Long tanned fingers drummed against the car door, even though the luxurious black limo was made to be comfortable, she felt anything but. She was eager to reach their destination and she didn't want to waste a moment.

It had been a long time and she had a lot of catching up to do as well as introductions to make. Her thoughts wandered particularly to a young blonde haired cat boy and a sweet little raven haired ladybug. An intervention was most certainly needed, she smirked at the thought, she was going to enjoy this very much.

~Meanwhile~

Marinette was in the park sitting on a bench looking forlorn at her sketchbook. She was trying to enjoy her Sunday before school, but nothing, no ideas at all.

She used to flow with creative energy all the time. But now. The well had seemeingly dried up. Marinette knew the cause and bit her lip.

Tikki had been worried that her chosen would be the victim of an akuma which would be a very troublesome situation indeed since Ladybug was the only one who could purify an akuma. Plus being a miraculous holder, she'd be an undoubtedly strong akuma.

Despite this Tikki was mostly worried about Marinette. Her chosen had always been filled with self conscious thoughts and doubts, but now the thoughts seemed to weigh twice as heavy. Did ChatNoir really like her? Did she have feeling for him? Did Adrien even acknowledge she existed? Was she pathetic? Would all of Paris be disappointed that Ladybug was really just Marinette? Could they defeat Hawkmoth? The list went on and on.

Marinette was surprisingly not distraught or upset, she hummed deep in thought.

She had grown used to these feelings of doubt and distress, it wasn't so much a darkness as it was a distraction. Just something she thought about, trying to answer questions she knew she didn't have the answer too.

"A penny for your thoughts miss?" A gentle voice jarred her out of her thoughts. Looking up Marinette saw Master Fu and smiled, the older man's presence always calming her down. Master Fu sat down beside her and glanced at her empty sketchbook. "Something on your mind?"

"Everything..." Marinette admitted. She closed her sketchbook and clasped her hand tightly on her lap, not meeting the wise gaze of Fu.

"Hmmm, I can say for certain everything will work out in the end. But I understand, being a teenager is trying. It is the point in your life where you're most uncertain. Everything is changing and so are you." He replied as he stroked his beard.

Marinette could only nod in response. Well at least it wasn't just her, and there was some validation in the way she felt.

It was slightly comforting, not that she was sure what she was expecting. He was a Guardian not her babysitter.

Master Fu frowned as he looked at Marinette's expression. He wanted to reassure her and comfort her more.

But that was not his fate. "I have dropped by to let you know that there will be a new hero in Paris, she holds a secret eighth miraculous that's hidden under the yin and yang section of the box.

Marinette looked up suddenly. Floored. Her troubled forgotten she was more curious than anything. Before she could stop, a stream of questions flew out of her mouth, verbal throw up enough to put her stutters in front of her crush to shame. "Does that mean she's as strong as Chat and I combined? Why now? What's she like? When will we meet her- "

Marinette cut herself off blushing at her hastiness.

The old turtle just chuckled at her eagerness, happy to see a change in her mood. "No, there's a reason her miraculous is not visible in the box, she's more of a support teammate than anything. The actual capability of fighting has always depended on the holder. She's here because I believe it's time you two had training from a senior holder."

Fu didn't add that her real role and miraculous position in the box was related to bringing Ladybug and Chat Noir together, acting as an advisor and mentor throughout the ages. "She's older than you, about your Mom's age. Mature, wise and kind. You'll probably love her. Hmmm an akuma attack for sure will bring you together, but otherwise it's up to her on when you'll meet."

Fu chortled, the holder was much like him, cryptic and taking enjoyment in leaving puzzles. The only difference was that she herself guided the victims through her puzzle, step by step.

Marinette smiled. It would be nice to have another girl on the team. A mature woman with experience. It made her load of having the fate of Paris on her shoulders a bit lighter. She already felt better, even if all her doubts about herself were still there. Hey maybe the new lady would even tell Chat that his puns were terrible and make him stop.

Fu got up and started walking away, as Marinette probably had more questions. "Wait-" he heard her voice call, "Why hasn't she been here since the beginning of all this?"

Fu stopped and turned to her. Hmm that actually was a good question that should be answered. It made him remember the ultimatum she forced him to agree to.

"She retired awhile back after an incident occurred. Do not ask her about it. Do not pry even if she lightly mentions it. She will leave you without finishing your training. Understand?" Fu warned.

Thinking back he knew it was hard for her to return to the life of a miraculous holder. When the incident happened she'd retired not only from her double life, but also her famous civilian career. She wanted to live in peace and he'd asked her to return to the one thing that made her uneasy.

Fu had contemplated the consequences of not asking her though he knew she was the right and only one for the job. She hadn't even hesitated to agree but she also hadn't hesitated to throw out her one condition.

Marinette nodded solemnly, and wondered if somebody had gotten hurt, maybe even the holder herself. There were so many things that could go wrong, just another anxiety on her mind of all the different scenarios.

Master Fu had started walking away again so Marinette also got up to leave. She stood and watched the old man's retreating silhouette. As if feeling her eyes on him, Fu looked over his shoulder and said, "One last thing. Remember, there are no coincidences."

Marinette looked at the ground trying to decipher the meaning of yet another perplexing piece of wisdom. When she looked up Fu was gone. She sighed and started her walk home.

Alone in her room Marinette decided to grill Tikki about the new holder.

"Do you know what their miraculous animal is and who the Kwami is?" Tikki nodded thoughtfully, aware of what Master Fu probably would and would not want Marinette to know.

"Oh yes, the new miraculous holder from what Fu is saying is obviously the owl holder, meaning the Kwami is Alda the wise. And before you ask no, I don't know the identity of the holder. She was active between my last holder and you."

Tikki was actually glad she didn't know the holder, it was hard enough not telling Marinette that Chat Noir was Adrien.

But Tikki was however excited to meet the owl holder and see her Kwami.

All the past LadyBugs had always had a good cordial friendship between the owl holders, they were often like older and younger sister, a role model if you would for even a hero like Ladybug.

And Tikki. Well Alda was a very good friend to Tikki. She missed the little owl Kwami, sad that she'd most likely fallen into disuse when the holder retired.

Tikki could only imagine what the incident was, she knew that the life of a hero was not always pleasant or easy. There were many days of grief and darkness too.

"Fu says she's a support teammate? What does that mean?" Marinette asked, the question running around her head for quite awhile since their long quiet walk home.

Tikki knew what she was thinking, that this new hero was weak, and yet it seemed impossible with the power of a miraculous.

"Alda represents wisdom. She gives the power of clairvoyance to her holder. It means she's skillful in dodging attacks, figuring things out and making plans and tactics. Although most of her holders in the past do train enough to be competent with some sort of weapon," Tikki explained.

Marinette nodded thoughtfully. Opening her mouth to shoot her next question.

Tikki beat her to it as if reading her mind. "Yes she has limitations, she doesn't know the identity of any other holders. It's likely she has figured them out given her intelligence or Fu probably told her."

Marinette seemed mortified. What would this strong, amazing, regal woman think of Marinette underneath the mask.

Tikki nuzzled her chosen. "Marinette, every owl holder has absolutely adored Ladybug, this will be no different."

Marinette felt somewhat reassured. If Tikki said it was going to be alright then it probably would be.

A/N This takes place before the arrival of the new holders in season 2