A New Partner | #MLWattysAwards | ✔️

Unreplaceable

Mirielle truly wondered whether she should tell Chat Noir that she's not Marinette.

Is it worth a heartbreak?

What would he say?

Would he cry?

Or worse, what if he decided he wanted to join his lady...

"Hey Tikki!" She greeted the kwami who had just arrived. She had seemed a little upset.

"Oh, hello Mirielle! How are your studies coming along?" She asked, obviously faking her cheerfulness.

"Great! I finished all my homework and I think I'm ready for a good night's rest!" Mirielle tried to act more cheerful, hoping she could spread the positive vibe.

"That's good, Mirielle. You should go and get some sleep! You don't want to be tired in class tomorrow," Tikki tried to cheer, but it came out more like a whimper.

"Tikki, I'm sorry," Mirielle whispered guiltily.

"Sorry about what?" The kwami asked her sweetly.

"I'm sorry you lost Marinette. This probably feels so wrong for you to replace her so quickly. She didn't deserve this, nor do you," the girl took Tikki in her hands to hold her comfortingly.

"Of course not, silly! Nothing's wrong!" Tikki attempted to convince her.

"Marinette... I wish she didn't die. She should be the one with this miraculous. Not me. I'm sorry Tikki," She apologized, trying to stay off the verge of tears. Hugging the kwami gently to her cheek with a hand, Mirielle offered comfort.

"Mirielle, no. It's okay. I promise. Go and get some rest. There may be an akuma we need to fight tomorrow and you need all your energy!" She cuddled against Mirielle's cheek.

Mirielle knew Tikki missed Marinette. She knew couldn't ever fill the shoes of the beloved hero everyone adored.

She wouldn't ever be as good as the old Ladybug.

"I don't deserve this miraculous," Mirielle whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Huh?" Tikki asked.

"I won't ever be as good as Marinette! I don't deserve this miraculous! I'm sorry, Tikki!" She bolted out the door in tears, right past her mother.

She ran all the way to the Eiffel Tower, sobbing.

She saw Alya there, looking at her phone and letting tears fall from her eyes.

She collapsed on the floor and let out some whimpers.

"Hey Mirielle! Wanna be superheroes?" Six year old Marinette asked six year old Mirielle.

"Sure! Lets go find capes and masks so we can be super cool!" Mirielle responded happily.

They pulled out Mirielle's life-sized teddy bear.

"What should his bad guy name be?" Marinette asked, thoughtfully.

"Let's call him Baddie Bear!" Mirielle decided.

"Good idea!" Marinette replied.

Mirielle begin punching the best and Marinette yelped.

"Wait Mirielle! Maybe instead of beating him up, we can ask him why he's bad and we can destroy his baddiness and make him goodie again!" Marinette insisted.

"But Mari, if we don't beat him up he's going to be tricky and pretend to be good so then he can trap us!" Mirielle whined.

"Superheroes are always the goodies. They shouldn't be meanies to other kids, even when they are meanies themselves." Marinette informed her.

Mirielle knew Marinette was meant to be a hero from the very beginning. She knew way more about being a hero than Mirielle, even at six years old.

She felt useless, like a burden on Tikki, Chat Noir, and all of Paris. She felt like a disappointment to Marinette.

Alya turned to look at her through her teary eyes.

"Are you okay?" Alya asked her, sniffling and holding back the rest of her tears.

Mirielle tried to use words but what came out were just incoherent sobs.

"I know Mari was your cousin, I miss her too!" Alya whimpered.

"In fact, I don't even know who to talk to anymore... I know I have Nino, but he's a guy. It's not the same, you know? I just miss her so much and I would do anything to bring her back!" She continued as tears slipped from her eyes.

Mirielle lit up with an idea, but tried to push it away. It was wrong and it would hurt everyone in the end. She couldn't. Mirielle told herself she wouldn't go to the extreme of replacing Ladybug as... well, Ladybug.