"Bye, Marinette!" Alya called, as she waved goodbye to her friend.

Marinette smiled and grinned as she waved back. "See you tomorrow, Alya!"

Or I'll see you in a few moments, Marinette thought, smiling to herself. She waited until Alya was around the corner, and then ran behind a dumpster in an alley to hide. She took the Fox Miraculous out of her purse and set it on the ground.

"Tikki, spots on!" Moments later, Marinette was Ladybug and ready to go. Just as she imagined, the magic had concealed the Bee Miraculous, just as it always concealed her purse.

I'll never understand how this magic works, she thought, but I'm so glad that it does.

She bent down and picked up the Fox Miraculous, then hurried to the route she knew that Alya took on her way home. She waited behind a tree until Alya passed.

"Alya," Marinette called.

Alya wheeled around. "Ladybug? OMG, this is amazing." Alya pulled out her phone. "Can I grab an interview!"

"No. Put that away, please. I need you to come with me."

"Oh…okay."

Marinette found a secluded area, where she handed the box with the Fox Miraculous in it to Alya. "Alya Cesaire, this is the Fox Miraculous, which grants the power of illusion. I need your help. But once you are done helping me, I'll need to have it back."

"Whoa! Are you kidding me?" Alya took the box and opened it. An orange orb appeared, and then a fox-like Kwami emerged from the light.

"Hello," the Kwami said. "I'm Trixx. I'm your Kwami."

"What's…a Kwami?"

"Kwamis are what power the Miraculous," Marinette explained. "Now listen. Once you use your power, you only have minutes before you transform back into yourself. You can't let anyone know your secret identity."

"Oh, of course not. Cross my heart and hope to die! I know how this superhero thing works." Alya put on the necklace. "So…how does this thing work?"

"Then all you have to say is, Trixx, let's pounce," Trixx said.

"Trixx, let's pounce!" Alya called out.

Trixx disappeared into necklace as a wave of orange magic swept across Alya's body, and in seconds, she was transformed.

"Wow, this is so cool!" Alya said. "But…I kind of look like Volpina…"

"That's because Volpina was a copycat of this superhero," Marinette said. "But don't worry. You look way more authentic."

"You're totally right," Alya said, grinning widely. "Wow. Just…wow! So, what are we doing? Is there a villain to fight?"

"I'm sure there will be soon, but I first need your help with something else. I've learned who Hawk Moth is."

"You're kidding! Who is he?"

"You'll probably never believe it. It's Gabriel Agreste."

"What? No! His son Adrien is in my class. Adrien's been in danger lots of times. No way Agreste would put his son in that much danger."

"You'd be surprised what misusing a Miraculous does to a person. Plus, I think that he was probably not a great father to begin with."

"That's true. Nino, my boyfriend, absolutely hates the guy. But still—all the things he's done…wow. I just can't believe it."

"It was a shock to me too," Marinette said. "But it's the truth. But I think maybe if we talk to Agreste's son Adrien, he might be able to help us."

"Help you? How? He's just a model. I mean, a really nice guy, but he's not exactly superhero material."

"No, but he has a chance of getting through to his father, or stealing the Miraculous for us, or something. Anyway, it was Cat Noir's idea to use Adrien. After all, Adrien saved my life once while Cat Noir was MIA. He may not be superhero material, but he's definitely got heart, and has a better chance of reaching Hawk Moth than we do."

"Where is Cat Noir, anyway?"

Marinette hung her head. "Hawk Moth knows his identity. He had to go into hiding to protect the Cat Miraculous and himself."

"Whoa. I want to know how that happened."

"He was kinda vague. He couldn't tell me more without revealing his identity."

"So wait a sec…you don't even know who Cat Noir is?"

"Nope. And he doesn't know who I am. It's safest that way."

"But you know who I am…"

"That's because Ladybug gets to call the shots with the lesser Miraculous, apparently," Marinette said. "I just learned that today."

"Wow! There are all these rules!"

"Tell me about it. So, anyway, we need to go to the Agreste mansion and talk to Adrien. His room is completely sealed off. I need you to create the illusion that we can talk to him through the steel plating over the windows."

"Will that work?"

"Only one way to find out!" Marinette said. "Let's go!"

Adrien lay face down on his bed, aching with loneliness. Why on earth had Master Fu suggested this? Why couldn't Adrien have stayed with the old Guardian for a while instead of coming back here to essentially be condemned to prison in his own room?

Not that this house wasn't already like a prison, Adrien thought. He flipped over and lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling. "I miss you, Plagg," he said. "You stupid little camembert-eater. I wish I'd never listened to Master Fu."

A sudden banging on steel plating over the windows startled him. He sat up for a moment, his heart racing. Had Ladybug come for him?

There was nothing else.

His heart sank. Perhaps it was a bird attacking its reflection in the shiny steel. He lay back down on the bed.

Then there were three distinct knocks.

Adrien sat up again. This time, there was definitely something going on. He got up, walked over to the window, and knocked on the glass three times in reply.

Adrien strained his ears. He listened for anything he could. He thought (or imagined) he heard the faintest sound of a flute playing a few notes.

Suddenly, daylight poured into the room through a huge gap in the steel plating. And on the other side…

"Ladybug!" Adrien cried, almost dizzy with relief.

