Ahem. There once, was a man, from Nantucket...Oh geez, who me gave this script? It's the wrong one! Ah, here it is! Now, uh, it has been a minute I know. I decided to take a short break from writing. Plus I got really busy so I couldn't do much anyway. Also I know the battles in the last chapter were stupidly short. But I was trying to get the story moving along and it's honestly really boring to write fights. "He punches her and she kicks him." You see where I'm going with this? So my apologies if you wanted to see more fights. Also the part where Chloé said, "I am NOT egotistical!"? That was inspired by a "Garfield" comic strip. It went basically the same way. Arlene was saying all the things that was wrong with him and she didn't understand what she saw in him. Egotistical was on the list. Garfield just responded the same way Chloé did. So shout out to Jim Davis for that awesome comic. And yes, there will be 10 chapters. I'm banking on it. So no more delay. Read today!

Unfortunately, Ladybug's questions will have to be put on hold. Her earrings pinged and there was one black dot left on them. If she didn't leave now, she would transform back to normal.

Cat Noir's ring did the same thing, only one piece of the paw print on his ring was left. "Looks like I have to head out early, m'lady."

"Yeah, me too." She replied as he pounced and left, using his staff. Then she looked at Brian, who was looking around curiously. "You want a quick ride down?"

He just stared at her. "You're...Ladybug?"

"Uh...Yeah? And it's a yes or no question. I really need to be going."

"But...Superheroes aren't real."

"Sure they are."

"Figuratively speaking, yes, but-"

"Do you want a ride? Yes or no?" Ladybug asked impatiently.

Brian sighed, still unsure of what he is seeing. He was not convinced at all. Probably cosplay. "If you can, yes."

Ladybug picked him up, and threw her yo-yo around a part of the Eiffel Tower and lowered Brian down to the ground.

Once they got to the ground, Brian looked at her, amazed. How was this possible? He wondered. With a simple yo-yo, there was no way it could hold their weight, let alone her own. Maybe a strong cable?

No. He saw it. It was black string. So how...?

But she swings away before he could ask any questions at all about it. Fair. Wait... SWINGED away?

"It couldn't...Could it?" He asked out loud. Maybe... Maybe their real.

Even so, it didn't explain how he got on top of the Eiffel Tower in the first place. What did Adrien and Nino tell him? Said something about being Akumatized, which apparently meant being turned into a supervillain. But if this were true, what happened afterward? They said they would be transformed back after they were defeated.

What did this have to do with him though? This didn't help in anyway.

Unless...

Was he...

No, he would remember...

Wouldn't he?...

Adrien and Nino never said anything about memory loss...

Brian sighed. True or not, thinking about it wasn't helping anything. He would probably find out soon enough.

Just as soon as he found his way home.

Ladybug made it to her room just in time before transforming back. She dropped on her bed like a dead body. She was exhausted. Shortly after though, she sat back up on her bed and thought a moment.

Tikki popped up in front of her. "Thinking about Brian, Marinette?"

"Yeah...Why was he Akumatized?" Marinette replied.

"I wish I knew..."

"He was so cheerful... I even saw him talking with Sabrina, which is not an easy accomplishment. But that's what makes it so confusing..."

Tikki then said, "I think you're forgetting something important."

"What's that, Tikki?"

"You ever heard the saying, 'Every cloud has a silver lining?'"

"Yeah?"

"Well, there is another saying. 'Every rainbow has its rain.'"

Marinette looked down. "That's depressing."

Tikki floated down to meet her eyes. "Both sayings are true, Marinette. Just depends on your point of view. But my point is, as happy and cheerful as Brian was, and I believe he was being genuine, I think he had something else going on. You just need to figure out what it is."

"But how?"

"Simple! ASK!"

"What am I supposed to ask him? 'Hey, Brian, I was wondering, what deep dark secret are you hiding that caused you to try to burn down the whole city and make peoples lives completely miserable? Just asking out of curiosity! Don't mind me!'" Marinette replied sarcastically.

Tikki couldn't help but giggle had her act, she had lowered her voice for her fake questioning. "No, but you could ask things like..."

Adrien was back at his house again. He had just turned on the TV in his room. He was trying to figure out what had happened. He remembered everything up until...

Armageddon, or Brian now, had placed his fingers on his forehead. It felt...Cold, and empty. Just trying to remember have him chills. He felt like...Like something happened. SOMETHING. But maybe the miraculous ladybug removed the memory of it.

And something told him that was a really good thing.

He might not remember what it was that he saw, but he was glad he would never have to see it again.

