Miraculous:

Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir

Chapter Three: Two Birds with One Stone

Marinette entered Adrien's house and for the second time in recent days, she couldn't believe her luck. She was still reeling from their night at the gala. Gabriel Agreste stood in the lobby ready to greet her. "Hello, Mr. Agreste. How is Adrien doing?"

"I'm sure he'll be doing much better after seeing you. This way." Gabriel turned and led her down a side path.

"Um, I'm confused. Isn't Adrien's bedroom up and to the left?"

"I have him in a separate room where our personal medical staff can take…proper care of him," he explained.

"Oh, right. That makes sense." Marinette walked into the elevator Mr. Agreste opened up and tried to stop her beating heart. "Thank you so much for allowing me over. I'm certain Adrien appreciates it, too."

"Yes, I'm sure he does."

When the doors opened up Marinette was greeted to a sight she hadn't been expecting. A huge metallic bunker-like room with a walkway led to an underground garden. There was a tube of some kind in the center of the garden and hanging above the garden to the right was… "Adrien!"

Adrien startled at the sound of her voice and grabbed the bars desperately. "Marinette, look out!"

That's when everything went black.

Gabriel Agreste couldn't believe it. In his hands he held onto not only Cat Noir's miraculous ring but also Ladybug's earrings. "It's taken us so long, Nathalie, but soon my dear Emily will be cured and she can finally return to my side!"

"Yes sir, it all went according to your plan." Nathalie brought up the book on the miraculous. "We have both of the items needed for the wish, but we still need to decipher the spell. It's all written in code."

"Get the top computer programmers on it immediately! I want to make my wish as soon as possible!"

"Yes, sir."

Without his partner Plagg, Adrien felt more lost and alone than he had in a long time. He sighed and pulled his knees up to his chest. So many things were about to happen and he didn't think he could face any of it. Looking over at Marinette now unconscious in a cage next to his guilt wrapped a dark hand around his heart. If an akuma were to show up now, he'd probably get akumatized. Of course, with my father as Hawk Moth and the fact that he already has both miraculous, I guess he doesn't need to akumatize anyone anymore.

Marinette began to stir and Adrien anxiously looked over at her. "Marinette! Marinette!"

She winced and held a hand to her head. "Oh, I definitely didn't see that coming." Gasping she looked around and saw Adrien nearby. "Adrien! What's going on!? Why would your father put you in a cage! What am I doing here?"

Adrien tried to come up with a lie, but this was Marinette, his…Ladybug, he couldn't lie to her. "My father somehow figured out that I'm Cat Noir…" Her eyes went wide, "And that you're…the Miraculous Ladybug."

Marinette opened her mouth to refute it, but like him, the lie would be too convoluted to cover up the facts. She reached up to touch her ears and a panicked expression crossed her face. "My earrings…!"

Adrien leaned back against the bars of his cage. "My father has them…and my ring."

Marinette looked at Adrien with confusion and disbelief. The love of her life, Adrien, who had been in love with Ladybug, only as Cat Noir, were in fact the same person! That means he knows…he knows I'm Ladybug…But also Adrien, the one I love, was Cat Noir all along. We loved each other without knowing it! Looking at him now, he seemed so not like her Adrien and definitely far from her Cat Noir. Maybe he's disappointed I'm Ladybug…?

At that moment, her dream came back to her and she remembered hearing herself say, "I don't feel like a superhero."

Then Adrien replied, "You've already proven that you are one, with or without a costume."

Marinette felt like that now and realized she depended on Cat Noir to always cheer her up. Ladybug's bravado was so far from her own personality and she wondered if maybe Cat Noir was a side of Adrien he didn't get to be when he was Adrien Agreste. Despite being super annoying, Cat Noir had always been there for her and Ladybug earrings or not, she could at least be there for him. They were going to need each other to get out of this mess. They'd deal with the rest later.

"You know, if Cat Noir was here, I'd bet he'd say something like 'I've heard of trapped like a bird in a cage but never a cat in a cage' right before he used cataclysm to get us out of here," Marinette laughed.

Adrien sighed. "Maybe, but without our kwamis, I don't see Cat Noir or Ladybug making an appearance anytime soon."

