After the first month, Marinette started getting used to having Tikki suddenly appear when she was sitting idly and wishing she had someone to talk to about all of the strange things that had happened, and her mysterious new partner Chat Noir, who she couldn't tell anyone about
However, the first time Tikki suddenly showed up while Marinette was cooking dinner, she screamed.
Tikki had been apologetic and had done her best to explain that she couldn't control it either—the magic was such that now that Marinette had agreed to become Ladybug, Tikki was connected to her emotions, and as her chosen, she was obligated to make sure that her Ladybug was always up to the task emotionally. If there was any significant disturbance in Marinette's mood, she was obligated to immediately appear in front of her and make sure that everything was okay.
"You'll figure out how to tune me out eventually, or to inform me that I don't have to come," she told Marinette. "All of the Ladybugs always do. It's tricky in the beginning though...I have teleported into some—well— interesting , situations, you might say."
"Do I want to know?" pondered Marinette.
"Not unless you're a fan of romance novels," quipped Tikki.
"In that case, no thank you," said Marinette, shaking her head.
Over time, Marinette grew to appreciate the sudden visits from the imp-like woman, and her stories of Ladybugs past. There were many more rules that went along with the role than she ever could have anticipated, and though she didn't tell Tikki, she was concerned about the first time she would have to face Hawk Moth. She wasn't sure she was prepared.
But then again, Tikki surely knew of the unease in her mind. Because it was clear that as long as Marinette was going to wear the mantle of Ladybug, Tikki would be there by her side.
Tikki appeared again the day after the dancers learned that Swan Lake would be the first production, again while Marinette was cooking dinner.
Luckily, this time, Marinette only jumped a little bit.
"Hello again, Tikki. So are you like the little angel on my shoulder now?"
Tikki giggled. "If you want to call me that, sure!"
"You know, you've really got to figure out a less dramatic way of coming here."
"I'm so sorry, Marinette, that's just how the magic works! But I'll try to use less sparkles next time. It's become a bad habit of mine."
Marinette shook her head and laughed. "It's not the sparkles, Tikki. It's the suddenness. But don't worry about it. I'll get used to it eventually. Just give me some time. This is all still very new and strange to me."
Tikki nodded. "You will. My Ladybugs always adapt to their new powers very quickly, and I can just tell that you're very special. Anyway, what's on your mind? You look concerned about something.
"Oh, it's nothing to worry about, really. We just found out that Swan Lake is going to be the first production for the fall season and they're announcing the casting tomorrow."
Tikki frowned. "Swan Lake? You should be careful, in that case."
"Why is that?" replied Marinette, confused.
"Whenever there is a new production, emotions are naturally running high, and because Hawk Moth has returned to Paris, he might just take advantage of them and use the loose emotions to create magical side effects. For regular people, this is not a problem. But now that you're an Etoile, you're going to attract magic. Sometimes that's good. Sometimes it's bad. For you, it'll mostly be harmless, positive magic. But I worry about your partner."
"Chat Noir? Why?"
"He might attract the bad luck directed towards you. You should try to keep an eye out for him, try to keep him safe."
"But I don't even know who he is!"
"I know," sighed Tikki.
"Are you telling me I should have told him who I was?" said Marinette. "But you told me I wasn't supposed to share my identity with anyone!"
"What do you think is the right thing to do?"
Marinette paused and thought about it before coming to her conclusion with a sigh. "I should have told him who I was."
"Yes. You should have. Your identity is supposed to be secret from everyone else, not from your own partner."
"But Tikki, how will I find him?"
Tikki pursed her lips. "I have a feeling he will find you."
"Does that mean you know who he is?"
"Of course."
"So why can't you tell me?"
"I'm sorry, but the magic just doesn't work that way. Once you've made the active decision to hide your identity from someone, only you have the power to reveal yourself. I can't do it for you."
Marinette sighed. "What's the point of having all of these magical powers if I can't do anything useful with them? I can't even find my own partner. This is so silly."
"Well, if you see it that way, yes, it is. But don't worry. You'll figure out the right path soon enough. I believe in you! I chose you for a reason, after all. In fact, Plagg and I are quite sure that Hawk Moth is connected to the Paris Opera Ballet in some way. He is most likely someone in a position of power."
"How do you know that? And who is Plagg?"
"Plagg is Chat Noir's guide, the same way I am yours."
"I see. But how are you so sure that Hawk Moth is connected to the company?"
"It's hard to explain, but it's just an instinct. Plagg and I—we have the power to sense Hawk Moth's energy, but the dark magic prevents us from figuring out who he is. You and Chat Noir must work together to discover his identity and stop him from succumbing to the darkness entirely."
Marinette frowned. This was beginning to get a lot more complicated than she had anticipated it would be. Listening to stories of Ladybugs past was one thing—but when it came to actually working with the realities of juggling two jobs at once, she was concerned about being able to do justice to either.
"I understand, Tikki. But—Swan Lake is going to be taking up a lot of my attention, and I'm not sure I can focus on trying to find out who Hawk Moth is while rehearsals are in full swing. How can I balance the two?"
Tikki shook her head. "Don't worry about focusing on searching for Hawk Moth. You will find each other, one way or another. All I ask is that you pay attention to your surroundings, try to keep an eye for Chat Noir, call me immediately if you notice anything strange. I have a feeling that interesting things are soon to be afoot at the studio."
"Okay. But when I do notice something strange, what do I do?"
"Don't worry, Marinette. Your heart will tell you what to do."
"You're not very good at answering questions, Tikki."
Tikki smiled knowingly. "That's because all of the answers are already inside of you."
"What is that supposed to even mean?"
"Marinette, I know that all of this is strange to you, but just like your instincts helped you figure out that Chat Noir was waiting outside for at The Glass Slipper, they will help you decide what to do when the time comes for you to fight Hawk Moth. To this day, the girl chosen to wear the mantle of Ladybug has never been a fluke. You have been chosen for a reason. Believe in yourself."
Marinette shook her head. "Honestly? It's less about believing in myself and more about how on earth I'm supposed to go about this superhero business without some sort of guidebook. I mean, I know I'm a great dancer, but I would never expect to be given the role of Odette on my first day as a professional at the company. It doesn't make sense. So why am I fighting against this great maestro of emotions, when I haven't even trained for it one day? Are there any magical societies of witches or wizards or something who I can contact for advice?"
"No. Only Plagg and I can recognize Hawk Moth's energy as it shifts over time and place."
"I see. Can I ask you another question?"
"Of course."
"How old are you, anyway? Are you even human? And how did you get involved in all of this?"
"Very old, no, and a story for another time."
"I thought you might say something like that."
Adrien was video chatting with Nino, trying to take his mind off yet another silent and demoralizing dinner with his father. He was beginning to worry about him; ever since they had begun working on preparations for Swan Lake, Gabriel had become noticeably thinner and more wan, and his temper far shorter than before.
And when he wasn't angry, he was silent, with no way for Adrien to get through. It was making dinners unbearable, and he had taken to video chatting with Nino every night afterward over the past two weeks, talking about everything under the sun except the roof he was sitting under.
But tonight, Nino wasn't having it.
"Come on man, I keep telling you, you need to move out."
"Nino, I can't leave my father alone here!"
"I don't believe that. If you move out, you'll be doing both of you a favor. You'll be out of his hair and you can actually have a life. When was the last time you had a real conversation with him anyway?"
