"Royal Pain" - Miraculous Ladybug/Sky High fanfiction (incomplete)

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters; all rights belong to Disney and Zag Toons. No copyright intended.

May contain minor Season 2 spoilers

Chapter 1: The earthquake

Shock. That was the feeling that ran through the students and teachers at the local high school. It started out as a sunny day like any other in Paris, France. Marinette grudgingly rose out of bed with a yawn and a stretch of her arms. From outside her window, there was a spectacular view of blue sky, green trees lining the ground, and the Eiffel Tower in the distance, reaching proudly into the air. Her room was decorated in girlish colors of white and light pink, from the rugs, to her bed, to the walls, and even her computer. What stood out was a poster of her classmate and love interest Adrien. Short blond hair cropped his head and his grass green eyes were enough to make her heart melt. He wore a black shirt and a white jacket, with his right arm lifted behind his head in a model pose. She smiled and stared at the poster dreamily.

A squeaky voice came from her pink clap bag, “Good morning Marinette!” She unclasped the pouch and a small creature floated out of it. “Same to you, Tikki,” she smiled at her. Tikki had a round head, big blue eyes with eyelashes and little arms and legs. She was red with black spots like a ladybug with two thin antennae to complete the look. “Come on, you don’t want to be late for school, do you?” Marinette turned away from the poster after a moment and said, “No I guess not.” She went over to the bathroom to brush her teeth and comb her short black hair. Soon, she was dressed in her usual attire: pants, a white shirt with small pink flowers on it and a dark gray jacket. Just as she was finishing pulling her hair in two ponytails, she heard her parents call her from downstairs. “Marinette, breakfast is ready!” “Coming!” she called back. Tikki smiled at her one last time before flying into the pouch once more. She reached to her left ear to touch one of her circular ladybug earrings she wore. One never knew when the world would be in danger and she would need to call on her powers.

Her mother and father were smiling at her as she made her way to the table. Her father, Tom, had a big build with dark hair and a mustache. Sabrina had short black hair, a Chinese look to her appearance, and a sweet personality. A croissant, scrambled egg, two strips of bacon, and a glass of orange juice waited for her. “Good morning Mom,” she said happily, giving her a hug. She embraced her father before sitting down to eat her breakfast. “How is work coming along?” she asked her dad. “Great so far,” he replied. “Sold several rolls and croissants at the bakery yesterday. One woman bought a handful of pastries for her child’s birthday and the look on her son’s face was the sweetest thing.” “I’m so glad,” Marinette smiled, along with her mother. She finished her morning meal and grabbed her pink backpack by the door. “Bye, Mom, bye Dad!” she called. “Goodbye sweetheart, see you soon,” said her mother. “Be sure to help me at the bakery this weekend,” said her father. “We’ll do!” said Marinette, as she went out the door.

Soon enough, she arrived at the front of the school. “Hey girl!” rang a familiar voice. “Alya!” exclaimed Marinette, waving at her friend. Alya had reddish blond hair, black glasses and wore a plaid shirt. “How’s it going?” she asked. “Same as usual,” said Marinette. “I finally completed my science paper last night; not much fun. I also came up with an idea for boots for the winter.” She reached into her backpack to take out her sketchpad. It showed a drawing of black stylish boots with sparkles on the front and sides. Fake black fur lined the top edge. “Very fancy!” replied Alya, examining the drawing. “Do you think I should put fake fur inside to help with warmth? Or maybe tone down the sparkles? Maybe I should try making one for men…” “I think it is a great idea,” mentioned Alya. “You can always test them, or go back to fix it later.” “That’s the thing about fashion design,” said Marinette, “The ideas, and stress never end.” ‘So true,” Alya added. “Guess what? I got another glimpse of Ladybug for my Ladyblog…” “Yeah…” Marinette answered nervously. Alya continued, “She them came to me for an interview and then…” “Oh, it’s Adrien!” Marinette interrupted. A black limo pulled up to the curb and out stepped Adrien. Marinette found that she could not move her feet forward. “Go on, Marinette,” said Alya, giving her a playful push. “You are brave, you got this.” “Got what?” she asked, still blushing. Alya giggled and pulled her forward. “Oh hey Marinette,” said Adrien with a small smile. “Hi Adrian, it’s nice to see you again…I mean not again, since it’s the first time today…” Alya giggled again and Adrien did not mind her stuttering. “It’s great to see you too,” replied Adrien. “Would you like to hang out sometime?” Marinette asked. At this point, her cheeks were rosy pink. “I have fencing practice this afternoon, plus homework. We could try hanging out…” “Hi Adrikins!” The high-pitched feminine voice came from Chloe, Marinette’s self-centered rival.