Marinette bit her bottom lip and looked away. "So, I'm guessing it was the same for me as it was for you, huh?" she asked. "When I was Ladybug. I felt like I could do anything, save anyone. I could pull off the most miraculous stunts like catch people falling off the Eiffel Tower and seal the akuma at the same time. As Marinette though, I can't even walk in a straight line without tripping."

Adrien smiled ruefully. "As Cat Noir…I could be who I wanted to be without anyone judging me. I'm always so reserved because if I acted out, my father would have my head. My every move was always watched. Being Cat Noir was a level a freedom I could never have as Adrien." He looked sideways at Marinette.

It pained Marinette to see Adrien so down. It was now or never. "You know what's funny? Cat Noir confessed to me, told me he loved me, which took a lot of courage—more courage than I have, and all I could do was tell him I was in love with someone else." She hugged her knees.

Adrien glared at her. "What's funny about that?"

"It's funny because…the boy that I like…the one I kept Cat Noir at arm's length for…" You can do this. "Was Adrien Agreste."

His eyes went wide. "You love…me?"

She smiled but couldn't bring herself to look at him. "It wasn't that I didn't care for Cat Noir. He was an irreplaceable partner but my heart's belonged to Adrien ever since he offered me that umbrella his first day of school."

"That long…?"

"Everyone knew Adrien as the super-hot model, and while I did follow his father's work…he was just a classmate, a regular old good-looking boy who was nice to me when he didn't have to be. I fell in love with the boy, not the model." Her form shrank as uncertainty crept in. "Are you…disappointed?"

"Absolutely." She looked up in surprise and met his eyes, "Not." He looked back at her with a gentle smile. "I may have been in love with Ladybug…but I can't deny that Marinette Dupain-Cheng isn't as amazing if not more so."

"Really?" She felt like she was dreaming.

He looked up at the ceiling and rested one arm on a raised knee. The pose reminded Marinette of Adrien's photo shoots. He could look so handsome without even trying. "Ladybug came at me like a hurricane. All she said was 'Don't resist. Trust me.' Even without asking me to, I would trust her with everything I am. Just as I would with Marinette."

"How sweet, too bad the two of you will never be together!" Hawk Moth appeared and walked down the pathway.

"Hawk Moth!" Marinette exclaimed.

"No, that's not just Hawk Moth, Marinette. That's my father, Gabriel Agreste. He's the one who stole our miraculouses!" Adrien squeezed the bars of his cage with pure hatred in his eyes. "Do you understand how many people you've hurt, how many emotions you've taken advantage of!?"

"And it was all worth it!" Hawk Moth approached the tube that until now Marinette hadn't noticed housed a woman. Not just any woman.

"That's Emily Agreste! Adrien's mother!" Marinette was floored. "But she's supposed to be dead!"

"That's what he told me!" Adrien accused. "What's going on, Father, and the truth this time!"

Hawk Moth held up the two miraculous. "When one person possesses the Ladybug and Cat miraculouses they gain the ultimate power and can grant any wish they desire!" He put a hand on the life support pod. "Your mother, her disease was incurable. We tried every doctor in the world. They wanted me to come to terms with her eventual passing. That was something I simply could not do. I've kept her here, alive, until I could find a solution yet unknown to man. A solution like this!"

Hawk Moth chanted and from the two magical items emerged red and black energy. It flew and spun finally wrapping around Emily's pod until their light shown brighter and brighter. Marinette and Adrien had to close their eyes as light flooded the room.

"Nooroo, Dark Wings Fall."

When she opened her eyes, Marinette saw Gabriel Agreste offer a hand to his wife as she awakened and came out of the medical pod. "She…she's alive!"

"Mom…!" Adrien was speechless.

Gabriel held Emily close. For her part, she looked fatigued but otherwise perfectly healthy. She didn't seem completely aware of her surroundings. "Come Emily, let us get you back upstairs. I'll have Nathalie call the doctor and he'll look you over right away."

Gabriel sat Emily down on their bed and looked around for his assistant. "Ugh, where is Nathalie!?" It wasn't that he was incapable but he didn't wish to leave Emily's side, not now that they were finally together again. "Stay here. I will be right back."

Closing the door behind him, Gabriel walked through his house angrily searching for Nathalie. It didn't matter to him that she had been loyal and faithful up until this time, even going so far as to risk her life to be by his side as Mayura. She had failed him now and just when their plans had succeeded.

