Standard disclaimers apply
February 14th came and with it the opening night of Alya's play, Summer Love. The students' nerves were at an all-time high as their parents and relatives filed into their auditorium seats. Shuffling was heard from backstage as the stage crew set up for the opening scene. Parents talked among themselves as their children set up for the scene. The murmurs from the parents grew quiet as the lights dimmed, signaling the start of the play. Alya's voice came from the speakers as their relatives settled in to see their family member's hard work.
Narrator – Summer vacation is a time for self-discovery, rest and romance. Adam Lemoux, the heir to the Lemoux fortune, has a secret wish: to be a professional breakdancer. Maria Dumon is a shy, quiet girl with a secret; she is the famous breakdancing queen: Queen Bee. Will these two vastly different people find love?
Act I, Scene One
Mr. Lemoux (played by Nino) – Son; I cannot allow this breakdancing nonsense to continue! You're . . .
Adam (played by Adrien) – The heir to the Lemoux fortune. Are you going to continue? After all, you've said it so many times I've memorized it.
Mr. Lemoux – Go to your room Now!
The crowd watched as Adrien 'stomped' to his room before flopping on the prop bed the crew had built. They cringed as Adrien mock slammed the door, the sound echoing throughout the auditorium. Adrien then pulled out a mock phone and his voice read the text he was sending to some character named Rick.
Adam – Hey Rick. Are we still on for tonight?
Rick (played by Ivan) – I've got the tunes if you've got the moves.
Adam – Meet at the usual spot?
Rick - No way! There's a new breakdance club we've gotta check out! And, check this out. Adrien, playing Adam, looked shocked and stunned at what he'd been sent over the phone.
Adam – Rick, dude! Who's the gorgeous chick!
Rick - No one knows! She goes by 'Queen Bee' and has smeared the floor with her competition.
Adam – Are we going to her club?
Rick – Exactly! There's no way she'll win against 'T. Stalker!'
Adam – Don't be so sure Rick. There's a first time for everything.
The parents watched as 'Adam' snuck out of the house in an orange tracksuit with tiger stripes boldly imprinted on it. He met up with his friend Rick who led him to a mock neon sign that read: Breakdancing Teen. Underneath the sign read a plaque that said: Dance Club for those under 18 due to the age limit for drinking in France. The audience watched, captivated, as Tiger Stalker met Queen Bee played by Marinette.
Adam – Hey Queen Bee! I've heard you're the bee's knees in this club.
Maria(played by Marinette) – If your dancing is as good as you puns, tiger, you're in the wrong club. Marinette snapped her fingers and Mylene, playing Maria's best friend Anne, started playing "Shake it off" by Taylor Swift.
Marinette stunned her parents, and the audience, by dancing to the song in a flamboyant style. How was she able to do that? On stage, Adrien didn't have to fake his lovesick look as his lady danced her heart out. He felt like the luckiest man in the world. Adrien quickly shook himself out of his stupor to say his line.
Adam – That was good. But let's see you top this. Rick, play track 4! As soon as Adrien said track 4, "Immortals" by Fall Out Boys came on over the speakers. Jaws dropped in the crowd as Adrien began dancing. He was good enough to give Marinette, who'd just wowed them, a run for her money. Gabriel and Natalia smiled softly at their son having so much fun.
As the play progressed, the audience felt themselves being sucked into the story of Adam Lemoux and Maria Dumon. They grieved with the players on stage when Adam's father separated the two lovers and rejoiced as 'Queen Bee' turned out to be as rich, if not richer, than the Lemoux family. They cheered as Adam shared a stage kiss with Maria as a promise to always love her and only her. As the curtains rose for the curtain call, the audience gave all the actors and actresses a standing ovation; the loudest applause went to Alya Cesaire for writing such a brilliant play.
Once the play ended, the Dupain-Cheng family left for their bakery. Tom Dupain-Cheng were about to lock the doors to their bakery when they saw the Agreste family being dragged to the door by Adrien. What confused them was the lack of transport as they usually travelled by limo. Had Adrien dragged his parents the entire city block from the high school to their bakery after the play?
"Adrien," asked Mrs. Dupain-Cheng once everyone had gone into their apartment, "what is going on?"
"Adrien and I have some . . . details we need to tell all of you," responded Marinette, who looked sheepish and . . . guilty?
"What details?" questioned Mrs. Agreste suspiciously.
"Is my little girl pregnant Agreste?" Tom growled while looking ready to break Adrien in half with his bare hands.
"Papa!" screamed Marinette, "I'm still a virgin for heaven's sake!" Tom settled down though now all four parents were confused.
"What could be going on that we are not aware of?" asked Gabriel, expressing what all the parents were thinking.
"Well," answered Adrien while rubbing his neck; a clear sign he was nervous, "There's no easy way to say this . . . but here goes." Adrien took a deep breath before blurting it out in a loud voice.
"I'm Cat Noir!" Shock gripped their parents before Marinette wasted no time in adding her confession.
"And I'm Ladybug!" All four parents froze, disbelief and shock warring to dominate their thoughts. Gabriel, being the first to recover, settled to express his disbelief. Had he really lost to his own son?
"Please tell me this is an elaborate joke," Gabriel said with apprehension at their answer.
"Sorry Father," Adrien answered, "but we have proof."
"Tikki; Plagg," called Marinette, "you can come out now!" Disbelief gave way to shock as the two kwamis came out from their hiding spots on their chosen; Tikki from Marinette's handbag and Plagg from Adrien's coat pocket.
"Hi!" greeted Tikki sweetly, "Pleased to meet you!"
