MiraculElse #7: Tyger, Tyger, Burning Bright

(Timeframe: Present, mid-Season 2.)

(This is a speculative AU based on a Miraculous and a Kwami that haven't been activated in canon yet, so it's going to look awfully silly once they DO appear and my descriptions and names don't match, which I expect to be in Season 3 or 4 or something like that. So once the show reaches that point, kindly forget that you saw this. But for now, do continue, good reader!)

Tyger, Tyger, Burning Bright, Chapter 1: The Fire in Thine Eyes

Marinette buzzed happily around her bedroom on a Tuesday morning, making sure every little detail of her school outfit and belongings was precisely as she wanted it.

"This class trip really has you excited, doesn't it?" noted Tikki, with some amusement.

"You know it!" Marinette bubbled. "The Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré is where most of my favorite fashion houses are! There's so much history there, I'm going to get so many design ideas, I get to walk around the city with Adrien, all the shops there, all the restaurants, I get to walk around the city with Adrien..."

"I could swear I heard one of those items twice," Tikki grinned.

"Well, yes! I repeated the important one for emphasis," she replied, giggling.

"Always nice to have your priorities in place, I guess. How are you going to keep Chloe from draping herself over him?" asked Tikki.

"I think I've got that covered," mused Marinette. "I watched a couple of games of the French national ice hockey team this weekend. My hip check technique is on POINT! I should be able to clear some space without Ms. Bustier calling a penalty."

Tikki wasn't sure whether to be amused or horrified, so she tried out a little bit of each. Balance, as always, was an important part of life.

The students filed onto the school bus, separating into their usual pairings. Alya noticed Marinette's intent fascination with the back of Adrien's head, two seats up from them, and whispered in Marinette's ear. "Today's the day. Just hurl yourself over the seat, drop into his lap and sigh, 'Kiss me, loverboy!'"

"Yeah..." Marinette murmured. "Yeah, I could... hey, wait, WHAT? ALYA!"

Alya burst into laughter. "It was just a thought. I think the direct approach is the only one you haven't tried yet."

"I know," moped Marinette. "Also the most impossible. I'd seduce him so gracefully that he'd react like someone dropped a dead raccoon in his lap."

"You might be surprised, girl! I keep telling you, I'm sure one reason Adrien doesn't notice you like that is that he doesn't realize you've noticed HIM like that! Sometimes when you know who and what you want, you have to turn down the giggles and the blushes and just pounce," Alya suggested.

"Like how you got Nino?" Marinette smiled.

"That was a little... different," Alya replied. "I mean, it's POSSIBLE that Ladybug will lock you and Adrien in a zoo cage together... but I wouldn't bet on that. Maybe you could send her a letter, or something. 'Dear Ladybug, I need you to yo-yo my crush and I together for a few hours, and don't peek at what happens next...'"

Do NOT give me these ideas! thought Marinette. "Adrien, it's VITAL for the safety of all of Paris that you wrap yourself around the next girl who comes through that door, and kiss her for at least three hours. I'm just going in the other room for a moment..."

The observation window in Hawkmoth's lair opened slowly, as it had dozens of times before. A tall, imposing figure considered his options amongst Paris's potential victims.

One in particular caught his wandering eye... an artist, frustrated and angry, staring at a blank canvas with absolutely no idea of what she'd want to put on it. The same stare said canvas had been receiving from her for days, at intervals...

"This has potential," mused Hawkmoth. "Ladybug conquers my villains through luck and creativity. Perhaps attacking her at her strength, rather than searching for her weaknesses could prove successful..."

He closed his hands on a butterfly, pumping it full of sinister purple energy, then sent it to corrupt his chosen target. "Go, my little Akuma... and EVILIZE her!"

Abby Christophe sat in her loft, motionless. Her sketchpads and canvas also sat in her loft, motionless. The canvas couldn't give her a withering and disdainful look, not having eyes of its own, but she swore that it would've if it could've.

Something a friend once told her came to her mind - Getting a creative idea once is easy. Doing it often is hard. Doing it on a deadline is murder. Well, that was too true; her deadline was staring her in the face, her rent depended on the paycheck from this project, and she had absolutely no ideas in her head as to what to start painting, let alone how to finish.

