Go the Distance

Chapter 1: Fate Finds Me

"I got this!" Adrien yells as he runs backwards. His green eyes on the discus thrown towards his direction, adrenaline pumping in his veins. This is it. This is his moment. Most of his young life, he had never been able to free up his schedule to find and make friends, let alone hang out with them. But during a break between modeling sessions in the bustling Greek market, some of the local boys had gotten a little rough in their frisbee match and sent the disc flying towards the young model.

The blonde ran backwards blindly - keeping his eyes on the prize. His heart beating hard in his chest, not so much from this one catch - but the idea that he's doing what other guys his age were up to - messing around and having fun. His mind was racing at the possibilities - they'd finish the match between shoots with the promise of hanging out later, catching something to eat and then-

Adrien felt himself collide with something cold and unforgiving, his head snapping back to connect with the object and all warm feelings of friendship drain from his soul. A harsh grinding noise rises to his ears and wincing, he gathers the courage to peer behind him just to see the first of a series of white twenty-five foot columns fall like dominoes all around the market. And the discus? It flies right smack into the back of the head of his father. The grown man turns around quickly, seeing his son sprawled on the ground and the columns teetering this way and that. As a deep frown sets in his features, Adrien takes action. Rushing quickly to his feet, he dashes to the second- no, third! They're falling too fast! - column to stop the destruction. Adrien grabs the marble column and pulls with all his might, but overcompensates and just swings the huge column in the wrong direction.

"Nonononononononononono-" but all efforts are futile. By now, the market people are scrambling out of the way as the dust clouds rise, concealing the damage temporarily. The heavy dust rushes into his lungs and forces the teen to double over in a coughing fit, desperately trying to clear his airway. The townspeople continue to panic, their shadows dancing in the dust clouds. The cries are nearly deafening, adding to the sinking feeling of regret in his gut, but there is one cry that stands out. A lone child stands in a clearing without a parent in sight. Adrien glances quickly around, noticing that two columns are heading straight for the young girl. She's terrified to the spot, crying her eyes out and smearing the dirt and tears about her face. Without hesitation, Adrien drops the column he was holding with a heavy thud and runs towards the child. It would be close, dodging between civilians, but he's nearly positive he could make it on time. Nearly. Each foot pounding on the dirt ground, he skids the last few feet to easily slide under the incoming columns with child in tow.

The young blonde holds her tight, her wails for a parent deafeningly loud in his ears, until the dust settles and people slowly emerge from cover. When the blood is no longer pounding in his ears, Adrien looks up to see a young mother rushing towards them. A self-conscious smile slips on his face as he stands to face her. Mumbling thanks, she grabs her child's hand and runs in the other direction. The child takes one last glance towards the blonde, to which he waves sheepishly. Groaning, the fatigue sets in as the adrenaline flows from his system. He slumps forward and is immediately cast in shadow.

A sharp chill shoots up his spine as he gasps, "H-heeey Dad! Pretty crazy turn of events, wasn't that? Well, no one got hurt so that's good, at least." Feeling nervous, he rest one hand behind his golden head and one hand on an extended hip, similar to the pose he was supposed to be modeling for the group of rising artists. A low mumble rises from around them. Various merchants complain about the constant damage to their little market - this was the third occurance this month! Emerald eyes lose their usual cheerful shine and cast themselves downward as the constant onslaught of complaints fly his way. His breath is caught in his throat.

Of course. He has such rotten luck. He tried to help the artists set up once, but ended up accidentally breaking nearly easel. Another time he tried to help gather a group of chickens, but accidentally kicked one when he tripped and, well, no one has seen the spotted hen since. So of course this market would, too, grow tiresome of the damages that followed him. Every town his family moves to always greets them with such enthusiasm to be the humble home of the famous Adrien Agreste - but they all resented the famous model eventually.

His father straightens his back and casts a warning look at the growing crowd. Startled at the sudden attention and embarrassed to have been caught, the crowd murmurs words of encouragement.

"It's okay, you didn't meant to."

"I wanted to add an extra bedroom to my house anyway - this hole from the column will be a great start for that!"

"Oh Adrien, you bring so much art and culture wherever you go, thank you so much for coming to our little village."

Adrien smiles weakly at their futile attempts to cheer him up, but the emotional damage had been setting in for a while now: a seed of doubt is always near his kind heart. No one could tolerate him and his destructive powers. His father grunts again, such a man of many words, and Adrien is reminded of his current predicament. A cold sweat threatens to break out as green eyes dart in every direction except the imposing figure in black before him "A-anyway, I guess I'll just go back-"

A firm hand securely grips his shoulder. A low, gravelly voice tells him, "No more."

