Inside the train compartment, Amelie leaned back in the comfortable seat, closing her eyes. The face identical to Emilie's finally shed all pretense, leaving only the fatigue and satisfaction of a successful plan.
She seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep, her breathing steady.
Felix didn't look at her; his gaze remained fixed on the window.
The rapidly receding scenery left no trace in his calm, almost cold eyes.
His heart was not as calm as it appeared; this trip to Paris, though it had some twists and turns—in the end, he still got what he wanted most.
His hand in his pocket silently caressed the wedding ring. The mission was complete...
Meanwhile, Jaden returned home. Warm water poured from the showerhead, washing away the fatigue accumulated throughout the day.
The warm and comfortable sensation completely relaxed his always somewhat lazy nerves.
He changed into loose loungewear and almost immediately fell asleep, sinking into a peaceful dream.
He slept exceptionally deeply this time.
He didn't know how much time had passed, but he was awakened by the warm, hazy orange glow of the city filtering in through the window.
The sky had already begun to darken slightly, and the streetlights along the road lit up one by one, casting the clear outline of the curtains onto the bedroom floor.
Jaden sat up groggily, rubbing his eyes. He picked up his phone to check the time; it wasn't too late, just the twilight hour before dinner.
He yawned, shuffled to the bathroom in his slippers, and splashed cold water on his face to clear his still-hazy mind.
When he returned to bed, preparing to lean against the headboard and play on his phone for a while, an inadvertent glance made him suddenly freeze.
On the desk by the window in his bedroom, a black hexagonal wooden box, incredibly familiar to him, sat quietly.
The box was branded with mysterious and ancient red totems, emitting an indescribable presence in the dim indoor light.
Was there... anything there before?
Jaden shook his head vigorously, trying to dispel the blurred memories from waking up.
He was very sure that before he went to sleep, that table was empty except for the textbooks and sketchpad he had casually placed there.
Did this box... appear out of thin air?
The laziness of just waking up was instantly replaced by a clear-headedness mixed with curiosity and vigilance.
He slowly got out of bed, his bare feet treading on the cold wooden floor, walking step by step towards the desk. With each step, his heart beat a little faster.
The shape, pattern, and size of this box... were identical to the box in his memory that contained the miraculous.
He pulled over a chair and sat quietly at the desk, his gaze complexly fixed on the wooden box. He didn't open it immediately, his mind racing.
Who sent it? Master Fu? Impossible, he would only act indirectly through Marinette or Adrien, never so abruptly sending a miraculous directly to an ordinary student's home.
Several thoughts flashed through his mind, only to be rejected one by one. He couldn't figure it out, absolutely couldn't.
He took a deep breath, deciding not to guess in vain any longer.
Either way, the answer was in this box.
He reached out, his fingers touching the slightly cool wooden surface, and then gently opened the lid.
There was no dazzling light as expected, nor any strange sounds.
The moment the lid opened, everything was silent.
The inside of the box was lined with black velvet, and in the center of the soft fabric, an exquisite brooch, like a work of art, lay quietly.
It was a brooch shaped like a peacock's tail feather, with a main indigo-blue body adorned with jewel-like luster, its design elegant and noble.
Jaden's pupils suddenly contracted at that moment.
"peacock miraculous..."
He almost subconsciously blurted out, "How is this possible?"
This item, of all things, should not be here right now!
The peacock miraculous should have been lost along with the Butterfly miraculous in the Tibetan temple, and then found by Gabriel.
It should be one of Gabriel's most important trump cards, the culprit that caused his wife Emilie to fall into "slumber."
But now, it appeared before him, perfectly intact (at least on the surface).
In an instant, Jaden's entire worldview was violently shaken.
If this brooch was here, then it wasn't lost; it might have always been in Master Fu's hands.
Then Gabriel only had the butterfly? If Gabriel didn't get it, then Emilie... what caused her to fall into "coma"?
Was it really just a normal illness? And the births of Adrien and Felix were also normal?
Countless huge question marks, like rampant vines, instantly entangled his thoughts, causing him an unprecedented confusion.
He didn't even consider the possibility that "Gabriel actively sent this," because in his view, it was completely illogical; Gabriel had no reason to do so.