Nino put an arm up before Adrien even opened his mouth. "And no, conversations about dance do not count."
Adrien sighed and hung his head. "I guess you have a point."
He looked up and suddenly saw Plagg appear on his bed, waving at him with a resigned little smile. Adrien quickly realized that his sour mood had called Plagg to him, and gave Nino an extremely unconvincing excuse about having to get a good night's rest because of early rehearsals before hanging up on him, mid-squawk.
"Plagg! What are you doing here? Do you want something to eat?"
Plagg raised an eyebrow. "You know, kid, most Chat Noirs tend to freak out when I suddenly pop up in their rooms. You're the only one who's offered me food each time. I'm not saying that I'm complaining , but it does make me worry about you. Don't you have any friends? Aren't you even a little bit weirded out by this?"
Adrien shrugged. "Should I be?"
Plagg paused. "Well. Tikki tells me that M—I mean, Ladybug, freaks out about her popping in all the time. But you—you are the most enthusiastic Chat Noir I've ever been in charge of. And I'm not sure if that's a good thing."
"You know I'm all in, Plagg. I'm ready to do whatever it takes to save this city with my lady."
"And your father," added Plagg. "I can't read your mind, but I can tell."
Adrien's eyes widened, but he didn't deny it. "Yes."
"It's a noble goal, kid. But I can't make any promises. Just because you're trying to figure out who the maestro of emotions is doesn't mean that you'll be able to get through to your dad. It's not easy to get over the kind of grief that comes along with someone you love. But I'm here for you."
"Thanks, Plagg," said Adrien, nodding gratefully. "Can I ask you a question?"
Plagg snorted. "Has my opinion on whether I want you to ask me a question ever stopped you before?"
"True. I would have asked you anyway. So here's what I want to know. Why did you choose Ladybug and me?"
"You're connected to Hawk Moth in some way. Tikki and I—we can sense it."
"Okay, so we find Hawk Moth. And then what? How do we defeat the darkness?"
"You've got to find his emotional trigger and get him to let go. And before you ask, I don't have the answer to how you're supposed to do that. But I know you've been chosen for a reason. Ladybug and Chat Noir always figure out what they're supposed to do."
Plagg shook his head as Adrien's eyes widened. The boy was clearly coming up with a hundred new questions that he most certainly wouldn't be able to answer, so he put a reassuring arm on the boy's shoulder.
"Anyways, kid, don't let it take over your every day. You're still Adrien Agreste. You've got a day job. I think you should focus on that. And don't sweat it about your dad. He's probably just acting more stressed out than usual because the new season is starting up. I'm sure things will mostly go back to normal soon."
The next day, official rehearsals for Swan Lake finally began in earnest. Unfortunately, things were off to a rocky start from the very beginning, as Alec Cataldi, the principal dancer who had been cast in the role of Prince Siegfried, had sprained his ankle, and needed to be replaced.
Nadja Chamack, the dancer who had been cast as Odette/Odile, was known for being choosy with her partners. For the past two years, she had refused to partner with anyone other than Alec, and tensions were high now that he was out of the picture.
Still, rumors were flying that the soloist Theo Barbeau was the next obvious choice. He was a rising star, had been with the POB for four years, and quickly rising in popularity among audiences—not to mention that everyone knew he was good friends with Alec, which meant that he would be a good partner for Nadja.
Theo was such a logical choice for the role that everyone assumed he would be the one to get it.
And then Adrien Agreste was chosen instead, while Theo was given a role in the corps de ballet.
Theo took the news gracefully, but whispers of nepotism and favoritism rustled through the studios from dancer to dancer, much to Adrien's chagrin. He was grateful for the chance to dance Prince Siegfried with one of the most accomplished dancers at the Ballet, but he didn't want to do it at the expense of another—or for people to think that he was only getting such an opportunity because he was the son of the Director.
Luckily, Adrien soon discovered that the rumors about Nadja being a diva were unfounded, and that she was actually a warm hearted woman who had quickly realized what was going on as soon as he walked hesitantly into the studio to rehearse with her.
"Adrien. Get that frown off your face. I was the one who personally recommended you for the role of Siegfried."
"But—madame—what about Theo?"
"Theo is an accomplished dancer, but Siegfried needs to be young and guileless, and you're perfect. Don't deny it—I know you're too self aware to not know how you come across on stage. You were born to play this role."
Adrien nodded slowly.
"That is, of course, unless you don't want the role. Say the word and I can tell Nathalie."
"No! No. I'll do it."
Nadja smiled. "Great. I was hoping that's what you'd say. Now let's get started."
Meanwhile at the rehearsals for the corps de ballet, a different kind of drama was going down.
Marinette, Chloe, Aurore, and another dancer named Mireille Caquet had been chosen for the Dance of the Little Swans, and nobody understood how the casting director could have possibly thought that putting the four of them together was a good idea.
Everyone who knew even a little bit about the four dancers knew that such a combination of girls was destined to be explosive. They might have been four of the best dancers in the corps de ballet, but with the exception of Marinette and Aurore, they hated each other.
Chloe, who had sensed Marinette's fondness for Adrien, had hated her on sight from the moment she had come to feeling was mutual.
As for Aurore, she had disliked Mireille for years, because even though they were the same age, Aurore had been forced to join the Ballet School a year after all of her friends, as Mireille had taken the 6th and last available open spot in the school—even though everyone knew that Aurore was just as capable and talented a dancer.
She had been jealous and resentful of Mireille for years, though Mireille had always been kind and apologetic towards her, and Marinette was worried at how far the rivalry was going to go, especially after a disastrous first rehearsal.
During their break, Marinette tried to talk to her old friend.
"Aurore, we've all landed in the same place. Mireille might have graduated with Chloe and Adrien, but we're still dancing the same role. Isn't that enough?"
"It doesn't matter. I'm never going to be friends with her," said Aurore, scowling.
Marinette frowned. "I'm worried about you. This isn't like you. I know that you've never been fond of Mireille, but aren't you taking this a bit far?"
Aurore whipped her head to look at Marinette. "What about you? Aren't you being a bit of a hypocrite? I see the way you glare at Chloe."
"That's not the same thing. I was never mean to Chloe until she was mean to me."
Of course, there was the fact that they both had feelings for Adrien. But that was irrelevant to the point at hand.
"And I didn't hate Mireille until she took my place at the Ballet School!"
Marinette sighed. It was clear that she wasn't about to get through to her friend, and she needed to take a break from all of the drama.
"Okay, well, I'm going to eat lunch and take a walk in the park. I'll be back in a half hour. Text me if rehearsal starts early, okay?"
Marinette walked out of the studio, totally distracted, and didn't even notice Theo staring at her back as she left.
But even though Marinette didn't notice, Chloe did, and she sauntered up to Theo as soon as Marinette was gone.
"You know, Theo, you should ask her on a date instead of staring like a loser."
Theo perked up. "You really think she'll say yes?"
Chloe rolled her eyes. "How would I know? All I know is that I don't want to see your lovestruck face. It's not like you're Prince Siegfried."
Theo shrunk back at the insult, but thanked her anyway before walking away, starry-eyed. Chloe watched him disappear down the hall and thought it was a good riddance. If Theo started dating Marinette, she would stay out of Adrien's way.
Marinette sat down on a park bench and sat down with a sigh, quickly gulping down her croissant sandwich. She felt suddenly exhausted, and let her head fall backwards as she looked up at the sky and watched the clouds moving through the trees, wishing that life could be a bit more simple.