Two words, but that's all that was needed to pummel any hope, any future attempts of being a normal teen.

But then again, Adrien Agreste was no normal teen and his parents made sure the world knew. As soon as he was born, it was obvious their child had extraordinary talents of strength. His parents had been simple merchants, but had ended that life when their prodigy child was merely three years old. Yes, with each passing season, his features matured and blossomed with sunshine. Bronze skin, golden hair, emerald green eyes - what greek could ask for more? The only life he has known was one where his mother managed his modeling business while his father acted as his bodyguard of sorts. His life is ensnared in a never-ending schedule from modeling-sessions, ancient greek lessons, Chinese lessons, what to wear, when to eat, when to sleep - it never ends.

"I understand," Adrien mumbles and walks back to the startled group of artists, one of them telling him to think of his mother's gyros. Getting back into routine, he follows the rest of his schedule nonchalantly.

When the sun had set, the artists could no longer see neither their model nor their work. One suggests some wax candles, but his father gives one firm glance that effectively silences the man. It's time to go home and no one could say otherwise. When everything was packed up, he and his son walk home to see dinner on the table. It's nice, always being able to eat together, though little words are spoken. But this evening, something… something is off.

"Natalie," his father stats simply, yet it implies much more.

"Of course," she pats her lips with a folded napkin and turns towards her son. "Adrien, it's time you hear the story of your birth."

He lets out a low groan, readying himself for this tale told a thousand times. "I know, I was born glowing like the sun and Zeus himself loved me so much he blessed me with the looks and strengths of every Greek hero before me. The story has been plastered all over Athens if not every Greek village and-"

"A lie."

Adrien stares at his father, his eyebrows knit together. Amazing how this man of few words could turn everything he has ever known on his head.

"Excuse me?" His parents were dark-haired and fair-skinned with dark eyes. Sure, he looked different, but that was a matter of genetics, a very unsupported theory during the times if discussed at all, that he received every recessive gene from his parents. His mother walks over to an over-extravagant portrait of the sunshine child and retrieves a small item from behind the frame. The candlelight glimmers off the small item as she walks over to him.

Adrien sits back with his hands paused on the table as if ready to bolt out of the room, not sure how to accept the situation. His breath pauses on his lips as his mother nears. Natalie extends her hands towards him to display a round metal disk with a red ribbon looped around a small chain. Adrien tenderly grasps the item for closer inspection. Engraved on the disc of gold is a single cloud with a bold lightning bolt striking the heavens.

"This…." The blonde starts, shaking his head and biting his bottom lip tenderly.

"This is the true story: Zeus did bless you, but we believe you are the child of one of the gods. This was around your neck when we found you on the mountains one stormy night crying all alone. We don't know the details of why you were abandoned there. However, now is the time we send you on a journey, life-changing we hope. It would be ill-advised to allow you to be static without training with your power as it is: uncontrollable. You are at full power a hundred percent of the time. It wasn't until you were twelve you could put your own clothes on without ripping them to shreds - oh god the tailoring bills. Imagine you as an adult with god-like strength just trying to do simple market tasks- the results would be catastrophic, if today wasn't evident enough. We could simply allow someone to take care of all these tasks, but that would not result in much for you, would it? You yourself would not benefit or grow into an adult if we were always there to coddle you."

So many thoughts are racing through his mind. His mother, no, well yes - anyway, her method of matter-of-factly telling him all of this just as she discusses his classes is throwing him for a loop. How can she expect him to accept all of this all at once and so suddenly? There wasn't any evidence or different behavior from them to suggest any kind of change from their bland, normal life. Adrien's mind reels as a cold sweat breaks on his back despite the warm room and his fingers tremble, but the medal in his hands is real, grounding him.

"You suggest I just get up and leave?" He looks up at his… guardians. They wouldn't just throw him out, would they?

"It would be wise to head to the temple of Zeus, pray for protection and seek advice from him. If you are one of the god's children, surely he'll send you signs to interpret. Remember your years of schooling."

Yep, they would do this to him. They would expect results of the highest kind immediately.

Despite learning that he was not related to these people by blood - they still raised him, cared for him, taught him many things that most people couldn't dream of. His life has been handed to him thus far, now it was time to make of it what he can. The rest of the meal is eaten in silence, a pretty normal normal occurrence but this silence is thick, a heavy atmosphere grows over them. The meal draws to a close and Adrien packs little for his journey. Standing on the porch, he hugs the both of them just the same as he bid his farewells.

