"If you feed that fish one more time, you're going to kill her," Plagg's voice sounded from the other room and Tikki paused, her hand hovering over the bowl. Bender looked up at her with wide eyes, staring directly at the food still clasped between her fingertips with a look of longing.

"She's still hungry," Tikki protested but heard Plagg scoff.

"This is the third time you've fed her today. Just because you're anxious doesn't mean you get to overfeed the fish."

"Bender doesn't appreciate the way you're speaking for her. She is a grown fish and can decide for herself if she wants more food."

"Tikki, for the last time, Bender is not Ariel."

"Don't tread on my baby's dreams," Tikki gasped. "Besides, she's more of a Belle," she huffed, but then dropped two pellets in Bender's tank with a conspiratorial wink and whispered. "You can be anything you want to be."

"You're ridiculous," Plagg said, now leaning on the wall just behind her. Tikki spun slowly to look at him, used to his stealth.

"I'm nurturing," she shot back and watched as Plagg seemed to realize something.

"Is this about Mari?"

"No," she responded, but knew Plagg heard yes, even if she couldn't make herself say it out loud. Of course this was about Marinette. Here she was feeding her fish, while her mentee was at the mercy of some psychopath. But there was nothing she could do about it. Nothing that would help, at least. She knew that. She'd seen it.

All of yesterday she paced, making up her mind a million different times as to what to do, and none of them changed the ending. There was nothing she could do. It had to be Adrien.

That didn't mean she had to okay with the idea, or that she even had to be calm. Which was good, because Tikki was neither.

Then she looked at Plagg, impossibly serene as ever. Adrien wasn't exactly in a safer place right now and yet here he was, bickering with her like always and taking her away from reality, if only for a moment. He hadn't told her much, but she knew Plagg had been there right before Adrien had talked with his father. Knowing Plagg, he probably found a window to perch on and eavesdrop. Whatever happened, though, he wasn't talking. She know he had to be in a similar shape, but also knew enough to wait for him to come to her. He always did in his own time.

"Why don't you go fly?" Plagg suggested softly. "It usually makes you feel a little calmer."

Tikki sighed, but nodded. It was a good idea, not that she would say that. He already knew it anyway.

Kissing his cheek, she transformed and was out the open window and zooming over the city a moment later. She was basking in the night air, eyes closed against the wind, when something inside of her told her to look down. Knowing well enough by now that nothing good comes from ignoring these feelings, Tikki grumbled a bit but forced her eyes open and her gaze away from the horizon. What she saw made her do a double take, her wings shooting straight up in an attempt to slow her pace.

The girl was in an abandoned park walking the circuit around the rectangular space with a determination that was either admirable or frightening, Tikki wasn't sure. Still, the tension in her shoulders was evident even from a distance and Tikki couldn't leave her in what was obviously an emotional state. With a sigh, she started her descent, careful to hover a few feet behind the girl and look around before shifting. The second her feet landed on the gravel, minute as the sound might be, Alya whipped around, her posture clearly on high alert. Tikki saw as her eyes lit up in recognition, but the girl's guard did not drop.

"Tikki, right? You're Mar-" she took a moment to clear her throat. "You're Mari's person."

It wasn't a question so much as a statement and Tikki watched as the girl stumbled over her friend's name. Confusion warred with hurt in Alya's eyes and Tikki could only imagine what it would be like to feel so close to someone, only to find out there was a whole other part of them you were never privy to. Like they were leading a double life. Add to that, Marinette had been kidnapped, so Alya couldn't even be mad at her without feeling guilty.

"Mind if I walk with you?" Tikki hedged, wanting to talk with her but not comfortable with the boring weight of her gaze. After a moment, Alya nodded, and they started to stroll at a decidedly less rushed pace.

Tikki kept glancing out of the corner of her eye, regarding the girl and trying to get a read on her. This was Marinette's best friend, someone her mentee had talked about fondly on numerous occasions, yet Tikki struggled to find their similarities. Where Marinette wore her heart on her sleeve, Alya was a blank page. Her face was as fierce as Marinette's appeared innocent. Her gait as decided as Marinette's was clumsy. Still, Tikki could see the fear in Alya's eyes, a fear the echoed her own, and she knew that the girl loved Marinette just as much as she did. That she was just as much her family.

