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Chapter Text

Once upon a time, a man and a woman lived happily together in Paris. Their names were Emile and Gabrielle Agreste.  They were a progressive couple, so when they married, Emile took her last name.  Gabrielle was a famous fashion designer, who had built an empire in her later years, so she was able to support her and her husband in luxury.

They owned a big mansion in the heart of the city, with a lovely view of the Effiel Tower from the rooftops.  They rode everywhere in a sleek white limousine, chauffeured by a muscular man who would not reveal his real name and instead insisted they call him "Gorilla".  Their friend from college, Nathan Sancouer, worked as Gabrielle's personal assistant, to help her keep her demanding life together without stressing out.  They were even able to hire their chauffeur as a bodyguard, because they were important people in the Parisian community, always off at fancy parties, society functions, and important VIP events.

Emile and Gabrielle had everything they could wish for in life, except for one—a child to call their own.  They had been trying to get pregnant for years, but with no success.  As Gabrielle was getting closer to passing childbearing age, she and Emile were just about ready to give up.  And then, a miracle happened.  The test came back positive.

Nine months later, a beautiful baby girl was born to the Agrestes, with hair as golden as the sun, eyes as bright green as sparkling jade, and a smile that would warm anyone's heart.  She was a sunshine child, and the moment Emile and Gabrielle laid eyes on her, they fell in love.  They named her Adrienne Adele Agreste, and she became the center of their universe.

For many years, the family of three lived happily together.  When Adrienne was old enough, Gabrielle assigned her daughter as a model for the company.  Her pretty face and cheery, sunny airs won the hearts of the public, and she became world famous.  Every boy in Paris dreamed of her.  She was dubbed "The Sunshine Child" by media, a name that Gabrielle and Emile had been calling her for years, and was proud that now the whole world was seeing their daughter as they did.

Adrienne was happy, but she still wanted one thing.  She was homeschooled, and never left the mansion unless it was for photoshoots or fashion shows.  She only had one friend, and that was Clovis Bourgeois, whose father owned the Grand Hotel in Paris, and whose mother was a renowned fashion critic and editor of Style Queen Magazine.  But she was only friends with him because their parents were friends.

Adrienne wanted to go to public school and make friends of her own.  She wanted to meet new people, hang out at their houses, play and laugh and share secrets with them, go to parties and sleepovers, maybe even find someone to love.  She wanted to experience what other girls did at her age.  But her mother was very overprotective, and refused.  Still, Adrienne was grateful with the things she had, and didn't complain too much.  After all, she still had her father by her side.

Since Gabrielle's job provided them with all the income they'd ever need, Emile got to live his own wish—to stay at home and see to it that their daughter grew up to be a good, kind, smart young woman.  He taught Adrienne that there was magic all around them, waiting for them to find it, that hope gets you through until you see you chance and take it, and that you can find love in places that you never thought to look.  And they formed a close bond that could never be broken.

Indeed, the Agrestes were a very happy family.  They thought of themselves as the luckiest of Parisians, to have one another, to love and to cherish.  But despair and sorrow can find anyone, no matter how happy.  And so it came to Adrienne's home.  They day that Emile, all of the sudden, disappeared.  Gabrielle had all of Paris searching high and low for her husband, but there was not a trace of him to be found.

After Emile vanished, Gabrielle grew distant from her daughter.  She withdrew from the public eye and would not attend events or functions, not even her own fashion shows.  She spent most of her time locked up in her study, and would become enraged if she was interrupted, even by Adrienne.  Dinner together became rarer and rarer, until finally, they became extinct.  The only time Adrienne would see her mother was if she was being scolded for things she had done wrong.  And they would always be the littlest, most seemingly insignificant of things.  Even being five minutes late to a photoshoot would warrant a stern talking to and threat of punishment.

With her father's loving presence gone, and her mother's sudden coldness towards her, Adrienne became a very sad, very lonely girl.  Her desire to go to public school only grew stronger, but she was still not allowed.  Finally, Adrienne took a chance and went to school behind her mother's back.  There, she was given a look at what Clovis was really like.

Adrienne's friend had been bullying his classmates for years, particularly a boy named Marin Dupain-Cheng.  On her first day, Adrienne witnessed Clovis attempt to trick the poor boy into sitting on gum by placing a pre-chewed wad on where Marin was supposed to sit.  When Adrienne tried to get it off, Marion walked in on her and assumed that she had been the one to put it there.  His opinion seemed to confirm itself in his mind when he found out she was friends with his bully.

Then, something incredible happened to Adrienne that changed the course of her life forever.  On her first attempt to sneak off to school, she had seen an feeble old man, who had fallen, unable to get up, reaching for his cane.  Running over, she helped him back to his feet, even if that meant Nathan and Gorilla got the chance to stop her from entering the school.  What she hadn't known at the time was that the old man was the master of the Miraculous charms.  In Adrienne's act of kindness and selflessness, he had seen the makings of a hero.

When Adrienne returned home, she found a jewelry box sitting on her desk in her bedroom.  That box contained a silver ring, connected to a little black cat god, a kwami named Plagg who granted the wearer the ability to transform at will into a superhero with the power of destruction.  With two simple words, Adrienne became the heroine Chat Noire

Words alone could not describe how much joy Adrienne's new second identity gave her.  As Chat Noire, she was not bound by the strict rules of her mother, nor could doors or windows keep her in.  She still had to be Adrienne Agreste most of the time, but for just a little while everyday, she was free.  Truly and absolutely free.

Things started to look up for Adrienne after that.  Not only was she partnered up with the handsome and incredible Lordbug to save Paris from Hawkmoth, her mother finally allowed her to go to normal school, no strings attached.  At first, the students were still wary of her, being the childhood friend of their number one tormentor and all, but once they started seeing how sweet and kind and un-Clovis-like she really was, they accepted her as a friend.

For the first time in her life, Adrienne knew what it was like to be popular not for her looks, wealth or fame, but for who she was a person.  Everyone adored her charming personality and how she was always so nice to everybody, even if they didn't deserve it.  She really hit it off with a girl named Nina, who became her closest companion, next to Plagg.

Another person she really got to know was Marin.  At first, he was insistent on giving her the cold shoulder.  But on their second day, she got a chance to apologize to him and admit that she was only trying to help.  Then, to prove herself, she gave him her umbrella so that he wouldn't have to walk home in the way.  It worked.  After that day, Marion was never rude to her again.  Nervous and awkward at times, certainly, but he always treated her with kindness.

But then, things changed.  And not for the better.  Lionel Rossi arrived at their school, and he was determined to become popular.  He was trying to reach his goal by making up fascinating stories about his life, like how he had met a princess and saved a rockstar's beloved pet and many other amazing feats.  But Marin knew he was a liar, and thus, was a threat to Lionel's reputation.  Because of this, Lionel dubbed Marin enemy number one, and was dead set on turning everyone against him.

Adrienne knew that Lionel was a liar as well.  But here's the thing—when you've spent a long time under the thumb of someone so overbearing, someone who tries to command your every move, someone who insists you obey or suffer, you tend to apply your methods to other situations.  Thanks to such a long time of controlled by her mother, Adrienne approached problems passively, tried to avoid conflict directly, and just leave the situation alone as not to add heat.

And that was exactly what she did about Lionel.  She told Marin that trying to out Lionel would only make him madder, that confronting him would only make things worse, it was better to just leave him be and have him realize the error of his ways on his own time and accord.  And for a while, Marin believed her.  So he didn't tell her about the threats and the bullying, because she didn't know those. She only knew of his wild fantasy stories.

As time went on, Adrienne sat secure that Lionel was doing no harm to her friends. Until the day he did. He framed Marin for theft by planting test answers in his backpack, and stolen items in his locker. Poor Marin got expelled for his "misdeeds". Adrienne was angry. She knew now that she had sorely misjudged Lionel. But what could she do? She had no way to expose Lionel. She couldn't prove the lies, because Lionel was so good at it. And he would not undo his lies just because she said so.

No, Lionel had to be bargained with. He would only help Marin if he got something in return. He wouldn't do it for free. That's the kind of person he was. Then, strangely, Gabrielle told her daughter that Lionel would be joining her in the occasional photoshoot from now on. Adrienne was struck with inspiration. She couldn't do anything about the photoshoots. But this could help her save Marin.

So Adrienne met Lionel in the park and struck a deal with him. She would offer him her friendship, if he made up another lie to clear Marin's name. Furthermore, he could no longer target Marin. Lionel hesitated, but agreed. Adrienne hated posing with him, and she hated the stares she got from Marin whenever he saw her with the enemy. But she couldn't tell him the whole truth. If she did, and Lionel found out, he might consider the bargain null and void without the illusion of their partnership and go right back to tormenting Marin.

Then, came the day that shattered Adrienne's outlook on life forever.

"Pick up...pick up..."

"Hi, this is Marin.  Can't take your call right now.  Leave a message and I'll get back to you."

Alim sighed and hung up the phone.  "That's the tenth time I've called him since lunch started."

He looked back at the other guys.  "Any luck?"

All he got were four shaking heads.

"No...I sent him like, twenty texts, but he hasn't sent any back.", said Julius.

"He's not sending back any emails, either.", sighed Myles.

Marin had not shown up to class today, without warning.  Mme. Bustier was upset, saying no one had called in to say he would be absent.  She would have to call his parents and inform them that he had skipped school.  Everyone was surprised.  Sure, Marin was sometimes late, but he had never skipped a whole school day altogether.  It worried them. 

Just then, Nina and Adrienne approached the boys.  "Hey, fellas!", said the capped girl.  "Why the long faces?"

"We've been trying to get in touch with Marin all day.", huffed Alim, running his fingers through his long fiery locks.  "But he won't pick up his phone, and he's not answering any calls or emails."

Adrienne frowned, hugging herself.  "Hmm...its not like Marin to ditch school like this."

"Well, Marin has been acting weird since Lionel came back.", said Alex.  "I mean, the way he's been attacking Lionel lately?  Yeesh, man, I know you're jealous, but get over it."

Adrienne got a little upset when her friends all shared nods of agreement. She couldn’t let that comment pass. She opened her mouth, planning a statement to defend Marin.

"Guys!"

All heads turned in the direction of Natasha, who was bolting towards where the class sat with vigor that she did not usually display.  Her eyes were wide, and she looked like she had just witnessed a murder.  She stopped in front of her friends, panting and huffing.  "Did any of you get in touch with Marin?!", she gasped out between breaths.

"We've been trying to, but he won't respond.", said Alim.  Adrienne's perfectly shaped eyebrows knitted together.  "Nat, what's the matter?"

Natasha caught her breath before she stared at her friends, horrified.  "I just overheard Mme. Bustier talking with Principal Damocles!  Apparently, Marin's parents won't answer their phones, and they haven't returned any calls, either.  She even called their business phone, but it had been disconnected!"

This caught everyone off-guard.

"Oh my God, what if something happened?!", cried Ivy.

"Something really bad?!"

Alim frowned as he rose to his feet, holding out his hands in front of him.  "Everybody, calm down.  We can't do anything right now.  I'll go over to the bakery afterschool to check on them.  I'm sure they're fine."  He turned to his girlfriend and her best friend.  "You wanna come with me?"

The girls nodded their heads.
--------------
Adrienne adjusted the strap of her cross-body purse as she sat in the limo with Alim and Nina.  Luckily, Nathan had understood their concern for their friend and classmate, and agreed to have the Gorilla drive them to the Dupain-Cheng bakery to check in on him.  He had informed Gabrielle of the situation, and she had agreed that a quick check would help put Adrienne's mind at ease.

Finally, the limo stopped.  Nathan looked out the window, and his eyes widened behind his glasses.  He looked back at the address that he had put in, the one Adrienne had given him, then back out the window.

Adrienne immediately picked up on his demeanor.  "Nathan?  Is something wrong?"

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye.  "Adrienne...are you sure this is the right address?"

"I've been here plenty of times.", she replied.  "I think I know where it is by now."

Nina and Alim, on the other hand, got suspicious.  "Wait...why do you ask?"

Without a word, Nathan pushed the car doors open wide.  All three teens leaned out to look past the doors, and the sight before them made their jaws drop to their chests.

The Dupain-Cheng bakery had been boarded up, wide, thick planks of wood nailed over the doors and windows.  In the front, a sign said CLOSED FOREVER in bold red letters.  Adrienne and her friends practically leapt out of her limo and rushed over to take in the new state.

Nina went over and peeked in between the boards, them said, "Its all dark inside."

Alim whipped out his cell phone, scrolled through his contacts, and quickly pressed Marion's, raising the device to his ear.  Nina and Adrienne ran to his side, leaning towards the phone so they could listen better.  A few seconds later, there was a shrill beeping, and a voice came over the phone.  But it was not Marin's.  It was a automated voice system.

"I'm sorry, the number you have dialed is no longer in service.  Please check to see if..."

They didn't hear the rest, as Alim dropped his phone.  Adrienne felt tears come to her eyes as she looked back at the condemned building, which had once housed a sweet, kind, exceptional boy, who had done so much for his friends and had been given so little in return, who had been swept under the rug by his so-called "friends" once a stranger claimed he was a bully.  A boy who was now gone.

For the second time in her life, a boy that had had such a wonderful influence on Adrienne's life had vanished without a trace.

Marin..., she thought, her tears making tracks in her makeup.  What happened to you?

Chapter Text

Two Years Later

"Adrienne!" Nathan's voice cut through Adrienne's dreams, causing them to fade away as her green eyes fluttered open. "Time to get up.", said her mother's assistant in his usual monotone. "You have a full day of photoshoots, a Chinese lesson after lunch, and a piano lesson at the end of the day."

Adrienne rubbed her tired eyes. "But Nathan, you said you'd ask Mother if I could go spend time at Nina's at the end of the day, after all my shoots are over."

"I did.", he informed her. "She said no."

Adrienne did not reply with any protest.

"Breakfast will be waiting for you when you arrive in the dining room.", said Nathan, leaving her bedroom.

Adrienne pulled herself out of bed and began to get dressed. Another weekend of running back and forth, posing for cameras and slaving over Chinese textbooks and piano keys. Sure, since she had started school, her mother had gotten more lenient with her schedule, allowing her to occasionally hang out with her friends, but only once every month or so.

It was times like this when she dreamed of being a normal girl, with a normal life. Who wasn't constantly in the public eye wherever she went. Who had the freedom to come and go from her house whenever she pleased, no limo, no bodyguard. Who had the option to spend time with her friends or just lay around the house doing absolutely nothing. Doing absolutely nothing sounded so appealing to Adrienne.

But she wasn't a normal girl, with a normal life. She was a famous teen supermodel, with one of the most renowned and respected fashion designers as her mother. On top of that, she was a secret superhero with magical powers of destruction, giving to her by a little mini-god that constantly craved stinky cheeses. No, there was nothing normal about Adrienne's life.

Adrienne went to her vanity mirror and began brushing her long hair. Right now, it was in it's natural state of messy, unruly curls that bounced when she moved. Adrienne had always loved her hair, and her father had loved it, too. She remembered to play with it when she was a little girl, decorating it with daisies that they had picked together and laughing at her reflection.

But as Adrienne grew older and lost her sweet little girl charm, her mother started making her straighten her hair to better reflect the polished and put together image of the Agreste brand. Whenever she tried to wear it naturally, her mother would scold her and refuse to let her leave the house until she straightened it. A poor representation of the Agreste brand, she would call it.

"Hey! Where's my cheese?", piped up an annoyed yet always welcomed voice.

Adrienne smiled and crossed the room to the mini fridge she kept in her bedroom. She took out a small package and unwrapped it, unleashing the aroma of Camembert that never failed to make Plagg go bonkers. The pint-sized pussycat zipped over and snatched the delicacy right out of Adrienne's hands, gnawing at it loudly.

"Better hurry!", he told Adrienne, his tiny mouth still full of his favorite food. "Don't wanna be late for Nate!"

Adrienne rolled her eyes and sat back in her vanity, continuing to to detangle her wild golden mane. "Let him wait." She murmured the next part under her breath. "Serves him right, spoiling people's best dreams."

Unfortunately for her dignity, Plagg overheard her. "Ooh!", he teased, forgetting his cheesy feast for a moment and flying over to her. "And just what did our little kitten dream of?"

Adrienne gave him a teasing smile and shook her head. "Mm-mm. Can't tell."

Plagg pouted at her refusal. "Why not?"

"Because then it won't come true!", said Adrienne. "And after all...

"A dream is a wish that your heart makes
When you're fast asleep.
In dreams you will lose your heartache.
Whatever you wish for, you keep."

Her eyes fell longingly at the framed picture of her father on her vanity desk. He had five-year-old Adrienne on his lap, hugging her from behind, his cheek leaned to her head, and they were both smiling. Seventeen-year-old Adrienne smiled back at the picture. Even in the three years he'd been gone, she still held him close to her heart.

"Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling through.
No matter how your heart is grieving,
If you keep on believing,
The dream that you wish will come true."

"Papa always said that if you stay patient, work hard, and believe in yourself, then someday, you'll find a way to rise above and make your dreams come true. But you'll need to be brave when that day comes. Fate will open the door. But you will need the courage to walk through it."

Plagg smiled sincerely at his chosen. "You know, your dad seems like the perfect guy. I mean this when I say...I really wish I'd gotten the chance to meet him."

Adrienne stared wistfully at her father's portrait. "I wish you could have met him, too."

"So...you're not gonna tell me what you dreamed about?", Plagg asked again.

She smirked and shook her head again once more. "Not a chance." A dreamy smile appeared on her face, and her eyes glimmered as she propped her head up on her elbows. "But I can tell you this...it was the most beautiful dream I've ever had." A happy sigh escaped her peach-colored lips as she lost herself to the memory of her dream...

"Adrienne!"

She spun around, her pretty face twisting into an irritated frown. "Ooh, killjoy!", she huffed, rising to her feet. "I hear you! Come on! Get up, you say!", she scoffed, stomping towards the door as she waved her arms all about her in frustration. "Time to start another day!" She leaned back on her door, letting out a breath of frustration. "Seems like everybody is always ordering me around. Go there! Stay here! Do this! Do that! No breaks! No time for fun!"

Plagg nodded with her in agreement. The longer he stayed with Adrienne and witnessed her home life, the stronger his resentment of Gabrielle Agreste became. He was disgusted by the designer's cold and manipulative nature towards her own daughter, how she dictated Adrienne's entire life, punishing her for the smallest of offenses, keeping her locked up or tied up with model duties as often as she could. Sure, there were rare moments when Gabrielle showed affections towards her child, but not even an hour later they were back to square one. And Adrienne felt she had no choice but to take it without protest.

Adrienne smiled sadly at Plagg. "Well...at least they can't order me to stop dreaming.", she said. She held her hands over her heart. "And maybe someday...a door will open...and I'll find the courage to walk through it."

She hurried back to her vanity, grabbing her hairbrush and running it through her tangled tresses at a swifter pace. She had wasted enough time daydreaming. She had to get to breakfast before time ran out and she would have to skip it altogether to get to her first photoshoot of the day.

As she grabbed her bookbag and headed out the door, she smiled and sang softly to herself, filling her heart with some much-needed optimism for the day of drudgery that lay ahead of her.

"No matter how your heart is grieving,
If you keep on believing,
The dream that you wish will come true..."

Chapter Text

"That's it!  That's it!", the photographer praised, snapping photo after photo of his model. "Show me love! Show me passion! Show me fire!" Adrienne did as she was told, making sensual, seductive poses for the camera, while still maintaining her decency as a teen girl.

"Magnifico!", exclaimed the photographer, pleased with Adrienne's work. "You're doing super!"

As she strutted her stuff for the camera, Adrienne was hiding just how tired and hungry she really was. For breakfast, she had eaten her usual—hard-boiled eggs with the yolks removed and a piece of celery. She was sure her upcoming lunch of a plain salad would not fill her up anymore. As a model, she was always on a diet, and was forbidden to eat things like sweets and pastries.

"Alright, take a break!"

Adrienne let out a breath of relief, releasing her perfect posture and trudging over to her dressing table. Plopping down on her chair, she went digging through her purse and fished out her cell phone, unlocking it and going to speed dial. Pressing Nina's name, she put the phone on speaker and set it down, touching up her makeup while it rang.

There was a click, and Nina's voice came over the phone. "Hey, girl! Whassup?"

Adrienne sighed heavily. This was going to be tough to say. "Hey, Nina. I just called to tell you, my mother says I can't come tonight."

"What?! Seriously, girl?!"

Adrienne cringed as she dabbed on more blush. "Yeah, I'm sorry."

"Did you tell her why you want to come?"

"Why" was the announcement of Rulers of Tomorrow competition hosted by the King of Coccinelledae. Coccinelledae was a small Chinese country, floating in the seas between France and China, that was not shown on most maps, an very old-fashioned kingdom that some may say had backwards policies.

But old-fashioned and backwards as it may be, it was one of the most beautiful countries. It had unsoiled lands of endless flowers, unpolluted waters so clean you could see your reflection as clear as a mirror, and every part of it's civilization was made of lovely villages of charming shops and cute little cottages.

This year, a few months prior, the widowed King of the country had announced a competition for all the schools in France. Whatever school that submitted the most progressive ideas would get an all-expense paid trip to the country to present their plans to the royal family to adapt to modernize their realm. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And Adrienne had hoped to share the big moment with her whole class, should they win. But apparently, that was not meant to be.

"I did tell her. But she still said no.", she explained to her bestie as she touched up her eyeliner.

"Man, your mom is such a killjoy!", Nina's voice scoffed.

Gabrielle Agreste may have been a popular figure around the world, but in Adrienne's circle of friends, she was the furthest thing from it. They were all aware of how coldly the designer her own child, and frowned upon it heavily, seeing how meek and submissive it had made Adrienne.

"Don't worry, girl. I'll Skype you tonight when they make the announcements.", Nina told her. "That way, you can still share the moment with us."

"Thanks, Nin.", said Adrienne, reapplying her lipstick. "My piano lesson ends at 7:30. Call me at 7:45. Not a minute sooner, or else the tutor might hear and they'll tell Mother."

"Got it, girl. 'Til tonight."

"'Til tonight.", said Adrienne, hanging up.

She went to put her phone back in her purse, when a glimmer of something red caught her eye. Reaching inside, she pulled out a string of multicolored beads that gleamed in the sunlight like sea-glass. At once, Marin's face appeared in her mind's eye, his smile sweet, his bluebell eyes kind as he held out his hand, offering his lucky charm to her, to keep. A single tear slipped down Adrienne's cheek at the memory.

It had been over two years since Marin and his parents had disappeared. No one could reach them. Their phones had been disconnected. Their accounts on Instagram or Facebook had been deleted. At the pleading of Adrienne, Clovis had convinced his father, Mayor Bourgeois, to get all the friends of the Dupain-Chengs on a search for the missing family. Neighbors, friends, Mme. Bustier's whole class searched high and low throughout Paris, but not a trace of them had been found.

Adrienne remembered the first day back at school after the search was called off. She had arrived to class miserable. The Sunshine Child had become the Downpour. Alim and Nina expressed concern for her well-being, but they could not bring her out of her droopy mood. Everyone in the room picked up on it at once. Everyone, apparently, except for Lionel, who did not wait a beat before sliding in next to her and start hitting on her.

Adrienne just sat there, staring off into nothingness, stare blank and lifeless, face as hard as stone. When she did not respond to his advances, he got mad, saying she shouldn't be missing Marin, that the blunette boy was not worth her sadness. Marin Dupain-Cheng had been out to get him, Lionel said. Marin Dupain-Cheng had threatened him, Lyle said. Adrienne took in all this, knowing it wasn't true. But then, Lionel said something that brought her back to life. But not in a good way.

"Marin was nothing but a bully!", Lyle had said.

That seemed to jolt Adrienne awake from her trance of despair. Something inside of her snapped at Lionel's words. Marin? A bully? Marin was the furthest thing from a bully. He was kind, and generous, and selfless, and never tried to hurt anyone intentionally. Her green eyes scanned the classroom as many people spoke up in Marin's defense.  They said Lionel had it all wrong, that he misinterpreted Marin's actions, that everything between them had been a big misunderstanding.

But to her horror and disgust, not of one them called Lionel out for calling Marin a bully.  Not one of them entertained the thought that Lionel was unfairly accusing Marin.  They said Marin made the mistakes, that Lionel had done nothing wrong, that Marin and Marin alone was the problem.  Even as he was gone, they coddled Lionel and blamed Marin for everything.

This made Adrienne boil. How could they? After everything Marin had done for them, how he had always given them help when they needed it most, how he always had encouraged them to go for what they wanted when they were at their lowest, after he had always put himself and his own needs and desires last to make his friends happy—none of them would stand up for him?! For their everyday Lordbug?! Was this really how they showed their gratitude?!

Adrienne looked at Lionel with red-hot tears burning at the corners of her eyes.  "Marin Dupain-Cheng was NOT a bully.", she spat in his face.  "He was the kindest, most caring, most wonderful boy I've ever met."  She stood up and looked around at her classmates.  "And anyone who thinks otherwise..."  She looked back at Lionel with fire in her eyes.  "Can forget about being friends with me."

A shocked look crossed his face, as he knew that this was her way of telling him that their bargain was off.  There was no need for it anymore, anyways.  Marin was already gone, far away where Lionel could no longer touch him.  The promise of his safety had been the only thing binding Adrienne to the Italian boy.  Without their bluenette liability around, there was no longer a reason for them to stay friends.

The Chat Noire side of her screamed for her to yell at the rest of the class, to call them out for their betrayal, to tell them the whole truth about Lionel and what he had been up to all along.  But she just couldn't.  She saw that would do nothing.  After all, they had not believed Marin, their everyday Lordbug, who had shown them nothing but kindness and support.  If they didn't trust him about Lionel, what chance did Adrienne have?

Adrienne didn't wait to witness what happened next, to hear what Lionel would say in his defense, to see the reactions of her classmates. She just grabbed her bookbag and ran out of the room sobbing loudly. She bolted into the ladies' bathroom and locked herself in one of the stalls. So many tears were shed that day. Tears for letting Lionel bully and manipulate Marin, for Marin being gone from her life, for him leaving probably thinking that she didn't care about him when in truth, he had meant so much to her.

As time went by, Adrienne fell into a dark place.  She grew distant from Nina and the rest of her friends over the next few weeks.  They tried to convince her that Lionel was a good guy, that she had the situation all wrong.  But Adrienne knew the truth.  They were the ones who had the situation all wrong.

It wasn't long before the class had a similar dynamic like they had before Marin was gone, only now it was Adrienne who was somewhat isolated from them.  She never hung out with any of them if any of their plans involved Lionel.  If they were in a conversation and the topic of Lionel came up, she would ask to change the subject or just leave the conversation if they refused.

