flashes unfurling a girl in pink pyjamas. A red bubble hovered around her.

"Char Noir was right. You need backup. All these late nights and early morning are not good for you."

Marinette gave a big yawn before answered lazily. "I can manage, Tikki."

She took a step towards her bed, but Tikki got in her face. On her small adorable face, she bared an angry yet firm look that she had seen on her mother.

"Marinette Gavina Dupain-Cheng."

Now Marinette knew her tiny friend was serious but using her full name, her rare middle name included.

"Your pride is taking over your judgement. You need help. If not Rena Rouge, Carapace and Queen Bee, then choose someone you can trust." Tikki glanced to Vanessa's sleeping form. "Vanessa understands what you're going through as Ladybug. She'll make a perfect Miraculous Holder to aid us."

"NO!" Marinette shouted in absolute disagreement. She didn't want to put more pressure on her faithful best friend. In her mind, it was bad enough she knew her secret identity.

"Mari?"

Marinette and Tikki looked over to the other bed. Vanessa was sitting up, rubbing her right eye.

"Are you just coming in?" The girl in purple asked groggily.

Marinette sighed heavily. "Don't worry, I'm here. Go back to sleep. We have science in the morning."

Vanessa, like Chat Noir and Tikki, shot her a firm frown. But sleep easily took her over and she promptly dropped like a rock on her pillow. Marinette followed suit, curling up in her bed covers and fell asleep.

For the next 2 to 3 hours.

Hawkmoth chuckled darkly to himself. Although his akuma failed to get the two heroes' Miraculouses, he was pleased with himself. The failure was part of his new plan.

"They're becoming more tired each day. I'm weakening them. Soon, their Miraculous will be mine. Mine."

Mayura stood in the shadows, gazing upon him adoringly even when he was arrogantly talking to himself.

But her adoration of her boss was interrupted by a cough.

Her cough.

"Mayura, be quiet. Stop that infernal coughing. You've been doing it all day."

"Yes, sir." But she coughed again.

"Mayura! I told you to halt your coughing!"

"Yes, uh, sir…"

Her coughs became more constant, coming and going every second, exhausting her well enough to drop her transformation. She fell to her knees as Natalie, falling over, still coughing, and then drowning into a coma.

In a matter of moments, she was on a stretcher and being taken away to an ambulance waiting outside the Agreste Mansion. Gabriel told the medical staff that she collapsed from overworking in the office where they found her. When the busy people and sick woman was out of his house, he relaxed his shoulders.

"Now that accident is taken care of." He said to himself, not really caring much for his assistant.

The only thing that matters to him was bringing back his wife. Natalie was just a past-time.

Gorilla, who always wore an indifferent frown, narrowed his eyebrows slightly more at Gabriel.

"Father?"

Adrien walked down the stairs, half-asleep. Unknown to his father and bodyguard, he just got in from a begrudging long day and was about to go to bed until the noise attracted him.

"What happened? Where Natalie?"

"She is unavailable for now." Gabriel answered blankly.

Gorilla grunted, still glaring at him.

The blinking lights from outside sparked Adrien's interest.

"What is that?" The boy ran to the nearest window. "Was that an ambulance? Wait, it that- NATALIE?!"

"As I said, Adrien, she is unavailable for now."

"You mean she's sick?!"

"The doctors will treat her tonight. You have school and fencing lessons tomorrow. You can visit her after you finished your activities."

"But she's-"

"Go back to bed, Adrien."

"But-"

"NOW!"

Adrien protested no more. He sadly walked upstairs, Gorilla leading him. When they got to his bedroom door, Adrien turned to his bodyguard.

"We can visit her tomorrow. We'll get flowers for her." Adrien whispered.

Gorilla grunted, soft and low this time and a hint of a smile on his frown. Adrien returned the small smile, and then went into his room for a short yet deserved rest.

With all the focus on the bright and loud attention the ambulance brought, no one noticed the shadow lurking around the vehicle, creeping up near the patient while the nurses and driver fussed over her. For a split second when all three people took their eyes off Natalie, a hand swiped her peacock brooch off her chest just before the car doors closed and the car drove off.

That shadow raced through streets to his home. Inside the comfort of his Chinese designed walls, he sat on his knees and, the Peacock Miraculous in his hands, pressed as hard as his strength will give him, a blue glow illuminating in between the flesh of his limbs. The old man grunted through the process, teeth clenched, eyes shut, sweat dripping down his skin. Eventually, the glow faded to nothing. He gathered his breath, heaving in and out. Then he opened his hands. In his palms laid the Peacock Miraculous. The brooch seemed like it hasn't changed a bit, but it felt stronger and shone brighter.

The old man lightly rubbed it. Instantly, a blue flash popped out. A small Peacock-like creature, with a sleek deep-blue feathered body, blinked its red eyes at the new, unfamiliar surroundings.

