Chapter 10: Illusion

On the Monday following the Saturday when Darker Owl attacked, all the students from the ruined Collège Françoise Dupont had to take a bus to Collège Paul Bert instead.

Lila was nervous, because this was the same school where she had attended as Cerise Bianca. She had rehearsed scenarios with her robot Machiavelli, so she was prepared.

There was a school assembly where all the new students were welcome to the school. Caline Bustier and Olga Mendeleiev would be teaching classes on opposite ends of the enclosed gymnasium.

At lunch that day many of the students from Bustier's class met with students of their new school, including Anna, Milo, Emil, and Pedro. They sat around a long table.

Anna said, "I wish you could meet our class representative, Cerise Bianca. She's really amazing. Right now she's off in America starring in a movie, The Last of Leela."

"That's the same movie Lila was in, isn't that right, Lila?" asked Ivan.

Lila was prepared for this. "I was in the first movie, and now there's a sequel being made that Cerise is doing,"

"Why aren't you in this one?" asked Milo.

"My character died at the end of the first movie. Now Cerise is cast as my twin sister."

"You're not identical," said Pedro.

"No, she's going to be my fraternal twin. She does look a lot like me, and that helped her get the part. She's also extremely talented, and very nice."

"She certainly is," said Anna. "I'm glad you've met her."

"I have another job now. I'm a fashion model, the face of the Gabriel brand. I'm one of the virtual images for the AI assistant on the Alliance ring, Adrien is the other."

Adrien waved a hand. He didn't look happy. Was her control over him slipping? Lila had given him a series of commands about keeping quiet and hanging out with her, but her plan to make Marinette jealous didn't seem to be working.

"I thought you looked familiar," said Emil. "Awesome."

"I encourage everyone to buy an Alliance ring," said Lila. "I have one, and I see most of the students here do too. What about you, Juleka? When are you going to get one?"

Juleka shook her head and mumbled, "Unsafe."

Rose said, "I was going to get one, but I decided against it. They track your movements."

"Are you sure?" asked Pedro.

"It is plainly shown in the commercials, when they direct people to various places," said Max.

"Well, regular cell phones track people, too," said Milo. "I don't care. I don't have anything to hide. And the ring is super-useful."

"I think it's scary what happened the other day," said Mylène. "Remember the new Bee hero who went out to catch those escaped dinosaurs?"

"Yes," said Alya. "I put her in the Ladyblog yesterday."

"She was captured almost immediately," said Mylène. "Darker Owl broadcast that she was his hostage. He was using the Bee Miraculous he took from her – you could tell by the yellow stripes on his suit. How did he catch on so quickly if Monarch didn't hack into the Alliance system?"

Chloé said, "That wouldn't have happened if I was still Queen Bee. To be caught so fast is ridiculous, utterly ridiculous."

"I recognized her," said Kim. "That troublemaker Socqueline Wang. She was at our school last year."

"Oh, her," said Chloé with contempt. "I got her expelled after she assaulted me and broke my phone."

Several of her classmates grumbled quietly, but nobody stood up to Chloé.

"In reference to the earlier point, does Socqueline have an Alliance ring?" asked Max.

"Do you know, Marinette?" asked Rose. "You were closest to her."

"Yes she did," said Marinette. "She, uh, told me about it."

Lila suspected they were right about the tracking, but she needed to protect Gabriel, for now.

"That's not why it happened," said Lila. "I called Mr. Damoclès yesterday to make sure he was all right. He told me the whole story. Socqueline tried to discourage him from being The Owl. You know what akuma victims are like when they have a grudge against someone. It was just a coincidence that she happened to be the Bee holder."

Nino pulled Alia and Marinette to a corner of the cafeteria for a private conversation. Moments later, Lila excused herself and went to another table. She pointed a directional microphone at them.

"Hey," said Nino. "The three of us should join together to be a secret Resistance against Monarch. I already have a plan for our first mission."

"Why us?" asked Alya.

"Because Ladybug doesn't have us to help her any more," said Nino.

"What do you mean, us?" asked Alya.

