Chapter 38; Alya has some information
Lunch had gone smoothly, and the four friends stopped by the bakery on their way back to the hotel.
"Adrien, are you okay?" Marinette asked softly while Alya and Nino were deciding what pastries they wanted.
"Yeah, I'm fine, never better." he replied, hoping that he was convincing enough to fool her. He could tell by her expression that he wasn't.
"Kitty, something's off about you, and I respect your privacy enough not to pry, but I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything."
Adrien looked at his hands on the table as he fidgeted with his fingers. "I know, Princess, and I promise that you'll be the first I talk this out with."
"Mmmmm." Marinette hummed with disappointment. "I guess I'll have to accept that."
"Here we go." Alya said as she placed a small platter of various pastries on the table. "And these are for you." she added placing a plate with two of the chocolate pastries in front of Adrien.
Marinette smiled when she saw Adrien's face light up. "Hey, thanks Alya!" he said and took a bite of the pastry. "I'm glad that your father decided to learn to make these, they're just as good as your and just as good as I remember." he said.
"Wait, you remember?" Alya asked, confused.
"Yeah." Adrien said. "Remember when we were running the bakery, and that day that I wasn't there."
"Yeah, it was the anniversary of your mother's. . .disappearance." Alya said softly.
"Yes it was." Adrien said. "Well, Marinette noticed I was feeling down, and asked Chloe if there was anything she could make for me to cheer me up." he related, then motioned to the pastries. "These are just like the ones my mother used to make when she was still with us." he added as he took another bite. "Wait, you didn't know all this before, so how did you know to get them for me?"
"All I knew is that you love chocolate." Alya replied. "I told Sabine that I was getting for all of us and she packed those and told me they were for you."
Adrien leaned over to Marinette so only she would hear him. "Ah mon petit maman." he whispered to her, and was rewarded with a giggle. "Wait a minute." he said sitting up and looking over at Alya. "How did you know about the date that my mother went missing?"
"Ummm, yeah, about that." Alya stammered. "I've been doing some looking into things concerning your mother."
"What?!" Marinette gasped. "Did you find anything?"
Before Alya could reply, Adrien spoke up. "Why, and who said that I wanted you to?"
Alya and Marinette both blinked at surprise at the angry tone of Adrien's voice. "The answer to both of your questions, Adrien, goes back to the conversation we had after Sabine was freed from her being akumatized." Alya said. "I'd like to give you some closure, knowing one way or the other the status and condition of your mother."
Adrien put the pastry he had in his hand back on his plate and pushed it away from him slightly. "No."
"No?" Alya asked. "What do you mean, no?"
"Just that." Adrien replied. "Stop looking, I don't want to know. She's gone, and she's not coming back. Leave it alone, please."
"But Adrien, I've learned some things." Alya argued. "Yes she left the country with your father to Tibet, but she never came back. Even if it was her body, her passport would have been registered as returned, and it's not."
They all jumped when Adrien slapped his hand flat on the table top. "Alya, STOP!" he shouted drawing the attention of several customers as well as Sabine. "Just let it lie." he added then got up and left.
Marinette saw that Sean was following him, and she sighed. "Alya, I know you mean well, and I know how something like this appeals to you as a journalist, but please, for his sake, and as a favor to me, please let this drop." she pleaded then went after Adrien, with Colleen on her heels.
Alya looked over at Nino. "But so much is unknown, so many questions unanswered. What happened to her, why didn't Gabriel launch a search for her, or demand punishment for her attackers or killers?"
"Babe, he's had four years to adjust to the fact that he doesn't know, and never will." Nino said. "Respect him enough to let this be."
Fortunately Marinette had seen which way Adrien had headed after he exited the bakery. Unfortunately it was still close enough to the end of lunch for the sidewalk to be fairly crowded.