She still interacted with Lionel, but only at the photoshoots that her mother assigned him to.  And even, them, she kept things strictly professional.  They never chatted about day-to-day things.  They rarely even spoke on the set.  She barely even looked at him unless she had to.  And this was the most interaction they had altogether.  Anywhere else off the set, Adrienne avoided Lionel like the Black Plague.

After Marin left, people started to wonder if his disappearance had anything to do with his former classmates, with how they had been treating him lately. But Maxine logically stated that if that were the case, he would have simply transferred to a different school, not moved out of Paris entirely and deleted any trace of his existence here.

No one knew what happened to Marin, where he had gone, or even why he had left in the first place. And even two years later, the sadness and heartache that came with losing their everyday Lordbug still lingered, fading in and out from time to time, popping out of nowhere at even the smallest reminders, like when they smelled croissants like the ones he used to bring in and share for lunch, or when they saw somebody on the street stumble and fall on the floor, much like he used to do constantly.

Ever since that day, Adrienne wore his lucky charm around her wrist like a bracelet, carrying him everywhere she went.  She only took it off for photoshoots and fashion shows, where it would clash with any outfit they had chosen for her to model.  Adrienne herself wouldn't mind, but the photographers and managers, she knew would have a fit.  So for those occasions, she kept it in her purse, trusting Plagg to guard it.  He took his job very seriously, knowing all too well how much his chosen treasured the charm.  It was the only thing she had left of Marin.

Adrienne gently placed the charm into her other palm and cradled it there.  She pressed it to her heart and allowed the silent tears to roll down her cheeks freely.  Plagg watched her sadly, knowing the strength of her pain.  After she had had her moment, Adrienne slipped the charm back into her purse, touched up her slightly smudged makeup, and rose to her feet.  She plastered a smile on her face, a smile that she had mastered faking over the years, one that completely hid to show how miserable she felt inside, and strutted back to the photoshoot.
--------------
"Its almost time!"

The class gathered around the Lahiffes' TV as the program played on.  Nina held her cell phone up so that Adrienne could see the screen from where she was Skyping in her bedroom from her laptop.  Sure, she would have preferred to be there in person, sharing and laughing with all the others, but this was the next best thing.

The announcement on which school had won the contest for Coccinelledae would be made during a special moment on the French Teen Choice Awards.  As Jagged Stone performed his latest hit songs live onstage, the class chatted amongst themselves, knowing that they would announce the winners right after Jagged finished his number.  They were shaking with anxiety and excitement.  So big was this moment that they had even invited Clovis and Sebastien to take it in with them there.

Alim looked at Adrienne's face on his girlfriend's phone screen.  "Man!  I hope we win!"

"Me, too!", said Nina.

Adrienne gave them a hopeful smile.  "Fingers crossed!", she said, holding up both hands with the index and middle fingers crossed.  Alim mirrored her actions, as did half the class.

"Shuddup!", barked Clovis, more out of nervousness than meanness.  "They're about to announce the winners!"

Jagged Stone addressed his fans.  "Boys and girls of Paris, give it up for Prime Minster Fung Wang of Coccinelldae!"  The audience roared as the Prime Minster stepped onto the stage, walking with pride and dignity.  He waved, very professionally, wearing a smile so small and slight, you had to look closely to see if it was really there.  He stepped onto a podium reserved for announcing award winners as Jagged came over to stand beside him, clapping along with the fans.

"Thank you, teenagers of France.", said Wang, in a very stoic voice with just a hint of joy.  "I am glad to be here to announce the lucky school that will fly to my home country to present their modern ideas to our beloved King, long may he reign.  Now, many schools around France entered our competition, and many of them had wonderful ideas.  But only one stood put among the rest.  That school will get an all-expense paid trip to our beautiful country to announce their ideas to the royal family."  He paused for suspense.

Back in the Lahiffe house living room, everyone held their breath.  Silent prayers were made to the Fates.  The excitement in the room was not muffled to Adrienne, still sitting at home.  None of them dared to make a peep, even dared to breath.  The tension was so thick, you could slice it with a knife.  The seconds felt more like hours.

"Congratulations Francois Dupont College!  You're going to Coccinelldae!"

The room exploded.  The boys all yelled "YES!", over and over again at the top of their lungs.  The girls screamed at frequencies so high, they might have shattered something, if any higher.  Hugs and high fives were exchanged all around.  There were no words to describe the level of pride and ecstasy they were feeling in this moment.  They felt unstoppable.

Adrienne couldn't stop squealing and jumping up and down on her bed.  Plagg stirred awake from his sleep and lifted head up to give his chosen an annoyed look.  "What's all the fuss about?", he asked in an irritated voice.

"We won!  We won, Plagg!", Adrienne exclaimed, still riding high in the moment.  "We won the contest!  We're going to get to go to Coccinelldae and meet the King!"

Plagg simply rolled his eyes.  "Well, whoop-dee-do.  Can you just tone down the celebration just a tad?"

But Adrienne didn't care that she had interrupted Plagg's beauty sleep.  All that she cared about was that her school had won the contest.  She continued the celebration for another half hour, ignoring Plagg's whining all the while.
--------------------
"I take it from the sounds coming from Adrienne's room that she just found out her school won the contest?"

"Indeed, Madame.  She's very excited to go.  Of course, if she knew that you bribed the judges to choose her school..."

"Nathan, you know good and well why I had to do that.  I needed an excuse to go to Coccinelldae."

"You could have just told her you were going on a business trip."

"And leave her alone?  Not a chance.  Adrienne is a very sharp child.  If I made her go with me, she'd be observant to my business there.  When I chaperone her trip, she'll be too distracted by 'fun' with her friends to pay any attention to my whereabouts and activities."

"And if she suspects why you're chaperoning her trip?"

"I'll just tell her I want to promote my newest line to the royal family.  That will be a good reason.  Such a thing would be a once-in-a-lifetime chance.  She won't get suspicious at that.  She won't suspect that I have another once-in-a-lifetime chance in mind."

"Let's hope not, Madame.  Let's hope not."

Chapter Text

Adrienne stared out the window, taking in the sights from a thousand feet up in the air.  She could see a rainbow of flower fields, all bright and colorful among the land.  She could hardly believe her luck.  Here she was, on a plane to an exotic land, with all her friends taking the journey with her, to meet a real live King.  She hadn't been this excited since her first day as Chat Noire.

She grinned over at Nina, sitting in the seat right next to hers, while Alim sat at the end closest to the aisle.  Clovis had been a little upset when Adrienne had told him she wanted to sit with Nina and Alim instead of with him and Sebastian, but two years of working on himself made him more understanding and patient.  So instead, he invited another girl to sit with him and Sebastian.  He even offered her the window seat.

Each of them had been given a guidebook, made specially by the royal family, to give them a step-by-step tour of what to expect once they landed.  Alim was reading his cover to cover, studying the guide like they were going to have a test on it or something.  "It says here they're paying for us to stay in the best hotel they have!", he explained.  "The royal family pays for all their honored guests to stay there as long as need be!"

He showed them a picture of the rooms of the hotel, which were quite luxurious.  The sheets were as smooth and shiny as silk, and the mattresses were full and fluffy.  They had fine curtains framing the windows, and wall-to-wall carpeting with velvet-like material.  Nina and Adrienne oohed and aahed.  "I can't wait till we land!", Adrienne squeaked happily.

Nina frowned just a little bit.  "I still don't see why your mom had to come." All three friends looked behind their seats at the chaperones gathered in the back.  Among them were Clovis's butler, Jean, since Mayor Bourgeois could not take time away from office; Mr. Césaire, Alim's dad, Mrs. Couffaine, Julius and Lulu's mother; and, as was already said, Gabrielle Agreste, maintaining her perfect posture and stony expression.

"She says she's been wanting to promote her new fashion line to the royal family.", said Adrienne.  "Amd she saw this as a perfect opportunity."  The blond smiled.  "Maybe we'll even bond during this trip!  We could get closer!"  She beaned with hope and positivity, ignorant to the less-than-thrilled expressions on her friends' faces.

Nina and Alim were all too aware of Adrienne's strained, tense relationship with her mother, how Gabrielle tried to keep her daughter locked up at home as often as she could, how she scolded her greatly for even the smallest offenses.  Because of this, Adrienne had become overly passive, choosing to roll over instead of fight back in tough situations.

Adrienne's friends wanted her to have a healthy relationship with her mother.  But unless they were in a Disney Channel Original Movie, the chances of that happening were quite slim.  Part of Nina and Alim wanted to tell her that, but it was tough, with the way her eyes were lit up at the thought of getting closer to her mom.

"Hey, party peeps!"  All three looked up to see Lionel standing by, smirking.

"S'up, bro?", asked Alim, him and Nina smiling at their good friend.

Adrienne gave him a quick, nasty glare before averting her burning eyes to her guidebook, pretending to be engrossed in the reading material.  As she acted as if she was reading, she silently listened to the conversation around her.  The others may have been mad at how she was treating Lionel, but they had learned to respect her enough to not push the subject any further, and not force her to join them whenever Lionel was around.

"I gotta say, it'll be great to see Coccidellenae again.", Lionel said.  "I haven't been there since last summer.  Remember?  I left for a month in July."

They all nodded, recalling his absence at the time.

Ross jumped up and down.  "Tell them!  Tell them what you told me!  About the prince!"

This peaked everyone's interest.  "What about the prince?"

Lionel smiled, pretending to be embarrassed.  "Well...I don't wanna brag..."  Adrienne scoffed internally at that.  Yeah, right., she thought bitterly.  "...but I'm pretty tight with the Crown Prince of the country."

Eyes lit up all around the plane.  "You know the Prince?", Natasha gaped, her blue eyes glittering.

Lionel nodded proudly.  "Eeyup.  He and I are so close, we're like this."

Adrienne didn't need to look up to know that he was crossing his fingers around one another to show how "tight" he and the royal were.

"He was pretty stoked when I called and told him we won the contest.  He's super excited to see me again.  Said he wants to meet all of you personally before our presentation to his family."

Everyone was in awe at the web of golden lies that Lionel was weaving.  "Do you think we can?"

Lionel looked up, tapping a finger on his chin.  "Well...we'll have to see.  He's pretty busy, with his royal duties and all, but he and I might be able to pull a few strings.  I'll call him tonight.  I'm sure he could make an appearance."  Adrienne wanted to scold her friends for buying such garbage, but she bit her tongue and said nothing.

As the class cheered at the chance to meet the Prince, the pilot's voice came in over the intercom.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at our destination.  Sit tight, do not get out of your seats, we will be landing momentarily.  In the meantime, you will look out your window and see the beauty of the land."

The class cheered as the pilot declared, "Welcome to Coccinelldae."
-----------------
The first thing the class did after getting off the plane and collecting their luggage was take a tour through the lovely villages they had to pass in order to get to the hotel. The houses were all so colorful and picturesque, like they had been summoned straight from the pages of a children's storybook. The streets were made of smooth gray cobblestones, with the horse-drawn carriage driving down.

Street vendors called out to passersby, requesting that they purchase from their stand.  Some offered vibrantly-colored flowers of species that the French class had never heard of before.  Some sole brilliant, lifelike paintings of the the various wonderful sights and landmarks the country possessed.  Some sold handmade trinkets crafted with everything from glistening seashells to glittering rhinestone jewels jewels.

The storekeepers had set up dazzling displays in their windows.  The dressmaker showed off her newest collection of spring ballgowns in pastel spring colors, adorned with handmade flowers of silk and satin.  The jewelry-maker's window sparkled with rings, bracelets, earrings, necklaces and tiaras, the variety of colored jewels blazing in the sunlight that came through the glass.

The chocolate shoppe was Adrienne's favorite part of the tour.  They sold handmade chocolates in every shape and size.  Not only did they have regular milk, dark and white chocolates, but they also sold chocolates with every type of filling you could possibly imagine.  There were traditional fillings, like cherry, raspberry, and orange-vanilla, and there were more daring choices, like mango, lavender, and cactus flower.

But it didn't stop at chocolates.  They also sold ten different types of croissants, ranging from traditional chocolate to unconventional tutti-frutti filled, donuts dipped in vanilla syrup and coated in powdered sugar, and the richest, smoothest, most delectable chocolate cake that Adrienne had ever tasted.

So much for my diet., she thought as she scarfed down her third piece.

She sighed as she took in the sights of the vilage around her, still munching on her chocolate cake.  She knew that her class had arrived here to help the King modernize the country.  But now that she had seen what the place had to offer, she didn't think it was necessary to change anything.  This place was already perfect.

Nevertheless, she rejoined her friends as they wrapped up the tour, heading towards the hotel where they would be spending their stay.
-----------------
The hotel was a sight to behold. It was not as big and sleek as Le Grand Hotel Paris, the hotel owned by Clovis's father back home, but Adrienne thought that was what made it so wonderful. The architecture was old-fashioned, like that of a storybook castle, with big pillars reaching from floor to ceiling, and a grand staircase with a red carpeted aisle. The floors shone and glistened, like the dance floors of a ballroom, and an antique chandelier hung from the ceiling.

The class oohed and aahed at the marvelous structure and decor of the hotel lobby, with the exception of Clovis. In his eyes, no hotel could compare to the one he already called home. Madame Bustier approached the front desk, where a middle-aged lady sat, reading a book. She had dark hair and dark eyes, accented by Asian features.

Ahem." The woman looked up at the sound of Mme. Bustier's voice, smiling when she saw the large group she had with her. "Aah! You must be our big contest winners!", she exclaimed cheerily, tossing aside her book. She leapt to her feet and shook Mme. Bustier's hand heartily. "Han told me to expect you today! Madame Abigail Yang, at your service! I own this hotel! Its been in my family for generations!"

Madame Bustier smiled at this woman's friendly approach. "It really is a lovely hotel. We're excited to stay in such fine conditions!"

Abigail stepped out from behind the desk and called out towards a hallway, "Minnie! Dorothy! Do come out and greet our new guests! They're the big contest winners was telling us about!"

At once, two girls came scurrying into the lobby, pushing and shoving one another to get there first. Each had Asian features, like their mothers, with long dark hair styled in ringlet curls, and pretty flowing dresses. In fact, they were hard to tell apart by face. But you could tell them apart by style. The one on the left wore her hair up in a high ponytail, tied with a periwinkle blue ribbon to match her periwinkle blue dress. The other had her hair let down loose, adorned with a bright pink ribbon to match her bright pink dress.

"Allow me to introduce my daughters.", said Madame Yang. "Minnie." The girl in blue bobbed a little curtsey, labeling herself as Minnie. "And Dorothy." The one in pink curtsied, introducing herself as Dorothy. Abigail smiled. "Charming creatures, aren't they? Girls, take their bags and show them to their dorms." She looked at the class. "They'll show you students to your lodgings, while I show your teacher and parents theirs." And with that, she led the adults away into a nearby hallways, holding their luggage for them.

Ross stepped forward, lugging a very heavy suitcase in his hand. Perhaps he overpacked with the stuffed animals. "Can you carry this for me, please?"

Minnie and Dorothy looked at them funny, like he had just asked them to hold a two-headed snake. "Amd why would we do that?"

Ross looked surprised at her answer. "Because...your mom said you would?"

Dorothy rolled her eyes. "You got two hands, don't cha? Carry it yourself! Unless you're as much of a weakling as you look!" They chortled like a couple of hyenas as Ross flushed in embarrassment.

Julius glared at the two girls who had just insulted his boyfriend. "Can you at least show us to our rooms?"

Minnie took a basket carrying a bunch of hotel keys from her mother's desk and shoved them into Julius's chest. "Here, pick any room ya want. If you need us, we'll be in our own rooms, doing better things!"

And with that, they strutted up the stairs like a pair of proud peacocks, their noses hanging up in the air.  Julius stared at the basket in his hands. "Well, at least now, we can pick our own rooms."

Alex rolled his eyes. "I wonder what their problem is? What's more important than their job?"

---------------
Minnie and Dorothy stepped into the fancy bedroom that they shared. The first thing Minnie did was grab the magazine off her vanity desk and sit beside her sister on one of the canopy beds that sat side-by-side with the other. She held it up so they could both see the front, and they shared a collective swoon at the boy on the cover.

His face took up half the front page, his pale skin as smooth as pearls. His dark hair, streaked with glints of blue, was slicked back into a sleek style. The camera had captured the kindness and friendly twinkle in his bluebell eyes. His smile was sweet, yet natural and approachable, in contrast to the suave yet phony grin plastered on the face of all those Hollywood big-shots, and that was what made it all the more charming.

Just above his styled hair, read the following headline.

WEDDING BELLS FOR PRINCE MARIN?!

Chapter Text

"Prince Marin!"

The young man jolted upright in his single desk, as if he had been zapped by a thousand volts of electricity. He faced the front of the room, where a stern looking man in a powdered wig looked at him with a disciplined stare. "Are you paying attention?" Marin straightened his itchy button-up shirt and dusted off his ill-fitting slacks. "I'm listening!"

The man raised one eyebrow at his pupil.  "Really?  Then recite the lesson I just said back to me."

Marin wore an expression that looked like a deer caught in headlights.  He picked up some papers off his desk, his blue eyes scanning the scribbles on the tope page.  "To balance out the economic instability of the kingdom, one must...calculate...calculate the sum of...something, something, something?"

It was no use pretending.

Professor Uriah marched over to the young man and snatched the papers right out of his hands.  He took one look at what was on them and groaned loudly.  "I knew it!  You're drawing clothes again instead of focusing on my lesson!", he said in a snarky tone, pointing to the sketches of tops and skirts on the margin of notes.

Marin sighed.  "I'm sorry, I can't help it!"  The lessons were all the same.  Economics.  Politics.  Courtly etiquette.  It was all mind-numbingly boring.

Uriah slammed the papers back on the desk.  "You better start helping it!  You're going to need to know these things when ypu are King!"  He walked back to the blackboatd.  "Now, I'm going to repeat this one more time, and you better listen closely, because your dancing lesson starts right after pur session!"

Marin groaned, but one strict look from his tutor put him back in his place, as he braced himself for another lecture.
---------------
Marin shuffled back from his ballroom dancing lesson, exhausted and worn out from a full day of being told what to do, how to behave. He entered the dining hall, where supper was waiting for him, as was the rest of his family. His doting parents, Tom and Sabine, sat side-by-side. Sabine wore a lovely dress of gold and seagreen, with lace-trimmed sleeves and lovely embroidery, while Tom wire a fancy suit and slacks similar to his son's attire.

However, at the head of the table sat the head of the family, the master of the castle, the King of Coccidellnae, Ronin Cheng III. He saw Marin enter the room, then, out of nowhere, stopped him with a hand up. "Ah, ah, ah! Remember your training!" Marin suddenly remembered. "Of course." He stood tall, straight as an arrow, hands behind his back, looking straight ahead as a herald announced his entry. "Presenting, His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Marin Dupain-Cheng."

Marin then did a small bow at the waist before going to sit down at Rong's right hand. "That's a good boy." He quirked a brow. "We still have to work a bit on your posture." Marin rolled his eyes with a scoff. "Whatever." Ronin's face grew dark. Marin remembered his tongue. "I mean, yes, Uncle Rong." He sat up straight in his chair as the cooks served the royal family their supper.

Marin tried to remember his princely manners as he ate slowly. Rong started a conversation. "So, Sabine...how was your work at the orphanage today?" Sabine smiled warmly at Rong. "I'm glad you asked. It was wonderful. The children were so sweet." She looked back at her son. "I wish you could have been there, dear."

Marin was about to answer when Ronin cut in. "I'm sure he would have. But, he had his lessons." Marin frowned as he cut himself a piece of meat from his plate, muttering under his breath, "I could've skipped one." Rong whipped his head to stare him down. "A prince does not talk back. And your tutors say you're still far behind in your lessons. We're already trying to make up for all those years you spent in common education!"

Marin didn't like the way he said "common", as of the mere word left a bad taste on his tongue. "I learned some valuable lesson at my old school!" Rong sighed in frustration. "I'm sure whatever they taught would have been useful to you as a peasant, but they'll be very little use to you when you are ruling. You need to start taking your new lessons here more seriously, not wasting your time on designing attire. That's what we pay people to do for us."

Now Marin was really getting cheesed off. "I like making my own clothes.", he said, trying his hardest to sound civil. "I know you do,", said Ronin, slicing his meat. "But its a frivolous hobby. One you will have no time for after you ascend the throne." Marin scowled deeply. "What if I refuse the crown?" Rong dropped his utensils with a loud clank and shot his nephew a glare so deadly, the poor boy felt his soul leave his body.

"Do not even joke about that, young man!", he bellowed at Marin. "You are going to become King someday! Its high time you started acting like one! And that means accepting any responsibilities the position requires!" "But why me?", griped Marin, looked sad. "Why do I have to be King? There are a dozen other relatives who would kill for the crown! Why not give it to them?"

"As the only son of the former Princess and nephew of the King, it is your destiny to rule Coccidellnae!", Ronin told him, as if he hadn't a thousand times already. "And while we are on the topic or your royal duties, tne court is badgering me on when ypu are going to take a bride!" Marin moaned loudly. "Seriously? This again! I'm not even eighteen yet!"

"But you will be very soon!", Ronin reminded him. "And so far, you have zero prospects for marriage! You've turned away every unwed lady of the court they've presented to you!" "Because I don't love any of them!", Marion said. Ronin scowled. "Oh, not this whole 'love' business again! You're a prince! You don't marry for love!"

Sabine looked shocked at her brother's words. "Rong! How could you say that?! I thought Catherine and you—" "Catherine was a princess!", Rong said sternly. "Our marriage was arranged. We were the lucky ones. Not all princes can have that." A heavy silence followed his words. All was still for a few moments before he spoke again.

"Marin...I am not getting any younger. I need to be sure you're ready to take my place as King by the time my time comes. So far, you have done nothing to put my worries to rest. Whether or not you want the throne, one day, you will have to sit on it. I know it is not what you truly want...but it is what you must do."

Marin was quiet for a minute. Then, he pushed his chair away from the table. "I'm tired. I'm going to bed." He hurried out of the dining hall before his parents or uncle could bid him goodnight.
-------------------
Marin went into his bedroom and slammed the door behind him. Flopping on his king-sized bed, with the thick velvet covers and the feather-stuffed pillows, he screamed into his sheets. His kwami, Tikki, flew out of hiding in his shirt and sighed. "I'm sorry, Marion."

Marin lay his head on the side and sighed. "Its just not fair, Tikki. No matter how hard I try, I'm always falling short. I want to be a good King, I don't wanna let my family down, but it always feels like I'm falling short of everyone's expectations. And if I meet their expectations, that would mean giving up who I am."

He pulled himself upright and looked at his nightstand, littered with sketches and trinkets. He reached over and picked up the framed photograph that sat there, pulling it over in front of him to gaze at it longingly. It was a group picture of him, normal boy him, with his three best friends, Alim, Nina, and Adrienne. They were all laughing and smiling at the camera, looking as if they hadn't a care in the world.

Everything had been so simple back then. No royal lessons. No uncomfortable clothes. No royal duties. He could just be himself, no strings attached. Marin stroked the glass of the frame, his fingers grazing the faces of his old friends, and remembered the day that his life turned upside-down.

Chapter Text

Marin Dupain-Cheng trudged home after a long day at school. All he wanted to do was go up to his room and sulk on his bed, maybe draw some clothes to distract him from his breaking heart. Ever since Lionel Rossi had returned to school from his "vacation" in Achu, things had been hard for Marin.

First, Lionel had tried to turn everyone against him, telling them nasty lies and rumors about their class representative to make him look terrible. It was taking everything Marin had to keep the dynamic neutral between him and his friends. Things had taken a turn for the worse when Lionel had framed him for cheating and stealing, planting evidence on him, leading to his expulsion. Marin was certain he had hit rock bottom.

Then...something unexpected happened. Lionel suddenly stepped forward and cleared Marin's name. He had claimed to the staff that he had a rare disease that made him confuse fantasy with reality and do and say things that he had no control over, like frame an innocent schoolmate. Marin's expulsion was lifted, and he was allowed to return to school.

Once he got back, his classmates apologized to Marin for ever believing he could do cheat or steal. Alim had informed him that Lionel had explained everything. Specifically, he had explained how someone else had planted the test answers and stolen items in Marin's bag and locker to implicate him for the crime. Typical Lionel.

Marin wasn't sure why Lionel had suddenly had a change of heart and proved him innocent, especially after how hard he had worked to discredit Marin. But, with his reputation restored, and his friends back on his side, Marin didn't see a reason to complain. Maybe Adrienne had been right all along. Maybe there was some good in Lionel Rossi. Deep down.

But when he got home after the principal had lifted his expulsion, he saw it. On TV, Lionel was posing with Adrienne, and the reporter was calling him "her muse". Marin's heart shattered as he felt his chances with Adrienne fly out the window. He might still have his good name and his friends, but in the end, Lionel had won.

How could she? How could Adrienne befriend Lionel? After everything that guy had done to Marin? After how he led their friends on with his promises of fame and favors from famous people? Marin had thought that he and Adrienne were in this together, that it had been them against Lionel. But she wouldn't even explain why she had done this. Every time he pressed her for answers, she told him to drop it.

He thought Adrienne had been on his side for this one. Guess not.

He sighed as he pushed open the door to the bakery. "Maman? Papa? I'm home."

He looked around. Empty. They weren't at the counter. Perhaps they were in the kitchen. "Guys?", he called out, louder this time.

When they didn't answer, he walked to the back. To his surprise, there was no one there.

"Where is everybody?", he thought aloud.  "Maman? Papa? Are you back here?"

He called for his parents, but the only replies he received were the echoes coming off the walls. Now Marin was confused. Where could they be? As he pondered this, he failed to noticed a puddle of spilled milk on the floor. His foot stepped right in it.

There was a cry of distress, a clatter of cans, the crash of a shelf against the wall, the next thing he knew, Marin was sprawled out on the floor of the kitchen, a bowl on his head, flour and eggs resting on his clothes.

There was a cry of distress, a clatter of cans, the crash of a shelf against the wall, and the next thing he knew, Marion was sprawled out on the floor of the kitchen, a bowl on his head, flour and eggs resting on his clothes.

"Well, that was...interesting to watch.", said a voice. "I don't think I could find better entertainment in the theater."

Marin lifted a hand and tipped back the bowl on his head to see who was in the kitchen with him.  It was a tall man, clearly Chinese, staring down at him with dark eyes and a serious expression.  The man was very nicely dressed, a suit of black with a red tie and a gold pin on his left side.  He stood tall and poised, like a general dressing soldiers.

