Chapter Text
She had been running for hours it seemed, having long since abandoned trying to yo-yo away. He was quick to hit it off course. The miracle box held tightly against her chest was cumbersome at best, heavy and dangerous at worst. She just needed to get out of sight, then she would transform and shove the box in her bag, that’s all she had to do.
“You’re mine, Ladybug!” He yelled from behind her, “I’ve held myself back so long, but now we’re free! Hawkmoth is defeated, the Guardian is dead, why do you need to hide your identity from me~!”
“Stay away!” She screamed, vaulting away, trying to ignore the sharp pain on her thigh as he hit her with his beaustaff, again.
I’m never going to get away, she thought as she flew through the air. She scrambled for one of the draws and wrenched it open, knowing full well it was the Horse Miraculous. Kaalki appeared before her.
“Do you neigh-ed help, my Guardian?”
“Yes,” She begged, tears rolling down her face and fear constricting her lungs, “I beg of you! Anywhere safe from Chat Noir!”
Kaalki frowned but gave a curt nod as a portal formed, dark and brooding, in the trajectory of Ladybug.
“No!” Chat Noir screeched, leaping forward to try and stop her.
Ladybug closed her eyes and let herself fall, leaving Paris behind with a sharp pain across her cheek and her hair half-undone.
Chat Noir barrel-rolled onto the roof of the Dupain-Cheng’s bakery, unaware of its importance, a red ribbon held in his hands as her blood dripped from his claws, “I’ll find you Ladybug,” He vowed, “Even if I have to tear this city apart to do it.”
Across the Atlantic Ocean, a warehouse stood, it’s door broken. Two women moving within, one seated elegantly on a large flower, and the other swinging on nearby growing plants and up to the support beams, then dropping down to be caught by another large plant.
“Harley,” The more elegant woman scolded, “We haven’t the time for games,” Though her amused smile suggested she quite enjoyed Harley’s antics.
“Oh come on, Red!” Harley beamed, “I’m just having a li’le fun!”
“Come on, yourself,” Red replied matter-of-factly, “You know we’re on a mission-”
She was cut off by a loud crashing sound and groaning. The two women looked to one another, Red raised her hand and the plant Harley resided on began to rise and move forward quickly. You got it, Ivy, she almost said as a crazed smile and determined glare stained her face, sleep-er soaker in hand.
She peeked around a corner to find a young girl, who looked no older than fifteen, battered and bruised with her hair pulled out and a cut across her cheek. She was shoving a red and black hexagonal box into her bag, with tears running down her cheeks. Once the box was secure, she pulled her pink bag to her chest and began to weep into it.
Harley frowned at the interaction and was only more stunned when a tiny red creature appeared from the girl’s hip and began to comfort her, “Marinette, please. We need to get to safety. We don’t know where we are, and he could very well be just around the corner.”
“Master Fu is dead, Tikki!” The girl wailed, ignoring Tikki’s words, “Dead by Chat Noir’s hand! He was my friend, he was my partner! How could he do that?! How could he kill our mentor?” She sobbed into her bag, “He was so sweet. Flirty, distracted, obsessive maybe… but never a killer!”
Ivy stepped forward now, having heard Marinette’s cries. Harley had slumped into her flower, a hand to her mouth, relating this mystery boy to her own hardships with the Joker.
“You’re safe now,” Ivy spoke, sending Marinette and her bag sprawling in clumsy fright. Ivy lowered herself to the ground and crouched in front of Marinette, “No one is going to hurt you, not while I’m here sweetheart.”
Initially, Marinette was horrified by Ivy’s presence. Did she see Tikki? Does she know I’m Ladybug? But those fears melted away by Ivy’s words. She was safe? This beautiful woman with a gorgeous dress and the most vibrant red hair, was going to protect her? It was a lot to take in, and the adrenaline was leaving her to be replaced with grief and relief. Marinette sprung forward and clung to Ivy for dear life, weeping hard into her shoulder. The woman didn’t even flinch.
Eventually, Harley showed up too, and when Marinette pulled away to thank Ivy but turn her down, she was confronted by a sweet, kind of sadistic looking, clown-woman with a Boston accent who was quick to voice her support as well.
“So, chick-a-dee, what happened?” Harley asked finally.
That was enough to crack Marinette’s walls.
“Before we start, where in Paris are we?” She asked, a soft smile, “I don't recognise this warehouse. If you tell me where I am, I’ll be sure to find my way back home!”
“Paris,” The two super-villains repeated.
“Oh no sweetie,” Harley replied, having recovered quicker, “You’re in Gotham.”
“Gotham?” She repeated, her eyes wide in alarm, “I-I’m not familiar with that suburb… Pouvez-vous me ramener à la maison?”
Neither woman knew French, but Ivy decided to correct her English statement, “It’s not a suburb, it’s a city. In America.”
Marinette’s tears began renewed, “America?”
Harley nodded softly, “Yes, sweetheart, America.”