"Marinette, wait up!" a voice called from behind her, drawing her to a stop as she watched Colleen catch up to her. "I'm not as slender as you are, Lass, but I have to keep up with you." the redhead said as she watched her charge bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet in nervous energy.
"The reason I was moving so fast is that I want to catch up to him." Marinette said as she began walking at a fast pace. "He's upset, and I want to help him calm back down."
"I know that, Lass, but it's my responsibility to keep you safe." Colleen reasoned.
"And while were walking and talking, he most likely still running and getting further away." Marinette argued.
Colleen touched her earpiece. "Sean, where is he?" she asked, then listened intently to the reply. "What? When?" she asked and Marinette grew nervous from the look she got. "Where?" she asked. "Right, well the Lass isn't gonna like this." she said. "Well, she's right beside me, listening in, so yeah, we can't keep it from her, and I don't think we should. Right, see you in a bit." she concluded and looked squarely at Marinette. Sean lost him." she said simply. "About a hundred meters down the way, Adrien turned into an alley and when Sean did the same, the alley was empty."
Marinette' eyes went wide. "He transformed!" she gasped.
"It appears so." Colleen agreed as they hurried down the sidewalk. "Here we are." she said a moment later as they entered an alley.
"I'm sorry, Lass, I only had my eyes off him for a couple of seconds." Sean said as they walked up to him.
Marinette nodded slightly. "That's all it takes." she said. "Tikki, can you sense anything from Plagg?"
"Just that he's west of here, and very worried about Adrien." Tikki replied.
"Yeah, well, Alya got him pretty ups. . ." she began, but trailed off her eyes widening in fear as she turned to look west.
"Marinette, what's the matter?" Sean asked, seeing the look of bald faced fear on her face. He also noted that Tikki's expression mirrored her chosen's.
"Kitty, no." Marinette said under her breath. "Tikki, did he. . .?" she asked.
"Yes he did, and I'm very worried now, Marinette. This places him in a very dangerous position." Tikki replied. "If Hawk Moth should send an akuma. . ."
"Right." Marinette said, and quickly looked to see if the alley was clear. Seeing no one other than Colleen and Sean, she trotted even deeper into the alley. "Tikki, spots on!" she shouted, and even before her transformation was complete, her yo-yo was reaching out to a nearby chimney.
"That was odd." Colleen commented.
"Aye, it was." Sean agreed.
"Hey, look, it's Ladybug." a man said in surprise when he saw her swinging across the rooftops. "and is she in a hurry." he added. Lake other citizens of Paris he had seen Paris's heroes both during a akuma attack and when they did their nighttime patrols. They had never seen her going as fast as she was now.
"No akuma alert." the woman beside him said holding out her phone.
For her part, Marinette was unaware of the attention she was drawing. All that filled her mind was getting to Chat. . .no, Adrien as fast as she could. She had known he was upset, but that paled in comparison to what Tikki was feeling from Plagg, or did.
Ladybug groaned slightly at the strain on her arms as she turned sharply almost reversing her direction mid-swing, almost stumbling as she landed on a roof.
"Adrien?" she called. "Adrien, where are you?" She turned quickly as the only reply was a soft sniffle. She followed the sound around a smaller chimney, and found him sitting with his back against another, his knees drawn up and his forehead resting against them.
"Oh, kitty." she breathed as she crossed over to him and knelt beside him, her heart aching when she looked up at her, his eyes red from crying, and the fear she saw in them.
"Maribug, I can't do this anymore. I can't face Hawk Moth, I know I'll let you down." he said, then let Ladybug draw him into a hug.
"Easy, Chaton, it's okay I'm here for you." she soothed. She almost sighed with relief when she saw his ring on the roof by his hips on the other side of him. "Why do you think that?"
Adrien took a deep breath. "It's what Alya said." he replied. "It confirmed something for me, that I only started thinking this morning. I had already figured out the who, and now I think I've put together the why." he sighed heavily.
