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Tempair stared at the near-perfect timeline through her burrow, her resolve weakening with every passing second. But she knew what she needed to do. She had tried every other timeline, every other option.
She had even tried talking to a past version of Marinette. Tempair had tried arguing for pulling random powered-up nobodies out of the timestream. With all their power, they could prevent Crimsonoir from fulfilling his wish. They could overwhelm him with sheer numbers, they could win! They could keep their happy ending!
But the alternate Marinette had been stern, just like Tempair’s Marinette would’ve been. And now Tempair was in a white void, with time windows all around her.
In front of the rabbit hero, a window to her happiest timeline. She placed a hand upon the circle, and dragged it left, rewinding the timeline, watching her past become an uncertain future.
Tempair watched her past self crying as she held up a gold pocket watch, promising to stop Crimsonoir and Fauxina getting their hands on the Ladybug and Black Cat miraculouses.
Rewinding further, Tempair watched as Chloe stood, shocked at the Rabbit Miraculous at her feet. Shocked at her bruised and bloodied girlfriend that decided her final act as Ladybug would be to gift Chloe the power to change the past.
Tempair smiled at Chloe refusing the akuma from Hawkmoth. She remembered the fear and bravery coursing through her veins as she stood firm. She knew who she was; not Queen Bee, not Miracle Queen, but Chloe.
Chloe and Marinette dancing in a grand ball. Chloe had invited Marinette to one of her father’s boring galas. Chloe’s expensive, honey-coloured princess-cut dress shimmered under the lights, complimenting Marinette’s homemade, flowing matte pink ball gown. Chloe hadn’t even noticed everyone staring at them.
Tempair let out a sob, and paused the scene for just a second.
She knew what it meant to sacrifice, she knew that no one should have to sacrifice, but that good people often need to. That while it was unfair, if there was no one willing to step up, nothing would change. That all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good people do nothing.
The scene shifted into Chloe and Marinette sharing a blueberry, lemon, and honey ice cream from Andre’s. Tempair could still remember the taste.
Marinette and Chloe talking by the Seine, ending in a breath-taking kiss.
Chloe handing Marinette a collage of pictures at the end of the day, wrapped in paper, telling her not to open it at school. Marinette had thanked her, while wary of Chloe’s true intentions.
Chloe, giving Marinette flowers. Tempair smiled at that. Chloe had sworn up and down that it wasn’t a romantic gesture, just an apology, but Tempair knew better.
Chloe sitting in class, glancing towards Marinette out of the corner of her eye, unsure of the feelings she was associating with her. Marinette had never seemed to notice her stares, or at least she never thought to bring them up.
Chloe apologising, genuinely apologising, to Marinette. Chloe no longer caring about the chilling rain as Marinette pulled Chloe into a warm hug. Tempair swore that with Marinette hugging her, she couldn’t hear her mother's helicopter leaving anymore.
Chloe opening her eyes to see news crews and Ladybug and Chat Noir staring at her, confirming her worst fear. Her super powered temper tantrum had just been broadcast to millions.
Chloe losing it at her mothers comments, vocalising the effects of her mother’s abandonment for the first time.
Tempair couldn’t help but notice everyone’s worried expressions. They had been worried for her, but it didn’t matter now. Nothing does. The new Chloe wouldn’t appreciate any of it. And, while it was for the betterment of the timeline, a small part of her felt it was cruel that this Chloe wouldn’t get to be happy.
Tempair grimaced as she watched her past self insult Marinette, and rewound faster. She always hated this part of the timeline. She felt herself looking away in shame. She might be better now, and it was presumably selfish, but she doesn’t want to think about when she was worse.
Chloe, in her room, trying to mimic Ladybug with her yo-yo and costume. Tempair chuckled at the sight. She had spent what felt like aeons trying to fix their happy ending, and that had given her plenty of time to come to terms with Ladybug's identity. It made sense, of course, only Marinette could be so nice as to attain literal superpowers from it.
And then, it was the first day of school again. 3am, with no one around. She stepped through the portal, holding the small, sharp stone, and placed it right where this new Chloe would pull up in the morning, ensuring she would be mad when she walked into school. Making her more willing to take it out on Marinette by forcing her to switch seats. And, in turn, preventing their entire relationship.
She forced herself to step back into the burrow and cried, slumping to the floor the new timeline played out in fast forward.
Tempair slammed her fist into the white wall, affecting nothing, but desperately hoping that she would. Maybe this was the one trivial action that could change everything.
But she wasn’t Marinette. She couldn’t create from nothing, couldn’t bring forth fortune and creation, couldn’t defy odds.
The Bee Miraculous had taught Chloe her impact on others, that her actions, bad and good, had consequences. But with the Rabbit Miraculous, she finally saw the impact others had on her. Not in small glimpses or grand gestures, like one would normally experience, but in it’s entirety. She was beholden to other people, and other people were beholden to her. And now, with her universe fading out, superseded by the correct timeline, Tempair gained a perspective that few ever did.
She hoped that this Chloe would realise it too, and that, just maybe, she could reach a happy ending.
Tempair felt a hand on her shoulder, but didn’t turn around. She knew who it was.
“It’s for the best. But for what it’s worth, I’m sorry,” Bunnyx said, as Tempair bowed her head and flickered out of existence.