The colors of the rainbow lay untouched on her palette. The tip of the paintbrush in her hand was a plain brown... then, suddenly, it flashed bright purple.

"Psiphon! I am Hawkmoth," intoned a deep voice. "The demands society makes on we creative types are exhausting; I am no stranger to that, myself! I will be your muse today. I grant you the power to seize energy from others, to fuel your creative passions and stimulate your mind. I ask only a small favor in return - send me Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculouses and the entire world will be your canvas..."

"Thank you, Hawkmoth," she replied, "Perhaps the experience will be... inspiring..." as the purple energy transformed her body.

At lunchtime, the classmates split into small groups and migrated to the restaurants along the street. Marinette and Alya picked a small creperie, and were joined by Ms. Bustier and a few of the other students. The boys mostly settled on an Italian place a slight distance away.

Alya asked Marinette what she thought of what they'd seen on the Dior tour, then if she felt okay, then if it would be all right if someone stuck a live fish in her ear. "Mmm-hmmm," Marinette agreed each time, her attention focused on a familiar blonde head currently making a slice of pizza disappear.

Alya grinned at her teacher, who couldn't help overhearing their sort-of-conversation, and shrugged as if to say You see what I have to deal with?

Ms. Bustier put a finger to her lips, smiling, then leaned forward quietly next to Marinette. "The local attractions certainly are beautiful, aren't they?" she murmured in Marinette's ear.

"Yeah... especially that one..." replied Marinette, dreamily, then jumped with a little squeal when she realized who had said it. "I... uh..." she stammered.

"Your friend was trying to talk to you, just now," her teacher noted gently, then went back to her coffee with a knowing grin.

"You COULD'VE just, like, whacked me on the arm or something," grumbled the lovesick girl.

"And what fun would that be?" Alya giggled. "Besides, my limit on trying to break an Adrien Trance is three times; after that, I call in the cavalry."

"NOW MS. BUSTIER KNOWS ABOUT MY CRUSH!" hissed Marinette. She watched Alya's Really? expression in response and her eyes went big. "She already knew? How? I - Oh! - She - Now I have to transfer to another school!" she panicked.

"She's watched you sit there, five days a week, memorizing every detail of Adrien's existence. You've named and numbered the hairs on the back of his head. You really think that there's anyone who doesn't know who's not named Adrien?" lectured Alya.

Ms. Bustier kept her eyes straight ahead and suppressed a little laugh, hearing all of this behind her. Child, oh, how I wish I could help, she thought to herself. Boys at this age... give him a year or two to mature, Marinette, and he'll be curling up at your feet. I promise.

"Okay, so... you do remember any of the Dior tour, right?" continued Alya, dutifully.

"Of course I do," Marinette assured her. "Even I'm not THAT obsessed."

The girls discussed the finer points of fashion for a few more minutes, until a strange sight behind Marinette caught Alya's attention.

"Maybe it's just me...," Alya stammered, pointing, "but THAT'S not a Dolce and Gabbana outfit, is it?"

Marinette turned, quickly, and a chill ran through her. A slim woman in a hooded hot pink ensemble was casually strolling down the middle of the street, tendrils of pinkish energy reaching from her head and dropping whoever they touched where they stood.

This is NOT good, Marinette worried. I have Alya AND Ms. Bustier right next to me! Maybe they'll scatter, and then I can get away to transf-

"DOWN, children!" her teacher called out to the girls near her. "Over here where I can keep track of you! We'll stay low, and let her pass by."

So much for that...

Three other classmates huddled close, trying to squeeze under a table. Marinette caught a glimpse of the boys across the way scattering. Good! At least Adrien can get clear. If anything happened to him...

"Settle down, everyone!" the villain called to those around her, in a singsong voice. "Psiphon doesn't want your money or your life. Just a little brainpower that none of you are using at the moment..."

Across the street, Adrien darted through some alleyways, trying to get out of sight as quickly as possible. "You know, Plagg... one of these days, my friends are going to say, 'That Adrien, every time there's danger, he never sticks around to help."

Plagg popped his head out of Adrien's pocket and retorted, "But you know how much MORE you can do as Chat Noir. Or you could stay there and get zapped with everyone else, and then what?"

"I know, I know... Think this is far enough?" He looked in all directions and saw no one following him. "Plagg... CLAWS OUT!"

