"I'm so glad we have this event every year," Alya said to Marinette as they followed the throng of classmates inside the show tent. Marinette hummed in agreement as she gazed up at the giant dome taking in the silhouette designs that formed different types of figures on its walls.

Every year, the shadow puppeteer, Isaac Pascal, would come to Paris to give a free show to the students of Collège Françoise Dupont. However, his shows weren't like your normal shadow puppet shows. A huge projector would be set up to maximize the forms he would create in front of a giant light. He was very famous for his shows. Even getting to go as far as to do one for the president!

Coming to do a show for them was a tradition of his since this was where his career started. No matter how busy his schedule was, he never missed the opportunity to do a show for them. Marinette always loved his shows and stories and couldn't wait to see what he had in store to tell them.

The two friends made it into the main part of the tent after getting some popcorn from a little concession stand. They sat in the front row, wanting a good view of the show.

"Ugh, this is ridiculous, utterly ridiculous."

Alya groaned in annoyance and she and Marinette both turned around to see that Chloe had taken a seat behind them in the stands. The blonde had her legs and arms crossed, lip pouted. Sabrina, Chloe's 'friend' sat next to her, holding onto Chloe's snacks. The ginger was clearly struggling to keep everything from falling but never asked for help. After all, she lived for pleasing Chloe.

"Hey Chloe, how about you not ruin the show for everyone else, yeah?" Alya said. Marinette loved that about her best friend. No matter who it was, Alya wasn't afraid to speak her mind. Even if it was to a girl who pretty much had Paris in her hands.

"Excuse me?" Chloe glared at Alya, who in turn held her gaze. "Of course you and Stupain-Cheng would enjoy this baby show. Seriously, this isn't even a real career."

"I like it," the girls turned to see Nino and Adrien walking into the stands, drinks, and popcorn in hand. Nino sat next to Alya while Adrien went on to sit next to Marinette. A blush consumed her face when he smiled at her and she couldn't keep the huge goofy grin from splitting her face.

"Ugh, no one cares if you like it, nerd boy," Chloe replied to Nino's comment.

"Why don't you like it, Chloe?" Adrien asked his childhood friend. Chloe scoffed and waved away his question.

"It's just a man twidling his fingers. Totally not worth anyone's time," she replied.

"Well, he tells stories using shadows," Marinette spoke up, grabbing Adrien's attention. "I think that's pretty impressive. Is this your first time coming to one of his shows?"

"Yeah," Adrien said, glancing away for a bit. He felt a little embarrassed having been the only one who had never attended the event, but he didn't blame himself. "My father figured it wasn't well...worth the time like Chloe said."

"And he's right!" Chloe said, causing Alya, Nino, and Marinette to frown.

"But, I was able to convince him this time." Adrien smiled, ignoring Chloe's comment. "Nino talked it up as something I would very much enjoy."

"And you will, bro," Nino said, giving his friend a fist bump. "Bet on it." Adrien had to lean over in order to complete it, letting Marinette get a small whiff of his hair. She sighed dreamily, happy that she got a chance to smell his shampoo.

Suddenly, the lights in the tent dimmed, taking the chatter of the students with it. Once it was pitch black and quiet, a bright beam turned on, illuminating a screen in front of them. The students watched in awe as the silhouette of a hand appeared on the screen. It waved at them and they laughed and waved back.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen," A loud voice filled the area, echoing around them. "To A Shadows Tale! My name is Isaac Pascal, the Shadow Puppeteer! I shall be your host on this fine evening."

The hand disappeared and was replaced with the silhouette of a skinny man with a top hat. He tipped it, causing everyone to gasped in delight. Even Adrien was impressed with the man's abilities.

"Is everyone ready, for our story to begin?" Cheers filled the room and the silhouette made gestures to lower the volume. "Wonderful! However, today will be a different event. I want two volunteers! A girl and a boy!"

The students raised their hands, some even jumping up and down to get picked.

"Is this normal?" Adrien asked Marinette, who shook her head in amusement.

"No, normally he would just start the show. I wonder what he has in mind," she said, waiting for the man to choose the lucky students.

"Well, let's find out," Marinette turned to him in shock before Adrien grabbed her hand and raised it high above their heads. She felt her face turn red and her heart was racing with fear and glee as she stared up at their conjoined fingers. A soft squeal left her mouth and behind them, Chloe scoffed in disbelief.

"This is so stupid. Come on, Sabrina!" Chloe stood and began to exit the tent with Sabrina and the snacks in tow. "I'll have this show shut down for good!" Once they made it outside, Chloe pulled out her cell phone and speed dialed her father.

Back inside, the silhouette of pascal pretended to scan the crowd before gasping.

"You two! Come here!" His silhouette made a hand gesture, outlining Marinette's head and pigtails, and Adrien's hair. Marinette gasped while Adrien's face lit up with excitement.

