Author's note: Happy 2017, you guys. I want to thank for the favs, follows, and your wonderful feedback for this story. I'm back at school now, so you know what that means, but I'll try to post as soon as I can. Right now, the teachers are going easy on us because we're still in holiday la la land. This is more of a filler chapter, but I promise the next one is when shit is about to go down. LOL.

Enjoy my pretties!

Disclaimer: Don't own Miraculous Ladybug, if I did, well, I would have a pet cat kwami named Plagg.

Chapter 5:

The other Ladybug brought me into her luxurious bedroom. There was a crystal chandelier that brightened the whole room up, with wooden bookshelves filled with various brands of books, and a very pink canopy bed.

She motioned me to sit down on her bed and I complied without a hint of hesitation. I fiddled with my hands as she stood observing me.

Did I have something on my face or something in my hair? The way she kept gazing at me was quite uncomfortable.

Finally, she broke off her calculating stare.

"I guess I better get this over with," She said while mumbling to herself

Huh?

Before I could even blink, she swiftly took off her mask and this time I was the one gawking at her like an idiot.

No way!

"Tikki?!" I exclaimed in complete shock.

Tikki gave me a weak wave.

"Surprise," She said meekly like a mouse.

I was a complete mess. I kept stuttering out questions towards her that didn't even make sense for me to comprehend. Here I thought my stuttering towards Adrien was bad, no, this one takes the cake.

Tikki put her hand over my mouth to silicene me and she looked at me reassuringly.

"I know that you are confuse, but in time I'll explain everything bit by bit. However, I need you to explain a few things to me as well. Like how in the world did you become a criminal and why are you working with the Akuma Mafia?"

I gently put her hand away from my mouth. "I'm not a criminal, Tikki, the newspapers portrayed me as such. Also, you know how financially my family's bakery business is in, and this is my only chance to come up with the money to save it." Tikki looked at me sadly as she reflected my words.

"Sweetie, you're doing no good deeds to our society," Tikki stated.

"Yes, I know, but I have good intentions for doing those immoral deeds to our society. Also, aren't you being a bit of a hypocrite, Tikki? " I confirmed strongly.

She sighed as I called out on her martyr bullshit.

"And besides, I'm only working for him until late February or early March, once my family is financially stabled," I said with an afterthought.

"He might let you off the hook, but once you're in, you can never go back. Trust me on this one, Marinette. I did try to not work for him anymore, but I'm back where I started," Tikki put her hands in the air in exasperation.

I knew that I was risking a lot, but it was too late for me to back out now. I told her this and Tikki shook her head.

"You haven't really done anything for him yet, it's not too late for you to redeem yourself," Tikki said desperately.

"Didn't you read the paper? I stole that red dress, so I am currently a wanted criminal now," I said sarcastically as I made my way to the door.

"Marinette," She called to me pleadingly.

Tikki came over to me and handed me her ladybug earrings.

"Promise me that you will always wear them when you're Ladybug," Tikki said as she looked me dead in the eye.

"What are they, exactly?" I asked her perplexed as I put them on.

She gave me a smile with a hint of twinkle in her violet eyes.

One day, I'm going to ask her about where she got those cool, color contacts from.

"Think of them as a Jiminy Cricket when you find yourself in a sticky predicament. And it's up to you if you are willing to to listen..."

XOX

I never quite knew what Tikki meant about the whole Jiminy Cricket thing. However, once that Saturday came around, let's just say that I should have listened to that little voice inside my earrings.

~Thoughts and Thanks for reading~