"Hello, Duusu."

"Master!" The birdlike kwami cried, hugging his wrinkled face. "I miss you so much! Where's Natalie? I don't see her. Where am I?"

"She's in the hospital. Using the Peacock Miraculous corrupted her. You are here in my home now."

Duusu jumped back in the air and gasped. A sad memory fell upon him.

"Emilie got her brooch damaged during a botched robbery. It was an accident. That's why she and Natalie got sick."

"Damaging a Miraculous physically will cause bodily problems on the holder." Wayzz added.

"Now Natalie's in a coma, just like Emilie. It's my fault!"

He burst into tears of glitter, wailing loud.

"I'm sure it's not entirely your fault!" Wayzz panicked. "No, that's not right, I mean it's not!"

Master Fu placed a finger under Duusu's chin, immediately silencing the kwami's wails. "The Peacock Miraculous is fixed now. But the damage has been done. Only time will tell of their fates." The Chinese man withdrew his finger as he turned away, grim cloaking his eyes. "Hawkmoth…Gabriel Agreste…He's growing stronger, more powerful by the day. Akumatizing more people each day. Ladybug and Chat Noir cannot keep this up. They need a team."

"New superheroes?" Duusu questioned.

"Which ones?" Wayzz asked. "Will you contact miss Dupain-Cheng? She came to you on the same matter."

"I hold the remaining Miraculous. It seems right that I give them up." Master Fu touched his bracelet on his wrist. The Turtle Miraculous. "All of them."

"Master..." Wayzz gasped.

"Wayzz, Duusu…Do not tell Adrien who Hawkmoth and Mayura are. He's not ready for the truth yet. He needs to be protected for now. And do not inform Marinette either. She is the same."

Marinette walked to science class the next morning. She was so dizzy and tired, she tripped over her skirt multiple times in early hours of 8am. Her skirt was pink chiffon and falling to the floor at maxi length. She matched it with a long-sleeved black/white-striped top and yellow flat shoes. She simply placed a pink beret on her head, too burned out to do anything about her messy hair. She couldn't even concentrate properly.

Vanessa noticed her best friend's lack of state of mind. "M, this is the 7th time this week you came in late. Not even kids who sneak out to pubs and parties stay out that long. You only had two hours to sleep! This is so not good! You need backup, a sub or a stunt double in my sister's case."

"See?" Tikki deadpanned, peeking out from underneath's beret. "It's three against one, Marinette."

Marinette groaned, too tired to argue further. "I'll talk to Chat Noir tonight. He better gives me a good argument to convince me we need reinforc-"

RING! RING! RING!

She scrambled through her purse and took out her phone to answer it.

"Bonjour?"

"Marinette, I'm so glad I called you! I need you to babysit Manon again. It's important!" Nadja's panicked voice shouted through the device.

Marinette yawned and tried to give her answer. "Na…Nadja...I...I acc-"

The phone was suddenly wrenched away from her.

"Vanessa!"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Chamack but Marinette is too busy with other things and is in no condition in taking on anything else." Vanessa said onto the phone.

"Vanessa, give my phone back!"

Marinette grabbed her phone back, but by then, Nadja took in Vanessa's honesty.

"I see. I'm sorry to bother you then. You're now so busy, I hardly see you at all. You're the only girl who can handle Manon."

"That day is a chance I can squeeze her in. Maybe I am too busy to do more. I hope you find someone else soon."

"I wanna see the Lion King!" Manon's voice could be heard.

"Not now, honey! Anyway, sorry to bother you. Take care of yourself now. Bye!"

The call ended in less of a second.

Marinette made a little chuckle towards Manon's enthusiasm. "Manon wants to see the Lion King remake."

"We already saw that movie." Vanessa mentioned.

"Yeah, for animation study in art class. Personally, I prefer the Broadway musical."

"I personally prefer we go now before someone else calls you for a favour."

The girls headed for their class before the next bell rang.

Nadja made a groan, unable to stop herself. Important work had come up out of the blue and she had Manon with her. Her friend's daughter was no longer available to babysit. Marinette was always available to take on the responsibility.

But not today or later.

She looked down her daughter. "I need to find you another babysitter."

"Alya!" Manon piped up.

Nadia shook her head. "Absolutely not, young lady. Alya Cesaire is not an option. She's a bad influence for being involved with the older brother of that little boy who believes Lila's lies and for running that blog of nonsense."

"He's just stupid! I like Alya and Marinette!"

"As I said, not an option. I want you to stay away from that Lila girl. Now who else is there?" Nadja lightly tapped her chin while she pondered over an alternative. One thought came to her mind. "There's the mayor's daughter, Chloe…"

She dialled a number on her phone, put it up against her ear, waited through the dial tone and spoke when she heard it answered.