Marinette curled up under a table, trembling a bit. This feels so unnatural. I should be out there stopping this villain, not cowering and powerless. But how am I going to get away from my friends and Ms. Bustier without being noticed?

She heard the villain casually taunting those she chose to target, slowly getting closer to her group...

Suddenly, the table she was under was flung away by a burst of pink energy. Marinette fell over, while her friends scattered as best they could. She looked up and saw Psiphon grinning down at her. "You look tasty!" the villain crowed. "A nice dessert of creative thoughts for me."

"I'd give you indigestion! Honest," Marinette stammered, trying to figure out where or how to run. "Aaaagh!" A pink tendril grabbed her by the back of her neck and lifted her up gently, her feet several inches off the ground, kicking at the air.

"There's something strange about you, young lady..." pondered Psiphon, with a finger on her chin. "No, not about YOU specifically... something near you? Let's see what it is!"

Chat Noir leapt across a series of rooftops, intent on returning to the villain sighting as quickly as possible. He reached the edge of a three-story overlooking the Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré, looked down to survey the situation... and saw Marinette Dupain-Cheng held aloft by a pink tendril, helpless!

"NO! Leave her alone!" he shouted, diving in their direction... but he was too late, as he saw pink energy engulf her body.

Marinette managed a weak scream as she felt Psiphon's attack hit her, expecting to be battered and pummeled. Somehow... it wasn't any kind of physical beating, but it was worse than that. She felt like Psiphon had stuck a straw into her side and was sucking out her all of her will and desire. Her SELF.

Psiphon's eyes widened as she felt the incoming waves of energy... and then the barrage stopped abruptly. "You're quite the rich source, kid... but whatever's in your PURSE is so much... more!" she marveled.

"NO," Marinette mumbled, and tried to cover her purse with her own body, but a more narrow tendril reached out and struck it directly. Marinette heard a tiny scream from within it.

TIKKI! NO! What is she doing to you?

Psiphon wavered... seemingly overwhelmed by the strength of the energy transfer... then yelped in pain as a hurled baton hit the back of her head.

"GET! OFF! OF! HER!" screamed Chat, punctuating each word with a kick or claw thrust, driving Psiphon backwards. He was furious, angrier than Marinette could ever remember seeing him.

"Whoa, there!" Psiphon muttered, pushing Chat backwards with a pink telekinetic shove. "You know, normally I'd be glad you showed up... since I need your Miraculous, and all that... but right now I'm..." The villain staggered, slightly. "Full, I guess you could say. What a rush!"

Psiphon looked at the fallen Marinette, who was gazing up at her with bleary eyes. "Okay, YOU... I'll remember you," she grinned. "That was intense! As for you, pussycat..."

A telekinetic wave shoved Chat Noir down the street, then propelled her in the opposite direction. "Next time, your turn!" she called out, fading quickly into the distance.

Chat considered chasing her down, but attending to Marinette was a bigger priority for him. He cradled her gently, asking, "Are you all right?"

"Kind of..." mumbled Marinette. "Did you get the number of that truck?"

She peeked into her purse, and did her best not to jump in alarm; instead of her tiny red companion's familiar presence, she saw a cloudy, opaque ball in her place.

Wayzz, Master Fu's loyal Kwami, flew to him quickly in a panic. "MASTER! Something terrible has happened!"

"What do you sense, Wayzz?" Master Fu asked, rousing himself from the meditative state he had been in.

"Tikki... has been sealed off from this plane of existence!" Wayzz fretted. "I can no longer sense her in any way!"

"Sealed?" Fu frowned. "Not sleeping, as when a Miraculous is renounced by its owner?"

"No, this is something different. I sensed some kind of rupture of her aura from afar... then nothing."

"Hmmm," the old man pondered. "Perhaps Hawkmoth has finally struck at Marinette, rather than at Ladybug... I pray that is not the case! We will wait here - if Marinette has her wits about her, this is where she will come, just as when Tikki fell ill before. If she does not... we must find her, quickly."

Chat and Ms. Bustier checked Marinette over, then let a paramedic do the same. They couldn't find anything physically wrong with her, other than her obvious grogginess. Marinette kept an iron grip on her purse, but otherwise seemed pretty normal, just sleepy.