She leaned forward, her tears falling into her lap, “I’m going to be sick.”
Harley’s eyes widened in alarm, and Ivy was quick to form a kind of sick-bag from a large succulent. She handed it over, and true to her word Marinette threw up.
When she was down she gripped the top of the bag hard and wiped her mouth, tears continuing to stream down her face.
“How did you get here, dumpling?” Harley asked softly.
Marinette’s whole body shook, “I-I…” She bit her lip and looked away, as though guilty.
Harley smiled sympathetically, “If it was to do with that li’le red sprite you had before, we’ll be sure not to judge.”
Marinette looked up, horrified, before she collapsed in on herself, “I’m the guardian for ten minutes, and I’ve already failed at the most important job! I told you, Tikki!”
Tikki slowly appeared, sympathetic to her charge, “You have not failed, Marinette. Many Guardians before you have revealed the secrets of the miraculous to those who should never have known. They are typically the first people to be trained by a Guardian.”
Marinette nodded, slowly, a little less disheartened. Ivy was fuming.
“What do you mean ‘Guardian’?” Ivy asked sharply, “That sounds like something far too serious for such a young girl.”
Tikki looked over, her gaze mournful, “The only other person capable of taking this charge is dead. There is no other choice.”
“No other choice?!” Ivy screeched in alarm, “Of course there’s another choice! Choose an adult for starters-!”
“They did,” Marinette and Tikki replied in unison.
The young girl looked up to Ivy, “I watched him die. Killed by the man-no, boy I trusted. He was my partner, my other half. We were unstoppable, no Akuma could best us,” She looked away, “And then Hawkmoth was finally defeated. When we saw him, behind the mask... Gabriel Agreste. It must’ve… it must’ve changed something then. He was silent, for hours afterwards. He didn’t say a word. Until-until the Guardian said I would take over his work. Then he said something. He said-he said!”
Tikki looked away, scornfully, “Cataclysm.”
“What’s that?” Harley asked, frowning.
“His special power,” Tikki provided, “He can destroy anything he touches. He hit the Guardian. There was no saving him.”
“We had to run,” Marinette continued, “I had to getaway. I knew he liked me, in… in that way, and he never seemed to take no as an answer. I’m not sure what he’d be capable of if he’s trying to… to get me to be with him.”
Harley encompassed Marinette in a tight hug, “I know the feeling, Doll.” She looked to Ivy, “We’re going to help her, right?”
Ivy nodded sharply, “Of course we are. Now, how to get to Paris-”
“No!” Tikki and Marinette cried out.
“We can’t go back there, not while Chat Noir is looking for me,” Marinette explained, “He knows me too well, he’d figure out who I was near instantly. He’s probably deduced it already with my disappearance!”
Ivy nodded sagely, “Very well. Your options now are to go to a Youth Hostel, be with kids your own age,” Harley stuck her tongue out in disgust, “Or, you can come live with us, until you want to leave.”
“I…” Marinette thought a moment, “Could I stay with you?” She looked to Tikki, “It just feels like I have too many secrets to be in such a public place? And you already know, but if it’s any trouble-”
“No trouble, darlin’,” Harley replied, beaming, “Ivy, you wanna handle this job while I take Mari-bug home, or vice-a-versa?”
Ivy smiled, “I got this, you get her to safety, and don’t forget her bag. You better head off quick though, the Bat’s sure to show up at some point or another.”
Harley nodded, standing up and hoisting Marinette up as she went. She picked up Marinette’s bag and handed it to the shivering girl, before taking her hand and beginning to walk out. Just as they got to the doors another crash and the sounds of a fight could be heard from behind them. Marinette turned, seeing a figure draped in black toss Ivy across the room.
“No,” She whispered, “He’s here?! How?!”
Harley snapped back, before sighing in relief, “No, no, Darlin’. That’s Batman, and he means no harm to us. Hell, I don’t think he’s got a murdering bone in his body.”
Marinette looked to Harley, uncertain, “You’re sure?”
“Absolutely, I’d know that cape anywhere.” She turned back to where she was going.
They walked down a block or so, before Harley stopped.
“Is something wrong?” Marinette asked, worried.
Harley looked up to the rooftops opposite them, “Try me,” She said quietly, but animatedly, certain he could read her lips, “You know the deal we have about struggling homeless girls, Batsy.”
Marinette frowned, following Harley gaze. Her free hand slapped across her mouth to suppress her shriek of panic at the black-draped figure. She pressed herself to Harley’s side, shaking, “Is that-Is that Batman?”
Harley nodded, “Yeah, that’s the Bat.”
Marinette slumped forward, sighing in relief. Then she turned to the figure, waving in greeting, “Salut!”
The bat-themed figure slowly stood to his full height. He stared for a moment longer, before pulling out a strange contraption. Marinette didn’t get enough time to decipher what it was before he was rushing through the sky on a wire. It reminded her of being ladybug, and yo-yo-ing away.
Harley nodded curtly, and turned down a back alley, and stopped at a fire escape, “Just wait here a moment, sweetcheeks.”