"Goodbye, Mom," he whispers. He looks up at the tall figure, "Dad…"

His guardians keep up appearances and hold back tears, but Adrien felt one or two slip down his cheek. He could have sworn he saw a glimmer of moonlight slip down his father's cheek, but this stoic paternal figure wouldn't cry, would he? One final wave and Adrien takes the first step to discovering who he is and who he's meant to be.

The trip to the Temple of Zeus had been… interesting in the least. Between climbing mountains and roaming the countryside most of the night - it was a miracle Adrien found the holy site at all by dawn. His pace slows as he approaches the temple, many figures of Zeus dancing gracefully in battle rest engraved in the space above. Adrien's eyes widen at the scene before him, a reminder of how glorious and magnificent this being is to the mortal realm. His numerous feats and glories plaster the interior, naturally leading the teen to the deepest section of the temple. White marble columns line either side of the room as footsteps echo throughout the chilly room.

A flicker of light catches his attention and he makes his way over to the torch hanging on the wall. Grabbing the torch, he notices the oil lining a short shelf on the wall. Curious, he tips the torch into it. Instantly the flame catches the oil, thirsty for more, and speeds down the slickened shelf. The flame dances all around the room and behind a massive statue that had been concealed in the dark. As the fire races to illuminate the room, Adrien stands in awe in the details of the figure. The teen could easily be the length of the mighty god's pinky of his mighty hands, if that.

Dear gods this statue is huge. Is this accurate to life size? He's not as muscular as I had thought he'd be, Adrien thought to himself as he strolls over to the prayer mosaic before the god. The figure is taller than most trees he's ever seen, nearly as tall as the mountains he climbed to get here. Instead of muscle, the god is heavily decorated in gold-plated robes draping elegantly across his body. What isn't glittering in gold was shining in precious stones. The cloth itself actually portrays more heroic murals of the god - how he created the world from a spool of thread. How each creature, plant and landmark was spun from a different thread. Every hero can be linked with the same golden string - a sign that he or she is blessed by the gods.

But what if I don't have that golden string? What if mine is tattered, that's why I have such great luck… maybe going on this journey was a mistake- He stops himself, lightly smacking his face as he squats low to the tiled floor. Stop that! You're here to get clues to figure out where you're supposed to go next, not criticize the lack of bulging muscles you thought he had or what color your string of fate is-

"Hey there, Mister Zeus." he nervously chuckles. "I hope things are going good up on Mount Olympus. Um, we've had a great harvest this year and pleasant weather - so thank you and-" Adrien sighs, feeling like this one-sided conversation isn't going anywhere.

"Look, I just found out that the people who raised me are not my actually family. I love them, I always will. Nothing can change that but I feel like I only know half of myself. I think I may be one of the children of any of the gods, but I was hoping you could send me a sign as to where I need to go next? Who do I need to ask?" Adrien pauses to stare at his hands, the hands that have caused so much trouble and destruction in his life.

"I just want to know who I am…"

Silence.

The sun continues to rise slowly from the east. The ocean is spread far beyond Adrien's vision: it's as empty and uncertain as his future. His knuckles glare white as he tightens his fists. His bottom lip trembles, but he bites it tenderly to quell his rising emotions. Emerald eyes close as he bows his head, unwilling to accept a dead end so soon. He just started! He can't return home so soon, they would turn him away until he came back with solid and promising results. Releasing the breath he held captive in his chest, he didn't notice the wind weaving through the columns. The flames dance to a new routine and seemingly bow to the statue as the wind carries the sparks all about the figure.

"I guess I'll go now," Adrien sniffs. "Sorry to bother you-"

"Adrien my boy," a deep voice shakes the temple. Adrien freezes, not daring to explore his surroundings for the source of the deep and powerful voice. "Welcome home."

The teen looks up to see the statue - Alive?! The statue no longer a solid object, but moves as if an actual being. Eyes of cool and collected judgement stare the teen down. If he looks closely enough, he could see the figure breathing!

"Who are you!?" Adrien shouted, fearing this was a trick. Was he going to get hit upside the head at any moment and robbed? That would be his rotten luck, wouldn't it? Any moment someone would come out from behind a curtain or column and-

A giant hand swoops down and picks him up effortlessly, setting his panic meter up a few bajillion notches. As he attempts to climb out of the marble hand, the figure calmly brings his hand closer to his stoney face. He rotates his marble hand as though watching a ladybug crawl all about his fingers.

