A/N: Eyyo! Time for another story! I mulled over this idea for awhile, deleting and reworking thousands of times. Hopefully this chapter, although shorter than I'd like, gets you interested. I have quite the story planned here.

"Ladybug...I think you should come see this," Cat Noir said through his hand, the stench almost unbearable to him, "I think I've found something you should see," Sliding his baton back into it's holster he stepped back, noticing the blood puddle had reached his boot. There was recently a string of murders reported and although it wasn't their forte, Hawk Moth had gone quiet and they had decided to assist in whatever way they could. Not just with Akumatized citizens.

The gruesome image before him was just like the others, luckily he hadn't eaten recently. Multiple men and women were draped around the alley, dead from puncture wounds. Their bodies were always left at the foot of a makeshift shrine dedicated to what seemed to be the Akuma. It was decorated with multiple papier-mache replicas of the butterflies, but one drew his attention; it was a black Akuma pinned to the top with a single feather. That was new.

Chat turned at the sound of footsteps, noticing Ladybug walking towards him, "Watch your step, M'lady," The feline took a glance back at the shrine, grimacing, "Check out the top of this one. It's a replica of the ones Hawk Moth uses. Usually they aren't 'evilized'," He moved forwards, doing his best to avoid the bodies.

Taking the feather out of the replica, he examined it. It was a metal peacock's feather, and the tip seemed to be coated in blood, "I think we found our mysterious murder weapon," The ever-growing detective speculated, and noticed his partner kneeling down. Moving to put the feather back, he noticed the Akuma starting to lift off.

"Ladybug...we have a problem here," Cat Noir said quietly.

"Hmm?" She asked turning towards him. When she spotted it she quickly drew her yo-yo, opening it before repeating the familiar process of devilizing it, "Cat, I thought you said it was fake?" She questioned.

He was just as startled as her, "I guess I made a mistake...it happens I guess."

"You do realize what this means, right?"

"Uhhhhh..."

Ladybug gave him a look, "It means Hawk Moth tried to Akumatize someone and, whoever this person is, stopped it before he could. It also means they have more in common than just an affinity for butterflies."

Cat just shrugged and moved to where she had been crouching down earlier, "What did you find here?" He asked. It seemed just like the other cases, but even with his better senses it still took her to actually connect the pieces.

She kneeled down next to him, "The blood. It's just now starting to congeal. At the other shrines they had been there for hours. These bodies might as well still be warm."

Cat Noir looked back to where he had been standing before Ladybug had arrived. The blood had spread out further. He reached out and touched one of the bodies, "Cat?"

"Just seeing if it was warm," She looked at him expectantly, "Well...he's not cold. We must've missed our Peacock by just about a half hour."

"Peacock?" Ladybug stood, "You outta take a page from Hawk Moth's book on naming people," He feigned hurt, "You can keep looking around here if you want, see if we missed anything. I'll call the police so they can clean this up and maybe they'll see something else too. Two different perspectives can be helpful."

The blonde followed suit, stepping back and trying to spot even the slightest thing. There wasn't even a footprint in the blood. Or at least there wasn't one from anyone other than him and Ladybug. He faintly heard Ladybug talking to her so-called 'contact' and decided it was as good as any time to disappear. It was a school night anyways. She'd understand.

Using his baton to boost himself onto the rooftops, he found himself attempting to reconstruct the scene in his mind. They had to be missing a key detail. It was just a matter of figuring out what it was. Hopefully the police found it before the duo found the next shrine.

Before he knew it he was vaulting over the mansion's gate. Surprisingly, the lights were still on. His father never waited up for him. Usually he didn't even notice that he was gone. Knowing him though he had probably sent out legions of search parties.

Changing back into his civilian clothes, he let Plagg rest in his pocket and walked through the front doors. Just as he had imagined, Gabriel Agreste stood at the top of the grand staircase talking to Nathalie angrily. Just like always.

The elder blonde turned as the heavy doors slammed shut behind him. He scowled, "Where have you been, Adrien?" Walking down the steps, he stopped in front of the boy, "You had me worried," Gabriel pulled him into a hug, and he flinched away from the contact.

Adrien sniffed. That smell. Only one person he knew smelt like that. Pulling out of the hug, he glared at his father, "Are you wearing her perfume?"

The fashion mogul gave him an odd look, "Wha-" He paused, realization flickering in his eyes, "I'm glad you're home, son," Walking away from the Adrien, Gabriel whispered something to Nathalie before heading in the direction of his office. She nodded in response, although it was lost on her boss.

Adrien looked after him, then to Nathalie. This was probably the most confused he'd ever been. She walked down the stairs and stood next to him, "We'll talk on the way to your room. I'll walk you," She said in a way that left no room for argument.

He started following the familiar route he always took to get to his room, Nathalie following close behind. He decided to just ask, "Do you know anything about this?"

She sighed, "Adrien, I only know so much. I can say one thing; I've seen your father walking through the gardens with someone. Someone who looks eerily similar to your mother. Don't ask me how or why but if she's back and your father hasn't told you then there must be a reason," They reached his room, and as he moved to go in she put a hand on his shoulder, "However you think he feels, your father loves you. He's a good man. Keep that in mind."

"If he was a good man," He hissed, "He wouldn't keep things from me. I can decide who he is for myself, thanks."

Adrien had to fight the urge to slam the door in her face. He was raised to good for that. After all, it was Nathalie who told him. He wasn't mad at her, he was mad at his father. Plagg floated out of his pocket, "You wanna talk about it?"

"No."

Plagg hadn't ever been very good at comforting his charges, so instead he floated over to the pillows on the bed, "Well in that case...can I get some camembert?"

Adrien practically ripped the cover of the serving tray. Taking a piece from it, he placed it down next to the kwami maybe a little too forcefully. The tiny cat jumped in surprise, "Sorry Plagg."

Plagg bit back a sarcastic remark, "I'll give you a pass on it, but you owe me another piece."

Adrien smiled slightly, which Plagg took as a win. He grabbed another piece and put it down in the place of the already devoured cheese. The kwami practically pounced on it. Adrien took his shirts off, tossing them in a hamper and plopping down on the bed beside Plagg, "Do you think he'd really keep something so important from me? We both grieved for her. And if she is back why wouldn't he let me see her?"

"I don't have all the answers," The cat said, "But I can tell you one thing I've learned about people: Everything you do someone else will question. You're all just like that."

The blonde looked over at him, "Oddly insightful today, aren't ya?"

Plagg yawned, "Don't get used to it, kitten."

Adrien was polite enough to stifle his yawn, "Night Plagg," The snores from him were his only response. He was used to it by now. Honestly, he appreciated the brashness of the kwami. He'd spent most of his life surrounded with false niceties from people he didn't know. Plagg was a nice change. He found himself thinking about how Plagg wouldn't have kept his mom's return from him. No reasonable person, or magical creature, would have kept something so important from him.

A/N: Ya like? Even if ya didn't you should check back later to see if you like it when I establish more things. No matter what, I appreciate that you took the time to read. Please review!