Chapter 11: Dark Owl

There was an akumatized giant baby when Adrien went for a photo shoot at the Trocadéro. The episode would have been laughable, except for one thing. Adrien had seen the akuma heading for his bodyguard first, diverting only when the nearby baby showed greater negative emotions. This might have been another attempt to turn someone against Adrien.

Still, it had an upside because Papillon kept quiet for a little while following this disgrace.

For the next several days the problem was Mr. Damocles. He had gotten it into his head to try to be a superhero himself, based on his favorite comic-book character, the super-heroine called Knightowl. Damocles called himself The Owl. He had a home-made costume and toy equipment; he succeeded only in getting himself into trouble. Adrien and Marinette had to cancel fun times with friends in order to keep an eye on him in their costumed identities.

Ladybug had an idea: if they satisfied his need for heroics for one day, letting him beat a fake villain (played by Alya), he might be satisfied and let them have back their private lives. Ladybug went all-out on the props, even creating realistic salt-dough copies of their Miraculouses for "Cardboard Girl" to steal.

Alya called Damocles and spoke in a phony deep voice, "Is this The Owl?"

"Who is this? How do you know my secret identity?" asked Damocles.

"I am Cardboard Girl, a super-villain! I've kidnapped Ladybug and Cat Noir!"

Chat Noir and Ladybug called out for help in the background.

"Release them immediately," said Damocles.

"Never! And I'll never tell you that I'm holding them at the Place des Vosges Square either!"

"Ha! You gave yourself away, Cardboard Girl! Now you shall face the feather fear of The Owl! Hoo-hoo!"

"The Owl" arrived soon after, but it was a disaster. His grappling hook snagged a garbage truck, which dragged him into a fence. Ladybug and Chat Noir rushed over to him.

"Mr. Damocles, are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?" asked Ladybug.

"I am not Mr. Damocles! I am The Owl! You've revealed my secret identity!"

This was unfortunately true, since several people gathered around, taking pictures and a video which got on the news. That evening, Damocles was akumatized into the Dark Owl.


Dark Owl lured them into a deathtrap with a threat against helpless animals. They were trapped inside a metal shipping container.

"You knaves, it was a hologram all along! So how does it feel to lose for once and be humiliated? Did you really think I would hurt a kitten? This next trap, though, is very real. The room you're in is filling up with whipped cream as we speak! Whipped cream is too thick to swim in, but too runny to float on."

The liquid came pouring in from an drain in the floor.

"I hope it's lactose-free, at least," said Chat.

"You're going to drown! Softly, but surely unless, that is, you accept defeat and give me your Miraculouses!"

A hatch popped open in the side of the container for them to drop in their magical jewels. Ladybug took a look around. She squirted ink on the video camera that was watching them.

"Do you really think it'll make a difference if I can't see you, Ladybug? There's no way to escape! If you don't give me the Miraculouses now, I'll simply take them after the Owl Cream has buried you!"

Chat Noir beat against the side of the container. If only he hadn't used his Cataclysm earlier to get them out of ropes that the Dark Owl had entangled them with!

"He's right. We're done for," said Chat.

"Not yet we're not," said Ladybug. "You win, Dark Owl."

Ladybug whispered to Chat, "Close your eyes, and no peeking."

"We can't do this," said Chat.

"Trust me," said Ladybug.

Chat Noir closed his eyes.

"Spots off,"

"Claws in."

Adrien took off his ring and held it in his palm. He felt Marinette groping for it. He had an idea of his own. If they were really about to give up their Miraculouses to Dark Owl, who would give them to Papillon, then there was nothing left to lose. When Marinette had both her earrings and his ring in her hand, he was going to take them and use the incantation to make his wish. If it worked as he hoped, his mother would be safe and they would be free from the trap.

To do this, he had to be able to see. If he tried it blind and the magic items got dropped into the goop then they would both die for nothing. He opened his eyes in a squint.

To his surprise, Marinette closed his hand back over his ring. She got the fake salt-dough Miraculouses out of her purse and dropped them into the hatch. Adrien closed his eyes again. He would go with her plan.

Dark Owl kept his word and drained the whipped cream. They fed their kwamis and re-transformed. With a Cataclysm they were free to continue the fight.


"Pound it," they both said when the akuma was defeated. They were in the office of Damocles, where the akumatized digital assistant "Albert" had been kept.

"Ladybug, sorry I didn't get here faster," said Chat. "I couldn't hold Dark Owl and he flies really fast. Did he give you a lot of trouble?"

"It was a close one. He got one of my earrings but luckily I was able to set up a chain reaction to break his akuma object."

"Wow, he got an earring? Did he hurt you pulling it off?"

"No, it's strange, but my earrings come off easily with just a tug. It's also easy to put them on. No pin, no piercing. I guess it's part of the magic."

"That's good to know."

"Why?"

"It tells me I have to keep akumas from getting too close to you."

"I'm usually pretty good at doing that myself, but thanks."

"My ring is beeping – I have to go."

"Time's up for me, too. I have to bug out."


At home, Adrien thought about what had happened. He had crossed a line in his mind. He was really about to take the earrings and make his wish. And now he knew he wouldn't have to hurt Marinette to get them...

He owed her one thing first. He had to meet with her and lay his cards on the table. Maybe they could make the wish together as friends instead of him acting alone.