"Adrien," He states firmly. The blond stops in his tracks, realizing he was much higher off the ground and much closer to the statue than he preferred. "I am what you mortals have dubbed 'Zeus,' God of Lightning and patriarch to every other god on Mount Olympus. I prefer to be called Gabriel, but when millions of followers have already chosen a name for you, it's much easier to just let them do their thing. I trust the humans assigned have taken adequate care of you. What of your powers?" At the last sentence, Gabriel appears much more animated, his eyes wide in excitement. Adrien's shoulders slump and he can't bring himself to look the god in the eyes.

"Powers? Well, I'm… I don't know how to use them yet but my family has sent me on a journey to control my strength. They sent me to you for answers, or at least something to point me in the right direction?" The all-powerful being seems…. Disappointed? He leans over on his throne to plop Adrien on the prayer mosaic floor.

"I see." Gabriel sat back in his throne, calculating silently. "I strongly suggest you begin intense training at once. No son of mine will remain a mortal with unflattering talents. You will not only learn to control them, but master other powers as well."

"Other powers? I haven't noticed any others-" Adrien paused. "Wait a minute, I'm YOUR son? Directly?" Disbelief floods his system, nearly knocking the wind out of him. Then doubt fills his mind as he asks tentatively, "But if I'm your son, why did you cast me out?"

"I did not discard you on that mountain top, someone kidnapped you the night you were born. If I could I would send the other gods to fetch you at once, to bring you home here on Mount Olympus. At once!" Gabriel closes his eyes, wincing from the pain of the dark memories. "But that night, someone stole you and killed your mother. By the time I found them, they had already changed you. As you are now, you cannot join us. I suspect training to be a hero will lead you to more answers."

The sun is rising higher, the first rays penetrating the temple through the columns.

"I'm running out of time." Gabriel speaks with a hint of irritance. He snaps his fingers and a strong wind picks up in the temple, blowing every which way and carrying all sound with it. Adrien covers his ears and hunkers down. He struggles to see even the giant form in front of him. But he hears a booming voice shout and he is sent flying out of the temple.

"Go, Son. And become the hero you are meant to be…"

He rolls head over heels, seeing the ground then sky then ground then sky, until he collides with a tree. The world spins before him as his mind grasps at anything to restore balance. When he comes to, the temple is nowhere to be seen. All signs of the ocean are gone as well. His only surroundings are a thick forest with little morning light seeping through.

"Well," the teen muttered to himself, glancing all around him. "Things can't get any worse, can they?"

He hadn't taken two steps before hearing a soft cry for help. A fleeting moment of panic washes over him before he charges off in the direction of the plea. Sure, he could ignore this person, but what if it were him? If he was in danger, he hoped there would be a kind person to save him. The cries are becoming louder, as well as the sounds of a scuffle.

Adrien breaks through the forest into a tiny clearing pooling in sunlight. In the center of the clearing a large, hulking beast pins someone down, nearly covering them. They're doing their best keeping the sharp teeth away from them, but it's clear that their strength is waning.

Without hesitation, Adrien grabs the nearest tree: four feet in diameter and thirty feet tall. He tugs with all his might, grunting as he feels the roots pop from the force. As the final root of resistance is snapped, Adrien stumbles back. He glances at the duo: good, he hasn't been noticed yet. At that moment, the victim's small branch separating him and the beast snapped.

The person cries as the dark beast lunges towards him- but the creature suddenly wasn't there anymore. The victim opens his eyes to barely catch a glimpse of the feral animal soaring far away from him. But how?

He turns to see a young teen panting as he casually holds one of the larger trees of the forest. This child appears to naturally radiate sunlight.

Adrien drops the tree and collapses onto the grass. Holy crap that was scary. But if I hadn't been near, if I hadn't acted when I did - a shudder whips through his body. Thinking of the other person, he calls out, "Are you okay?"

He rises from the ground and hobbles towards the person. The elderly gentleman starts to pick himself off the ground, but graciously accepts the teen's helping hand up. He stretches, popping a few bones in his back, before grabbing a random branch to resume to his hunched-over position.

"Thank you so much for taking care of that beast, young one." He smiles at the boy.

Adrien sighs, telling the stranger it was no problem. This individual is dressed in loose-fitting attire of red, but nothing the young teen of Greece had ever seen… except in his lessons…

"I'm sorry if this is rude," he starts. "But are you visiting from China?"