"Can I get you home, Marinette? Or to a doctor?"

I have to get Tikki to Master Fu's, as soon as possible!

"Actually... there is someone my mother's gone to for years, not too far from here! I'm sure that's who she would take me to see... so if you could drop me off, I'll call my mother from there, and she can pick me up once he looks me over!" suggested Marinette.

"He's a doctor?" asked Ms. Bustier, with concern.

"Yes and no? It depends on your definition," Marinette evaded. "Eastern medicine, not Western. My mother is Chinese, after all. I mean, I'll be happy to go see a Western doctor later, too... but he's right nearby, and he's REALLY good."

"If you're sure..." her teacher replied. "Chat Noir, could you take her there?"

"My pleasure," Chat said. He scooped Marinette up, bridal-style, and asked her, "Which way is it?"

Marinette whispered an address to him, and the pair were quickly up and moving.

Once Chat reached the corner she'd told him, Marinette hopped out of Chat's arms and smiled warmly. "That's perfect, Chat! Thank you so much," she beamed.

"This... is the place?" Chat asked, with a curious expression.

"Yeah - it's that building right over there," Marinette said, pointing at a small office nearby. "Stop by later, and I'll tell you how it goes." She hugged him, briefly, and whispered, "Thanks again, Kitty."

"Any time, Princess," he smiled back. "Be well for me."

Once he was satisfied that she was remaining upright on her own, he bounced to the nearest rooftop, intent on getting back before Ms. Bustier noticed yet another student missing from her flock.

Marinette sighed with relief... relaxed her guard, looking once more as drained as she really felt... and turned and crossed the street to a different building, a therapy studio belonging to a certain Wang Fu.

"Master, she is here!" Wayzz did everything but open the door himself, buzzing with concern.

"Master Fu..." Marinette stumbled, wearily, into the front room.

"My goodness! Come, come. You need to lie down, Marinette." He locked the door and hung a CLOSED sign on it, then helped her to the back and had her stretch out on one of the therapy tables.

"Not... me... Heal Tikki." She gestured to her purse.

Master Fu reached in and extracted the ball presumably containing Tikki, with a look of extreme concern on his face. "You both need to rest. Wayzz, please help make Marinette comfortable! I will see what I can do for Tikki."

For the next hour, Master Fu buzzed back and forth, aiding both of the fallen. The herbs and remedies he brought Marinette boosted her energy and spirits a fair amount, though each time she asked about Tikki, he was evasive. "I am still evaluating her," he'd say, which was a far cry from the "she's improving" that she needed to hear.

Finally, he came into the room with Marinette and sat down, dejected. "It is not hopeless. But it is also not good."

Marinette tried to sit up, did so too quickly and held her head, a little dizzy again. "What's wrong? Will she be okay?"

"In time. In part. Be calm, Marinette." The old man's face was steady. "The attack had some mystical properties that affected Tikki. You said the villain boasted of draining mental energy? Tapping into an avatar of creation itself must've been her wildest dream come true. No wonder she focused on Tikki!"

"I tried to protect her..." she whimpered.

"I know you did, child. You did everything you could. I have stabilized Tikki, and she is not in further danger. The one good thing is that the shell around Tikki is of her own doing, not something from her attacker."

"It is?" Marinette looked quizzical. "Why would she do that?"

"The attack drained some of Tikki's core energy. It can replenish itself, over time... but while she is weakened, her own magic has sealed herself off, like a cocoon," Master Fu explained. "She has just enough inside the barrier to maintain her own existence, and not much more than that! She is resting peacefully in a trance state, so as not to consume what remains."

He sighed. "I thank you for being wise enough not to transform back to Ladybug while Tikki was in this state. It would likely have consumed her entirely, and the backlash might have consumed you as well!"

"Wow! I'm glad we avoided THAT," murmured Marinette. "What else can we do to help her?"

"I will do what I can to boost her energy, but the draining effect is tied to the villain's power. Chat Noir must defeat him or her and free the Akuma for me to stand a real chance. Otherwise, she might remain like this indefinitely, or her rebuilding her power fully in this state could take years. Perhaps decades."

Marinette's eyes went wide. "What can... I do, Master? I want to help..."