They must have walked three laps before Tikki decided to speak.

"She's told me a lot about you," Tikki began and Alya snorted.

"Can't exactly say the same," the girl quipped back, but looked over with a sad smile. There was no anger in her eyes. She was hurt, yes, but mostly, she was afraid.

"She wanted to tell you."

"I'm sure she did. Mari has never been that great at keeping secrets," Alya sighed. "I know it wasn't a matter of trusting me, she couldn't tell me for my own safety, but still. Thinking about all the times she must have been on the verge of being found out, feeling so alone…" Alya shook her head, turning away from Tikki to wipe at an errant tear. "I just wish I could have been there for her."

"You were," Tikki assured her. "Every Time Marinette had a new development in her powers, or learned something new about the métamorphes that was sure to overwhelm her, she went back to you. She went back to her family and was reminded that nothing had changed. That no matter how crazy her life seemed, she had a stable core that would love her and support her no matter what." Tikki stopped for a moment, waiting until Alya faced her. "Although she couldn't tell you, Marinette didn't doubt for a minute whether you were trustworthy enough to keep her secret. She knew it'd be safe with you."

Alya blinked at Tikki, her eyes narrowing slightly in disbelief.

"You think so?"

"I know so," Tikki confirmed. "She tried to convince me to bend the rules, sure that you'd never tell a soul, but I couldn't. It would have put both of you in unnecessary danger. At least this way, one of you could have plausible deniability."

Alya nodded, resuming her walk, smiling back at Tikki.

"I guess it's not a problem anymore."

"No?" Tikki replied cautiously, quickening to match the taller girl's stride. "Does that mean you've accepted Fu's offer?"

"Well," Alya hesitated. "I met with Trixx…"

She trailed off and Tikki tried not to cringe at the girl's tone. It clearly had not gone well and Tikki doubted Trixx had offered up any explanation.

"Let me guess, she was a little hot and cold," Tikki quirked an eyebrow and Alya nodded.

"Yeah," Alya admitted. "Trixx seems nice enough, and although I can tell that training me wouldn't be her first choice, it seems to be rooted in some past experience and not a general dislike towards me. I can work with that," Alya spoke with such surety in her observation that Tikki was shocked. She didn't know how Fu made his choices, but this girl was perfect for Trixx.

As much as she had loved Trixx's last mentee, and as sorry as she was that Karina had not met a kinder end, Alya was just as, if not more, cut out to be a protector. Tikki could tell that Alya's clever wit and keen eye was just the tip of the iceberg.

"Trixx is," she began, choosing her words carefully. "Trixx is older than most of us."

"What does that mean?" Alya looked at her studiously and Tikki tried to contrive an abridged version of the protectory history. It should really be Trixx having this talk with Alya, but someone needed to tell the girl Trixx's story. At least the part that was Tikki's to tell as well.

"There have only been three generations of protectors: the originals, my group, and the current group that is currently only Marinette and Adrien. Each time, a protector is given a mentee to train and pass on the knowledge of protection what makes us métamorphes."

"Okay," Alya intoned. "So, Trixx was the first chosen of your group so she's the oldest?"

"No, she's the youngest of the original group," Tikki supplied and watched as Alya furrowed her brow.

"But I thought you said…"

"Trixx's mentee was taken," Tikki finally blurted out and watched as Alya's face quickly morphed from shock to understanding.

"Taken?"

"Died," Tikki clarified. "For all intents and purposes, at least. We never found her or heard from her again."

"And Trixx never took another mentee," Alya finished and Tikki shook her head.

"Until Fu chose you."

"Makes sense," Alya pursed her lips. "It didn't seem personal."

"It's not," Tikki assured her. "And if this is something you truly want, Trixx is a marvelous teacher...you just have to give her time."

Alya nodded again, looking forward and biting her lip in a rare nervous gesture. Tikki gave her a few moments before speaking.

"Is that the only thing stopping you?"

"No."

"Then, what's your hesitation?"