Ladybug's confusion showed on her face. "You can't face Hawk Moth because of your mother?"
Adrien gave a dry chuckle. "Not exactly." he said, then paused to gather his thoughts. "Okay, we know that my father was behind the kidnapping attempt, which was done to get a good look at your earrings. We also know he was behind the attack on the bakery, for the same reason, and he's tried to get you to remove them." he said, then looked at her expectantly.
Ladybug's brow furrowed as she thought, and he could tell when she figured it out. "You think your father is Hawk Moth?!" she gasped.
Adrien looked down. "No, Bugaboo, I'm certain he is." he said softly. "We know that Hawk Moth wants our miraculous so he can gain the Ultimate Power, I now know why he wants that. He wants to bring my mother back."
Marinette thought for a moment. "But to bring her back, someone that he loves, he'd have to lose someone else that he loves." she said, then looked over at him.
"Meaning me." Adrien said softly. "Marinette, I know him, he wouldn't put me in danger, which means he's figured out a way to keep us both." he looked off into the distance. "If there is any chance I might get my mom back. . .I'm sorry Bug, but I'd take it."
"Adrien, no." Ladybug pleaded. "Spots off!." she added, dropping her transformation. "Tikki, is he right, is it possible?"
"Adrien, I'm sorry." Tikki said softly, landing on his knee. "To bring back Emilie, someone he loves, someone else he loves would have to die." she added sadly. "From what we know of your home life, that would be you." she explained. "Again, I'm sorry, Adrien, but that is the truth of it. Why did you remove your miraculous?"
Adrien fidgeted as Tikki watched him intently. "He. . .I. . ." he stammered. "Hawk Moth is Gabriel Agrest, my father! I know deep down he loves me, I can't fight him!" he finally said, then paused as he saw Marinette tense, and Tikki hide in her hair.
"Adrien, don't move, and try to think good thoughts." she said softly, her eyes tracking the purple butterfly as she quickly picked up the ring. "Tikki, if I change now will Hawk Moth learn I'm Ladybug?"
"Yes, we must get out of sight quickly." Tikki replied.
"Adrien, sweetheart, stay strong, I'll be right back." Marinette said, then quickly went around a chimney, and transformed. She grew nervous when she came back around and didn't see the akuma. Adrien was still sitting with his knees drawn up and his forehead resting against them.
"Adrien?" she called softly, fearing the worst.
"Now you know better than that, Ladybug." Adrien's voice said, the contempt in it turning her blood to ice in her veins. She saw his face when he looked up, and she wanted to cry. His normally gorgeous green eyes now glowed red, his expression sorrowful. "I am now The Pawn, waiting to be sacrificed."
Ladybug faced him, her hands in front of her in a calming gesture. "No, Adrien, you are worth more than that to me and to others." she soothed.
Unfortunately it didn't work. The Pawn launched himself from his sitting position, planting both his fists into Ladybug's stomach, knocking her back and almost off the roof.
She got back to her feet, shaking her head to clear it, then took a defensive stance.
"Do you really think you can fight me?" he asked mockingly.
"I don't want to but if I have to I will. I can free you from the akuma." she said, hoping she was able to put more confidence into her voice than she really felt. She swallowed nervously when she saw the telltale glow of butterfly wings on Adrien's face.
"She seems reluctant to fight you." Hawk Moth's voice said in Adrien's head. "Maybe you're important to her."
"If so it's one sided." Marinette heard him say. "She's nothing but a bug to be swatted for keeping you from getting her miraculous."
Ladybug quickly opened her yo-yo, placing the ring inside and pressing a button. "Adrien has been akumatized, I need help." she quickly said into it. She realized her mistake of taking her attention off the Pawn, when he planted his shoulder into her chest slamming her into a chimney.
The impact cracked the cement, and Ladybug felt her left arm go completely numb. That is until the Pawn grabbed her left hand and twisted her arm behind her back.
