A/N in advance: Hey guys, welcome to my newest story. A few things I noticed in Ephemeral: I felt like the characters weren't acting like themselves, the ending wasn't satisfying for most viewers, Gabriel knowing his son's identity from just with one word confused many people (including me), and there was a lot more thought and emotion in the characters that could have been looked into, so I decided to give my own take here.
An extra note/warning: The first chapter of this story follows the sentimonster theory. I don't actually believe in this theory. I'm just using it for this specific fanfic. I don't know why I even have to say this, but please relax and stop commenting on it. If you don't believe it, just ignore it or consider it an AU. Everyone has their own opinions but please stop saying bad things about my story in the reviews just because it follows a specific AU. Thanks to those who are being respectful. :)
"Emilie. Everything I have done, I have done for you. But I… I don't know if I'm doing the right thing, Emilie, and honestly-" the old man's voice broke. "I don't know what to do anymore. I have to stay strong for you, and for Adrien." Tears burned his eyes as he, in a rare show of emotion, sat down next to his wife and leaned his head against the cryogenic pod where he tried to imagine she was simply sleeping.
Nathalie stood in the upper part of the Agreste mansion, watching him on a security camera. It was stupid how she wasn't allowed in his repository but she had security footage linking directly onto her IPad. Gabriel would be very angry if he found out. She wouldn't usually watch something so private, and she didn't want to interrupt, but Gabriel Agreste had responsibilities, and she absolutely refused to place those or poor Adrien- or even herself- again. She cared for the boy, she really did. What had she ever seen in this man in the first place? True, the fact that he would do anything for his wife was very sweet, but the way he was going about it was all wrong. If he could just wake up and see that she was right there for him, she always had been, things would be different. Instead, he stupidly clung to his fantasies and his crazy obsession with Ladybug and Cat Noir. And things had only gotten worse since she had gotten sick and couldn't be Mayura anymore. Most of the time, it was like she didn't exist. If only she could tell Gabriel how she really felt.
Trying to focus on the task at hand, she dialed his number on her IPad. After a second, he answered. "Sir," she said, struggling to keep her stern, calm demeanor. "It's time to leave."
Without another word, he simply hung up. Nathalie watched him walk away on her IPad's security footage. She sighed. Someday, that man would get some sense smacked into him, and he would deserve it.
In the car, Gabriel watched his son with care and adoration. It was rare for the fashion designer to leave the house, and even rarer for the two of them to leave together. It was an important occasion, and Gabriel knew that Adrien had to have been hurting just as much. But Emilie had always been the more emotional of the two. He could barely handle and rarely showed his own emotions, much less the emotions of his son. What should he do? Ask him if he was okay? Put his arm around him? He didn't know, so he chose to do nothing.
Suddenly, the brooch on his necklace flashed, giving him a headache. What now? He resisted the urge to groan- he was a calm, collected adult, and his face would show absolutely nothing else. In his mind, he tried to tune out the negative emotions. This was his one chance to leave the house and bond with his son. The opportunity was too important to pass up. The negative emotions didn't appear to have any particular malice, but they crept into his mind anyway- that's how distracted he was. It was that fool Bob Roth again, whining about some unimportant money problems. How someone so rich could care so much about money yet be so immature and babyish about it, Gabriel had no idea. But he didn't feel like he was in any mood to go to the conference, and maybe a quick akumatization would take his mind off things. However immature he was, Bob Roth would make a good villain- he was already a good villain, with or without akumatization. He had money and power, and that was all he needed. Maybe this could be his chance to get Emilie back.
"Adrien, I'm not feeling well enough. You must represent me today," he said sternly, without meeting his son's eyes.
The boy looked disappointed, but not entirely surprised. "But Father, you're launching your hundredth collection tonight! You're the one the journalists want to interview, not me," he excused. His tone made Gabriel consider what he was doing. He was a teenage boy who just wanted to spend time with his father. But Gabriel was in no mood for this disobedience, so without thinking, he twisted his ring.
"Adrien, I am your father, and I am giving you the responsibility to attend this press conference," he snapped boldly. "Under no circumstances will you leave that room until it's finished. All I'm asking is that you honor my work and the memory of your mother. Do we have an agreement?" He made that an official command to his sentimonster.
"Yes, father," Adrien mumbled, slumping back into his seat. The hurt in his voice was clear, and it bothered Gabriel very much for some reason. He did not want to hurt his son.
