Chapter 25: The Collector
Hey everyone I'm back with a new chapter. Since most of the details I covered in the last chapter I tried my best not to repeat everything. I hope you all like what I have planned. Please Review and Enjoy.
At Master Fu's house, Fun was sitting down mediating when Wayzz floats over towards him.
"Master, are you okay?" Wayzz asks.
"She's here." Fu said as the door opened and Wayzz flew to hide. The door opened all the way to reveal Marinette. "Hello Ladybug."
"I know you never wanted me to bring her here, but we have something to show you." Tikki said.
"Wait a minute, I've seen you before." Marinette recalls.
"Yes, your first day of school. That was no chance meeting either." Fu said as he recalled Marinette saving him from being hit by a car. "Marinette you're always ready to help others. I knew that day, that very moment that you'd make a fantastic Ladybug."
"But who are you?" Marinette asks.
Fu then goes on to explain the same thing he said to Sam that very day including the missing Miraculous and the spellbook.
"But all it has are drawings of old superheroes and a bunch of strange symbols." Marinette said holding up the book she got from Adrien.
"Not strange to a guardian, back in the day I was never given the chance to even look at it, but I have studied the code to decipher part of it." Marinette looks to Tikki who says it's okay and gives Master Fu the book. "These pages contain various spells capable of giving Ladybug, Cat Noir and even Silver Claw special abilities we haven't known about until now. Obviously, this book is invaluable." Master Fu said shocking Marinette.
At Adrien's house, Adrien was being shown security footage of him taking his father's book from the safe.
"Why did you take the book?" Gabriel asks.
"I…I just wanted to know what you were hiding that was so important. You never told me about those things. I was gonna give it back to you I swear, but then I lost it." Adrien admits.
"How can I possibly trust you again, Adrien?" Gabriel asks.
"I'm sorry. I'll get you another copy." Adrien said.
"It's one of a kind! The book's the source of my inspiration." Gabriel said.
"I didn't know that. I hardly know anything about you, Father." Adrien frowns.
"You won't be returning to school. You'll be homeschooled again by Natalie." Gabriel declares shocking Adrien before he and Natalie left the room.
Sighing he took out his phone and dialed a number.
Making his way to school, Sam suddenly heard his phone ring. "Hello?" Sam asks answering it.
"Hey Sam."
"Adrien? Where are you? Classes begin soon." Sam asks.
"I'm not going to school." Adrien said.
"Why are you sick?" Sam asks.
"No, I lost an important book that belongs to my dad and now I'm grounded which means I'm not going back to school." Adrien said shocking him.
"What?" Sam gasps.
"You've been a good friend to me Sam, please try to break the news softly to the others for me." Adrien said before hanging up.
"I don't believe this." Sam said blown away.
"Poor kid, that is one brutal father." Faang said from his pocket.
Back at Master Fu's, he and Marinette were examining the book.
"It is a strong possibility that whoever had this book possesses the Butterfly and the Peacock." Fu said.
"Wait a sec. You mean whoever owned this spell book could Hawk Moth?" Marinette asks.
"How did you discover this, Marinette?" Fu asks.
"I uh…found it lying in bench in a park close to the school." Marinette lied.
"You didn't see who it belonged to then?" Fu asks.
"No. No I didn't." Marinette said causing Tikki to look at her confused.
"What a shame. For a moment I thought we had a chance to defeat Hawk Moth." Fu sighs.
"Uh I could investigate if you want." Marinette suggests.
"But you must be very careful Marinette. If you succeed you may well find yourself face to face with Hawk Moth." Fu warns.
"I'll be very careful I promise." Marinette said leaving the room.
Running to school, Tikki pops out of her handbag.
"Why did you lie to Master Fu?" Tikki asks.
"I couldn't tell him Adrien was the one who had the book, Adrien can't be Hawk Moth! But what if he is? I can't be in love with a supervillain! I-I'd have to fight him." Marinette said freaking out.
"Calm down Marinette. I'm sure there's an explanation." Tikki said.
"I've got to get to the bottom of this." Marinette said.
"Do you know where we can find Adrien?" Tikki asks.
"I know that boy's schedule by heart." Marinette said as she made her way to class to find Chloe sobbing loudly.
"This is a tragedy! How could this happen?!" Chloe sobs.
"Uh what's going on?" Marinette asks.
"Adrien's never coming back to school! Ever!" Chloe sobs.
"Sam told us everything." Nino said.
"His dad grounded him." Kim said.
"For life." Max said.
"What for?" Marinette asks.
"Something about losing an important book that belonged to his dad." Sam said.
"His dad? Ha! Phew." Marinette sighs in relief.
"Phew?" Chloe asks as everyone looks at her.
