I.O.N.

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Ladybug stood in the frigid air looking over her city as the light faded from the sky, for a moment she swore she heard the very wind sigh. It's over. The wind seemed to say. After so long. It's finally over.

In front of her lay the fallen forms of Chat Noir, Rena Rouge, Carapace, Queen Bee, Viperion, King Monkey, and Bunnyx. Ryuko and Pegasus lay injured not far off. Further away lay the unconscious bodies of both Hawk Moth and Mayura. Snow gently covering them all. Almost as if the very world itself was giving the warriors permission to rest. Ladybug knelt in the snow, tears refusing to fall from her eyes as she whispered, "Goodbye."

Ryuko stirred and gingerly made her way over to her grieving leader, "Night is falling." The dragon hero said gently, "So ends this day." She gently placed her hand on Ladybug's shoulder, "What happens now?"

The question seemed to spur Ladybug back into reality, as she slowly stood, a piece of chalk held tightly in her hand. "I'm the guardian of the Miraculous. Now that Hawkmoth has been defeated, I can't stay in Paris." She turned to look sadly at Ryuko, "The road is calling me now. And I have to go."

Ladybug went around her comrades, her family in every way but blood, and as she gently wiped away the snow, sweat, and blood on all of them, she also collected their Miraculous. Leaving only the civilians they were. Ryuko stood back. She knew this was something her leader needed to do herself. At some point, Pegasus joined her and together they stood Sentinel over the bodies of the heroes they had known so well both inside and out of the mask.

"Ryuko?"

"Yes Pegasus?"

"Do you think Miraculous Ladybug will bring them back?"

Ryuko looked over the fallen, "I have no idea."

Finally, Ladybug returned to them with even the butterfly and peafowl Miraculous. Pegasus carefully removed his glasses as he returned to Max Kanté and returned the Horse Miraculous to Ladybug. "Thanks for giving me the chance."

"Always Max."

Ryuko stood proud and just as carefully as Max had removed his glasses, removed her choker leaving behind Kagami Tsurugi, "It was an honor to fight by your side, Ladybug."

Ladybug held back tears as she answered, "The honor was mine." she glanced at the polka-dotted chalk in her hand before throwing it in the air and shouting, "MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!"

The falling snow was suddenly mixed with magical ladybugs who rushed to repair the damage done in the final fight.

Ladybug left before they could see if the fallen had returned. She had somewhere else to be.

Above a small massage therapy and tea shop in London, an elderly couple sat resting after a hard day's work, until a knock sounded at their door. The old man got up to answer, "I'm sorry we are closed for the day."

"I know. I'm sorry for disturbing you."

His eyes widened, "Oh! It's you! Please come in!"

Marinette gave a small smile, "I'm afraid I can't. Mister Fu. I know this may seem awkward but I had a great many memories with you, and I'm leaving home for the first time, I was hoping you could give me your blessing?"

Wang Fu smiled at the young woman before him. He may not have the same memories as her, but he would never turn her down. "Of course. With your memories you hold. With my blessing, you will go."

Marinette bowed, "Thank you."

Over the years many places would begin to tell stories of the woman who appeared when things looked their darkest. And in places where it felt like light had never shone before. Despite many attempts to film her, none were ever successful. She was a myth. A legend. Sometimes she traveled alone, sometimes with others.

It was during one of the latter times, many years after she first left her home that one of her companions asked, "Do you ever regret agreeing to take all of us along?" The young man was the current holder of the Dragon Miraculous, part of a group of seven, and Marinette, now an old woman, almost laughed.

"Many places I have been, many sorrows I have seen." She turned to look at him, and give him a pat on the shoulder, "But I won't forget, nor will I regret all who took that road with me."

A woman in her mid-twenties, and the holder of the turtle, looked up and said, "Night is falling."

"So ends this day."

Marinette had felt the road calling her again. Telling her it was time to move on, and allow her friends to follow their own paths. "The road is now calling. And I must away."

An older man who held the Peafowl Miraculous smiled gently and said, "We've come all this way."

The Guardian looked at the seven faces around her and felt her tears well, "And now comes the day, to bid you farewell. To these memories I will hold, with your blessings I will go."

One by one the seven hugged her and returned their Miraculous.

"Where will you go now?" the former dragon asked.

"To turn at last, to paths that lead home." Marinette allowed her aged and weary soul to look once more upon the seven friends she had made and reminisced on the hundreds of others she had left before. Despite how long it had been for some of them, she remembered every face and every name. "I bid you all a very fond farewell."

Then, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, former Ladybug turned Guardian and mentor, headed home.

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