"I mean, we all lost our places on the Ladybug team because our identities got exposed. Me as Carapace, you as Rena Rouge, and Marinette as Multimouse."

"Wait!" said Marinette. "How is that general knowledge?"

"The two of us have known our identities for a long time," said Nino. "For you, well, Monarch dragged you off as a hostage to the wax museum, and a guard overheard what everyone said."

"There have been a few rumors on the net," said Alya. "But I didn't put it on the Ladyblog."

"I don't want that talked about in public," said Marinette.

"Okay, but I still want you in the Resistance. You can call me Comrade Ketchup. You will be Comrade Béchamel, and Alya will be Beurre Maître d'Hôtel."

"Why such a long code name for me?" asked Alya.

"It seems to fit. Your mother's a hotel chef," said Nino.

"Why Comrade Ketchup for you?" asked Alya.

Nino touched his red cap.

Alya sighed. "I won't even ask about Marinette. All right, what about the plan?"

Nino wanted to find out how Monarch was giving out powers, since no Miraculous were found on people when they were deakumatized. He illustrated his point with a container of yogurt and a packet of honey.

"How does Monarch add and remove the honey from the yogurt without anyone noticing?" Nino asked.

"Nobody knows," said Marinette.

"Hence my plan. We're gonna film an akumatization."

"How will you know when there's going to be an akumatization, Comrade Ketchup?" asked Alya.

"Easy, Comrade Beurre Maître d'Hôtel. I'm gonna make it happen."

"What? You can't do that!" said Marinette.

"Making someone suffer just to discover Monarch's technique?" said Alya. "That's super cruel!"

"Akuma victims always forget what happens to them, so no problem."

"Who would you pick?" asked Marinette.

"The parent-teacher conference is tomorrow. Who loses their cool most easily?"

Alya said, "A teacher?"

"No, a parent! Most of our parents had been akumatized, right? And we have the ideal parent coming tomorrow: Gabriel Agreste. Adrien told me he's coming in person."

"It seems like he's making an effort to change," said Alya. "After all, he let Adrien stop modeling and be represented by a digital image. We don't want to get Adrien pulled out of school or anything."

Marinette made an angry scoffing sound.

"I don't think he's really changed. That's just a publicity stunt for his awesome ring!" said Nino.

"Seriously though, the Guardian would never approve of this. You're with me on this one, right, Marinette?"

"Well. since it would help to defeat Monarch... I think she would agree," said Marinette.

Lila thought, "I have to report this to Gabriel. If he can be provoked into doing something dumb, I may be able to learn more about how he projects Miraculous powers."

Lila arranged a video conference with Gabriel.

"I don't know if there's much point in our continuing to meet, Lila," said Gabriel. "Marinette seems to have lost interest in Adrien."

"She and her friends are up to something that could hurt your business," said Lila.

"And what is that?"

"They're starting a rumor that Monarch is able to hack into your Alliance rings," said Lila. "Not only to spy on people's location, but they even have the theory that somehow Monarch can project Miraculous powers through the rings to his akuma victims."

(This was Lila's own theory, but it made sense to attribute it to Marinette and friends to get them into trouble.)

"Preposterous!" said Gabriel, scowling.

"I know, but if people start believing it, that will hurt your sales. It will also hurt my modeling career, since it's my image in the ring. Not to mention Adrien's."

"It's a slanderous accusation. I could get them expelled..."

"I know they're planning to try to get you akumatized at the parent teacher conference so they can watch what happens. Whatever they try to do, you could certainly get them punished for it."

"Thank you for your warning. I will be prepared."

The parent-teacher conference for Ms. Bustier's class was held the next day in the corner of the gym where she had been teaching.

Gabriel was in the front row. He held his tablet, with a small coin pouch glued onto it, painted to match the metallic surface. His hand further concealed the pouch.

"Today, we'll look at preparing for your children's future after collège," said Bustier. "But before we get started, I'm missing a file. Mr. Agreste, after career day your son should have given you a file about his wishes for next year. Do you have it?"

"I do," said Gabriel. "But now that my son has changed his wishes, I still need to help him figure out what his future will be."