Brian was home. Took a minute, but he was here. He had a long day. His parents weren't home, they had left him a text some time ago, saying,

'Hey we won't be home for another hour. There is some chicken in the fridge and we have some ravioli in the cupboard. Feel free to eat whatever. Be home soon love you!'

This genuinely didn't bother him. He liked his time to himself. No one to bother him, and plus he tended to do things he would never do in front of other people, like sing, or even rap on occasion.

Not this time, though. He just sat on the couch and turned on the TV in the living room. The news was on.

Normally, he couldn't care less about the news, but the first thing he saw was the headline:

BREAKING NEWS! NEW AKUMATIZED VILLAIN! DEFEATED BY LADYBUG AND CAT NOIR!

He immediately focused all of his attention on the screen. The reporter then said,

"According to witnesses of his arrival, he first appeared inside of a storm cloud, and they say it seemed to change depending on his mood. Some say the storm seemed to remind them of an older villain we know as Stormy Weather. However, studies show that this particular was not at all related to Stormy Weather. While the storm WAS controlled by his anger, he had many other elements that showed he was FAR different from her. Going by the name "Armageddon", he controlled fire and the angrier he got, the more he would burn. And, according to witnesses and other sources, he would do something with his two forefingers, and press them on his victims forehead. After that, his victim would be... Paralyzed with fear, and sadness. Armageddon claimed to be making their nightmares a reality. It would seem that the negative emotions that brought him to such a state was similar pain that was inflicted on him, according to studies."

Then she was handed a piece of paper. Brian is starting to get bored and is about to change the channel.

"And this just in, we have a confirmed identity of the Akumatized villain."

Brian leans in, having a feeling he already knows the answer to the unasked question.

"A 17 year old high schooler, named Brian Morris."

The next day came. Marinette began to look for Brian. She wasn't going to approach him on the matter right away, maybe talk to him a while and then ask about the news. She saw the news report on TV, just like everyone in the school. She was planning on approaching him gently, and maybe hint out some reasons it might have happened.

But she realized, she can't find Brian. Where was he? Maybe he was just in the bathroom.

Then class began. He wasn't anywhere to be seen. His usual seat next to Nino and Adrien was empty.

Role call came. But when Ms. Bustier said, "Brian?" There was no answer.

"Huh. Where is he?" Ms Bustier asked. No one had a clue.

That's when the principal came in and whispered something in her ear. "Oh..." Then she looked at the class mournfully and said,

"Class, I am afraid Brain is no longer with us."

The whole class immediately got shocked looks on their faces. Sabrina looked like she was about to cry.

"Oh! No, I didn't mean it like that!" Ms. Bustier said quickly, "I mean, he isn't going to this SCHOOL anymore. He will be homeschooled again, like he was in the US. I apologize for my poor choice of words."

The class sighed in relief, even Chloé. It was surprising to see Chloé worried about anyone, but she was.

For 13 seconds.

"Who cares about THAT dweeb, anyway? He didn't belong..." She paused. "Well, I... Why do you think he left anyway?"

Chloé seemed to be having trouble finding the correct words. That's odd.

"I am afraid I don't know. I do wonder if it had something to do with...Yesterday's events." Ms. Bustier replied.

"But... That's nothing new! Half of the people here have been Akumatized, at LEAST!" A muscular kid named Kim shouted.

"Exactly 13, if you include Lila. Although she has been on vacation for several weeks." A kid with glasses named Max added.

"Exactly. So-"

"He doesn't know that, Kim. So if what I think is true, and I believe I'm at least close, he probably feels like-"

"An outcast." Chloé said quietly.

"Know how that felt when it first started up." The kid with the skull shirt, whose name was Ivan, piped up.

"Well, there isn't anything we can do. It's his choice, not ours. He is free to come back whenever he feels ready, if at all. Now, for todays lesson..."

When school ended for the day, Marinette sat down on the steps outside of the school. She can't stop thinking about Brian. Could what Ms. Bustier said be true? If so, she has to find him.

She needs to clear things up. She was willing to do whatever it took.

"Hi Marinette! Bye Marinette!"

Marinette looked up to see Sabrina running faster than she has ever seen her run. Frankly, she has never seen her run. Marinette ran up and stopped her.

"Woah, Sabrina! What's the rush all of a sudden?" Marinette asked her.

"I'm going to Brian's apartment to see what's going on!" Sabrina replied, ready to take off again.

"What? Why? Wait, you know where he lives?" Marinette inquired.

