I apologize for the lack of update on Wednesday. Work was exhausting.

Chapter 36: In The Fullness of Time

Ladybug paced the roof, lost in thought. Chat Noir leaned against the wall and watched her, giving his opinion when asked.

"We shouldn't give her the miraculous until we absolutely need it," Ladybug decided.

"I'm confused," Chat Noir replied. "Doesn't she already have the miraculous?"

"No," Ladybug answered. "She inherited another casing for the miraculous, so that older her could use it to repair the miraculous which is currently in Fu's custody."

"Time travel's confusing," Chat Noir noted.

"Yeah, it is," Ladybug agreed. "That's why we don't want to use the rabbit miraculous unless it's absolutely necessary. But if we get to the point where it is necessary, we'll need someone who knows how to use it already - we don't want an adjustment period."

"We managed during our adjustment period," Chat Noir pointed out.

"Barely. You wasted a cataclysm and I forgot to cleanse the akuma."

"Besides, doesn't having a time-travel device mean you could just give yourself an adjustment period?" Chat Noir questioned.

Ladybug paused. "That's a good point. But what if something happens and we need her right then?"

"Again: time travel."

Ladybug sighed. "This is confusing. I guess there's a reason I'm not the rabbit. Maybe I should just talk to her."

"Whatever you think is best," Chat Noir replied. "She's probably home, this late at night."

"You're right," Ladybug said. "I'm going to go talk to her."

Ladybug had only been to Alix's place once or twice. Of her classmates, she lived farthest from the school, so even though her apartment was spacious, it was rarely used for class events.

It was two floors - the bottom had the living room, kitchen, and her dad's home office and bedroom. The second floor had her and Jalil's rooms with a small office for both of them - Jalil's was filled with conspiracy theory stuff, and Alix never let anyone into hers.

Ladybug could see Alix's bedroom was empty, so she knocked on the window to her office.

Alix pushed open the blackout curtains, eyes lighting up when she saw Ladybug. She pushed the window open.

"Ladybug! What are you doing here?"

"I think it's time to talk about your future," Ladybug said.

That sounds ominous.

"I mean, in a good way. Of course. Your brief time as Ibex proved you could make a wonderful hero."

Alix blushed, which wasn't something Ladybug had ever saw her do.

"I'd do anything for my friends," she said.

"I first chose to become Ladybug to protect my friends, too," Ladybug replied.

Alix's office was small. She had several cork boards that looked like something out of a mystery movie, with different articles printed out and hanging up. Three cork boards were covered with a black sheet. The others were filled with theories from major archaeologists, the Ladyblog, school project ideas, and a new-looking board on mythology. She had a desk shoved up next to the window, with her laptop, a desk lamp, and a Bluetooth speaker.

"So, about Bunnyx," Alix said, uncovering one of the cork boards to show a mess of articles about time travel theories, potential past miraculous holders, and a Ladyblog article about Timetagger. "I have a pretty good idea about how the powers work, and how best to implement them."

Ladybug's eyes widened. She has been taking this very seriously.

"You see, I was thinking about how Bunnyx's powers seemed Alice in Wonderland inspired, except I've traced appearances of similar heroes all the way back to Ancient China and Tibet. That got me thinking - maybe it's the other way around? Would Lewis Carroll have had a chance to run into a rabbit hero? Which led me to this series of articles, which I think was originally confined to this group of people called The Circle, about how the rabbit miraculous works. There was this artwork, let me see if I can find it, about what the burrow supposedly looks like, and - there it is!"

The picture Alix showed her looked a lot like what Ladybug remembered during her brief time in Bunnyx's burrow.

"That's really impressive."

So much for Alix needing an adjustment period.

Alix beamed. "Thank you. My old man has always stressed the importance of good research."

"You ever help the Ladyblogger out?" Ladybug asked. "She's in your class, right?"

If I can get her and Rena together, maybe they can piece together the missing information from the old guardians.

"I don't know, I don't think this should be out in the public," Alix replied.

"Oh, of course not," Ladybug agreed. "But she's gotten better at being able to tell when and when not to post something."

"Has she? Oh, I was going to ask you something else! Do you recommend a self-defense class or something, you know, for training?"

"As I'm sure you remember from your time as Ibex, the miraculous will give you a physical boost," Ladybug said. "A little self defense training wouldn't hurt, but don't stress too much over it. Plus, your skating also gives you an edge."

"Cool," Alix replied. "My friends and I are going to a self-defense seminar."

"Small stuff like that will make a difference," Ladybug said.

"So, do you know when I'll be getting my miraculous?" Alix questioned.

"When we need you," Ladybug said.

Alix deflated.

Ladybug's eyes fell back on the covered cork boards. She moved to one, curious but willing to drop it if Alix asked her too.