"I mean phew I was scared it was super serious. I mean, yeah sure it is serious, but it's not like he's sick or anything. Surely we can fix this, right?" Marinette asks walking out of the room and running to the bathroom.
"So, it wasn't Adrien's book, it was his father's. Adrien isn't Hawk Moth! I knew it! Adrien doesn't have an evil bone in his body." Marinette sighs.
"Except Adrien took his father's book without his permission." Tikki said.
"Well he must've had a good reason to do it." Marinette said.
"You do realize based on Master Fu's theory Adrien's father could be Hawk Moth." Tikki said.
"No way it couldn't be." Marinette said before pausing to think. "An eccentric artist who never leaves his home. Mysterious, very intelligent and cold even to his own son. This is a very strong lead Tikki."
"Please be careful, Marinette." Tikki warns.
"I will. Tikki, Spots on!" Marinette said as her earrings glowed, and she transformed into Ladybug.
Leaping onto the roof of the school she dialed Cat Noir only to get a voicemail. Next she tried Silver Claw.
Down below in class, Sam's phone went off. Walking out of the room he saw the call was from Ladybug causing his eyes to widen.
"Hello?"
"Silver Claw, I got big news. I think I know who Hawk Moth is. Get to the school rooftop as fast as you can." Ladybug said.
"I'll be right there." Sam said running out to the bathroom.
"Do you really think Ladybug found Hawk Moth?" Faang asks.
"I don't know but if she did, we can't miss this chance. Faang, Teeth out!" Sam said as his bracelet glowed, and he transformed into Silver Claw.
At Adrien's house, Gabriel was looking at the painting of his wife with Natalie nearby.
"What will you do without your book?" She asks.
Looking at a blank sketchbook he hands it to her. "You know where this goes." He said before taking all the pictures of his son and smashing them to the ground in anger.
In Adrien's room, Adrien was feeling like the absolute worst when Plagg flew out of his jacket.
"Look on the bright side. Your father could have found out about me. It's a good thing we kwamis can never be photographed. Photographers have no idea what they're missing." Plagg said.
"I gotta find that book or I'll never be allowed to return to school." Adrien said.
"Return to school? Are you crazy? No more homework, no more alarm clocks! We should be celebrating, I know!" Plagg flies off and holds up a jar of the smelliest cheese you ever saw. "I call this EL Plaggo. It's been maturing for 999 days." Plagg said when Adrien heard a crashing noise.
"What was that?" Adrien asks running out of his room with his bodyguard right behind him only for Natalie to stop them.
"Your father is very busy." She said as the crashing noise echoes again. "Shouldn't Adrien be practicing his Piano?"
Adrien's bodyguard nods escorting Adrien back to his room.
At his unknown location, Hawk Moth saw the whole thing.
"I feel the wrath of a father betrayed by his son. What perfect pray for my Akuma." Hawk Moth said as he transformed a butterfly into an Akuma. "Stay close my little Akuma." The Akuma was about to fly out before it turned around and went towards Hawk Moth. "Dark Wings fall!"
Hawk Moth detransforms revealing him to be Gabriel Agraste. Flying out was a purple kwami, this was Gabriel's kwami, Nooroo.
"Why is that Akuma still here?" Nooroo asks.
"I must become someone else to lead them astray." Gabriel said.
"But why?" Nooroo asks.
"Nooroo, I renounce you." Gabriel said as Nooroo went back into a butterfly shape bowtie. "Temporarily."
A light shined to reveal the empty Sketchbook. Walking over he picked it up. "Fly to me, my little Akuma and evilise me!" Gabriel said as the Akuma flew into the book transforming Gabriel into a man with a black suit, pale skin and red glasses. "I am The Collector, my book of inspiration was taken from me, so I shall build a new one and perhaps pick up a Miraculous or two while I'm at it."
In Adrien's room, he hooked up his phone to some speakers to play piano music while he opened the window.
"My father hates me. I gotta find his book and make things right." Adrien said.
"Do I need to remind you that you're supposed to be grounded?" Plagg asks.
"Adrien is, but Cat Noir isn't. Plagg, claws out!" Adrien said as his ring glowed and he transformed into Cat Noir.
Cat Noir was about to leap out of the room when he got a message from Ladybug. "Well looks like the spell book will have to wait." Cat Noir said before going to meet her and Silver Claw.
"Natalie, you will be the first in my new book of inspiration." Collector said kicking open the door and knocking her to the ground.
"Mr. Agraste?" She said in shock.
"You will call me The Collector!" He said throwing his book at her capturing her within its pages. Turning to Adrien's bodyguard he throws the book capturing him as well. Walking up to Adrien's room he knocked on the door. "Adrien, I have something I want to show you."
