Chapter Text
Marinette felt her heart thudding in her chest as she walked across Liberty's deck and down the narrow wooden steps. Anarka said Luka was in his room.
'Strummin' out the melody o' his heart, or somethin' like that.'
She had relayed with a whimsical shake of her head.
Sure enough, the closer she drew to his room, Marinette could hear the gentle melody drifting through the door. Luka was such a calm and gentle soul. In all the turmoil the past few months, he'd never had a cross word to say about her. Even as her classmates shunned her, he remained an outside ally she could trust... It was really a shame he wasn't home as much these days. For when he was around, though, he wielded the snake miraculous near flawlessly time and time again.
Sure, only he knew the true number of times he needed to hit the 'reset' button, but he never seemed bothered by it. Marinette knew she'd be frazzled if she always had to make that call herself... she was secretly glad she didn't have to. Luka lifted an immense weight off of Ladybug's shoulders just by being Viperion.
...And now she was going to dump an even greater weight on him, should he choose to accept it. Sure, the notion had been touched on months ago, but now choice had been all but snatched away.
Something needed to be done. The Miracle Box needed a new guardian for the sake of everyone involved.
Trembling like a leaf, Marinette curled her hand up into a fist, preparing to knock at Luka's bedroom door.
Her mind was reeling, content to replay the meeting with Su-Han last night that led her to Luka's cabin now...
On top of the Eiffel tower, Ladybug and Cat Noir stood beside the celestial guardian, Su-Han, overlooking the moonlit city of Paris as they discussed a matter of great severity.
"...You're sure?" Su-Han asked firmly.
Ladybug nodded, "Rena Rouge was able to confirm during her reconnaissance mission. Chrysalis knows who I am and she's been pulling strings from the shadows for a while now. She won't rest until she breaks me."
Su-Han's forehead creased, "...You know what this means then, don't you?"
"The Miracle Box is in danger." Ladybug supplied, giving voice to her fears, "All Chrysalis needs is the right opportunity and the right leverage... and she could force me to renounce the box to her..."
Cat Noir tensed, "We won't let that happen, I've told you already, m'lady. I'll be by your side--"
Ladybug held up a hand, requesting his silence wordlessly, "And it's not you that I lack faith in, Cat Noir." she said gently, looking at him with soft blue eyes, "I know you're scared... I'm scared too, but I can't let all the kwamis fall into the wrong hands... not again."
Su-Han glanced between the pair, then fixed his gaze on Ladybug, "So," he said carefully, "Am I correct to assume you wish to pass on guardianship?" he asked carefully.
Ladybug met his gaze, eyes sad but determined.
She offered a small nod.
"I'll find a suitable replacement guardian... someone willing to take part in the sacred rite... You said then I could continue my role as Ladybug... right?"
Su-Han studied her, "Yes. If the sacred rite is performed at the main temple, you may keep modified versions of your memories and you may continue to fight alongside Tikki." he confirmed, "Though a word of caution, your choice should be someone you can trust fully, that can also remain detached. For this, I would caution against picking Ms. Cesaire due to her closeness with Mr. Lahiffe."
Ladybug nodded again, "I couldn't ask Alya to carry this weight on her shoulders..." she said softly, "I have... someone else in mind. We've discussed him before..."
"Mr. Couffaine?"
"Yes." she said softly, "If he'll accept... if not... I suppose I'll leave the choice to you, Master Su-Han."
Su-Han smiled faintly, "I think Mr. Couffaine will make a nice choice, Ladybug. I'm sure he won't deny you." his smile vanished, "But are you sure you're ready to go through with this?"
Her eyes misted over, but she met the celestial guardian's gaze even so, "You said yourself when I met you... someone like me was never suited to being a guardian..." her voice cracked slightly, "It will be better this way..."
Su-Han regarded her sympathetically, "For what it's worth, Ladybug, you have been a greater guardian than I could've anticipated... I... truly am sorry that this is how things must be."
Ladybug smiled sadly, "I'll ask him tomorrow night... it's already getting late." she voiced.
Su-Han nodded in understanding, "Regardless of his answer, once a replacement has been selected, we will need to travel to the temple with haste. I recommend borrowing Kaalki for this."
Ladybug nodded slightly, "I'll have Plagg and Tikki call a kwami meeting as soon as we have confirmation one way or another."
"Very good." Su-Han agreed, "At that point I will have the order arrange a distraction for your parents, so they won't notice your absence."
Ladybug's forehead creased, "What kind of distraction?"
"Nothing bad. Probably arrange a trip for them." Su-Han assured.
"Oh." Ladybug considered, "We may need to fake sick for school." she said to Cat Noir mildly.
"We?" Su-Han questioned.
"I'm coming with her." Cat Noir said, placing his hands on her shoulders, "There's no way LB is going into this all by herself."
