Masked Permanently

Answers..?

Her hand clutched the doorknob, quickly pushing it closed in front of her. Did she really want to find the answer to whether or not her mask would come off eventually? Would it be possible to even have her old life back? According to Chat Noir's kwami, Master Fu could tell her, but her racing heart and shaky hands proved how much she feared the answer.

Ladybug took a shaky breath and pulling it open once more. With each hesitating footstep, she felt more doubt.

"Hello?" She peeked through the doorway of Master Fu's, to see him cleaning his station.

"Ladybug. How are you?" The older man asked without turning around, recognizing her aura. He could sense her fear and tension with the powers bestowed upon him from the miraculous of his own.

"I-I have a problem. I mean I'm fine! Not that there's anything wrong majorly, but I just have a problem. Chat Noir's kwami said you could help, but I'm-" Ladybug rambled until the short elderly man turned to face her with a gentle expression.

"Confused? Worried? I see your powers have upgraded," he continued. He carried his cane behind his back, then walked behind her, observing the pinkish-red tinted transparent wings that hung behind her.

"I don't know if the kwami was joking when he said hero puberty or what, but would you know what's happening?" Ladybug asked him, watching as he walked back to his desk and opened a drawer.

"Leave it to Plagg to call the development 'superhero puberty.' He's quite a character," Master Fu rolled his eyes, barely chuckling.

"The development?" She echoed in confusion.

"You're developing and evolving to improve your abilities. Chances are that Hawkmoth is going to evolve soon as well as Chat Noir," the older man explained, causing Ladybug to freeze at the thought of her partner having to go through the strange process she was going through. For a moment, she realized the development was a lot like puberty.

"Why can't I change back?" Ladybug finally asked the master.

"It's part of the process. How long has this been an issue?" Master Fu asked, relieving her slightly.

"I think it's been a few weeks now. Almost a month," Ladybug estimated, watching the calm expression of the master change into a frown.

He pulled a binder from his drawer and dropped it on the table. Master Fu flipped through a few of the pages, allowing his green kwami to help him locate whatever section he was searching for. "Wayzz, Ladybug mentioned it's been weeks since she's been able to transform," he told his kwami quietly.

"Master, most of the chosen only have the development take place over a single week. This has taken multiple weeks?" Wayzz asked, sounding more concerned as his gaze went from the page to the older man.

"Ladybug, you've tried the phrases 'Spots off' and 'Detransform me?'" Master Fu asked, raising his volume slightly to fit the girl's range of hearing.

"I keep trying, but the earrings won't even come off. They're like tattooed into my skin now or melted in," Ladybug explained to him, her heart sinking as she heard the kwami gasp in surprise at her revelation.

The green kwami flew closer to evaluate her ears. "Do you mind?" Wayzz asked for permission from Ladybug to take a better look.

"No, go right ahead," she tucked her hair behind her ears to give a better view to the kwami. Wayzz sat on her shoulder and felt her earlobe with his small fin-like arms.

She heard him let out a small hum of indecisiveness. "Master, they disappeared into her skin," Wayzz told Master Fu from her shoulder.

"What does that mean?" Ladybug asked aloud.

"There should be an explanation for that in this file," Fu said, "But that page is one of the missing ones."

"Oh no... What should I do?" Ladybug asked, unconsciously pulling her hands to cover her mouth with a short groan following.

"Unfortunately, I do not have a direct answer or proper advice for you. However, your subconscious or that civilian part of you may reach out to contact you with some sort of explanation," Master Fu closed the large binder and slipped it back into the drawer.

Ladybug realized what he meant by that. It had already happened to her! "Master Fu, I had a dream about meeting Marinette. She told me we are separating and she's drifting from me. It's becoming harder for her to hang on," she explained, getting both the kwami and the master's attention.

"That's what she told you?" Wayzz asked, growing more concerned.

"Yes. I think she mentioned that our- or my soul is getting torn by something big. It's tearing her away completely," Ladybug added.

"Oh my... The development should help combine your soul with the powers of the miraculous, not tear away your civilian self. This is all wrong," Fu paced nervously.

"Do you think the development is defective in this Ladybug?" Wayzz asked, flying to his master.

"There has to be something that's caused this change. I'm not positive what it is. Come in if you notice anything odd," the older man spoke.

"I will. Does the process normally change your hair color?" Ladybug asked, pointing at her bangs.

"It happened once with a previous Ladybug, but she quickly stopped the process somehow before her hair color progressed anymore. She only had one streak of red hair, and it didn't change back after it was done. Her Chat Noir was very knowledgeable about the entire thing, but he didn't make it out of one battle. That Ladybug is still alive, but I am unable to contact her," Master Fu shook his head sadly.

"Oh... I- I can't imagine what it must've felt to lose her Chat Noir. I can't imagine losing mine. I wouldn't last. You see, I don't really mind the new hair, but I kind of just want to go back to normal, see my friends as myself and live my civilian life as well as my heroine life with balance. Is there anything I could possibly do to get back to normal?" Ladybug asked.

"For now, just do as you've been doing. Find a place to stay, continue fighting akumas, finish developing the rest of your powers, and we'll go from there. I can't... exactly promise we can change you back to the way you used to be, but I'll do my best to find you an explanation at the very least," the master advised.

Ladybug swallowed the lump that had suddenly developed in her throat. "Thank you, Master Fu. I'll be sure to return if I find anything weird happening."

Without another word, she walked out of the office and used the yoyo she trusted to bring her to the Eiffel Tower. It had always been her place of tranquility and inspiration.

Maybe she could do something to change her outcome, something to change her back. Master Fu didn't provide the explanation she was searching for, but only added onto the anxiety and stress. However, she discovered she was dealing with something called the development.

Only it was destroying the Marinette in her.