"Mayor Bougerois, this is Nadja Chamack…"

Adrien was in a foul mood.

First, his good friend Marinette chose to stay in Olympe and doesn't seem not to forgive him or the class.

Second, akumas come and go almost every day, so much that he and Ladybug don't have the strength to keep up most of the time. But Ladybug refused to see that they needed help from the other heroes. She was so unreasonable in his opinion, her stubbornness becoming less and less intriguing. He used to love that about her.

Third, Natalie got ill out of the blue. He had noticed she was coughing quite a bit earlier. His mother coughed that much too. Then she disappeared…

Fourth, his father decided to go on a 'business trip' than visit Natalie in the hospital. Natalie was basically part of the family and his father was less so with his insensitive attitude.

Fifth, he doesn't know what to do!

"I'm stumped." He sighed. "Better get to class."

He pushed himself off the wall and headed to his classroom. He hadn't even made a foot forward when he heard a sudden shout.

"Adrien!"

Adrien turned around, shocked to see his temporary Chinese tutor running as fast as his frail legs can carry him.

"Master Fu? What are you doing here?"

"Master!" Plagg flew out of Adrien's shirt pocket

Adrien looked to his Kwami in surprise. "You know him?"

"Adrien, open your bag."

Adrien did as he was told, too bewildered to argue. Master Fu took out a small sack from behind his back and proceeded in pouring the content into the boy's school bag. Tiny boxes, like the one he found the ring in the first time, filled up the bag.

"You must find new holders for the Miraculous."

"What the-"

"No time to explain! Go find your friends and return the Fox, Turtle and Bee Miraculous to them. Paris needs them again and more."

"How did you…"

"No time. Go!"

Just then, the bell rang so Adrien hoisted his school bag over his shoulder, snatched Plagg and ran inside.

Master Fu was left outside, alone, a face of relief on him.

And then he vanished.

Science was a normal class. The teacher explained Atoms, metals, rocks and fuel, three girls answered his every question and Marinette struggled to pay attention without falling asleep.

Vanessa had enough watching her, so she raised her arm. "Sir, Marinette is sick."

"I am not!" Marinette shouted.

Their science teacher narrowed his eyes. "Miss. Dupain-Cheng, I agree with miss Camberwell. You do not look well."

Marinette stood up from her chair. "Sir, I am perfectly heath...ly..."

She suddenly felt lightheaded again. Bu this time, her lightheadedness consumed her, eating her up in a deep coma-like state, causing her to faint.

"Marinette!" Vanessa cried.

Mohini shot up from her seat and slid to her knees to catch Marinette just in time before she hit the ground floor, saving her from pain. Vanessa scooped up the pink beret before anyone could see Tikki inside.

"Marinette!"

"Oh my God!"

"What's wrong with her?"

"Does she have cancer?"

"It's influenza!"

"She can barely stand!"

Mohini touched Marinette's forehead.

"She doesn't have a fever, but something is definitely wrong with her." The gymnast said.

"Verity, go and get ms. Duchemin, now!"

Verity ran out of the classroom. After a few minutes, she returned with Valérie. The matron slipped her arms under the unconscious girl's form, taking her from Mohini's arms and ran out the door, hurrying down the hallway to the nurse's office. The girls left their class to gather outside the office, too worried to focus on their lessons. Even their science was fretting over Marinette.

Pretty soon, Ms. Auberon showed up, as dazzling as a fairy godmother appearing to a heroine in her hour of most need, hearing about Marinette.

The woman sighed as she grasped her hands together. "I always known Marinette is a special girl. There is always something happening involving her."

"She's won't admit it, but she seriously needs help." Vanessa said.

"That girl doesn't need help, she needs a sledgehammer to the head!" Elisabeth added. "She's as sweet and kind as she is bull-headed and free-spited!" Swanhilde said as well, crossing her arms.

The door then opened, letting out the nurse writing down on a clipboard and Valérie holding Marinette, the young designer out like a light, her head nestled on Valérie's chest.

"Luscinia, what is wrong with her?" Ms. Auberon asked, resting a hand on Marinette's leg.

Nurse Luscinia looked up from her clipboard. "Marinette is suffering from sleep deprivation and stress. I'd seen students with the same problem, but this young lady is the worst case I'd ever seen. I even took her blood pressure and it was off the charts!"

Vanessa gulped. Her violet eyes shifted to the collar of her hoodie, where Tikki cautiously peeked out, as the both knew the reason why Marinette was lacking sleep due to akumas.

"I'd told you she is difficult." Valérie scolded to her boss. "She can't even speak, Valérie had to answer my questions. Any reason why she has been cutting back on sleep and stressing herself out?"

"As far as I know, she never set foot out of Olympe without my knowledge."