Chloe ran up to him and pushed Marinette out of the way. Her spectacled sidekick hastily wrote down the last answer to Chloe’s math assignment. “Hi Chloe,” said Adrien politely. “What brings you here?” “No need to get nervous around me,” she said sweetly, “Unlike some people around here…” She briefly glared at Marinette who clenched her fists. “So, do you want to go shopping this weekend, just you and me?” she asked with a flutter of her eyelashes. In the distance, Marinette stuck out her tongue in disgust. Adrien moved his head back as Chloe leaned closer. “I would…love to, Chloe, but I have…modeling to do.” “You always say that,” she mentioned. “I’ll come with you. It will be so romantic!” Marinette started to march forward, but Alya held her back with her arm. Just then, Adrien’s buddy Nino waved at him, while listening to music from his orange headphones. Clearly relieved, Adrien said, “I have to go. My friend is waiting for me.” He rushed over to him, leaving both Chloe and Marinette surprised and somewhat sad. The awkward silence was broken when Sabina tried to stifle a gasp. “Oh no…I don’t think got this problem right.” Chloe rounded on her friend, anger in her eyes. “You think that the problem isn’t right?! You were supposed to make sure that all the problems are right!” “I’m sorry, Chloe, I’m fixing it right now.” “You better! I want my weekend to be free so I can hang out with Adrien!” They continued on up the stairs, Marinette walking with Alya, upset. “It’s not fair!” growled Marinette with a stomp of her foot. “Why does she always get in the way of everything?” “It will be fine,” said Alya, putting her hand on her shoulder. “Call him after school and see if he would like to see you. I bet he would.” A small smile appeared on Marinette’s face. “Thank you, Alya.” “Anytime girl! I’ll show you my blog after class!”

Moments later, Marinette was staring out the window in her boring chemistry class. Her teacher was the main source of the mundane atmosphere, rather than the information itself. “Your projects will be due on October 4^th in class,” she explained. “I expect an engaging presentation from each group and quality research papers to go with it. Mylene, no cell phones in class!” A short blond girl wearing a colorful hat, hid her phone out of sight. The teacher marched over and held out her hand. Mylene clutched her phone to her chest, not wanting to let go. “Don’t make me ask you again, Mylene. Pay attention in this class or go to the principal’s office. Rules are rules.” Sadly, Mylene slowly placed her phone in her hand and stared at the floor, sadly. “Being a dumb loser as usual, I see?” Chloe scoffed, enough for Mylene to hear. Sabrina giggled alongside her. “Shut up, Chloe,” Marinette shot back. “That’s enough,” said the teacher, a stern look on her face as usual. “Time to get back into focus. Now, reviewing the chemical compounds of oxygen, and hydrogen from yesterday, mixed with these new chemicals listed here…” Marinette drowned out the rest of the lecture.  As strange as it was to admit, she missed transforming into Ladybug with Tikki to save the city. In fact, it had been months since she and Cat Noir had fought a villain, and the last time was against a selfish Volpina, who was Lila without powers. Marinette wasn’t sure who was worse: spoiled Chloe who adored Adrien, or lying Lila who wanted to get Adrien’s attention. “I have your lab partners listed on this piece of paper I am holding. Marinette will be working with…” ‘Please not Chloe, please be Adrien, please not Chloe, please be…’ “Alya.” The teacher stated. Marinette breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t Adrian like she hoped, but at least she would be working with her best friend. “Chloe will work with Sabrina…” Chloe’s face was in a pout, but she didn’t complain. Sabrina did not seem disappointed at all; she was used to doing her homework, sometimes on a daily basis. “Adrien will work with Nino, and Ivan with Mylene.” Nino and Adrien high-fived and Marinette saw Mylene and Ivan smile at each other.

