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Honestly, Ladybug was fed up. She stared at the lucky charm in her hand, then glanced around, following the perfectly insane plan it would take to make it useful.
She dropped the lucky charm, turned her back on the chaos and sighed. "This whole thing is much too complicated."
Marinette wanted her life back. She was done with Ladybug and Chat Noir and daily Akumas and being responsible for the health and safety of an entire city at sixteen. Careful not to be seen, she dropped between buildings, released her transformation, and ran home. The streets were a mess. The kind that usually compelled her to fix it, but she didn't waver.
The jangling of the bell broke the silence as Marinette burst into the bakery. "Maman? I'm done. I am tired of trying to do it all. Homework is bad enough, but heroism? It's too much. I quit."
She pulled out her earrings and held them out to her parents, who were staring at her—and Tikki—in surprise. Tikki's mouth dropped open where she hovered over the earrings. Maman glanced at the little goddess before scooping the earrings out of Marinette's hand.
She looked down at the gems, up at Tikki, then back at Marinette. "What?"
"I'm done being Ladybug. I'm sorry I lied to you for the last couple of years. I'll go to my room."
Shocked silence followed her.
Marinette didn't look out her window to see what happened with Hawkmoth or his akuma. Instead, she grabbed her phone, opened her messaging app, and shot off a text to Luka.
Design girl: Do you still want to kiss me?
He's Treble: Your place or mine?
Marinette smiled. Finally, her life was going to be normal. She couldn't wait.