She was starting to get more and more concerned about Aurore, and Tikki's words about paying attention kept playing through her head. But even if she was on the right track, Marinette wasn't sure how she could help her friend from falling under the influence of Hawk Moth.
Mostly because she wasn't even sure what that meant yet. She was just going to have to wait for Hawk Moth to come to her.
And then a large white blob blocked Marinette's view of the sky, and she crossed her eyes as she realized that it was Adrien Agreste, holding a quiche and standing behind the bench, peering at her curiously.
She whipped her head back up and turned to look at him, cheeks flaming.
"A—a-adrien! Hi! Come sit beside me!"
She patted the empty space beside her frantically and Adrien smiled at her enthusiasm.
"So, I hear you're in the Dance of the Little Swans. That's great!"
Marinette smiled fondly. She was still getting to know Adrien better, but she had quickly been realizing that one of the nicest things about him was his ability to remember little details about people. He never talked about himself even when he had the ability to, and it was one of the things she liked the most about him.
"Yes, I am, Prince Siegfried!" she said, laughing.
"Ah, yeah...I'm really excited about it," replied Adrien, blushing as he raised an arm to rub the back of his neck.
"How is it working with Nadja? Isn't she nice?"
Adrien nodded. "She's wonderful! I've met her daughter a few times as well. We're friends now, I think. I'm not sure. It's kind of hard to tell with her."
Marinette grinned. "Ah yes, Manon. She's an interesting child. I've babysat her a few times. That's actually how I know Nadja."
"That sounds fun!"
"It can be," said Marinette with a wry grin, as her phone buzzed. It was Alix, who had texted to share the news that the newest set pieces were on stage and to come to the auditorium to look at them instead of going straight to rehearsal.
Marinette shared the news with Adrien and they quickly walked back to the studio and towards the main auditorium.
As they entered the main auditorium, Adrien turned pale as soon as he saw that the latest set decorations contained a sea of feathers, most of which looked fake, but some of which looked very, very real.
"What's wrong?" Marinette asked.
"I'm allergic to feathers," was what Adrien wanted to say. But when he saw how Louise, the set designer in charge of the production, was flitting around the stage and crowing with delight at how well all of the pieces had all turned out, he said "Nothing."
Instead of being rude about it, Adrien made a mental note to buy several boxes of allergy medicine as soon as he got out of rehearsal. In the meantime, he would just grin and bear it.
Unfortunately, Adrien didn't make it more than five minutes before he started sneezing uncontrollably, just as his father walked into the auditorium. Gabriel stared at his son's swollen red eyes and puffed up face in silence before narrowing his eyes, whirling around and walking back out as he pulled out his phone.
Juleka blanched. "Louise is done for," she said, shaking her head. "I told her not to use the real feathers, but she wouldn't listen. She told me Mr. Agreste would appreciate the artistic merit."
"I never liked Louise anyway," said Chloe. "She always makes the wrong choices. Even I could have told her not to use feathers."
"So why didn't you?" asked Marinette angrily. "If you knew that Adrien was allergic to feathers, why would you even allow him to be put in a position like this?"
Chloe sniffed dismissively and sauntered off the stage, refusing to answer the question.
Marinette shook her head and sighed as she rummaged through her bag for a small packet of tissues. She knew they wouldn't do much to alleviate Adrien's allergy symptoms, but at least she could help stop him from getting snot all over everything.
She helped Adrien shuffle out of the auditorium and handed him the tissues before running off to rehearsal, smiling as he waved gratefully at her and making a note to keep allergy medicine in her purse from here on out. In case a certain someone needed it.
During the next rehearsal break, Marinette pulled out her phone and opened up the entertainment news app Alya had gotten her hooked on ever since she realized it had the latest news on her favorite rock star, Jagged Stone.
She squealed with excitement at the latest news. Jagged had just released his new album for streaming, which would be available to download for free for the next half hour.
Of course, Marinette was happy to support Jagged and purchased all of his albums, but as a broke dancer, a free album was a surprise blessing she had never expected.
She wanted to share her excitement with someone, but nobody in the entire company seemed to care at all except for Juleka, and even she seemed more interested in Jagged's manager Penny Rolling than in the artist himself when Marinette came up to her.
"Man, she's hot. I really have a thing for girls in pink. Especially when they have short hair," she'd said in her low voice, grabbing Marinette's phone and looking eagerly at the picture attached with the story.
"Yes, but the music—" started Marinette.
"Do you think she's single?" asked Juleka, to nobody in particular.
"I'm pretty sure she's married to her job," said Marinette. "Being a manager for a massive star like Jagged Stone? I doubt she has much time for a personal life."
"Damn," said Juleka. "She's really cute though."
Marinette laughed. "I'm sure you'll find the perfect girl for you someday!"
Juleka's response was interrupted by Nathalie Sancoeur, the managing director, who had just entered the studio with two unfamiliar young women: a petite blonde with a pixie cut and huge blue eyes, dressed from head to toe in lacy pink and pearls, followed by another petite and round girl with brightly colored dreads and a sweet and shy smile.
"Everyone, meet Rose and Mylene, the replacement set designers for this production."
"Well that was fast," whispered Marinette in amazement.
Nathalie turned a critical eye to Juleka, who was staring with wide eyes at the blonde stranger.
"Juleka, I expect you will be able to show these two the ropes around here."
Marinette laughed as Juleka nodded, flushing bright red. "I think your dream girl is here."
"H-hi," she stammered, as the petite blonde came up to her.
"Salut! I'm Rose," she responded with a sweet smile. "It's so lovely to meet you!"
"You must be Mylene, right?" said Marinette, turning to the other girl, who looked tense. "I like your hair! My name is Marinette, by the way. Welcome!"
Mylene visibly relaxed as she nodded. "Thank you. This is my first job outside of my father's theatre company, so I'm a little nervous. I've heard people can be a little mean here."
Marinette smiled. "Well, with the exception of Juleka here, most of us are fairly new here as well. And don't worry! Most of the people here are nice. But if anyone is mean to you, let me know. I don't have patience for bullies."
"Thank you," said Mylene. "That means a lot to me."
"Don't worry about it!" said Marinette. "I've got your back."
After afternoon rehearsals ended, Marinette waited for the studios to empty out and walked down the hallways of the studios, looking for an empty one to practice in alone.
She knew she was lucky to be chosen to do the Dance of the Little Swans with Aurore, Chloe, and Mireille. As a new dancer in the corps de ballet, such a highlighted role was a privilege.
But she still wanted to dance the role of Odette/Odile.
However, although almost everyone had left, it seemed like several people had also had the same idea as her; as she walked down the hallways, she spotted Aurore and Mireille dancing in separate studios as well. It looked like after hours rehearsal was going to be a common activity for all of them.
Finally, Marinette found an empty studio at the end of the hallway, and practiced Odette's variations for a full hour until her legs couldn't take it anymore.
She sat down on the floor and leaned against the mirror wall, blasting the new Jagged Stone album, eyes closed.
Alya thought Marinette was crazy for finding Jagged Stone's music relaxing, of all things. Marinette didn't know how to explain to her best friend that the strident, bold words and melodies filled her with a kind of energy that classical music failed to do.
It filled Marinette with motivation, and when she tried to explain it to her friend, Alya had shaken her head and said, "I don't think you understand the concept of relaxing."