Kicking down the door he saw Adrien was gone, growling in anger he absorbed Adrien's speakers in frustration.
Going around Paris, the Collector absorbed many different people and sights including the Eiffel Tower.
At the school, Ladybug was pacing around while Silver Claw was sitting down.
"Ugh what did he do now?" Ladybug asks when Cat Noir arrives.
"Hey you two." Cat Noir said.
"What took you so long?" Silver Claw asks.
"Cat Noir, did you get my messages?" Ladybug asks.
"Yeah. And I can't wait to know more milady. So who's the suspect?" Cat Noir asks.
"Gabriel Agraste." Ladybug said surprising Cat Noir.
"The fashion designer?" Silver asks standing up.
"Do you have any proof?" Cat Noir asks.
"I uh can't tell you." Ladybug said uncomfortably.
"So I'm just supposed to believe you?" Cat Noir asks.
"Yeah that's not much to go on Ladybug." Silver Claw said.
"You guys have to trust me. Gabriel is a mysterious man who never leaves his house and check out his logo." She said showing them a picture of a butterfly on everything he made.
"A Butterfly?" Cat Noir gasps.
"Cat Noir are you okay?" Silver Claw asks.
"It's time to get to the bottom of this." Cat Noir said as the three of them made their way to Adrien's house, but little did they know The Collector was nearby.
"My plan is working perfectly." He grins.
Arriving at the house, they saw all the damage from Gabriel's tantrum.
"Whoa what happened here?" Silver Claw asks.
"Looks like someone had a little tantrum." Ladybug said
Cat Noir looks to see a smashed frame of a picture of Adien's family and frowns.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Ladybug asks.
"Yeah I'm fine." Cat Noir said.
"Wait a minute, Gabriel has a son." Silver Claw said.
"We better check on him." Ladybug said as they ran out.
"But where's Gabriel?" Cat Noir asks when they turned a corner and saw Collector atop the staircase.
"Gabriel is gone, there is only…The Collector!" He throws his book at Ladybug, but she dodges causing the book to absorb the front door instead. "You cannont escape!"
"Whoa!" Silver Claw said surprised as the book flew towards him.
Drawing his sword he attempts to slice the book in half but instead his sword ended up getting absorbed by it.
"Don't let the book touch you!" Silver Claw said as The Collector threw the book at them.
Running around the house the three heroes had to dodge the book and Collector. As they ran into the next room Cat Noir turned around and threw his staff at him.
"No!" Ladybug gasps but it was too late. Holding out his book Collector absorbs it.
"Quite a piece, don't you think?" He grins before throwing it again.
Thinking quickly Silver Claw got in front of his friends. "Moon Call!" His bracelet glowed bright as he took a deep breath and released a sonic howl sending the book and Collector smashing into the wall.
Using this chance, the three heroes ran for cover behind the staircase.
"The Akuma has to be in the that book." Ladybug said.
"But we can't even touch it without getting absorbed." Cat Noir said.
Pausing to think Ladybug gets an idea. "Lucky Charm!" Throwing her yoyo into the air it creates a bike pedal. "A pedal?" Ladybug looks around but doesn't find anything she could use it for. "I have no idea what this is for. We need to stall him." Ladybug said when Collector threw his book absorbing the staircase.
"Ladybug, Cat Noir, Silver Claw, you shall be the masterpieces in my new book of inspiration!" Collector said throwing his book.
Dodging it, Silver Claw and Cat Noir rush in to fight Collector hand to hand, but Collector was proving to be quite the fighter as he caught his book and tried to absorb them both.
Acting quickly Ladybug throws her yoyo tying up his legs and yanking him to the ground. Grabbing his book Collector touches Ladybug's yoyo absorbing it and freeing his legs.
"My collection is growing." Collector grins.
Dodging his book the three heroes jump to the upper level when Cat Noir realizes something.
"Wait a minute, Gabriel Agreste can't possibly be Hawk Moth because he's been akumatized." Cat Noir smiles.
"How is that something to smile at?" Silver Claw asks.
Running into Adrien's room they barricade the door and find the room empty.
"I don't see Gabriel's son anywhere." Ladybug said looking around.
"Maybe he's already been captured." Cat Noir said.
"You think he'd take out his own son?" Ladybug gasps.
"It's possible, he's pretty angry." Silver Claw said when Collector appears on the other side of the door.
"You cannot escape me!" He said making the barricade disappear.
"What if he has no more pages left in his book?" Ladybug thought when she looked around and got an idea.
"Before I add you to my collection I'm gonna collect your miraculouses for Hawk Moth." Collector said.
"Cat Noir, Silver Claw, I need ammunition!" Ladybug yells.
"What?" Both heroes said when Ladybug throws a trophy knocking down some of Adrien's many video games.