Ladybug said something, but Adrien could not hear her. He cupped his hand around his ear and gestured. Ladybug put her hand on her chin, looking up the way she always did when she was thinking about something. She held up a finger, signaling to him to wait. He watched as her lips formed the words Lucky Charm, and a moment later a large dry-erase board and marker fell into her hands. She scribbled hastily on it and turned it around for him to see.

I have terrible news and little time to explain. I need your help to fight Hawk Moth. The bad news is…he's your father.

Adrien pretended to look shocked, and mouthed, What?

Ladybug quickly erased the words and jotted more down. I know, it's a lot to take in. But I need your help to defeat him. Are you willing to?

Adrien nodded. What can I do? he mouthed.

Ladybug thought for what seemed like a long time before she wrote something and turned around the board for him to see again. I need you to help me set a trap for him. If you're locked up in here, you're feeling lots of negative emotions, right? Do you think there's a chance he could Akumatize you?

Adrien's heart skipped a beat. The thought hadn't even occurred to him, but Gabriel was probably already thinking about it. All that needed to happen was for Adrien to be Akumatized and his father could force him to lead the way to Master Fu. Not sure what else to do, Adrien shrugged.

Ladybug nodded. She scribbled away. If he does, do you think you could have the presence of mind to sabotage him?

Adrien was pretty sure Akumatization didn't work that way, but he gave a tiny nod and mouthed, How?

If he Akumatizes you, you have to remember one very important thing: he can't control your actions 100%. He can only influence you so much. You just have to have the presence of mind to work with him while working against him. I think.

Adrien nodded again.

So. When (if) you're Akumatized, remember this phrase: I MUST GET HAWK MOTH TO COME HELP ME. I need him out in the open. That's your job. Get him out in the open. I'll take care of the rest.

Adrien dashed over to his desk, grabbed a pen and paper, and wrote, What if he doesn't Akumatize me?

Then try to be as miserable as possible.

Adrien almost laughed out loud. He nodded.

Sorry, I have to go.

Seconds later, the steel plating reappeared and the sunlight vanished. The sudden darkness seemed to engulf him.

Try to be miserable, he thought. I am miserable. I'm so miserable. I'm the most miserable person on the planet. And I HATE MY FATHER.

There was the feather-soft flutter of wings.

Adrien looked over at the sound.

An Akuma.

All right, Hawk Moth, Adrien thought. It's gonna be your loss. Let's do this.

He watched as the Akuma fluttered toward him. His apprehension grew. He was about to learn what his father's victims went through, and he was not sure what to expect. What if he couldn't sabotage Hawk Moth? What if all he could do would be to obey his father's every whim, like a marionette on a string? What would happen then?

The black butterfly fluttered closer, then disappeared into Adrien's shoe. Adrien closed his eyes as his father's voice spoke inside his head.

Metamorphosis, I am Hawk Moth. I'm giving you the power to change into the form of any superhero or supervillain you choose. You'll be able to escape this house and be as free as you want. All I ask in return is—

"I know what you want, Hawk Moth," Adrien said, clasping his hands over his head. It surprised him just how much of a splitting headache being Akumatized gave its victims. "You want the Cat and Ladybug Miraculous, and you've got this crazy idea I'm going to give them to you."

The headache intensified.

You'll do anything to be free of me, won't you? After all, your hatred is so strong. Doesn't freedom call to you? Is bringing your mother back such a horrible price to pay?

Adrien's eyes flew open. Hatred. What was it Master Fu had said? Only love can drive out evil. You must love your enemy. If he could muster the strength to love his father, no matter how evil his father had become, then he could surely sabotage him during this Akumatization. He drew a deep breath and focused, trying to find the love intermingling with the hate inside him.

"Fine. I'll accept your powers. I'll bring you the Miraculous."

Immediately, the headache vanished. A wave of calm swept over Adrien. He knew what he had to do, both for his father and for Ladybug. So tell me, Hawk Moth, Adrien thought. Can you read my thoughts?

There was a period of silence as Adrien stood, waiting, clinging to the glimmer of love he had for his father like a life raft in the sea of the overwhelming desire to seize the Ladybug and Cat Miraculous. Nothing happened.

A sudden shock of pain went through him. What are you waiting for, Metamorphosis? his father's voice said. Why aren't you retrieving the Miraculous?

Adrien smirked. I guess you can't read my thoughts after all. "Sorry, Hawk Moth. I was just thinking about what I wanted to do first. But if I'm going to find Ladybug, I'd better bust out of here, huh?" He clenched his fists. "Metamorphosis!" he shouted, focusing with all his mind on Cat Noir's form. Instantly, he shifted. "Wow, I missed this. Cataclysm!" He charged the windows and swiped his hand across them. Instantly, the glass disappeared, but the power coursing through his ring hand did not. "Whoa. I have unlimited uses of the superhero's power?"

Yes. See how easy this will be?

Adrien felt himself more fully embracing the feelings of negativity coursing through him. This was going to be a snap. No way Ladybug can defeat me, he thought, grinning.

But somewhere deep inside him, Master Fu's and Ladybug's words rattled around in his subconscious. Only love can drive out evil. I must get Hawk Moth out in the open.

He swiped his charged hand across the steel plating, and it crumbled and blew away in the wind. He flexed his hand to cease the power, extended his staff, and escaped through the open window.