Marin could see his parents standing behind this strange man.  Tom looked anxious, and Sabine would not look any of the three men in the eye.  She hung her head, as thought she were deeply ashamed, eyes focused hard on the tiled floors of her beloved kitchen.  She had her arms wrapped around herself, hugging herself tightly.

The man studied Marin, sitting awkwardly on the floor of the bakery kitchen, covered in flour and eggs, a bowl on his head, looking silly and not very presentable at all.  The man pressed his lips together in a line so thin, his lips seemed to disappear.

"So...this is the future King of Coccidellenae."
—————————
"I'm WHAT?!"

Marin sat with his parents in the living room, Tom on his left and Sabine on his right.  The man from earlier stood before the teen and his family sitting on the couch, having just introduced himsekf as Shi Muyuan, advisir and right-hand man to King Rong Cheng III of Asian-European country, Coccidellenae.

"You heard me right, young man.", he said calmly.  "You are the Crown Prince of our country, son of the lost Royal Princess Sabine, nephew of King Ronin.  You are destined to someday rule as King."

Marin held his head in his hands.  Less than an hour ago, he had been a normal boy with a normal life.  Now he was a prince?!  "How...How did this happen?"

"As I said before,", Muyuan explained in a calm yet stern manner.  "Your mother is the long-lost Royal Princess.  She is the younger sister of the King.  Sadly, she was a rebellious child, running away from her home, her legacy, and her destiny, at the tender age of fifteen, to escape the pressures of her royal life.  A quite irresponsible decision, I must say."

Marin stared at his mother, who looked ashamed at all of this finally coming to light.  "Maman...why didn't you tell me all of this?"

Sabine's eyes watered.  "I'm sorry, baby...I wanted to tell you.  I never wanted to live the royal life.  To have everything chosen for me, what to wear, where to go, who to marry...and I didn't want that life for you, either.  That's why I left in the first place.  So that I and my future children could be free to be whoever they wanted."

Marin sniffled at his mother's story.  As much as he wanted to be mad at her, he could understand why she kept all this from him.  "Maman...its okay.  I forgive you."

They shared a smile.

Suddenly, Marin frowned as a thought crossed his mind.  "Wait a minute..."  He turned back to Muyuan.  "But why I am the Crown Prince?  Shouldn't Uncle Rong's own kids be next in line?"

Muyuan looked sad for a moment.  "They should...but sadly, we have recently discovered that our King is...unable to have children of his own."

Sabine gasped softly.  "Oh, Rong...I'm so sorry..."  Although she had left him behind in their homeland, Sabine dearly loved and missed her big brother, as any sister would.  She couldn't imagine the the heartache such new must have caused him.

"Yes...it is sad for him.", said Muyuan gravely.  His gaze fell back on Marin.  "But lucky for you!  Because as nephew and closest male relative to the King, that makes you the heir to the throne!"

Marin scowled.  "But...I don't know the first thing about being a prince!"

Muyuan smiled kindly.  "That's why we're here.  We're taking you to the Royal Palace in the home country, to live out the rest of your days as the royalty you rightfully are!"

Tom jumped to his feet.  "You're not taking my son anywhere!", he snarled.  "I don't care if he is the heir!  You're not taking him away from us!"

Muyuan sighed tiredly.  "Clearly, when I say 'you', I mean all three of you.  Sabine is still the sister of the King, amd you are her husband.  That makes you all members of the royal family.  Which means you're all coming to the palace where you belong."

Sabine shook her head.  "What?  You can't be serious!  Our lives are here!  We can't just drop everything and go move to another country!"

Muyuan scowled sternly at her.  "Sabine, need I remind you, runaway or not, you are still the Princess.  You have a duty to your people.  And without any offspring from the King, your son is the rightful heir to the kingdom.  He needs to live in the country he is destined to rule.  Only there can he receive the proper education and training that will benefit him after he assumes the throne."

Marin shook his head, not liking where this was going at all.  "But...Paris is my home.  I grew up here.  All my friends are here.  I can't just leave."

Chi Fu's gaze was cold and stony. "You do not have a choice...Your Highness."
-------------------
An hour later, everything owned by the Dupain-Chengs had been packed into suitcases and bags. They waited until nightfall, so that no one would notice a thing.  No need to get riled up until they got to the country.  As soon as it was late and dark enough, Marin watched from the valet car as Muyuan and two other men boarded up the family bakery and hung an OUT OF BUSINESS sign on the front.

Marin glanced at the Miraculous box through the opening of his duffel bag. He noticed Muyuan coming towards the car, and quickly zipped it back before the nobleman could see what was inside.

Muyuan slipped easily into the backseat next to Marin, across from his parents. "To the airport! The King has arranged for the royal private jet to take us to the motherland."

As the car drove off into the night, Chi Fu looked over at Marin, who was peering out the window, watching the sights go by, knowing that it would be the last time he could look at them.

"My boy, surely, after growing up in such modest means, you will appreciate all the luxuries that the royal court has to offer. I'm sure His Majesty, your uncle, will be more than happy to provide you with all that you are deserving of as a newly-christened prince.

Marin did not tear his eyes from the window. Chi Fu continued. "This is a happy day for you, my boy! You are no longer a simple baker's son! You are the Crown Prince of a country, and heir to an empire! Your whole life just got better!"

Marin sighed. "Yeah...best day ever."
--------------
Marin had to admit, the jet was nice. Really nice. The seats were ultra cushy, they gave the royals a pair of silk pajamas for the overnight trip, and they showed movies on a screen that was the size of a full-sized flatscreen television set you would find at home. The jet even had a fully stocked bar, with a hired bartender and kitchen that served gourmet meals. It was like flying first-class, but for the entire plane.

The pilot's voice came in over the intercom. "Your Highnesses, we will be taking off momentarily. Prepare for takeoff in five minutes."

Marin sat up. "Oh, I almost forgot!" He took out his cell phone.

"What are you doing?", asked the stewardess serving him the steak.

"I'm just gonna call Alim, and leave him a—"

Suddenly, a hand grabbed him by the wrist. He looked to see the stern, glaring face of Chi Fu, his dark eyes cold as stone. "What do you think you're doing?"

Marin gulped under his intense gaze. "Calling my friend to let him know I'm okay? He might get worried if I just disappear..."

To his surprise, the older man plucked the phone from his hand and threw it across the room. "Hey!"

The device flew into the hand of a security guard, a very burly one. Marin watched in shock and distress as his cell phone was crushed like a sugar cube between the thick fingers of the guard.

"What...Why...?" Shi Muyuan shrugged it off like it was nothing. "Don't worry. I'm sure His Majesty can provide you with another." "But that had all my contacts in there!", cried Marin. "How am I supposed to call my friends to let them know where I am?"

"You won't.", said Muyuan, plainly and simply. He leaned in towards Marin's shocked face. "As the future King of Coccidellenae, you must sever all ties to your past and devote yourself entirely to your new duties. Any afflictions from your old life are distractions and obstacles, holding you back from being the best King you can be."

He whispered in Marin's ear. "As of this moment forward, you must forget your friends. Forget your home in the bakery. Forget any ambitions you may have had when you were still a baker's son. Who you are now is entirely defined by your status and relation to the King. And there is no room any longer for who you used to be."

Marin sat there, eyes wide and hollow, soaking in everything that had just been said. He couldn't hear the roar of the jet engines as it took off, or the voiced concerns of his mother and father. For now, it had all finally sunken in for him. His life as he had once known it was over. And there was no getting it back.

Chapter Text

Adrienne looked out her window, out at the shade of the buildings against the dark sky, glittering with a thousand twinkles of gold and silver.  The stars were much more visible here than back in Paris.  Probably because there was less light coming from buildings.  It was more peaceful here, too, than in Paris.  Here, you could hear every laugh from the streets, every cricket chirp.

Nina came out of the bathroom, now dressed in her pajamas, her brown hair let loose.  She saw Adrienne staring off into the night sky and sighed.  "You sure you don't wanna come to the hangout?  Everyone's gonna be there."

Adrienne rolled her eyes.  Everyone would be there, all right.  They'd be there, crowded around Lionel, sucking up every fable he thought off, kissing his butt in return for the promise to meet the Crown Prince personally, which would never come to be.  She could think of a million better things to do than watch her friends cater to the liar.  Like wax her eyebrows off with duct-tape.

"No thanks.  I think I'll just stay here."  She took a book out of her bag and opened it.  Glancing upwards, she saw Nina's disapproving stare.  "C'mon.  These things are always the same.  I just kinda fall into the backdrop while you all listen to Lionel.  If I'm gonna spend the night by myself, might as well actually be by myself."

Nina frowned.  She wanted to say, "Maybe you wouldn't be by yourself so often if you actually gave Lionel a chance."  But she knew by now that that was a lost cause.  "Well, if you change your mind,", she said, going towards the door.  "The group's in Room 12."  And with that, she left the room, closing the door behind her.

Adrienne waited, her ears listening closely as her footsteps grew softer and softer until they could no longer be heard.  She grinned like the Cheshire Cat as Plagg came out into sight.

"This lil' kitty needs a lil' fun.", she commented.  "Time to see Coccidellenae from a cat's eye view.  Plagg, claws out!"  Within seconds, she was clad in tight black leather, her straightened hair springing back in untamed curls, her eyes hidden behind mask of black that colored green into the whites of her eyes.

Before she left, she piled a bunch of pillows onto her bed and draped the sheets over them, making it look like someone was sleeping soundly underneath.  She slipped the window open, climbed out onto the roof, and shut the same window tight behind her.  Extending her baton, she went leaping over the rooftops of the country, ready to explore.
------------------
Chat Noire sat on the rooftops, taking in the sights below, where a dance was being held.  People held hands and pranced around a bonfire, laughing and chanting a song.  Around them, vendors sold street food to hungry customers, who had worked up quite an appetite whilst partaking in the festivities.

Adrienne wished, more than anything, that she could join them.  But in her Chat Noire costume, she could cause an alarm among the people who had never seen her before.  It was too risky.  She would just have to settle for admiring the celebration from afar.  She observed the dancing, singing, happy people from her spot, hidden in the dark of the night, the only light coming from ten foot below.

"Hey!"  She was awoken from her trance by the sound of a cry.  She whipped her head in the direction to see a street vendor yelling and pointing somewhere.  "Thief!  Thief!  Stop them!"

Her eyes followed the line of his pointed finger just in time to see a dark blur vanish around a corner.  Her hero senses kicking in, Chat Noire sprung into action, racing after the perp faster than you can say "Cataclysm!"

The thief saw Chat hot on their trail and started picking up the pace.  The chase lasted for a mile of cobblestone oath, under archways of stone and past many innocent bystanders who scrambled like frightened chickens to get out of the way.  The culprit was fast on their feet, oh yes.  But not as fast as Chat Noire was on hers.  As she closed in on his tail, she leapt like a nimble kitty and pinned the thief to the ground.

"Its over, perp!", she said, getting onto an upright position while still keeping her hands clamped over her captor's arms to keep him down.  She noticed they was wearing a dark hoodie, amd swiftly pulled the hood off their face.  Once his face was revealed in the dim candlelight coming from the open windows of the surrounding homes, Adrienne's heart broke.

It was a boy, no older than twelve or thirteen, with tear tracks coming down his cheeks.  He looked guilty and terrified, and Adrienne could feel her steely resolve to punish him for his crime quickly melting away.  The boy whimpered like a lost puppy.  "I'm sorry...my sister and I...we were really hungry."

Adrienne's eyes shifted over to the small loaf of bread in his hand, and shame washed over her like a wave washed over the shoreline.

Before she could react any further, the vendor came running over, waving his fist all about and shouting at the top of his lungs.  "How dare you steal from my stand, you little runt, you!  I'm calling the constable and getting you thrown in jail!"

Adrienne gasped in horror.  "Jail?!  For one little loaf of bread!  He's just a kid!  A hungry kid!"

"Does it look like I care?!", snapped the vendor.

Adrienne gulped.  She knew that it had been wrong for the boy to steal food from the vendor in the first place, but he had done it out of desperation.  Judging from the shabby clothes he wore and how dirty his face and hair were, she could tell that he and his sister did not have the means to keep themselves fed well enough.  What to do, what to do?

Suddenly, like an angel coming to answer her prayers, a soft, gentle voice came from behind the merchant, his tone kind and caring.

"How much?"

The vendor stepped aside as he turned around to see who had spoke to him.  As the interloper came into view, Adrienne felt as if the rest of the world had faded away, leaving only herself and the dark-haired, blue-eyed young man before her, one she had met before but never thought she'd meet again.

Marin stepped forward and asked again. "How much for the bread?

The vendor looked annoyed and confused. "Excuse me?"

Marin pulled out his wallet from his dingy pants pocket and opened it up.  "How much did that loaf of bread cost?"

The vendor furrowed his brow, but he realized the young man wasn't backing down.  "Twenty dollars.  But it's really none of your concern..."

Marin ignored him, fishing two twenty-dollar Coccidellenean currency bills from out of the pocket of his wallet and holding them out to the vendorman. "Here's double. Take it, give the kid another loaf, and let him go."

The older man eyed the cash suspiciously, but snatched it up anyway, pulling another loaf of bread from his apron pocket and handing it to the little boy with a sneer.  "You got lucky, kid."

As soon as the gruff man was gone, Marin found himself wrapped up in a hug from the younger boy.  The kid sobbed into his old jacket.  "I-I don't know how to thank you.", he wept.  "How can I ever repay you?"

Marin simply hugged the poor boy back. "You don't have to. Sometimes...you gotta do something nice...for the people who need it most."

He sent the kid on his way home to share the food with his sister.  As he looked up, he saw a very familiar face staring at him with wide eyes.  He gave her a soft smile seeing her baffled expression.  "Hey."

Her warm peach lips curved upwards into a smile, and tears of happiness sprung into her glittering green eyes.  "It's you."

He chuckled sweetly.  "It's me."

Chapter Text

Marin walked along the bumbling cobblestone streets of the village, Chat Noire by his side every step of the way. Even though he was not looking at her as he gave her a tour, explaining every house and sight they passed, he could feel her eyes on him, drinking in every line of his face.  He did nothing to discourage her stare.

Adrienne could not believe her luck.  She thought she would never see Marin again after his and his parents had disappeared from Paris.  She blushed a bit seeing how nicely he had mature since the last time he had been seen.  He was taller now, his features, more defined, less boyish.  She looked closer, and her pink cheeks darkened to a light red.  "Omigod, his cheekbones his cheekbones could cut paper!, she thought, blushing even harder.

His hairstyle had changed, too.  The bangs that had once fallen to his sparkling bluebell eyes were now swept further off to the side, the texture of his hair thicker and wavier.  But not everything about him had changed.  His smile was still as warm as sunshine, his eyes still all aglitter with the kindness and gentility that shone through from his heart.

Daring to move closer, she hugged his arm, brushing aside the way he tensed up from shock, and rested her head upon his shoulder.  It was soft, just like he was.  "I really missed you.", she said, barely above a whisper, as she rubbed her face against him in true feline fashion.

His muscles relaxed at her words, and he gave her another of his soft smiles.  "I missed you, too."

She breathed in his scent. Strange. It was different. Gone was the smell of fresh-baked chocolate brownies and lemon detergent. In it's place, she smelled jasmine and fancy spiced cologne. "So...where have you been all these years?", she asked. A simple question, really.

She felt him tense up again, like he was scared or something. "Uh...in this country.", he said finally, sounding apprehensive.

"But...why did you leave?" It was a question that had eaten away at Adrienne for years. A question that was bound to come up sooner or later.

Marin coughed nervously. "My...My uncle."

"Your uncle?"

"My mother's older brother.", he explained to her. "This is her home country. She ran away when she was pretty young, and my uncle spent years searching for her. When he finally found her...well, yes, he made us move in with him."

Chat Noire frowned. "And you just...went with him?"

"Well, he is family.", Marin said to her. "And honestly...there wasn't much keeping me in Paris."

Chat's eyes grew wide as milk saucers. "Nothing much...what about your friends?"

As soon as she said that last part, she regretted it. Marin gave her a look. "Some friends.", he said rather rudely, in a tone that Adrienne knew he had every right to.

She shook her head. "You're right, most of them were bad. But what about Adrienne? I know she was crushed when you left without a goodbye."

Marin gave her the side-eye. "Adrienne? That was the worst betrayal of all."

"Adrienne?  That was the worst betrayal

A knife twisted in her heart, hearing him speak of her so spitefully. "B-Be-Betrayal?"

"Don't you keep up the news? She tells me that she's on my side, she tells me that we're in this together. And next thing I know, she's all chummy with the enemy, appearing in photoshoots with him."

Chat's reaction took him by surprise. She pulled away from him, looking hurt.  "It's not what you think!  How do you think she was able to get Lionel to clear your name?"

He stared back at her with wide eyes.  "Wait...what?"

Adrienne could already hear Plagg scolding her, but she didn't care. Screw secret identities. This was more important to her. Besides, even if he did figure it out, she trusted him enough to keep her secret.

"After Lyle framed you and got the whole class akumatized, I saw Adrienne in the park with Lyle. She confronted him about his stunt to hurt you. But she didn't know how to prove that he lied, because he's really good at it. So she promised to be his friend, if he would clear your name and stop bullying you. Then, out of nowhere, her mother hired him to join all her photoshoots, and Adrienne couldn't go against her will because..." She didn't need to finish her sentence.

Marin was silent for the longest time, and it was slowly killing her. Finally, he blinked twice, exhaled, and said in a quivering voice, "All this time...I thought she'd deserted me when I needed her the most. But she was protecting me.

Marin was silent for the longest time, and it was slowly killing her. Finally, he blinked twice, exhaled, and said in a quivering voice, "All this time...I thought she'd deserted me when I needed her the most. But she was protecting me. She sacrificed herself so I would stay sage from Lionel's scheming."

The faintest of smiles crossed his lips, only to fade into a frown seconds later. "Shoot. Now I feel bad for leaving her without saying goodbye." He sighed. "But I wanted to call my friends after I left. But a friend of my uncle's took my phone and destroyed it."

Chat Noire gasped. "Destroyed it?!"

Marin rubbed his neck and sighed. "He made me and my parents cut off all contact to our old lives. Don't ask why, its...complicated."

Chat smiled in spite of everything. "Well, you're in contact now. A little kitty told me your entire class is staying here in Coccidellenae. Maybe you can drop in and clear the air with them."

Marin paused in complementation. "I might go for Adrienne...the rest of them, I'm not sure."

Chat nodded. "That's reasonable, I guess. I mean, Lyle still does have a bit of a hold on them."

She smirked at him mischievously. "Hey! While I'm here, how about you and I meet up again tomorrow night? We have a lot more to catch up on."

He gave her one of those bright smiles that she had missed so much. "That sounds perfect. And I know just where we should meet." He pointed to a tower in the distance. "See that tower over there? That's the old bell tower. The bell has been broken for decades, and no one's rung it since. No one will think to look for us in there."

Adrienne grinned like the cat that got the cream. "See you tomorrow at midnight, my purr-ince?

He did a fancy bow. "Looking forward to it, kitty cat!" They laughed together, and she threw him a wink. "Well, I'm off!" And with that, she extended her baton and swung off into the night, all the while noticing how her heart felt lighter than it had in years.
---------------
Adrienne called off her transformation as she leapt through the windows, feeling as if she were weightless. She jumped onto her bed, falling face-first into her sheets, and squealed with happiness. Plagg watched with amusement as his kitten rolled onto her back and waved her arms around, still up on cloud nine. "He's here, Plagg! He's here, and he's still wonderful!"

She sat up. "I'll have to get his new number before I leave!"

Plagg frowned. "But, didn't he say he was forbidden contact with his old friends? For some weird, unspecified reason?"

Adrienne shook her head. "I don't care, Plagg. I'll find a way to contact him. Even if I have to jump a ferry to see him after this trip is over. I've gone too long without Marin in my life. I'm never gonna let him go again."

Chapter Text

Marin awoke the next morning with a spring in his step. He hopped out of bed and happily got himself brushed and washed. The fancy clothes that the butler dressed him in no longer seemed to itch or rub hard against his sensitive skin. He actually sat still as the hairdresser styled his tousled tresses into the do that that he disliked, but that his uncle insisted fit his status as a prince.

He entered the dining hall, humming a tune as he strutted past the guard, not even bothering to wait for his entrance to be announced. King Rong looked annoyed at this.

"A-hem.", he said, expecting his nephew to hurry back to repeat his entry, the correct way this time.

Instead, to his surprise, Marin didn't even seem to hear him. He simply sat at the table and started digging his fork through his scrambled eggs.

Well, this was new. Marin was usually extra careful to follow his uncle's rules and reminders. Rong looked at his sister and her husband, hoping they might be able to explain this new behavior, but they just shrugged, not quite understanding it, either. Rong tried again.

"A-hem.", he repeated, louder, this time. He waited. Nothing. Marin was already halfway done eating his eggs.

"Marin!"

That got the boy's attention. His fork hung from his hand in midair, inches from his mouth, which was hanging open to welcome the food, while his blue eyes fell on his uncle's unhappy face. He closed his mouth, still holding his fork up. "What?"

Sabine bit her lip. "Marin, you forgot to wait for the guard to announce your arrival."

Her son blinked at her, then looked back to her brother. "Oh. Sorry." And with that, he shoved his food into his mouth.

Now Rong was seeing red. "Sorry?! That's it?!"

Marin shrugged, chewing his food. He scraped the last of his eggs off the china plate and into his mouth. Then, he rose up and dusted his hands off. "Well, I'm off to the stables for my riding lesson. See ya later!"

And with that, he jogged off with as little poise and posture as possible, leaving his uncle, stunned, irritated, and insulted.
-----------------
"Its a disgrace! That boy is slipping!"

Sabine watched her brother pace back and forth in his study, ranting and raving like a madman. "Two years of prince training, and he starts acting like a commoner again! And after I paid a fortune for all those tutors to teach him etiquette and rituals!"

Sabine rolled her eyes. Her brother, however strict and conservative, had always been dramatic at times. "Rong, you're making this into too much of a big deal..."

"Am I?!", he roared from behind his desk. "Sabine, I know you hate the pressure I'm putting on the boy, but he needs that pressure! He's going to be King someday! We can't have him acting like a peasant and muddying the royal family name!"

"Um, is this a bad time?"

The Cheng heads turned to the doorway to see Tom standing their with his parents. Roland and Gina Dupain stood with their bags in their hands and their son by their side. Sabine smiled seeing her in-laws.

"Guys, you made it!" She jumped to her feet to hug them.

"We wouldn't miss our only grandchild's eighteenth birthday!", said Gina in her thick Italian accent.

"Speaking of our grandson,", cut in Roland. "Is he causing any trouble?"

Rong sighed as he sat in his chair, holding his head in his hands. "I just...I just don't know what to do with that boy. He won't take his royal duties seriously!"

Roland stepped into the room, setting his baggage at the doorway. "My brother Paul used the exact same way. He was a free spirit, never really took responsibility for anything. We tried everything to get through to him, but nothing seemed to work."

Rong looked up, interested in what the older man was saying. "What happened?"

Roland stroked his chin, recalling the story. "Well, he seemed to change after he met Elsa. He settled down, got a real job, even started volunteering at local functions. Seems like love is what gave him the motivation to get his life together."

Rong's face lit up with inspiration. "That's it! Roland Dupain, you've given me an idea!" He sat on his desk with a grin. "Marin needs a reason to buckle down and get serious. And what better reason is there than providing the girl he loves with a stable, secure life?"

"But Marin's not in love with anybody.", said Tom.

"That's what the idea is!", said Rong. "We'll set him up with somebody!"

Sabine paled a bit. "Rong, you're not going to introduce him to another snooty princess, are you?", she asked.

Rong shook his head. "Of course not! I realize there's more than just royal ladies." A pause. "Besides, he got himself blacklisted from all the royal family marriage list after Princess Chi-yun's visit."

"Hey, in his defense, no one told him she was allergic!", said Tom in defense of his son.

Sabine shook her head. "I dunno, Rong. We can't force these things. In matters of love..."

Rong rolled his eyes. "Love? Love, schmove!" He took two little china bookends on his desk, one of a lass curtseying, the other of a lad with flowers in hand. "Love is a boy meeting a girl under the right conditions." He pushed the two little figurines together. "So, we're going to arrange those conditions."

Roland looked doubtful. "No! That will not work! Marin is a smart boy, he'll get suspicious!"

"Suspicious? Ha!", said Rong. He sat on top of his desk. "The boy's turning eighteen in a few days, isn't he?"

Roland stared back. "Yes..."

Rong put an arm around his brother-in-law's father. "So...what could be more natural than a ball in his honor?", he asked, sweeping an arm out to paint a picture.

Roland slowly smiled, seeing where this was going. "Keep talking..."

Rong stroked his beard with a cheeky grin. "And...if all the pretty young maidens in the the kingdom just...happened to be there...well, he's bound to show interest one of then, right?" He look upwards, envisioning the plan. "I can see it now. Soft lights...romantic music...all the trimmings! It can't possibly fail!"

Gina clicked her tongue. "I think you are underestimating my grandson's intelligence. Marin is quite shrewd."

Rong shook his head. "Too late! My mind is made up!" He cleared his throat. "Chi Fu!"

At once, the King's cheif advisor hurried into the study. "Your Majesty called?"

"Send out the royal heralds!", commanded Rong. "We are going to hold a royal ball at the palace in honor of Prince Marin's eighteenth birthday!  This coming Sunday!"

Chi Fu looked surprised. "This Sunday, my liege? But that is the day you're supposed to be meeting with the contest winners from France to modernize the country!"

Rong looked up. "Oh, I forgot about that!" He paused, then shrugged it off nonchalantly. "We'll have to reschedule. This is far more important."

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

"And Chi Fu?"

The minister looked at his superior expectantly.

"Let it be clear...by royal command, every eligible young maiden in the kingdom is to attend!"

Chi Fu bowed to the King. "I will make certain it is said, Your Majesty."

Rong watched him rush out of the room to get the message across the land. With a satisfied smile, he started on some political papers, humming "Here Comes the Bride" under his breath, ignorant to the three glares in the room with him.

Chapter Text

Adrienne skipped into the hotel kitchen that evening for supper. All day, she had been walking on clouds, to the point where her classmates had started asking questions. But she brushed them all of with a smug and a smile, only intriguing them further.

Adrienne twirled a bit before she took her seat at the dinner table. As her class discussed how to properly pitch their ideas to the royal family, her thoughts drifted off to the boy with the dark hair and the bluebell eyes, anticipating seeing him again after supper.