Gabriel asked the driver to pull over, and he obeyed very quickly. Thankfully, they were not too far from the mansion, so he could simply walk back to his lair. Maybe the fresh air would clear his head.
On the way back to the house, he pondered about Adrien. Sentimonsters were not supposed to disobey their masters. But Adrien was not just a regular sentimonster. Over time, he had developed his own feelings and experiences. He was part human, and had bits of both Gabriel and Emilie in him. That's why the former could hardly bear looking at Adrien. He reminded Gabriel too much of his wife.
Nathalie would be very frustrated with him, he knew, for leaving this responsibility to Adrien again. It was not always clear to Gabriel where she felt or where she stood, but it was clear that she cared for Adrien, possibly more than he did, though he would never admit to that.
Back to Adrien, he was doing this whole thing so his son could be happy again. But was he helping his son? At times, he felt like he was just hurting Adrien by isolating him. Gabriel massaged his temples. He knew Adrien did not appreciate the lessons, being homeschooled, and even distance between them. There was always a certain chill when they were near each other, and they barely had meals together anymore. They barely even communicated. Yet Gabriel could not do it any other way, because he would not let something bad happen to his son, not again.
As he neared the mansion, he checked in on his old friend Bob. His negative emotions were still going strong. Man, that guy was pathetic. Not only was he too negative, but he was simply a jerk. His problem was that he had lost a penny in the sewers- that was a stupid reason to get akumatized and even Gabriel knew it.
Gabriel had the gates opened for him by Nathalie, who was waiting for him by the door. "Gabriel, what on-?"
He gently shoved her out of the way and marched on past her. "No time. There's a strong negative emotion." Okay, that was a lie. It was pretty dim by now. But it was strong enough to distract Gabriel from his current issues, and that was the only solution he knew: run from your problems.
The hairs on the back of Nathalie's neck stood up. Before she could stop herself, she snapped, "Are you serious, Gabriel? What about Adrien? Are you really that pathetic?"
Gabriel froze, his face dark. "Yes, Nathalie," he said softly after a pause. "I am that pathetic. Because I would do anything for Emilie."
Adrien was very disappointed in his father, but he was not shocked. He may be slightly socially awkward and clueless, but he isn't stupid. Every time he thinks that his father will actually be going out, something goes wrong. He should know better than to get his hopes up.
He and the driver spent the rest of the ride in silence. When they got to the Grand Palais, there was a crowd of reporters and paparazzi waiting outside. They all looked disappointed to see Adrien Agreste instead of Gabriel, but that didn't stop them from suffocating him with their flashing cameras, peppering him with questions. Eventually, his bodyguard had to step in front of him and lead him inside.
When he was comfortably standing in front of a variety of microphones with only the scheduled interviewers watching, he put on his model smile and apologized for the lack of his fathers presence, explaining that his father was unwell and that he would be interviewed in his father's stead. He posed and smiled for their photos, as he was required to.
The first question came: "The one-hundredth collection of the brand Gabriel is dedicated to your recently departed mother. How do you feel about this dedication?"
My heart caught in my throat, just like it did everytime I talked about mom. But my smile turned a bit softer and more real as I answered, "Ever since I can remember, everything my father has done, he's done for her. Though this one is the only one specifically dedicated to her, every one of his collections have been for her. I miss her very much."
The reporters smiled and 'aww'ed at my statement, and the one who asked the question thanked me. Some reporter asked about my personal favorite piece from the collection, but before I could answer, the akuma alert rang through the city and every Parisian's phone buzzed. The conference was put on hold immediately, and it was voted a shelter in place.
Adrien internally panicked. He needed to find a quiet, secluded spot to transform, perhaps a public bathroom or one of the closed exhibits. But then his father's voice echoed in his head:
"Adrien, I am your father, and I am giving you the responsibility to attend this press conference. Under no circumstances will you leave that room until it's finished. All I'm asking is that you honor my work and the memory of your mother. Do we have an agreement?"
Adrien faltered. This was in his mother's honor, and his father very specifically instructed him to stay put. But he had to help his lady- his duties as a superhero came first. He wanted to protest the very stern, commanding thoughts.
He stayed in place, microphones in his face and all.
Ladybug pulled out her Bugphone for the millionth time, but there were no new messages. She growled. "Where are you, Chat?"
A purple butterfly mask formed just above the villain's face. "My money-making lasers are gonna make me even richer!" he declared.
Shadow Moth must have said something to him because he said in response, "All in due time. It depends on how much these trinkets are worth."