"You can go home and rest, Marinette," Master Fu soothed. "You took part of that blast yourself. The world will need Ladybug soon enough. Regain your strength; I will let you know when Tikki has awakened, and I will contact Chat Noir myself and assist him."

Reluctantly, she allowed Master Fu to help her up and walk her to the door. "Are you going to be all right getting home, Marinette?" he asked, with visible concern.

"I am, thank you," Marinette replied. "Whatever was in those compounds you used on me packs quite a whammy! I feel quite a bit stronger than I did when I came in."

"It's actually pretty similar to what I used to stabilize Tikki," he said. "Though I'll do you a favor and not tell you what the ingredients are... or at least the half of them that you can't get at Tesco."

At home, Marinette allowed her mother to fuss over her nervously - it's not every day that one's daughter gets zapped by a supervillain, after all - and went upstairs to take a much-needed nap.

It just feels so WRONG not having Tikki here, she thought. I know she's in the best of hands, but still...

A quiet *TH-BMMP* above her head got her attention. Speaking of being in good hands... here come two clawed ones, I think.

"Chat?" Marinette called out, quietly, trying not to bring her mother running. The hatch above her opened, and her friend climbed down and sat by her bedside.

"Hey, you," he whispered, affectionately. "I had to come check on you; this is as soon as I could get here. How are you feeling?"

"Actually, very good, considering," she answered. "I saw the Chinese herbalist I told you about, and he got me right in to be examined. My mother was right about him, he's really talented. Nice guy, too! Anyway, whatever herbs and pressure points and all he used on me, they really helped! I was dizzy earlier, but now I feel mostly like my old self again."

Chinese herbalist, huh? Somehow I think I know exactly who you saw... and if anyone would be able to counter Akuma energies, he would. "Huh!" Chat mused. "I might... actually have met that guy. Short, Hawaiian shirt, goatee?"

"Yeah!" Marinette replied, playing along. "His name was... Foom, or something close to that. Whoever he is, he's so good! I'm even going back to school tomorrow."

"That's wonderful, Marinette," Chat said. "When I saw you get hit... well, for a moment there I was afraid I'd lost you. That really got to me."

"Pffft!" she laughed, in response. "You can't get rid of me that easily, Chat."

She noticed, after a moment, that he wasn't really laughing back. "Chat?" she asked, softly.

"You're very important to me, Marinette. You know that, right?" His voice was gentle, but all humor in it was suddenly absent. "Even without my mask, I have a lot of trouble feeling close to people. With it on... I can count the people who I can really be myself with on one hand. Maybe on two fingers. Sometimes, on just one."

He watched the surprise on Marinette's face. "It's true, and don't look so shocked! I love Ladybug to death, but we only get to spend a little while together at a time. I can't, like, text message her, or sit on her balcony and tell her bad jokes, or share our problems with each other, or just lie back and watch the stars with her. I really wish I could... but she kind of keeps those doors and windows closed. And I understand why, don't get me wrong! But when I need to just be me with someone... you're who I keep coming back to."

"Chat Noir, you're going to make me cry and I'm going to hit you if I do," Marinette sniffled, with a warm smile. "You're sweet as sugar when you want to be."

"And you're the one who can put up with me when I don't," he grinned back.

"You know it, silly Kitty. C'mere," she gestured, calling him over for a hug. "I'm fine, I promise. And you're so much more important to me than you know."

And maybe I need to work on opening up a little more as Ladybug with you, she thought. I guard my secret identity pretty tightly, but I didn't realize you felt quite that neglected...

She enjoyed the warm embrace for a moment, then said, "Thank you so much for checking on me, Chat... Now, scat, before my mother comes up here and finds a strange boy in my room and has a heart attack."

"Oh, nonsense," Chat parried. "I'll just curl up in a ball by your feet. You can tell your mother you found a stray kitten, she'll understand..."

"Out, you!" grinned Marinette, pointing to the balcony hatch. "But come back soon."

On his way home, Chat Noir pondered his next move, landing on a side street to catch his breath and do some thinking. I'm a little alarmed that Ladybug never showed in that fight today, he thought. It's not like that's never happened before, but she's usually so reliable. I hope nothing's wrong...

"Excuse me," said a calm voice behind him. "Could you help an old man cross the road safely?"

Chat whirled around to see Master Fu's grinning face. "How do you DO that?" asked a startled Chat.