"Nathalie!" He opened the room to her door without knocking and found her collapsed on the floor. "Nathalie!" He rushed forward and picked her up. Her body was on fire and her skin was pale. This is just like… He picked her up and put her back in bed. Taking out his cell phone he dialed the family doctor. "I have a home emergency. I need you here. Now!" He hung up and returned to Emily.

He re-entered his room and found Emily standing before a full-length mirror. "The doctor is on his way. I just want to make sure my wish has truly been granted." He approached her and saw her expression was one of sadness. "Emily? Are you hurting anywhere? Let me know and I'll take care of it."

Emily, having yet to say anything until now, turned to look sadly at her husband. "Please, you must undo what you've done."

He took a step back in shock. "W-what!? I-I did what I had to in order to save you!"

Emily took his hands into hers. "My time is borrowed time. There is a terrible cost to the wish you've made! I shouldn't be here, my time in this world is over. You've selfishly extended it and other people will suffer the consequences."

"I don't care about them! I only care about you!" He pulled her close and hugged her. "I can't live without you!"

"You must!" Emily looked around. "Where is Nathalie?"

"She's lying down in her room. The doctor will tend to her. I want to focus on you," he insisted.

Emily shook her head. "The wish you've made has a cost and my life has only been granted to you for 24 hours! No amount of energy could save me from Fate's design, Gabriel. You must undo your wish before Nathalie joins me on the other side!"

"I won't! I've worked too hard to achieve my goals!" He released her and walked back to the door. "Remain here. I'll bring the doctor as soon as he arrives." Then he slammed the door and she was left alone.

Marinette growled and opened her purse which had remained on her person despite being locked up. After all, Gabriel had what he wanted. His victory had already been assured. "Come on, we have to figure a way out of here."

"And do what?" Adrien despaired. "Get our miraculouses back? That won't undo my father's wish and the cost—we don't even know what that is."

"We can't just let him win!" Marinette insisted.

"So we kill my mother again!?" Adrien argued in return. Marinette shrunk at his harsh words. He sighed and buried his head in his knees and arms. "A full year I've been trying to get over her passing. We never had a service. It was like my father didn't acknowledge that she was gone. He moved on and closed off his heart to everyone, including me. She was the key and now she's back. I didn't want to believe Hawk Moth wanted to make a good wish, but I can't see this has a bad wish."

"It's the cost, Adrien. He's working against Fate. The energy he's stolen has to come from somewhere. That energy has to be returned."

"What about our energy, huh?" he retorted. "When you use Miraculous Ladybug everything is repaired. What happens to that energy?"

"It comes from the miracle box, I think. The kwami are magical creatures. We have no idea how their power works but there's a balance to everything. That's why you and I exist as a team. To create and destroy. It's also why our kwami don't use their powers without us. If Plagg or even Tikki were to use their powers unhindered, the way your father did, there would be consequences."

"No matter how you word it, you're still asking me to kill my mother. I just can't do that." He pulled his legs tighter into his chest. "I'm sorry."

Marinette had a plan but she needed her partner. "When you were being manhandled by Gorizilla, and Ladybug asked you to jump off that skyscraper, you said you trusted her. I thought Cat Noir would show up to save you, but looking back I guess he couldn't, could he?"

Adrien said nothing.

"You jumped, even knowing you couldn't save yourself in public and despite the fact that I was caught in Gorizilla's hand the next instance. You had faith in me then." She looked sideways at him. "Has that since changed?"

"No, of course not."

Getting up on her knees, she held onto the bars and looked across their cages. "I need you to trust me again. We can handle the issue about your mother later. I would never want to hurt you, but we have to at least get out of here." Her hands tightened around the bars. "Do you trust me, Adrien?"

Adrien looked like he struggled for a moment but then he squared his shoulders and nodded. "I trust you, Marinette. What do you need?"

She smirked. "First, take off your belt."

"Wait, what?"

His face blanched and when she realized how her request sounded, she panicked and shook her head adamantly. "No no, that's not what I meant! I mean, yes I meant it, but not like that! I swear!"

