Marinette
“Happy Hero Appreciation Day, Marinette!”
Marinette smiled as her kwami swirled around her in excitement. “Today, all of Paris is celebrating everything you’ve done - you’ve helped so many people!” Tikki exclaimed. She only giggled. “Paris is celebrating what all the heroes have done for Paris, Tikki.” She corrected, pulling on a pair of cat ears in honor of her feline partner. “Besides, right now, I’m just ordinary Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”
“You’re amazing, talented, kind, and generous Marinette Dupain-Cheng.” Tikki correctly sternly. “You put yourself down too often.” She chastised her. Marinette flushed. “There’s just so much to live up to now that I’m the guardian.” Her gaze went to the miraculous box, now disguised as a sewing machine.
Ever since Miracle Queen, Marinette hadn’t been able to give out any miraculouses since Chloe had revealed all of their identities to Hawk Moth. It wasn’t as much of a curse as it was a blessing. Even though it had been a month since Master Fu had lost his memories, she still didn’t want to accept that her mentor was truly gone. Marinette didn’t want to remember how she didn’t have to race to Master Fu’s studio for a miraculous anymore - how there would no longer be someone to turn to for help.
“Cat Noir did offer to reveal identities.” Tikki said, and Marinette’s face glowed bright red as she realized she had said her previous thoughts aloud. “I know, I know. But Master Fu always told me that it was best to keep our identities secret. I can’t afford to be irresponsible now.”
Marinette’s heart clenched. Though she was the one who had talked Cat Noir out of revealing their identities, she had also regretted her words ever since. The burden of having a total secret was heavy, and Master Fu was no longer there to help her carry it. He was the only other than Tikki who knew both sides of her.
“Is that why you aren’t with Luka?” Tikki asked quietly. “Luka and I aren’t together yet.” She corrected her kwami. “I just don’t want to rush into a relationship so soon. Not when I’m still figuring everything out.” Marinette reasoned.
By ‘everything out’, Marinette meant Adrien. Though she kept trying to tell herself that she liked Luka now, whenever she thought of ‘love’ in general, Adrien’s face kept popping into her mind no matter how hard she tried otherwise.
“I just want you to be happy, Marinette.” Tikki said. “You have all these responsibilities now, but in the end, you shouldn’t let them hinder your happiness.”
“I know. And I am happy.” She lied. “I promise.”
- - -
Adrien
Adrien seemed to sigh for the thirteen-hundredth time as he slammed his toothbrush down on the bathroom counter. “Whoa. What’s got your panties in a twist?” Plagg asked lazily, floating into view.
“Ladybug...did she seem...off to you?” He asked. His mind was still focused on their patrol last night - replaying their conversation over and over in attempts to derive the true meaning off it. “All those little comments she made, you know, about life and happiness and stuff. They didn’t seem weird?”
Plagg yawned. “Yeah, I guess.” He only said, chewing down another wheel of camembert. “She’s probably still getting used to being the guardian. You saw how Master Fu lost all of his memories. One day, she’s going to have to go through that too.”
Adrien pursed his lips. Though he had figured that Ladybug was going to lose her memories like Master Fu one day, having it confirmed made him feel worse. He couldn’t imagine losing a part of himself like that. Your memories shaped you into who you were, and whoever Ladybug became while wielding the miraculouses would be gone.
“Gee, kid. Loosen up a little. She’s got decades before either of you need to worry about that.” Plagg sighed. “You should be more worried about your girlfriend.”
“Kagami’s not my girlfriend!” Adrien protested - acutely aware of how pink his face was getting. He looked down at his sink. “Besides, how am I supposed to worry about having a relationship when there’s so many other things to think about - like Natalie’s health and my father.”
“What about him?” Plagg asked - his words mumbled by his food. Adrien furrowed his eyebrows. “He’s getting worse, Plagg. He’s colder - more withdrawn than he used to. I thought he was moving on with Nathalie, but he’s more obsessed with Mom than ever. I just...wish he would move on.”
Plagg raised an eyebrow. “But don’t you miss her too?”
“Of course I miss her, Plagg. But life has to move on. She’s not going to come back, so all I
can do is live and remember her legacy.” Adrien said with a smile, though on the inside, he was shriveling up.
No one knew how his mom died. Just one day she was there, and the next she was gone. He kept thinking that one day, she would come back. And every day he looked in the dining room, thinking that she was just going to be sitting in the dining room like nothing ever happened, and every day he was reminded by the fact that she wasn’t going to be there that morning, or ever again.
- - -
Emma
Long, calming breaths escaped her as her foot swept the ground and her back arched behind her. She was like a dandelion seed - flying where the wind took her. With one last calming movement, her eyes opened: bluebell eyes.
“You can do this, Emma.” Her kwami, Cia encouraged her. “Just go with the flow. There’s a reason why Bunnyx chose you. You have what it takes.” She said confidently. “What if I don’t?” Emma asked quietly. “I’m not a hero, Cia. I’m just the ‘lucky’ daughter of two of them.”
She sighed. While Emma had always grown up wanting to be a superhero like her parents, it had only been a few weeks back where she realized that having a costume didn’t make you a hero. You had to have bravery, courage - a cause. Emma was an exception to all 3.
Emma just didn’t have what it took to be a hero. She didn’t like to fight, and she preferred kindness to violence. While her parents dealt with criminals and akumas, Emma baked pastries and cakes. “Maybe Inez could do it.” She suggested. “She’s also the daughter of miraculous holders, not to mention she has experience with ‘love’ and ‘romance’, and she-”
“You’re rambling.” Cia pointed out. She inhaled deeply. “Look, Bunnyx didn’t choose Inez, or Hugo, or any other of the 200 people you’ve listed since she brought us to the past. She chose you.” The charcoal kwami placed a hand on Emma’s shoulder. “And whether you know it or not, you have what it takes. I believe in you, and Bunnyx does too.”
Emma smiled at Cia’s kind sentiment, though she didn’t share the same kind of faith in herself that Cia did. “But...I’m not like my parents. Mom is strong, powerful, smart. Dad is brave and selfless. And I mess up. Even when I try my hardest not to. I’m just...me.”
And that was true. Her parent’s legacy had always haunted her, because no matter who she became, she would always be overshadowed by them, whether they were Ladybug and Cat Noir, or Adrien and Marinette. They were great and famous, and they’ve helped so many people. And no matter what kind of person she grew up to be, she would always be Emma - the daughter. But she was so much more.
Cia’s eyes softened. “Everyone has something to offer the world, Emma. Your parents have their own gifts, but you also have something special on the inside of you. I can see it. You might not have gotten to choose your story, but we all get to choose our destiny.”
“Really?” Emma asked, her eyes twinkling with a newfound sense of inspiration. Cia smiled. “You got this.” She said confidently before she flew into Emma’s schoolbag.
Now that she was alone, actually making the decision to start her mission seemed a hundred times harder, but that first step was always the hardest.
You’re just a burden. You’re useless.
Emma’s face twisted, and her heart clenched painfully as she looked ahead. It would only take a few steps to walk into Françoise Dupont High, but she was thinking of the journey ahead. How long would it take until she could go back to the future? Could she even do this? Should she even try?
Emma Agreste was a lot of things, but 'fearful' wasn’t among them.
And with a heavy heart and veins filled with adrenaline, she took that first step.