Ms. Auberon swirled around, her skirt flowing so graceful as ocean waves. She set her frown on one girl for answers. "Vanessa?"

Vanessa squeaked, thinking of an excuse which explain Marinette's illness yet kept her secret secret. Inside her hoodie, Tikki shook nervously.

"She…she's has been taking a lot of…um…favours. She couldn't say no."

It was half the truth. Not entirely a lie.

Fortunately, Ms. Auberon accepted it. "She's too good-hearted. She takes on too many responsibilities for one girl to juggle."

Many of the girls voiced about it.

"Marinette fainted because she's redesigning our outfits?"

"She never said no.

"Now I feel guilty."

"I feel so bad at myself."

Then Ms. Auberon faced Valérie. "Valérie, take her to the isolation room. She is to rest for the next two days to catch up on her sleep. No distractions. Confiscate her phone and her meals will be delivered to her."

Valérie nodded. "Yes, madam."

The matron walked away, leaving Ms. Auberon and the girls.

"Let this be a lesson, girls. A true friend is a diamond found in ashes. you must never take a friend for grated, for one today they might be gone."

"Yes, madam."

Vanessa rested her hand on her beating heart, holding Tikki, both souls worried for Marinette.

"HEY-YAH!

With a kick to the door, Valérie walked into the isolation room. It was the same layout as most of the rooms in the school, but with no plugs for electrical applicants, no bathroom, no TV, no computer. Just the bed and vanity desk.

Valérie gently placed Marinette on the bed, tucked her up in the covers, and swiped the girl's phone from her side.

"This is for your own good." Valérie said as if Marinette will suddenly jump up for her device. "You are a soldier. Take this order and sleep. Olympe may be strict but we know when a student needs a break."

The stern woman looked down on Marinette sleeping away, looking almost stone dead. She leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Sweet dreams." She whispered before she left the room and closed the door.

Whilst sleeping deep for the first time in months, Marinette smiled.

Not one soul took concern for Master Fu lurching the whole way to his home. His failing strength coupled with the heavy weight of his previous decision. It was a hard decision to make. But had to be done.

No little turtle chiding him, no burden of watching over hordes of magical items.

Nothing but the combination of unwanted silence and loneliness.

He limped up the stairs, slowly reaching his door. Putting in the key and turning the knob almost killed him, showing how weak he was. Most of his strength went to heal the severe damage of the Peacock Miraculous. He stumbled through the door, his age catching up to him without his Miraculous.

"Hello."

A strange, new voice chilled Master Fu's bones.

Smack in the middle of his living room stood Gabriel, smirking smug.

Master Fu froze, his heart almost stopped.

"I am the new landlord of your building. Your previous owner signed the papers this morning. He's on his way to retirement in Honolulu."

His smirk curled in a dangerous effect.

"After months of searching...I'd finally found you. Now where is the Miraculous Box, old man?"

Despite his obvious fear and weakness, Master Fu glowered. "You are a blind fool, Gabriel. You only see your goal, not the path you take to reach it and certainly not any of the innocent souls you see as obstacles in your way. With great power comes responsibility and consequences."

"Shut up! Tell me!"

Gabriel charged. With a swing of his arm, his fist colliding with Master Fu's cheek. The elderly man was sent flying across the room, crashing into shelves and a wall. The area was in a mess by then. Master Fu groaned. Blood dripped down from his nose, there was a wound on his head, and he felt dizzy from the crash. All of his strength gone, rendering him unable to fight back.

The Miraculous Box slipped from his grasp, rolling on the floor away from him. Gabriel snatched the object, a feral look in his bespectacled eyes as he crushed it open, no patience for the secret code. The drawers open, empty of precious jewellery.

"Where are they?"

Furious, Gabriel hauled Master Fu up by his collar and screamed in his face.

"WHERE ARE THE OTHER MIRACULOUS?!"

The other Miraculous hid safe and sound inside the schoolboy backpack, sitting at the feet of Adrien as the boy listened to Ms. Bustier's lessons, unaware of his father and mentor's final duel.

Akuma of the Day: a man who runs out of milk in the morning.

Akuma- Milk Lord; a pun on 'milord.'

Marinette's middle name is Italian since her parental grandmother, Gina, is Italian. According to myth, Gavina was the illegitimate daughter of the King Clodomiro of Merovingio, which was in France. A strong personality that rivalled her beauty, she opposed her father's intentions to use her as a pawn for a political alliance and ran away with another man, taking treasure chests with her to a village in Italy. Soon King Clodomiro found out where she was but he eventually forgave her. The village was named Gavi after her. Her status as an illegitimate princess and action to oppose a king could be ignored by the men of her family and the reason her story is best known as a lesser-known myth.

Nurse Luscinia is based after Florence Nightingale, a war nurse in the 19th century who is considered as the founder of modern nursing. Luscinia is Latin for nightingale.