Now Adrien laughed and he looked a little brighter than before. Her face flushed. "It's okay. I get it. You just surprised me, that's all." He unlatched his belt and held it up. "How do I get it over to you?"

Marinette couldn't stand up fully in her cage, it was only about 4 feet tall, but she crouched and Adrien mirrored her stance. Leaning back and forth, Marinette got her cage to start swinging. When Adrien did the same, they timed the swings so that they almost touched. The cages were too far apart to hit, something she'd noticed when she was going through their options and building a plan. It was, however, a nice trick to get them close enough so she could get his belt.

"Got it!" She pulled the belt inside her cage and after breaking the strap on her purse, she attached the two as well as a few other things from her purse in order to make something she could fish with.

"What are you going to do with that?"

She looked down at the ground, into the garden, and lowered down her makeshift fishing line. "Hopefully I'll be able to get us something to help us get out of here."

"These cages are electronically sealed. No matter what you find, you won't be able to pick the lock."

She clenched her teeth against his negativism. "If I can be Ladybug without the costume, why don't you try being Cat Noir? He always encourages me, no matter how dire the situation. He always knows we can pull through, even when I don't always think we will. It's one of his strongest qualities."

In her first attempt she got a pair of gardening gloves. Okay, let's try this again. Dipping her fishing rod down again, she came up with a small hand gardening rake. Now this I can work with. She looked around and saw above her that her cage was connected to the ceiling with a metal link chain. Her cage was held by a single industrial size nut with half a link coming out of the bolt. There!

Looking down she could see they were suspended high enough from the ground that if she could break the chain, the fall could crack open the cage. But I may not come out of the fall unscathed, either… Deciding it was worth the risk she reached up and jammed one of the claws of the rake right above the single nut and bolt. When it was secured, she put on the gardening gloves, stuck her arms through the top of the cage, and grabbed hold of the chain.

Adrien's eyes went wide. "Marinette, what are you doing? That's dangerous!"

Supporting the cage on her head and shoulders, Marinette climbed up the chain which extended up at least 7-10 feet above her. "I'm going to get us out of this. With or without…my…powers!" When she could get no higher, she looked at Adrien and gave him a weak smile. "Let's see if my luck holds out." She released the chain and dropped down hard onto the bottom of her cage. The entire weight of the cage fell at once and with the foreign object lodged in the link, the nut was pulled free of the cage and everything went tumbling down into the ground below.

"Marinette!"

A great crash was heard as Marinette fell to the floor. Her cage dented and the door broke open. Marinette remained inside unmoving.

"Marinette!" Adrien cried out desperately. "Marinette!"

Eventually she moved and opened her eyes, hissing with pain as she clutched her shoulder. "S-something's wrong. I can't move my arm. Ouch, and it really hurts!" Seeing her cage opened, she tried to get to her feet but ended up tumbling out into the garden of white flowers.

"It's your shoulder. You probably popped it out of its socket!" Adrien closed his eyes in anguish. "I'm so sorry. I should have been more supportive. It's just with everything going through my head, I…I don't know what to think anymore."

Marinette slowly got to her feet and wobbled slightly, her head making her dizzy. "Don't worry. I'll figure out a way to get you out, too."

"No, don't!" Adrien shook his head. "Our best bet is for you to try and get our miraculouses back, if they even still exist. If not, you need to get out of here!"

She looked at him with utter shock. "I'm not leaving here without you!" She turned away and began down the pathway to the elevator. "I'll get our miraculouses back but if we're going to defeat your father, we're going to need to be together. We're a team, for better or worse."

Despite the circumstances, she heard Adrien laugh shortly, "Milady, was that a proposal I heard just now?"

Gasping, Marinette looked up at Adrien and could finally see the Cat Noir behind the boy. She laughed and gave her best Ladybug answer. "You'll have to wait and see. Maybe if you're a good kitty." She winked and turned her attention to the keypad. "Now tell me. What could the code be?"

"I don't know. My father was always so secretive. It could be anything."

Marinette tried Adrien's birthday. The lights turned red. No luck. I guess that would have been so easy. Suddenly the light turned green and the elevator opened. Surprise and panicking, Marinette threw her weight back and would have fallen had the person not caught her good arm. Looking up, she was dumbfounded to see it was Emily!