"It's Mari," Alya admitted. "The rest of the world may be blind to it, but you must know her as well as I do, and I've never met a more determined or resilient person. She bounces back every time, smart enough to see something for what it is and ingenious enough to work her way out of any jam." Alya shook her head, her eyes lost in a reminiscence. "I was chasing down a story once and accidentally led us into a less-than-safe part of town, and I kid you not, Marinette talked us out of a mugging. Literally! She just babbled on and on to the mugger, somehow convincing him that we really weren't worth the trouble," Alya laughed joyously, her eyes sparkling as she turned to look at Tikki. "I don't even know what she said. I don't know if she knows what she said, but we ran out of there, bursting into panic-induced giggles as soon as we were safely away on the metro."

"That sounds like her," Tikki gazed ahead of them, easily imagining Marinette doing just that.

"It does," Alya agreed. "But most people don't recognize that part of her. They don't see her. But I do. We do. And knowing all that she is...how smart and careful she is, and she still was captured? Well…"

"It's enough to give anyone pause," Tikki understood.

"And I think I want this...It feels like I want this...And I know if I did, I could help Mari-"

"Don't make it for that reason," Tikki interjected. "It needs to be personal and not rushed because of the circumstances. You can help in other ways, and Marinette-"

"Wouldn't want that," Alya finished with a smirk. "I know. Still...being able to help people in general? I'm a metamorphe, there's no avoiding that, but being chosen as worthy to protect our kind? Well, it's hard to say no to."

"You don't have to make a decision right now," Tikki started to remind her, but felt her vision shift as something solidified within Alya. She turned back to look at the girl. "Although it seems you already have."

"Damn, that was freaky," Alya looked up at her in awe and Tikki saw the fading glow of her eyes reflected off the girl's face. "I mean I saw it a Fu's, but that was seriously amazing."

"That's one word for it," Tikki muttered but when she looked back at Alya, the girl was pensive.

"Have you seen her?" She asked, hesitant as if she was dreading the answer either way.

"Yes," Tikki admitted, not wanting to elaborate. Alya apparently needed nothing more, reading her eyes perfectly, her own expression hardening into a mask of determination.

"What's the plan, then?"

"The plan?" The question took Tikki a bit off-guard, but she answered. "Well, Adrien's going undercover to get closer to her and hopefully feed us some information-"

"And in the meantime? Didn't you all say you had someone on the inside?"

"Yeah, Wayzz-"

Alya nodded, taking out her phone and taking notes.

"Okay, and what about this Hawkmoth? I know he went around absorbing other métamorphe powers, but do we know what his deal is? How many powers he's stolen? Any idea what he can do?"

"No, not reall-"

"Okay, and the army? Are they all just mindless sycophants or are there some being forced against their will?"

"I don't actually know-"

"Because he's the head of the MRA," Alya continued, looking up as an idea popped into her head. "So in addition to the people he forces to activate, it would be simple for him to find the métamorphes they apprehended and instead of sending them away for readjusting, just add them to his forces. Perhaps even act like he was saving them. Maybe the ones he activates are the same way! He creates them and swoops in as the hero, before Fu even knows they exist. And if he had some variation of mind control power, or anything that he could use to wield his influence..."

"Oh my god, you're right," Tikki finally got a full sentence in, the weight of Alya's analysis laying heavily on her. She'd been so concerned-and rightfully so-with Marinette that she hadn't stopped to consider the implication of learning Hawkmoth's true identity. Were there other people who needed saving as much as Marinette? They knew about the métamorphes taken by the MRA, but with Hawkmoth's power to unearth the métamorphe gene unnaturally, there was no telling how many were activated that Fu never even sensed coming. How powerful was this man? Was that why Wayzz really dropped off the radar?

"Well," Alya stashed away her phone with its notes and leaned over to give a dumbfounded Tikki a brief hug. "If our girl is going to need some help, I better get to work," Alya lifted her hand and with a brief wave to Tikki, turned around and strode away, as if going to find Trixx that instant. It was impossible, but for some reason, especially after that boggling display, Tikki didn't doubt that Alya would manage to pull it off.

Shifting, she flew back into the night sky and home, still fearing for her vision that refused to change, but more at peace knowing Marinette had people watching her back, and they wouldn't go down without a fight.