"Please do send me the file as soon as it's completed."

Marinette entered nervously, carrying a pizza.

"Ms. Bustier, can I just grab my organizer? I left it where I was sitting on the bleachers!"

"Yes, but why are you holding a pizza?"

"Oh this? I was just in the cafeteria when I remembered about my organizer."

And she went up the bleachers, she stumbled and squashed the pizza onto Gabriel's shirt.

"Whoa, I am such a klutz," said Marinette, daubing at Gabriel's shirt with a with a sponge. "Oh no, I'm just making it worse. This must be an expensive suit. I'm sure it makes you angry."

Marinette retreated, but Gabriel did not react. He wanted things to escalate a little more, and what other children dared to act against him.

Nino came in next with a plate of spaghetti, complaining that he had left his school bag. The spaghetti also ended up on Gabriel.

After handing Nino his camera back, Alya came in with a chocolate cake on a plate.

Miss Bustier said, "Alya? You're not going to...?"

"Oh yes, I am," said Alya in a deadpan voice. She smashed the cake onto Gabriel's shirt. "Oh my, how clumsy of me."

Gabriel stood up. "I know what you're trying to do. The three of you have been spreading malicious rumors about the security of my Alliance rings. Now you've stooped to childishly attacking me in order to make some sort of point."

He ostentatiously pulled off his Alliance ring and thrust it into Alya's hand. "Here, look at this. How dare you? Look at it! It's a masterpiece of engineering and it's absolutely secure."

He walked out into the middle of the room, holding his tablet. "I'm pulling Adrien out of this school! Clothing can be washed, but attacking my business is unforgivable."

He opened a small portal into a bottle where he had caught an akuma butterfly (before temporarily renouncing Nooroo). It came out and absorbed into the tablet. From another tiny portal, a hologram projector put a butterfly mask on his face. The audience on the bleachers gasped and started trying to get away.

"Yes, Monarch, I'll do anything to get revenge on my son's friends, who pushed me over the edge! I will bring you back Chat Noir's Miraculous!"

He was enveloped in a purple cloud, and became The Collector. People scrambled to get away, but Nino kept recording.

He had the willpower to keep control and act his part. "You're going to give me a Miraculous power to help me with my mission? Oh, thank you, Monarch!"

Another small portal opened, and the nozzle of a device stuck out. The Collector was hit with a flash of yellow light.

"I've been given the power of teleportation! Now I'll be able to trap them!"

"Run!" yelled Nino, and the three Comrades scattered.

"I'll make nice and quiet children out of you. Get ready to join my collection!"

The Collector seemed most interested in catching Nino first. Marinette ducked into a lavatory stall.

Marinette invoked, "Pollen, Trixx dual metamorphosis!"

Now she was Abeille Renarde, the Bee-Vixen. The name felt awkward, but she was stuck with the Bee name that Alya had used while posing as her in front of Monarch.

The Collector's power was deadly without a Miraculous Ladybug to free people from his Book. She had to rescue Alya and Nino before they got caught! She used her top to swing up onto the school building, and spotted the Collector running after Nino.

Abeille Renarde blew into her flute. "Illusion!"

Now there were dozens of Ninos running away, weaving to confuse The Collector.

Rather than use his Book on the illusions, The Collector turned in her direction.

"Aha, it's the Guardian wielding the Fox and the Bee!"

"Abeille Renarde to you, Collector!"

He hurled the Book in her direction, but she dodged it.

Chat Noir landed beside her. "The Collector again. Paw-some."

"Careful, he has the power of Voyage!" Nino called out from his hiding place with Alya, behind a car. "He'll try to trap you with it!"

"Thanks!" Chat called back.

"Comrade Ketchup at your service, Abeille Renarde and Chat Noir!"

The Collector flung the Book at Comrade Ketchup; Alya pulled him out of the way.

"This way!" called Abeille, swinging down to where the Nino illusions were standing. She morphed them into copies of Chat Noir and herself. (She could move and change illusions already created, but she couldn't make more on a single charge.)

The Collector appeared from portals again and again, firing off his Book. "You're going to upgrade my collection with your Miraculous!"