"Come on!" he said, still holding onto her hand. He took her popcorn, sat it next to him, and pulled her away from the stands. Marinette was so stunned, she could barely keep her footing as he pulled them in front of the screen. She had never seen him so excited about anything like this, however, she was happy to get to witness it first hand.

"Please, face the screen and stand still," The silhouette informed them. They did as they were told, turning their backs on the students who were watching intensely. "Yes...okay..." the silhouette nodded and muttered as it stared at their shadows. After a few moments, he clapped his hand and bowed. "Thank you very much! That will be all. Please take your seats!"

Marinette and Adrien glanced at one another, clearly confused with what was going on. However, they made their way back to their seats, waiting to see what would happen.

"Let the story begin," the silhouette of Pascal morphed into a girl with pigtails, sitting on what looked like a bench. The students gasped when they realized that he had created Marinette's shadow.

"That's amazing!" Marinette gasped.

"One day, a fair maiden sat alone, reading a book about life with that special someone," Pascal narrated. Petals from a tree began to swirl and spin at the other end of the screen until they morphed into a shadow of Adrien. Marinette blushed and glanced at the boy next to her, who was mesmerized by the story.

"Suddenly, a boy made of flowers appeared and asked if she would accompany him on a date."

Outside, Sabrina had thrown away all of the snacks she bought, per Chloe's orders, and listened as the blonde whined through the phone to her father, Mayor Bourgeois.

"But daddy, this show is so lame!" she said, stomping her foot in protest. "Get rid of it! It's tacky and stupid!...NO! I want this show canceled!...replace it with something like...like..." She gestured towards Sabrina for an idea.

"Um...the circus?" Sabrina suggested, which earned her a scowl from Chloe.

"Just get rid of this event! NOW!" she snapped her cell phone shut and scoffed again. "Finally, my time can be used better somewhere else. Let's go, Sabrina. I want a smoothie."

Inside the tent, the story of Marinette and Adrien's shadow had taken a beautiful twist. The 'couple' had fun, having a picnic, listening to an orchestra, and were about to finish the day off in front of a beautiful sunset.

"The boy asked the maiden if she had ever fallen in love," Pascal said, acting out the scene. The blush on Marinette face never left throughout the show and she was sure that Adrien was enjoying it too. Albeit, probably not as much as she was. "She replied that today was the first time she's ever felt, love. They stared into one another's eyes and slowly, they grew closer and closer until-"

BRRRRING BRRRING! PHONE CALL! PHONE CALL!

"Oh, my!" the shadows of Marinette and Adrien disappeared, leaving the screen blank. The audience gasped and Marinette turned to Adrien to see that they had actually gotten closer just like their shadows. She quickly backed away with a nervous laugh before looking up to where Pascal and the projector was. However, she didn't have to wonder what was wrong. After all, the entire class could hear part of the conversation through his mic he forgot to turn off.

"Canceled? What do you mean, my friend...oh my!... No, no, please, you cannot...yes...yes, yes, I understand..." The conversation ended and the students and teachers stayed silent as they waiting for Pascal to speak.

On the screen, his silhouette appeared, top hat gone.

"My dear audience, I have received unfortunate news," he said. His shadow morphed into a building...the bank. "Unfortunately, funding for my show has stopped due to...complicated reasons...I will no longer be able to perform for you." The building changed back into him and the shadow bowed sadly. "Please, forgive me for taking your time. You may exit as I will be...taking down the tent soon and moving on..."

And just like that, the show was over. The light blacked out, leaving them in the dark temporarily before the main lights dimmed back on. At first, the students were so shocked that none of them moved. Then, one by one, protests spread throughout the crowd.

"What does he mean canceled?"

"Is this another event?"

"What in the world happened!?"

"I was so excited for this year's show!"

"Marinette," Marinette turned to Alya, who had a worried look on her face. "Why do you think he canceled his show so suddenly...I mean he comes every year. This can't be his last time...is it?"

"I don't know..." Marinette gazed up at the balcony where Pascal was. "Maybe...I could talk to him? See what happened?"

"If anyone can get answers, it's you Marinette," Nino said with a smile.

"Want me to come with you?" They turned to Adrien, who was already standing. "After all, he may feel better if both of us went seeing as he used our shadows." Marinette felt her face turn hot again at the memory of their shadows getting so close. She nodded and together, they walked to the staircase leading up to the puppeteer.

"Um...Mr. Pascal?" Marinette said as she gently knocked on the projector room door and opened it slowly. There they spotted Isaac, sitting in his chair with his head in his gloved hands. His top hat was discarded on the floor, next to what looked to be props for the shadow show. "Mr. Pascal?" Marinette said again, softly.

A sniff escaped the man and he looked up with tear-reddened eyes. He instantly recognized the two he had chosen from the crowd and tried to straighten his posture.

"My apologies, children," he said, wiping his face. "I did not mean to take up your time today."

"No, no, you didn't," Marinette said, trying to comfort the man. "What would make you think that? We all LOVE your shows, Mr. Pascal."

"The Mayor...he called and said that your classmates were bored and didn't like to attend my shows anymore."