In the quiet studio, with her eyes closed and the music playing, Marinette completely lost track of time, and didn't even hear the door to the studio opening and the footsteps rushing towards her.
So when she finally opened her eyes again, she was startled to see a pair of green eyes the color of sea foam staring at her eagerly, only a few inches from her face.
"Ahhh!" she screamed, jumping backwards.
"Sorry!" yelled Adrien. "I just heard someone playing the new Jagged Stone album and got really excited about it because I've been dying to talk about it with someone all day."
He stopped short as he realized that Marinette was staring at him, eyes wide.
"I'm so sorry, you probably think I'm a total weirdo, don't you? I'm sorry for freaking you out that way!"
Marinette blinked and shook her head, snapping out of her daze. "No—no! That's not it at all! It's just that I never would have expected Adrien Agreste to be a fan of Jagged Stone, rocker extraordinaire. Most of the other dancers I know are more into top 40 or hip hop, not rock."
"Are you kidding me? Rock N Roll, baby! Jagged Stone is amazing!"
Marinette laughed. "Can you imagine doing Swan Lake to a Jagged Stone soundtrack?"
"Actually, I can," said Adrien in a completely serious deadpan voice. "The American Ballet Theater is doing it right now."
"You've got to be kidding me," replied Marinette.
"You're right, I am," said Adrien with a grin. "Can you imagine?"
"I really can't."
As Marinette turned to the next song on the album, Adrien started bopping his head and arms to the beat, and Marinette realized with amusement that the great Adrien Agreste was actually awkward as hell when it came to any other form of dance other than ballet, and it was the best thing she had ever seen in her life.
She hadn't noticed his inability to lose himself to the rhythm in the club, but it was dark and she had been thinking about finding Chat Noir. And after all, most of the dancing in clubs didn't require any dancing skills. Almost anyone could sway back and forth, arms up in the air.
And now that she saw it, she couldn't stop laughing.
Adrien laughed. "I know. I'm terrible at everything except ballet."
"No, no, that's not why I'm laughing!" protested Marinette, though even she knew she sounded unconvincing.
"It's okay, Mademoiselle," replied Adrien cheekily. "I know where my talents lie."
His eyes widened as Marinette's stomach rumbled. "Sounds like your stomach needs some attention! Would you like a snack from the vending machine?"
"Yes, please," she said, grinning.
Adrien bowed and briskly walked out of the studio, leaving the door open. Marinette paced around the studio while she waited, twirling around and singing her favorite song on the album, a slow ballad called Lady Luck. Perhaps it was a bit narcissistic of her to gravitate towards that song, but she had found herself gravitating towards red and black and ladybug themed merchandise as of late. She simply couldn't help herself.
Lost in her thoughts, Marinette didn't even notice Theo coming in, and jumped when he tapped her on the shoulder.
"Oh! Theo! What are you doing here? I mean—isn't it kind of late for you to be here?"
Theo looked hesitant. "I—I actually wanted to ask you something and I saw you hadn't left yet, so I thought I'd wait. And then I heard you singing."
Marinette blushed. "Oh, I see. Um, so...what was it that you wanted to ask me?"
"Well...I was wondering...would you like to go to dinner with me sometime?"
Adrien walked back into the studio with a bag of cookies at this very moment, and immediately noticed how uncomfortable Marinette looked. He looked back and forth between the two with concern. Theo had a lot of influence in the theater, and Adrien wasn't interested in antagonizing him, and it was clear that Marinette felt the same way, even though the look on her face suggested that she wasn't interested in Theo at all.
"Can I think about it?" She finally managed to say before lapsing into awkward silence.
"Oh, um, sure," said Theo. "Take your time."
"Merci, Theo," she said quickly before rushing out of the room and fleeing right past Adrien and the snacks in his hand without even seeing him.
Theo realized that Adrien was standing there and turned to him with a mildly irritated look.
"Can I help you, Monsieur Agreste?"
Adrien raised an eyebrow at the sarcastically formal greeting, but decided to blow past it. It wasn't the right time to confront Theo about their unnecessary rivalry. He had to help Marinette somehow.
So he said the first thing that popped into his mind.
"Well, actually, Theo, I wanted to keep this on the downlow…but Marinette and I kind of have a thing going on. We haven't told anyone, but we're exclusive."
Theo looked skeptically at Adrien. "Is that so? Why didn't Marinette say she was seeing someone then?"
"Well, uh...she probably didn't want to hurt your feelings, you know?"
"I see."
Adrien was beginning to feel uncomfortable at Theo's irritated stare, and turned to look out the door so he wouldn't have to meet his gaze. An idea struck him as he spotted Mireille walking alone down the hallway towards the entrance, and he remembered the starry-eyed way she had been looking at Theo during one of the earlier group rehearsals.
"Can I give you a little tip though? I think Mireille might have a thing for you. You should ask her out instead."
With that, Adrien retreated from the studio, leaving Theo standing there alone.
As he walked away, Theo frowned, and the lights flickered.
Hawk Moth smiled.
Tensions were rising in the studio. It was time to strike.
He walked over to his desk and looked down at the large butterfly shaped wooden box sitting on it, painted a royal shade of purple and practically pulsing with magic. It was finally ready to be opened.
Hawk Moth opened the latch and breathed in the rush of dark energy that flew from the depths of the box as he lifted the heavy lid. He looked at the various glass bottles nestled among the purple silk that lined the edges and pulled out a slender bottle filled with a neon green vapor, labeled jealousy.
He pulled out the cork and watched with satisfaction as the vapor escaped immediately, shooting through the open window of his office and into the darkness.
Marinette ran straight to the entrance of the studio and out the door, before she stopped, collapsing onto one of the benches out front to catch her breath.
Mireille, who was sitting on one of the other benches and waiting for her mother to come pick her up, looked at her with concern.
"Marinette, are you okay?"
Marinette shook her head. "I'm fine, I promise. I'm just a little out of sorts."
"What happened? Is there anything I can do to help?"
"I don't think so. You see—Theo just asked me out on a date."
"Oh, I see," said Mireille, quietly.
Lost in her own thoughts, Marinette didn't even register the hurt tones in her friend's voice.
"And the thing is, I'm not interested at all, but I also don't want to hurt his feelings, so I asked him if I could have some time to think about it."
"Will you tell him no eventually?" asked Mireille.
Marinette shrugged. "I guess so. But not tonight."
Feeling back to normal, she stood up. "Well, I should get home and eat dinner. I'll see you tomorrow, Mireille."
"Bye," said Mireille, waving halfheartedly at Marinette's quickly retreating back with a sigh.
Aurore, who had just come out of the studio, observed the exchange in silence before sitting down on the bench Marinette had just vacated.
"Feeling jealous, are we?" she said with a savage smirk at Mireille's downcast expression. "Maybe now you can understand how I feel. Though I don't know if I actually believe that you're in love with Theo. Something tells me that you're just interested in becoming the next Nadja and Alec. But let me tell you, Mireille, I'm not going to let that happen."
Mireille cast hurt eyes at Aurore. "Not everything is a competition, Aurore."
"It's easy to say that when you get everything you want, Mireille Caquet."
"I'm sorry you feel that way," replied Mireille sadly as her mother pulled up in her car. "I guess I'll see you at rehearsal tomorrow?" she added hesitantly as she opened the door to get in. She hung her head as Aurore pointedly ignored her farewell, looking determinedly in the other direction.
