The Unknown Sister (A Miraculous Ladybug AU)

Chapter Six

Marinette Dupain-Cheng:

"I GIVE UP!" Marinette screeched, falling face-first into her pillow. The charm was properly blackened by now and there was no helping it. She had tried everything to figure out what was wrong with the charm, she had looked through every single book she had inherited from Master Fu and there's nothing on how one can simply destroy a charm of so much power.

 "Oh Tikki, what do I do? I finally come up with something to decrease the akumas but Shadowmoth destroys them immediately! I am such a failure!" Marinette wailed against her pillow and then got up again. "What the heck am I missing?!"

"Oh Marinette, please don't overwork yourself again. Last time, you pulled two all-nighters trying to piece together the identity of Hawkmoth, and you and Chat Noir almost got their miraculouses taken because you were so tired!" Tikki tried to calm Marinette down but she just didn't know how. "Chat Noir basically plopped you down and fought the entire thing himself, remember?"

"Of course I remember it. It was so embarrassing." Marinette still blushed at the memory of her showing up looking drunk on the scene of the crime, when she actually was just really sleep- deprived.
Tikki sighed and said, "Leave the charm for now. I thought you wanted to know more about the new superhero?"

"I do, but you won't tell me. Why won't you tell me?"

"Look, I-" Tikki faltered, looking like she was debating whether to tell Marinette or not. "Don't you understand? I want to help, it's just that- look-"

"What, Tikki? I need to know all of this. Master Fu would have wanted me to know, wouldn't he? If you really do know more, tell me. I can't keep making conspiracy theories like this! I need actual facts."

"Like what?" Tikki asked innocently.

"Like- I don't know. Wait a minute, why did you have to hit me like that? Now, I'm blanking." She squeezed her eyes shut for a few seconds. Then, "How did Montaire do all of that, without a miraculous? This is the only box and it is here with me. Unless I'm wrong?" She looked hard at Tikki.

TIkki sighed and sat down on Marinette's head. "I will tell you a few things because I want to help you."

Marinette took a deep breath, to calm down, and said, "Go on, I'm listening."

"Remember when Master Fu told you about the temples burning down and him retrieving only this box of Miraculouses?" She pointed to the box.

"Uh-huh. Isn't that what happened?" Marinette narrowed her eyes on the box.

"Well. That's only half true. We, kwamis, were forbidden to talk about the other surviving part of the temple."

Marinette widened her eyes and clutched her book. "So, what you're saying is-"

"There are others out there and they're willing to help. I'm sorry Marinette, but that is all I can say for now. Kwamis cannot speak when the time is not right. But I can assure you, Montaire wants to help. She will also help you understand her world of powers if you make her understand ours."

Marinette looked stunned by this new information. She grabbed her notebook and quickly noted down what Tikki said. But one thing bothered her.

"If kwamis don't speak when the time is not right, they must speak when the time is right. Correct?"

"Correct."

"Do they help their owners figure out their enemy's identity when the time is right? I know they're not allowed to say the names of their owners but there must be something else, right? If the heroes are being too stupid?"

"Yes," she said. "The magic shield making the other partner or enemy blind to their real self starts to dim. People are not oblivious after that, or stupid in your words. But only when you open your eyes and the time is right. This is the very last thing kwamis resort to, to make their owners realise."

"Realise what?" Marinette asked, almost in a whisper. Tikki tried to talk but bubbles came out of her mouth, forbidding her to even make a sound. She had clearly said too much. She got up, gave her a pleading look and flew off.

"Forget it." Marinette snapped, to no one in particular. "I'm not driving myself crazy again." Getting up from her bed, she moved closer to her window and stared out of it.

"When will the time be right?" She wondered out loud to herself. Suddenly, something hit her. A small plan, something she wasn't sure about but wanted to try out with the newfound heroine.

A shout came from below her, "MARINETTE! Dinner is being served, dear!"

"Coming Papa! Gimme a second!" Marinette sighed and looked down at her notebook again. A plan was forming inside her head. It obviously needed work, but if she got Chat Noir on board, they could actually make a break-through in what they were working on. But too many things were going at the same time at the moment. She needed to focus on them, one by one.

Her plan needed to start with Montaire. Ladybug had strictly instructed her to be there at 9 for patrol. But things were swirling inside her head while giving that command. Who is she, is she safe, can she be trusted, how does she tie into all of this? So many questions.

And Marinette intended to get answers.

(A/N: Feedback is appreciated!)