Shadow Moth must have said something that angered Moolak, because he groaned and said, "Jeez, a guy can't even strike a bargain these days." The purple butterfly mask faded.
Ryuko's whirlwind strikes from outside of Moolak's vault and electrifies it. Their whole team of ten superheroes (Ryuko, Pegasus, Vesperia, Pigella, Purple Tigress, King Monkey, Carapace, Viperion, Polymouse, and Ladybug herself- way more than they needed) chase after Moolak on the rooftops.
"You'll never get your hands on my lucky coin!" the man- Ladybug had deduced that he was Bob Roth- laughed madly. What a stupid reason to be akumatized, Ladybug thought. Something to do with a lucky penny that had fallen down the sewers? Since the emotions weren't so strong, it should have been an easy fight. But this stupid safe just wouldn't open! Why was this dumb villain so hard to beat?!
She was in an exceptionally bad mood since Chat hadn't shown up yet. She'd left several messages- maybe fourteen or even more. But she was the team leader, and she had to win the fight, with or without Chat Noir.
"We have to get to Moolak if we're gonna defeat him! Pegasus, use your power now!" she ordered, which was quite a good idea if she said so herself.
He nodded in understanding. "Voyage!" In exchange, he got a faceful of coins. He coughed up some gold. Ladybug tried not to think about the fact that those coins were parisians. Ew. "I can't teleport! The safe is so filled up with coins, there's no room!"
"It would be simpler to just Cataclysm the whole safe!" Vesperia piped up.
"I know! But I already left I don't know how many messages for Cat Noir!" Ladybug retorted, trying to keep the snapping tone out of her voice.
"I'm gonna be so rich!" Moolak shrieked with joy as he flew over the Grand Palais, the heroes chasing him.
Ladybug angrily snatched her Bugphone and dialed her partner's number again, but instead of a response, Chat Noir's voice went, "Chat Noir here! You can purr your message after the "meow"! Meow!"
Ladybug growled. This was all Chat's fault.
Where are you Chat?
Back at the Grand Palais, the interview was still on hold. Adrien sat politely with a model smile while people surrounded him, fixing his makeup or adjusting his clothes.
Adrien looked through the roof of the venue, watching the fight overhead.
"I'm getting so rich!" the villain laughed maniacally as he flew past. Ladybug and nine other heroes- were there nine now? The number seemed to keep increasing- chased the villain above, no idea that Chat Noir, who they were probably searching for, was right below.
Adrien felt horrible. He should have been there for his team. He should have been there for his Lady. He needed to get out of that interview. His team needed him. But…
"Adrien, I am your father, and I am giving you the responsibility to attend this press conference. Under no circumstances will you leave that room until it's finished. All I'm asking is that you honor my work and the memory of your mother. Do we have an agreement?"
His father's voice echoed in his head, giving him a headache. Why should he listen to the voice? Why couldn't he disobey?
"Adrien," came Nathalie's voice from the earpiece. There was a tone of sadness in her voice, there had been throughout the whole interview.
Her message was clear. Don't mess this up.
"Adrien, I am your father, and I am giving you the responsibility to attend this press conference. Under no circumstances will you leave that room until it's finished. All I'm asking is that you honor my work and the memory of your mother. Do we have an agreement?"
Adrien flashed his model smile. "Let's continue the interview!"
"But the akuma!" one of the interviewers protested. That interviewer was probably correct. But Adrien couldn't risk disappointing his father. This interview was important to him.
"Adrien, I am your father…"
"It doesn't matter. We'll be safe in here, right?" He directed this question to the cameraman and the two museum security guards next to him with a smile.
"I am giving you the responsibility to attend this press conference. Under no circumstances will you leave that room until it's finished."
The security guards next to the cameraman nodded.
"All I'm asking is that you honor my work and the memory of your mother. Do we have an agreement?"
Adrien spread his arms to address the interviewers.
"Adrien, I am your father…"
"You will not leave that room…"
"...Do we have an agreement?"
Adrien, don't let me down.
"Perfect. Next question!"
As you wish, Father.
Several minutes later, he watches the Miraculous Ladybugs wash over the city, repairing all of the damage from the battle. He didn't know why he was so worried- Ladybug could handle it. All he knew is that he could not leave the event before it ended.
Viperion watched as Ladybug slammed the phone section of her Bugphone closed. "Lucky Charm!" she yelled. A fire truck fell two inches in front of her, nearly crushing her. All of the superheroes yelped, Viperion included. Luka was extremely confused as to what they would do with a giant fire truck. She was too young to even drive.
