Plagg watched as Emma pounded the dough. Not long after Adrien had left, Emma dried her tears and then raided the kitchen cabinets. Finding flour and yeast, she had quickly gotten to work making a dough. Plagg assumed it would eventually turn into bread. He had watched Adrien's attempts at baking, and Emma appeared to be somewhat of an expert. The fact that she hadn't said a word, however, was starting to bother the black kwami.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked as she turned the dough and punched it again.

"I can't, Plagg," she said, falling into a rhythm with her kneading. "I can't tell you the future."

"True, but you could tell me how you're feeling." She paused for a moment and then began kneading again.

"I'm mad. Angry. There's something I should be doing, but I'm not and that makes me mad." She said and, although he didn't know the context, he could relate.

"I remember back when your parents didn't know who they were," he said. "I go so frustrated with your father, but I couldn't do anything about it. I had to sit there, watching Adrien ogling over Ladybug while Marinette was sitting right behind him ogling at him!"

"Not the same," she commented, "This is bigger than some teenage crush."

"I figured. But my point was that if you wait, things will change. You'll be able to do what you need to when the time is right."

"What I need is for mas…" she paused, and Plagg assumed that she almost let something slip, "I want to be able to get to work. But everyone says I'm not ready. That I have to wait."

"You are rather young for a job," Plagg commented. "How old are you...ten?" She slammed the dough and stared at him.

"I'm twelve. Almost thirteen. My parents were saving Paris on a daily basis when they were my age!"

Plagg looked at the rage in her eyes and suddenly he understood. She turned her gaze back to her dough and started pounding it with even more force.

"You want to be Cat Noir," he commented softly. "That's why you had to sneak out. You aren't supposed to use the miraculous."

"Nope. I'm not ready apparently." She said, confirming his assumption. "I have to 'awaken' before I can do anything. I'm useless until then."

Plagg could hear the disdain in her voice. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to quell his anger at whoever had put that idea in her head. If it had been anyone but her, he wouldn't have this knot in his chest. Ever since he had seen who she was, his emotions had been boiling over. Tikki had sternly told him not to lose his head. He had to protect Emma and letting her see who she was to him would place her firmly in danger's way.

"Emma," he said in the calmest tone he could manage. "I don't know what's going on, but I hear you. You aren't useless. Awake or not, it doesn't matter."

"Then why can't I go?" she cried. "Why can't I go and help?"

"I don't know," he said flatly. "Maybe in the future I do, but right now, I don't."

He opened her eyes and watched her as she scooped the dough into a bowl and covered with a tea towel. Her face told of the burning rage of fire down inside her. Plagg couldn't help but smile slightly.

She's close. He noted to himself as he felt her power wash over him. She's so close and she doesn't even know it.

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Tears stung at his eyes as he nuzzled her cheek.

"It's alright, don't cry," she said, her voice faint and distance. "You'll see me again."

Tikki reached out and grabbed his paw. Glancing over he could see the tears falling down her cheeks as well.

"Not soon enough, Sweet Pea," he choked. The woman smiled at him fondly.

"Don't cry," she repeated. "I will always be with you. You know that."

He did know, but she wouldn't be in this form. She wouldn't be in a form that he could communicate with. A form he could see and touch. She would be invisible until she was born into a new human form. Even then, she would have no memory of the time they had spent together. The woman closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. She motioned towards one of the monks standing nearby. He approached with a glass of water. She took a small sip and the monk retreated.

"It's time," she said, turning her head slightly to look at the unique box to her left. "They have promised me to protect this. To distribute the miraculous when the time is right."

"We will serve the wielders faithfully," Tikki said assured her. "Your work won't be in vain."

"It really is something, isn't it?" the woman said with a smile. "The kwami and humans working side by side. I wish I could stay long enough to see it."

"You will, kid," Plagg added. "When you're born again you'll get to see the miraculous in action. Maybe even you and I can work together. You'd make a great Cat Noir."

"No," she said, "You know I would be a Ladybug."

Tikki beamed at her, making Plagg rather jealous. It was true that Tikki would be the better partner for her, given her powers, but Plagg wouldn't give up that easily.

"Eh, I'll find a way," he said. "We'll be Cat Noir, just you wait and see."

The woman shuddered in pain and both he and Tikki drew close to her face. Her time was almost up and Plagg could feel her power draining.

"I love you. I love you both," she whispered.

"We love you too, sweetheart," Tikki said for the both of them.

"I'll see you soon...Maman...Papa…"