Title: The Edict

Chapter 3: A Heavy Burden

Chapter 3: A Heavy Burden

Marinette sat at her desk, a soft glow illuminating the room as the miracle box rested beside her. From anyone else’s perspective, it was just an ordinary sewing machine. To her parents, she would appear to be working on another design project. But only Marinette, the new guardian of the miraculous, could see its true form. The illusion was as intricate as the ancient magic itself, and Tikki had promised to explain more about the magic behind it once Marinette settled into her new role as Guardian.

But first came the old tongue—the language of the Kwamis, something only the guardians knew.

Marinette grabbed one of her empty notebooks, prepared to jot down notes as she expected from learning a new language. But before she could open it, Tikki floated closer, a soft smile on her face. "You won’t need that, Marinette."

She frowned, puzzled. “But how will I—”

“Just listen,” Tikki reassured her, the soft, ancient tones of the old tongue rolling off her tongue like a song. Marinette listened, expecting confusion, but instead, she found herself understanding every word, as if the knowledge had always been there, dormant and waiting to be unlocked.

She blinked, and when Tikki paused, Marinette found herself responding instinctively in the same language. The words flowed easily, carried by something deeper than memory, something timeless and magical.

Tikki’s smile widened, and there was a glimmer of pride in her eyes. “You did it on your first try, Marinette. It usually takes guardians multiple attempts to focus enough to communicate fully in the old tongue.”

Marinette’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “That’s amazing! I can understand you perfectly! Do I get to know other languages like this too? Can I speak them as easily? It would be so helpful if I could talk to everyone in their native language when I’m Ladybug. It could help make people feel safe and comfortable.”

She was already scribbling notes again, listing languages commonly spoken around Paris, talking fast about how she could improve as Ladybug with this new knowledge. Tikki watched her in quiet amazement. Marinette was still the same kind-hearted girl, always thinking of others first. Here she was, fresh out of the hospital after dying multiple times in one night, and her first thought was about how she could better serve the people she protected.

Tikki’s heart ached with a mix of pride and sorrow. Marinette had always been exceptional, but the weight on her young shoulders was immense—too immense. The imbalance between creation and destruction had taxed her body, far more than anyone had realized. Chat Noir hadn’t been a true destruction soul, and that lack of balance had forced Marinette to bear more than she should have.

It wasn’t fair.

Tikki’s mind returned to the truth that weighed on her. Even Plagg hadn’t known that Adrien wasn’t a true destruction soul. Fu must have tampered with something—either Adrien himself or the miraculous. How had this gone unnoticed for so long? And how had it led to Marinette paying the price?

Tikki’s anger simmered. She was an ancient being, older than time itself, yet she still couldn’t fully process the depth of her fury. The world had been cruel to Marinette. The girl carried the weight of both the Guardian and Ladybug, all while being alone in ways no one else understood. Her parents, her friends—none of them knew the burden she carried.

As much as Tikki tried, her small size meant she couldn’t physically comfort Marinette the way the girl needed sometimes. She could offer magic and counsel, but it wasn’t the same as the human connection Marinette lacked.

And that was why Tikki stayed angry—for Marinette’s sake. She could be angry because Marinette wouldn’t allow herself that space. Marinette forgave too easily, pushed through too much, and never let herself fully grieve for the losses and betrayals she endured. Tikki would carry the weight of that anger, at least until Marinette was ready to accept it was okay to feel it herself.

But there wasn’t much time to dwell on that now. A new Chat Noir had to be chosen. The imbalance was already taking a toll, and it had to be corrected. Tikki felt the weight of that urgency deep in her core. They couldn’t afford more mistakes.

Marinette, blissfully unaware of Tikki’s turbulent thoughts, sighed as she stood from her desk. She still had the energy of a girl who didn’t want to be cooped up, despite her recent near-death experience.

Before she could say anything, a rapid knock echoed on her door, followed by Alya stumbling in without waiting for an invitation.

"Mari! Girl! Oh man, we’ve all been so worried! You weren’t in school, and your parents weren’t saying much. As soon as they said you might be okay for visitors, I ran up here! Are you okay?”

Marinette smiled at Alya’s worried expression. It was comforting, in a way, to have her best friend here, acting like everything was almost normal. "I’m fine, Alya. Just bed rest for the week. The doctors and my parents are being extra cautious, but I feel good."

Alya sat on the edge of Marinette’s bed, taking both of her hands. “Mari, you don’t have to pretend. I know your parents didn’t tell us everything, but… we all know something big happened. You don’t have to be strong for us.”

Marinette blinked in surprise but smiled softly. “I’m really fine, Alya. Nothing hurts anymore, and it’s just frustrating being stuck in bed. But I promise, I’m okay.”

Alya still looked skeptical but didn’t push further. She settled into a more relaxed position, changing the subject to school gossip. It was only when she brought up Adrien that Marinette’s stomach twisted.

“He’s been acting really strange this week,” Alya mentioned casually. “Do you think something’s going on with him?”

Marinette froze for a second, her mind racing as she struggled to keep her expression neutral. Tikki, sensing her distress, whispered in the old tongue, “Remember, it’s not your fault. You did what you had to.”

Taking a deep breath, Marinette forced herself to smile. “I’m sure he’s fine, Alya. People have their ups and downs. Let’s not worry about it.”

They spent the rest of the evening painting nails and chatting, but Alya noticed how Marinette skillfully dodged any conversation about Adrien. She wasn’t going to push, but she sensed something had shifted between them, something Marinette wasn’t ready to share.

And all Alya could do was be there for her, whenever she was ready.

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Elsewhere, Wang Fu sat in quiet contemplation, his mind weighed down by the mistakes he had made—mistakes that were catching up to him faster than he’d ever imagined.