He'd expected to have to defend his point further, but instead he recieved a nod.
"Very well. You will serve well as Ladybug's tether." Su-Han voiced.
"Tether?" the pair parroted.
Su-Han nodded again, "In between the penultimate and final trials of the rite, things can get... intense... for both the new and old guardian. You will be tasked with keeping her grounded in that time."
Cat Noir tensed, eying Su-Han, "What do you mean by intense? This rite won't hurt her, will it?" he asked guardedly.
"No." Su-Han assured, "Actually, if the rite goes smoothly, she won't even remember the process."
"IF the rite goes smoothly?" Cat Noir countered, "LB, maybe we should take more time to think this one over..."
"We might've waited too long already, Kitty Cat..." Ladybug replied with a frown, "I'll talk to Luka tomorrow night." she tacked on decisively.
"Then I wish you all the best." Su-Han replied....
Her mind flashed back to the present.
Something had to be done now... before it was too late to act.
Taking a steadying breath, Marinette finally brought herself to knock on the cabin door.
The guitar strumming stopped and there was a subtle shifting inside.
"Come in." Luka beckoned calmly.
Marinette swallowed hard and opened the door, "Hi, Luka... can we talk?" she looked at him with troubled blue eyes.
Luka looked up from where he sat in mild surprise, but a warm smile spread quickly across his face.
"Of course, Marinette. I always have time for you."
Marinette closed and locked the door, turning back to Luka.
"This is important... Is there any way someone might overhear us?" she asked.
Luka blinked, "I shouldn't think so. Juleka's out with Rose and Mom's up on deck. Is something wrong?" he studied her, "You look a little pale."
Marinette felt her cheeks grow hot, "Me? Pale? Nooooo..."
"Well, now you're all flushed." Luka amended good-naturedly.
Marinette let out a small squeak.
How was she supposed to talk to him when he called her out the moment she walked in the door?
She took a deep breath, "I guess it's because I'm nervous." she admitted at length.
"No need to be nervous here." Luka attempted to assure, but her small frown was intent to disagree.
"Is there?" he tacked on.
Marinette sighed, "I've got a rather large request to make of you." she said, fidgeting nervously with her purse strap, "I... want to preface by saying I understand if you say 'no'. What I'm about to ask of you is a great responsibility... and it's okay if it's too much... I... I get it."
His crystal blue eyes never left hers.
Though suddenly, his expression had grown far less lax.
He was giving her all of his attention.
"Go ahead and ask anyway, Marinette." he bid gently.
Marinette hesitated. She was pretty sure her knees were knocking. Her eyes darted over his blue ombre hair to his Jagged Stone t-shirt, to his black painted nails... anything to avert her gaze from his just a moment.
"Marinette?" Luka asked after a long moment.
"Sorry." she breathed shakily, "I'm just... trying to find my nerve."
Another shaky exhale and it wasn't Marinette in front of him anymore. At least, not in spirit.
Those eyes were Ladybug's.
"Luka Couffaine. You have proven yourself an irreplaceable ally time and time again as Viperion. However, now the Miracle Box is at risk and I'm afraid I must make an even greater request of you than merely wielding the power of second chance."
Luka watched her quietly.
"Luka Couffaine, would you do me the honor of being my successor as guardian of the Chinese Miracle Box? Will you agree to partake in the sacred rite of Guardianship and travel to the home temple in Tibet within which you will face a trial by fire? Answer carefully."
"I will." Luka replied without a moment's hesitation, with all the conviction of a groom marrying the love of his life.
"Y-You will?" Marinette found herself a bit taken aback at his resolve.
Had he been putting a lot of thought into this possibility or...?
He nodded softly.
"Though before we go making any preparations," Luka spoke up, snapping her out of her stupor, "I want to show you something first."
"Hm?" Marinette blinked.
Luka beckoned her over, patting a spot on the bed beside him.
Marinette sat, watching expectantly as he retrieved a thick book from its hiding spot.
He offers it to her carefully, watching as her forehead crinkles in confusion.
"Your diary?" she asked.
Luka shook his head, smiling lightly, "Not exactly. Open it."
Marinette did as requested, taking note of several short entries. True to his word, it didn't seem anything near as private as a personal diary. Still, it's clear even before he explains that it's just as special, maybe even more so. Each entry is carefully labeled with a date and time down to the minute. While there are some more personal notes here or there, on the whole it reads more like a history book than anything.
"Those," Luka said, pointing carefully to one of the pages, "Are all the temporal markers I've recorded since you gave me Sass full-time. If you think any of them would help save the Miracle Box, we can use 'Second Chance' to reset to one of these."
Marinette leafed through carefully. The amount of work and dedication he'd put into this over the past few months was incredible... It didn't help their current situation, but it reassured her of the choice she was making.