"Name's Plagg," the black cat stated in a bland tone, "Ya got any Camembert?"
"Plagg!" scolded Adrien, "We've gone over this! It's rude to ask for food right away!"
"They run a bakery," countered Plagg, "if they didn't have food, I'd be concerned about how they're making money." Adrien groaned while Tikki shook her head in exasperation. Marinette, on the other hand, giggled like Plagg had just told a great joke; it was more likely that she'd expected Plagg to show his greed for his favorite snack.
"I'd figured this would happen," Marinette managed to say after bringing her giggles under control, "If you'll excuse me . . ." Marinette left the living room and came back with a half wheel of Camembert as well as a small plate of cookies.
"That's why you're been asking us to order extra Camembert!" exclaimed Tom as a piece of the puzzle fell into place. Sabine looked thoughtful before asking her question.
"What about the extra cookies you've been asking for?" Marinette looked sheepish before pointing to Tikki.
"They're for Tikki. Her favorite snack is cookies." Understanding lit up the Dupain-Cheng parents' faces before Tom remembered an important tidbit about the amount of time Ladybug and Cat Noir have been around protecting Paris.
"You've been a secret superhero since middle school!" Adrien and Marinette cringed, knowing what was coming from their parents.
"How could you and Marinette be so irresponsible?!" exclaimed Mrs. Agreste, aghast at how long her son and Marinette had put themselves in danger.
"You could have been killed!" shouted Mrs. Dupain-Cheng, who had similar fears to Mrs. Agreste's own fears.
"Enough!" shouted Mr. Agreste, stunning the three remaining parents, "I'm sure if we avoid yelling and panicking, my son and Miss Marinette will explain themselves." Adrien breathed a sigh of relief, for once glad that his father had been a miraculous holder.
"Right," agreed Adrien, "I'll start with my side of the story . . ." Adrien, ever the enthusiast, began to tell of him sneaking off to Chloe's middle school and how, before he'd been caught, he'd helped out an old man who'd fallen after losing his cane. He then detailed his first meeting with Plagg and how excited the black cat kwami had been in his new environment. He cringed as he told how he'd rushed into transforming without listening to Plagg's full explanation. As he skimmed over details of the Stoneheart attack, he made a point of explaining his vow to the lovely spotted heroine.
"And when I saw Ladybug's courage and strength, I made a vow: whoever she is under that mask, I love that girl." Marinette blushed as her parents awed at how sweet Adrien had been toward their daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Agreste looked knowingly to one another, knowing history had unknowingly repeated itself.
"Alright son," interrupted Mr. Agreste, "it's Miss Marinette's turn." As if Gabriel's words were a green light, Marinette began to pour out her story in an enthusiastic narration.
They listened as Marinette told of almost being late for her first day of middle school and how she'd longed to stay home that day. They noted that Marinette had also helped an old man by making sure he'd crossed the street safely but that it'd cost her half the treats her parents had given her to share with her class.
The parents cringed as they heard of Chloe bullying Marinette so she could sit behind Adrien, who hadn't even gone to school that day. They smiled at how it led to Marinette making a new friend in Alya. Then, they listened carefully to Marinette describe her freak-out at the appearance of Tikki from a magical orb of light above her Miraculous earrings. After that, Marinette glossed over the details but made it a point to explain what made her take up the mantle of Ladybug after having given it up to Alya.
"When I saw Alya in danger and Cat Noir in Stoneheart's fist, I got angry; angrier than I'd ever been before then. That was my friend and my partner. And no one, not even Hawkmoth himself, was going to threaten them. Not while I have a say in it." Adrien smiled softly before lightening the mood.
"Aww! You did care Bugaboo!" Marinette scowled before responding to Adrien's horrible pet name.
"You know I don't like 'bugaboo,' " Adrien smirked before grinning his Cat Noir grin full of mischief and cockiness.
"Would you prefer 'my lady,' 'princess,' or . . ." Marinette turned red from embarrassment before covering Adrien's mouth with her hand after which she slowly removed it as she noted her partner would remain silent.
"Now," Marinette smirked, "let's bring out your nicknames. Do you prefer 'kitty,' 'tomcat' or perhaps . . ." Adrien turned pink before yelling over his smug fiancée's retaliation.
"Alright! Alright! I get it! No more Bugaboo unless I want to annoy you!" Marinette smugly bopped Adrien on the nose before answering with a heavy dose of sass to her tomcat's flustered face.
"I've trained you well." Adrien scoffed before suddenly grabbing Marinette and dipping her in a tango dip.
"Whose trained who, princess?" Marinette flamed up like a fire engine as Adrien drew closer to her and then kissed her on the nose. Marinette froze as her fiancé set her on her two feet before fleeing to Marinette's room. As soon as Marinette heard her loft door slam shut, she slowly regained emotion. First shock, then confusion, embarrassment and finally, pure rage which drove to race to her loft's door.
"Adrien!" screamed Marinette, "Come back here and face me like a man!" The parents watched as Adrien poked out his head out from behind the loft door.
"Haven't you ever heard the saying 'know when to pick your battles?' " Marinette smirked before answering to Adrien's cheek.
"In that case, tomcat, you've picked the wrong battle!" Adrien eeped before running away from a fiery Marinette, leaving Tikki and Plagg with the two sets of parents flabbergasted at their children's behavior.
"Don't worry," Tikki spoke before giggling, "that's just them flirting."
"It's sickening. And why do I always end up with the lovesick ones?" Tikki shrugged as if to say 'beats me.'
"Now," continued Tikki, "it's time you learn about the consequences of Adrien and Marinette being Cat Noir and Ladybug."