Chapter 2

Adien paced back and forth in his room.

Plagg asked, "What's up, Adrien? You need to feed me my Camembert!"

"You can get some for yourself from the mini-fridge. I need to think."

Plagg grabbed a couple of large pieces of cheese and gulped them down.

"Why think so hard? This was a great mission – you saved Santa Claus and Christmas. Take a break and relax."

Adrien said, "Things aren't adding up. I need more information."

"The akuma victim's your best friend's little brother. If you want more info, why not call Nino?"

"Great idea!"

Adrien pressed the speed-dial logo for Nino on his phone. He would pretend ignorance and see how many details he could coax out.

"Hi Nino, how's it going? Did you see the weird akuma attack this afternoon? Giant toys, flying catfish, and snow?"

"Yeah, dude. It was my little bro, Chris, who got akumatized!"

"Really?"

"He disappeared from his room. While I was out looking for him, guess who I ran into: Ladybug and Santa Claus!"

"Santa Claus was here? That's amazing!"

"Chris used his akuma power to summon Santa from the North Pole. Chris wanted a Grobotech robot. That's who the giant toys were looking for – Santa, to force him to give Chris an early Christmas present."

"So Ladybug was protecting Santa."

"He helped her, too. Ladybug used her Lucky Charm and got a pack of stationary. She used it to write a letter to Santa."

"Why?"

"The rules are only the best-behaved kid in the world can get an early present. Ladybug didn't know for sure that she was the best in the world, but it was worth a try. She wrote a letter to Santa and asked him for a present. Santa checked his list. She was at the top!"

"I didn't realize Ladybug was that perfect."

"She's saved Paris like a zillion times, dude. I asked Santa to see where I was on the list, too. I was way down there. I need to shape up my act before Christmas."

"What did Ladybug ask for?"

"She asked for the same toy Chris wanted. I think she used it as bait to find Chris and save him."

"That was a great thing you got to see."

"You know it, dude! I'm gonna tell Alya and she'll put it all in the Ladyblog."

"That might not be a good idea."

"Why not?"

"It would help Hawk Moth narrow down Ladybug's secret identity. The best behaved kid in the world would stand out in their daily life."

"I guess you're right, dude."

"How did Chris get akumatized in the first place?"

"Chris told all he could remember to Mom. Marinette was babysitting Chris so Alya and I could go to the movies. Otherwise I would have had to stay home and watch him while Mom was at work."

"Marinette got him akumatized?"

"He was acting up. To settle him down, Marinette told him a story. She said she was one of Santa's elves. Then he wanted her to get him a Christmas present early, and she said the rule was only the best kid in the world could get an exception."

"I think I get what happened."

"Yeah. Chris brooded on it in his room when he got home, and that's when he got akumatized. He didn't remember much more after that."

"How's Chris doing now?"

"He's fine. Chat Noir brought him home."

"What did your mother think about it?"

"Mom told Chris that lying was wrong. She said to tell Marinette the next time he saw her – they need to promise to tell each other the truth from now on."

"Is Marinette in trouble with your mom?"

"It's all cool. It's like how Alya sometimes tells kids she babysits that she's a magic unicorn. You know, stories to get them to behave. It was just bad luck that Chris got emotional about it and Hawk Moth took advantage. Mom wants Chris to learn a lesson from it, that's all."

"Thanks for filling me in on the details, Nino."

"No problem, dude."

"I've got to get back to my homework. See you tomorrow at school."

"See ya, best bud."

After ending the call, Adrien made a few notes on a piece of paper:
1) Santa believed the story about Marinette being an elf.
2) He believed it because Chris believed it.
3) Santa wasn't real. He was created by Christmaster's power, not transported here.
4) Did Ladybug know that?
5) She knew his exception for the best kid in the world. I never heard of that before.
6) She knew she had a good chance of being the top kid on his list. How?

Adrien felt like he was very close to an answer, and that he might not like what it told him about Ladybug.

Adrien remembered how Ladybug had recited what Santa Claus said about not giving presents at Easter or Halloween, "Otherwise, you might as well have a bunny or a witch delivering your presents." She recited that along with him as he spoke, word for word.

Then she put her hands to her face and said, "Oh no, what have I done?"

That had made no sense at the time. Now, however...

Adrien shivered as a chill ran down his spine.

If he was right, Ladybug was far from the best kid in the world. She had exploited and then destroyed a friendly, innocent being. She had to do it to save the city, but guilt must be eating at her. There was nobody she could talk to about it... except for him.