I'm Sorry For Dumping This Letter On You
Marinette wakes up to find Luka smiling gently down upon her. She apologizes for falling asleep during their date, while he reassures her: no, she wasn't 'wasting his time'. He enjoys spending time with her, and if she needs rest, then she should rest.
Despite his calm words, she's not completely convinced. Fiddling with the ring she wears around her neck — a pewter ring with a pair of engraved musical notes, along with tiny red and black stones arranged to resemble a ladybug — she notes that she hasn't found anything that she can give him in return. Luka insists that ring was a gift, and she doesn't owe him anything in return.
Perking up, she suggests that they swing by her family's bakery to pick up some pastries, provided there's still time. He affirms that she only slept for an hour and a half, rather than straight through the whole afternoon like she... used to. Before. As she falters, Luka reassures her that it's been six months, and she doesn't need to think about that part of her life anymore. It's behind her now.
As they head out, Luka lets his mom know that they're headed downtown; Anarka warns them to stay away from the Champs-Elysees, as a fashion model got akumatized and turned half the arrondissement into a stage, transforming their victims into mannequins. Luka quickly and quietly reassures Marinette that they're going the other way, and that "It's not your problem anymore."
Once off the Liberty, Luka checks in with Marinette: if she doesn't want to go out after all, they don't have to. A resounding whoop spurs both to look up in time to see the new Ladybug swinging overhead, landing on a roof and striking a pose before racing off, Chat Noir hot on her heels. Marinette quietly admits that she's not fond of the new heroine; Luka agrees, but both admit that she does the job. As Luka puts it:
"She handles the akuma. She makes sure Hawkmoth never wins. And that means the rest of us can live our lives in peace. Like I told you, it's not your problem anymore."
Marinette softly agrees, then smiles, suggesting they should go and get those sweets. Luka declares "Anything for you, Marinette," as they head off.
The first of her two letters began with an apology to Luka, as Marinette admitted that what she was about to tell him would force him to share a burden she could no longer bear. But that was just it — she couldn't carry this any longer. Even if this caused him to hate her, she still had to do something for herself, just this once.
She was Ladybug. Had been Ladybug for two years and running, having fought over five hundred akuma and sentimonsters. She was the Guardian of Paris, keeper of the Miracle Box, caretaker of the kwami and the selector of temporary heroes. And after everything she'd shouldered, after all she'd done to protect Paris, she wanted out.
This chapter contains examples of:
- Actually Pretty Funny: Anarka laughs off her son's teasing about her Parental Hypocrisy rather than getting annoyed about it.
- Apologizes a Lot: Marinette, spurring Luka to repeatedly reassure her.
- Casual Danger Dialogue: Luka asks his mother if there's anything they need to watch out for while out and about, and Anarka casually warns him about how an akuma's taken over the Champs-Elysses. Just another day in Paris...
- Corporate-Sponsored Superhero: As the new Ladybug races towards the Champs, the narration notes that the sponsorship text on the back of her uniform becomes unreadable.
- Forced Transformation: The fashion model akuma transforms their victims into mannequins, punishing anyone who tries to get out of being involved in their show or doesn't clap loud enough for their tastes.
- How We Got Here: Opens six months after Marinette has retired; the final passages of this chapter double as the start of the first letter she wrote.
- Internal Reveal: Marinette's letter to Luka opens with her confessing that she's Ladybug, as well as the Guardian of Paris. She also confesses that she wants to stop being both.
- Not Your Problem: Luka repeatedly reassures Marinette that she doesn't have to worry about the akuma, and that part of her life is well behind her now.
- Parental Hypocrisy: Lampshaded; when Anarka tells the kids "Don't Do Anything I Wouldn't Do," Luka playfully asks if that means they can ignore curfew, given all the tales she's told of bar-hopping all night.Anarka: (laughing) Never! That would be insubordination! And mutiny! I'd have you swabbing the decks for weeks!
Luka: Oh, so it's okay when you do it, but not me?
Anarka: The benefits of being the captain, lad. Have fun!