"What are these-"

"Not important!" Alix practically jumped in front of Ladybug. The movement caused the black fabric to flicker upwards, partially revealing a photo of Chat Noir.

"Are you - are these theories about our identities?"

"No! Maybe? They're just theories, I haven't told anyone."

Ladybug glanced at the other cork board, wondering. "Can I see the ones about me? Just to see?"

"Um, sure."

Alix moved over to the other cork board, and very slowly removed the fabric.

And revealed something much more than a theory.

"How - What makes you think - what -?"

"So I'm right?" Alix questioned. "You're really Marinette?"

Luka would never complain about it to Marinette, but he missed Sass.

He hadn't been used to having someone to talk with, either about superheroing or just regular life. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy talking to Marinette, especially now that he knew she was Ladybug and she knew he knew, but Marinette was always super stressed and he felt bad talking about his own problems. His mom was not the best listener, and while Luka had friends his age, they weren't very close.

Sass had been an amazing listener. With him, Luka didn't feel guilty talking about himself. It had been a nice change.

That day had been horrible, with Luka's guitar string breaking, and then his headphones breaking, and accidentally running into someone one his bike (it was in no way his fault, but that didn't help the guilt). Once he got home, Luka would probably have to finish his chores - well, they weren't really his chores, except that he was the only one who ever thought to do them - and he was not in the mood for that.

The first time he had complained to Sass, Luka had expected a response like "a hero does what's necessary" or even being called out for complaining. But Sass had agreed that it wasn't fair, and had let Luka complain as much as he wanted (which wasn't much, but it was nice to get a little off his chest anyways). But now, Luka would just have to do the work silently, as usual.

Luka reached the Liberty, and was caught completely off guard by the presence of another person standing at the entrance to the ship.

The stranger looked about Luka's age, maybe a year or two older. He had bright blonde hair, near-perfectly clear tan skin, and expensive looking sunglasses - he looked rich.

"Hello," he greeted.

"Uh, hi. Who are you?"

"Just someone checking in on family." He pushed his sunglasses up, revealing bright blue eyes.

Luka briefly thought the other person might be a long lost sibling - but no, that wouldn't work. Maybe after the divorce, but not before. Cousin, then?

"Okay," Luka said. "Are you looking for Anarka?"

"I'm looking for you," the stranger replied. "I already talked with your mom. Well, I tried, at least. She didn't exactly want to see me."

Luka raised an eyebrow. "And who are you, again?"

"I'm your grandfather. You can call me Lester."

"You don't look old enough-"

"I'm a lot older than I look." His eyes flashed gold, and he grinned at Luka's shocked reaction.

"Magic?" Luka guessed.

"You could say that," Lester replied. "I am a god, after all."

"A god named Lester?"

"I'm incognito," Lester explained. "We're not really supposed to interfere, but I made a promise and I intend to keep it."

"O - okay."

It would seem a little hard to believe, if it wasn't for the fact that Luka sometimes became a superhero, and that Sass had already mentioned magical heritage, and - well, everything that had happened in Paris recently.

Why not?

"You seem a little put out today," Lester said.

"Crappy day," Luka replied. He adjusted his backpack strap.

"Not much I can do about that," Lester said. "I've been told I'm a horrible listener too."

"So is there a reason you're here?" Luka questioned.

"Just thought you should know I exist, and I'm rooting for you," Lester replied. "And maybe one day, I will be able to do more than fix a guitar."

And with that, he walked away.

Marinette collapsed on her bed, head still spinning.

What just happened?

Tikki remained silent, leaving Marinette to her thoughts.

What were her thoughts?

Her identity had been revealed, not through her detransforming but through sheer observation. That should scare her, except.

Except Alix's explanation was super detailed, going into minor details Marinette didn't even think Alya or her parents were aware of. Alix had explained she had hyper-focused on it, after the textbook incident, and that she hadn't wanted to, but she just couldn't let the thread go.

Alix's focus was a force to be reckoned with.

It was entirely fair to say no one else could draw the same conclusions. Not many people spent that much time around Marinette, after all.

There was also the fact that Alix knew, had known, for what seemed like forever. And she hadn't acted on it - of course not, it was just a theory, and Alix and Marinette were good friends but they weren't super close. Marinette wouldn't have gone to Alix the way she had been with Luka.

So, did it even matter?

Imagine how powerful she'll be as Bunnyx. Alix could connect dots others didn't know existed. Her time as Ibex showed she could come up with a plan - she was the one who ended up deciding where the portal should go, and it worked perfectly. And she understood time travel.

She was an ace up Marinette's sleeve. Alix and Ivan both were.

And Marinette was beginning to form a plan to beat Hawkmoth.

I was surprised at how hard the scene with Lester/Apollo was to write. I wanted it to be longer, but that just didn't happen. I guess I'll put that off until later.