As the car drove away, a formless mass of green energy started seeping from Aurore's feet and pooling underneath the bench, though she saw nothing.
Theo leaned against the mirror wall and sighed. He was disappointed that Marinette hadn't said yes to his dinner invitation, but he had held out a bit of hope that she would eventually come around to it. But now that he knew that Adrien Agreste was dating her, he knew he didn't even have a bit of a chance.
It was killing him a little bit inside.
It was true that he had only found the courage to ask Marinette on a dinner date because Chloe Bourgeois had suggested it, but he was beginning to regret ever having tried.
If only Adrien Agreste wasn't in the way. That boy was ruining everything; from taking the roles he had worked so hard to earn to destroying his chance at romance with Marinette.
And then Adrien had actually had the audacity to suggest that Theo should take Mireille Caquet on a date. Mireille was beautiful, no doubt, but she was the girl who everyone knew was off limits, who was most likely going to marry some upper class snob her parents knew.
Even thinking about asking her on a date seemed ridiculous.
Theo sighed. He wanted to get rid of Adrien. Or at least, get him out of the way.
And then he suddenly found himself holding a ball of green energy, and a resonant voice inside his head.
Theo , I understand your jealousy. How terrible to play second fiddle to a man who isn't even half as worthy as you. But if you can contain your jealousy in this ball of energy I have sent you, I can help you.
"Who are you?"
My name is Hawk Moth. You can think of me as a magician of sorts, one with powers over emotions. You would like to get Adrien out of your way, wouldn't you?
"More than anything."
Well then, let the jealousy seep out of you, and soon he will be out of your way.
Theo nodded, and closed his eyes as he let himself be consumed by the jealousy he had kept clenched in his stomach.
The energy shifted into a cat-like form, its tail curling around Theo's wrist.
Now let it go .
"Where will it go?"
That is not your concern, Prince Siegfried. You must find your princess.
"What? My name is Theo—"
You must find Odette, Prince Siegfried. Leave Adrien Agreste to me. Now go!
Theo's eyes went glassy as a rush of purple magic swept over him and transformed his clothing into the prince's costume and the little green cat leapt from his arms and into the darkened hallway.
"I must find Odette," he repeated, as the studio around him transformed into a ballroom.
Aurore was angrily stomping home, thinking of Mireille's stupid delicate face and her stupid high voice and how stupid it was that she was going to have to spend the next three weeks holding her hands and dancing in sync with her.
Even having a high profile role like the Dance of the Little Swans wasn't enough to make up for having to spend time with such a loathsome girl. She had always gotten everything she wanted, and now she was even trying to form a relationship with one of the other rising stars in order to gain popularity.
Aurore thought it was disgusting.
She was so angry that she had to stop on the bridge where she was crossing the Seine to gather herself, and she tried to take deep breaths as she looked down at the water.
As she gazed at her reflection, Aurore suddenly realized that she was surrounded by waves of dark green energy, curiously formed into the shape of swans.
She held back a scream as a mysterious voice filled her mind, and a vision of a masked man wearing a suit of silver and violet appeared before her eyes.
Hello, Aurore , said the resonant voice. Wouldn't you like to show that Mireille what you're made of? Wouldn't you like to put her in her place ? You are far more talented and beautiful than she is.
Aurore nodded slowly. "Yes. I am."
Good. That's what I like to hear.
She narrowed her eyes. "But who are you? How do you know this?"
Some call me Hawk Moth, but you can call me Von Rothbart.
"Von Rothbart? Like—"
Yes, my Odile. Now you must stop Odette.
"But Mireille—"
Prince Siegfried is waiting for her in the studio. If you want to stop her, you must join him.
Aurore gasped as the green swans rushed towards her and enveloped her in a cloud of magic.
She emerged from the cloud looking like a queen, dressed from head to toe in a feathery black tutu, her long blonde hair pulled back in in a sleek bun, her eyes glittering with malice.
Are you ready to go to Prince Siegfried, Odile? Can you stop Odette in her tracks?
She nodded. "With pleasure."
Adrien was taking another walk in the neighborhood surrounding the studios to clear his head before evening rehearsal with Nadja. He was feeling a little guilty about lying to Theo about dating Marinette, but he had seen the panicked look in her eyes, and it was the only thing he had been able to think of in the moment.
In retrospect, it hadn't been the smartest idea, but hindsight was always 20/20.
Halfway through the walk, Plagg appeared beside him.
"That was definitely dumb of you, kid," said Plagg. "But I don't blame you. I might have done the same thing."
"What should I tell her tomorrow? What if she doesn't forgive me?"
"I think you worry too much, kid," replied Plagg. "I think she'll be fine. Trust me."
His eyes widened as a little green cat approached Adrien and looked at him with appealing eyes, and Adrien leaned down to stroke it.
Plagg cried, "Kid, no! Don't touch that thing!"
But it was too late, and the little green cat immediately disappeared as Adrien realized he was on all fours, and the world seemed a lot bigger than before. He turned to look at his reflection in the shop window he had been standing beside, and Adrien realized to his shock that he had been turned into a black cat, his silver ring now a collar around his neck.
Plagg groaned. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO TOUCH IT. WHY DID YOU NOT LISTEN?"
What just happened? thought Adrien, hoping that Plagg could hear what he was thinking.
"That green cat was a spirit of jealousy sent by Hawk Moth. You've pissed someone off and they wanted to get rid of you, and Hawk Moth got to them. And now you're only going to go back to normal at midnight, for one hour. Like that swan girl in the ballet you're performing in."
How do you know that?
"How do I know that? Kid, I am as old as time. I've seen this happen hundreds of times. I should have known it would happen with you. Especially with you. You've taken being a curious cat to a whole new level, and I don't know what to do with you."
Plagg pressed his palm against his face as another being appeared, an elf-like woman with masses of auburn curls and bright obsidian eyes. She looked like a fairy, and yet Adrien had the feeling she could break someone in half if she wanted to. She clucked her tongue as she looked down at Adrien and sighed.
"Oh dear. This certainly complicates things."
Plagg groaned. "You're telling me. How is he supposed to fight Hawk Moth with Ladybug now?"
"Well. We could—" said Tikki before trailing off.
Plagg's eyes widened as he realized what Tikki was trying to suggest. "I don't know—"
"It's the best option."
"But you know how they both feel—and this one's as dense as a box of rocks."
"I know. But still."
Can someone please explain what's going on? Adrien thought furiously at Plagg, who laughed.
"Hold on, kid. Tikki's taking you on a little field trip."
What is that supposed to mean?
"You'll see. Don't worry. I'll be there with you soon and explain everything else that you need to do," said Plagg before nodding and disappearing.
Tikki smiled as she suddenly produced a basket and a red and black polka dotted ribbon out of nowhere, which she tied around Adrien's neck before placing him in the basket with a little note.
She snapped her fingers and suddenly they were standing in front of an unfamiliar apartment with a hand-painted pink and white door sign that read MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG.
Why did you bring me to Marinette's apartment? thought Adrien, confused.
"Because she's going to take good care of you, little one," said Tikki with a wink before ringing the doorbell and disappearing.
Marinette opened the door to see a small black cat with a spotted red and black bow sitting in a basket sitting on her doorstop.
"Oh, what a precious little chaton !" she squealed as he looked right into her eyes and mewed loudly. She leaned down to pick him and read the note tucked into the basket, which said the cat was from an ardent admirer of her dancing.