Marinette nodded, letting go of Harley’s hand to watch the colourful woman run at the opposite wall to the fire-escape, and with the momentum flipped up onto the bottom of the fire escape. Marinette stared, shocked, as the ladder was lowered. She didn’t think she could do that unless she was ladybug or on a gymnastic mat.
“That was amazing,” She praised as she joined Harley on the fire escape.
The woman smiled brightly, “Glad you think so, Darlin’,” She pulled up the fire escape, “Now, to get back home!”
Marinette nodded, and they began to climb. Eventually, they stopped four floors from the ground. Harley pulled a key from her hair and unlocked the large window that led into the living room Marinette climbed in after Harley and began to spin, admiring the lovely little apartment.
The living room was packed with plants rising all the way up the walls, with additional potted ground plants. Right of the window was a classic therapist leather couch, which across the room from a very nice looking TV.
To the right of the couch was a table with boxes underneath, and a large map on top. To left of the couch was an archway leading to the kitchen, which Ivy sat at with a cup of tea and a first-aid kit as she bandaged her wrist. On the opposite wall to the archway was another doorway, mirrored in design to the kitchen entrance, this led to a hallway which in turn led to the bathroom and two bedrooms of the apartment. There was a splattered-paint design on the hardwood floor throughout the visible spaces of the apartment.
“This is so cute!” Marinette exclaimed, “I love it!”
Harley smiled brightly, “Glad you like it, Darlin’,” She made her way to the kitchen, “You doing alright, Red?”
Marinette hovered by the doorway as Ivy replied, “Yeah, sprained my wrist on the way out. It’ll be alright,” She paused to look over to a lost-looking Marinette, “Second door down the hall can be your bedroom. If you need clothes, there’s plenty in our wardrobe, third door.”
“Ah, merci-er I mean, thank you.”
Marinette made her way down the hall, entering the second door as Ivy said. Inside was a lovely little room with a single bed, green walls with leaf prints scattered across them, the floors were paint-splattered again but with more resemblance to flowers than outside. There was a white wardrobe with intricate patterns etched into it, and a dresser of the same design. The bed had a black frame, and lilac coloured sheets and duvet.
Marinette placed her bag down softly on the bed. She kicked off her shoes and climbed onto the bed. Tikki flew out of her purse and looked to her charge meaningfully.
“I should tell them,” Tikki said softly, “They need to know everything.”
“Kaalki already knew,” Marinette whispered softly, “Do they all?”
“They will know you are the Guardian,” Tikki provided, “Kaalki would’ve told them you were running from Chat Noir, but they won’t know much else. Wayzz won’t know much else.”
“I-I want to talk to him,” Marinette whispered, “He deserves to hear it from me.”
Tikki nodded and sat still as Marinette pulled out the box. She unlatched the lock and opened the top, pushing aside the tablet holding the now entirely translated Miraculous Grimoire, to retrieve the Turtle bracelet before closing the box. As Wayzz materialised, Tikki dove into the box.
“Marinette!” Wayzz greeted happily, before looking around with a frown, “Where are we? Kaalki refuses to tell us in the miracle-is something wrong?”
“We’re in Gotham,” Marinette provided, looking down guiltily, “And yes, something is wrong.”
“Gotham? That is very far from Paris. Are you sure? Is it safe here? You can ask Kaalki to take you back to Paris? I’m sure she was just playing a trick.
“No trick,” Marinette replied, “I am in the safest possible place I can be at the moment.”
“How so?”
“Wayzz,” She said softly, looking up to him with tears flowing, “He’s gone.”
“Who?” Wayzz asked with a frown, “I’m sure we could get him back-”
“Master Fu,” She replied, her lip quivering, “Master Fu, he… Chat Noir he-he!”
“Marinette, I don’t understand?”
“He was murdered, Wayzz,” Marinette nearly wailed, “He was struck down by Chat Noir, and Tikki has said many times Chat had to be careful with cataclysm! She cannot undo the damage it does to a person directly!”
Wayzz just stared, his eyes shimmering. He was silent as Marinette sobbed, and didn’t so much as move until she had calmed. When her attention was solely on him, he spoke.
“We will miss him, and we will remember his time. That is all we can do for him now, Marinette, there is no use in being angry at yourself, or mourning his loss of life.” He winced at Marinette’s horrified expression, “What I mean is… he led a long upstanding life. He taught much, he learned more, and he lived. He was human, he was flawed, he was important to us both, but now he is gone. All we can do now is try and learn from what his life left behind, and we can move forward.”
“I don’t know if I can,” She whispered, tears streaming down her face.
Wayzz blinked in surprise, remembering a boy nearly two centuries before, cradling the Miracle Box as he wept for the loss of his very way of life. The kwami smiled, “You can learn to, Marinette. You can learn to grow from it, but you don’t have to forget it.”
She smiled softly, weakly, “Thank you, Wayzz.”
“You’re welcome, Marinette.”