As Ladybug scanned the area, Luka realized that the way she solved her Lucky Charm was very… Marinette. Marinette was the perfect Ladybug, he realized, with her heart of gold and quick-thinking. It was impressive. It was no wonder Chat fell in love with her so quickly. Ugh, what was he thinking? How could Adrien not see these qualities in Marinette, see how amazing she was? If Luka couldn't be with her, he wanted her to be happy, and it frustrated him endlessly that they were too blinded by the secret identities to realize that they were in love. Everyone else in Paris seemed to know it.
"Got it! Gear up guys!" Ladybug yelled, startling Viperion out of his thoughts. She hurled her yo-yo forward, using it as a lasso to tie up the villain, securing it in midair with just her strength. Even though no one knew what she was talking about, the miraculous holders were used to this. Ladybug was in charge, and she usually had brilliant ideas. They just had to take a minute to understand them.
Luka sighed. This was too complicated. It would be so much easier if they just had a cataclysm. Should Luka sneak off to look for Adrien? No, he wouldn't even know where to look. Marinette would know, he thought to himself. He was trying to make a joke to cheer himself up, but it just made him more upset, because it was out of the question to ask Ladybug about Adrien Agreste's schedule in the middle of a battle. That would make them both seem like creeps.
"Polymouse, go!" Ladybug yelled. "Purple Tigress, Pigella, Vesperia, there! Carapace, get ready!" The few miraculous holders that had been called out by name paused for a moment, before nodding in understanding. Ah, Viperion thought, clever as always, Marinette. Ladybug quickly gave the rest of the team their instructions as Polymouse, Vesperia, Pigella, Purple Tigress, and Carapace got into position.
"Multitude," the mouse hero- Polymouse, Ladybug called her- yelled, and there was a pink light as she split into 100 tiny versions of herself. Moolak started firing at her clones.
"Pigella, Tigress, now!" Marinette ordered.
Juleka- no, Purple Tigress- and a pink superhero he didn't know- Pigella, he assumed- grunted as they threw Vesperia into the air, sending her flying towards Moolak while he was busy with Polymouse and her clones. "Venom!" Vesperia cried out.
When the villain- or victim, Luka knew was the correct term, but was Bob Roth really a victim?- noticed Vesperia and started firing his lasers at her, Carapace called on his protection powers to shield her. She glided through the air calmly.
"Blasted super nerds," Moolak snarled.
"Unshield!" Carapace cried. Vesperia landed on the golden safe and used her stinging powers to immobilize Moolak.
It was like listening to a symphony, Viperion thought, watching in awe as all of the harmonies came together. Every instrument- sorry, superhero- had their own part to creating something beautiful. And Marinette conducted it all. He felt a slight blush creep up his cheeks. He knew it was wrong to keep calling her Marinette while she was in hero form, but she truly was miraculous, with or without the costume.
"Viperion, try all possible combinations!" Ladybug ordered.
Okay, what. the actual. heck? He knew Marinette wasn't herself because of her anger at Chat for not showing up, but was a bit extreme. It could take him hours! Well, seconds for them, which was so unfair. He knew Marinette's solutions were often crazy, but was that really the best solution?
Welp, no time to waste, Viperion thought. Actually, that's not true. I have infinite time ahead of me.
He climbed up the fire truck ladder quickly and studied the keypad to the safe. It was a four digit code. He did the math in his head. That meant there were ten thousand possible combinations. And if each try took him three or four seconds- he estimated three, counting the time it took for him to type it out and say second chance- that could take him anywhere up to eight and a half or eleven hours! Ughh.
0000. Error. "Second Chance!"
0001. Error. "Second Chance!"
0002. Error. "Second Chance!"
0003. Error. "Second Chance!"
He knew that eight hours in a time loop was nothing. Adrien as Aspik had been in that Desperada time loop for months. He had never been in one that long and never wanted to. He still had nightmares about it.
0013. Error. "Second Chance!"
0014. Error. "Second Chance!"
0015. Error. "Second Chance!"
This would get a bit annoying, Viperion knew, and he was already exhausted. He couldn't imagine how Sass would feel. The poor kwami would be starving, and deserved at least five fresh eggs after this. Hopefully Marinette would treat him. He knew how considerate she was.
