9. The Exposé PART 1
Origins
Master Fu is shown looking at the entrance of the Agreste mansion. He holds out a small black box with a red rune printed on the lid. His confident smile is assurance that he made the correct decision.
Inside the house, Nathalie is facilitating Adrien's lesson by the dining table. "Who was the first president of the Fifth Republic?"
He sat slouched forward with his chin resting on his hand and answers easily, "everybody thinks it's De Caulle but in reality, René Coty before the first elections."
"Excellent Adrien," Nathalie praises.
"Give us a moment Nathalie," said a man's deep voice. Adrien looks up to see his father had walked in.
"Very well," Nathalie stepped back to allow them to speak.
Gabriel fixes his gaze on Adrien, "I already told you it is out of the question that you go to school."
Adrien spares Nathalie a betrayed look before standing up to address his only parent, "but, Father!"
"You have everything you need in this house. I forbid you from going. It's too dangerous outside," Gabriel says.
"Why do you want to shut me off in a cocoon? I'm always alone... Why can't I have friends like everyone else?!" Adrien pleads.
"Because you are not like everyone else. You are my son Adrien!" Gabriel's words are final. Adrien deflates back into his seat.
"Resume," Gabriel tells Nathalie before leaving.
Paris
"I'd never thought I'd peg Gabriel Agreste as an helicopter parent..."
"I didn't realize that Adrien Agreste was so... repressed at home. I mean read that Gabriel almost never leaves his house unless it's for business so I thought he might be the supportive kind of Dad, guess I was wrong."
"Looks like things aren't as perfect as it looks. His Dad is such a hard ass."
"Don't be so quick to judge. As a parent of three, I can see where his Father is coming from. I want to protect my kids too. Specially with the Papillon around. But I agree that keeping his son locked up isn't the way to do it."
"I feel bad for the kid, he just wants some friends."
"On another note, do you guys know what 'dangers' his Dad is talking about? Besides the general. I mean, nobody can get near Adrien outside of school because of his bodyguard. He couldn't mean the Akuma right? Because this shows the first Akuma only just appearing, and his Dad must have had this same excuse for a while or otherwise how would he know that it was going to be 'dangerous' outside?"
"Paranoia? You're reading too much into something that isn't there. By your reasoning, his Father knew that there was going to be an Akuma. Which means Gabriel Agreste is in league with the Papillon... a scary thought. I think Adrien just has an overprotective Father. And Gabriel Agreste is a high profile man and overall fashion shark. He probably has more than a few enemies that are out to get him and could use his son against him."
"Oooh, I didn't think of that."
"Hello people. Is no one going to comment about the old guy appearing at the mansion?"
"..."
"Gabriel Agreste is Chat Noir!?"
"Idiot."
"No. Just no. The man is too old, the wrong height and just... everything."
"Then Adrien?"
"..."
"I still don't see it. Maybe they have other staff in that huge house? Probably one of them."
"You guys are blind."
Papillon
"Nathalie, have you found Adrien yet?" Papillon asked as he squeezed the bridge of his nose in exasperation. Of all the days his son had to disobey him.
"No sir. We can't get a reading on the tracker either. Gorilla hasn't managed to move an inch the roads are so congested. Adrien could be anywhere in the city."
"Get out of the car and proceed to the Eiffel Tower on foot. His class has most likely gathered there. Question them of his whereabouts."
"Yes sir."
Papillon ended the call and turned his attention back to his Ipad and scowled.
The evidence has been steadily building up that his son is Chat Noir though for now he still denied it. His son, the last he has left of his beautiful wife.
How ironic if it were true? The very person he was trying to protect was half of the duo he was trying to take down. He felt a spike of anger and grit his teeth. Betrayal bitter on his tongue.
One way or another, his son will hand his Miraculous over.
Origins
The ground shakes from Stoneheart's heavy stomps, disturbing Adrien from his depressing thoughts of being the metaphorical caged bird.
Adrien rushes out the front door and sees the police, armed and ready. The stomping grows louder before a Stone Monster walks up to the officers.
"At my order!" Commanded one of the officers.
The police aim their guns at Stoneheart.
"Fire!"
The guns shoot. But it's useless. Stoneheart is unharmed and only magically grew in size.
"Kim!" The monster roars.
The police officers panic and run away in fear. In retaliation, Stoneheart lifts the police cars and angrily throws it at the officer in charge.
Adrien runs back to his room, immediately turning on his TV to see the news.
"I ask every Parisian to stay home until the situation is under control," says the Mayor.
"Mr Mayor, one more question—" a reporter starts to probe before the TV screen changes to Nadja Chammack.
"As unbelievable as it may be, it seems a Supervillain is spreading terror in Paris. The security forces are trying to take care of this individual." Nadja announces.
"Have Faith, the arm of justice will fall up—arg Ow—the other arm!" Said Sabrina's Dad in pain from his injury.
"I hate new school years," Marinette says, clutching the back of her chair while watching the news.
At the same time, Marinette and Adrien notice a strange box on their tables in front of them.
"What is this doing here?" they wonder in unison.