"Adrienne? Adrienne!"

The snap of someone's fingers in front of her face brought her back to reality. She looked back at the rest of her class. "Hm?"

"Girl, what is up with you?", asked Nina. "You've been out of it all day."

"You've had your heads up in the clouds since breakfast.", added Natasha.

"You've hardly eaten a thing.", Maxine pointed out, pointing to Adrienne's dinner plate, still untouched, save for how she had pushed everything around it absentmindedly.

"If I didn't know better,", chimed in Ivy. "I'd say our little sunshine child has a crush on someone."

At "crush", Lyle jolted a bit and stared at the girls.

Adrienne just smiled mysteriously and shrugged, like she always did, before she returned to her fantasies.

"Well, looks like she's not gonna be any help.", said Alim.

Just then, there was knocking at the door.

"I'll get it!", said Abigail, rising out of her chair and leaving the dining room to answer it.

Nina clapped her hands by Adrienne. "Come on, girl! Focus! We're giving this presentation in three days! We need to be on top of our game!"

Suddenly, Abigail's voice called from the front foyer.

"Everybody! Come quick!"

In a panic, everyone dropped what they were doing and ran to the foyer to see what all the fuss was about. They stopped dead when they saw who had come to pay them a visit.

A handsome Chinese man stood in the doorway, dressed to the nines.  His face was serious as he patted the crest sewn on the upper right side of his fancy buttoned-up jacket with long coattails.

The class heard a couple of squeaks, turning their heads towards Minnie and Dorthy, who looked like they had been zapped.  Minnie looked back at them and pointed to the crest on the man's clothes.  "That's the crest of the royal family!", she whispered, like she could not believe it.  "He must work for them!"

"Indeed I do.", said the man, having overheard the whispers.  "I came here to deliver some important news from the King.  First things first, I must speak with the class from France."

Madame Bustier stepped forward.  "I am the teacher, Madame Caline Bustier.  I will take your message on behalf of the class."

The messages cleared his throat.  "I bring news from the King himself.  His Majesty wishes to inform you that your presentation had been postponed for a few days."

"Postponed?!  Why?!"

"He is pushing back the date for something which he feels is of far more importance."

"What could be more important than modernizing the country?!"

The man reached into his jacket.  "That...is my next bit of news."  He pulled out a piece of paper, ivory tinged with the lightest golden sheen, and unfolded it, clearing his throat before reading it out loud.  "Let it be known that on this coming Sunday, there shall be held, at the palace, a royal ball!"

Minnie and Dorothy gasped in abvious delight.  "A ball!"

"In honor of His Highness, the Crown Prince!", added the servant.

"The Crown Prince!"

"And, but the King's command,", carried on the man with a happy glint in his eye.  "Every eligible lady in the kingdom is to attend!"

The girls started squealing and jumping up and down for joy.

"Why, that means me!"

"And I'm so eligible!"

The man looked pleased.  "Indeed.  A ball to celebrate the eighteenth birthday of our Crown Prince and future King!  It's sure to be the event of the decade!"

Mylo stepped forward, looking upset.  "Wait a minute...are you telling me that our presentation to modernize the country, thus helping boost the economy and change lives for the better...is being held back for a tricked-out birthday party?"

The rest of the class didn't look too happy at this idea, either.

"This is no mere birthday party!", the man insisted.  "There's more to this ball!  The King has invited every available young lady in the land in the hopes that the Prince will choose one of them to become his bride!"

"His bride?!", squealed Minnie and Dorothy.  They started cheering even louder and jumping even higher.

Abigail looked pleased as well.  "Well!  A ball in honor of our Prince's upcoming eighteenth birthday!  Such an event!"

Alex frowned.  "So...you're all cool with this."

"Now, don't be so glum.", said the royal messenger.  "The King has informed me to extend his invitation to you French children as well.  The more, the merrier, he says.  Of course, he probably means the more girls to enchant the Prince."  He tipped his hat.  "The ball begins at seven on the dot.  No RSVPs needed.  Just show up in your best attire."  And he was off.

The class simply grumbled and pouted at the news.  Caline smiled at her students.  "Look on the bright side, kids.  Now we'll have more time to sightsee."

Minnie and Dorothy stopped celebrating when they heard the dark mutters from their mother's hotel guests.  The girls took one look at those sulking faces and immediately saw red.

"What is the matter with you idiots?!", shrieked Dorothy, catching the class off-guard.

"Dorothy!", gasped her mother.  She was ignored by both her daughters, who marched right up to the class.

"Don't you realize that this is the opportunity of a lifetime?!", exclaimed Minnie.  "The messenger said that the Prince is going to pick one lucky girl to be his bride!  That means that someone in this room could be the future Queen!"

"I don't wanna marry the Prince.", said Ivy.  "I already have a boyfriend."

"Me, too.", said Nina.

"Me, three.", added Kimmy.  "He's not here, but he's back home in Paris, and I like him an awful lot.  He's an amazing swimmer."

"I have a girlfriend.", said Natasha.  "She's back home in Paris, too."

"I do not have a romantic companion at the moment,", said Maxine.  "But I have no interest in marrying your Prince, either.  I plan to dedicate my life to science and win a few Nobel prizes before I look for a mate."

Dorothy looked over at Adrienne.  "Whaddabout you, Blondie?", she asked.  "You wanna marry the Prince?"

Adrienne blinked twice.  "Why would I want to marry him?!  I don't even know him!"

The sisters looked at each other, then shrugged.  "Whatever.  Less competition for us."

"I think they should still go.", said their mother.

"You do?", asked Caline.

"Why not?  It could be fun!", said Abigail.

"She's right!", piped up Clovis.  "Come on, guys, when are we gonna get another chance to go to a real royal ball at a palace?!"

The class pondered this for a moment.  "I guess there are worse things for our presentation to get postponed for.", said Sebastian.

"And if we go to the ball and rub elbows with royalty, it might relieve some of the apprehension of meeting the King, so that we are more relaxed and confident when we finally give him our presentation.", proposed Maxine.

Caline smiled.  "Than I guess that settles it!  We're going to the ball!"

The class cheered.

"I'm actually going to a royal ball!", cried Ross.  "What will I wear?"

He and all the others started talking amongst themselves, discussing what they would be wearing to such a huge event.  In all the chaos, no one noticed Gabrielle Agreste staring ahead with a cold gleam in her eye.
—————————-
That night, while the guys worked out their route for clothes shopping the next day, Lyle's phone dinged with a ding that they had never heard before.

"Dude, did you change your text sounds?"

"No, that's the ding to tell me when my mom's texting me. I set up a special ding just for her."

"Aww, that's so sweet."

"Well, I better get that." He stood up and walked outside the room to see the text in private, smiling at the contact name.

Butterfly Queen: This ball is the perfect opportunity for an akuma attack. My kwami has sensed both their presidents in this country. They will come to the rescue for sure.

Another text came in.

Queen Butterfly: I'm counting on you to spread the hate to the whole ballroom.  Time for Scarlet Moth's triumphant return.

Lionel smirked. This was gonna be good.

Chapter Text

Adrienne arrived at the bell tower just a few minutes before midnight promised to strike, transformed into Chat Noire. She sat by one of the windows, crossed her legs, and waited patiently.

Adrienne arrived at the bell tower just a few minutes before midnight promised to strike, transformed into Chat Noire.  She sat by one of the windows, crossed her legs, and waited patiently.

Midnight tolled on the clock, ringing out for all the land to hear. Adrienne sat perfectly still, anxiously awaiting the arrival of her prince. Sure enough, mere seconds after the final stroke of twelve, he appeared at the top of the steps, smiling when he saw her sitting there.

"Marin!"  She jumped up happily to her feet and welcomed him with open arms, nearly pouncing on him.  Her arms wrapped around him snugly, and he returned the gesture with a smile.

"I'm glad you came."

"Of course I did!  Did you really think I'd miss the chance to see my Prince?"

Suddenly, she felt him stiffen in her arms, and he quickly pulled away from her, turning his head to avoid her gaze.  She saw the sad expression he wore and grew concerned.  "Is something wrong?"

"Chat...could you...not call me that? Your Prince?"

She blinked owlishly.  "It never bothered you before."

"Well, now it does."

She titled her head to the side.  "Why?"

"I don't wanna say."

Chat Noire felt sad that she couldn't call him her Prince anymore, but decided it was better not to push the issue. "Well, okay...what can I call you then?"

"Marin. Just Marin.", he breathed the words out.

Irritation crossed her face. "That's no fun. Everyone calls you Marin. I give people nicknames to show how special they are to me! Like, I call Lordbug 'My Lord' and 'Bugaboo'! I have to have a special name for you!"

"You can still give me one.  Just...nothing to do with royalty, okay?"

She looked at him blankly.  "Why not royalty?"

He just looked down and said nothing.  She saw that he didn't want to tell her, so she decided to respect that and not try to pry.

"Okay than...

"Okay then...how about Blueberry?"

He lifted his head, and Chat's heart soared upon seeing that adorable, playful grin cross on his face.  "No way!"

"Sugarcube?"

"Nuh-uh!"

"I got it!  Mister Cutie-Pie!"

"Oh, come on!  That's the worst one yet!"

"Mister Cutie-Pie it is then!"

"Chat!"

They burst out in peals of laughter.  Chat sighed in content.  "I missed this."

"I missed this, too."

They shared soft smiles, remembering how before he had moved away, almost every week, Chat Noire would drop onto his balcony to talk to him.  Lordbug was very strict about interactions with civilians while in costume, but Chat had made an exception for Marin.

For her, it had been the only real way to get to know him.  He was always so nervous and withdrawn around Adrienne, but when he was around Chat Noire, he was loose, natural, and full of life and sweetness.  He opened up to her like an old friend, telling her all about his life at school and showing her any new designs he was working on.  And he always had a warm plate of croissants and a listening ear waiting for her whenever she came.

Going to Marin's balcony at twilight hours, for Adrienne, had felt like coming home.  It was the thing that she had missed most when he disappeared, because it was the only time when she ever really saw him, the real Marin.

They talked and talked in the bell tower for hours about their lives and what had been going on in the time they had been apart. Chat relayed her best battles with Lordbug and gave him updates about his old friends. Despite the fact that things had not ended well, Marin smiled knowing that his old friends were doing well.

In turn, he told her about some of his new friends and family, his cousins and aunts.  He told her the story of how he adopted his dog, Lady, from off the streets, and how sweet and loyal she was.  Chat Noire pouted about how he was a dog person, but he smirked at her and said, "What, I can't be both?"  That cheered her right back up.

"I wish I could see more of you, Chat.", said Marin.  "I missed talking to you on my balcony.  I could always tell you anything.  You never judged me, you never made me feel like I was doing everything wrong, and you always gave me a shoulder to cry on whenever I needed it.  Even after everyone else deserted me for Lionel, or at least seemed to desert me, you stood by me, no matter what."  His bluebell eyes glittered at her.  "I can never thank you enough for that."

Chat felt her heartbeat speed up when she looked into his sparkling eyes, a deep red tinting the skin below her mask.  Had his eyes always glowed and sparkled like that in the twilight?  She adverted her gaze to hide her blushing cheeks from his sight, hoping he couldn't see the change in color in the dimness of the clock tower.  "It-It's nothing.  You've always done the same for me."

Marin smiled at her.  "But I mean it.  You're my best friend.  Out of everyone in Paris...I've missed you the most."

She chuckled nervously, tucking some stray hairs behind her ear.  "Hey...it's getting late.  We better go back before anyone notices we're gone."

"Understandable.  When can we do this again?"

She looked at him with a bright smile. "Hey! Maybe we can meet up again at the royal ball!"

The corners of Marin's smile slipped into a frown. "Rota smile slipped into a frown. "Royal ball? What royal ball?"

"The one they're having at the palace Saturday night!", said Chat, not picking up on his discomfort. "In honor of the prince!  Rumor has it they're trying to find a bride for him, and that's why they've invited every eligible girl in the kingdom!"

His eyes doubled in size.  "Every eligible girl in the kingdom?"

"Yeah!  I'm surprised you didn't hear about it."

To her surprise, Marin's eyes narrowed as he looked out the window, gritting his teeth together.  "Me, too."

Chat looked around for a moment, nervous and confused, before looking back at Marin. "So...will I see you there?"

This seemed to bring him back to reality, and he looked back at her with wide eyes. "Oh! Oh, yeah...I think you will."

"Great!  Save me a dance?"

He nodded and walked over to her.  "Of course, kitty.  Then, he leaned over and kissed her cheek.  "Stay safe."

Chat Noire sputtered in shock for a moment, her mind going back to the Heroes Day picnic where he'd kissed her cheek as Adrienne to thank her for calling him their everyday Lordbug. She quickly turned around and took off in leaps before he could see her embarrassed expression.

His kiss had caught her so off guard, she forgot to wonder why Marin had seemed so unhappy when she told him about the ball.

Chapter Text

Knock, knock.

Adrienne walked into her mother's hotel suite.  "Hello, Mother.  You wanted to see me?"

Gabrielle looked up from her phone as she sat on the fainting sofa, back straight, shoulders back, ankles crossed, just like a true lady.  "Indeed I did."  She set her phone down as Adrienne stood before her.  "I've been thinking long and hard about this royal ball."

"It's exciting, isn't it?", said Adrienne.  "Do you think I'll need a new dress for the event?  I didn't pack anything formal, and I'm sure you wouldn't want me to show up at the palace in my blouse and skirt."

Gabrielle clicked her tongue.  "I'm not sure I want you to show up at the palace, period."

Adrienne's heart sank.  "Excuse me?"

"A presentation to modernize the country is one thing, Adrienne.", scoffed her mother.  "But this ball is just...tacky.  It's basically going to be a one-night version of the Bachelor.  I refuse to have my daughter indulge herself in such a distasteful affair."

Adrienne shook her head.  "Mother, no!  I don't care about the Prince!  I just want to have a fun night out with my friends!  Please!  Let me go!"

Gabrielle eyed her daughter, doubt shining behind her cat-eye glasses.  "And what if someone recognizes you and posts it in the tabloids that you're lining up with the others to be with the Prince?  The scandal will be huge!  The supermodel trying to climb the ranks to be the Princess Bride!"

"There will be hundreds of girls there!  Everyone is invited!  The chances of me being recognized in that sort of crowd are slim."

Gabrielle's expression darkened.  "Are you questioning my judgement?"

Adrienne started ti cower.  "No, I..."

"You're not going.  End of discussion."

Maybe it was the high from seeing Marin last night.  Maybe the confidence that came from being Chat Noire hadn't worn off yet.  Whatever it was, Adrienne did not feel like backing down.  Not this time.

"Why not?"

Gabrielle went rigid, her eyes widening as she stared at her daughter, caught off-guard by her daughter's sudden defiance.  "Pardon?"

"The messenger.  He said that, and I quote, 'By the King's command, every eligible lady in this kingdom is to attend.'  And then he told me and my friends that the King was extending his invitation to the rest of us.  That means I have as much right to attend the royal ball as any of my classmates."  She kept a brave front as she finished, "Are you defying the King?"

That last remark made Gabrielle suck in her breath sharply through her nostrils.  It took everything Adrienne had to not falter under her mother's hard stare.  For a moment, she worried that she had overstepped the line.

Slowly, Gabrielle's face melted into a softer but still cold expression, one that scared Adrienne more than her mother's angry look.  Gabrielle pursed her lips.  "You're right. I suppose he did."

Adrienne swallowed the cold lump in her throat. "He did."

After an agonizingly long, horribly silent minute, Gabrielle spoke again. "Well, than...I suppose I can't stop you from going after all."

Adrienne blinked several times to make sure she wasn't dreaming this. "Really?"

"Really. That is, if you fill your modeling quota while you're here."

Adrienne felt a surge of joy throughout her body. She hadn't expected her mother to comply to her wishes so easily.  "I will!  I promise!" She started to run out of the room to tell Nina the good news. Just as she had her hand on the doorknob, Gabrielle spoke again, recapturing her attention.

"And if you can find something appropriate to wear to such a formal event, of course.", Gabrielle added. Of course, she of all people knew the importance of the right outfit at certain events.

Adrienne nodded eagerly. "I'm sure I can!  Oh, thank you, Mother!" She left the room and closed the door behind her. Once out of sight, she did a giddy twirl.

Plagg poked his head out of her cardigan pocket, looking up at his chosen grinning broadly. "I'm proud of you, kid!  Way to stick up for yourself!"

"I still can't believe it actually worked!", she squealed with delight. She stopped spinning as the news truly sunk in and she remembered something important. "I gotta find a dress!" She hurried off to find Nina and the girls and enlist their help in helping her find the perfect ensemble for the big night.
—————————-
As soon as the door closed with a click, Lyle popped out of his hiding place, his olive colored eyes popping out of his skull, his big fat mouth hanging open. That was not the plan. Gabrielle had explicitly told him she would not let Adrienne go to the ball for when they set their plot into motion.

"What?!", he exclaimed, stalking over to where the famed designer sat, looking completely natural. "Do you have any idea what you just said?"

Lyle was not prepared for the sinister smile she gave him, nor for the cruel gleam in her eye. "Of course.  I said if."

Lyle's face slowly morphed to match her expression as it dawned on him. "Oh...if." He repeated that last word just as maliciously as she had. He folded his arms over his chest and began chuckling darkly. Gabrielle joined him.

Adrienne would not go to the ball.  They would make sure of it.
————————————
Adrienne went digging through all the items packed into her suitcase. She examined each piece of clothing before discarding it as quickly as she had selected it, going in for another piece. The girls sat on Nina's bed in their shared hotel room, witnessing the clothes flying around the room in no particular pattern.

With each rejected item, Adrienne became more and more visibly frustrated. "The one time I actually need something formal to wear!", she vented to her friends as she threw another skirt over her shoulder. "I need something fitting for a fancy party! Mother won't let me go otherwise!"

"Girl, relax!", said Nina. "None of us have anything formal! That's why the class has decided to go shopping for fancy duds for the ball!"

"I'm surprised you're so desperate to go.", remarked Kimmy. "You go to fancy parties all the time. I'd thought you'd be sick of them by now. What's so special about this ball?"

Adrienne was silent. Part of her really wanted to tell her friends the whole truth, that she was meeting Marin there. But she was not sure how they would react. Although the falling out he had had with the rest of the class had been a long time ago, she could tell Marin was still hurting by it deeply. Besides, even with them missing him, Lyle still had sway over their friends. That little liar was unpredictable. There was no telling what he would do or say if he knew Marin was still around.

All that aside, it was up to Marin to decide whether he wanted to see his old friends, not Adrienne. It was his choice to make, not hers. If he wanted to see them, he knew where they were staying. If not, that would have to be.

"Its a royal ball! At a castle! That's way better than any old fashion gala or movie premiere!" It was a flimsy excuse, but it was the best she could come up with.

Fortunately, the other girls bought it. "You're right. It is a pretty big deal.", said Natasha. "I mean, just ask the twins. They're super pumped for the party. They've been running all around, talking about what they should wear and practicing their dancing. Every time I see them, they won't quit yapping about how they're going to get the Prince to fall madly in love with them."

"There are going to be at least a hundred girls at that ball.", commented Maxine, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "What makes them so certain that the Prince will choose them?"

Natasha shrugged.

"I wonder what that Prince guy is like, actually.", said Ivy. "I wonder if he's nice."

"I hope so.", said Nina.

"One thing's for sure.", said Kimmy. "He must be a total hunk if those twins are acting like a couple of wacko fan girls over him."

"Girls!", said Maxine. "We're not going to the ball for the Prince! Let us focus on the task at hand—helping Adrienne find a suitable ensemble."

"Maxy's right.", Nina agreed. "You can come with us after lunch to go shopping for a new dress for the ball! I'm sure your mom will give you the dough to buy something nice."

Adrienne smiler. "Thanks, guys."

Maybe going to fancy parties got old. But having friends who had your back? That never got old.
————————————
As the dishes were cleared away once lunch had finished, Adrienne turned to her mother sitting next to her. "Mother? The girls invited me to go shopping. So I can find something to wear for the ball. You promised I could go if I found something suitable to wear. May I go with them?"

Gabrielle eyed her daughter from the corner. "Of course you may go with them."

Adrienne beamed and began to get out of her chair. "Thank you, Mother—"

"Hold on!", said the designer sharply, her cold tone forcing Adrienne back onto her seat. "I didn't say you could go now. You still have some modeling duties. When you're done with them, then you can go shopping."

Adrienne swallowed, but nodded. "Yes, Mother. What must I do?"

Gabrielle stood up. "Come with me, darling. I'll explain it to you by year."

Adrienne stood up and went to follow her mother when a brown hand grabbed her by her smooth, tan arm. She looked beside her to see Nina looking at her, giving a look that she only used wherever Adrienne and her mother's relationship was concerned. "Girl, you're not coming?"

"Not now, Nina.", Adrienne told her gently. "I promised my mother I would fulfill some modeling jobs while I was here. I'll go shopping later. I can wait. It's okay."

She pried Nina's hand off her arm and went after her mother, vanishing into the hallways. Nina turned to her boyfriend, sitting next to her, and they exchanged a worried look.
—————————-
Nina checked her phone for the millionth time that afternoon.  It was almost time for curfew, and they were just finishing up getting outfits for the royal ball.  They had already selected the dresses and tuxedos that they liked best, and the salespeople were ringing up the items.

Meanwhile, Adrienne had missed everything because of a last minute photoshoot, ordered by her mother of course, and had already let Nina know that her mother had scheduled her for the next day, too.  Her messages still expressed hope that she would find the time between her busy schedule to buy something for the ball, but Nina was getting concerned.

Alim saw the concerned look on his girlfriend's face as he and the others gathered around her, shopping bags in hand.  "You okay?"

Nina put her phone away and looked up at her bae sadly.  "Poor Adrienne.  Every time she finds a minute, that's the time when they begin it!  Adrienne!  Adrienne!  Adrienne!"

She walked a few feet away and started singing a catchy tune.

"Oh, Adrienne!  Oh, Adrienne!
All day long, its's all Adrienne!
Play piano!  Pose for that guy!
Practice Chinese!  Don't be slopping!"

The girls joined in in four part harmony.

"Smile, but not too much!
They always keep her hopping!"

Nina jumped back in.

"She runs around in circles til she's really, really dizzy!
Still, they hound her!"

The girls finished.

"Make her go again!
Poor Adrienne..."

Nina sighed sadly.  "Yeah, make her go again...". She sat down on a fancy stool meant for letting customers try on shoes.  Everyone gathered around, wearing identical crestfallen expression at their friend's misfortune.  Most girls dreamt of being a famous supermodel.  But they all knew better.  Adrienne's life was all rules and restrictions, schedules and diets, no freedom to look or eat or go as she wished.  She was constantly on the outside looking in.

Nina broke the heavy silence.  "You know what, guys?  I don't think Adrienne's gonna get to go to the ball."

That shocked her friends.

"What?!"

"Not go?!"

"What did you say?!"

"You'll see.", Nina mumbled miserably.  "That old bat she calls mom will keep her so busy, she won't have time to find a dress for the ball."

Clovis deflated, blinking back tears for his oldest friend.  "Poor Adri-choute."

In their gloom, no one noticed Alim's face scrunch up in thought until he spoke out.  "Hey!  We can do it!"

Everyone looked up, their expression shifting into bewilderment.

"We can?", asked Nina.

"How?  We each only have some money left over from our own purchases.", Maxine pointed out.  "Even if we pool our resources, we couldn't afford a decent dress for Adrienne."

"Who said we had to buy it?", Alim remarked with a cheeky grin.  He turned to the boys.  "Remember when Marin led us through his fashion design process?"

Mylo lit up.  "I remember!  He showed us how to make our own clothes and sew them together!  He even taught us how to stitch things together!"

"And cut out pieces of fabric for the parts!", added Julius.

"And make sleeves!", chimed in Alix.

Alim grinned.  "That's what I'm talking about!  Maybe we can't afford a ready-made dress for Adrienne, but we can afford materials to sew one for her ourselves!"

Nina's sad face broke out in a smile brighter than a Christmas tree.  "Alim!  That's genius!  We can make a dress for Adrienne!"  She turned to the others and started singing again, her words and tune more cheery and upbeat this time.

"We can do it!  We can do it!
We can help our dear Adrienne!
Make her look like a fine Parisienne!"

Alim added his own line to the end of the verse.

"There's really nothing to it!"

The rest of the class joined in their merry song.

"We'll tie a sash around it!
Tie some ribbons on it!
While dancing at the ball,
She'll be more beautiful than all
In the lovely dress we'll make for our Adrienne!"

They grabbed their shopping bags and scattered around the shops on the street, still singing as they searched for and bought materials for the dress, gathering fabric, tulle, ribbons, needles, thread, and other supplies.

"Come on, hurry, scatter out, men!
Gotta help our dear Adrienne!
We can't just sit like a lazy hen!
We gotta get a-going!"

When the regrouped, their arms were full of materials and supplies needed to make their gift.  Kimmy stepped forward with a small pair of scissors, designed for cutting fabric.

"I'll cut it with these scissors!"

Nina held up a needle and thread.

"And I can do the sewing!"

Alim carefully took the needle from his girlfriend's hand and smiled at her coyly.

"Leave the sewing to the men!
We've done this now and then!"

The class then finished their song in perfect harmony, excited and jubilant.

"And we'll make a beautiful dress for Adrienne!
Make a beautiful dress for Adrienne!"

As they packed away the things they bought, chattering eagerly their plans for the dress, none of them were aware of the pair of sly, suspicious olive-green eyes watching them from the shadows, having heard their entire scheme, and knowing that he had to stop it.

Chapter Text

"Well, you should have told us that pink isn't her favorite color before we bought it.", Alex told Nina.

The whole class was gathered in Nina's suite that she shared with Adrienne, cutting and stitching and sorting to create a new dress for Adrienne to wear to the ball tonight. Right now, some of the girls were protesting that Adrienne disliked pink, the color that most of the tulle and fabric had been bought in.

"Come on! Isn't it a little sexist that pink was your first choice for the dress color?", protested Kimmy.

Julius looked up from sewing tiny pearls along the hem of the skirt. "This has nothing to do with gender conforming. We've seen Adrienne wear pink in ads and stuff and noticed how certain shades of it enhance the color and brightness of her golden blond hair and jade green eyes. So we chose the best shade of peony pink because we believe that it will look the best on her."

The girls blinked several times.

"Okay, seriously, when did you guys get so good at fashion?", Natasha asked.

Julius simply shrugged. "We picked up a lot from Marin." And he turned his head back to his sewing.

"Speaking of Marin...", sighed Maxine, taking some fabric to start her share of the sewing. "You guys wonder if he's making a new dress right now, the same time as we are?"

