Author's Note: Some of the passages in this fanfic are based off actual scenes in Miraculous Ladybug and I even use a few direct quotes to stay true to the show. However, this is kind of an alternate universe in the sense that Adrien receives his miraculous from Hawkmoth rather than from Master Fu.

Disclaimer: I don't own Miraculous Ladybug.

Prologue

Adrien was 15 years old when he discovered who his father really was.

He had been about to enter his father's office after finally gathering up the guts to ask if he could attend public school. He took a deep breath and was about to knock when he noticed one of the doors was slightly cracked open.

"You're telling me this NOW?" he heard his father growl. "The show is in two weeks!"

Adrien stood outside the doors and peaked through the crack to see who his father was speaking to. Gabriel Agreste stood in front of the painting of Adrien's mother and was holding a cell phone to his ear.

"Don't call me back until you've taken care of it!" Gabriel practically yelled into the phone.

Adrien flinched, feeling sorry for whoever was on the other end of the phone. Maybe this wasn't such a good time to bring up the whole public school thing…

Just as Adrien was about to turn and walk away, he saw his father reach out to grasp the edge of the large painting on the wall. He pulled on the painting's edge and it suddenly swung off the wall like a door.

Adrien gasped. What is he…?

Just then, his father's head snapped up.

"Who's there?" Gabriel demanded, looking around the room.

Crap.

Adrien froze. Fess up or run? But his father left him no option.

"Adrien? Come in here," Gabriel called out in a suddenly calm voice.

Every muscle in his body tensed as he pushed open the door and walked into the office. He looked up and noticed that there was a safe hidden away in the wall behind where the painting normally hung. Adrien turned his gaze to his father, who stood next to it with a somber expression.

"Father… What's in the safe?" Adrien asked, unsure of how he was bold enough to ask.

A chilling expression came across his father's face. After a few moments, he finally spoke. "Son, I think it's time I give you something."

Adrien watched in confusion as his father turned to unlock the safe. He reached inside and when he held his hands out in front of Adrien, he held a little black box with red markings.

"Adrien, I need your help," Gabriel said.

My father needs MY help? Adrien thought in awe. Adrien was so sure his father didn't want anything to do with him. But here he stood, asking for his son's help. All Adrien could think about was how this was his chance to finally prove himself to his father.

"Anything for you, dad," Adrien answered, his eyes filled with hope.

Gabriel smiled warmly at his son, something he hadn't done in years. But after a moment, his eyes hardened.

"I need your help to take down Ladybug."

An hour later, Adrien sat on his bed staring down at the little black box in his hands. He felt numb.

My father is Hawkmoth… and he wants me to help him take down Ladybug... He thought over and over again.

His father had explained how he needed Ladybug's earrings in order to have enough power to bring his mother back.

Mom...

Adrien squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself not to dwell on thoughts of his mother. He had stopped allowing himself to think about her because his father would yell at him to stop crying.

Adrien had wanted so badly to take the opportunity to ask his father what happened to her, but he couldn't bring himself to ask. His father never spoke of her disappearance. Even now, all he said was that he could bring her back if he could steal Ladybug's earrings.

And then there was this box. Adrien opened his eyes and ran his fingers along the smooth wood. His father had said it was another miraculous, as he called it. Gabriel said that if Adrien wanted to help get his mother back, all he needed to do was open this box.

But Ladybug… Adrien sighed. Ladybug. The beloved heroine of Paris. How could he fight against her?

Adrien looked over longingly at his computer screen. As usual, the Ladyblog was pulled up on the screen and a photo of Ladybug was displayed at the center of the webpage.

He wouldn't admit it outloud, but he had a major crush on the superheroine. He remembered the first time he saw her on the news. Television crews had showed the footage of her swinging up through the air to capture the swarm of black butterflies and then give an encouraging message to Parisians before defeating Stoneheart.

She was amazing. And beautiful. Whoever the girl was under that mask… Adrien shook himself out of his thoughts. But now, he had a decision to make.

How could he do this? Take down Ladybug? Join forces with Hawkmoth, his own father? Adrien could never be a villain. He didn't want to hurt people. But he wanted his mother back so badly. He wanted to please his father and finally feel loved again.

He looked down at the box in his hands once more. He took a deep breath, and then he opened it.

A flash of green light blinded him and he dropped the box as he instinctively reached up to shield his eyes. When his sight finally cleared up, he saw a pair of green eyes floating in front of his face.

Wait... floating? Adrien let out a small yelp, but then leaned forward in curiosity.

"No way, like the genie in the lamp!" he exclaimed, reaching out a finger to poke the small, black, cat-like creature floating in front of him.

"I met him once," the small creature said. "So he grants wishes, big deal. I'm way more personable! Plagg, nice to meet you. Ooh, swanky!"

The creature flew over and put his mouth on a piece of nearby furniture.

"No! Don't touch that! Come back here!" Adrien called out, trying to grab Plagg out of the air.

After chasing the small creature around the room, Adrien finally trapped Plagg in his hands and demanded that the little cat explain things to him.

"Claws out," Plagg said after explaining that he was a kwami who would give him powers. "That's how you transform."

"Got it," Adrien said with a wicked grin. "Plagg, claws out!"

"No, wait!" Plagg cried as he started getting sucked into the ring he'd given Adrien. "I haven't finished explaining!"

Another flash of green lit up Adrien's room and suddenly he felt a material similar to leather hugging his body.

Adrien ran over to a mirror, grinning even more as he admired his new look. "Too cool!"

Gabriel Agreste was standing in his office admiring the painting of his wife when he got the feeling a pair of eyes was watching him.

Without turning, a grin spread across his face. "It seems you made your decision, son."

Gabriel turned to take in the sight of Adrien in his new suit.

"Or should I say, Chat Noir?"