"How typical, calling for help." he mocked, then smiled evilly as she cried out in pain. "Did I clip your wings, Bug?" he asked.
Realizing where he was Ladybug snapped her head back, slamming it into the Pawn's nose with enough force that he let go of her and staggered back a few steps. Moving herself, Ladybug found that she had no use of her left arm and hand. Facing the Pawn she found herself slowly circling, keeping as much of the roof between them as possible.
"Stop toying with her and get her miraculous!" Hawk Moth's voice said in the Pawn's head.
"Yeah, I'll get them, don't worry." the Pawn said. "It's time we ended this dance, Ladybug!" he said then started to run at her. As he knew she would, she moved to her left, trying to protect her injured left arm and he shifted and grabbed her right arm then pivoted, using both their momentum to swing her around then he let go, sending Ladybug flying until a chimney brought her to a instant stop, as she hit flat with her back and head.
"This will be all to easy." the Pawn muttered as he watched Ladybug slither to the ground and remain still. He dropped to one knee beside her, and rolled her over onto her back. "All this over a simple pair of earrings." he said as he moved her hair aside to get to her ear lobes.
Ladybug knew she was in real trouble. She was only dimly aware of someone bending over her and touching her hair around her ears. "No." she managed to whimper. "Please don't."
The Pawn straightened up when he heard her painful plea. He looked down at her as her eyes fluttered open. "La. . .Ladybug?" he asked.
Ladybug had some hope as Adrien's eyes were still red, but their glow had dimmed. "Adrien?" she said softly. "Fight it, I know you're better than. . ." she began but trailed off when she saw the wings light up in front of his face then flare brightly.
Adrien cringed at the surge of power Hawk Moth poured into his link with him, and he felt himself overpowered.
"Not Adrien, I am the Pawn." he said and reached for her earrings.
Ladybug closed her eyes as a wave of dizziness washed over her, and she suddenly felt the hand jerked away from her ear and heard sounds of a struggle.
"Ladybug, can you hear me?" she heard Rena Rouge's voice call softly as she felt hands trying to get her to sit up.
"Rena." Ladybug said softly, "You came, and just in time."
"Of course I came, you called for help, didn't you?" Rena Rouge said. "Are you gonna be able to purify the akuma?" she asked.
Ladybug nodded as she prepped her yo-yo. "Carapace, remember that's Adrien in there." she said.
"Right," the green clad hero said, then broke the charm bracelet the Pawn wore, and the akuma came fluttering out.
Ladybug barely managed to purify it, then cried. "Miraculous Ladybug!" as she threw her yo-yo into the air. The ladybugs swarmed around, fixing the damage to the roof structures before vanishing.
Adrien sat up after the black smoke had evaporated around him. "Huh? What. . .what happened?" he asked. "I was talking to Ladybug, then. . .oh no!" he said then trailed off when he looked over at Rena Rouge holding Ladybug up.
"Rena, get me out of here." Ladybug said.
"But, Ladybug you usually. . .and that's Adrien." Rena sputtered.
"Rena, please."
"Right." Rena said, seeing the tears on Ladybug's face. "Carapace, take care of him." she said then went off carrying her best friend.
"I was so close!" Hawk Moth shouted, shaking his fists in the air. He turned and looked over at Nathalie who was standing behind him. "He actually had his hands on her miraculous!"
"And her friends came to her defense." Nathalie filled in.
"Yes, just like you warned me they would." Hawk Moth snarled. "Dark wings fall." he said and his transformation dropped.
"You did ask me for my analysis of previous encounters, which I provided you."
"And you also warned me that they would be on their guard against and akuma attack, and you were right. That's what I pay you for." Gabriel said, then sighed heavily. "I'm glad to see that my money is well spent."
"I did advise you to keep to your original plan and leave them alone until the gala." Nathalie said softly.
"And I thought it was because you were getting soft where Adrien is concerned. Obviously I was mistaken."