"No doubt it's a Marin Dupain-Cheng original.", said Mylo lightheartedly as he studied the dress map that he and the other boys had drawn up, detailing what went where on the gown.

"Maybe he's going to enter it in a fashion contest.", added Ivy.

"Which he'll win, no contest.", said Nina. "His skill can't be beat."

"Maybe we'll see his entry in a fashion magazine.", suggested Ross. "Maybe we'll get to buy it in stores. You know, if the people holding the contest sell stuff in Paris."

"Someday, I know we'll all be able to buy Marin Dupain-Cheng clothes anywhere in Europe!", said Alim proudly. "And when that day comes, I promise my closet is gonna be stocked with 'em!"

The class all laughed together. Then, that laughter slowly faded away as their faces took on a touch of melancholy as the familiar ache for their everyday Lordbug struck their lonely little hearts once more.

Just then, a knock came at the door. Everyone went rigid. What if it was Gabrielle Agreste? What if she saw what they were doing and disapproved? Sure, she had promised Adrienne could attend the ball if she found a dress, but she might not approve of anyone helping her, even if it was necessary. She was unpredictable and irrational like that.

"Guys, it's me.", came the smooth voice of Lyle Rossi.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as Alim went and opened the door for their friend, allowing inside before closing the door behind them.  "We're making awesome process on the dress."

Lyle studied the work ethic of his classmates and the pieces that they had already finished, which were indeed looking great.  It had only been a few hours, and they had already made tremendous progress on the dress, which was already halfway complete.  At this rate, the gown would be ready in time for the ball tonight, and Lyle would have to explain himself to his employer.

He had to do something.  But what?  He couldn't sabotage the dress pieces, not with so many witnesses in the same room.  He had been trying to get ahold of Gabrielle since overhearing their plan, but every call went straight to voicemail.  She already had her hands full making sure Adrienne was kept too busy to shop for a ball gown, unaware that her daughter's interfering classmates were undermining her plans.

"Lyle?"  The Italian shook his head and looked at Alim, who was staring at him curiously.  "I asked if you'd like to help?"

"Me?  How?  You seem to have this covered."

Ross sighed.  "You'd think.  But we're missing some key pieces for the dress."

Maxine held up a sewing book to Lyle's line of vision.  It was turned to a certain page with a woman wearing a lovely pink gown, same color and style as the finished pieces for Adrienne's dress.  "The ensemble also requires a pearl or beaded necklace, and a pink sash for around the waist.  We managed to buy the necessary supplies for most of the dress and accessories, but we ran out of money for the necklace and sash."

"We know it might be a lot to ask,", said Mylo.  "But we were hoping you could chip in and use the money you have to buy the missing accessories!  After all, Adrienne is your friend, too!  You want to help her, too, right?"

Lyle put on a sad, apologetic face.  "Oh...I wish I could, but I spent every cent I had left on my own outfit for the ball."

That was a lie, of course.  Lyle had gotten his outfit for the ball for free from Gabrielle.  He still had every penny his mother had granted him for the trip.  But they didn't need to know that.  And if he had to use that money after the ball, he would just tell the class he had forgotten about it.

His friends looked disappointed.  "Oh.  Oh, well.", sighed Ross sadly.  "I guess Adrienne will just have to go without a necklace or sash.  She won't look as pretty, but at least she'll still have the dress."

"Maybe one of us can lend her a necklace or something.", suggested Natasha.

Lyle smiled sweetly at his minions.  "Hey, tell you what.  I'll think about it, and see what I can do."

"That's the spirit!", said Alim.  "I knew you'd wanna help."

Lyle exited the room, keeping his smile plastered on his face until he closed the door behind him. Once out of sight, he let his grin fall and twist into a disgusted scowl, rolling his eyes. These people were so gullible and trusting, at times he missed having Marin around to make things more challenging. He wanted people to believe him, but those dumb sheep in his class made things so easy he was starting to get bored.

Well, never mind that.  He had more pressing matters to tend to now.  He couldn't let Adrienne go to the ball.  But how to stop her?

Suddenly, there came a loud crash from down the hall, soon accompanied by frustrated screaming.  Lyle followed the sounds to a white door.  On it was a plague that said Minnie & Dorothy Nuyin's Private Bedroom.  Leaning in, he peered through the crack in the doorway.

Inside, he saw the twins sorting through a pile of fancy clothes and shoes, throwing them all around with no care or restraint.  With each discarded piece, they made a sound of disapproval.

"What the heck are they doing?", mumbled Lyle to himself.

As if to answer him, Dorothy turned to her sister and said, "At this rate, we'll never find the right accessories for the ball tonight!"

"But we have to find them!", Minnie whined.  "If we don't look our best, the Prince will never notice us!"

Lyle grumbled as he rolled his eyes.  He was getting sick of everyone talking about the stupid Prince.  Sure, Lyle had lied about being best buddies with him, but that was only to gain points with the class.  And now his lie was being overshadowed by this dumb ball.  Even worse, now Lyle had to come up with a plan to keep his classmates from bumping into the Prince and getting his cover blown.

"Welp, I found another reject.", Minnie piped up, holding up a bright pink satin sash. "Like I'm gonna wear this old hand-me-down to the palace! It's so out of date! Plus it totally clashes with my new dress!" She wiggled the long yard of shiny fabric off the tip of her fingers like it was an icky worm.

"You never wear that dumb thing anyway.", Dorothy pointed out. "Why don't you just let Cousin Tiana have it? You know she wants it.

"She also wants those tacky beads Mom gave you for your birthday.", said Minnie, glaring at her sister. "Why don't you give them to her.

"Because they're mine!", snapped the older sister hastily and nastily. She snatched a strand of pinkish-colored pearls off her dresser and clutched them to her chest. "I don't care if they are tacky, they're mine!"

Lyle scoffed softly, as not to be heard and discovered. These girls were so proud and self-absorbed, they would rather hold onto their unwanted belongings than give them away to people who could actually use them. What spoiled brats.

"Well, we'll just have to go out and buy new stuff to wear to the ball!"

"Will Mom let us? We already went over budget on those new gowns."

"I'm sure we can convince her. We just need the right words and a few crocodile tears."

Lyle scrambled out of the way, diving behind a potted plant just as the twins strutted out of their bedroom and went prancing down the halls to whine to their mother for new things. As they disappeared around the corner, Lyle came out of hiding and noticed that their door open a crack. He walked over, looked both ways as if preparing to cross the street, then slipped inside.

There, he noticed the "hand-me-down" sash and "tacky" beads sitting atop the pile of rejected scarves and shawls. He picked them up and gently and studied them closely. These looked similar to the pictures Maxine had shown them of the missing pieces they needed for Adrienne's new dress.

It was then that a cruel smile formed across Lyle's face, his eyes glowing with malicious inspiration. He had found what he was looking for.
——————
Three knocks came at the door. "It's me again."

Alim answered it, greeting his buddy with a smile.

Lyle stepped inside, holding both hands behind his back. "You guys will never believe what I found those bratty twins throwing away!" He pulled his hands in front of him, and the class gasped in awe and joy. Their Italian classmate held a lovely pearl necklace in one hand, and a silky pink sash in the other.

"It's exactly what we need!", exclaimed Maxine enthusiastically.

Lyle smiled warmly at his friends. "Guess it's our lucky day!"

Ross clapped like a sweet baby seal. "This is perfect! Now Adrienne's going to be the prettiest girl at the ball!"

Sebastian went to take the missing accessories from Lyle. "Did they seriously want to toss these?"

"They did. They didn't need them. Luckily, I caught them just in time and told them we could use them for Adrienne. They said okay, they didn't care who used it."

"Good thing you were there!", said Alim, slapping his most trusted friend on the back as Kimmy went to attach the new pieces to Adrienne's ballroom ensemble. "I knew we could count on you, Lyle. We always can."

Lyle put on his kindest, most gracious, phoniest smile. "Hey...anything for Adrienne."
—————————————
"No, no, no, no!", exclaimed King Rong. "I asked for RED roses!"

"But sire, these are red!", said Chi Fu, the King's chief advisor.

Rong glared at him, making the scrawny man shrink back. "I specifically asked for SCARLET red! Those are clearly CHERRY red! Take them back at once!"

""Yes, sire! As you wish, sire!", said the man, shooing away the servant carrying the flowers.

All around, dozens of other servants darted around the ballroom, hanging ribbons, setting tables, waxing the dance floor until it sparkled. The maids gossiped and chatted amongst themselves in excitement, wondering what would happen at the big event they were decorating for.

"Best foot forward, people!", Rong declared, walking around, his voice echoing off the walls. "Everything must be perfect! Not one thing can be out of place! No room for flaws!"

Sabine sighed as she walked up to her big brother. "Rong, I dunno about this. There's a lot of activity going on. Marin's bound to notice you getting ready for something."

"Don't worry, Sabine.", Rong reassured her, examining the placement of some vases. "I've got it all under control. I gave the boy a day off to sleep in and work on some fashion designs if he wanted. I even gave him complete access to the sewing room. You know how rarely I do that. He was ecstatic yesterday when I told him he had a whole day to spend as he wished. He'll be so busy with his drawing and sewing, he'll never see a thing."

"UNCLE RONG!"

At once, the sound of feet stomping angrily up the limestone-floored hallways became louder and louder. Within seconds, the young prince himself appeared in the doorway, looking ready to commit murder, raging fires in his icy blue eyes that were set upon his uncle.

"Marin!  My boy!"  Rong smiled nervously, as did Sabine, when they saw him in the ballroom.  "Wha...What you doing in here?  I thought you would be sketching a new design in your room or crafting a new piece in the sewing room!"

"Forget the sewing!", Marin snapped as he stormed over to his uncle and mother.  "What's all this about a royal ball in my honor?!

Sabine gasped.  "You know?!  How?!  Who told you?!"

"Not important!", snapped Marin.  "Why are you throwing a ball for me and not even tell me it was happening in the first place?!"

Rong twiddled his thumbs nervously and looked toward the ceiling as sweet formed on his brow.  "It was gonna be like a...surprise party!  For your birthday!  So, uh...surprise?"

Marin gave him an unimpressed look. "Was every available woman being at the ball part of the surprise, too?"

"Wha—I—Seriously, how did you find out all this?!"

"Marin, honey, I'm so sorry!", cried Sabine, putting her hands on his shoulder.  "It was all Rong's idea, I swear!"

"Well, either way, you're cancelling this whole thing!", said Marin.

"But the invitations have already been sent! It's too late to cancel now!"

"Well, you probably should have thought of that BEFORE!", cried Marin.

"Marin, you're being melodramatic.", said King Rong. "It's your birthday! Don't you want to celebrate? Maybe meet a few new friends?"

Marin rolled his eyes. "Come on, Uncle Rong, don't think for a second that I don't see through you.", said Marin. "You're throwing this stupid ball to find me a wife!"

Sabine winced. "Dang it. Roland was right."

"It's not gonna work!", said Marin. "I don't even wanna think about getting married yet!"

Ring thrust his head back towards the ceiling, his face tight with frustration. "Why is everyone in the family questioning me?!", he growled. "I'm only thinking about your future!"

Marin scoffed. "I think I'll go join the circus."

Rong snapped his head back, stabbing one finger in the air towards Marin. "You set one foot out of these palace grounds, young man, and I'll have you put under house arrest!"

"I have no idea what that's like, but I think I'd prefer it to this."

"That's enough!", Rong shouted. "You can whine all you want! But I'm not cancelling a thing! This ball is happening, whether you want it or not! So suck it up and try on the nice suit the tailors handmade for you! And that's final!"

Marin glared at his uncle, eyes beginning to glisten. "I hate you."

Sabine gasped in horror, both hands slamming over her mouth. All around her, there was a symphony of clatters and breaking glass as servants dropped whatever they were carrying in shock. The ballroom was overcome with a silence so thick, you could slice it with a knife and serve it with icing.

King Rong stared back at his nephew with a mixture of shock, horror and anger all over his face. "Wha...What did you just say?"

"I said, I hate you!", Marin yelled, stomping his foot. "You ruined my life! You took me away from my home! From my friends! I was perfectly happy until you dragged me away from everything I knew and loved! All you ever do is push your expectations on me! You never ask me what I want!"

Rong fixed him with a cold stare. "That's it! Go to your room! And you're not coming out until it's time for the ball!"

Hot tears rolling down his cheeks, Marin spun around and went running out of the ballroom towards his room.

Sabine noticed how he lifted his arm to his watery eyes, and her heart broke for her only child. He had had to give up so much that he cared about—his friends, his dreams of becoming a fashion designer, his right to choose for himself—at such a young age. This was exactly the kind of thing she had been trying to protect her future children from when she ran away at age sixteen.

"Rong...I think you were a little hard on him."

"No, Sabine.", her brother replied sharply. "The problem isn't that I've been too hard on him. The problem is that for the first fifteen years of his life, you were too soft on him. You raised him to think like a commoner instead of a prince."

"He was a commoner."

"Well, now he's not! He's the heir to the throne! And he needs to start acting like it! This is his life now! His duty! No matter how much he wishes he could back to how he was before, he can't! It's high time he accepts that and starts taking his princely duties seriously! And that includes finding a future Queen!"

And with that, Rong stride off to take back charge of the servants and their preparations, leaving his little sister sad and deep in thought.

Chapter Text

The chime of seven o'clock rang out through the fancy hotel.  A young woman with blonde hair and green eyes stared up at the grandfather clock, showing the time.  Her shoulders slumped, and her face looked defeated.  She glanced down at her jacket pocket, where a teensy tiny black cat with big green eyes looked up at her with sorrow and sympathy.

The carriages assigned to drive them to the royal ball that night would be arriving any moment now, and she had only just finished the final assignment on the list her mother had given her.  Of course that left her no time to find a proper ball gown to wear to the ball.  All of the shops were closed now, and she had packed nothing formal enough for the trip, not anticipating such a turn of events where she would require such attire.

In short, she had failed.

With a heavy heart, she walked up the stairs and up the hallways, stopping at her mother's assigned suite.  Taking a moment to gather herself, the young lady knocked on the door, alerting her presence to those inside.  Moments later, an older woman poked her head out, her short bobbed hair in small rollers, a thick cream covering her cheeks, chin and forehead to stop wrinkling.

"Adrienne?"

"It's seven o'clock.", Adrienne murmured, casting her eyes downwards, refusing to meet her mother's gaze.  This was hard enough as it was.

Gabrielle lowered her glasses and scanned her daughter from head to toe, in her usual outfit, far too casual for a any royal event, let alone a fancy ball.  "Why aren't you dressed?"

"I'm not going.", Adrienne told her, biting down on her lip to stop the tears.

Gabrielle's blue eyes went wide.  "Not going?!  Whyever not?"

"I didn't have any time to get a proper dress.", her daughter explained.

Gabrielle pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes.  "Oh dear...well, what a shame.  But don't worry, I'm sure you won't miss much."

"Yes, goodnight.", Adrienne said in a rush, hurrying away further up the hallway to escape.  She could no longer bear the embarrassment and disappointment.

With her back turned, a young man her age poked his head out from behind Gabrielle Agreste, long greasy brown hair falling loosely to his shoulders.  His dark olive green eyes watched Adrienne slink away sadly before they met his benefactor's crystal blue ones as she gave him a smug smile of triumph.  Their plan had worked to perfection.

But Lyle Rossi knew it was not over.  Not just yet.
———————
Adrienne's feet dragged against the finely-carpeted floors of the hallway, feeling as if they had turned to stone.  "Oh well...maybe Mother's right.  Maybe it won't be as fun as I thought it would be.  Yeah, I bet it will be super dull and boring."

Plagg sighed as he watched his kitten try to soften the blow of being unable to attend the royal ball, all while silently seething over how unfair this all was.  It just wasn't right.  Adrienne worked so hard to make her mother happy, to make her proud.  The least that old bat could do was give her a night off.  But no...she had to micromanage Adrienne's schedule to suit her own benefits instead of her daughter's.  On days like these, Plagg really had it restrain himself from cat-aclysming that crone's wrinkled face.

"Adrienne!"

The blonde looked up to see her best friend in the whole world running up to her, smiling from ear to ear.  "Ready for the ball?"

Adrienne hung her head again.  "I can't go. I couldn't get a dress in time."

Surprisingly, Nina didn't look deterred.  She kept on smiling, taking her sister-in-all-but-blood by the hand.  "That's why we have a surprise for you, girl!"

Adrienne tilted her head to the side. "A surprise?"

"Trust me, this will definitely lift your mood!", Nina said, pulling her up the hall. "Just close your eyes!"

Adrienne looked at Nina, doubtful, but obeyed and gently shut her green eyes closed, blindly letting her best friend lead her down the hall.
——————-
"Nina, I really don't think anything will cheer me up this time.", Adrienne sighed, nevertheless keeping her eyes closed as they walked.

"Girl, trust me on this.", said Nina, hands squeezing her bestie's in reassurance.

At last, they stopped by a doorway, Adrienne's toes feeling the threshold. She carefully stepped over it. As she did, she felt Nina let go of her hands.

"Okay, ready? Open!"

Adrienne opened her eyes at her command. When she did, she had to blink several times to make sure what she was seeing was real.

The whole class, minus Lyle, was gathered in the room. They were crowded into a group, and in the center, held up by their hands, was one of the prettiest dresses Adrienne had ever seen. It was as pink as cotton candy, with bows placed tastefully here and there. The tulle skirt looked soft and full, but not full enough to be poofy, and the sleeves were short and subtle. The dress seemed to light up the whole room.

"What...Who...Who's dress is that?", Adrienne asked breathlessly.

"It's yours!", squealed Ross, jumping up and down with delight and excitement.

Adrienne pressed a hand to her heart. "M-Mine?"

"We saw that there was no way you were going to get a dress on your own to wear to the ball.", said Myles explained.

"Luckily, we guys picked up some sewing skills when we were friends with Marin.", Alex continued.

"So we pooled all our resources to buy materials and supplies, and we worked together to make this for you!", Alim finished proudly. He walked up to Adrienne and thrust the dress at her, like handing someone a trophy.

Stunned beyond words, Adrienne took the dress from him, staring at it in awe, her green eyes studying every stitch, every detail, her mind trying to process what was going on. For amateurs, the dress was surprisingly well-made.  They were nowhere near Marin or her mother's level, sure, but for people who probably never designed or sewed a full dress from scratch, they had done a fantastic job.

"You...You guys did this for me?", she asked, tearing up.

"Of course we did!", exclaimed Kimmy.  "We're your friends!  We want you to get to the ball just as much as anyone!"

"You're always doing so much,", Julius said.  "Wearing yourself out with your mom and your schedule, putting your own wants last, always trying to please everybody but yourself.  If anybody deserves a night off, Adrienne, it's you."

Adrienne spun around the room, holding the gown out before her, like she was dancing with it.  "It-It's beautiful!", she exclaimed.  "I-I don't know what to say!  Oh, how can I ever..."

She glanced around at the smiling faces around her.  "Thank you.", she choked out, her green eyes overflowing with tears, hugging her new dress against her like a long-lost friend.  "Thank you all so much.  I don't know how I'll ever pay you back."

"You don't have to, girl.", said Nina with a smile.  "It's our gift to you.  That's just what friends do."

"Hey, whaddaya waiting for?", exclaimed Clovis.  "Go get changed!  The coaches won't wait forever!"

With a squeal of delight, Adrienne dashed out of the room.  There was not a moment to waste.

Just outside the hotel, Madame Bustier, looking simple yet stunning in a long seafoam green evening gown, herded her students into the waiting carriages the King had ordered for them, a complimentary gift, seeing as he had inconvienced them enough by pushing back their presentation for this birthday ball.

Behind the class, Minnie and Dorothy wore fancy ballgowns with full skirts, adorned with pounds of glitter and fake flowers of various colors. Minnie's was periwinkle blue while Dorothy's was a lovely lavender. Their jet black tresses was styled so much, with so many ornaments and curls, it almost looked like woven baskets on their heads than actual hair.

Lionel was just finishing up tying his orange tie when Alim and Nina came downstairs, arm-in-arm and dressed to impress.

"You two look great.", he complimented them.

The couple smiled and stepped aside from the stairs. That's when Gabrielle Agreste came into the room, swathed in a silver evening gown with just the right amount of sequins, arranged tastefully, a silvery shawl draped over her arms. She gave the couple a quick glance up and down, pursed her lips thoughtfully, and then gave a little nod.

"I must admit, not too shabby. Not entirely up to standards, but not completely heinous."

Nina blinked owlishly. That was the closest thing to a compliment that Gabrielle had ever given her.

"Uh...thanks."

Gabrielle adjusted her shawl, looking away from the stairs. "Well, we better get going. We cannot keep his Majesty waiting—"

"Wait!"

Gabrielle turned around, and her red-painted mouth fell open upon seeing her daughter standing at the top of the stairs, wearing a soft pink dress adorned with lace and ribbons, more old-fashioned but infinitely more elegant than the other girl's dresses.  Her hair was in it's naturally curly state and pulled back with a big pink bow, falling around her shoulders just right, and her pretty face was lightly touched up with makeup that gave her a natural glow.

"Please, wait for me!", she cried, gathering her frilly skirts and hurrying down the steps with all the grace of a lady. At last, she reached the floor and did a spin, letting her skirt swirl around her elegantly as she giggled with glee. Around her, Alim and Nina smiled proudly at their work and the happiness it had produced for Adrienne.  Even the twins themselves seemed impressed with her new ensemble.

Adrienne cast her hopeful gaze upon her mother, who was gaping like a fish. "Well? How do I look?", she asked, her eyes shining, begging her mother for praise.

Gabrielle sputtered a string of sounds that could not be considered words as she took in every detail of her daughter's new frock. She had to admit, it was simply yet elegant, and did quite a bit for Adrienne. But that wasn't the main focus on her mind.

"Adrienne Agreste, where on earth did you get that dress?!"

"My friends made it for me.", she said, looking at Alim and Nina from the corher of her eye. "They saw how busy I was and didn't think I'd be able to get something in time for tonight, so they pooled their leftover money to buy sewing supplies and sewed this for me! Aren't they wonderful?"

Gabrielle looked at the two, who seemed to take pride in her shocked behavior.  The fashion designer narrowed her eyes dangerously at the students, but they did not cower under her stare. In fact, if anything, seeing her so upset made them puff up even prouder.  So instead, she turned her burning glare to Lionel Rossi, but he did not seem to understand her ire.  He just looked back at her, smirking smugly like he always did.

"You look great, Adrienne.", said Nina.  "I knew you would."

"We're gonna wait for you in the carriage!", said Alim.  "See you in there!"

And with that, the couple linked arms and marched outside with their heads held high.  Gabrielle's furious blue eyes followed them until they were out of sight.  That's when Lionel re-entered her line of vision.  He slowly pushed the door closed with a click, still wearing his smirk.  Then he turned his head to meet Gabrielle's eyes, and she saw the look in his, the look that assured her to trust him.

"Adrienne!", he said, strutting over to where she stood. "Can I just say...you look great. Your dress is...perfect."

The girl's sunny smile slowly slid into a frown as the liar got closer and closer. He stepped into her personal bubble, leaning over towards her. She gulped when she noticed that he was smiling like a fox that had gotten into the henhouse. Every muscle in her body froze as she felt his cold, calculating eyes roam her person.

"You know what I like best about your outfit?", he asked, raising one eyebrow.

Adrienne leaned back, remaining silent.  Lionel took it upon himself to answer himself.

"Your necklace.", he stated, reaching a sweaty, grasping hand for her throat.  Adrienne shut her eyes tight and waited for something awful, but instead felt a light tug on the back of her neck.  She opened her eyes to see that Lionel had slipped his fingers under the front of her beaded necklace and was lifting it up for everyone to see.

"I mean...those beads give it just the right touch.", he said, dragging his sentence along slowly with a grin.

He dropped the necklace with sudden movement, causing Adrienne to flinch.

"But enough about what I think...", he said, stepping away from Adrienne, towards where Gabrielle stood.  The younger Agreste stared at his back as he stopped for a moment.  She could feel Plagg vibrating out of suspicion in the hidden compartment of her dress.

Finally, Lyle spoke again.  "What do you guys think?"

As he said this, he turned his head to Minnie and Dorothy.  Adrienne looked at the twins and found herself confused at their reactions.  The two were looking at her through narrowed eyes, studying her.  Just when she was about to ask what was wrong, Dorothy's face shifted into anger, turning a shade of red.

"Wait a minute!", she squealed.  "Wait a minute!"  She pointed a shaking finger directly at Adrienne, her eyes ablaze with fury.  "Those beads!  Those are MY beads!"

Adrienne's hands instinctively flew to the shiny blue beads around her neck.  "Wha-What?"

"Don't play innocent, you dirty little brat!", Dorothy shrieked, stomping over to Adrienne.  "I know those beads!  Those are mine!  You stole them!"

Adrienne quickly shook her head.  "No!  No, I swear!  I never took anything! This must just be another production!"

"Oh, so you're not just a thief, you're also a liar!", Dorothy got out, sneering at the blonde.  "Well, I'm taking my necklace back!"

Before Adrienne could react, the Asian girl reached out her hand and grabbed the beads.  With one mighty yank, she snapped the strand of the necklace, causing beads to fly everywhere, raining down at their feet and bouncing all over the floor.

"Oh, no!", exclaimed, Adrienne, staring distraughtly at the remains of her lovely necklace.

"Hey!"  Minnie ran over, catching her sister's attention.  She pointed at Adrienne's waist.  "That's my sash!  She's wearing MY sash!"  She lunged at Adrienne and pulled at the ribbon, which split into tatters off her waist with a mighty RIP!

Just when Adrienne thought things couldn't get any worse, the twins started grabbing her by the arms and torso and kept ripping away at her dress, not just the pieces that her friends had added, but the parts that had been there to begin with.  She spun around like a top, fighting back tears as the sisters pulled and tore away big chunks of her skirt and bodice, pieces of ribbon and lace flying everywhere.

"No!  Stop!  Please, stop!", she begged, but her pleas fell on deaf ears.

"You miserable little thief!"

"Go back to Paris!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!"

At last, the yanking stopped.  Adrienne stopped, her face still buried her hands, too afraid to look out.  Once the voice spoke again, she recognized it as Lyle's.  "I think that's enough.  You girls don't want to upset yourselves.  It'll make a bad impression on the Prince."

Adrienne cautiously peeked our from between her fingers to see Minnie and Dorothy drop whatever they held in their heads and strut away from her.  As they exited her line of vision, she finally caught sight of her mother and Lyle.  They were staring at her with wide eyes.  Lyle covered his mouth and shook his head slowly.  "Oops.  Too late."