She smiled at him sadly, "Thanks, Luka, but unfortunately we have no way of knowing when Chrysalis found me out... and I'm not keen on guessing. For all we know, she saw my final battle with Monarch... somehow... or knew me in some way before that." she shook her head, closing the book carefully.
"I understand." Luka replied, taking back the thick volume. "It was worth a shot."
"It really was." Marinette agreed, "...I know you'll make a great guardian, Luka."
"I'll certainly do my best." Luka replied, regarding her, "Though on the note of Chrysalis... Monarch knew I was Viperion... are you sure Chrysalis doesn't?"
Marinette blinked, "I hadn't thought that far..." she acknowledged, "I suppose it's possible, maybe probable even."
Luka nodded, "Sass, I know you've been listening." he voiced after a moment, "What do you think?"
Sass drifted out from his hiding spot, small arms crossed in thought as his forked tongue slipped in and out of his mouth.
"It ssssshouldn't be a problem. You'll jussssst need to pull guardian duties back to the shadowssss like Master Fu did. Ssssseperate them from your appearances as Viperion."
"Won't the others recognize me, though? I know there's the whole quantum masking thing, but all the heroes know 'Viperion' when they see him." Luka noted.
"You'll just need an alternate costume." Tikki piped up, "Ladybug has an alternate suit every time she used her lucky charm, so it shouldn't be too difficult for you to transition between Viperion and being the new guardian."
Sass nodded, "Think of it a bit like when you change tempo with your mussssic. It changes the feel of a sssssong completely. Jussst change your 'tempo' and your cosssstume will follow ssssuit."
"I guess that makes sense." Luka acknowledged.
"Master Ssssu-Han can offer further guidance if you need it." Sass said offhandedly, "Though I believe there issss a more important elephant in the room." he eyed Marinette and Tikki.
The pair glanced at eachother, then back at the snake kwami.
"It sssounds like you've come to thisss decision after much thought, sssso I won't lecture you on the gravity of it all." Sass said, "Ssstill, thisss is a big change. While you won't remember being guardian, Marinette, the othersss will in the ssssame way you remember Fu as your mentor."
"I know." Marinette said carefully, "And I know they deserve to know what's coming.... They deserve to be told to their face, but..." she bowed her head in shame.
Luka looked at her in surprise, "You're... not going to say anything?"
"Well... most of the others have been treating me differently in my civilian life... I'm sure you've noticed." Marinette was back to fiddling with her purse strap, "Su-Han agreed with me that because we don't know how deep Chrysalis has extended her reach, it's best not to give a heads up readily..."
Luka frowned, "It make's sense, but...that's... that's probably going to hit the fan." he acknowledged slowly.
"I know." Marinette sighed, "And I hate myself for it, but if Chrysalis finds out and interrupts the rite somehow... we could be in even bigger trouble."
Tikki cuddled up to her holder as Marinette stroked the ladybug kwami's head absently.
"I'm going to have Tikki and Plagg help me call a kwami meeting," Marinette said after a beat, "Well, for all except poor little Nooroo..." she shook her head to clear it.
"I'll explain my plan to them and say my goodbyes." she went on softly, swallowing against a lump in her throat, "Th-then... ugh... Then I'll record a video message as Ladybug for the other heroes. I'll explain all I can... I'll apologize... and when the rite is complete Cat Noir and Rena Rouge can show it to everyone..."
Luka watched her sadly as the girl he'd once fallen head over heels for tried desperately not to cave under the weight of her emotions. Her eyes glistened as she fought back tears and he found himself wrapping her in a strong embrace.
Marinette hugged him back quietly, struggling not to break down, "I... just hope it will be enough... M-Maybe one day they'll be able to forgive me.... I'm trying to... to do the right thing..." she said helplessly.
Darn it. No. Bad Marinette.
Luka is already going to be taking on the weight of the world for you.
Stop using him as a therapist, too.
Her thoughts screamed.
Luka gave her a squeeze before pulling back, "Hey. 'Tough Calls' get their name for a reason. What you're doing takes a lot of courage."
Marinette shook her head furiously, standing from her spot.
"No! You're wrong! I'm making this choice because I'm a coward!" her voice quavered, "I can't bear the thought of forgetting completely... of giving up Tikki..."
"I'm going to stop you there." Luka cut in abruptly, "You can't bear the thought of giving up Tikki because you have a strong sense of duty and responsibility. You don't want to forget, because you love your friends, and you love this team. Without 'Ladybug', our current team of heroes wouldn't exist." he pointed out, "So no, this isn't a selfish choice on your part. You're the Ladybug we need, and I'd gladly prove myself a thousand times over to keep you on the team."
Marinette felt her tears falling in spite of herself, "Luka..."
"Besides," Luka smiled gently, "You've been bearing a lot of weight on your own for a while now. Even if you did want to be a little selfish, at this point I think you've earned it."