The elderly man raises an eyebrow. Stiffening quickly, Adrien nearly shouts, "Neverminditwasn'tthatimportantI'msorrytobotheryoubye!"

Without another thought, he bolts off into the woods with a heated blush tingeing his ears. He runs a mile or so until he notices a distinct thumping against his legs. He pauses and digs in the folds of his toga. His fingers bump something solid. Confused, he pulls out a strange wooden box with red chinese lettering he had never seen before.

Adrien pauses, curious about how this box made its way into his clothes, but curiosity was eating away at him. Cracking the lid just a tiny bit - the teen is engulfed in a light brighter than a dozen suns. He raises his arm instinctively to shield his eyes, but bumps something small.

"Hey! Is that anyway to treat a new friend?" A quirky voice drawls out. Adrien lowers his arm, "F-friend?"

"Well," says the black mouse-like creature hovering inches from the teen's nose, his large green eyes burning with a hunger. "I wouldn't say friend so loosely just yet, if ever, so let's just start as business partners!"

Adrien just stared, his mind a few neurons spare of a short-circuit.

First I found out that the people who raised me were not actually my blood relatives and they forced me on a life-changing journey. Next I not only spoke with Zeus, but discovered he is actually my father. My parents are gods. Then I helped that old man in the woods from a creature I had never seen before. Now this speck is saying we're business partners. What luck I have….

"Helllooooo," the creature taps on his forehead a few times. "The name's Plagg. All you have to do is wear the ring in the box. Say "Claws Out!" and you'll be given awesome powers. But I guess you already have some, so I better find some other chosen to accept me-"

"No no!" Adrien panics. What if this is an opportunity sent by Zeus to help him with his journey? While this was by far NOT one of the weirder ways the gods would interfere with mortals that he's seen in the scrolls, he should still be cautious but….

"So that's it? I just say those words and my will change?"

Plagg energetically zips around Adrien's head, proving to be annoying so soon after they met.

"That's the gist of it, kid!" He chuckles, soaking in the attention of his newest charge. The sun glints off his sharp fangs. His cat eyes lock onto Adrien's as he asks, "Do you think you're ready, kid? It's a lot of hard work, but with a little reward incentive for me - I think we can make something work."

The young blonde carefully takes the silver ring out of the box. It bears no special markings but Adrien still feels drawn to the plain band. If fate was sending him on a wild journey, he should accept it - no, embrace it! He slips the jewelry onto his ring finger on his right hand and instantly cries, "Plagg! Claws Out!"

The creature of fortune (good or bad yet to be determined) is forced into the ring, coating it in a black material. Adrien closes his eyes and feels the same material cover his body in a wave of intense heat. Gone was the pure, white toga he wore for modeling sessions. The material coating his body is skin-tight, but he also feels a pair of ears clip onto his head and a mask shield his eyes.

Opening his eyes, he gazes below to see a leathery skirt of sorts much like the Spartan army and a short sword sheathed at his hip. Adrien spun quickly to check out the rest of his attire - he had a leather tail! Looking his hands, the ring rests on the top-most layer. There had to be a significance to that detail, but he would worry about that later. Another peculiar fact would be the choice of claws at the end of his fingertips.

Can this day get any weirder?

A beautiful moment happens then: he hears a dear- no, two! A mother and her fawn. Can't see them, but he can effortlessly hear their hooves crunch the grass and splash the water of a small creek. Adrien sits down and shuts his eyes, just listening to them walk, eat, etc. After a few moments where the peace seems blissfully unending, he opens his eyes and spots them on a far hill, but he can see them clearly, can count the spots on the fawn's back.

So his senses become heightened in this state as well, this is amazing. The longer he wears the attire, the more impressed and awed he became. A huge grin spreads on his face.

One moment, he was standing in the middle of the wood. Now? The enlightened teen is bounding through the forest, swinging in the trees, feeling alive! This is the closest he had ever felt to the feeling of freedom. Gone were the strict schedules, the unending lessons and the modeling sessions. The black-clad teen cries joyfully in this blissful moment of selfishness.

"Chat Noir." A familiar voice reaches his improved ears. Surprised, he pauses between leaps. The voice didn't speak anymore, but it had felt like a calling. That name, it seems so familiar…

Feeling brave, he searches for the source. After spending some time in the suit, he feels more powerful but also more fluid. The feeling would akin to a river circulating power continuously throughout his body. Adrien began bounding on all fours. Soon, the leather-clad teen finds the source of the voice to be the elderly gentleman he rescued earlier, patiently sitting on a tree stump. The man looks up at Adrien with eyes far wiser and sharper than thought possible, the sparkle still shining bright.

