Scars cut deeper than Wounds

Chapter 4: Exposed

She chuckled at the comment then threw her yoyo in the air.

As she called for the familiar words and the lamb was enveloped in red ladybugs, the heroes watched in utter shock and awe. When the lamp appeared to be completely fixed without even as much as a scratch, they all stared at it.

"Can you cure humans?" Batman asked intrigued at the girl's powers.

I wish. "Unfortunately not. I'm only infused with part of a God's powers. If I was able to heal the sick or make the blind see, that would go against the natural laws of the universe and I would be meddling. If us miraculous wielders were given the God's full abilities, the world would fall into chaos if they got into the wrong hands."

"I see." Batman replied, studying the words she'd just spoken.

Of course she wasn't going to tell them that she could, however, change the amount of abilities she received from Tikki depending on her level of experience and compatibility with the bug; and they had a high compatibility. Although with power came responsibility and with responsibility came prices. She had a price to pay anytime she went over the boundary.

"You have to change your...costume..though." Red Hood chuckled out.

She was getting sick of this guy.

"Unfortunately, after out first transformation, we are unable to alter out costumes."

"Have you tried it?" he asked.

"Yes."

Red Robin cleared his throat catching everyone's attention, "So now that we've established that she's useful and can stay, what now?"

Ladybug smirked, "Now I bid you all farewell until next time and fly away."

"You what?" Robin asked bewildered.

She flicked her yoyo across to a nearby building and with a pull of the string was flying across from building to building.

"God she reminds me of that stupid spider." Robin said.

"Agreed." Nightwing chuckled.

-&-

Ladybug jumped through the window and landed with a crash on the bed then detransformed.

"Marinette, you can't keep doing this. You're killing yourself!" Tikki screamed out worried for her holder.

"It's okay Tikki."

"Marinette, if you're not going to stop for me, then at least do it for the child! You could have a miscarriage! You're slowly depleting your own life span Marinette. I'm worried about you. Especially after what you did in Paris. Please Mari. I'm begging you! Stop!"

Marinette's heart broke watching the mini-God break apart. Tikki was always cheerful no matter the situation and would always be the one to cheer her up in the worst situations. And yet here she was practically having a mental break down in front of her.

"Tikki I-"

"Marinette we're home!"

She jumped as Jason's voice ricocheted of the walls and made their way into her ears.

Tikki hid and Marinette flew into her bed and grabbed a book from the bookshelf pretending to be reading.

She yelped when she heard a knock from the door. "Can we come in?" She heard Tim's voice from the other side of the door.

"Yes."

The door flew open.

"Is there a hero called Ladybug in Paris?" Jason asked.

She feigned shock, "Ladybug? Of course! She's famous! Why?"

"We just met her." Damian answered from the door frame.

"She's here? No way! What's she doing here?" Marinette answered.

"Apparently, she moved here from France. Do you know why the hero from France would move away from the country she's supposed to be protecting?"

Marinette flinched, "No. Maybe she's just here for a vacation."

"A vacation in Gotham?" Damian scoffed, "Yeah right."

Dick eyed the girl on the bed before saying, "Her costume's ridiculous."

Marinette glared at the boy. How dare he! "W-Well what matter is that she's saving the town, not how she looks doing it."

Dick smirked. "Well it's time we make ourselves scarce, we don't want to interrupt you reading."

Marinette smiled as they left the room.

"Oh and Mari." Jason said in the doorway.

"Yes?"

"You should change your hairstyle when you transform, pigtails are so childish."

The other men barked into laughter from the hallway.

Shit.

They weren't called the best detectives in Gotham for nothing.