Just as he was lost in thought, staring blankly at the brooch, a soft, bright blue light bloomed from it.
A small, fairy-like figure spiraled out from the light.
It looked like a mini peacock, entirely indigo-blue, with a tiny tuft of feathers on its head and several magnificent, fan-like tail feathers trailing behind it.
Its eyes, at this moment, held a trace of confusion from just waking up from a long sleep.
"Ugh... How long have I been asleep...?" It murmured dreamily, then shook its small head, its gaze finally focusing on Jaden before it.
"Hello!"
Its emotions were like a rollercoaster, instantly shifting from confusion to extreme excitement. It did a somersault in the air and introduced itself in a high-pitched, dramatic tone, "I'm Duusu! The Kwami of the peacock miraculous! Wow! A new holder! Are you my new holder?!"
It excitedly flew around Jaden's head, like a blue, energetic ball of energy.
However, before Jaden could answer, its emotions took another 180-degree turn.
It suddenly stopped in mid-air, its tail feathers drooping dejectedly, a look of extreme sadness on its face, and even a hint of a sob in its voice.
"Oh... no..."
It covered its face with its tiny hands, whimpering, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry... My miraculous... is... is damaged... Using me will... cause you terrible harm... I... I'm such a useless kwami..."
Its emotional shifts were so rapid and so drastic that Jaden was caught off guard.
He could feel that this kwami named Duusu was extremely emotional, even a bit... unstable.
He also keenly caught the key information—"damaged" and "sleep."
This aligned with the settings in his memory. But he also noticed that Duusu made no mention of Gabriel or Emilie, only saying that it had slept for a long time and woke up here.
Looking at the little kwami before him, currently immersed in self-loathing and on the verge of tears, Jaden's chaotic heart, surprisingly, calmed down.
He reached out his hand, palm up, and said in as gentle a voice as possible, "It's okay."
Duusu was clearly touched by this sudden gentleness. Its deep despair seemed to melt away slightly, like a corner warmed by sunlight.
It cautiously flew a little closer, its purplish-red eyes full of curiosity.
"You... you don't dislike me? I'm... I'm damaged..."
"Why would I dislike you?"
Jaden smiled, extended a finger, and gently tapped its forehead.
"You're just sick, that's all. When you're sick, you need to rest well, eat well, and then find a way to get better, right?"
These words completely struck Duusu's sensitive and fragile heart.
The sadness in its eyes quickly faded, replaced by a joy of being understood and accepted.
Its drooping tail feathers also "swished" open again, like a magnificent little fan.
"Mm!" It nodded heavily and began to fly around Jaden excitedly, "You're a good person! What's your name? Where is this? How long have I slept? Wow, what's that square, glowing thing you have?"
Its emotional shifts were astonishingly fast. One moment it was immersed in self-pity, the next it transformed into a curious "question baby."
Jaden patiently answered its questions, feeling amused as he watched its fascination with everything in the room.
"After sleeping for so many years, you must be very tired and hungry, right? Do you want something to eat?"
Duusu had never encountered such a holder. Upon learning that the miraculous was flawed, his first reaction was not fear or disdain, but concern for its hunger.
"...I... I like to eat... shiny things!"
Duusu shyly flew onto Jaden's palm, rubbing its little head against his finger, "Like... candy! Or... um... almonds?"
Jaden smiled and took out a small bag of sugar-coated almonds from his desk drawer—it was a snack he had bought earlier.
Duusu immediately cheered and pounced, hugging an almond and happily gnawing on it.
Jaden looked at Duusu, who was eating with great relish, and felt more relaxed: "Eat slowly, don't choke."
As he spoke, he picked up an exquisite, unused wooden jewelry box from the desk, opened the lid, and lined it with soft tissues.
"You can't just keep flying around outside. Come, I'll help you make a new home."
He pushed the box towards Duusu, "How about I help you turn it into a new home?"
Duusu looked at the "new home," which was several times larger than itself, and excitedly rolled around inside it several times, letting out satisfied cheers.
Jaden smiled. He knew, of course, that this miraculous could not be used for now.
But so what? How could he give up something he had obtained?
This was yet another benefit sent by the "world"!