The teacher stood at her desk, which displayed glass beakers and jars full of colorful liquids. She put on protective goggles and blue rubber gloves as she demonstrated the correct way to mix various chemicals together. “That is the correct way. Now doing something like this…” she opened an old bottle of perfume and hovered it over the round beaker, “…is not how it is supposed to be done. She briefly poured the contents in and added some drops of the perfume. The contents exploded with a bang, and the ground shook for several seconds. Then, just as fast as it came, it stopped. The class stared in awe and fear. Even the teacher was surprised at the impact. “Well, there you have it. Pages 15-20 reading notes are due next week and…” She was interrupted by another sudden shaking from the ground. This one started as a rumbling, but gradually seemed to get faster. It could only mean one thing…

“Earthquake!” screamed Chloe, causing the rest of the students to run around in panic. “Everyone calm down!” yelled the teacher over the noise. Ivan and Mylene were huddled together in a corner. “Everyone, get under your desks and chairs, fold your arms over your head and stay away from the windows. I will get the janitor and he will open the underground shelter behind the school.” The class did as they were told, and the teacher ran to get help. Glass beakers crashed to the floor, spilling liquid in huge glops. Oddly enough, Marinette was not terrified. She stood up and ran out the door. “Marinette, where are you going?” called Alya. “I am going to come back and help…er, get some more help! Stay there!” Marinette ran to a handrail to catch her breath.  Other students and teacher were running outside to other shelters nearby. “Come on out, Tikki,” Marinette said, after looking around to make sure no one was watching. She opened her pouch and Tikki flew out of it. “What’s going on?” she asked, sensing her owner’s distress. “I don’t know,” she answered. “This villain, whoever it is, must be close by. You know what this means? Time to transform!” Her earring miraculous briefly shone in the light before she commanded, “Tikki, spots on!” The ladybug kwami flew into her earring before Marinette transformed into Ladybug. Her outfit changed from regular clothes into a skintight red body suit decorated with black spots. A red mask appeared around her eyes after she moved her hands. A matching yo-yo was around her hips, ready to use as a weapon, or to help with movement and reaching high places. She felt a familiar rush of confidence and courage that she didn’t seem to possess in her normal state. Feeling rejuvenated, Ladybug flipped over holes in the gym floor that were not there before, and rushed outside.

Ladybug looked to the left, and then to the right. Chaos was everywhere: cars were hoisted up by chunks of cobblestone rising, tree branches fell to the sidewalk with a loud snap, people were dodging pieces of concrete, raining from some buildings. No sign of a villain. ‘Did Stoneheart get an invisible upgrade?’ thought Ladybug, thinking of the Hulk-like villain made of rocks she had fought in the past. Before she could look further, she heard yells from inside the school. She raced back up the stairs, careful not to trip over the cracks along the way. She skidded to a stop when she saw the janitor and her chemistry teacher. The woman, usually appearing emotionless and strict to her classmates, now had a look of terror on her face. She held onto the handrail as the ground shook again, as if it were a lifeline. “Ladybug! You’re here!” called the janitor. “I need to get my keys, but I can’t get to my office.” There was a gaping hole in the floor that kept the janitor from getting to his room…and it was growing wider. The door was on the ground off its hinges from the force of the earthquake. “Leave it to me,” said Ladybug. Taking out her yo-yo, she took aim and threw it inside, where it wrapped around a pole that held up a rack of cleaning supplies. She jumped and swung into the tiny office space.

Ladybug looked around the area and spotted many things; a small desk chair and a computer to the right, a closet consisting of mops, buckets, cleaning solutions, and a large sink. On the wall, hanging from silver hooks were… “The keys!” Ladybug exclaimed, running over. ‘Which ones?’ she frantically asked herself, as she looked at the different keys of many shapes and sizes. Ladybug heard a noise from above and looked up. Black cracks snaked across the ceiling, like angry tree branches. Wasting no time, she grabbed all the keys and ran back to the hole. She held the keys tightly in her hands and ran as fast as she could. Time seemed to slow down as she leaped across the hole. She landed safely on the other side and handed the keys to the janitor, before he rushed outside. Ladybug led her teacher back to the classroom, before the floor collapsed where she had stood moments before. With the superhero leading the way, the teacher regained her composure. They hurried back to the classroom, only to find that the desk had been thrown in front of the door, blocking their way. Yells and pleas for help could be heard from the classroom. Ladybug turned the doorknob as hard as she could, but the door would not budge. She tried pushing the door and kicking it, but it remained in the same place. Even worse, she did not see any of her scared classmates get up to lift the desk out of the way.

