Marinette awoke with a start. So much so that Tikki, who was laying asleep beside her, was knocked off the bed. Marionette gasped and reached for her little kwami friend on the ground.
"I'm so sorry Tikki." she gushed. Tikki shook her little head and flew out of Marionette's cupped palms.
"It's okay Marionette." She said, yawning. "What's the matter?" Marinette frowned.
"I don't know..." she muttered. Remnants of a dark dream still clung to her like spiderwebs, but Marionette couldn't remember what she had been dreaming about. Tikki watched her with concerned eyes, but Marinette quickly switched back into her normal happy and energetic self.
"Good morning Tikki!" Marinette exclaimed cheerfully, switching off her alarm that was about to go off.
"Good morning!" Tikki said back, as usual, and flew around Marinette, her worries forgotten. Marinette jumped out off bed was rifling through her closet when her phone went off. It was Alya. Marinette picked it up and, cradling the phone between her shoulder and her cheek, picked out an outfit and started to put it on.
"Morning Alya!"
"Morning sleepyhead!" Her friend replied. "Are you ready? Today's the big day!" Marinette nodded, but quickly remembered that Alya couldn't see her.
"Yeah, I'm ready! I'll meet you up by the school."
"Sounds good! Oh, and if your dad happened to make more of those chocolate chip cookies... well I'm really hungry."
"Yeah! I am too!" A voice from the other side of the phone interjected. Alya sighed.
"Go away Nino. Marinette and I are talking about girl stuff. Not for you." Marinette laughed at the drama unfolding over her phone.
"Got it. I'll make sure to bring extra cookies." She hung up. She went over and applied a little bit of makeup. Tikki flew over to her.
"What's so special about today Marinette?" She squeaked in her tiny kwami voice. Marinette capped her mascara and stared dreamily into the mirror.
"Today is Adrien's birthday!" She said. "And this year I'll be sure to give him a present that he knows is from me!" Marinette laughed, remembering his last birthday- Nino got akumatized, Marionette forgot to sign her gift, and even when she did, Adrien thought the gift was from his dad. Tikki nodded.
"Good plan!" Marinette patted her friend's head and went downstairs to grab some cookies.
Adrien's morning was off to a worse start. For one, Plagg fell asleep last night eating that cheese of his- which meant that everything smelled like stinky cheese. Adrien groaned and rolled over. Still half asleep, he waved blindly with his hand. A His hand connected with a small something, and a resounding thump followed.
"Ow!" A squeaky voice complained. Adrien blinked the sleep from his eyes.
"I thought I told you not to eat that cheese I'm my bed." He muttered.
"But it's so good..." Whined Plagg. Adrien sat up and groaned, holding his aching head in his hands. "Hey... what's the matter?" Plagg asked, a rare look of concern crossing his face.
Adrien shook his head. "I had another bad dream again." His kwami took a big bite of cheese.
"Still can't remember what it was about?"
"No... but I think it has to do with Ladybug." Plagg sighed.
"A girl again? Why don't you dream about cheese! It's impossible to have a nightmare about Camembert. Unless it's about a world without cheese..." It was Adrien's turn to sigh. He chuckled a little and patted his friend's head. He threw off the covers and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He walked over to the massive windows and stretched.
"Hey, isn't it your birthday?" Plagg called from the couch. Adrien paused mid-stretch, his hands hovering over his head.
"Oh yeah..." He looked over to his computer, where a picture of his mother smiled back at him. After staring at it for a moment, he flopped onto the couch and turned on the TV. "You think Dad will let me do anything for my birthday?" Plagg shook his head.
"Doubtful. Not after your last birthday."
"Yeah..." murmured Adrien, but his mind was already somewhere else. His attention had been grabbed by a story on the news.
"Model Adrien Agreste will be doing a signing today at the Louvre, from 9 to 4:30..." Adrien leapt off the couch.
"What!"
Marinette arrived at the steps of the school earlier than usual- that was to say, right on time. She walked into the classroom, clutching a box of cookies. As usual, Chloe was sitting at the table on the right, a look of disgust on her face. As soon as she saw Marinette, she humphed and turned the other way. Marinette sighed and went to her seat. Alya jumped on her quickly.
"Hey girl! Did you bring me those cookies?" Marinette nodded and set the box on the table, grinning. She leaned forward.
"I brought some for you too, Nino." Nino spun around.
"Really? Sweet! My mouth was watering when you walked in!" He laughed and grabbed a few cookies. Alya frowned.
"I wanted those..." She pouted. Nino froze with a cookie in his mouth. He sputtered.
"Uh... here?" He said, holding out his half eaten cookie to Alya, who backed away squealing.
"Ew! Gross!" Marinette laughed, and after a beat Alya and Nino joined.
"Hey..." Marinette said looking around the classroom. "Where's Adrien?" Alya groaned.
"He's doing an autograph signing from 9 to 4:30. That little..."
"Nah," Nino interjected. "It was probably his dad. You know how much of a party pooper he is." Marinette nodded.
"So he won't be at school today?" Alya sighed.