"Do what?" asked Master Fu. He ignored Chat's glare and continued. "I need to speak with you, urgently, but not here. Can you remember this address?" he added, handing Chat a business card for his therapy studio.

"I... sure, I know where this is. I've passed by it dozens of times. I was even quite near there today. I wasn't sure if it was one of... those kinds of massage parlors," Chat stammered, getting a dirty look in return.

"How do you even know what those are? You're fourteen! ...Never mind. Come, as soon as you can... as yourself. Costumes would draw too much attention there."

Master Fu took his card back, smiled, and turned to leave.

"You're not crossing the road?" asked Chat.

"Nah," he chuckled. "I'm no chicken."

Once alone, Chat Noir powered down. "Plagg... what do you make of that?"

The Kwami's eyes were wide. "Master Fu didn't even want you to know he EXISTED for a long time... then, he came to your house to meet you. For him to just hand you his home address like this..." He shuddered. "Whatever this is about... is BIG."

A short while later, Adrien entered the herbalist's studio cautiously, relaxing slightly when he saw Master Fu waiting for him. "Hello, Chat Noir," the old man said.

"Hello, Master. Is this where...?" he asked, examining his surroundings.

Plagg flew out of Adrien's pocket quickly, flying around the studio with curiosity until he found Wayzz in the back room. "Hey! So this is where you've been hiding out..." Adrien heard his Kwami exclaim.

"It is my home. This place is where many secrets of the Guardians are kept hidden. I did not keep you away from here for lack of trust... rather, because the fewer people who know of this and its location, the better," explained Master Fu. "Hawkmoth must never know of me or this place. But we are well past that now."

"This must be quite serious, then," deduced Adrien. "What's the situation?"

"Ladybug's Kwami has been injured. I am helping her recover, but for now Ladybug cannot transform or assist you," frowned Master Fu.

"IS SHE OKAY? Was it the villain that attacked my class, that hurt my friend Marinette?" Adrien burst out.

"Ladybug is shaken up, but she will be fine. This was in a... separate incident from your classmate. But I now have a responsibility for you, one that you must take most seriously." He beckoned Adrien into the back room, where Adrien watched him press buttons on his phonograph and reveal its inner secret.

Adrien's eyes widened as the Miraculous jewelry box opened fully, revealing ancient talismans of power.

"As you can see... there are many untapped sources of power. Yours and Ladybug's," pointing to the yin-yang at its center, "are the oldest and most crucial to the balance. But in times of dire need, others may join in the fight."

Adrien thought for a moment. "Is this how Rena Rouge came about?"

"Precisely! You are clever, but I knew that. Ladybug chose a Miraculous and lent it to a trusted person, someone who would use it properly and wisely. Someone who would respect its power. Someone who could relinquish the power as easily as they'd accepted it, and would return it to Ladybug when the need had passed."

Master Fu turned and met Adrien's gaze. "A responsibility that is now yours! You will need assistance to defeat this foe. You may select a Miraculous and bestow it upon someone you trust... temporarily. You must choose that person carefully! Someone whose first thought is of helping others, not of themselves."

Adrien hesitated. Which one should I pick? He reached for the Fox miraculous briefly, then reconsidered. That one had an owner, even if it was an occasional one. He considered the Bee and the Turtle, looking at Master Fu for guidance; Fu's face gave away nothing.

Finally, he reached for a dark purple Miraculous from one of the side drawers. "This one just feels... right."

"An interesting choice. But not a bad choice, and I can see why it would appeal to you." The old man smiled. "Do you have a specific person in mind?"

Adrien didn't hesitate at all. "I do."

"Then I have one more thing for you." He opened a drawer in a nearby cabinet, rummaged for a minute, and emerged with a glass container with some intricate Chinese characters engraved on it.

"This," Fu said, handing it to Adrien carefully, "can hold an Akuma, once freed... for perhaps an hour. Maybe less, depending on its power. You will need this to capture the Akuma without Ladybug - and once you have it, you must bring it here immediately."

"How do I get close enough to use it?" Adrien asked.

"That is exactly why this container is a last resort. You will need all of your agility, your cleverness... and probably more than a little luck," Fu smiled. "But be careful with it! I only have one. Keep it somewhere very safe until you know you will need it."