"I-It's you!" She was so beautiful that for a moment, Marinette couldn't form any words.

"Mother!" Adrien called out.

Emily, still holding on to Marinette's hand, came over to the security lock on the wall that controlled Adrien's cage. She inputted eight numbers and the pad turned green. Adrien's cage lowered to the ground and the door opened with a click. "Our anniversary. Some things never change." Her expression saddened and she released Marinette to hug herself instead. "Then again, some things do change."

Adrien walked forward slowly and stopped before his long-lost mom. "Mom…is it really you?"

Tear came to her eyes and she opened her arms. "Adrien…"

"Mom!" He rushed forward and hugged her with abandon. Marinette cried at the reunion and stepped back to give them room. "I missed you so much! I didn't know what to do. Dad locked me up, I couldn't go anywhere."

"I know. I know and I'm so sorry." She pulled away and caressed his cheek lovingly. "Even while in stasis, I could see everything. My spirit watched as Gabriel turned into a man who was far removed from the man I married. He began doing…dark things ever since he read about a wish being granted in that book about the miraculouses."

"You know about miraculouses?" Adrien breathed.

At this, Emily smiled warmly at him. "Yes, and I am so proud of how well you've handled being Cat Noir. The responsibilities placed on your shoulders…" She looked at Marinette. "And you, Ladybug, thank you so much for taking care of my son all this time."

Marinette blushed. "Oh, I didn't do anything, really. Honestly, most of the time, I felt like Cat Noir was the one who saved me. And I know a ton of times Adrien has saved me, even without his powers." She blinked and gasped. "Oh wait, so…you know? About us?"

"I know…everything…" Emily went into her pocket and pulled out Ladybug's earrings and Cat Noir's ring. They were completely black and radiated with some kind of dark energy. "My husband, as Hawk Moth, hurt so many people trying to get these." She handed each back to their respective owners. "You must not put them on now," she warned. "Your kwami need to be purified first." She looked at Marinette. "As the new guardian, you must enter the miracle box with the miraculouses. Only there can their energy be purified, but it'll be risky. If you do not succeed, you will be trapped in the box along with the other kwami for all eternity."

"No pressure," Marinette muttered under her breath.

"But Mom, I don't understand. What are you doing here? Where's Father?" Adrien asked.

"Gabriel will not heed my warning when I asked him to undo his wish. Already the cost of his selfishness is beginning to take hold." Emily closed her eyes in sadness.

Marinette and Adrien exchanged looks. "What is the cost of his wish?" Marinette asked for both of them.

"Nathalie," Emily wept anew. "My sickness is now ravaging her body and should we not succeed, in 24 hours, she too will be gone from this world."

Adrien's eyes went wide, "Too?" he echoed.

Emily nodded. "Yes, my son. Gabriel's wish only brings me back healthy for 24 hours. After that, I will pass from this world as I should have one year ago."

"But mom, I don't want you to go…" Adrien begged. "Not when we just got you back."

Emily hugged him and squeezed tight. "I know but this is how it must be. Fate cannot be changed. The price is too great." Pulling away, Emily put her hands on Arien's shoulders. "You must go. Purify your miraculouses and convince Gabriel to undo the spell. It's written in his book and I don't have access to his safe."

"Plus, the spell is coded and we don't know the key," Marinette added from what Master Fu had explained to her.

Emily nodded. "Go now, before he has a chance to stop you."

Marinette started towards the elevator but looked back at Adrien who refused to move. "Adrien?"

He was still looking at his mother. "Why? Why do I get to see you and suddenly you're going to be taken away from me again?"

Emily smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "I will always be watching over you. Now I need you to be the superhero that I know you are. Help Ladybug, save Plagg, and you will save yourself in the process." She leaned in and whispered something in his ear Marinette couldn't hear but she saw Adrien blush madly at whatever she said. "Now go."

Closing his eyes in anguish, Adrien ran forward and entered the elevator with Marinette. "We'll fix everything, Mother. I promise."

Some time later Gabriel would return to find Emily standing in the garden with both his captives and their miraculouses gone. "How could you betray me!?"

Emily looked sternly at him. "You had our son in a cage! If anyone's betrayed anyone, you have betrayed this family! Please, find your humanity and undo the wish you've made! There's still time to save Nathalie!"