"Yes. I helped him study for his history paper. And why wouldn't I look for him? He's my friend!"

"Then let me go with you."

Sabrina looked at her curiously. "Now it's my turn to ask why."

"Because I want to help him too. He's my friend as well."

"YOU ARENT GOING ANYWHERE SABRINA!" An obnoxious voice shouted.

It was Chloé.

"You aren't stopping me, Chloé! He is my friend, and I don't care if he is yours or not!" Sabrina said, standing up straight, although you could tell she was NOT used to this.

"I wasn't finished." Chloé replied, although surprised slightly at Sabrina's bravery. "You aren't going anywhere...Without me."

"What?!" Marinette and Sabrina said.

"You heard me. I have...Something to tell him." Chloé said, looking away.

"Um...Ok then! Let's go!" Marinette said, looking at Chloé strangely.

"Are you going to find Brian?" Adrien asked, who was apparently listening while sitting on the steps.

"Yeah. Let me guess..." Marinette replied, grinning.

"Yup." Adrien said, also smiling. "I'm going too. He is cheerful, funny, and an awesome friend. I want to know what's going on too."

Marinette looked at her group now. Sabrina, Chloé, Adrien, and herself.

"Alright then!" She exclaimed. "Sabrina, lead the way."

Brian was sitting on the couch, watching the news. On every news channel he found, he was on it. At least, Armageddon was. He was horrified by what he did. He couldn't believe that something could give him that kind of power, let alone the will to hurt others. He took martial arts when he was a little kid, but he quit because he didn't like fighting at all. For a while he wished he continued, so that he could know self defense. Now he was glad he didn't. Not that it mattered whether he did or not. Seems like he would have caused just as much damage either way.

None of the news channels he had seen seemed to reveal how the battle ended. Not that he cared. No matter how it ended, one fact remained the same: He was a villain. The whole school hated him for it. He was alone now.

Utterly alone.

Then he heard the doorbell. His parents? No, that was stupid.

Brian looked through the peephole. It was Sabrina. Behind her he could see Marinette, Adrien, and Chloé as well. Why in the world were they here?

He opened the door a crack. "What do you want?"

"We're worried about you." Sabrina replied. "Why aren't you coming to school?"

Brian looked away for a second, then said, "I'm a villain."

"No you're not." Marinette said simply.

"Who got turned into a villain then?" Brian asked rhetorically.

"You were a villain, but-"

"Who burned down dozens of buildings?"

"That was-"

"Who made dozens of people go into a depressing mental state???"

"You did! But-"

"But nothing! Just..." He choked, tears in his eyes. "Just go away."

He began to shut the door, but Adrien stopped him. "You forgot one thing."

"Yeah? What would that be?"

Adrien pulled out his phone, and pulled up a video. "Who defeated Armageddon in the end?"

"Ladybug and Cat Noir?" Brian replied, slightly confused.

"No. You did, Brian."

He hit play. It was a video on the LadyBlog. Alya was filming.

"Hey all you LadyBloggers! Alya here, and I am watching as Ladybug dukes it out with Armageddon, which would appear to be a new student from my school, Brian Morris!"

"Do I have to watch this?" Brian asked dejectedly.

"Yes." Adrien replied strictly.

Alya continues in the video, with her camera facing the top of the Eiffel Tower, where Ladybug, Chloé And Armageddon was. "Now Armageddon is threatening to KILL Cat Noir if she doesn't give up her Miraculous! Wait, is Chloé- what is Chloé doing up there??? OMG, Armageddon has her by the THROAT! This is the most dangerous villain I have ever- wait, what happened?"

In the video, Brian sees his villain self, and he is terrifying. However, although he can't hear what she is saying, he could tell that Chloé was saying something to Armageddon. Then he raised up his two forefingers towards her forehead. Then got the hair out of her eyes, and-

"He just... Put her down?"

Then a mask silhouette appeared in front of his face, and Brian hears his own voice loud and clear.

"You lied to me Hawk Moth... Then why did they use my own analogy against me? I'm done Hawk Moth!... Not anymore! AAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHH!!!!"

Alya is obviously amazed at what she is seeing. Frankly, so is Brian.

"AAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!! CAPTURE THE AKUMA!!!!! I CAN'T DO THIS FOREVER!!!!"

Then, in the rest of the video, Ladybug captured the Akuma, and turned everything back to normal.

"Wow... I'm speechless!" Alya says in the video. "Out of all the villains I've seen, this is the first one that seems to have saved HIMSELF!!! This is incredible!!!"

