Scene 4 - Adrien in Grand Palais

Adrien stepped out of the car and onto the staircase leading up to the Grand Palais. The front of the venue was decorated with banners bearing his father's name, and previews of the designs from the collection that was to be released today. Adrien took a deep breath and started his way towards the front entrance.

He had not been prepared to do this alone today. It was not unusual for his father to back out of public events at the last minute. But if there was ever one Adrien expected his father would follow through on, it would be this one. This collection was a love letter to his mother. His father had been working on it since she had disappeared. His father would lock himself away for days or weeks at a time to work on it, and now that it had all come to fruition, he won't be here to see it premiere.

It's because he trusts you, Adrien told himself. His father would not have left him to lead such an important event if he didn't think Adrien could handle it. This thought gave Adrien a bit of confidence. His father may be distant, but it was little gestures like the extension of trust, or a personalized gift, that reminded him that Gabriel still cared for him, in his own way.

Adrien wasn't sure if his father's trend of becoming a hermit was the healthiest of coping mechanisms, but Adrien did not have much room to judge, as someone who dealt with his own grief by cataclysming every billboard in Paris.

Adrien knew how hard presenting something so personal must be for his extremely private Father. He knew he had to make his father proud, and to honor his mother's legacy.


Adrien was seated at the front of a large group of reporters. More than he had expected. Some looked disappointed that Gabriel was nowhere to be seen. Adrien took a sip of water and adjusted his earpiece. He was glad Nathalie was there, albeit virtually, to support him if he needed help with a question. She had become a steadfast structure in Adrien's life since the loss of his mother, and he would be forever grateful of how much Nathalie cared for him.

As the press conference began, the reporters did not hold back. They spoke fast and flashed their cameras, all eyes and ears on Adrien.

"The 100th collection of the Gabriel brand is dedicated to your missing mother, how do you see this idea?" the first reporter asked.

Adrien took a deep breath. He knew this was going to be the first question. It had been planted, and he had rehearsed the answer briefly with Nathalie over the phone before the conference had begun.

"Everything my father has done, he's done for her," Adrien responded.

He fielded a few more questions, trying to hit the talking points Nathalie had laid out for him. But about 10 minutes into the questions, he got distracted by a flash of movement and color whisking above him. He saw through the large glass ceiling of the Grand Palais, a strange golden box fly by, closely followed by Ladybug and several other heroes.

Oh no, not now, he thought frantically. If Ladybug had already distributed multiple other miraculouses, the threat must be serious, and he wasn't even there to help her!

There was a grumbling among the crowd as others noticed the commotion above as well. The event coordinator had a phone pressed against his ear, listening closely to someone on the other end. Adrien expected Nathalie was probably talking to him on the other end.

Nathalie was a stickler for schedules, and would never let something as trivial as an akuma attack disrupt her perfectly planned schedule. Adrien liked to imagine that if Papillombre ever tried to attack Nathalie she would simply tell him that she books appointments 8-weeks in advance and she couldn't possibly squeeze in getting akumatized into today's schedule.

The event coordinator put his phone down and moved to a microphone near the side of the press pen.

"Alright everyone," he started. "No need to worry, it looks like Ladybug is taking care of an incident but the fight has moved farther west towards the Arc de Triomphe, we are at no risk here, so the event will continue."

Immediately, Nathalie's voice was in his ear.

"Adrien, your father is counting on you," she said sternly.

Yeah, so is Ladybug, he wanted to say back. The reporters resumed their questions, and Adrien gave some canned responses, but his mind was not on the fashion exhibition but instead trying to concoct an excuse to get out of the Grand Palais as fast as possible and join Ladybug in the fight.

Perhaps he could feign illness? The lights were getting somewhat warm, he could say he had overheated and needed to lie down. He reached for his water, hoping that a large gulp would help him sell his false maledy.

But as his hands wrapped around the glass, he heard his father's words echo back to him.

You will not leave the event before it is finished.

You will not leave the event before it is finished.

You will not leave the event before it is finished.

Adrien could not abandon his father's project. He must honor his mother's memory. Ladybug had other heroes helping her. She would have to hold out without Chat Noir for a little while longer. Adrien felt a pang of guilt and nausea at the thought of not joining Ladybug - he wanted to leave more than anything and join her, fight by her side. But he knew he must stay until the event was finished.

"Next question"