Adrienne took her hands off her face and looked down, a soft gasp of agony escaping her lips, her heart breaking at the sight.  Her dress, her beautiful dress, the one her friends had worked so hard on, was completely ruined.  All of the trimmings had been torn off, scattered around at her feet.  One of her sleeves was frayed, while the other had been ripped off entirely, giving the top a lopsided look.  Her skirt, once flowing and swirling, now ended just below her knees in tattered, uneven shreds.

Lyle took the hand off his mouth, unveiling his smug smile.  That's when Adrienne knew that this had been intentional.  He had drawn the twins' attention to her dress, somehow knowing that they would get mad and ruin her dress.  What's more, he had no remorse for what he had done.  In fact, judging from the way he smiled at her, he was proud of what he had done.

"Well, you can't go to the ball looking like that.", he said slyly, still showing no shame.  "Too bad.  Oh, well.  I'll just tell Nina and Alim you got sick."

Adrienne looked up at Gabrielle, her green eyes shining with unshed tears and cries for help.  "Mother, please...", she whimpered, her voice begging her mother to help her, to punish Lyle, anything.  Surely, Gabrielle would not just stand by and do nothing while her only child suffered, would she?

But the fashion designer simply pressed her painted lips into a firm line and stared at her daughter for the longest minute before she said quite plainly, "I want you to be in bed by the time I get home."

Adrienne gasped softly, unable to stop the flow of tears that leaked from her eyes at those words.  She wasn't sure which was worse.  The destruction of her dress, or her mother's betrayal.  How could Gabrielle be so callous?  So unfeeling?  So heartless?

The designer simply pivoted on her high heel and walked out the door after the twins as if nothing had happened.  Adrienne watched her mother leave without a shred of regret before her watery eyes turned back to Lyle.  Now that they were alone, he was making no effort to hide his satisfaction at manipulating the girls and wrecking Adrienne's chances to go to the ball. He smirked meanly at her, his eyes sparkling with shameless triumph.

Adrienne wanted to scream at him. To ask him how someone who acted so kind could be so cruel in real life. To tell him for someone who acted so smooth and cultured, he had zippo class. To unleash all the anger and hatred that had been building up towards the boy for over three years now. But all she could do was whimper, "...why?"

The corners of his mouth slipped down into a deep scowl. "Maybe you should have thought better before you decided to end our partnership.", he hissed at her, showing no mercy in his eyes. "In this world, you're either with me or against me. There's no in-between. If you won't be my friend or my beau, you're my enemy."

He smirked. "Let that be a lesson to you. You've made your bed. Now you have to lie in it."

He threw his shoulders back and held his head high. "Now...I better go. I don't wanna be late for the ball."

And with that, he whirled around, adjusted his tie, and strutted away from her without a care in the world. Before he left, he glanced over his shoulder and spared her one more mean look. "Goodnight."

He closed the door behind him with a click, leaving Adrienne standing alone in the lobby. As the sounds of car engines faded away, Plagg came out, taking in his kitten's ruined, distressed state. "Adrienne?"

In that moment, all the pain of the past four years—losing her father, her mother shutting her out, losing Marin, Lyle going after her relentlessly—it all came rushing to her all at once. Unable to hold it in any longer, Adrienne gave in. Gave in to the sadness. Strangled sobs escaped her lips, and for the first time in five years, she did not try to swallow them back into her throat.

Her vision blurring with tears, Adrienne fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands, finally letting the weight of the misery of the past few weeks, months, years, overcome her and crush her soul. She was left kneeling in the middle of the floor crying, her wails echoing off the empty walls of the hotel, with only a Kwami who, despite having lived for millions of years, had no idea how to comfort her in her hour of need.

Chapter Text

The hotel was completely empty, save for the sounds of a young girl sobbing. Adrienne had been kneeling on the floor, weeping into her hands for the past twenty minutes straight. The remains of her dress lay scattered around her, her last chance at going to the ball and seeing Marin one last time.

The part that stung the most, by far, had been the way Gabrielle had reacted. Her own mother, whom she tried so hard to please every single day, whom she obeyed without question, whom she loved dearly, had done nothing to stop the two strange girls from attacking her, stood by and let those girls destroy the dress Adrienne's friends had gifted her so generously, not even comforting her daughter, her only child, when she needed it most. After everything Adrienne had done for her, Gabrielle had betrayed her, just because she didn't want Adrienne to go somewhere she wanted her away from.

All Adrienne had asked for was one night for herself, one night of fun without her mother's control, one evening with someone she loved. And Gabrielle couldn't even give her that.

Plagg tried to console his kitten, but there was only so much he could do. He nuzzled her damp cheek and purred, wishing there was more he could do. He was seriously considering flying all the way to that ball and cataclysming Gabrielle Agreste, in public or in private, he was fine with whatever.

But then, he heard his kitten speak. "I'm sorry, Papa.", she whimpered from behind her hands. "But I can't do this anymore. It's too hard. I try so hard, but nothing works. It's over. I give up. I don't believe anymore."

Plagg's heart shattered at those words. She was giving up. She was giving up any hope that things would get better for her, any hope that she would be free from her cruel mother, any hope of finding happiness in life. Adrienne, the girl who always looked on the bright side, who always tried to look towards a brighter tomorrow, who believed more than any of the hundreds of holders Plagg had ever had, had lost all her hope that her dreams would come true.

It felt like the end of everything.

"I can't believe, not anymore.", Adrienne simpered. "There's nothing left to believe in. Nothing..."

"Nothing, sweetheart? Oh, now, you don't really mean that."

"Oh, but I do."

As soon as Adrienne said that, it sunk in that she and Plagg were no longer the only ones in the room.  She lifted her hands of her wet face with a soft gasp as the voice went on.

"Don't be silly, darling.  If you'd lost all hope, I wouldn't be here!  And here I am!"

Adrienne's head spun around to see another woman in the room.  She was tall, lean, but muscular and strong, with broad shoulders and sturdy legs, with hair black as midnight that flowed out the top of her head in a ponytail and dark eyes.  She was clearly Chinese.  Even without the distinct Asian features, the style of her clothes was a dead giveaway. She wore a black top with Chinese stitch fastenings and high collar, lined with emerald green, and black bloomers with high stockings, with Chinese flat shoes. She looked ready to get down to business to defeat the Huns.

Plagg's jaw fell open.  "It can't be...Mei-Mei?"

The girl, Mei-Mei, smirked.  "The one and only."

Adrienne looked at Plagg, then at Mei-Mei, than back at Plagg.  "Who's Mei-Mei?"

"Only the first person to wear my ring EVER!", Plagg cried.  "Mei-Mei was my very first kitten, the very first Black Cat Miraculous hero in Ancient China during the Xia Dynasty!"

"The Xia Dynasty?", Adrienne asked.  "But wasn't that, like, two thousand years ago?  So why isn't she, y'know...dead?"

"I was wondering that myself, actually!", Plagg confessed.  He looked at his former holder.  "I was with you on your deathbed!  So how in the name of cheese are you here?"

"Oh, all Miraculous holders have a sort of afterlife where we become guardian spirits for humanity, watching over people and such and protecting them in small ways.", Mei-Mei explained.  "But occasionally, we can choose to step in when the current holder of our Miraculous is in distress."

"Well, Adrienne's definitely in distress now.", said Plagg, looking back at his kitten on her tattered dress and the shredded remains of it circling her.

"But wait!  If you can show up when the current holder's having a bad time, why did you pick now of all times?!  Where the heck were you when her mom was abusing her, or when Liar Rossi transferred, or when Marin disappeared?"

"It's all part of the plan, Plagg.", said Mei-Mei, walking over to Adrienne.  "My magic as a guardian spirit is strong, but limited.  I couldn't do much for her in those situations, but I can do a lot with a little now."

She took Adrienne by her hands and pulled her to her feet.  "There there, dry those eyes.", she cooed gently, cupping Adrienne's face and using her thumbs to wipe away her tears.  "We gotta get started.  You don't wanna go to the ball with red and puffy eyes, now do you?"

Adrienne sniffled.  "The ball?  But I'm not going."

"Oh, but you are!  That's what I'm here for."

Before Adrienne could push her for further explanation, Mei-Mei flourished her hand.  As she did, swirls of rainbow-colored magic swirled from her fingers and palm, answering any questions Adrienne had.

"Now, if we're gonna get you to that ball, we need to start with the basics."

Adrienne smiled and looked down on herself, expecting Mei-Mei to start using her magic to fix her dress.

"Transportation!"

Adrienne's smile faltered a bit.  "Oh.  Right.  Transportation."

Mei-Mei pointed towards the back of the hotel.  "Go into the garden and get me the biggest pumpkin you can find."

Adrienne and Plagg turned to each other, faces scrunched up.  "A pumpkin?"
————————
Fuve minutes later, girl, kwami and spirit were all standing in the gardens behind the hotel.  Adrienne placed down a pumpkin, the biggest, roundest one she could find, and placed it at Mei-Mei's feet.  Mei-Mei tapped a finger to her lower lip over and over as her dark eyes examined the pumpkin carefully, while Adrienne abd Plagg watched her, still uncertain as to where she was going woth this.

Finally, Mei-Mei smiled.  "Yep!  This will be perfect!  Great job finding this beauty!'

"Uh, excuse me,", Plagg finally said, his patience wearing thin.  "I'm sorty, but how in the name of Camembert is a pumpkin gonna get my kitten to the ball?"

That's when his first holder shot him a smile, a smile he recognized right away, paired woth that familiar twinkle in her eye.  "Just watch, Plagg."  She started backing away.  "Stand back!"

Adrienne and Plagg slowly moved backwards, away from the pumpkin.

"Now for the magic words...", said Mei-Mei, rolling up her sleeves.  At once, her hands started to glow a glittery emerald green, bright and glaring in color, sparkling like stardust, as she aimed them at the pumpkin, palms facing the root vegetable.  "Miraculous Catlysmic Pawe!"

At those words, the glittery green dust shot out of the palms of her hands, hitting the pumpkin and enveloping it in the same sparkling green glow.  Moments later, the pumpkin began to twist and shake and grow, grow at a rapid size, grow bigger than Adrienne was.  It shimmied and shimmered and pulsed with green light until, at last, it became invisible under a cloud of glistening green dust.

The dust faded, and a gasp escaped from Adrienne's throat, her hands flying to clasp over her mouth at what she saw.

Where there was once a plain old orange pumpkin, there now stood a beautiful white and silver coach, glittering like untouched snow, round and full, with CN engraved on the door in large silver cursive letters, and silver wire wheels that swirled inside the wheel face like vines.

Adrienne rubbed her eyes to make sure she was seeing right, while Plagg zipped into the coach through the little open window in the doors.  "Holy Miraculous!  Leather seats?  Cupholders?"  He zipped out, back to Mei-Mei.  "Mei-Mei, where did you learn to do all this?!"

Mei-Mei simply puffed up like proud peacock and tossed her flowing, luxurious black hair over her shoulder.  "Spirit magic.  I know, I'm awesome, but no time to bask in my glory now.  We still need to finish the job."

"Right!", said Plagg, looking back at Adrienne, who had overheard and was gathering her skirts again in hopeful anticipation.

"Of course, we'll need something to pull this coach.", said Mei-Mei.

Plagg and Adrienne stopped smiling.  "Oh, yeah.  Right.  How could we forget that?"

"Well, I think the owner has a horse, we'll just take that, I' sure she won't mind as long as we bring it back—"

"No need!  We don't need a horse for this!", said Mei-Mei.

Adrienne cocked her head to the side.  "We don't?"

"Than what are we gonna use to pull the coach?", asked Plagg.

"Mice.", Mei-Mei answered plainly.

"MICE?!", echoed Plagg, flabbergasted by his ex-holder's answer.  "You're kidding me, right?!  How are mice gonna pull that humungoid carriage with their teeny tony bodies?!"

Mei-Mei didn't appear to be listening.  She was scanning over the dirt grounds, searching for something, until her eyes found purchase.  "Aha!  Right there!"  She pointed to four white mice huddled together by a nearby pumpkin, nibbling and feasting on it's shell.

"Miraculous Catlysmic Pawe!"  The magic shot from her palms against, reaching the mice, who began to grow and change, their whiskers shrinking into their noses as they grew longer and more stout, until they were engulfed in another explosion of magic dust.  When it cleared, instead of four white mice, four proud white mares with long, lustrous manes and golden bridles in their mouths stood, and started trotting towards the coach.

Mei-Mei pressed her lips together in a thin line.  "Okay, now there's more thing I'm forgetting...it's on the tip of my tongue..."

Yes!  Finally!  The dress!  She started walking forward, smoothing her tattered skirts.

"Right!  A horse!  We need a horse!"

Adrienne deflated like a popped balloon.  "Another one?"

"What?!  No, we don't!", Plagg nagged.  "We already got four of them!"

"Well, someone's gotta drive!", said Mei-Mei.

"Drive?!  How can he drove?!  He doesn't have hands!  How is he gonna hold—"  Plagg stopped himself as realization sunk in.  "Oh, you're gonna turn him into a human, aren't you?"

As if to answer his question, Mei-Mei shot the horse nearby with a beam of green magic, and sure enough, after a burst of glittery green dust, in the horse's place was a pale-skinned, white-haired human in a white uniform.

"I know, but, um...". She meekly lifted her tattered skirts.  "Don't you think my dress...?"

Mei-Mei turned to her, and her eyes widened suddenly as though she'd just realized the sorry state of Adrienne's outfit.  "Oh!  Oh man!  Wow!"

"Don't tell me ya just noticed!", Plagg exclaimed, exasperated.

"Well, before I was focused on the coach and the horses and the footmen but...yeesh!  Those girls really did a number on you!"

Adrienne nodded sadly.  "Can you fix it?"

Mei-Mei gave her a half smile.  "I can do you better.  Now let's see...something form-fotting..."

She started walking around Adrienne in a circle, examining her size, her skin tone, muttering to herself.

"Something simple...but elegant!  Oh!  Oh, I got just the thing!"  She took a few steps back, wearing an excited smile.  "Ready?"

Adrienne nodded.

"One...two...three!"

A burst of green glitter exploded from Mei-Mei's palm and fluttered around Adrienne.  The magic dust speeped into her destroyed dress, and the color changed from pale pink to midnight black.  The skirt legenthed, flowing off her hips into a light, swirling material that shone like silk and moved gracefully around her as she moved, like water under a starless night.  The bodice repaired itself, becoming pristine as the single shoulder strap where it had been ripped away shifted into two tulle straps that hung off her shoulders, giving her an off-the-shoulder look.

On her arms appeared long, glamorous black evening gloves, each finger sporting a small crystal in the shape of a teardrop, with the point facing up, to look like a cat's claws.  A simple black choker wrapped around her throat with a single emerald jewel that glittered like a green star.  Her messy blonde curls lifted up and twisted themselves into an elegant French twist, with a stray curl hanging down each side of her face to frame it.

Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, teeny tiny emerald sparkles appeared on her gown, lighting it up like green stars at night.  They appeared on the hem of her skirt, on the neckline of her bodice, around her waist, and even in her pinned up hair.  Two velvet black cat ears popped out to flank her bun on both sides, and her signature black Chat Noire mask, dressed up with bits of green glitter, appeared on her face.

Adrienne was speechless, absolutely floored. She looked down at herself, at her new dress, more stunning than anything she had ever worn, more stunning than anything her mother herself had ever designed. It was unlike anything she had ever worn. It suited her so well, on levels that no other garment ever had. It was the perfect mix of elegant and classy, yet mysterious and rebellious—just like her. It was as if her inner soul had been manifested into this very ensemble.

Adrienne, taken to cloud nine, spun in a circle, watching with awestruck eyes as her skirts swirled gracefully around her. "It's beautiful!", she gasped, picking up her skirts and admiring as the green glitter in them flickered as she moved them. "It's the most beautiful dress I've ever seen!"

Plagg was just as in awe of his kitten's new dress as she herself was. "Kiddo! You look sensational! That new dress makes everything your old lady's ever made look cheap and tacky!"

Then Adrienne looked down at her feet from under her hem, and saw something sparkling on them. She lifted her skirts up higher and bent down to see a pair of glittering heels on her feet, made entirely, made entirely out of glass as black as her new gown, shimmering in the moonlight with iridescent emerald jewels incrusted on the toes.

"Plagg, look! Glass slippers, too!", she squeaked happily, lifting up a leg and wiggling her foot around to shpw off to her kwamis, whostared in amazement.

"Woo, fancy!", he said.

Adrienne ran up to Mei-Mei, gloved hands clasped over her heart. "It's like a dream! A wonderful dream come true!" She spun away, skirt swirling around her she floated on air.

"Yeah, I know.", said Mei-Mei, smiling gently at Adrienne as she watched the young girl stand before a small fountain, leaning over to admire herself in the reflection of the water, preening and patting her hair. She hadn't loved seeing herself this much since her very first transformation as Chat Noire. As a model, you would think Adrienne would love preening in front of the mirror in the designer outfits her mother had made. But nothing her mother created ever truly matched her personality. This gown, however however, was a perfect reflection of her her innermost being

Mei-Mei's smile flatered a little bit.  "But, like all dreams, this one can't last forever.  You absolutely have to be gone from the ball by midnight—"

"Midnight?  Oh, thank you.", Adrienne replied absentmindedly, not even bothering to look away from her reflection.

"No, no, you don't get it!", Mei-Mei said sternly, catching Adrienne's full attention. "The magic has a time limit! At the last stroke of twelve, the spell will be broken, and everything will go back to the way it was before!"

Adrienne looked at Mei-Mei, smiling sweetly. "Oh no, I get it, I understand completely, it's just...". She picked up her glistening skirts, eyes glittering even more than her gown as she graced Mei-Mei with a smile full of gratitude and happiness. "It's...more than I ever hoped for."

Mei-Mei smiled back. "Bless you, child.", she said, gracing Adrienne with a tender kiss on her forehead. "Hey, whaddaya standin' around here for? You've got a prince waiting for you at that ball!"

Adrienne did not give that comment much thought. She figured Mei-Mei must have been referring to her old nickname for Marin. So, she simply higged Mei-Mei, climbed into the waiting coach, and waved goodbye as the driver snapped the reins and drove off into the night.

"Goodbye!", she said, waving with a huge smile on her face. "Goodbye! Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Adrienne leaned back against the cushy leather seats of her new coach, head turned to the window. As she watched the passing countryside, the rooftops illuminated by the full moon above, the green grasses turned silver by the lunar light, she felt different. Not the same different she had always felt after transforming into Chat Noire, but a whole new kind of different. She felt like a whole new person, someone who had never experienced loss or heartbreak or disappointment or rejection. Someone who had always been loved in return.

In that moment, on her way to the royal ball, in her magical dress and enchanted carriage, Adrienne felt as if anything was possible.

Chapter Text

The ballroom was already filling up by the second. Young ladies bustled into the room, each one washed and groomed like a prized racehorse, each decorated woth more ornaments and baubles than a Christmas tree.  All different colors flooded the palace, lighting up the place like a rainbow, all the jewelry making the ballroom itself seem to sparkle.

High up on the balcony, Rong, dressed in a fine siit of black silk lined with gold, a cape of wolf's fur pinned to his shoulders, his official King's crown perched on his perfectly styled head of hair, watched the ladies entering, each lovely and eager to be here.  Rong smiled, before speaking to Roland standing next to him.

"Roland, I must commend you,", he said joyfully.  "This was a brilliant idea!  Look at all the women who showed up tonight!  Marin's bound to find one of them interesting enough!"

Roland straightened his tie, beaming with pride over being complimented by an actual King.  Gina, on the other hand, simply rolled her eyes.  She felt sorry for her grandson.
———————————
Marin took another look at himself in the mirror.  The servants had had him bathed and groomed extensively.  He had been scrubbed and washed to the point it would be safe to eat off him.  His hair had been slicked back with at least half a jar of styling gel, making his black locks look more like the plastic hair on a Ken doll.  They had sprayed so much colonge on him, you could smell him from a mile away.  They had even added blush, highlighter and eyeliner to his face, subtle touches of makeup, yet enough to make him look his absolute best.

His outfit was way too fancy, an ivory satin suit with golden tasseled empulets, golden lining his high collar, little white gloves, a dark red sash over his shoulder, and a few fake medals pinned to his chest.  His black paints with a thin golden line up the left leg had been starched stiff, and his shoes were polished with such fervor, he could see his reflection in them.

Marin looked at his appearance in the full-length morror before him, the image of the perfect prince, and frowned heavily.  The gel in his haor kade his head itch.  The suit was uncomfortable, the ampulets feeling weird on his shoulders.  The pants were too stiff, and the shoes pinched his toes.

Usually, he adored fashion and relished new outfits.  But those were ones he had chosen for himself.  This whole outfit, from his gelled hair and made up face, all the way down to his polished too-tight shoes, had been picked out exclusively by his uncle, without any input from Marin himself whatsoever.  Each and every piece had been carefully selected for Marin, not to express himself, but to reflect the prince and future King that everyone wanted him to be.

He hated it.

"I think you look very handsome, Marin.", came the encouraging words from Tikki, perched on the top of the mirror, looking down at her chosen woth a comforting smile.

"I look stupid, Tikki.", said Marin, huffing at his made up face in the mirror.  "Man, I can't believe my uncle's making me do this!  I hate him so much!"

"Marin, no!", cried Tikki, flitting over to float in front of her holder's forlorn face.  "You don't mean that!  I know you're mad at your uncle right now, but I know deep down, you still love him."

"Maybe...but honestly, Tikki, sometimes I feel like he doesn't love me."

"Oh no, Marin, no!  That's not true!"

"But maybe it is, Tikki!  I mean, ever since I got here, all he's done is push me to be who he wants me to be.  He doesn't care about what I want!"

Tikki's antennas drooped.  "Marin...I never said anything because I know how hard things have been for you...but you haven't exactly been a delight since you got here either."

"What?!"

"Marin, from the first day you came to Coccidellenae, you made it perfectly clear you didn't want anything to do with your new title or royal life.  You barely made an effort to adjust.  You just whined and complained all the time.  You refused to make the best of your situation, or even just accept it.  You just ignored all your duties without even trying, like that would make this whole 'prince' thing go away."

Tikki shook her head. "The point is, you never even tried to be the best prince you could be, or be a prince at all. I'm not saying your uncle is entirely right. But you're not even putting in an effort."

Marin's heart sank as he net his own eyes in the mirror.  Was she right?  Had he been just as wrong as his uncle?

Knock, knock.

"Honey?  It's Mom.  Can I come in?"

When she received no answer, she came in anyway.  She took one look at her baby boy, all dressed up in his his princely attire, and her eyes watered.  "Oh!  My baby!  Look at you!  You're all grown up!", she wailed, running over and hugging him.  "It feels like pnly yesterday I brought you home from the hospital, an adorable little bundle in a widdle blue onesie.  And now here you are, a man, all dashing and mature, about to pick a wife!  Where did the time go?"

"I'm not picking a wife, Mom.", Marin told her, hugging her back nonetheless.  "I just can't do it.  I'll go to the ball, but I'm not picking anyone to marry."

Sabine stepped back.  "But Marin, your uncle..."

"Look, I know I haven't the most willing prince, but I'm not going to marry someone I just met!"

"You don't have to marry her right away!  But it wouldn't hurt to mingle.  And who knows, maybe you will meet someone you love.  I mean, it's a big kingdom.  Surely, there'll be someone at the ball you'll like even just a little."

Marin rolled his eyes.  "Doubt it.  Those girls don't want ti be with me, they want to be with the Crown Prince."

Sabine bit her lip.  "I was trying to find a way to tell you this...you remember your old friends from Paris?"

"Yeah, they won the contest, they're here, I know."

Sabine blinked.  "You did?  How?"

Marin flinched.  He only knew because Chat Noire told him.  And she only got the chance to tell him because he snuck out of the palace to see her.

"Uh...I overheard some of Uncle Rong's advisors."

Sabine looked doubtful for a moment, but moved on.  "Anyway, they knew you before you became a prince. Maybe one of them will be the one your looking for. An old friend from Paris."

At once, Chat Noire's beautiful smiling face popped into Marin's head, her laughter echoing in his ears. Instantly, his heart beat faster at the thought of his silly kitty, his chatonne.

Then another memory of her came to mind.  Her eyes sparkling with hope as she asked him to save her a dance at the royal ball.

Maybe this night wouldn't be a total waste after all.

"You know what, Mom? Maybe you're right. Maybe I will find someone at the ball."

"That's the sprit!", cried Sabine, giving her son a hug.  "Oh!  Almost forgot!"  She strutted over to his dresser and plucked up the golden crown, the official headpiece of the crown prince of Coccidellenae.  "You'll need this!"

Marin shook his head.  "Actually... maybe I'll forgo the crown tonight, Mom."

Sabine frowned.  "Marin, your uncle..."

"I'm already going to this dumb ball against my will.  Can't I at least forgo the crown, just for tonight?"

Sabine's lips thinned as she hummed in thought.  It was true, they were already making Marin jump thrpugh a lot of hoops as it was.  Maybe letting him skip the crown for tonight wasn't such a big deal.

"Fine," she sighed, setting the crown back on the dresser.  "But I want to see you in the ballroom in five minutes.  I'll be up on the balcony with your father and uncle, so don't think I won't be able to see you."

She gave him one last kiss on the cheek and swept out of the room, leaving Marin to sigh heavily.

"Why are you skipping the crown tonight, Marin?", asked Tikki, coming out of hiding.

"If I do see Chat Noire, I don't wanna shock her by popping out with the whole prince thing," he explained, adjusting his jacket and hair. "I wanna ease into it. We've apart for so long, I don't wanna spring something this huge on her."

Tikki nodded. That made sense.

"Get in," he urged, holding out his jacket for her to fly inside his inner pocket. Taking a deep breath, he mentally prepared himself for what was to come. "Let's do this."
~~~
Adrienne felt the carriage slowly grind to a full halt, and that's when she knew they had arrived at the palace. The door opened for her, and she gracefully exited the coach, her breath stilling as she got a good look at the magnificent architecture before her.

The whole castle seemed to glow even brighter from up close. Maybe that was because of the celebrations happening inside. Whatever it was, Adrienne was spellbound by it's beauty.

Because of the delay, she'd be arriving at the ball later than everyone else. But she didn't care that much. The main point is, she would get to be at the ball. For one single night, she would get to loose herself and have fun with no strings attached. Fir one single night, she would get to be herself without the feat of her mother looking over her shoulder, or the potential threat of an akuma.

For one single night, she would be totally and completely free.

Taking a deep breath to soothe herself, Adrienne took her first steps on the marble, velvet-carpeted stairs leading into the palace, the lights that shone from within beckoning to her like flames to a moth.
~~~
So far, so good. Marin had thus far manahed to fly under the radar, avoiding crowds with his head lowered, before slinking off to a secluded spot in the ballroom, which allowed him to be hidden in shadow from prying eyes. Now all he had to do was stay here until the end of the ball, or at least when and if Chat Noire showed up...