Though Marinette was mildly concerned for a moment that an admirer knew her address, it occurred to her that the little cat was probably a secret gift from Alya or her parents, who knew she loved surprise gifts.
She smiled at the adorable little cat and scratched his chin before taking him inside and placing him back on the ground.
"Wait here, kitty! I'll go to the store and get some cat food. I'm sure you must be hungry! Feel free to explore. Not that there's much to see," she added with a laugh before she grabbed her purse and shut the door.
As Adrien waited for her to return, he wandered around the apartment, curious why Plagg and Tikki had taken him to Marinette's apartment, of all places. Did they know her? Was she a random choice? Or was it because they'd noticed that she had gotten lunch with her today?
It was a mystery.
Marinette's apartment smelled like cinnamon and sugar, and it was meticulously organized. She had color coded her schedule and put it on the wall, and when Adrien wandered into her bedroom, he noticed that she had several posters of Jagged Stone all over her bedroom walls.
There was another thing he noticed. Although Marinette had put photographs of her family and pictures of her and Alya all over the apartment, there were none of her with any boyfriends.
Adrien didn't know why this particular piece of information pleased him so much, but it did.
Marinette returned to the apartment about two hours later, having made a detour for a quick coffee with Alya, who had been in the area and wanted to know if she was free.
She called out for the little cat. "Mon minou, where are you? I have food for you!"
He came running and she patted him fondly on the head. "You know, your eyes remind me of someone I know," she said. "His name is Adrien, and you both have the most beautiful green eyes," she said, smiling. "Do you mind I call you that?"
He purred, and she took it as a yes.
She took a china bowl out of her cabinets and filled it with the food that she had bought for him, and even though he sniffed at it skeptically for a few minutes, he eventually ate it.
"Good kitty!" said Marinette after she saw that the bowl was empty, pleased that he had liked it.
She picked him up and and placed him beside her on her couch and turned on the tv, flipping channels mindlessly and absently stroking his head before dozing off, Adrien curled beside her.
She was suddenly woken up by the sharp ring of her phone, and she scrambled to pick it up.
It was Nadja, wanting to know if she had seen Adrien, as he had missed all of the evening rehearsals and wasn't answering his phone. The last time anyone had seen him was with Marinette, and now that it was getting quite late, people were getting worried, and about to call the police.
Marinette told Nadja that she hadn't seen Adrien since she had left the studio in the afternoon, and listened in confusion as the other dancer told her about the other strange things that were happening, including a hallway that had gone completely dark, even though all of the switches were still on.
After hanging up, she looked in a panic at the cat, who also seemed to have a worried expression on his face.
"My friend is missing, kitty cat. The one who shares a name with you. And it looks like there are strange things happening at the studio, too. What should I do? I need to help somehow."
She walked to the bathroom to splash cold water on her face, her mind racing.
Feeling Marinette's unease, Tikki appeared, and wrapped her in a reassuring hug.
"Marinette, I know you're worried, but the best thing you can do right now is to get some sleep. You need your energy."
"But Adrien is missing!" cried Marinette. "Can't I do anything as Ladybug to help find him?"
Tikki sighed, wishing she could openly tell her charge that Adrien was safe and sound and sitting right in front of her in the apartment, in cat form.
As she wasn't able to do that, she said what she could.
"I can sense Adrien's energy. And he's fine. Does that make you feel at least a little better?"
Marinette frowned. "A little bit. But I still want to find him."
"I know. And you can. Tomorrow."
"What if something happens to him before then?"
"He'll be fine, Marinette. I can promise you that much."
Marinette sighed as Tikki disappeared again in a cloud of magic. "I guess I should brush my teeth and head to bed. Even though I'm not sure I'll even be able to sleep."
She brushed her teeth and took out her hair ties and looked at herself in the mirror with a sigh before walking out of the bathroom. Her cat was waiting right by the door, staring up at her with those beautiful green eyes, tail swishing.
Marinette smiled and kneeled down to stroke his head. "Think you can help me fall asleep, kitty? I think you're the only one who can help me calm my mind."
She picked him up and turned off the lights before carrying him to the bed, quickly falling asleep against his warm, soft fur.
As soon as Marinette had fallen into a deep sleep, Adrien quietly slipped away from her arms and onto the windowsill, waiting for Plagg to arrive.
He appeared almost immediately, looking far more serious than Adrien had ever seen him.
What's going on, Plagg? How can I become human again?
Plagg sighed. "Well, kid, I know this isn't the right time, but I've gotta tell you something before I get to that. Hawk Moth has finally struck. All of that weird stuff that Nadja was telling Marinette on the phone? It's him. As soon as the clock strikes midnight and you turn human again, you've got to transform into Chat Noir immediately and get to the theater. He has two victims who you have to rescue."
What about Ladybug? Does she know that Hawk Moth has struck?
Plagg resisted the urge to look backwards at Marinette on the bed.
"You can contact her directly by touching the center of your ring. It will send her a signal."
And…
"The solution to your cat problem? It's pretty standard stuff. Your true love has to kiss you at some point in the one hour you will be human."
But I don't even know if Ladybug feels the same way about me!
"You know, kid, you've gone from 0 to 100 real fast. You've only met the girl twice. But you humans have always been a little overemotional. Anyway, she still has to kiss you in order to release you from this state."
I don't want to force her to do anything she doesn't want to do. I'd rather deal with being a cat than make her uncomfortable.
"And I get that...but that's just not realistic, kid. Talk to her about it. Maybe she'll be more open to the idea of kissing you than you think. It's your only option. So that's two things you have to do tonight: rescue Hawk Moth's victims, and get your kiss. Are you up to it?"
Well, I don't have much of a choice, do I?
"Not if you want to fulfill your duty to this city," said Plagg. "Good luck. I'm there if you need me."
He disappeared, and Adrien sat by the window, waiting impatiently for midnight and worrying what Hawk Moth had done to the theater, in between thinking about Marinette, and deciding to send her a kitten after he returned to human form, because she had done such a lovely job taking care of him. Tikki had been right. She was a wonderful pet owner.
He tried not to think about how much he had enjoyed the cat food she had purchased for him.
Finally, the clock struck midnight, and soon as the moonbeams touched Adrien's fur, he returned back to normal, stumbling to the floor as he readjusted to being human again. Breathless from the sudden change, he scrambled out of the bedroom on all fours before Marinette could wake up and to the bathroom.
He quickly transformed into Chat Noir and pushed up the small window, squeezing through the slit and leaping toward the rehearsal studios.
Chat Noir stopped at the entrance, shocked by what he saw. Standing where the studios were supposed to be was a huge forest with trees that seemed to reach up to the sky, with a large purple butterfly glowing in the darkness above.
He knew it was an illusion, but he marvelled at how real it looked.
But he wouldn't be able to destroy it alone. He needed his lady.
Chat Noir closed his eyes and tapped his ring, hoping that Ladybug would get his message and come there soon.
In her bed, Marinette sat bolt upright as her earrings burned like fire.
Instinctively, she rubbed them counter clockwise and transformed into Ladybug, flying out her bedroom window without a thought.
She didn't know what was happening, but she knew her partner needed her, and she was going to get there as quickly as possible.
Tikki grinned as she watched Ladybug fly across the streets of Paris towards the theater.
"Atta girl! I didn't even have to teach her that was Chat Noir trying to reach out to her! I think that's a good sign. Those two really are meant for each other."
