{+}{+}{+}

   "Where are we going on our adventure?"

   Marinette looked up from her phone, obvious bags lining the bottom of her eyes. She smiled down at her relative, forcing a chipper tone, "We're going to go to Palermo, Italy. There's a surprise waiting there!"

Tikki's eyes widened, small hands gripping the bag's straps tighter and slowly began to stop walking. She didn't really know how to respond, fear starting to take effect. She never traveled too far away from her mama before, even if it's back to her home country. Yet, Tikki knew it also seemed a bit reckless.

She may be seven but she knew limits when they are presented in situations such as this one.

"I don't know..." Tikki spoke, unsurely, "...are you sure mama said we can do this? That doesn't seem like something she would let-"

"Tikki," Marinette sternly cut off the younger girl, "It's fine. We'll be alright."

Tikki didn't say anything. Her face spoke for her as it wrinkled in worry and hurt. Still, she quietly nodded and obeyed, following the bluenette wherever they were going.

   The two entered the park, making their way to a bundle of bushes and a tree near a park bench. Marinette paused, setting her bag down on the bench before turning to Tikki.

   "You can sit down for a moment," the bluenette said. Tikki obeyed, sitting on the bench and watched in confusion as her older cousin dove into the bushes.

   "Marinette, what are you doing?" She asked.

   Marinette reappeared out from the vegetation with a jar. From what Tikki could see, a pencil and paper filled the glass container. She stares at it, wondering how her elder cousin knew it was behind those bushes.

   Marinette sat down next to Tikki and opened the jar.

   "I haven't told anyone else about this..." the elder girl explained, "I've been writing letters to a guy I just recently met at the dance yesterday. His alias was Chat Noir but I learned to know him as Adrien. We communicated through this jar practically every Friday for a year and a half. We got to know each other and became one of my closest friends...besides Alya."

   "Mama told me to never talk to strangers, whether it's face to face or through some sort of communication," Tikki said, making Marinette flinch when is Celine mentioned. A sour taste is still in her mouth at the thought of the conversation from earlier.

   She shook it away, forcing it out of her head and responded, "Yeah..."

   Tikki noticed the change of atmosphere and decided to change the subject, "Are you going to write him a letter?"

   Marinette hummed in confirmation, taking out the old letter and replacing it with a new one. She'd already written it in her room while doing some research and packing. Marinette screwed the lib back on and placed the jar back into its rightful spot. She felt slightly bad for doing this but in a way, it's a precaution. She trusted Chat enough with this than anyone else.

   "What did you write?" Tikki asked. Marinette grabbed her tote bag and tiredly smiled, holding out her hand.

   "I just had to deliver my next letter early since we might not be able to get back here on Friday," Marinette explained. Tikki's stomach twisted at the way the bluenette spoke with a mixture of sweet and unsettling. The redhead wondered what happened to make the teen act this way all of a sudden.

   "I...I don't think I want to go anymore," Tikki shakily said, tiny hands trembling.

   "Let's just go, Tikki," Marinette sternly spoke, ignoring the youngling's words. Tikki felt her heart skip a beat and slid off of the bench.

Dear Kitty,

   Tikki cautiously grasped Marinette's hand before they made their way to the nearest airport. Tikki could feel the bluenette's hand grow slightly tighter but didn't dare say a word. She didn't want to make Marinette any madder and stressed out than she already was. It will only cause more problems.

I feel a little silly writing this letter so early but some things have come up. I don't think I'll be able to see your letter on Friday (since I goofed up and forget to give you my phone number, instead. Speaking of, it's at the bottom) and probably won't be in the mindset to remember next week.

   "Two tickets, please," Marinette asked, earning a disheartened frown from the younger. The man behind the desk glanced between the two before hesitantly handing over their tickets.

I promise you don't have to worry about me. I'll be okay. There are only some family matters I need to attend to, but I'll be back before you know it. Maybe, we can do something fun once I return.

"Marinette..." Tikki tried, concern and horror laced within her voice. She's never done something this diaristic before. A feeling of terror swirled within her belly. Yet, the bluenette is too deep in her thoughts as the plane departed from the ground and began its journey to Italy.

Wish me luck!

~Marinette

{+}{+}{+}

   "What do you think this means, Plagg?" Adrien asked the black cat. Plagg blinked, not seeming to care about whatever the human was talking about and yawned.

   The Gorilla allowed Adrien to visit the cats while the bodyguard is out on the job. The teen appreciated it, happy to see the two felines after so long. He admitted, even in the short time he's known Plagg and the red cat, he's grown attached and missed them.

   Adrien sighed, scanning the letter he received from Akuma last night.

"Maybe, it's some sort of riddle..." He questioned, "...or hinting at another secret? Sheesh, why do cryptic?"

   If Plagg could, he would be raising an eyebrow right now at the blonde. Plagg is not some typical street-smart, agile cat. He's also pretty intelligent, understanding some human things very well. He has an idea of what the letter is asking.

   Yet, his leg had worsened from running from those policemen—a one-time thing since the human was generous in taking care of him and his mate. Also, he didn't have the energy to point out the obvious.

   If only the human wasn't so blonde...