Adrien waited outside, searching for signs of a villain. He had rushed out soon after Marinette, much to Chloe’s horror. He did not see any villains anywhere, nor Marinette. What was going on? He heard a rustling sound coming from a nearby trash can and went over to investigate. The shaking of the ground made him stumble and fall, but he quickly got back up. A foul stench reached his nostrils and he plugged his nose. Floating from the trash can was another creature similar to Tikki. This one, however, looked like a black cat, with bright green eyes, a tail, black pointed ears, and three antennae protruding from his face. The rotten smell had come from a piece of Camembert cheese that the creature was eating in delight. “Plagg!” Adrien exclaimed, shocked and disgusted at the same time. “I was wondering where you were.” “For your information, I was in here enjoying my favorite food. You are missing out,” he replied without a care in the world. Adrien let out a frustrated sigh. “You are missing out on an earthquake that’s going on right now, with my classmates in danger and…” Another spine-shattering shake caused Adrien to hold on to the trash can for dear life. “We have to figure out where the villain is and get everyone to safety!” “Can I enjoy my lunch in peace first?” Plagg asked. “Not until we save everyone, buddy,” Adrian replied. “Plagg, claws out!”  “But I am safe in here…” cried Plagg as he was sucked into Adrian’s black ring that displayed a glowing green paw print. Adrien’s outfit changed into a black body suit, complete with a tail, black cat ears, and a black mask around his eyes. His silver staff weapon was by his side. The feeling of freedom and confidence spread through him like adrenaline, moving him forward back to the classroom inside.

“Hey m’lady!” he greeted, as he arrived. “Cat Noir! Thank goodness!” said Ladybug. “Glad to see you, your presence has got me shaking all over,” joked Cat Noir. Hiding a blush and a giggle, Ladybug said, “No time for puns! The class is stuck inside and the desk is blocking the way…” “Cataclysm!” shouted Cat Noir, before giving Ladybug a chance to finish. He placed his hand on the door and dark bubbling energy spread from his hand. The door and desk were engulfed in darkness, then fell away completely with a crumble. “Everyone, follow me to the shelter, hurry!” called the teacher. The students came up from the floor and hurried after their teacher, some stumbling and leaning against the handrail, or the wall for support. Mylene sang her childhood song, “Smelly Wolf” to calm herself down, much to Chloe’s annoyance. She suddenly shrieked as the floor collapsed from under her feet. Ladybug tossed her yo-yo, hoping it would catch her. Thankfully, Ladybug’s yo-yo wrapped around her arms, stopping her fall. “It’s okay, we got you,” said Ladybug. Ladybug pulled her up with the strong as steel yo-yo string and Cat Noir helped lift her to the ground, safe. Together, they quickly joined their classmates and teachers outside.

Ladybug weaved her way through the crowd of students, (not hesitating to elbow Chloe in the rib along the way) and met up with the janitor.  He was fumbling with the lock on the trapdoor, a desperate look on his face. “I tried every key that I have, and the lock is stuck. We have to get in!”  “Have you tried the other underground shelters?” Ladybug asked. “All full!” he cried. Sure enough, the other staff and students were safe down below in other shelters around the school. Ladybug wondered why she had not noticed them before. The world was falling apart around her; she was running out of time.

