Emotional Support [Complete]

S2 E25: Still Alive

The waiting area was filled with sobs and suffocated in sorrow. But then everyone heard, over their own tears, what sounded like a child crying, and they all paused. Adrien separated from Sabine as he felt his chest dampen from within his shirt. His eyes widened.

"Tikki!" Adrien found the small, red kwami in his pocket and held her to his cheek. "Tikki, I'm so sorry."

Sabine jumped away from him. "W-What is that? A-A bug? A mouse? Bugmouse?"

Tikki wasn't sure whether to cry or laugh at the woman's actions that imitated Marinette's first reaction to her, though Sabine was clearly trained with more discipline as she acted in martial arts.

"M-My chosen had that exact reaction! Oh my Gosh!" Tikki sobbed hysterically, almost unable to breathe. "I-I can't stop! A-Adrien!"

Adrien held the kwami to his chest. "Shh, Tikki. I've got you." Adrien looked up to Sabine. "Sabine, please, calm down. She won't hurt you. She's just as upset a the rest of us."

Sabine sat back down as she and Tom only looked confused.

"This is Tikki, the ladybug kwami," Adrien sniffled, caressing Tikki with his index to which she grabbed and held to her body for comfort. "Kwamis, without the crazy long explanation, give miraculous holder's their suits and powers. They are also dear friends."

"You have one, too?" asked Tom.

"Yes, um," Adrien held Tikki like he would a baby with one arm, and felt his shirt and pockets with the other. "Plagg? Where..." He looked through his bag and opened up a case of Camembert. He smiled upon finding his kwami with a full belly. "Here you are."

"Sorry, kid. I got hungry." Plagg flew out. "Have we heard about Marinette?"

Adrien blinked away tears and didn't respond to the question. "This is Plagg, my kwami."

"Nice to meet you, little ones," Sabine managed to say. "Thank you for watching over our kids."

"I-I tried my hardest, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng!" Tikki sobbed. "I loved her. She was the best Ladybug that destiny has ever chosen! She always told me I was like her wise big sister, b-but I w-wasn't wise enough to keep her alive! I should have told her to transform before following the akuma! I-I'm a failure as a kwami..."

"Oh, Tikki, don't say that!" Adrien held her again. "You're not a failure. Marinette loved you."

"Yeah, well, Marinette can't love anyone anymore!" Tikki flew away from Adrien. "Because she's dead! You just had to hurt her, didn't you? Maybe Gabriel released that akuma. Maybe I forgot to transform her before following it. But you broke her heart! You a the reason she couldn't heal in time! And you are the one who killed her!"

Plagg's eyes widened as he dragged Tikki away as she screamed and fought him. "Sugar Cube, stop!" He looked back to Adrien. "Close the box!"

Adrien shook his head. "What? No, I--"