   "You're probably thinking that I don't know what this letter is telling me..." Adrien whimsically spoke, earning Plagg's curious attention, "...I know where to go but—I don't know. I don't know if I have enough courage to return to that place and if I do get there...what do I do? What seal do I break and how do I break it? Do I even want to know what the last secret is?"

Plagg felt his heart drop, ears drooping in sympathy. The black cat never thought he would ever feel what he's feeling right now for a disgusting creature, who took everything from him. The only thing he has left is his mate, nothing else mattered except for her.

Now, he finds one of these disgusting creatures crawling into his heart and tried to deny it for the past few weeks. Yet, he couldn't help but notice many similar things he and this human have.

They both have known loneliness, treated like an object for someone else's pleasure. It's the first thing that stood out to Plagg. He grew curious of the boy...but curiosity is dangerous. It can kill cats. He took the risk though and ended up with a reward.

That's never happened to Plagg before.

Being the honorable cat (though, not really but would never admit the real reason) he is, he still has to repay his debt to this human.

"I almost forgot to ask. How is your leg doing?" the blonde asked. Plagg sheepishly looked away before his mate nipped his ear. Plagg whined, pawing his ear as his mate settled down beside him like she did nothing wrong.

"I assume you overexerted your injured leg from running on it," Adrien said, earning the best flabbergasted look a cat could make, "At least, I assume from your partner biting your ear."

   Plagg looked away, scowling at a wall. Adrien shook his head, setting the letter aside for the time being. Green orbs locked onto the pretty red feline snuggled up next to Plagg, happily napping.

   "Man, I still can't think of a name to call you," Adrien murmured, "I want it to be something good...even if we're never going to...see each other again."

   Plagg's scowl morphed into surprise, looking at the human from the corner of his acid eyes. A frown etched the teen's face, drawing invisible circles on the floor with his finger. The black cat awkwardly shifted, trying to ignore the sad human by cleaning his paws. Yet, he continued to unsurely glance at the blonde boy.

   "I wonder what Marinette's doing," Adrien said, changing the subject, "Maybe, I can see if she's free tomorrow."

   Adrien took out his phone about to text his friend before realizing how much of a blonde he is. He facepalmed himself.

   "I forgot to get her phone number! Real smooth, Agreste! You just let it slip right past you and are finally realizing it!" the teen grumbled. Then, he sighed, "Yep, I can be dumb."

   Plagg just watched in confusion at the many shifting emotions the boy expressed within a minute. He didn't understand what was going through the human's head. Plagg may be smart but he's still a cat.

   He will never understand humans and the complexity of their bipolar episodes.

{+}{+}{+}

   "We're here," Marinette said, taking her first step in Italy. Tikki followed shortly behind, keeping a firm grip on the bluenette's hand. The seven-year-old shyly stayed close, feeling foreign in her own home country (since she has obviously never been to this place before).

   "Marinette, I don't know about this..." Tikki spoke, going unheard by the teen, who is checking her phone. The younger girl bit her lip, looking at the ground to hide the tears she's trying to hold in.

   "Keep it together. You're scared but you need to help your cousin...with whatever it is," she thought, taking in a deep breath.

   "We'll go get some breakfast then go to the surprise," Marinette explained, earning a hum from Tikki.

   Tikki isn't really hungry (probably from all the cookies she ate on the plane ride here). Yet, she followed Marinette to a nearby food place.

   Tikki knew it would all be fine...considering she left a note before they left.

{+}{+}{+}

Dear mama,

Marry beery and me are going on an advanture! We be back later!

Love, Tacky

   Celine felt her heart drop with every word, scrawled out in red crayon. A few glittery stickers littered the paper, making this note even more heartbreaking.

   Sabine wasn't taking it any better.

   "I'm a terrible person," she admitted, voice raspy, "I'm just as bad as my brother. You were right...keeping this secret was horrible."

   "Sabine...you aren't a bad person," Celine quietly assured, "You had good intentions. You just wanted to protect Marinette from the truth...of why we never mentioned him."

   "We have to go after them," Sabine sternly said, scrambling around the room for her purse and necessities, "He'll do it again—he'll definitely try to-"

   "Woah! Sabine, slow down," Celine cut the bluenette off, "They'll be okay. I have faith in them."

   "Celine, you need to grow out of this reckless phase of yours! You're just going to let a fourteen and seven year old wonder by themselves, especially near a monster like that! Aren't you scared?" Sabine snipped. Celine grasped the woman's shoulders tightly looking her directly in the eye.

   "I'm completely terrified, Sabine," the redhead shakily spoke, "I know it's completely reckless but...you need to give them space and let them figure it out on their own. T-They have each o-other."

   Sabine's eyes widen as everything made sense and relaxed her body. She didn't like the idea but knew it is for the best.

   Silence filled the air as Celine briefly paused, trying to regain her composure. She sighed, finishing off, "Besides, they have their uncle to keep them safe."

{+}{+}{+}

For starters, I'm not a huge fan of this chapter, it's a sorta filler. Also, I don't mean to offend any blonde people out there so I hope you don't take anything in this book personally! Lastly, I hope you all enjoyed it because the next chapter (I hope) will be a doozie!

Stay tuned!