Knock, knock, knock.

"You may enter," an elderly yet energetic voice announced from inside the closed door.

Marinette took a long breath, then drew herself up and pushed open the door. As soon as it clicked into place behind her, Tikki zoomed out of her little bag, and Wayzz flew out from behind Master Fu. He looked back and forth between the two holders nervously, but didn't say anything; she knew the turtle kwami was uneasy, since she technically wasn't supposed to be there, but she had to. She couldn't bear this pain anymore. She couldn't bear being alone anymore. And living in the world she did, there had to be a way to bring him back.

"Master," she began hesitantly, sinking down to her knees on the floor in front of him, "you know what happened to—"

"Yes," he replied solemnly. "Wayzz sensed a strong disturbance in the Black Cat kwami and miraculous."

"'Strong disturbance'?" she echoed, a little confused. "I had to break his ring. He's gone."

Master Fu tilted his head slightly. "Not gone," he answered slowly. "Breaking a miraculous does not necessarily destroy its kwami and holder."

Marinette felt her heart flip in sudden shock. "Wait, wait, wait . . ." she blurted out, "you mean that Chat Noir is . . ."

He smiled. ". . . Alive," he finished for her, and everything in her froze solid, paralyzed by excitement.

She could only sit speechlessly as he continued, "According to Wayzz, the holder detransformed completely before the miraculous was broken. Remember when I told you about before the miraculouses were created? The kwamis existed first, roaming the universe, unseen by humans and unable to come into contact with them. When a mage created the miraculouses, that all changed. So because the detransformation was complete before the ring was destroyed, the kwami is simply back to roaming the universe."

"But what about the holder?" she asked desperately. "What about Chat?"

"Also unharmed," the Master responded, and her shoulders sagged with relief. "He's simply frozen in time, and, like his kwami, cannot be found by people for now. The only way I know of to bring them back, since the ultimate power achieved by the Ladybug earrings and ring of the Black Cat can no longer be used for now, is by creating another Black Cat miraculous."

"Can you do that?!" she demanded, trembling with energy, but to her disappointment, he shook his head. "I am simply a guardian. Not a mage. I do, however," he added, raising her hopes again ever so slightly, "remember several of them from Tibet."

"Tibet?" She frowned. "That's so far away . . ."

"I grew up there," he explained. "That's where the Guardians' Temple used to be. And with your powers, you could get there in no time at all."

"But what would I say to my parents?" she protested. "I mean, I really want to go; I need him back, and not just . . ." She lowered her voice suddenly. ". . . not just to help me with supervillains anymore. But . . . I don't think my parents would believe a word I tell them. I'm terrible at excuses."

"Then maybe it's time you told them," Master Fu said in reply, his eyes glittering, and she jumped. "Tell them?!" she yelped. "But Ladybug's identity has to remain secret! At all costs! Otherwise, word will spread and then Hawk Moth himself might even find out, and then he'd target them . . . and, and—" The Master interrupted her again.

"Hawk Moth was trying to take both yours and Chat Noir's miraculouses. With only one, he wouldn't be able to do anything. Now that the Black Cat miraculous has been destroyed, there's no point for him to keep trying."

"But if another ring is going to be made . . ." she fretted nervously, "what would happen then?"

The Master frowned inquiringly. "Don't you trust your parents?"

"I . . ." She sighed. "I guess so . . ."

"Then go on." He smiled. "There's not a heartbeat to be wasted."