Plagg smirked. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves here just yet. They haven't even revealed their identities to each other. I'm still skeptical."
"My lady!" called Chat Noir with relief as Ladybug flew down and landed beside him. She had received his message after all.
"Chat Noir, what's wrong?" She stared at the enormous forest in front of them, where the studios were supposed to be. "What's going on here?"
"I need your help. I've got a bit of a problem. You see, I've been turned into a cat. Also, I don't think I have to tell you that Hawk Moth has finally arrived on the scene."
Ladybug raised an eyebrow. "I know you've been turned into a cat. Just like I've been turned into a Ladybug. Come on Chat Noir, be serious. We need to figure out what to do about this."
"I wish I was joking, my lady, but I'm telling you the truth. Hawk Moth got to me, and I only regain my human form between midnight and 1 am, and that's also the only time I can transform into Chat Noir."
"What, like Odette?" quipped Ladybug.
"Exactly like Odette."
"How is that even possible? And it's already a quarter past midnight! Are you telling me you're going to turn into a cat again in 45 minutes?"
"Yes, unless you're willing to help me with the solution."
"Of course I'm willing to help! You're my partner! We've got to figure this out. I can't fight Hawk Moth if my partner is actually on all fours. How do you think it happened?"
"Plagg said it was because of jealousy. And the solution is—"
"Wait. You said it was because of jealousy? Perhaps it's connected to what's going on inside. Actually, I'm sure it is."
"How do you know?"
"It's a gut instinct. Tikki told me that I should watch out for you, since you might attract some of the bad luck magic that's out there, since you're a black cat. Have you annoyed anyone lately or made them jealous?"
Chat Noir flushed. "Well, yes…I told a guy at work I was dating someone he had just asked out because she was clearly uncomfortable with his attention."
Ladybug raised an eyebrow. "And are you sure she's okay with that?"
Chat Noir looked bashful. "I didn't really think through the details…it was just that after I did it, I remember seeing his face. He was uncomfortable and jealous."
"Okay, so that's a good lead. Where do you work?"
Chat Noir paused. "Are you sure you want to know?"
"Yes. It'll give us a lead," she said. And maybe I can figure out who you are , she thought.
"I'm a dancer here, at the Paris Opera Ballet."
Marinette had a sharp intake of breath. "The Paris Opera Ballet?!"
"What, do you work here too?"
"Yes."
Marinette's mind was racing. What if Chat Noir was someone she didn't like—what if he was Theo ? She was beginning to reconsider telling him who she was. She hadn't thought about the possibility that she wouldn't like the answer.
Chat Noir saw her stricken expression. "If you really don't want to know, I won't tell you."
"Thanks, Chat Noir. I appreciate that," she said.
"But the man I angered...his name is Theo Barbeau. Plagg said that Hawk Moth has two victims, and I'm pretty sure he's one of the people inside. But I don't know who the other person could be."
Oh, thank god, thought Ladybug. Theo is not Chat Noir .
"Well, if jealousy is the emotion that Hawk Moth has focused in on, I have an idea who his other victim could be," she said.
"Who?"
"Something's telling me it's Aurore Beauréal."
"The corp de ballet dancer?"
"Yes."
"That girl gets concerned over the silliest things," said Plagg with a sigh. "They could have revealed their identities to each other right now!"
"Patience. They'll get there," said Tikki.
"Not quick enough, if you ask me," said Plagg.
"Okay, so we have to save Aurore and Theo. But we have to get inside first," said Chat Noir.
"You have the power to destroy illusions, right?"
"Yes. With a little dance move called Cataclysm. I need your help for that move though, my lady."
"So—first things first, why don't we use that to destroy this magical forest and find the actual entrance to the building again?"
"It would be my pleasure."
Chat Noir extended an arm and Ladybug spun into it, and they leaped into the trees. He whirled about and swept his hands over the tree trunks, melting them away and leaving the exterior of the studios looking as normal and untouched as before.
"Great job, chaton !" cheered Ladybug, pushing open the main door. She stopped mid-cheer as she realized the illusion was still active inside, with tree branches and leaves choking the entire hallway.
"Um, Chat Noir? I think we need to do an encore performance."
"Oh no! Are you telling me my first Cataclysm was pointeless? "
"Chat Noir. No."
He grinned and reached his arm out. "Let's do it again!"
They leaped and spun through the hallways, quickly restoring the building to normal, when they heard the faint strains of Tchaikovsky coming from the opposite end of the building.
They looked at each other and nodded as they ran down the hallway, following the sound as it got louder and louder, until they found the last remaining studio that they had not yet touched, which had been covered with an illusion that made it appear to be an ornate ballroom that looked like it belonged in a place like Versailles, rather than a rehearsal studio.
Standing in the middle and surrounded by clouds of green vapor was Aurore, who was slowly turning around in an endless series of fouettes, with a sharp and cruel expression on her face. Watching her with a dazed and fascinated expression was Theo, who had eyes only for her. Both seemed lost in a dream, unaware of their surroundings.
"Aurore!" cried Ladybug.
"Theo," muttered Chat Noir.
Ladybug turned to Chat Noir. "This is just like what Tikki told me might happen. They're trapped in a realm of illusions, and we've got to get them out of it."
"How do we rescue them? I don't think I can use Cataclysm for this."
"We have to snap them out of it."
"How do we do that?"
"We need to distract them to get their attention. It looks like Hawk Moth has trapped them into thinking they're in Swan Lake, so we have to distract them using the story."
"You're right," said Chat Noir. "It looks like Aurore thinks she's Odile, so the best thing for you to do is to make her think you're Odette."
"Exactly. An Odette that looks like Mireille, her worst enemy."
Ladybug nodded at Chat Noir. "I think it's time to use the Lucky Charm Adagio."
Chat Noir bowed and led her through the movements, and in a leap, a turn, and a burst of magic, Ladybug suddenly looked like Mireille, and she twirled towards Aurore, stopping in front of her with a smirk.
"Hello, Aurore. Recognize me?"
Aurore stopped spinning and stared at her. "Odette?"
"Someone like that."
"You'll never get Prince Siegfried now, Odette. He's mine."
Ladybug laughed. "Trust me, I'm not interested in your Prince Siegfried. I've got my own prince."
"Wait. You're not Odette," said Aurore, eyes narrowing. "You're Mireille Caquet . Why are you here?! I can't stand the sight of your face!"
"To help you snap out of it!" said Ladybug. "You're not Odile. You're Aurore Beauréal, one of the best dancers in the corps de ballet."
She turned to Theo, who was standing like a statue. "And you! Loverboy! What are you even doing here? Shouldn't you go home?"
Aurore shook her head. "You need to leave, Mireille. You don't belong here."
Theo nodded in agreement.
Ladybug felt like screaming as the two dancers turned their backs to her and started spinning around again as though she wasn't there.
"Why can't I get through to you?" she shouted.
Chat Noir tapped her shoulder. "My lady, can I make a suggestion?"
She turned to look at him. "What is it?"
"I think this green vapor is confusing them. We need to get them out of this studio to snap them out of it."
"But they won't move! And do you see how they're ignoring me?"
"Let's use the Lucky Charm Adagio again to create another illusion. But this time, make me look like Theo, and you can make yourself look like Aurore. I'll go up to her and you go up to him and we'll trick them into leaving the studio. How does that sound?"
Ladybug nodded. "It's worth a try."