They open the boxes revealing a blinding flash of light.
...
Marinette sees the light take form into a small unknown creature. The creature looks up with huge eyes that make Marinette's skin crawl.
Marinette shreeks in panic and jumps back to put distance between herself at the creature. "What is this thing?! A cockroach?! A mouse?! A mouseroach?!"
The creature flies closer to her, "No, calm down, don't be scared."
"No don't come closer!" Marinette panics and starts throwing objects at the creature.
...
Adrien's eyes squint as he sees a small dark floating cat form from green light. The tiny cat yawns loudly stretching its limbs as if it just woke up.
"Wow, awesome, like a genie in the lamp," Adrien says and tries to touch the cat.
"Oh yeah, I met him. So he grants wishes, no need to make cheese out of it. Plagg. Nice to meet you." Plagg says before flying to the Foosball table, "this looks good," and takes a bite out of it.
"No, don't touch that!" Adrien tries and fails to grab Plagg. "Hey, come back here!"
"This is shiny, is it edible?" Plagg tries to take a bite out of the arcade game controller before gagging, "not at all. What about this?"
Adrien tries again to catch Plagg and fails.
...
"Listen, Marinette," Tikki tries to say while dodging objects, "I know this may seem very strange to you, but—"
Marinette traps Tikki in a glass cup.
"Alright." Tikki says is a soothing voice, "if this can reassure you—"
"Who are you? And how do you know my name?" Marinette questions.
"I'm a Kwami and my name is Tikki. I'll explain everything to you."
...
Plagg is chewing on the remote control, unaware that Adrien climbing up the rock wall. Adrien launches himself and finally catches Plagg.
"I still don't know what you're doing here." Adrien says.
"Fine. I'm a Kwami. I give powers. Yours is the power of destruction. Got it?"
"ha uh," Adrien shakes his head.
"Alright. Do you have something to eat? I'm starving." Plagg says, looking around.
"It's a joke from my Father. Is that it? Wait, impossible, he doesn't have a sense of humor." Adrien says dryly.
"You can't ever tell your Father I exist. Or anyone for that matter." Plagg says with his arms crossed.
...
"Mom! Dad!" Marinette calls as she inches to open her trapdoor.
"No no no," Tikki uses her intangibility to phase through the glass cup and stop Marinette, "I'm your friend Marinette, you have to trust me. You are the only one who can stop Stoneheart."
...
"You think they'll be up to the challenge, Master?" Wayzz asks Master Fu.
"I have made only one mistake in my life. I won't make another. At least, I hope." Master Fu says, shutting the Miracle jewelry box.
...
"This must be a mistake. The only superpower I could have is super clumsiness. I know. Alya! She'd like it. She's my friend. Well I'm saying that but I'm not sure. She adores superheros. She'd be perfect for this job. You should go see her." Marinette tells the Kwami.
"Marinette, it's you who has been chosen." Tikki says in disapproval.
...
"But I'm stuck here. I can't even go to school. What good is a superhero if he can't get out of his house?" Adrien says Passionately to the ceiling.
"None," Plagg says, playing with a toilet roll, "that's why all this will soon change. If you want it of course."
Adrien looks at the ring in his hand with consideration before narrowing his eyes in determination.
...
"So all I need to do is break the object the bug got into?" Marinette asks, eyeing the earings in her hand.
"It's called an Akuma." Tikki says as Marinette puts an earing in each ear, "and you have to capture it."
"Got it, capture it. And the charm thingy, what's that again?"
"The lucky charm, it's your secret super power."
"All this is going too fast Tikki, I'm..." Marinette sighs, "I'm sorry. I can't do it."
"Have faith in yourself Marinette." Tikki encourages, "all you have to say is 'transform moi'."
"Transform moi?"
The earings activate and suck Tikki in.
"Wow. What's happening?" Marinette is engulfed in pink light, transforming her into Ladybug.
...
Adrien slips the silver ring on his finger.
"Say 'transform moi' and bam, I transform you." Plagg explains from his pile of torn toilet paper.
"Got it, Plagg transform moi." Adrien says, punching the air with style.
"No wait! I didn't finish explaining to you!"
Plagg is sucked into Adrien ring and Adrien is engulfed in green light turning him into Chat Noir.
Chat looks down at his claws, "So cool."
Paris
It was hard to describe the thoughts and emotions running through every Parisians head, let alone their reactions. The fog in their minds have been lifted. And there was no doubt in anyone's mind that Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste are Ladybug and Chat Noir.
Some stared at their phones in a moment of disbelieving silence, some jumped around and clutched their friends in excitement, some were either disappointed or angry, and others, namely Chloé, had gone ghostly pale.
But Alya Césaire had the most intense reaction. It wasn't outwardly visible.
Inside, she burned with the irrational feeling of betrayal.
In the pitch black lands of Gu'gelik, Dark's sealed form stirred.
A.N
So, the reveal will be in 4 parts.
Next we will focus more on the reactions and I will most likely skip through most of the battle with Stoneheart for my own sanity. Writing the transcript is so tedious.
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