"I'm sorry girl. I know how you wanted to see him." Marinette shrugged.
"I just feel bad for Adrien." Alya grinned.
"Hey, why don't we go to see him at the signing after school?" Nino nodded enthusiastically. Marinette grinned.
"That's a great idea!" Alya handed her a cookie, and she stuffed it into her mouth gratefully. Just then, her teacher walked in and class started.
Adrien sighed. He was bored and exhausted as fan after fan came up to him and asked for an autograph. Sure, the attention was great, but five hours of signing was too much for him. He didn't even know he had this many fans. Finally, another break came. Natalie ushered him into the back room and handed him a bottle of water. He flopped onto a chair and sighed.
"Adrien!" A voice called. He popped his head up. A girl in a yellow sweater was running toward him. It was Chloe. Adrien groaned. He didn't know if he could handle her today. He stood up wearily.
"Hey Chloe." He said with a weak smile. She barreled into him, knocking them both to the floor.
"Oh, my Adrikins!" She squealed. "Do you have an autograph for your Chloe?" He gently pushed her off him.
"Well actually..." Chloe snapped her fingers. That pet zombie of hers, Sabrina, came forward and unrolled an enormous poster with his picture on it. Adrien's mouth fell open.
"Uh... wow. I'm flattered." He said, scratching his neck and laughing nervously. Another snap, and a pen was shoved in his face. He sighed, cautiously taking it and signing his name across the bottom. "There." He said, capping the pen and handing it back to Sabrina. Chloe squealed.
"Oh, thank you! You're the best!" She said, attempting to give him a kiss on the cheek, but Adrien stopped her with a finger to the lips. Just like Ladybug and I. He thought ironically. Although he hoped Ladybug didn't feel this level of disgust with him. Chloe humphed, and with a quick hair flip, left the room. Adrien picked himself up off the floor and dusted himself off. He flopped back into his chair. He hung his head. "I wish I could see my friends..." he muttered. He sprung up. Maybe Chloe would know!
"Hey, Chloe!" He ran out the door and grabbed her by the elbow. She turned around.
"What?"
"Do you know where Marinette, Alya and Nino are?" Chloe's eyes narrowed. Oblivious of her obvious mischievous glint in her eye, Adrien waited for an answer.
"Oh them?" She said, flipping her hair and checking her nails casually. "Yeah, they went to go see Jagged Stone in concert. Without you." Adrien let go of her in shock.
"What?" He asked, confused.
"Yeah. They looked like they were having fun too." Adrien lowered his eyes.
"Oh." He turned back to the back room. "Thanks Chloe."
Chloe smiled and waved. "You're welcome!" Sabrina tapped her.
"Don't you think that was a bit harsh?" Chloe shrugged.
"It'll teach him not to reject me like that." Sabrina nodded uneasily, looking back toward where Adrien had disappeared into the room.
"Okay..."
Adrien was alone in the room. He didn't know where Plagg was, but that was just fine. At this point, he didn't want to be bothered by that black pest. His loneliness and sadness was all bunched up and compacted together, fermenting into anger. He stood still near the door, but in a sudden burst of rage, he sweet his hand and knocked cups and plates off the table. The china shattered on the floor. He huffed, taking no pleasure or relief in the shattered porcelain. He fell against the wall and slid down, his head in his hands.
Somewhere in Paris, a mosaic window in an observatory opened. The light streaming in the room startled a swarm of moths. The bugs took flight, swarming around a man in all black who stood in the middle of the room. He peered out the window, eager to see his next prey. His eyes fell upon a blonde haired boy, curled up in a room. Stress and and anger hovered in a black cloud over this boy. The man felt a tug in his heart. Should he...? He shook his head, this boy was perfect. He could be the key to bringing down Ladybug and Chat Noir.
"Anger. Loneliness. These feelings are inevitable in boys like him. These feelings are my key to the miraculous." The man summoned a butterfly to his hand and enclosed it in his fist. The once white bug was turned into a black butterfly with purple stripes. The man opened his fist and the akuma took flight.
"Fly my little akuma, and evilize him!" The butterfly floated through the window, and began to seek it's prey.
Back in the dressing room, Adrien reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture of his mom. The green eyes and beautiful blonde hair smiled up at him. Adrien closed his eyes, and a tear rolled down his face.
"I wish you were here." But his eyes were closed, and he did not notice the akuma fly in and land on the photograph. He felt a weight settle on his shoulders and his eyes flew open in a panic. He knew what was about to happen, he's seen it a million times. No! He shook his head vigorously.
Think happy thoughts... think happy thoughts... you won't take me Hawkmoth! But even though he tried, he couldn't shake his negative feelings and soon everything slid into darkness.
A boy in a dressing room opened his eyes, an ugly shadow covering his face. His normally perfect eyes were contorted into an awful sneer. A purple outline hovered in front of him, and a deep voice filled his mind.
"Hello Cameravillian. I am Hawkmoth. I can make it so you'll never be lonely again. I only ask for one thing in exchange..."