"I don't care about Nathalie! She would gladly sacrifice what is needed so that my dream will come true!"

"She loves you! You don't need me anymore, don't you see? Don't allow the past to blind you! Her devotion stems from her love for you! Your obsession with my existence is only holding you back! Please, see reason!"

"I will not give up my dream now that I've obtained it! I refuse!" He stormed off and went back to the elevator. "If you've chosen their side then you can remain here until I've defeated Ladybug and Cat Noir once and for all!"

Gabriel stood in front of his window, feeling more anger than he ever remembered feeling before. "Nooroo, dark wings rise!" His kwami did as told and he felt his power come to him. He'd destroy his adversaries, regardless if one of them happened to be his son, he would not give up the love of his life for a mere imitation. Unbeknownst to him, the akuma he'd released from Single Stroke had been drawn to his unequalled dark energy and anger. It flew down and buried itself into his miraculous. Dark energy like nothing he'd felt before, even more than when he'd allowed himself as Gabriel to be akumatized, filled him and he laughed maniacally.

Large bug eyes grew over his head and two moth wings grew from his back. Yes, I will destroy them all!

Adrien helped Marinette walk out of his house and down 3 blocks before they found a dark alleyway where they could rest. Already Marinette's forehead was beaded with sweat, though she'd yet to complain even once. Her arm has to be causing her excruciating pain. I know when I hurt my shoulder when I first started fencing, the pain was blinding. "We've got to get you to a doctor."

"No! Your dad is going to have eyes and ears everywhere." Marinette took deep breaths of air. "We can't go to where he'll expect us."

"But we can't keep going with you like this!" Where can we go? Remembering his fencing, Adrien came up with a solution. "Okay, I got it. I know where we can go!" Not wanting Marinette to push herself anymore, Adrien bent down and picked her up, starting off at a run down the street when the coast was clear.

"Adrien, stop! I can walk, you know! It's my arm, not my legs that don't want to work."

"Hey, what would Cat Noir do?" He winked at her.

Marinette blushed and looked down at her lap. "Probably carry me no matter how much I fussed at him."

"Exactly. How can I do anything less as Adrien for the love of my life?"

Marinette gasped and looked up at him but he'd already returned his eyes to the path before him. In that moment, she truly saw her ever present partner and she felt that rising assurance that they were going to be okay. Allowing him to win the argument Marinette closed her eyes and prepared herself. The battle wasn't over yet.

Adrien took them to Francoise Dupont High School and Marinette immediately tensed. "The school? That'll be the first place he'd think to look for us."

"We have to take the risk. You said no doctors, but you need that shoulder looked at, so this is the next best thing." Adrien ran through the halls until he came to the person he was looking for. "Master!" he called out.

Master Armand D'Argencourt looked up with surprise when Adrien burst into his office. "Adrien, what are you doing here at this hour? You missed fencing practice."

"I don't have time to lie to you and I wouldn't want to anyway, but I need a favor. This is an emergency!" Adrien put Marinette down. "My friend, Marinette, hurt her shoulder. I think it's popped out of its socket."

"My goodness, we must call for an ambulance immediately!

"No!" Adrien stopped him. "Please, we can't call anyone. Master, I need you to trust me. I need you to pop it back into place the way you did with me before."

Clearly, Mr. D'Argencourt was reluctant. "Adrien, that is not something I would suggest for a lady such as Miss Marinette. It is very painful and…"

"We don't have a choice! Lives are at stake!" Marinette clenched her teeth against the pain. "Please, whatever needs to be done. Do it! I can handle it."

"Please, Master." Adrien begged.

"Ugh, very well. You are a man of honor, Adrien, and I know you would not ask if it wasn't for a very good reason."

While the instructor came around his desk, Adrien took a clean hand towel from a nearby shelf and rolled it into a tube. "Here Marinette. You're gonna want to bite down on this." Marinette nodded and allowed him to put it into her mouth. Mr. Argencourt came over and took hold of her left arm with two hands. Adrien took hold of Marinette's other shoulder to prevent her from moving. "On three. One! Two! Three!"

The instructor yanked up and in with such force that there was a loud POP! And pain like nothing she'd ever felt before shot through her body. She screamed and bit down at the same time and then immediately passed out.