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Once Party Crasher was defeated, Marinette collected the Miraculouses from Viperion, Pegasus and Carapace. She wanted to know who King Monkey was, but “Marino” got caught up in cleaning up the party before she could find out, and when Marinette went to the massage parlor that evening, M. Fu showed her that the Monkey Miraculous was safe and sound in the Miracle Box.
Tea and two slices of jade belt cake later, Marinette built up the courage to ask, “Who was King Monkey, Master?”
“I took your recommendation for Pegasus, but I needed more time to dwell on Viperion and King Monkey,” the Guardian prefaced. “Since Viperion is related to one of your classmates, I thought he would be trustable enough, and from what I could glean, he assisted you during the first akumatization of his mother. He is a phenomenal fit for the Snake Miraculous.” Seeing Marinette nod, he continued, “King Monkey, however… I have more concerns about him. He performed more than adequately, but observing him, I fear that the boy may not take his responsibility seriously. He may prove easier prey to Hawkmoth’s chaotic whims.”
Upright and spiky hair, a correlation to Marinette herself, and an inability to truly get serious… unless Master Fu had handed Chloé the Monkey Miraculous (and turned out to be a trans man, perhaps), only one person fit the bill close enough in Marinette’s head.
Falling.
Kim laughing.
Chloé and Sabrina sneering at her.
Then, pain as she made contact with the water surface.
“… you gave it to Kim,” Marinette concluded, voice a whisper and the tiniest bit shaky.
“Judging by your reaction, I presume you do not trust him,” M. Fu mused. “Does he give you any trouble like Mlle. Bourgeois has done?”
“No!” Marinette protested. “He’s way better than Chloé was.” Chloé had been turning her act around since Miraculer, having accepted that she couldn’t be Queen Bee anymore. The last Marinette had heard about Queen Bee from Chloé, she’d come across Chloé grumbling about being unable ‘to cage that stupid bird,’ and since, she had discussed giving her a different Miraculous if she continued down the path she was now taking with M. Fu. “But… I think you’re right. Like Chloé, he’s not quite worthy of a Miraculous at the moment. If he manages to mature, then maybe, but right now…”
Fu’s mouth creased in pensiveness. “I understand. Do you have someone else in mind, should we require Xuppu’s powers again?”
“No… I’m sorry.” Marinette perked up a second later. “I’ll look around and test people, though. You won’t need to worry about picking a new wielder while I’m busy ever again, I promise-”
“Marinette…” the Guardian murmured. “Allow me to be more proactive in searching for wielders instead - as the Guardian, the responsibility should be mine to bear. You have taken on many great burdens at your age - more than you ever should have needed to. I will inform you of who I think is a worthy candidate for any Miraculous, so that you may offer necessary input. This will ease you into succeeding me.”
“But…”
“I am rather old, but you already have enough obligations,” M. Fu informed her. “I am more than capable of doing this.”
Marinette seemed hesitant, but she conceded, and went home with an uneasy feeling in her stomach.
That was about halfway throughout Marinette’s second year as Ladybug. Hawkmoth and Mayura’s akumas got tougher and tougher, and she missed another chance at both their Miraculouses during the creation and destruction of Sentibug. Looking back, there was a silver lining in the wipe-out - if Mayura had ordered Sentibug to detransform, would she have become an exact replica of Marinette? Or would she have taken on an appearance reflecting Mayura’s perception of Ladybug?
Meanwhile, Chloé had been deemed worthy to wield a Miraculous again after someone posted a video on the Ladyblog of her preventing and rejecting an akuma (though she hadn’t been entrusted with another Miraculous yet), whereas Kim’s relentless antics and dares had led Ondine to break up with him. As someone who had also crushed on Kim, Marinette had consoled Ondine, and they’d struck up a stronger friendship than Marinette had with anyone in Mme. Mendeleiev’s class… well, either her or Marc. She was kind, athletic, and had agreed to join Juleka in modeling an outfit for Marinette once winter break started, and Marinette was pleased as punch.
So when the Bourgeoises got akumatized on their twentieth anniversary, Ladybug brought Ondine the Monkey Miraculous instead of Kim. Guenon and Chat Noir kept the Hearthunters busy while she went to grab the rest of the team (albeit with Stompp for Nino instead of Wayzz), but as she was running to find the other wielders, a great wind blew the Miraculous she’d collected out of her arms and into the hands of her nemesis’ second-in-command.
To her horror, Dark Cupid was at her side. Had Kim betrayed her…?
“Tough luck, Kim,” she snarled. “I moved the Monkey Miraculous somewhere else. You’re never getting your hands on it.”
“I don’t quite care,” Mayura sneered. “Hawkmoth will have them all soon enough.”
“Where is he, anyways?”
Dark Cupid grinned. “You should ask your boss about that!”
As if on cue, Ladybug’s yo-yo rang with a call from Guenon. “Ladybug, Hawkmoth released the akuma! Guenon clipped its wings with Uproar, but you gotta get over here and purify it!”
“No, you guys bring it here!” Ladybug hissed back, before dodging a swing of the Peafowl wielder’s tessen. “Mayura sighted, and King Monkey has turned sides.”
“What?!” Guenon gasped from offscreen. “Ooh, you jerk… we’re on our way!”
Ladybug, Chat Noir and Guenon managed to defeat a slew of brainwashed teammates and rescue the Guardian from Hawkmoth, but at the cost of the temporary wielders’ identities (save Guenon), and M. Fu had needed to leave Paris for his own safety. They’d managed to keep his memories, but Ladybug had been made Guardian in his stead.
Kim had been mostly let off due to his age (he’d been manipulated by Hawkmoth, but the choice to willingly work with him was his choice, and the facts coexisted), but he had a lot of community service to do, and he certainly didn’t have any friends anymore.
Chloé had been pretty horrified by the idea of someone her age stooping so low, and had taken the week off of school. When Ladybug came to check on her, all she said was, “That could have been me.”
Proud, Ladybug just hugged her and encouraged her, but reminded her she could call on her classmates and friends if she needed someone to talk to. Chloé gave her a grateful smile as she swung off into the sky.