Adrien turned to leave, only to be stopped by the old man. "One more word, young hero. The closer a Miraculous is to the center... the more stable it is. Yours is among the most pure, with the least effects on its holder. The outer twelve, from which you chose today... that was not a bad choice, I assure you! But keep in mind that its Kwami may exert more influence over the transformed personality. Choose someone who is strong and whose mind is keen, who can remain in control and in balance."

"I... understand, Master Fu. I will think hard, and be careful," Adrien assured him.

"I know you will."

As he left, Adrien thought again about whom he should recruit. Someone brave. Someone smart. Someone who thinks of others before themselves. Someone whom I can trust completely, who'll have my back, and I'll have theirs. Someone strong enough of will to use it properly and not be overwhelmed.

It's obvious, isn't it?

That evening, Marinette was out on her balcony getting some air when Chat Noir returned. "Hi, Kitty!" she called to him. "Two visits in one day? This is a surprise."

"Yeah, um..." Chat seemed a bit nervous. "There's something I need to ask you, Marinette, but... before I do that, how are you feeling?"

"Pretty normal, I guess," she replied. "Like I said earlier, whatever was affecting me seems to be wearing off quickly. I can focus on things again. What's on your mind?"

"I have a big problem," Chat said, "and I need someone's help to fix it. I got word from my... benefactor, I guess I could put it... that Ladybug has been injured."

"No!" Marinette immediately gave him her full attention. "What happened, Chat? What did he tell you?"

"We're not fully sure. There's a spirit that's part of each Miraculous, and gives it its power. A villain's attack hurt Ladybug's spirit, and from what I'm told, her normal self can't change to Ladybug right now."

"THAT's not good," she said. "Is there anything you can do to help her?"

"Marinette, there is one thing I can do... that WE can do... but I have to be sure that you understand what you would be committing to." He reached into his belt pouch and pulled out a small black box, then knelt down in front of her.

She recognized the box design immediately, since one just like it had changed her entire life not long ago. "IS THAT A..."

"...a what?"

A something that he wouldn't know that Marinette had ever seen before, that's what!

"CHAT NOIR!" she stammered quickly to cover for that. "I know we mean a lot to each other, but don't you think we're way too young to think about marriage?"

Chat realized what his kneeling-with-a-jewelry-box looked like and leaped up immediately, thoroughly embarassed. "TOTALLY not that. But this is something almost as meaningful," he smiled, handing it to her slowly, with a very red face.

Marinette opened the box, cautiously. She saw a golden tiger claw on a background of dark purple, resting on a thin gold chain. The workmanship was exquisite, yet something told her that this was meant more for function than for style.

"Do you know what a Miraculous is?" Chat asked, gently.

"I think so. This is the... magic jewelry that gives you your cat powers?" she asked, holding it up in the light.

"Well, it's not my Miraculous; I'm using mine right now. Tonight, if you want it to be... this one is for you."

"What?" she gasped.

"Ladybug is in terrible trouble," Chat said, evenly. "I need a partner tonight to help bring her back. I won't lie to you, Marinette; this could be very dangerous, so I'll understand completely if you say no. But you're the one person I thought of who could do this, who I would want by my side."

Marinette was stunned. "You have seen how clumsy I am, right? You're asking a bull to rescue Ladybug from a china shop."

"I know exactly who and what you are, Marinette. You're smart, you're creative, you're compassionate. You're brave, whether you admit it or not. You're always thinking of others first. You're the most trustworthy person I know. I will help you learn how to use it, if you accept it; I think you'll be a natural. And I also think you could use a little payback on Psiphon, after what she did to you!"

Chat looked her in the eye, intently. "But the choice is completely up to you. And if you're not up for it, for any reason, I'll understand."

Inside, Marinette wanted to cry. Two million people in Paris... And I'm the one Chat trusts the most.

She made a decision, took out the necklace, and put it around her neck.

It shimmered, and a small purple-and-orange being popped into existence in front of her. Marinette jumped back slightly, as if she'd never seen a Kwami before, for Chat's benefit.

"Greetings! I am Feliss. It is good to meet you, friend of Tikki," purred the tiny creature, with half-closed eyes and a sly smile. Its features were catlike, but in more of a jungle-cat shape than Plagg's simple black form.

