Amnesia [MARICHAT]

4

THANK YOU, @Candybot47, for your generous first vote. Much appreciated. I've learned from this experience that I should tell people not to do things.. and they'll do them!

"Oh, Marinette! I'm so glad you're okay!" It said in a squeaky voice.

It flew forward, nuzzling her cheek. Marinette squealed and fell backward in her chair.

"Ew, get off me, get off me - you...you bug - rat - thing!"

Immediately the creature flew backwards, away from her and back over where Marinette had dropped the box.

"Marinette...?"

"W-what are you?" She sputtered, backing up against the opposite wall, a book in her hand, prepared to be thrown.

"What do you mean?" It asked, eyes shining. "You don't remember me?"

"I've never seen you before in my life!" But she had lost her memory...maybe she was familiar with this weird foreign animal that could speak English. Maybe her parents forgot to tell her about it.

"My name is Tikki, Marinette. I'm your kwami." It held out its little red fins.

"What's a kwami?"

It looked devastated. Floating down to the floor, it curled up into a small ball. "No," it whispered. "No, this can't be happening... I didn't think she hit her head that hard..."

"What's going on? What's a kwami? How are you flying?" Marinette slowly lowered the book, realizing the bug...the kwami had no intention of harming her.

It took a deep breath. A she, Marinette noticed by the tone of its voice and its name. She took a deep breath and flew back into the air, not coming closer but now eye-level. She wiped away a few tiny tears with her fins. "Marinette, a kwami is a magical creature bound to a piece of jewelry called a miraculous. I give you the power to transform into a superhero."

"Like Ladybug and Chat Noir? Is this because Ladybug didn't show up in the last fight? Look, I was just in an accident and I-I can't fight or anything."

Marinette was confused. The earrings were a miraculous? Like what Adrien said Ladybug and Chat Noir had?

"No, Marinette. You are Ladybug. You must have forgotten, and that's why you couldn't help Chat Noir."

Her...Ladybug? Did Alya know? No, she couldn't have... Because she would have told her. But how could Marinette possibly be a superhero? She couldn't believe it! Though, she didn't even know who she really was. She didn't remember her own experiences, her own personality. She didn't know if she was kind or cruel - let alone a hero.

But what made her think she wasn't one? How would she know whether or not she was capable if she didn't remember her own life?

"But... then how come the earrings weren't already in my ears?"

Tikki sighed, looking at the ground. "The doctor removed them and set them aside when you went to the hospital - I grabbed them before anyone could do anything else. I went back to Master Fu while you were gone. He managed to return my box to your room a week ago." She looked up. "We had no idea you didn't remember anything. We thought that you would go to Master Fu's immediately, but when you didn't he just decided to leave the box here."

"Who's Master Fu?" 

"He's the guardian of the miraculouses. He was the one who gave you the Ladybug miraculous, and the black cat miraculous to Chat Noir."

"Wait -" Marinette suddenly gasped. "Does Chat Noir know my identity? Do I know his?"

Tikki shook her head. "No, you didn't want to tell each other because the information could be used against you. But you two are best friends, and you talk a lot in your free time." She giggled. "He's head over heels for you." 

"Seriously? But how does he really know me if we can't share anything about our personal lives? I thought I was just a partner to him. This is so weird..." She muttered.

Tikki giggled again. "He's met you as Marinette - and you've met him as his civilian self, you just didn't know it."

"How would you know?"

"I've seen him detransform when your eyes were closed. His kwami knows who you are, too. You've actually interacted with him a lot without the costume. He knows you by name, and sometimes if he sees you he'll say hi," Tikki said, wandering around the room aimlessly. 

Marinette was curious about this cat. "What's he like?"

"He-"

A knock at the trap door to her balcony interrupted whatever Tikki was going to say. "What is that? Why the hell is there someone on the roof!" Marinette hissed, crouching down as if to hide herself.

Tikki squeaked and hid behind a book. "It must be him! He must want to talk to you!"

"Who? Chat Noir?"

"Go!"

Marinette looked between the window and the floating ladybug with antennas and groaned. She climbed up to her bed and opened the trap door, pushing herself up and onto the balcony.  A boy was standing there - her age - looking out over the city. He had blonde hair and...cat ears. He wore a black spandex suit that outlined his nicely toned body perfectly. 

"Um, yes?" She wasn't sure what else to say.

The famous Chat Noir turned around and Marinette saw his face. Well, half of it, anyway. He wore a black mask over his eyes. They were green, and his pupils slitted like a cat's. Was that a part of the magic powers he had? He really did look like a cat. 

"I heard about what happened, Marinette. I'm sorry you lost your memory. I wanted to introduce myself." He walked towards her, stopping only a few feet away, and held out his hand. "My name is Chat Noir. We're friends."

She took his hand, but he didn't shake it like she expected him to. Instead, he brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them. "W-we are? But you're a superhero -"

"Irrelevant, princess."

"What?"

"I felt horrible when I heard. It's part of my job to prevent even the little things," he said, releasing her hand and looking down. His ears drooped. He felt guilty. She couldn't believe it! How in the world could he have possibly done anything? Things like this happened to people all the time. 

"Chat.. You don't have to feel bad. They said - they said I might remember. And I wasn't seriously injured - I feel fine. I'm okay."

"No, you don't." He looked her in the eyes. "You can't possibly feel fine. Your world is gone, and you don't know yourself. You're sad - I can see it. I know you probably don't want to hurt anyone by voicing that, but... You don't need to pretend. Not with me."

He put a hand on her shoulder.

"You can let it out to someone," he whispered. "And if not me... then please, to your friends or your parents. You are the most important person to yourself and no one wants you to struggle."

Marinette had to blink back tears. This was sudden - he was practically a stranger - but he saw right through her.

"Thank you," she said. 

Whatever you do, don't vote on this chapter. But I mean, if you want to... it's your decision. I don't care. Do what you want. 

Whatever.