Abeille made the illusions dodge realistically. Eventually one might be hit, but she know from practice that poofing one wouldn't dispel the others.

If she could get close enough to Venom him, she could call in Minotaurox. Only he could safely grab the Book and tear it to release the akuma. But getting close was almost impossible. Snagging him with the top would be useless – he could simply swipe it with the Book.

The Collector opened a portal at his feet and leaped down into the sewer, close quarters where illusion duplicates were useless. Abeille and Chat leaped down after him, she spinning her top and he spinning his baton as a shield. They might lose their weapons to the Book, but it was better than getting caught themselves.

When they landed on the sewer walkway, they saw The Collector standing still with a distressed expression.

"You can't save me. I've tried to change out of love for my son, but I continue to lose my temper and disappoint him."

Abeille said, "It's not too late. Anyone can change. Let go of your anger and reject the akuma."

Chat said, "I'm sure your son loves you and will forgive you."

With a gasp and a cry, The Collector forced the akuma to leave.

"Thank you, superheroes. You have freed me from evil," said Gabriel. He fell backward and there was a splash.

"No!" shouted Abeille. She and Chat Noir raced to the edge and saw a long drop into deep water.

"Chaton, help me save Mr. Agreste!"

"Of course, m'Lady!"

They both took aqua-formula and dived into the water. They couldn't find Gabriel, but when they emerged from the water he was there on the side, coughing and spluttering.

"Mr. Agreste, are you all right?" asked Chat Noir.

"What happened?" asked Gabriel weakly. "Last thing I remember I was in a school gymnasium."

"You were akumatized, sir," said Abeille Renarde. "You became The Collector again, and this time Monarch gave you the power of teleportation. Do you mind if we search you? We don't know how he transfers Miraculous powers."

"Go ahead," said Gabriel. "Anything to help you catch Monarch."

They found no jewelry on him.

"I handed my Alliance ring to a girl at the school right before I was overcome with anger. There was a childish food attack by several students. I need to get it back."

"Of course," said Chat. "We'll get it back for you and give you a report about what it was all about."

"I suspect they were trying to provoke an akumatization in front of witnesses, an experiment to learn more about Monarch," said Abeille. "It was very dangerous and put their lives at risk, as well as yours."

"I can't be too hard on them. They were only trying to do good, and sometimes in order to do good, anything goes."

Once Gabriel got home and changed out of his wet and soiled clothes, he went straight to his secret room where he kept the kwamis imprisoned.

He reclaimed the Butterfly and put it on. "Nooroo, dark wings rise!"

Monarch put on all the Miraculous rings. One was charged with kwami power: the Ladybug ring. Tikki had recovered enough for one small use of her power.

He willed to use the Miraculous Cure, and the small waterproof coin pouch was instantly in his hand, in its original red with black spots. Lucky Charm objects always came back, even one that had been glued to a tablet and dropped into the water of the sewer.

The tablet was lost, but not what was inside the pouch. He opened the pouch and pulled out an Alliance ring changed with the power of Kaalki. He pulled the power back into his Horse Miraculous ring, restored Kaalki to her glass cell, and dispensed food pellets for her to eat.

"That was perfect!" he boasted to the kwamis. "I'm able to wield your powers without giving myself away with a change in my appearance."

"Miraculous Monarch!" he called, throwing the pouch into the air. The burst of ladybugs didn't have much to do, because he had been careful not to do damage as The Collector. He hoped they would restore his ruined suit, since that was damage done by his enemies that he had defeated by tricking them. If not, it was no great loss.

He detransformed and called Tomoe Tsurugi.

"I misled the Resistance and the hero team. They'll never make the connection between Monarch's powers and the Alliance now."

"Very well, Gabriel-san."

Lila sent an underwater drone to recover the ruined tablet and bring it to her lair that night. (She had planted a GPS tracker app in it while she was in possession of Nathalie's tablet, so she knew just where to look).

"There is a trace of glue where something was attached to the tablet," said Machiavelli. "Hypothesis confirmed 97.5%"

Lila smiled.