Adrien turned off the video. Brian just stared at the blank screen.

He didn't know what to say. At all.

"Brian... You saved yourself. Does that make you a villain?" Adrien inquired.

Brian takes a deep breath, and replies, "And if I didn't? Would you still be at my doorstep?"

"YES!" They all say.

Brian is taken aback by the response. "Why?!?"

"Well, for one, you're not the only one that has gotten yourself Akumatized." Chloé replies. "Antibug. Nice to meet you!"

Sabrina clears her throat. "Vanisher."

Brian looks at her, surprised by the fact she was Akumatized at all.

Marinette pipes up. "And then there's Gamer, Stoneheart, Evillustrator... The list goes on."

Adrien then says, "You aren't alone. Not in this, or anything else."

Brian's eyes widen in realization. He... Wasnt alone at all. And it only took him just now to realize it. He was so focused on the home he left, the people that let him down, the people that told him he didn't belong, he forgot about the good things.

Meeting Adrien and becoming his friend.

Becoming Nino's friend.

Watching them do goofy poses.

Doing the "fancy" routine.

Officially meeting Sabrina.

Watching Marinette trip over herself around Adrien.

Doing the history paper, with help from Sabrina.

Gaming and goofing around with Adrien.

And now, those same people were in his doorway. Ready to do whatever it took to bring him back to school.

But Brian still had one question.

"Ok, I'll go back."

"YES!"

"WOOHOO!"

"ALRIGHT!"

The whole group cheers, glad they convinced him to go back.

"I just have one question." He looks at Chloé. "Why are YOU here? Not meaning that in a mean way, it's just, I thought you hated my guts and everything about them."

Chloé chuckles a little, then frowns and says, "I was just as concerned as the next person. And... I wanted to apologize."

"Apologize? For what?" Brian asks.

"For...being a jerk. I... Know how it feels. Feeling like you don't belong. And being afraid that one day, you will find yourself-"

"Alone." Brian finishes.

"Yeah... I never want to make you feel that way. I... Wasn't thinking. I don't know what to-"

"I forgive you."

Chloé looked stunned. "What?"

Brian smiled. "I forgive you. It's ok."

"Just...Like that? Nothing?"

"What can I say? I'm a people person! And besides, we've all done stupid things. Take me, for example. Aside from the whole destruction thing, let's just say, with Autism, I couldn't always get along with people so well."

"Really? Wait, you have Autism?"

"Yes and yes. You can see why girls wouldn't necessarily recommend me for a date!"

The group laughed at that. Then Brian said, "Anyway, you wanna come in? We are kinda blocking the hallway."

The group gladly took up the offer, but Brian stopped Sabrina at the doorway. "Can I ask you something? In private?" Brian asked nervously.

"Oh, uh, sure!" Sabrina replied.

"Hey, you guys don't go anywhere!" Brian shouted at the group, who was now inside the apartment, as he shut the door.

Sabrina and Brian are alone in the hallway.

"What did you want to ask me?"

"Hm? Oh yeah right! Um, I know it's not your scene, but uh, I well, was uh... ahem. Yeah, so the thing is..." Brian was stammering all over the place.

Sabrina couldn't help but giggle. "You sound like Marinette!"

Brian would have laughed too, if he wasn't so nervous. He took a deep breath and looked in her eyes. He was right.

They were emerald green.

Looking her in the eye was not helpful with his nerves, though. Made it worse, actually. But he knew it was important. He took another deep breath and said,

"Do you want to go to prom with me?"

Sabrina's eyes widened, and her face broke into a huge smile.

"Yes! Of course I will!"

Brian couldn't believe his ears.

"Wha-huh? But, I thought-"

"I was hoping you would ask me, to be honest, but after the whole incident, and the prom being tomorrow, and yet, you asked me!"

"Yeah, but, I thought you didn't like the prom."

Sabrina's smile faded. "It's... Not that I don't like it, it's just... No one ever asks me to the prom. I would always show up with Chloé and whatever date she chose that year. Either the cutest guy in the school or a famous celebrity. I always end up being edged out. Eventually I stopped showing up."

"Oh..." Brian had no idea what to say. Except...

"Well, you have a date now. And if you're willing, I'll give you the best night I can give you."

Sabrina smiled and hugged him. "Thank you. I do want to go with you."

Brian hugged her back. It was the best thing that could happen to him.

So far.

Aaaaaaand that's a rap. One more chapter and that should be it. It took me a while for this one because of the short break, and all the work I have to do, but here it is and hope you liked it! PEACE!!!