"Marin?"

He stoffened at his name in that familiar voice. A voice that he hadn't heard in years, and believed he never would again.

Slowly, very slowly, he turned around to see all his old classmates from France, including Clovis and Liar Rossi, all dressed up to the nines and all gaping at him like a school of fish.

"Marin?", Alim repeated.  The boy in question could only gape, wracking his brain desperately for something to say but coming up short. He looked closer, and saw that Alim's eyes had become dewy, and his lower lip was now trembling.  Before Marin could truly worry himself with what that possibly could gave meant, he found himself being squeezed tightly by the arms of his once best friend, as he began to feel a wetness on his shoulder.

"It's you... it's really you... I can't believe it... I'm so happy..."

The next thing Marin knew, the rest of the class, sans Clovis and Lionel, were huddled around him and shooting off a million questions all at once, even Sebastian.

"Kids! Kids! One at a time, please!", came Mme. Bustier's kind but stern voice as she pushed through the crowd of pupils. Then she gave Marin a soft hug. "We're so happy to see you're all safe and sound, Marin."

She pulled away, gracing him with a smile that expressed gratitude for seeing him okay after disappearing so abruptly all those tears ago. "I'm sure you'll be willing to answer all our questions when you feel ready. But in the meantime... if it's not too much trouble... we'd just like to enjoy your company again. Is that alright with you?"

Before Marin could answer, a hush fell over the ballroom.  The royal family noticed the sudden shift in the air and turned back to the action.  Everyone in the palace had their heads turned to the grand stairwell.  The Royals and their servants looked in the same direction.  Instantly, many jaws dropped.

There, standing at the top of the stairwell, on the balcony part, was one of the most beautiful women ever seen. In a sea of bright pastel colored frocks, her black gown with glints of forest green stood out like a black swan among ducklings, her golden hair gleaming like sunbeams under the lights. She was nothing short of breathtaking.

The class of Francois DuPont, like everyone else, was stunned into silence as well, though for different reasons than the rest..  They recognized that black mask and mess of curls right away.

"Is that..."

"Chat Noire?!"

"What she's doing here?"

"I don't know... but I love her dress!  I wonder where she got it?"

Alim grinned from ear to ear as he whipped out his smartphone.  "Chat Noire showing up at the Prince's ball!  Oh man, this is gonna be a bomb story for the Lordblog!  I wonder if the big bug's gonna show up!  Whadda you think, Marin?"  He waited for a reply, but got only silence.  "Marin?"  He turned to his old pal, and was surprised at what he saw.

Marin was wearing the biggest, dopiest grin on his face as he stared up at Chat Noire on the stairwell, his bluebell eyes full of stars that glittered in the ballroom lights.  Alim was shocked even more.  He had only seen that look on Marin when Adrienne was concerned.  That could only mean one thing.

As if to confirm his theory, Marin brushed off his old friends and pushed past them.  Marin brushed off his old friends and pushed past them, setting them aside, his gaze never once leaving the heroine.  "Excuse me," he said hastily, not sparing them so much as a sideways glance.

The class watched, dumbfounded, as Marin strode past the crowds of awed, curious guests, straight towards the stairs.  Once there, he positioned himself, one foot on the final step, the other still in the ballroom floor.  He cleared his throat, the quiet in the room making the small sound echo off the tall walls of the ballroom.  At once, Chat Noire's head turned in his direction, her shining emerald gaze falling upon the young man awaiting her. Their eyes met, and a smile found it's way onto her face, as bright and beautiful as the moonlight shining through the windows.

Marim held out his hand towards her, a silent invitation. With newfound confidence, Chat Noire descended the staircase towards him, the skirts of her ballgown floating around her like a cloud, her every movement smooth and without stumble.  As she made her way towards him, whispers rose up around the ballroom, questions about this mysterious and gorgeous new lady.

As Chat arrived at the base of the steps, she placed her hand in Marin's offered one.  Once her palm touched his, (he) bro(u)ght her hand up to his lips and placed a tender kiss to the back of it. Chat's cheeks went pinker than a petunia, and she turned her head away from him, yet still eyed him coyly from the corner of her green orbs, which danced with warm, rich emotion.

"You look amazing.", he whispered to her.

"Merci.", she whispered back, shy and nervous.

He folded his other hand over the one he held. "Shall we dance?", he asked, his eyes shining and hopeful.

She turned her head back to him, her own eyes shining with that mischief that he found oh-so-endearing. "We shall."

All eyes were on them as Marin led the mystery princess to the center of the dance floor, hand in hand.  The visiting French were particularly on the edge of their seats as they watched their former friend and everyday Lordbug pull the actual Chat Noire close to him.  He slipped his free hand on her waist, while she placed hers firmly on his shoulder.

As soon as they were in the correct position, the musicians started playing.  Their harmonies were smooth and elegant, every note they played sounding like the sound of heaven's gates opening to lost souls. Marin and Chat Noire started swaying softly to the music, their gazes locked firmly together, never breaking or faltering.

To say King Rong was happy with this new event would be the understatement of the year.  The man was positively over the moon.  He watched the entire scene unfold with a huge smile on his face, his dark eyes as jolly as Santa Claus's on Christmas Eve. "Ha-ha! I knew this ball would work!" He looked back at his sister and brother-in-law, at their amazed faces. "And you doubted me! Ha! I hear wedding bells!"

Tom looked up at his wife's brother with wide eyes. "Rong! Forget about the bells! Do you know who that is?!"

"The mother of my future grandnieces and-or nephews?"

"That's Chat Noire!  Chat Noire of Paris!"

Rong started.  "Chat Noire?!  The Chat Noire?!  One of the two heroes of France?!"  He looked back down at his nephew, twirling the heroine across the dance floor happily.  "What is she doing here in Coccidellenae?"

"I have no idea,", breathed Sabine, eyes never leaving her son with the heroine in his arms.  "But I haven't seen Marin that happy in a long, long time!"  Ever since they had been forced to leave France, but she didn't dare bring that up to her brother.  At least, not again.

Rong looked back at the young couple, putting up with pride.  "Well!  Just think!  We're going to have a superhero for our next Queen!  That'll make headlines!"

Tom quirked a brow.  "Getting a lil' ahead of ourselves, are we now?"

Chapter Text

The class from France stood among the crowds of Coccidellenaen citizens, jumping up and strecthing their necks to get a good look at the dancing couple. Marin and Chat Noire were the center of attention as they spun around in graceful circles.  No other couples dared join them on the dance floor and take the spotlight away.  They were alone, just the two of them, in more ways than one, lost in each other.

"I can't believe Chat Noire came all the way here from France!", exclaimed Sebastian, barely able to keep his voice down from the sheer thrill of it all.

"I can't believe Marin's actually dancing with her!", squawked Alim.  He was live-streaming the whole thing on his trusted phone, doing everything in his power to capture every turn, every smile, every laugh that the two shared together.  This was hands down going to be his most popular post on the Lordblog yet.  Only a recording of Hawkmoth's defeat would beat it.

"They look so comfortable together...", said Julius, titling his head a bit.  "Almost like they've been together for years now."

"Really?  That's weird, than.", said Alex.  "Because if Marin knew Chat Noire personally, surely, he would have told us.  I mean, Lionel told us about his friendship with Lordbug."

At that mention, Lionel froze in fear.  Uh oh.  Typical Dupain-Cheng.  Even when he didn't mean to, he was still jeopardizing Lionel's reputation.  Him and that mangy alley cat.  Better think fast.  "He probably has ulterior motives.  He wants to keep the friendship a secret because he doesn't want anyone to find out when he betrays her in some way."

"Really?  That doesn't sound like Marin."

"Well, why else would he not tell you all about his friendship with one of your favorite heroes?  How could he not offer to introduce you or even set up a interview or an appearance at your charity?  Unless... he just doesn't care.  Doesn't care that you admire Chat Noire.  It's either one of the two."

Alim's heart sank at Lionel's words.  He looked back, peering at Marin dancing with Chat Noire through the phone screen.  Why wouldn't Marin introduce him, or get him an interview?  Did he really not care about Alim's blog, or did he truly have sinister plans?

Except...

Marin had set up an interview with Lordbug all those years ago, before Lionel had transferred.  He had had no problems doing that.  So why was he suddenly withholding another hero from Alim?  And even with his jealous streak, Marin was as pure as could be when it came to a girl.  Would he hurt anyone he saw as rivals for one's affection?  If the Lordbug movie premiere was anything to go by, the answer was a firm oui.

But hurt a girl, any girl, regardless of whether or not he loved her?  That was something that Marin would never do.  To any other boys, especially ones he competed with, Marin could be quite nasty, Alim would admit that.  But when it came to ladies, Marin was a gentleman in every sense of the word.  He would never wish harm upon any female.  None of it made sense.

For the first time since meeting Lionel, something about his story didn't sit right with Alim.

Adrienne could not believe this was really happening. An hour ago, she had been bawling her eyes out alone in the hotel in a tattered dress, everything looking hopeless for her. And now, here she was, wearing the most beautiful gown she could ever imagine, dancing with the boy of her dreams.

As they spun around the dance floor, she couldn't help but feel every eye in the room following her and Marin, like they were all watching the series finale of their favorite show on TV. She wondered why no one else had joined them in the waltz. After all, it was a ball, wasn't it? Shouldn't there be dancing?

As they spun around the dance floor, she couldn't help but feel every eye in the room following her and Marin, like watching the series finale of their favorite show on the TV. She wondered why no one else had joined them in dancing. After all, it was a ball, after all? Shouldn't there be dancing?

Marin noticed she kept looking over her shoulder at the by-standing party guests. "Is something wrong?", he asked her. As he did, he lifted his arm and spun her around, tucking her underneath. He held her close, tucking her under his arm and pulling her close, her back pressed against his chest.

Her eyes met his once again, looking a little nervous. "Everyone's looking at you.", she whispered to him.

Marin chuckled softly, a fond smile coming to his face. "Believe me,", he whispered back. "They're all looking at you."

And with that, he twirled her aga

And with that, he twirled her again, out of his arms, one hand firmly in hers, holding on tight as she spun out so that they were both facing the same direction. They turned back to face one another again, him taking both her hands in his. Arms still outstretched, he spun her around in a curcle, her dress flowing and swirling as she moved to his command. Letting loose, something she rarely got to do, Chat Noire threw her head back and laughed, laughed loud enough to echo off the tall, grand palace walls.

Pulling her back to him, he twirled her away from the crowds, out towards a secluded part of the palace.  As they spun past Gabrielle Agreste, she kept her eyes on the dancing couple, narrowed behind her designer glasses, her red-painted lips pursed into an inquisitive pout.  Her mind raced with thoughts and questions.  What was Chat Noire doing here, in Coccidellenae?  Why hadn't Nooroo sensed her Kwami here when he had sensed Lordbug's.  Was she plotting with him?  If so, why make a public appearance at such an important event?  Why not stay under the radar?

Slowly, Gabrielle slunk behind the watching crowds, following Marin and Chat, careful not to draw any attention to herself.  It was easy, when everyone seemed too distracted by the dancing couple.  As they danced out of the ballroom and into the other rooms of the castle, she slipped through the shadows and tried to spy on them, intent on following them.

Just as she reached the doorway to the rest of the building, a curtain fell between her, hiding the heroine and her dancing partner.  Gabrielle's mouth fell open, and her head turned to the other side of the doorway, where two familiar faces stood there, eying her suspiciously, one with his thick, burly hand on the rope controlling the curtain.

"Thomas!  Sabine!", she gasped, smoothing hairs in an ill attempt to not look suspicious.  "What a surprise!  I didn't expect to see you here!"

"Neither did we.", said Sabine flatly.  "At least, until we heard your daughter's class is the one who won the contest."

"Oh, oui.", said Gabrielle, plastering a fake smile.  "Isn't life funny?"

"Yes.", said Tom blandly.  "Funny.  Ha ha."

Gabrielle glanced back at the curtain.  Sabine noticed and strutted over quickly, taking her by the arm with a smile that was warm but fake.  "Come on.  Let's go back to the ballroom.  We have a lot to catch up on."

Gabrielle tried to unhook her arm from the baker woman's.  "Well, actually, I wanted to...get a closer look at..."

"Oh, that.", chuckled Sabine.  "I think we should give them a little privacy."  Her tone was sweet, but stern, suggesting there was no room for resistance.

Knowing there was no worming away, Gabrielle nodded weakly, allowing Sabine to drag her back to the ballroom, Tom following closely behind with a triumphant smile.

Alone at last, Marin and Chat Noire waltzed around the empty sections of the ballroom, illuminated solely by candlelight, humming and singing under their breath as they gazed deeply into each other's eyes.

Hm-hm-hm-hm...

So this is love,
Hm-hm-hm-hm
So this is love...
So this is what makes life devine...

All her life, Adrienne had wanted one thing, and one thing only. To be loved. To be wanted and cherished and treasured by someone. After her father was gone, she sought that love in her cold mother, but failed. She sought it in Lordbug, but failed there as well.

But with Marin, she did not have to seek out love. It was given to her freely, wholeheartedly. Here and now, safe and warm in his embrace, Adrienne did not have to work and toil for Marin's love. It was hers, no price to be paid.

Adrienne: I'm all aglow, hmmm-mmm
And now I know...
Marin: And now I know...
Both: The key to all heaven is mine…

Marin smiled sweetly at the girl he held in his arms. For so many years, he had been blinded by Adrienne and the way she seemed to be so perfect, like a golden-haired angel that was too good for a mere mortal such as him. He could never get the courage to confess to her, because it always felt like he was unworthy of a goddess such as she.

Only when he was forced to leave and had the time to reflect did he realize that he had been chasing a dream, the idea of a perfect girl that didn't really exist. He had been so entranced by her beauty and sweetness that he blatantly overlooked her faults, like her eagerness to please and not make a fuss. He had convinced himself that she could do no wrong, and that was why he had foolishly agreed to her well-intentioned but flawed advice to take the high road with Lionel.

Looking back, he was ashamed of how he had treated Adrienne back then. Sure, he hadn't been cruel to her, but he had been doing just what she hated having other people do. He had been treating her like a celebrity, a VIP, when all she wanted was to be seen and treated as an ordinary girl. If he had been a true friend to her back then, he would have been honest with her, set her straight, explained to her why her high road wasn't as sound as she believed. Instead, she had easily agreed with her and let her go on thinking it was better to let the bad guy get away than to confront evil. He swore that if he ever saw her again, he would apologize and set the record straight.

But Chat Noire was a different story. Because he had never put her up on a pedestal, Marin could see her flaws clear as day. She was a little pushy, kind of a goof, told corny jokes, and was clearly sad and insecure. She was by no means a perfect angel, rather an angel with devil horns under her golden halo.

But that meant Marin saw her...for her. He didn't see this flawless image of a girl he could never hope to be worthy of. He saw his partner, his confidante, his best friend, the one who had believed in him when no one else had, not even himself. He remembered all the times he had thought he had failed, when he was ready to give up. Every time that had happened, she had been there, reassuring him, telling him that he was stronger than he thought, that she trusted him to save the day.

Through liars, fair-weather friends, and broken crushes, Chat Noire had been the one constant in his life. No matter what happened, he could always count on her to be there, to believe in him. She wasn't perfect, but she was good and loyal and real. And that is what he loved about her. He only wished he had figured it out sooner, before she had decided to move on from Lordbug.

No matter.  Lordbug may have blown his chance, but Marin hadn't.  This time, it would work out.  This time, he would not keep her at arm's length.  This time, he would not let her slip through his fingers.  He would hold her close, smother her with his adoration, and never let go.

Things were going to be different this time.

As they danced more, he led her towards the royal gardens in the back of the palace. There, they walked around, under the stars over their heads, their faces glowing in silver moonlight, strolling hand-in-hand among the lush greenery and exotic flora and fauna, neither one breaking their lovestruck gaze away from the other.

He took her to a fountain, sparkling waterfalls cascading in graceful dances off the scalloped ledges and glistening midair. Leaning over, Chat Noire gracefully dipped one finger in the glittering pools and created a series of ripples in the water.

My heart has wings, hmmm-mmm,
And I can fly...
I'll touch every star in the sky...

She looked back at Marin and smiled sweetly, looking so stunning that Marin became breathless. How could he have not noticed how utterly gorgeous she was before? It seemed so obvious now, but back then, he had been too blinded by Adrienne to truly look at her. But he saw it now.

So this is the miracle that I've been dreaming of...

He led her to a little bridge, crossing over the river pathway in the gardens. They stood in the middle, gazing at their reflections in the water for a minute.

Hmmm-hmmm...
Hm-mm-mmm...

Marin put his arm around her waist subconsciously and pulled her closer to him. At the same time, their heads lifted up, turned to the other, and their eyes met once again, jade green meeting ice blue, both pairs full of pure, unadulterated love and adoration, their hearts soaring and melting into one.

In that moment, both knew that they had finally found what they had searching and hoping and wishing for their entire lives. They had found the two things that could cause grief on their own, but combined together could make life complete.

They had found someone they loved, who loved them in return.

So this is...
Love...

Chapter Text

After hours of dancing and gazing into each other's eyes, Marin led Chat Noire to the palace balcony. Dozens of fresh, vibrant red roses decorated the railings, vines like green ribbons adorning them. It had the perfect view of the palace gardens from it.

Like a gentleman, Marin held Chat's hand and motioned for her to sit on a little stone bench, still clutching her fingers as she seated herself, her skirts swishing and flowing gracefully as she moved. He excused himself for a moment and went to the railing, selecting a rose from the array on the railing. He chose the reddest, freshest, most beautiful flower and plucked it clean off.

He walked back to Chat and presented the rose to her, carefully mimicking the body language he remembered from her confession to him on the rooftop, after defeating Glaciator. She smiled like the sun and accepted his gift with green eyes all aglitter. "Merci."

Marin sat beside her as she brought the rose close to her face and inhaled its alluring scent. She looked around, her face still surprised, like she still could not believe she was really here, that she had really made it to the ball. Never before had she felt such happiness, not even when her father was present.

She looked back at Marin, smiling softly at her, gazing upon her like she was everything. Because to him, she was.

"This evening has been perfect.", she whispered. "I don't think I've ever been this happy before in my life."

"Neither have I.", he replied. "At least, not since..."

"Since what?"

"Since I moved away." His face grew sad.

Chat placed the rose on her lap, feeling affected by his sadness. "You miss Paris a lot, don't you?"

"I miss everything there.", Marin confessed with a heavy sigh. "I miss the bakery. I miss waking up to the smell of fresh baked bread. I miss going to school and seeing everybody there and learning new things. I miss my room with all my fashion stuff, my desk where I sketched designs and my sewing machine and my clothing mannequins. I miss non-formal family meals where we laughed and joked and just had fun. Nowadays, my uncle only lets us talk business at mealtime."

"But more than anything, I miss my friends. I miss texting and goofing off with them. I miss taking silly selfies with them and posting them on Instagram. I miss planning class events and field trips and fundraisers. I miss going to the movies and the mall and concerts and parties and picnics and sports games and a ton of other stuff with my friends!"

Chat Noire sighed heavily. "I know you do. I know that they miss you, too. So much."

"How much can they miss me with Lionel around?", Marin muttered darkly.

"Marin, I told you, your friends didn't betray you!"

"No.", Marin said sharply. "You said Adrienne didn't betray me. And she didn't. But that doesn't mean no one else did."

Chat blinked owlishly. "What do you mean?"

"Adrienne may have had my back, but no one else did.", said Marin. "Do you know she was the only one who believed me about Lionel? Everyone totally fell for his tricks. They pushed me to the back of the class without my permission, and left me to sit alone. I mean, I get that they think he had tinnitus, but why did I have to move? The only one who really needed to move was Nina, but they rearranged the whole seating chart and left me alone in the back."

Adrienne felt a stab of guilt in her gut. She couldn't help but blame herself for that. After all, the whole reason Lionel faked his disability was so he could sit next to her. If not for Adrienne, Lionel wouldn't have faked tinnitus, the class wouldn't have rearranged the seating chart, and Marin wouldn't have gotten kicked out of his seat without permission or even a heads up.

"Maybe it's Adrienne's fault."

"Excuse me?" Marin sounded angry.

"Well, Lionel only lied to sit next to her. If not for her..."

"It's not Adrienne's fault the class are fickle friends!", Marin cut her off. "Besides, she offered to go to the back instead. But everyone else got mad at me for wanting her or Lionel to move and pressured me to suck it up and go sit alone."

Marin shook his head. "I should have exposed that jerk as soon as his tinnitus switched ears, but Adrienne came to me, asking me to take the high road, and of course, I couldn't say no!"

"Why not?", asked Chat, looking at her rose. "It doesn't sound to me like you agreed with taking the high road. So why did you do it?"

Marin rolled his eyes. "Because I was young, stupid and lovesick!"

Every muscle on Chat's body went numb. "L-L-L-Lo-Lo...Lovesick?"

Marin gave her a half-smile. "Guess it's safe to say now...three years ago, I was madly in love with Adrienne Agreste."

The rose slipped from Chat's gloved fingers as her head whipped around, green eyes wide behind her mask. "You...You were?! H-How?!"

"What do you mean 'how'?"

"It's just...I never thought you loved m—her. I mean, whenever she was around, you were always making weird movements and stuttering! You could barely say a full sentence around her!"

Marin's brow furrowed as he eyed her suspiciously. "How did you know that?"

Her heart skipped a beat, her mind racing to come up with a lie to cover her tracks. "I saw you. Sometimes."

The answer was vague, but Marin knew the real answer probably had something to do with her secret identity, so he didn't press the subject. "Well, yeah, I acted weird. I couldn't help it. I mean, I thought she was so perfect and so out of my league, I got overwhelmed by her and my nerves consumed me."

"Out of your league? Ha! Please. If anything, you're out of Adrienne's league."

His eyes widened. "I'm out of her league?!"

"You're the whole package!", said Chat, smiling. "You're smart, funny, talented, brave, compassionate, infinitely lovable, and I don't need to mention how handsome you are! Adrienne Agreste is nice, but she's just a pretty face! All she knows how to do smile and say yes to whatever people want! You're the real deal!"

"In fact,", she went on. "I'd bet my ring that that's the whole reason Lionel has it out for you."

"Huh?"

"Sure, it's partly because you see through him. But I think the bigger reason he targets you is because he's jealous of everything you have. You have everything he wants—looks, talent, fame, popularity, true friends. And you don't have to lie to anyone to get those things. They happen to you because you're a good person who deserves to be liked and recognized for your talent and kindness."

She picked the rose up off her lap. "From where I stand...Adrienne would be lucky to be with a guy like you.  Any girl would."

Marin's eyes glittered so beautifully at her kind words that her heart started beating faster.  "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."

As Marin., he finished in his head.  There had been plenty of compliments for him as Lordbug, but only a few choice people had stopped to say how awesome he was as Marin.  Even then, they were sweet but short, like, "You're amazing, Marin.", or, "You help so many people, Marin, you're our everyday Lordbug."  But none of them had ever gone into such lengthy detail about how wonderful he was, or how lucky someone would be to have his heart.

She smiled at him brightly. "I meant every single word. Never doubt what I say, Marin."

He leaned closer to her. "I never have. And I never will."

Her eyes glittered like fresh cut emeralds against the dark of evening, capturing his soul and making him feel lost in a whirlwind of love and happiness. For years, he had suppressed his feelings for Chat Noire out of loyalty towards his first love. But now that he was older, wiser, knew himself better, he could see clearly. No longer did he have to hide his feelings for his partner. They flowed freely from his heart, throughout his body, manifesting in his soft smiles and tender looks towards her. Without Adrienne to blind him, he could see clearly how beautiful Chat was, the spirals of her golden hair framing her face perfectly, the spark of mischief in her jade-colored eyes, the curve of her pink lips into a devilish half-smile, teasing yet sincere all at the same time.

She tapped his nose with a gloved finger. "Boop." They laughed, and her head fell to rest snugly on his shoulder, fitting seamlessly into the crook of his neck, like it was made to be there. Like it was meant to be. And Marin truly felt as if it was.

Unfortunately, the two of them had been so lost in their own little world, neither of them had noticed the crowds of people gathered in the windows, trying desperately to get a peek at the Prince and his new lady love. After the couple of the hour had waltzed away from the public eye, many guests had tried to resume the festivities, but found the mystery and intrigue surrounding their future King's new object of interest far too tempting to resist, and distracting from anything else.

Various spectators huddled together by the tall floor-to-ceiling windows in the ballroom, smushed against one another in a frantic bid to get a good view. Some of them had their faces pressed up against the glass, ignoring the smudges in their makeup, forgetting their image for a moment. For once in their lives, the nobles couldn't care less about looking perfect and elegant. They were much too curious about this beautiful and mysterious young woman who had appeared from nowhere, who might very well be their future Queen.

"Do you see anything?"

"What are they doing now?"

"I can't see! Move over!"

Many people were pushing and shoving in attempts to get a better look. With all these Coccidellenae natives, the teenagers from France never stood a chance. All they could do was stand in the back of the growing crowds of party guests and listen closely to the whispers that were slowly growing louder and louder, as many natives of the country speculated who this girl was who had captured Marin's eye.

"Who is she?", asked one gentleman loudly.

"Whoever she is, she has to incredibly rich!", declared an older noblewoman, fluttering her paper fan with painted Chinese florals. "There's no way she could afford such an exquisite ensemble otherwise! I mean, slippers made out of black glass?! I can't recall any sort of stores that sell shoes made from glass, let alone black glass! Clearly, those were custom-made by an expert!"

"She must be rich, huh?", inquired another man, a commoner this time. "You think she's a princess?"

"A princess from another land? That would explain how she was able to obtain such a magnificent gown!", said a young woman. "Not to mention the way she carries herself!"

"I wonder what kingdom her family rules!", someone wondered out loud.

The French class bit down on their lower lips to suppress laughter, but a few snickers escaped anyway.  Many who had overheard whipped their heads around to glare at them suspiciously.

"And what, pray tell, is so humorous?", asked the noblewoman with the fan in an icy, threatening tone of voice.

"Nothing,", said Natasha, tucking a loose strand of red hair over her ear.  "It's just...we know that girl."

Everyone gasped.  "You do?!"