"Chat Noir, you ran away before I could properly introduce myself or thank you for your kind deed." The elder starts, standing from his seat and walking over to the young man. "My name is Master Fu and I will be your trainer. It will take time and much effort on your part, but we will make you a hero the gods will be proud of."

Adrien's eyes watered a bit.

"You will train me? Thank you so much, my name is-"

"Chat Noir!" Master Fu interrupts sternly. "While you bear the miraculous of the cat, you will never reveal your secret identity. There are many demons and humans alike who would kill you or worse just to get their hands on the miraculous." The old man's features melt into a smile.

"I understand." Adrien confirms, not really understanding. But if this was the price to pay to find out about his true self - this condition and his efforts would be worth it in the long run, right?

Master Fu smiles, "Excellent. Well, let's go home-"

"But I have so many questions!" Before Chat Noir could blink, the old man no taller than his waist had climbed up his back.

"We have a long road ahead of us, but we will start our new life tomorrow, Chat Noir."

Adrien lay on the ground panting. Every inch of his muscles scream in protest and every bit of his skin coated in sweat. His lungs burn as his ribs feel like iron bars. He needs more air, more time. But time was short and the training was hard.

The teen had to catch up somehow. So far, Master Fu has requested him to move statues around his garden. The statues were nothing compared to the one of his father in the temple, but were proving to be a challenge. Each requires more stamina than he thought he possessed but there are several more to carry.

The sun feels even more cruel today, blistering his back more times than he cared to count. Physical pain is a new concept to Adrien, with superhuman strength, his body could withstand a majority of whatever had been thrown at him. And it wasn't like his human parents had ever let him do anything but sit and study or stand and model. But this….

"Adrien!" He hears his instructor shout. Groaning, he rolls onto his stomach to stand wobbly on the manicured green. The young blonde knew he was training to be a hero. He was doing all this for the chance to learn who he is, who he's meant to be. Was the constant training worth it?

The elderly man wanders over to his charge, sensing doubt in the young man. Adrien's eyes cloud over as the fatigue grows. Master Fu frowns slightly, then gently guides the teen to the edge of his house. A tea set and lonely plate of sweets eagerly await to be used.

The clouds dissipate in Adrien's eyes as the temptation of a break nears. Grateful, he thanks his trainer and starts munching on an array of sugar sweets.

"Adrien, do you know why I've chosen you to be my final trainee?" The elder asks, watching the boy pause.

"I… I don't know. I think I was just in the right place and the right time. Everyone I know is pressuring me to discover this great truth about myself but I can't selfishly accept your guidance." A heavy sigh escapes his lips. "I think you need to find a better person for you to train. I'm sorry Master Fu, I'll leave tomorrow so I don't burden you any longer."

The elder watches his charge stand slowly before patting the spot next to him on the low porch.

"I did not make a mistake in choosing you, Adrien. The beast that attacked me the day we met would have caused serious damage if you hadn't come to my aid. He caught me off guard, or really, I was too slow to react." A green ball flies from the robes of his trainer.

"Master, you are growing too old," Wayfu, the turtle kwami gently added. Adrien had learned many things about his kwami Plagg and the powers he gave the teen. Speaking of which -

"Yeah, you're like - a thousand years old already." The cat kwami adds, though no one asked.

There he was, rude as ever. Adrien sighs, giving his kwami a piece of cheese to silence him.

"But," Master Fu continues, not deterred from the interruptions. "I sense a great evil continuing to grow in these lands. Greece needs a hero."

Adrien stands impatiently, nearly tossing the sweets in his hand.

"But what if you're wrong? What if this is all a coincidence, or a misunderstanding of what fate has in store for us? I just don't want to selfishly accept your gratitude and training just because it conveniently aligns in my destiny of becoming a hero. What if you were meant to find someone else and I had to undergo a traumatic journey instead? I want to make a difference in this world. I want to earn your instruction and training." Adrien impatiently stands up again, pacing back and forth. He continues to mumble under his breath about greatness and the stars not aligning for him.

Master Fu looks up at his young charge. Did he really not believe in himself? How badly did he believe his powers were a curse that only wrought destruction? They would prove to be extremely helpful in a battle of good vs evil, if he just saw that… The old man stood up from his porch, a silent motion that meant break time had ended.

Without looking behind him, he stats, "It's time you got a good look at the world that needs you to believe in yourself, a world that needs your power in order to be saved."