Chapter Text
The night of the ceremony arrived. Marinette and Adrien had donned their black cloaks the Master had given them. They each had their excuses, and had gone to the park. It was a cloudless night, the moon bright in the sky. Everything seemed calm, all the better for the two teenagers nerves. In fact, had they stopped to think, it was strangely calm. They didn't hear the faint hums of far away cars, nor hooting of any owls.
As the clock struck midnight, echos of the clock making the world seem darker, they began. If this didn't work, they were back to square one with the eclipse coming. Marinette and Adrien stood at opposite gates to the park, holding the paper they wrote their vows of partnership on.
“I, Chat Noir,” Adrien began.
“I, Ladybug,” Marinette started. They were whispering the words, but the words were carried, amplified by the magic circle, so it felt like they were standing next to each other as they spoke. Meanwhile Plagg and Tikki started to move towards the circle, slowly, pushing against the force field trying to keep them from their partner. The two objects being exchanged were clutched in their hands.
“Vow to work hard and support you in our battles against the akumatized.” Adrien kept his eyes on the paper, resisting the urge to look over his shoulder trying to glimpse Ladybug. So close, for the first time, confirmed they were close to each other, without being Chat Noir or Ladybug.
“Vow to do my best in every fight against Hawk Moth and the people he akumatizes. I vow to accept your partnership, never to dismiss your skills or ideas without consideration.” Marinette knew she had done those very things in the past. She was striving to be better.
Plagg and Tikki reached the magic circle, they paused for a moment, not looking at each other, not yet. Their eyes were on the cloaked figures by the gates. Their Chosen, waiting for them. They started moving forward, more slowly, eyes on each other now as they hovered over the chalk lines.
“I vow to protect you to the best of my ability, and to stand strong at your side, for as long as I wear the Miraculous.” Adrien finished. The paper in his hands crumbled, turning to ash in a sudden breeze. He held his breath, unsure if it was a good sign or not, the Master and Tikki had been pretty vague about what would happen after he made his promises.
“I vow to stay strong, protecting the city and us from harm as well as I can. I vow to be there for you as well as the city, for as long as I wear the Miraculous.” Marinette breathed a sigh of relief as she finished. The paper turned to ash, and she closed her eyes as the ash was blown away. She started counting, wondering how long until she knew whether it had worked.
Tikki and Plagg passed each other in the center of the circle, carrying the objects being exchanged. They looked at each other, as they slowly circled each other in a strange dance. Not that anyone observed the dips and turns the two Kwamis took in the center of the circle. Then, they brushed their hands against the other's hand, a fleeting high five of sorts as they finally turned away from the other. They headed back to the human they were bound to. They had to switch back. They were useless until they returned to their own Chosen with their own Miraculous.
The Kwamis did pause at the edge of the circle. They glanced back at each other. “Plagg-”
“Shh Tikki.” Plagg put a paw to his lips. “I know. We'll be okay.” Tikki blinked, bright blue eyes, with a little bit of water gathering at the edges of her eyes. Plagg smiled, showing off his little fangs. When push came to shove, Plagg could be, would be, strong enough for the both of them. Plagg knew the emotion welling up in Tikki's eyes, and he knew, he knew he had to be strong. “I'll be in quite a state tomorrow Tikki. Be your brilliant self, cos that's what we'll need.” Plagg turned, floating towards Adrien, his Chosen, his partner. Plagg was lazy, sarcastic, annoying, all to make things easier when things went south. Plagg had gotten used to taking the easy way out, and making a quick break was easier without all the mushy feelings.
Adrien and Marinette stood still, waiting for the familiar voice of their Kwami coming home. Finally, after what felt like eons, after their legs started quivering, their Kwamis returned.
“This is the object from Chat Noir, to symbolize his promises, do you accept them?” Marinette raised her hands, forming a bowl.
“I accept the promises and the object from Chat Noir.” Marinette said, watching as Tikki dropped the golden heart locket necklace into her hands.
“This is the object from Ladybug, to symbolize her promises, do you accept them?” Adrien held out his open palms.
“I accept the promises and the object from Ladybug.” Adrien said, blinking at the necklace with what looked like an oddly shaped baguette as a pendent.
With that, the ceremony was complete. Tikki rubbed against Marinette's cheek. Marinette murmured words of welcome as she walked away from the park. Not daring to look behind her as part of the agreement.
Plagg dropped into Adrien's hands, mumbling something about camembert. Adrien chuckled, promising his tired friend all the cheese he could eat, for the moment, not worried about the eclipse the next day. Adrien hurried away, knowing he didn't have much time before he was missed at home.
Behind them, the magic circle faded, the chalk dust blowing away in the wind. The moon hung innocently in the sky. The darkness seemed a little less oppressive, the Parisian night seemed normal again as the two teenagers hurried home.
The Kwamis had returned home, and all was well.