She leaped into Chat Noir's arms and activated the charm, and they quietly approached Aurore and Theo before leaping in front of them and grabbing onto their waists. Confused but compliant, Aurore and Theo allowed Ladybug and Chat Noir to lead them out of the room.
As soon as they were out, Ladybug slammed the door to the studio, and watched with bated breath as Aurore and Theo breathed in fresh air.
Their foggy expressions cleared up, replaced by disorientation, but clarity. They stared in confusion at Ladybug and Chat Noir, who quickly realized that they were still wearing the illusions that made them look like Aurore and Theo.
"Time for a second encore, mon chaton," said Ladybug. "Let's put things back to the way they were."
"That's the best idea you've had all night, my lady," said Chat Noir with a smile.
Aurore and Theo watched in amazement as they watched the dynamic dancing duo drop their disguise and restore the studio to normal with a rush of magic.
"Who are you?" whispered Theo. "And what happened?"
"She's Ladybug," said Chat Noir with a grin.
"He's Chat Noir," added Ladybug. "And together, we're the Etoiles."
Aurore stared at Ladybug in wonder. "Etoiles? Are you a part of the Paris Opera Ballet?"
Ladybug smiled. "We are the protectors of Paris. So in a way, yes. But we are a part of everything. We're here to rescue citizens like the two of you from Hawk Moth. He's a villain that preys on people's emotions when they're vulnerable, so you need to be careful from here on out."
"You were his first victims, but he's sure to target more people," added Chat Noir. "So please tell everyone you know to stay aware, and to try and stay in control of their emotions."
Aurore nodded. "Well...I don't know what just happened tonight, but thank you. I'll...I'll try to keep that in mind."
Ladybug led the two dancers back outside as Chat Noir called a cab to take them home, which arrived surprisingly quickly.
As Ladybug and Chat Noir waved them off, Chat Noir tapped her shoulder.
"My lady…about what I mentioned earlier…we only have ten minutes before I turn back into an actual cat."
"Oh my god, your cat problem—I didn't even let you tell me what the solution was."
"About that…"
"What is it?"
"The spell can only be broken by true love's kiss."
Ladybug snorted. "It's too bad you're not my true love, then, isn't it?"
Chat Noir sobered up. "No, but seriously. Plagg told me that the spell can only be broken by someone I lo—care about. And you're the only person who I can tell about any of this. I don't know you that well yet, but I know I care about you. So—would you be willing to kiss me, my lady? I know it's a lot to ask, but I don't know what else to do."
Ladybug frowned. " Minou —you're joking, right?"
"For once, I'm not. But I also don't want you to do something you don't want to do. So I have an idea."
"What is it?"
"We can create illusions to make each other look like other people. Why don't you use Lucky Charm to make me look like someone you would actually want to kiss?"
"Are you okay with that?"
"If it's the only way that we can solve my problem and make you comfortable with this, then yes. I'm fine with that."
"Chat Noir, you're a really good person. You know that, right?"
"I know," he said, as Ladybug closed her eyes and spun around in a pirouette in front of him, thinking hard about Adrien.
When she opened her eyes, she gasped as she saw Adrien standing in front of her, and reached up tentatively to kiss him on the lips.
Though she knew she was kissing Chat Noir and not Adrien, she lost herself for a moment in the soft and tender warmth of his lips, and pressed a little harder than she had meant to.
As she pulled back, he reached an arm out to her to start the movement to break the illusion, and they danced together in a daze as the illusion of Adrien fell and he turned back into Chat Noir.
Afterward, they stood together in silence, even though they both knew that time was running out.
"My lady, can I ask you a question? You don't have to answer if you feel uncomfortable."
Ladybug turned to him with a blush. "What is it?"
"Who did I turn into, when you placed the illusion over me?"
Ladybug looked down. She knew Chat Noir was a good person, and she was going to share her identity with him someday soon, but she still wasn't ready to share that kind of personal information with him, even though she was fairly sure he wouldn't tell anyone. It was still a risk, until she knew who he really was.
"Someone you might know. And someone you might not," she said. "But I hope I helped. See you later, Chat Noir, " she added as she leapt away into the darkness, mere minutes before the clock struck one.
Plagg appeared in front of Chat Noir as soon as she disappeared.
"Kid, I don't know if she broke the spell or not, but even if she did, the antidote won't work until sunrise. And since you're gonna turn back into a cat at least one more time tonight, you should go back to that girl Marinette's apartment before she wakes up and sees that her kitten is missing. You don't want that to happen, do you? She's already worried enough as it is that her friend is missing."
Chat Noir's eyes widened. "You're right. I need to get back right now."
Tikki suddenly appeared and grabbed his arm. "Wait. Adrien, before you go, I want to help you with something. I might not be able to tell you who Ladybug is, but I am going to help you deal with your little disappearing problem."
"What do you mean?"
"Everyone thinks you've gone missing, but I've got a few illusory powers. One of the perks that come along with being Ladybug's guide. When everyone that knows you wakes up, they're going to forget that you went missing, and instead, they're going to think that you told them you were going to spend the night at your friend Nino's house. Nino will believe this as well, and you must go along with it, or the entire illusion will drop. Is that clear?"
Chat Noir nodded. "Thank you, Tikki. I appreciate the help, but if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to Marinette's apartment before she wakes up in the middle of the night and realizes that I'm gone."
As he rushed away, Tikki turned to Plagg with a scowl. "You're such a liar! You know that she successfully broke the spell and that he will become human again as soon as the sun rises. What will Marinette think when she wakes up with a man in her bed?"
"What? Sometimes humans need a little boost!" said Plagg, smug. "And he's not just some random man, he's the one that she loves!"
Chat Noir rushed through the streets and reached her slightly open bedroom window just as he turned back into a cat.
He wandered into the bedroom and saw Marinette sleeping fitfully, and moved over to her to snuggle beside her. She immediately calmed down. He made a mental note to stay awake and leave as soon as the spell broke at dawn and he became human again.
Of course, he fell asleep, and when he woke up, he was cradling Marinette, who was spooning into him, her black hair fanning out across the pillow, her skin soft to the touch.
They woke up at the same time, and Marinette smiled as Adrien stiffened, preparing for her to scream or freak out. To his surprise, she simply laughed and shook her head as she got out of bed, talking to herself.
"Man, I really must be going crazy," she said. "Alya's gonna tell me I'm losing my mind. My daydreams of Adrien are so vivid that I actually think he's in my bed. I really must be losing it."
She shook her head and walked into the bathroom, and Adrien took the chance to slip away through the bedroom window, transforming into Chat Noir and sneaking away.
"Whatever," she thought as she brushed her teeth. "I need to focus on my new kitty."
But when she came back out of the bathroom, she quickly realized that her cat was gone, nowhere to be found in the apartment.
Back at the Agreste Mansion, Plagg scowled at him. "Why didn't you say anything to her?!"
"Are you crazy? I'm lucky she thought I was a daydream and didn't realize that I was actually there. I can't just do that to a friend! Especially when my heart belongs to someone else."
Plagg could practically see Tikki snickering in his head as he groaned into a pillow.
"What? Did I do the wrong thing?"
"Let's just say that both you and your friend are incredibly dense and bad at seeing things right in front of your eyes."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Kid, you think Marinette is cute, right?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Do me a favor. Ask her out for a coffee. I promise you won't regret it."
"But I don't know how I can even face her after this!"
"Don't be dramatic. She'll be over the moon. I can just bet on it."