Guest Reviews;

bananajoe; Poor, poor Aspik. Ah, yes, the reveal. XD The infinite wall between the duo.

(:)

Can You See Me?

– Krista Siegfrids

Marinette buried her face into her pillow, diving into the sheets with a light groan. Wayzz and Tikki alit upon her head, nestling themselves into her pigtails. She tilted her head slightly to regard the throw pillow on her chaise that she had stuffed the Miracle Box into. Just the sight of the pink fabric made her stomach churn, and she rapidly turned her attention away once again.

"It's okay." Wayzz comforted, nuzzling the back of her head. "Everything's okay. You don't have to bother with the Miraculous until you're ready. You're okay."

"But I need to! It's my responsibility!" Marinette whined, shaking her head. "I need to handle it; Master Fu trusted me, and I can't fail him."

"That is noble of you, but there's really nothing wrong with taking a break or sometimes to recuperate." Wayzz said, tilting his head. "Nobody will blame you."

"Mullo will." The teenager remorsefully whimpered, tilting her head towards the wall occupied with a billboard. Her friends' faces stared back, faces gentle and happy. She missed not fighting with them. She missed them in general. She just wanted everything to go back to normal.

"No matter what you do," Tikki said sorrowfully, voice filled with regret, "there'll always be at least one person who doesn't like you or agree with you. In this situation…that's Mullo."

"All of the Kwamis adored Master Fu." Marinette pointed out, groaning, turning completely over so that she could face them both, sitting up straight and hugging her large cat-body pillow to her body.

Tikki and Wayzz exchanged a look, antennas seeming to droop; if they were mammals, surely their ears would be flopping instead.

"Well…not all of them." Tikki admitted, sticking out her tongue. "Plagg and Master Fu tended to…disagree on a lot of matters. Master Fu was too strict, I think, and Plagg needed to be active, but he was encased in the Miracle Box for over one and a half centuries, and he just got…frustrated. I have no doubt that the moment he was free he got a huge burst of energy and refused to stop for anything."

Marinette recalled Chat Noir complaining, long ago, about how when he first met Plagg, the Kwamis of Destruction had tried to eat everything and mess up everything in his room. It had made her laugh at the time and thinking about it again brought a tiny smile to her face.

"There's that smile I missed." Tikki cooed, rubbing her head against Marinette's cheek.

Marinette's smile wavered, cupping Tikki tightly. She noticed Wayzz hanging back uncertainly, and she gestured him to come closer so that she could squeeze him against her as well. He did so, hugging her back.

The blissful silence that followed was wonderful, filling Marinette's body with peace.

Of course, it wasn't completely silent, and she focused carefully on the little surrounding noises.

She could still hear the honking of cars outside, the traditional Chinese tunes her mother played in their family kitchen, the shouting of people parading through the streets, the caw of birds as they flew overhead, and the music blaring from cars as they zoomed past, radios turned on high.

Smells? Well, her house always had the aroma of fresh bread and cake, but she could also catch the whiff of her father's scented candles, and the disgusting odor of hot glue.

She took all these things in; memorized them, allowed the peace of just listening to the world about her drift into her soul and guide her.

"How're you feeling?" Tikki asked after several moments, looking up at her curiously.

"Good." Marinette said, finding it true. "I'm okay. I'm still furious at Chat Noir, but…" She clenched her hands shaking her head. "I can do better. I can do this." Her fingers twitched as she looked toward the throw pillow, taking a deep breath. "I'm going to open the Miracle Box. I don't need time to adjust." She climbed down off her loft bed and advancing over to her chaise. "I just need to forge through my grief and go forth, to work through it all, and…" her hands hovered over the throw pillow, sensing the power that radiated from within, so many Kwamis, all in one spot. Their different energies knocking against one another, pulsing, beating entangling with one another. Her arm shaking, and she felt the overcoming fear beat inside her heart, afraid of what would happen if she wasn't the best Guardian she could be; if she failed them, they could just blink, and all their powers together would smite her where she stood. No hesitation. Individually, she doubted they could do much, but all the Zodiac together – minus Sass and plus Trixx and Pollen – they could surely do the impossible.

And honestly, she was scared to face them again.

Tikki curled up on her shoulder, humming a lullaby quietly to Marinette. Song of the Sea, if Marinette was right.

"You don't have to right now." Wayzz repeated glancing at Marinette.

"I want to, though." Marinette insisted, trembling where she stood, shaking her head. "Want to be the best Guardian; I won't avoid them. Not this time. But I want to be ready to face them, so I don't….don't scare them again or lose control before them."

"You're a good woman." Wayzz said thoughtfully, smiling over at her. "And you'll make such a fine Guardian."

"Thank you, Wayzz." Marinette giggled gently, smiling down at him. "I think," Marinette looking at Tikki with determination. "I'm ready."

Her fingers pressed on the two black circles perched at the top of the egg-shaped box, opening all of the drawers in one swift motion, akin to how Master Fu had long ago; except his button was at the back of the box instead.

She picked out the Miraculous jewelry at random, two at a time, lying them all out across the floor, taking a deep breath as she waited for thirteen of the miniature Guardians of the universe to congregate with her two already physicalized masters of Creation and Protection.

Kwamis beamed into being, multiplying around the room until all that were within the black poka-dotted Miracle Box were secured in the mortal realm.

"Hi, everyone!" Marinette welcomed weakly, prepared to be responded to by a series of complaining.

Instead, all the Kwamis - even Mullo, who seemed to have calmed down during his 'time out' - chimed together in blissful harmony. "Greetings, Master!"

"Please." Marinette said, feeling tears begin to fight to reach her eyes, trying her best to force them down. Master was what they had dubbed Master Fu, but he had clearly earned it, she was just learning. A simple trainee. " Just call me Marinette. Until I've been the best Guardian I can be, I don't want to be called such a high title."

"A wise choice, indeed, Marinette, to forsake the title so early on." Longg agreed, a small smile pulling at his horned face, nodding wisely along with her assessment. "You will earn your – how do you say it nowadays? – stripes very nicely."

Orikko nodded, glancing around at the small gathering of Kwamis around her. "We're all here for you, Marinette!" She promised. "We'll help you do the best you can as best as we're able."

Xuppu nodded, with a slight little sniff. "Yeah, if you want to be an amazing Guardian, we're going to have to help you. It's the best way to learn, to have teachers, and to learn where other Guardians failed."

"I'll learn however I can." Marinette nodded, drawing herself as high up as she could, to her full height.

"Are you sure, Marinette?" Ziggy asked, worried. "It's a sorrowful road, that one of a fully-trained Guardian."

"Yes." Marinette nodded. "I have to be the best Guardian I can; and…I think I've went through enough grief to last a lifetime." She glared at the thought of Chat Noir's goofy smile, shaking her head. "I can become a good Guardian, with all your help."

Collectively, they all nodded, the faintest hint of a smile on Mullo's face

"Go Marinette!" Daizzi yelled. "We believe in you!"

Now, Marinette thought, staring at the gathering of magical entities, if only I believed in myself.