Title: The Edict

Chapter 1: The Cost of Creation

Chapter 1: The Cost of Creation

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was no stranger to bruises, soreness, and headaches. After each akuma battle, she would dismiss the pain as the obligatory battle wounds that came with being a superhero. Clumsy as she often was, she chalked it up to her less-than-stellar fitness routine—perhaps she should drink more water, make an effort to sleep better. She didn't dwell on it; after all, she was Ladybug, and what else mattered?

That is, until Syren came.

The chaos of that day still haunted her dreams: the wave of water, the cries for help, the drowning. People had died, but they were all brought back. At a cost. A cost she paid. A cost she was still paying.

It began with a cough. At first, she thought it was nothing, just a lingering symptom of fatigue. But deep within her chest, something felt stuck, as if it was waiting for the right moment to release. Every cough grew more desperate, but nothing came out. Soon, it became harder to breathe, a sensation of tightness wrapping around her lungs like a vice grip.

Then came the diagnosis—pneumonia. But even that didn’t quite encapsulate the horror she felt. Her lungs were constantly filling with fluid faster than they could drain it. It was as if she were drowning, but her mind couldn’t grasp why. Everyone else had been saved. Ladybug had fixed everything, just like she always did. Or so they thought.

The term “dry drowning” was tossed around by the doctors, a cruel irony given the circumstances. They were perplexed; Marinette hadn’t been one of those who had succumbed to the attack. As far as they knew, she had survived the onslaught. But here she lay, sick and dying, and Ladybug had disappeared without a trace.

Tikki, her ever-watchful companion, was seething with fury. She understood the truth: the body count from Syren wasn’t just a number—it was a weight that Marinette bore alone. Tikki knew how many people had been revived, and she knew exactly why Marinette's lungs were filling. It wouldn’t stop until she had drowned 1,833 times—one for every soul she had brought back to life.

And she wouldn’t survive it.

This had only happened to her once before. As the embodiment of creation, Tikki had lost many chosen ones throughout her existence, but only one like this. She had taken great pains to ensure such a tragedy would never happen again.

But a grave mistake had been made. One that put Marinette’s life in peril. Tikki had poured all of her essence into crafting Marinette’s soul, filling it with passion, creativity, loyalty, and an indomitable spirit. Being near Marinette amplified their powers, making her appear invincible. But now, Marinette was facing the very real possibility of death—not just for herself, but for those she had brought back.

Tikki could not—would not—allow this to happen.

Marinette would not die. Not like this.

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As the sun began to rise over Paris, Tikki flew out of the hospital, her anger radiating like a beacon. She didn’t notice the flowers blooming and the trees budding in her wake; her mind was set on one goal: Master Fu.

She paused outside his door, taking a moment to collect herself. The glow of her power dimmed, but her anger remained. When she stepped inside, she found Wayzz hovering nervously, a look of apprehension in his eyes.

“Tikki,” he said, bowing his head respectfully. “I felt your power unleash all the way across the city. I felt your anger. What happened?”

“I’m here to speak with the Guardian,” she replied, her tone sharp. Wayzz’s eyes widened, understanding the gravity of her words.