Although it wasn't obtained from Master Fu and couldn't be used temporarily... it didn't matter.
When Marinette inherits the Guardian position from Master Fu in the future and learns all the secrets of the miraculous, he can just ask her how to repair it then.
And all of this was witnessed by a pair of bright eyes outside the window.
What Jaden didn't notice was that on the rooftop of a building opposite his apartment, a red figure was silently lurking in the night.
Ladybug (Marinette) held her yo-yo like a telescope to her eyes, and the screen was broadcasting the cozy scene in Jaden's room in real-time.
She had originally just taken a small detour on her way home, as usual, to secretly glance at her crush's window. She never expected to stumble upon such an astonishing sight.
She saw the black hexagonal box, saw the moment Jaden opened the box, and even saw the blue light blooming from the brooch, as well as the little kwami she had never seen before, entirely indigo-blue!
"That... that's also... a miraculous?!"
Marinette's breath hitched, her heart pounding, almost leaping out of her chest.
Jaden... he... he was also a chosen one?!
A huge, indescribable emotion, a mix of shock and ecstasy, like a towering wave, instantly engulfed her.
She almost instinctively, trembling, used the yo-yo's camera function to clearly capture the scene of Jaden gently interacting with the little blue kwami in the room.
Looking at Jaden's tender profile on the screen, and the cute little kwami in his palm, Marinette felt her cheeks burning, so happy she almost fainted.
She didn't linger, afraid that she would expose herself due to excessive excitement.
She retracted her yo-yo and, like a nimble little red cat, quickly disappeared into the Parisian night... "Thump."
Marinette landed lightly on her balcony, rolled into the room with a flip, and then quickly closed the secret door leading to the balcony.
Her movements were fluid and seamless, without any hesitation.
She first took out her yo-yo, skillfully operated it a few times, and transferred the photos she had just taken to her phone.
Then, she let out a long sigh and softly said, "Restore."
A pink light flashed, and she transformed back into the adorable girl in pink pants.
The tiny, fuchsia kwami, Tikki, flew out of her earring, yawning tiredly.
Marinette had already prepared a freshly baked croissant, still warm and fragrant, and thoughtfully offered it to Tikki.
"You worked hard, Tikki!"
"Mmm... Thank you, Marinette."
Tikki happily took it and took a big, contented bite.
Marinette looked at her little kwami, no longer able to suppress the wild joy in her heart. She picked up her phone and held it in front of Tikki, asking in a voice slightly trembling from over-excitement, "Tikki!
Look! This appeared in Jaden's room just now! Do you know? What's the name of this little kwami?"
Tikki was still savoring the delicious bread. Hearing this, it lazily glanced at the phone screen.
Then, the breadcrumbs in its mouth fell to the ground with a "plop."
The little kwami stood frozen in mid-air, its always wise big eyes now wide with disbelief.
"...Bao... Duusu?!"
Hearing that name, Marinette felt the last string of "reason" in her mind snap with a "boing."
"Ah ah ah ah ah ah—!"
She let out an uncontrollable, ecstatic scream, clutching her phone, and began to jump, spin, and dance wildly in her small room, like a rabbit injected with adrenaline!
She picked up a half-sewn pillow nearby, hugged it tightly, a dreamy smile on her face.
"I knew it! I knew he wasn't ordinary! He really is a chosen hero!"
Tikki whispered a reminder behind her, but she didn't hear it at all. She was completely immersed in her beautiful fantasy, filled with pink bubbles.
"Oh! My goodness! Tikki! You don't understand what this means!"
She excitedly waved her fists in the air, "This means that he and I are destined to be together!
From now on, we can become superheroes and fight side by side!
He'll protect me, and I'll protect him! We'll become Paris's strongest, most harmonious, and most enviable couple partners!"
Her thoughts had begun to race uncontrollably towards the distant future.
"By day, we're classmates, intimate lovers;
By night, we're superheroes protecting Paris! How, how perfect is this setup!
We'll have dates at the top of the Eiffel Tower, patrol under the moonlight of the Seine River... Oh my god, this is even more romantic than any romance novel!"
The more she thought, the more excited she became, her cheeks as red as ripe apples.
"What should we name our children in the future? Jay? John ? Or May?