"Why would he..." Suddenly, one person came to Marinette mind. Anger consumed her and she clenched her fists in frustration. "Chloe..."

"I was enjoying your show quite a lot, Mr. Pascal," The puppeteer looked at Adrien, who had a smile of reassurance. "This was actually the first time I attended. It would be tragic if this was the last show. I would love to come to more."

"That gives me great pleasure to hear, my boy," Pascal stood and gave the two teens a pat on the shoulder. "Alas, I must bid you adieu. This is a sad day for me. My career started here. As a matter of fact, it started at your school...but I guess my little city is no longer welcoming for me..." He gently stirred them to the door and they took the hint as him wanting time alone. "Thank you very much for enjoying the show, even though I could not finish."

"If you don't mind me asking, what was going to happen with our shadows?" Adrien asked to Marinette's surprise. She gazed at the model in shock but he didn't look to see her reaction. Mr. Pascal smiled but only put his finger up to his lips.

"I will leave that up to your imagination, my friend," He replied with a sad smile. Slowly, he shut the door on Marinette and Adrien, leaving them standing alone. Marinette sighed, saddened that the show would no longer be performed for them.

"I guess...we should go..." Adrien said. He made his way down the steps, Marinette right behind him. At the bottom, Alya and Nino were waiting on them. Everyone else had already left, leaving behind trash of popcorn and drinks.

"How did it go?" Alya asked. Marinette shook her head and Nino sighed in disappointment.

"This isn't cool, man," Nino commented, crossing his arms. "I came to these shows ever since I was little! How could they just cancel it like that?"

"It was Chloe," Marinette said, feeling the anger from before surface again. Alya rolled her eyes in irritation.

"Of course, who would have thought!"

"As much as I would like to say it couldn't be...I know Chloe too well." The thought of his childhood friend being so cruel brought pain to Adrien's chest but it couldn't be helped. She had done things like this before. There wasn't a doubt she wouldn't do it again.

"Now what do we do..." Nino asked, looking around the tent.

"I guess...that's the end..." Marinette commented. Together, the four exited the tent, heading back to the bus that was waiting to take them all back to the school house for their belongings.

"A man with a passion for pleasing; crushed by his own city that he loved...how amusing. A perfect victim for my Akuma," Hawkmoth held his hand out, letting a pure white butterfly land in it. He covered it, letting a dark energy surround and coat it's purity until it was dark and torn. "Fly away, my little Akuma, and evilise him!"

Back in the tent, Pascal was gazing at his hands. He had started a career with those tricks he would do and yet, the city where it all started had given up on him. His heart was broken. All he wanted to do was show his appreciation and now, he couldn't even do that in the city he loved. He closed his eyes and bowed his head in sadness. What he would give to show them that shadow puppetry was a true art to see.

Suddenly, he felt a massive power run through his veins. He opened his eyes, basking in the amount of strength that consumed him.

"Shadow Puppeteer, I am Hawkmoth," A voice said in his head. Isaac gazed around, not sure what was going on. "I see that the city you loved has turned their backs on you. Taken your kindness for weakness!"

"They have! I just wanted to spread my gratefulness to them!" Isaac said to the voice.

"Of course! And now they have thrown you away to replace you with something else! We can't let that happen, now can we? I can give you a chance to prove them all wrong! I can give you the power to get your revenge!" Another burst of power went through Isaac, making him feel invincible. He loved the feeling! He wanted to keep it! "But, I will first need a favor."

"Anything to show them what they've done!"

"Excellent..."

A dark matter consumed the Shadow Puppeteer. He felt his form changing, turning into something...sinister. He smiled and looked down at himself. His physical body was gone, replaced with a silhouette, just like his shadow puppets. He laughed and looked around until he found what he was looking for.

He placed his hand on a shadow cast by his chair and merged with it. It was like his body was turned into liquid and he quickly traveled through anything that cast a shadow until he came to the entrance of his tent. With a smile, he walked out into the sunlight. However, as soon as the light touched his body, he changed back into himself, much to his shock.

"What..." he looked down at himself again. Everything was normal. He could see his gloves, his skin, his shoes..."So...I can only become a shadow...withtin other shadows..." he smiled and looked around until he saw a woman sitting on a park bench. "I wonder..." Without letting her see him, he crept up behind her and merged with the shadow cast by the bench. The woman, who was reading a book, suddenly saw someone's shadow reaching for her. She turned around, thinking that the person was behind her, however, she saw no one there.

The puppeteer then took his chance and grabbed the hair of her shadow. Just as he suspected, when he yanked on the shadow, it pulled the woman too. She yelped in pain and turned back around, wondering who pulled her hair. However, no one was around her.

Confused, she stood and was about to step away from the bench only to trip and fall. She watched in horror and two hands emerged from the shadow of the bench, reaching for her. With a scream, she quickly stood and ran away, heart racing. The Shadow Puppeteer laughed as he climbed out of the shadow of the bench.

"It seems like I have a new way of giving performances..."