Marinette considered the new Kwami carefully. It - she, to be proper - seemed friendly, but also seemed to size up everything she looked at with each glance, weighing its worth. Her voice was smooth and measured, like a velvet glove with an iron claw beneath. I find you pleasing... I'll eat you last was the vibe that Marinette felt; definitely worth staying on this one's good side...

"Friend of what, now?" Chat asked, puzzled.

"That's... a long story," mumbled Marinette. "I'm happy to meet you, Feliss. What do I need to know about you?"

"Each Miraculous will enhance your strength, your speed, your resistance to injury. It has a hidden power that you may invoke, after which you will soon return to normal. But you already know all of this, young lady, do you not?" Feliss drawled, watching both her and Chat's faces.

"Of... course I do," replied Marinette, carefully. "I have a Miraculous user right next to me, a good friend of mine. He's told me much about how they work."

"Mmm-hmm!" grinned Feliss. "Naturally, that is what I meant."

Marinette had a sensation that she'd just been tested, and had passed it. She had another feeling that it would not be the last test.

"Ladybug has her yo-yo, Chat Noir his baton. Does... La Tigresse have her own tool of choice?" asked Marinette.

"Indeed!" the Kwami answered. "A tiger's paw can be softer than silk... or sharper than steel. When you extend your claws fully, you'll find that they can pierce and rend... anything."

Chat Noir held his own clawed hand up and flexed his fingers idly, as if to suggest, Hey, we already have that.

Feliss grinned at him. "Do not feel inferior, little kitten. Your claws are... adequate, too. And sharp as mine are, they cannot match your Cataclysm for pure destructive power."

"Hmmph," Chat grunted.

"And the hidden power of the tiger?" continued Marinette. "What is that?"

"A roar to shake the heavens," said Feliss, proudly. "The likes of which no living mortal has ever heard." She flew in close, looking into Marinette's eyes, closely. "Is this power... something you desire, Marinette?"

"One more question, first... Does this Miraculous have any power to purify an Akuma?" Marinette asked, pointedly. "That's what Ladybug always did, right?"

"It does not," Feliss admitted. "Only the Ladybug does that. You will need wit and skill to neutralize your foe and enable the Ladybug to be restored. And, I suspect, equal wit to juggle your roles after that."

Too true, thought Marinette. But one step at a time.

"To accept my power... tell me, young lady. Do you know your William Blake, concerning tigers?"

Marinette grinned. "Actually, I think I do." She looked at Chat and added, "What? SOME of us paid attention in literature class."

Chat stuck his tongue out at her in return.

Marinette closed her eyes and gathered her thoughts. I hope I'm ready for this...

"Feliss... BURN BRIGHT!" she called.

"Oh, I like this oneeeeeeeee..." she heard Feliss say, as the transformation took her.

Marinette felt the difference immediately. Where Tikki's transformation was a gentle warmth, a beckoning glow, this power was a pulsing beat. A seductive whisper. Come, little one, it hissed. Let us show the night what you and I are made of. Let us show evil what it ought to fear.

Her clothes were replaced by a sleek bodysuit with sleeves and leggings, dark colored at its base, with deep orange stripes. Her face became darker and shadowy. Her hands and feet slipped into clawed gloves and boots, with the tiniest tips of unimaginably sharp claws poking out, little dots waiting to extend and become something far deadlier. Dark cat ears appeared in her hair, and a tail much like Chat's wound around her waist and flowed behind her. She felt a strange urge to roar at the top of her lungs.

The overall effect was attractive, perhaps cute from some angles, but with an unsettling undercurrent of menace. Go ahead. Come closer, if you dare, it beckoned. See what that gets you. Your reward may be great... if you survive.

Chat looked on in undisguised awe. La Tigresse smiled back, with a bright gleam in her eyes that hadn't been in Marinette's.

"So, my dear black cat... you've found your kitten," she grinned. "Shall we begin?"

Next time:

* Chat teaches Marinette what it means to have the power of a Miraculous.

* Marinette does her best to pretend that she didn't already know all about it.

* Psiphon tries to make sense of what she's absorbed... and plays hit-and-run to try to get more.

* "Are you... all right, Marinette?" "Never better... why do you ask?" "Um..."