No, no, we need a name that has both French charm and Eastern elegance... And we also need to adopt a hamster, named..."
"Marinette..." Tikki tried to interject, a hint of urgency in its voice.
"Ah! Our hero names need to change too! We can't be called 'Ladybug and Cat Noir' anymore!
We should be called 'Peacock Prince and Ladybug Princess'! No, no, that's too cliché... It should be called..."
"Marinette!"
Tikki finally couldn't bear it anymore, raising her voice and flying in front of Marinette, interrupting her fantasies with a seriousness she had never used before, "That peacock miraculous... it's broken!"
These few short words, like a basin of icy water at twenty degrees below zero, with ice chips in it, poured over Marinette from head to toe, chilling her to the bone.
All her movements, all her fantasies, all her smiles, froze on her face in that instant.
"...Wh-what?" Her voice became dry and hoarse from the immense shock.
Tikki's face was filled with gravity and worry. She slowly explained, "In my memory, a Guardian once made a serious mistake, and that disaster not only destroyed the Guardian Temple.
It also led to the loss of both the Butterfly and peacock miraculous, as well as the spellbook containing all the secrets of the miraculous. And more importantly..." "...That peacock miraculous," Tikki's voice became incredibly serious, "when it was lost, it was already... broken!"
"Broken... broken? What does that mean?"
She rushed to Tikki, asking nervously, "Does that mean... he can't transform? Then... then everything I just imagined... won't it all... be impossible to achieve?"
This blow, though immense, she felt she might still be able to bear.
However, Tikki's next words plunged her into an even deeper, colder abyss of despair.
"No, it's not that he can't transform."
Tikki shook her head, her tiny face full of sadness, "On the contrary, it can be used.
But... using it will have extremely terrible side effects on the wielder's body."
She looked at Marinette's instantly pale face and struggled to continue explaining, "A damaged miraculous is like a bottle of poison that leaks energy.
Each use, its power will erode the wielder's vitality, planting a permanent illness in the body.
If... if he uses it frequently, he might... he might die from it... in a few years."
"...Die..."
Marinette felt her world completely collapse at that moment.
As happy as she had been just now, she was just as despairing now.
She grabbed Tikki's tiny hand, shaking her wildly out of extreme fear, her voice laced with desperate sobs:
"Then what do we do?! Tikki! He'll be in danger! We have to do something! What do we do?! Please tell me what to do?!"
"Marinette! Let go! If you keep shaking me like this, my brain will turn to mush! I can't think at all!"
Tikki's sharp and anxious voice finally pierced through Marinette's consciousness, which was submerged in fear and despair.
Her voice made Marinette's almost frantic movements suddenly stiffen.
She looked at the little kwami in her hand, who was dizzy from being shaken and almost rolling its eyes, and a look of guilt appeared on her face.
She let go, allowing Tikki to fly unsteadily into the air and regain her balance.
"I'm... I'm sorry, Tikki..."
Her voice was still heavily choked with sobs, and tears streamed down her cheeks like broken pearls, "I... I'm just... so scared..."
She was afraid of losing him.
This thought, like a lightning bolt, split through her chaotic mind, allowing her to clearly and nakedly see her deepest fear.
The pain of merely contemplating the possibility that "Jaden might die" was so real, so sharp, that it was enough to make her feel her world collapsing.
Tikki looked at her heartbroken appearance, and the reluctance in her heart outweighed the dizziness she had just felt.
She flew to Marinette's face and gently wiped her wet cheek with her small, soft hand, as if silently comforting her.
"I know, Marinette, I know."
Her voice also softened,
"But, in times like these, the more we need to calm down and carefully analyze the situation, rather than being overwhelmed by panic. Do you understand?"
Marinette sniffled and nodded forcefully.
"Good."
Seeing her calm down, Tikki immediately entered analysis mode. Like a tiny detective, she began to ask questions methodically, "Let's start by assessing the most basic situation.
Think carefully, since you've known Jaden, has he shown any symptoms of physical discomfort? For example, frequent colds, coughs, or looking particularly tired?"
This was a crucial question. If Jaden had already started to show frequent signs of illness, it would mean he had very likely used the damaged miraculous.