"Well, we don't know her know her.", explained Natasha nervously.  "Back where we're from, she's a famous super-heroine.  She fights alongside another hero, Lordbug, to save Paris.  Her name is Chat Noire.  At least her superhero name is.  No one really knows who she is without the mask."

The whispers rose back up from the crowds, the rumor mill increasing power and speed as the guests started to gossip louder about the new tidbits on the mystery woman.  Some of them flocked to the Frenchmen, peppering them with questions and pressing them for new information about this "Chat Noire".

In all the fuss, no one noticed two certain hotel owner's daughters, ignored in the crowds, steaming.

"It's not fair!", said Dorothy. "We were here first! And she just swoops in and hogs Marin all to herself for the whole night? What about the rest of us?"

"I know!", sulked Minnie. "We got all dolled up—bought new clothes, worked for hours on our hair, put on ten pounds of makeup—just to be left sitting on the sidelines!"

"Marin hasn't even given anyone else a second glance since that floozy showed up! The whole point of this ball was to have him mingle with all the girls so he could have a varied pick of which to marry! Not for some random alleycat to corner the market on his attention!"

"If only there was some way to make him notice us!"

Of course, in their sulking and self-pity neither girl noticed a pair a dark purple butterflies flying towards where they stood. And sadly, no one else did either, too anxious for answers and more sneak peeks of Chat Noire. And the French classmates, the only ones who could identify the dangers of those butterflies and warn the twins before it was too late, were much too involved in answering questions and being the go-to for the four-one-one on Marin's new love interest.

In the darkness of a secluded room in the palace, Hawkmoth grinned from ear to ear.  Gabrielle had managed to sneak away from Tom and Sabine and found a vacant room in the palace halls, one of many that was left unused.

Her plans had gone awry, but she could still win.  She just had to take care of that cat quickly, before Lordbug had a chance to show up.

But the only hope to ensure a swift victory would be to find someone to akumatize that had a grudge against Chat Noire.  Their hatred for the kittycat heroine would multiply a hundredfold, making them laser-focused and hellbent on destroying her.  Only then could she even hope for a a chance to defeat and completely render Chat helpless before Lordbug could get here in time and save her.

The butterflies landed in the feathered hairpieces of the twins and vanished as the plumes turned dark purple. Each girl felt a sort of cold wave wash over them as a pinkish-purple outline appeared over their faces, and a woman's voice, deep and smooth, spoke in their ears.

"Dancing Queens, I am Hawkmoth. The object of your desires does not pay you the attention you deserve. Instead, it goes to a stranger who is not worthy of his eye or his heart. I'm giving you two the power to make him notice you and all the other girls at the ball. In return, you will seek out Lordbug and Chat Noire, and bring me their Miraculouses!"

The twins smiled two wicked smiles. A rush of strength and thrill coursed through their veins, as the idea of making Marin notice them and stealing the spotlight away from that cat-eared interloper was exciting to think about. They had never felt this way before, this devilish and willingly wicked. They didn't know what it was exactly, or how this Hawkmoth woman had dug it up. All they knew was that they liked it. They liked it a lot.

"We're going to be the belles of the ball!", declared the two as dark bubbles consumed them.
—————
Marin and Chat Noire sat on the balcony lost in the glow of love. She purred affectionately as she nuzzled his neck, fully lost in the moment. In that moment, there wasn't a shadow of a doubt in his mind. He knew now what he had to do what he had to do.

But in order to do such a thing, he needed one little favor from her first.

"Tell me your name."

Her green eyes snapped open, her head lifting off his shoulder to stare at him owlishly. "...what."

His shoulder already missed the feeling of her against it, but he pressed on. This was far too important. "I want to know your name.  Your real name.  The one you use in your civilian life."

Adrienne felt her heart rate increase, except this time, it was not completely from the thrill of love. "My...my name?" She quickly shook her head at him, her loose curls swaying back and forth. "Marin, that's against the rules and you know it! You can't honestly expect me to reveal my identity! Especially not without consulting Lordbug! If he finds out I exposed my secret identity to a civilian, he'd blow a fuse!"

"Lordbug said it was okay!", Marin blurted out without thinking.

Chat Noire blinked at him. "He did? When?"

Marin's brain strained itself as it struggled to come up with a lie to cover his tracks. "Last night. He heard we saw each other. I told him I love you, and he saw I was sincere, and he remembered when I helped him out as Multimouse. So he said it's okay for you to reveal my identity to me, because he cares about you deeply and he wants you to be happy."

Adrienne's body went numb. "Wait...you love me?"

Marin reached over to caress her cheek with a gentle smile.  "With my whole heart."

Adrienne's mind went completely blank fir a moment, but when that moment was over, she batted his hand away from her face and turned away from in shame. "You wouldn't say that if you knew who I really was."

"Of course, I would," said Marin, taking her gloved hand and trying to turn her gaze back to him.  "You're my best friend, kitty cat.  You always have been.  Everyone else chose a liar over me, but not you.  You're the only person who's always put me first, who's never faltered by my side, not even once. I've spent my whole life taking care of others, but you've always taken care of me.  I love you, Chat Noire. I always will. Because I know that the you I see right now...the sweet kind girl, who tells jokes and makes me laugh, who gives me a shoulder to cry on at my lowest points...she is the girl that I love. And she is the girl that I will always love."

He kissed the back of her hand one last time. "And that's a promise."

Adrienne's nerves went through the roof, not helped by Marin giving her the most intense, emotional stare in his life, his blue eyes shining richly with desperation as his words left his lips in a soft whisper, in a tone that suggested he would die if she did not oblige him.

"Please...I need to know who you are."

Adrienne felt her heart rate skyrocket. She wanted to tell him who she was. She wanted to tear down that last wall between the two of them. She wanted so badly to show him who she was under the mask, peel away that one last barrier keeping them apart. She wanted to finally be done with all the secrete and lies, and just...be with Marin.

But that little voice inside her head, the voice that always told her not to pursue happiness, the little voice that whispered to her, you don't deserve to be happy, it flared up again. You can't tell him who you are. He won't love you anymore if he knows you're Adrienne. After all, you're the one who told him not to call out Lionel on that first day. You're the one who convinced him to take the high road.

And yet, he spoke to her so sweetly, smiled up at her so beautifully, looked at her with such hope in her eyes that Adrienne struggled to find it in her to say no.

"Please...", he pleaded with her, eyes so cheerful and hopeful, smile so sweet and caring.

For a full minute, she warred inside herself, torn between the fear and shame of her past and the promise and hope for her future.

But then the warring ended. But not because she made a choice.

It was because at the end of that moment, there was a scream and the sound of something shattering coming from the ballroom, so loud that it leaked of the thick glass windows and carried on the gentle springtime breeze over to where she and Marin sat.

"AKUMA!"

Chapter Text

Adrienne felt a jolt in her heart as Marin leapt to his feet at the sound of that word. An akuma attack? Here? Outside of France? How had it reached all the way to Coccidellenae, to the royal palace? And why oh why did it have to strike tonight of all nights?

Marin's blue eyes darted back and forth for a moment before he looked back at Adrienne. "Don't worry! I'll get the royal guards!"

"But Lordbug's not here!" Chat Noire reminded him. "How are we going to purify the akuma?"

"Call him on your communicator!"

"But he's all the way in France!"

"I trust Lordbug has a way!" He turned to run, but then he stopped and turned back around. "Before I go..."

That's when he swooped down and briefly pressed his lips against Chat Noire's glittery cheek, making her flush pinker than the roses surrounding them. She was so stunned, she blacked out completely for a few seconds, and when she regained her sense of awareness, Marin was already gone.

Adrienne couldn't help but sigh dreamily, falling into a sort of lovestruck daze, her eyes sparkling in the darkness as her fingers grazed the spot where he had kissed her.

"Adrienne... Adrienne... Adrienne!"

Plagg's voice hissing in her ear finally snapped her back to reality.

"Right, sorry! Plagg, Claws Out!"
~~~
Marin swerved around the corner into the shadows and practically slammed his back against the wall, making absolute certain that there was not a soul around before he lifted his uniform jacket to let Tikki out. "Seriously, of all the places and times!"

"I know, what are the odds that Hawkmoth would wind up here and akumatize someone right at that moment?!", cried Tikki, distressed and sorrowful for her holder.

Marin ran his hand down his face. "I swear, someone up there hates me. Whatever, Tikki, Spots On!"
~~~
"We are the Dancing Queens!"

People attending the ball, from the commonors to the nobility to even the foreign royalty who had traveled distant ways just for the chance to meet the Crown Prince, all scrambled in varying directions around the grand ballroom.

The Dancing Queens, a two-headed akuma, pirouetted onto the dance floor, her dual faces twisted in a macabre grin. One face was soft and feminine, the other hard and angular, each reflecting a different facet of the akuma's fractured psyche.

“We are going to reclaim our rightful place as the true belle of this ball!”

Right on cue, Chat Noire leapt onto the scene, making a dramatic and eye-catching entrance as she always did, performing a series of flips and somersaults in midair before sticking a perfect landing right, her eyes flashing with wit and sass. "Well, well, well, looks like we've got a queen who's having a major identity crisis – or should I say, dual-identity crisis?" she quipped, nodding towards Dancing Queen's dual faces.

Dancing Queen's faces scowled, their anger and resentment simmering. "You think you're funny, don't you? But you'll be the one who's left looking foolish when I'm done with you!"

Chat Noire smirked, unfazed. "Oh, I'm shaking in my boots – or should I say, dancing shoes? By the way, your dance moves are a bit… off-beat. Maybe you should take some lessons from me – if you can even get an invite to the ball."

The Dancing Queens’ faces turned beet red with rage, and she charged at Chat Noire with renewed fury. Chet leapt around them, avoiding their grip, until the akuma finally found purchase, gaining a firm grip on her left ankle. They then began pulling her around haphazardly by her foot, each sneering in unison as they bellowed in menacing synchronized tones, "Our love’s attention was caught by some… insignificant foreigner! An interloping foreigner who has nothing to do with the years we spent worshipping His Highness and yet stole his heart with just one glance! And we can't abide by that! Not when we’re the ones who are perfect for him!”

They spun around the dance floor, dragging Chat Noire with them. “WE’RE his number one fans! WE know everything there is to know about him! You mangy alley cat aren’t even a citizen of Coccidellenae! We'll make sure you pay for stealing what's rightfully ours!"

At that very moment, a blur of red and black on a string zoomed across the ballroom and struck the Dancing Queens’ conjoined hand. They screamed in pain as they drew back their hand, releasing Chat Noire from their iron grip. The kitty cat heroine pulled her stance as to skid herself to a stop across the ballroom floors with the minimum of pain and damage, then glanced over to the other side of the grand hall, a gasp falling from her lips moments later.

Lordbug, in all his black spotted, red-spandexed glory, stood tall and suave as his yoyo retracted back to him. He shot the newest akuma one of his signature superhero smirks and boasted loud enough for everyone to hear, “Sorry ladies, but you’re not on the guest list for the evening!”

Chat Noire's eyes locked onto Lordbug as he burst onto the scene, her surprise evident. "Lordbug! How did you...?"

The Dancing Queens took advantage of the distraction, landing a vicious kick that sent Chat Noire stumbling back. Lordbug quickly sprang into action, using his spinning yoyo as a shield to deflect the akuma's follow-up attack and give Chat Noire time to recover.

"Not now, Chat. Let's take care of this first,” he told her as he stood between her and the akuma, his focus solely on the matter at hand.

Chat Noire's curiosity was piqued, but she knew better than to press the issue in the heat of battle. She nodded curtly and refocused on the fight, taking a defensive stance at his side, trusting in their partnership to save the day.

The two superheroes charged forward, their movements fluid and synchronized. The Dancing Queens laughed, the sound like shattering glass, as they began to dance with an otherworldly grace, her akuma energy infecting the ballroom.

Lordbug and Chat Noire charged at the Dancing Queens, their movements swift and precise. Lordbug expertly wielded his yoyo, unleashing a barrage of swift and precise attacks against the Dancing Queens. The yoyo whirred through the air, its string glowing with a soft, golden light as it flew towards the akuma.

The Dancing Queens attempted to defend themselves, but Lordbug's yoyo proved relentless, striking her with a series of rapid-fire hits that sent her stumbling. The akuma's dual faces contorted in rage as she tried to counterattack, but Lordbug's agility and quick reflexes allowed him to dodge her clumsy blows.

Chat Noire sprang into action, her agile body weaving between the dancing guests as she launched herself at the Dancing Queens. With a swift kick, she sent the akuma stumbling back, but the Dancing Queens quickly regained their footing and retaliated with a wave of discordant notes that threatened to shatter the ballroom's windows.

The battle raged on, with Lordbug and Chat Noire working in perfect sync to take down the akuma. Chat Noire used her Cataclysm-inspired moves to disrupt the Dancing Queens’ rhythm, while Lordbug exploited the openings created by his partner to land precise and powerful attacks.

Lordbug and Chat Noire fought in perfect harmony, their powers complementing each other as they battled the akuma. But despite their best efforts, Dancing Queen's powers seemed to grow stronger with each passing moment, fueled by the jealousy and anger that had created them.

“Lucky Charm!”

Lordbug focused all of his energy to summon an object that would aid him in defeating the Dancing Queens. With a burst of golden light, a giant pair of disco balls materialized, reflecting the Queens' own dance moves back at them.

The Dancing Queens, caught off guard by their own mirrored movements, lost their rhythm and stumbled. Lordbug seized the opportunity, using the disco balls to disorient and distract the Queens long enough to grab the akumatized objects.

He threw both headpieces on the floor and delivered a good hard stomp, splitting each piece cleanly in half. Two dark purple butterflies fluttered skyward from where they had broken, only to vanish with a swipe of blinding white light. In a moment, the purified akumas swooped out gracefully from Lordbug’s yoyo.

“Bye bye little butterfly,” he said with his usual soft smile. “MIRACULOUS LORDBUG!”

Chat Noire and Lordbug turned to each other, ready to exchange their usual "Pound It" phrase. But before they could, they both hesitated, their expressions changing to ones of distraction.

"Ah, I should probably...check the perimeter," Lordbug said quickly, his voice tinged with concern.

"Oui, yes, I have a prior...engagement," Chat Noire added, her voice similarly awkward.

They parted ways hastily, The usual superhero banter was replaced with hasty excuses, as they prioritized their personal lives over their heroic duties for a moment.
~~~
Adrienne slipped into the secluded room, the sound of the royal ball fading into the distance as she detransformed from Chat Noire. She took a deep breath, smoothing out her dress and preparing to return to the festivities.

Just as she reached for the door handle, she heard a faint voice drifting from the room across the hall. The voice was familiar, yet elusive - a soft, melodic tone that sparked a memory deep within her. Adrienne's brow furrowed as she tried to place the voice, but it remained just out of reach, teasing her with its familiarity. She found herself drawn to the voice, curiosity getting the better of her.

Adrienne's eyes widened in shock as she peeked into the room, her gaze locking onto the figure of Hawk Moth.

“CURSES!”

Her heart started pounding hard against her ribcage, and not in the happy, lovesick way it had been all evening with Marin, as she watched Hawkmoth strike her cane against the floor as hard as she could.

CLANG CLANG CLANG

“I was so close! I thought I finally had the upper hand, in this unfamiliar territory, these new people… how on earth did Chat Noire get here in the first place?! If she hadn’t shown up, I could have easily overpowered Lordbug without his precious kittycat to cover him!”

Her fists clenched and trembled as the akuma butterflies swirled around her, their dark energy pulsing with malevolent power. “My plan was that Lordbug would be alone in this new country. Alone and weaker. Yet somehow that mangy alley cat sticks to his side like glue!”

The villainess released a deep breath, relaxing her tensed muscles as she exhaled. “No matter what I do, I always find myself right back to square one. Every plan, every idea, foiled by those brats.”

Her head slowly rose skyward, steadfast, determined. “But I must go on. I have no other choice. I will have the Miraculous, no matter how long I must wait.”

To Adrienne, this whole experience felt surreal, like she was experiencing something outside of her own body. But it was what happened next that left her reeling

Hawk Moth reached out, her form shifted, and the akuma butterflies seemed to dissipate, revealing a transformation that took Adrienne's breath away.

Where Hawkmoth had once been, now Gabrielle Agreste, Adrienne's own mother, stood before her, her eyes gleaming with an unsettling intensity.

Adrienne's mind struggled to process the revelation, her thoughts racing with questions and fears. How could her mother be Hawk Moth?

At once, her legs seemed to take on a life of their own, as without thinking, she took off running up the hall, back towards the ballroom, as fast as she could, panting and huffing from both physical exhaustion and emotional distress. Just as she reached outside the ballroom, Chat Noire pressed her back against the wall, heaving in and out.

Adrienne's world seemed to crumble around her as she stared at her mother, the truth hitting her like a tidal wave. She felt a searing anger, a deep sense of betrayal, and a heartbreak that threatened to consume her. The revelation left her feeling lost and hopeless, unsure of how to reconcile the mother she thought she knew with the villainous persona of Hawk Moth.

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she struggled to process the complexity of her emotions. How could her own mother be responsible for so much pain and chaos? The weight of this secret felt crushing, and Adrienne's sense of identity began to unravel. She didn't know how to move forward, torn between her love for her mother and her duty as a hero. The pain and confusion seemed to suffocate her, leaving her breathless and uncertain.

"Chat Noire?! Chat Noire?! Where is she?! Have you seen her?"

She heard his voice, and leaned in through the doorway, peeking inside to see him, back in the ballroom, safe and sound and handsome, running all around, grabbing people by the arms and shoulders and frantically asking for her whereabouts.

In an instant, all her worries and fears evaporated. If Marin was truly friends with her Lordbug, then there was still hope. With the two strongest, bravest, most incredible men she had ever known joined together, Adrienne knew in her heart that together, they could find a way to defeat her mother and restore balance to the world. As long as her Lordbug was around, as long as her Prince was around, nothing could stop them.

Taking a deep breath, she emerged from the doorway and stepped back into the moonlit ballroom.

"Marin!"

He looked over and there she was, among the guests on the other side of the room, as beautiful as ever. Not a hair was out of place, and her smile was just as bright, if not even brighter. Their eyes met across the ballroom, and everyone else vanished, making them feel like the only two people left on the planet.

A soft smile came easily to Marin's lips, and she strode towards her, completely forgetting Alim. Chat Noire gathered her skirts and hurried towards him, eager to be back in his arms. As they drew closer, aiming to meet in the center of the dance floor, they both reached out an arm towards each other at the same time. Ten feet apart, they prepared themselves for a loving embrace...

BONG!

The sound of the clock shook Adrienne out of her loving trance. She stopped dead in her tracks. Marin did, too, out of concern. Chat Noire's bright green eyes moved upwards over his head, to land on the clock tower in the corner of the ballroom.

It's hands were near the twelve mark, one directly on it and the other almost there.

Adrienne gasped, hands flying up to cover her mouth as she remembered her godmother's words.

At the final stroke of twelve, the spell will be broken...

"Chat?", Marin asked, worried for her and her sudden shift in behavior.

No sooner had her name left his lips, the little hand moved, and a great BONG echoed throughout the ballroom.

Midnight!

"I have to go!", she cried, gathering her skirts back up.

"What?!", cried Marin, striding towards her. "But—"

"Thank you! Thank you for a perfect night! I'll never forget it!" And without another word, she spun around and began darting past the crowds towards the steps, running away from him.

"Thank you! Thank you for a perfect night! I'll never forget it!" And without another word, she spun around and began darting past the crowds towards the steps, running away from him.

"Wait!", Marin cried, running up to the spot where she had been standing just seconds ago. "Don't go! I-I don't know your name! How will I find you?!"

When she didn't respond and just kept running, he took off after her, determined to catch her before she got away. "Wait!", he called after her, pushing past the party guests to reach her. "Wait! Come back, please!"

Just as he was a foot from her, a bunch of girls crowded into his path, having seen an opportunity, and started fangirling around him, begging him for a dance. He tried to shoo them away, watching as Chat Noire started running up the stairs out of the ballroom.

Seeing Marin needed help, Alim gestures to his friends and bolted to the crowd, grabbing girls by their poofy skirts and dragging them away from him. A few others followed his lead, pulling the giggling girls away from their old friend to clear his path. Shooting them a look of gratitude, Marin took off once again, just as Chat Noire reached the top step and made a sharp turn towards the palace gates.

"Wait! Come back! Come back!", he called out desperately, darting up the steps as fast as he could.

Even in glass heels, Chat Noire was still fast as an alleycat. By the time Marin had almost reached the top of the stairs, she was already at the palace gates. She started running down the front steps, hearing nothing but the BONG BONG BONG of the clock in her ears, when she suddenly stopped and looked at her ring.

Flashes of Hawkmoth detransforming into her mother flashed in her mind's eye. Hawkmoth was so close to her. What would happen if one day, she were to discover Adrienne's secret? It was too much of a risk.

"Kid! We gotta go!", came Plagg's nasally voice.

Tears blurred Adrienne's vision. She knew what she had to do.

"I'm sorry, Plagg."

"What?! What are you talking about—"

"Plagg, I renounce you!"

She ripped the ring from her finger and tossed it onto the steps behind her. Marin would find it. He would be a great hero. He would look after Lordbug for her. She believed in him.

Taking some more steps, Adrienne stumbled in her haste. She turned around to see that she had left behind one of her glass slippers on the steps. She started to go back up and reached to grab it back when a familiar voice rung in her ear.

"Wait! Come back!"

Adrienne gasped, looking up to see Marin's shadow grow bigger and bigger against the wall behind the steps. Terrified of being caught, Adrienne spun back around and rushed down the remaining steps to the earthen ground, abandoning her glass slipper entirely.

She hopped into her waiting carriage just as Marin appeared at the top of the stairs. He saw her close the coach door and lock it, and reached out an arm towards her. "No! Stop! Please!"

Adrienne looked out her window at her prince, eyes full of sorrow and heartache, and blew him one final kiss before the carriage sped off down the dirt road, taking her with it.

Marin gasped as he ran down the steps, trying to vain to catch the coach before it went too far, but his clumsy feet were no match for the horses's hooves. "No! Wait! Stop! Come back!"

Adrienne curled into the leather seats and let the tears roll down her cheeks, trying to ignore the tear in her heart with every plead she heard from Marin to return to him.

Suddenly, Marin glanced down and saw his worst nightmare come true. Chat Noire's ring, left deserted, without it's rightful owner. Marin knew the miraculous could not be removed unless the wielder willed it. Seeing the ring left on the steps could mean only one thing.

Marin, terrified at the thought of losing his minette for good, scooped up the ring and ran after the carriage, screaming and pleading her to come back. He reached the gates just as the coach vanished into the dark thicket of trees.

"Tikki, spots on!" In a flash, he was Lordbug, and took off in leaps and bounds into the forest, determined not to let his kitty get away.
~~~
The horses sprinted through the woods, weaving in and out through the thick trees, their footsteps light and urgent. Adrienne was weeping when she heard a familiar voice echoing through the trees from behind her. She poked her head out the window and looked to see a shadowy figure racing after her with a desperate cry, his voice laced with worry and frustration as he chased after her, his feet pounding the earth in pursuit.

"Chat Noire, wait! Come back! What's wrong?"

Adrienne gasped. She would know that voice anywhere. She turned her head towards the front of the carriage, calling out to the driver. “Go faster!”

She ducked back into the carriage, her gaze falling upon the interior walls, and her heart immediately sank.

The walls were turning pumpkin orange.
~~~
The trees blurred together as Lordbug ran, the moonlight casting eerie shadows on the ground.

Chat Noire's carriage darted ahead, Lordbug's breath came in ragged gasps as he strained to catch up, his heart pounding with concern for the girl he cared about.

Then, all of the sudden, there was a great flash of ruby red light that engulfed the entire forest, blinding Lordbug entirely. He screamed in discomfort, falling over on his face into the dirt. When his vision finally cleared, he saw…

Nothing.

The carriage, the horses, the driver and the footman, they had all suddenly vanished into thin air without a trace.

Chat Noire was gone.

Instead, all he could see was a smashed and battered pumpkin on the forest floor, with several small animals scattering away from it.

In his shock and despair, Lordbug totally failed to see the raggedy shadow slip out from behind the trees and disappear into the night
~~~
Adrienne was halfway back to the hotel when she finally decided she was far enough from the palace so that no one would find her. She collapsed on a tree stump and heaved in and out to regain her lost breath.

When she finally regained her full strength, she found herself staring up towards the moon. Slowly but surely, a soft smile played onto her lips.

“I’m sorry… I guess I forgot about everything, even the time… especially the time but… oh, it was just so wonderful… and he was so handsome, and when we danced… oh, I bet not even the prince himself could have been more… more…”

She trailed off before releasing a sigh. “Oh, what does it matter? It’s all over now and…”

As she rose up to stand on her feet, she instantly became aware of the sudden lopsidedness of her own footing. She looked down, and there, still glittering on her right foot, was a single one of her glass slippers, sparkling in the moonlight.

Adrienne immediately bent down to remove the slipper, holding it up to admire it, the the only piece remaining to remind her of the most perfect evening she had ever experienced. Looking up towards the stars, she whispered into the night. “Thank you… thank you so much… for everything.”
~~~
When he returned to the palace, the second his transformation fell away, Marin fell to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably, staring at the ring in the palm of his hand. He had done it. He had lost her. And this time, she was gone forever.

How could he have let her slip away again? How could he have let this happen? How could he go on without his kitty, his partner, his soulmate?

"Marin! Look!", came Tikki's voice in his ear.

Suddenly, another glimmer on the steps caught his eye. Slowly, he lifted his head see something dark sparkling like a star on the palace stairs. Jumping to his feet and bounding over, he saw one of Chat Noire's beautiful black glass slippers resting on one of the steps.

With gentle, loving hands, he knelt down and picked up the slipper, staring at it like it was the Hope Diamond.

"It's her magic slipper!", Tikki exclaimed. "It was made for her with magic belonging to the spirit of a previous holder! It'll only fit the foot of the girl it was made for?"

Marin looked up at his Kwami. "Really? Only her? No one else?"

"No one else. It will magically shift to grow too big, too small, too wide, too narrow, or any other imperfection in reaction to any other foot trying it on."

Marin stared back at the sparkling slipper in his hand. "Than...this is how I'll find her. I'll try this shoe on every girl I can find. And when I find her, I'll—"

"You'll give her the ring back?", Plagg finished, his usually cocky and sarcastic voice full of hope.

Marin looked the little cat in the eye. "I won't stop there. When I find her...I'll marry her. If she'll have me."

Plagg and Tikki gasped.