0024. Error. "Second Chance!"
0025. Error. "Second Chance!"
0026. Error. "Second Chance!"
0027. Error. "Second Chance!"
With that, his thoughts shifted towards Ladybug. He was hiding enough from her as it was. Well, now he knew what she was hiding from him when they broke up. He shouldn't have asked. Marinette would have never forced a secret out of him. Why did he think he deserved to know? Why did he think he deserved her?
0049. Error. "Second Chance!"
0050. Error. "Second Chance!"
He should have told Marinette that he knew her identity. He should tell her.
0053. Error. "Second Chance!"
He should tell Adrien too.
0068. Error. "Second Chance!"
0069. Error. "Second Chance!"
No, that would only upset them more. Marinette would blame herself. Adrien would be angrier than he already is. The way he found out… against their wills… it was wrong.
0077. Error. "Second Chance!"
He was no better as Viperion than he was as Truth. The words hurt, but they were true.
0081. Error. "Second Chance!"
(The beeping of the safe was starting to get to him. He would hear it in his sleep, he was pretty sure. He now felt bad for Aspik. This could drive a man to insanity.)
0092. Error. "Second Chance!"
0093. Error. "Second Chance!"
Should he tell them or not? Marinette would want him to tell her, but she wouldn't want to know. Whether he told her or not, he would still be hurting her. This was all wrong. He was a horrible superhero, and a horrible friend. So what should he do?
0097. Error. "Second Chance!"
0098. Error. "Second Chance!"
Well, he had eight long hours ahead of him to figure himself out.
0099. Accepted! "Seco- oh."
He stared in shock for a moment. He heard a click as the locking mechanism opened. He did it! He couldn't believe it! He swung the door open, and coins poured out like a flood.
"Jackpot! And it only took 100 tries!" He called to his team with half-hearted enthusiasm as he slid down the spotted ladder. Woo-hoo.
"Great work, Viperion," Ladybug said, causing him to blush. She clearly thought it was no big deal, though. To him, it really was. He watched as she expertly threw her yo-yo into the pile of coins and found the one that was slightly bigger and darker than the others.
"Nooo!" the villain yelled.
Ladybug quickly smashed the coin and the akuma flew away. "No more evil doing for you, little akuma!" She caught and purified it with her yo-yo. "Gotcha! Bye bye little butterfly!"
The golden vault and all of its coins were gone in the blink of an eye, revealing a still-sobbing Bob Roth on his hands and knees. It did no good to victim blame (though he would hardly call Bob Roth a victim), but he refused to admit how much joy it gave him to see that man defeated in battle. Bob Roth was the cause of your akumatization, a small part of him said. No, he countered, Shadow Moth was.
"Great job, everyone," Polymouse said sweetly, ever the optimist of the group. "We couldn't have done this without you.
"Yeah," Pigella added excitedly, in her high-pitched voice. "You all did an amazing job!"
"Pound it!" The ten heroes said as they bumped fists.
"One last thing, Tigress," Ladybug said, "I may need your help to toss the lucky charm this time."
"We'll all toss it," King Monkey insisted. Everyone seemed to like that idea, so they all split up and formed a circle around the spotted truck.
"Miraculous… Ladybug!" They all said, tossing the truck as high as they could, which wasn't very high, but thanks to Juleka's power, they sent it high enough for the Ladybug's to stream out well above the rooftops. Luka's heart swelled with pride. He knew how much being on a team had helped him and Juleka both. It was all thanks to Marinette: she helped Juleka find her voice at school and as a superhero. She was an amazing friend. I don't deserve her, he thought again.
"Thanks team! I'll meet you back at your individual rendezvous to collect your miraculouses make sure you are not followed!"
The team exchanged uncomfortable glances, but no one said anything about the obviously missing team member. They just turned back to Ladybug and nodded. She smiled at them, though it was strained.
They all started to go their separate ways, but before Luka could go, he felt a hand on his wrist. His blush increased and he could hear his heart beating in his throat. Could Ladybug hear it?
"Viperion, could you do me a favor and meet me at our secondary spot? We need to talk."
He gulped and nodded slowly.
This was what he'd been fearing.
A/N: Thank you for reading! So far this has been one of my favorite fanfics to write! It took me a really long time, so please leave a review!
I don't know if any of you read this fanfic or noticed, but some of the Luka section (namely the part where he is entering passwords) is based on someone else's fanfiction. I don't remember their user or have the link, but it was a different Ephemeral rewrite. I don't claim this idea as my own: it was just a good idea that I liked and wanted to include in my fanfic. Every other part is original.
As always, I don't own Miraculous or its characters.
Enjoy! :)