Marinette's mind immediately began to replay every detail of her time with Jaden, like a fast-forwarding movie.
From their first meeting on the first day of school to a fleeting glance after school today, his smile, his eyes, his slightly lazy but steady gait when he walked... She tried to search every corner of her memory, her brows furrowed.
"...It seems... no."
She answered uncertainly, "He usually looks... completely normal, even healthier than most boys.
Oh, right, there were a few times he seemed a bit unwell, but... but those were all after he underwent Akumatization. But he recovered very quickly."
"After Akumatization..."
Tikki repeated, immediately grasping the key point, "That's right! Akumatization itself puts a huge burden on the body, so it's normal to feel unwell.
But this doesn't prove he used the peacock miraculous.
In other words, in his daily life, his behavior and physical condition are completely normal, right?"
"Yes! That's right!" Marinette nodded affirmatively.
"That's good!" A clear, relieved expression appeared on Tikki's face,
"Marinette, you can relax for now.
This very likely means that Jaden... hasn't used that miraculous yet!"
"R-really?"
This conclusion, like a ray of light in the darkness, rekindled a glimmer of hope in Marinette's heart, which had sunk to the bottom.
"Of course!"
Tikki said in an undeniable tone; she needed to instill confidence in her owner,
"Think about it, if he had already used that terrible power, his body would definitely show more or less traces.
Since he's acting as usual, it proves we still have time, still have a chance to prevent the worst from happening!"
"However, Marinette,"
Tikki changed the subject, beginning to inquire about another crucial detail, "When you were transformed and observing through your yo-yo, did you clearly hear... what Jaden and Duusu said to each other?"
The content of their conversation might reveal how long they had been together and Jaden's understanding of the miraculous.
Marinette tried hard to recall, then shook her head in frustration:
"No... I was a bit far away at the time and couldn't hear the specific content.
And... I was too excited at the time, most of my attention was on taking pictures..."
She hit her head in annoyance, regretting why she hadn't been more careful then.
"I only saw the general scene..."
She recalled and described, "The box opened, then the peacock brooch glowed, and Duusu flew out of it.
At first, Duusu's expression looked very lively, as if she was introducing herself, but soon, she became especially dejected, as if she was crying.
Then... then Jaden reached out and gently comforted her, saying a few words to her.
And then, Duusu suddenly became very happy again, flying around the room, looking very joyful."
Tikki listened quietly to Marinette's description, and a reasonable logical chain was slowly forming in her tiny head.
"I understand..."
She said thoughtfully, "From this process, it looks very much like a normal interaction between a wielder and a kwami meeting for the first time.
Duusu introduced her identity to him, and then became dejected because of her own damage and the potential harm she could cause.
And Jaden... accepted and comforted her with his usual calm and gentle demeanor. This is very consistent with his personality."
"So... they're meeting for the first time?" Marinette asked.
"Very likely."
Tikki nodded, "However... there's another possibility.
Perhaps Duusu has been with Jaden, or rather, in his family, for a very, very long time, and only awakened from slumber today."
"You mean..."
Marinette's eyes suddenly lit up, and a bold guess formed in her mind,
"It's possible that... after the Guardian lost the miraculous back then, Jaden's elders, or ancestors, found it, and then it was passed down as a family heirloom from generation to generation?"
"That's not impossible." Tikki said seriously. This guess was the most reasonable explanation so far.
"No wonder!"
Marinette clapped her hands, as if all the things she couldn't understand now had answers, "No wonder, with Jaden's personality, he has such powerful strength, but he has never actively stepped forward!
Paris has experienced so many Akumatization incidents; if he were the wielder, he couldn't possibly not step in to protect!
It turns out... he knew the miraculous was broken and couldn't be used! That's why he never used it!"
This thought rekindled a raging fire in her heart.
She saw hope again, saw the future she longed for, fighting side by side with him.
Her eyes began to sparkle again. She grabbed Tikki, looking at her with a hopeful, sparkling gaze, and asked eagerly, "Tikki! Then... then is there a way to fix the peacock miraculous? There must be, right?!"
She was still thinking about her beautiful fantasy of being "couple partners" from earlier.
If Jaden's "hidden danger" could be cured, then everything would be perfect!