"Oh." Silver Claw said getting where she was going.
"Clever thinking milady." Cat Noir said when Ladybug grabs his belt tail.
"Less talking more helping!" Ladybug said as she grabbed the foosball table and attached the bike pedal to it.
Collector leaps at Silver Claw but he dodges and kicks Collector sending him falling to the ground.
"Cataclysm!" Cat Noir's ring glows bright as dark energy surrounds his hand and he strikes the shelves causing all the video games to fall.
As Collector picks himself up Cat Noir and Silver Claw throw disks down towards Ladybug she uses the foosball table to launch the disks at him.
Using his book Collector absorbs the disks as he makes his way towards Ladybug.
"Come on. Come on." Ladybug mumbles as they toss the last of the disks down.
"We're out of ammo!" Silver Claw said as Collector absorbs the table.
Ladybug gasps as he presses the book to her, but she wasn't absorbed. Eyes widening Collector looks to the book. "It's already full."
Seeing her chance Ladybug kicks the book out of his hand which Cat Noir grabs and tosses to Silver Claw who tosses to Ladybug who rips the book in half releasing the Akuma.
"Miraculous Ladybug!" Throwing the pedal in the air all the things Collector absorbed went back to their normal place including their weapons.
"No more evildoing for you little Akuma. Time to de-evilise!" Ladybug catches the Akuma and turns it back into a butterfly returning The Collector into Gabriel.
Ladybug and Silver Claw walk up to do their fist bump.
"Pound it." They said but Cat Noir runs towards Gabriel.
"Are you okay Fa…sir?" Cat Noir asks.
"Cat Noir? Silver Claw? Ladybug? What happened?" Gabriel asks.
"You were akumatized by Hawk Moth, but don't worry. It's over now." Cat Noir said.
"Thank you all." Gabriel said before gasping. "Adrien, where is my son?"
"He must be hiding." Cat Noir said.
"Cat Noir's right. Otherwise, he would have reappeared right here." Ladybug said.
"Nothing must happen to him, he's too important." Gabriel said when their miraculous started to beep.
"We better go, we're about to transform." Silver Claw said.
"Goodbye." Ladybug said.
"Don't worry Mr. Agreste I'm sure your son is safe and sound." Cat Noir said as they left.
"See you very soon." Gabriel grins.
Back at Fu's house, Marinette was explaining everything to him.
"So since Gabriel Agreste was akumatized he can't possibly be Hawk Moth, right?" She asks.
"That's very probable, but how did you find out the book belonged to him?" Fu asks.
"At first I thought it was his son Adrien's cause I saw him with it at school before it was stolen by a girl, but Tikki got it back. And I only just met you and I didn't know if I could trust you." Marinette said.
"You were afraid in case the one you loved turned out to be Hawk Moth." Fu asks.
"What? Uh no. How did you know? I mean. I don't love him." Marinette laughs nervously. "Alright! Yes, Adrien is amazing. I couldn't stand the thought of him being a supervillain." Marinette confesses.
"If you hope to defeat Hawk Moth we have to work together." Fu said.
"I know, but now Adrien will never come back to school because I can't give him that book back. I'll never see him again!" Marinette said.
"There isn't a single problem that can't be solved Marinette." Fu takes out a phone and takes pictures of the entire book. "These modern inventions really are incredible." He chuckles.
At Adrien's house, Marinette returned the book to Gabriel who had agreed to let Adrien come back to school. As he put the book back in his safe Gabriel turns to his son.
"I'm sorry I became furious over a book." He said.
"I shouldn't have taken it without asking." Adrien said.
"That book was the very last gift your mother gave me before…before she disappeared. All I have left of her is that book...and you. But I know I can't keep you and the book locked up forever." Gabriel said.
"Does that mean you'll let me go back to school?" Adrien asks and Gabriel nods causing Adrien to hug his father.
When Adrien returned to school everyone was extremely happy to see him.
Bringing up his computer Gabriel brought up images of all the book pages.
"So if you already had a copy of the book why did you go through all that trouble?" Natalie asks.
"I did what I had to do to keep my secret." Gabriel said touching some hidden switches which opened a secret hatch revealing Hawk Moth's hidden chamber.
Opening the box containing his Miraculous Nooroo appeared.
"Happy to see me?" Gabriel asks.
"At your service master." Nooroo bows.
"Nooroo, dark wings rise!" Gabriel said as he transformed into Hawk Moth.
"Ladybug, Silver Claw, Cat Noir! You almost managed to find out who I am, but now I am more above suspicion than I have ever been. As of today, nothing will prevent me from getting your Miraculous and making my greatest wish come true. All I need to do now is wait for my next prey." He laughs.