"That... I don't know."
Tikki shook her head honestly, pouring a basin of cold water on her, "Many deep secrets of kwamis and miraculous are only known to the Guardians."
"Guardians? Can we go find him now?" Marinette pressed, she didn't want to wait another second.
"No."
Tikki shook her head firmly, "The identity of the Guardian is the most core secret among miraculous wielders, and must not be easily exposed.
Moreover, I cannot take you to him without a clear reason."
"Please, Tikki!"
Marinette was truly anxious. She held Tikki in her palm, looking at her with the most sincere and longing eyes she had ever used,
"I really... I'm really worried that one day in the future, Jaden will unknowingly use that damaged miraculous!
What will happen then? We can't take that risk! Please!"
Seeing Marinette's eyes, which were almost on the verge of tears again and filled with genuine worry, Tikki's heart softened.
She knew Marinette was right. This matter was no small thing.
The reappearance of the peacock miraculous, and in the hands of an unknowing teenager, was already a major event that warranted the Guardian's highest alert.
As a kwami, she had the responsibility and obligation to report this information.
"...Alright."
After an intense internal struggle, Tikki finally relented,
"Given that the reappearance of the peacock miraculous is no small matter, I... I can take you to Master Fu.
I think he would also be very interested in knowing about this."
"That's great! Tikki, you're the best!"
Marinette cheered, excitedly lifting Tikki into the air and giving her a big kiss.
She didn't hesitate for a moment and immediately sprang into action. She rushed out of the attic, and after going downstairs, she saw her busy parents and shouted, "Dad! Mom! I'm going out for a bit, I'm going to Alya's place for a 'girls' night' tonight!"
"Oh, okay, honey! Be careful on the way!"
They were used to this; after all, it wasn't the first time their daughter had chatted all night with her best friend.
With "permission," Marinette rushed out of the house in a hurry.
Night had already fallen, and the streets of Paris lit up with warm lights.
Guided by Tikki, she walked through familiar streets, turning left and right, and finally stopped in front of an unassuming Chinese massage parlor.
"Huh? Isn't this..."
Marinette was a bit confused, "Tikki, didn't we come here to treat you last time?"
"Yes." Tikki poked her little head out of Marinette's satchel and answered softly.
"Then... that kind doctor grandpa from last time, he couldn't possibly be..."
A startling guess emerged in Marinette's mind.
Tikki nodded heavily.
Just as Marinette was still shocked by this discovery, inside the massage parlor, in an ancient and tranquil room, Master Fu was sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion, meditating with his eyes closed.
Beside him, the green turtle kwami—Wayzz—was floating in mid-air, dozing off.
"Master,"
Wayzz's voice suddenly sounded, "It seems someone is coming.
I feel... Tikki's presence." He paused and asked, "Master, do I need to hide?"
Master Fu slowly opened his eyes, and a flash of knowing wisdom flickered in his weathered gaze.
"No need, Wayzz."
His voice was calm and gentle, "Since Tikki is bringing Marinette here at this time, it must be something very important regarding the miraculous.
You don't need to hide either."
No sooner had he spoken than the sliding door of the room was gently pulled open.
Marinette peered in halfway, and when she saw not only the familiar "doctor grandpa" in the room, but also a green turtle kwami she had never seen before floating beside him, her suspicion was finally confirmed.
"Is there... anything I can help you with, Marinette?" Master Fu asked with a smile, his gaze kind yet sharp, as if he could see through people's hearts.
Before Marinette could speak, Tikki, from her satchel, had already eagerly flown out.
"Master! There's news about Duusu!"
Marinette also reacted, quickly taking out her phone, pulling up the photo she had taken on the rooftop, and handing it to Master Fu.
"Master, look!"
In the photo, Jaden sat at the desk by the window, smiling as he looked at the indigo-blue kwami with magnificent tail feathers in front of him. The entire scene was clearly visible, filled with a warm and mysterious atmosphere.
Master Fu and Wayzz, who was beside him, simultaneously turned their gaze to the small phone screen.
When they saw the small, indigo-blue figure in the photo, both the man and the turtle froze.
Duusu... the Peacock Kwami representing "emotion," lost for centuries... had actually... reappeared in the human world.