“Lucky charm!” cried Ladybug, throwing her yo-yo in the air. A red and black object fell into her hand. “A paperclip? What am I supposed to do with this?” “I don’t think that is for homework assignments,” said Cat Noir half-heartedly, trying to lighten the situation. In Ladybug’s mind, the paperclip and then the lock flashed red with black spots, as if leading her to a clue. “I’ve got it!” she said. She broke the paperclip so that a sharp end stuck out from the rest. She stuck the point into a hole in the lock and fiddled. “Come on, come on!” she muttered. The school was starting to crumble and many of the students ducked as bricks started to fall. “Got it!” she said triumphantly as a loud click sounded. Cat Noir and Ladybug held open the doors as the class rushed down the ramp into the dark space. Thankfully, there was just enough space for everyone to fit. “Miraculous ladybug!” cried Ladybug, throwing the paperclip into the air. It disappeared into a sea of dark pink sparkles. Ladybug breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that everything would magically be back to normal like always. Yet, the shaking continued, and the school was crumbling fast. “Get in, Ladybug!” someone yelled, awakening her from her state of utter shock. With no other choice, Ladybug followed Cat Noir in. Together, they closed the trapdoor just as the school walls crashed to the ground.

Everyone huddled close as the ground shook some more. Beeping sounds came from the superheroes’ miraculouses, signaling that they were detransforming. They went into separate corners and transformed back into their regular selves and clothes. “Better get you some food after this is over,” whispered Marinette to a tired Tikki.” “Thanks a lot, Adrien, you made me miss my happy meal,” grumbled Plagg. “Keep it down,” replied Adrien with a sigh. “Adrien, Marinette!” said Nino. “You are safe! How did you get down here?” “We followed all of you here,” replied Marinette. “Where is Ladybug and Cat Noir?” asked Ivan. “They, um,” stuttered Marinette. She moved her lit up phone and came across a hole in the wall, big enough for a person to crawl through. “They crawled through there…to check to see if any other people were outside.” “Wow, they are amazing!” said Alya. “I wish I had gotten this on my Ladyblog!” “They are so brave,” sighed Chloe. Any other conversation was drowned out by the noises of the earthquake. The ground and the walls shook some more, and several people were worried that the ceiling would collapse on them. Then, at last, an eerie silence followed.

Chapter 2: The aftermath

“Is…is it over?” Alya asked to no one in particular in the pitch black.

“Yes, I think so,” said Nino.

“Gross! There is dirt all over my skirt and shoes. I’m blaming you, Marinette!” scoffed Chloe.

“I didn’t do anything,” Marinette replied coldly.

“Can we go home now?” whimpered Mylene.

“I can’t believe we survived that,” mentioned Ivan. “That was awesome!”

“If you mean almost getting crushed to death by debris or falling into a hole, than yeah,” remarked a gothic-like student, Violet; sarcasm in her voice.

“Will everyone please stop fighting and be patient?” asked Adrien. Everyone recognized the popular teen’s voice and became silent.

The chemistry teacher used the opportunity to turn on a flashlight. It lit up her face in a creepy way, as if she was going to tell a ghost story. Of course, that was the last thing on her mind at the moment. “All right, I want all of you to be quiet and stay here for a few more moments. The janitor and I will go up first to make sure it is safe. If so, you can call your parents and go home. The room filled with relaxed sighs. “You still have your assignments to do, do not forget.” Just like that, the positivity of the students vanished. She slowly opened the door. The bright light from the outside world was blinding, and several students closed their eyes. The teacher left the shelter, with the janitor following behind.

The space got silent again. Some students were anxious to get home to see their families. Others were scared at what damage and potential dangers lay beyond the trapdoor. Marinette squinted in the darkness. Was that Alya and Nino holding hands? ‘It would be cute if they were,’thought Marinette. ‘Or maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me.’  “I’m hungry” moaned Nino. “I was going to eat my lunch, but I think someone threw it away!” “Oops,” said Chloe rudely, loud enough so that he could hear her. “That rotten, evil brat,” growled Marinette. “If only I could find her in the dark.”

After what seemed like an eternity, the chemistry teacher came back. “It is safe,” she said, but her face showed deep concern. One by one, the students filed out, staring at the ground as if it were made of glass and would shatter any second. Marinette squinted in the sunlight, waiting for her eyes to adjust. When her vision cleared, a horrible sight lay in front of her. What was once a proud high school, with arched windows, a clock tower in the center and a glass structure on the roof, now lay in large scattered pieces on the ground. Desks, tables, lockers and other items were knocked over. Cracks and holes littered the sidewalk and street like gaping wounds. Surprisingly, only with a few dents here and there, the Eiffel Tower nearby was still intact.

At once, several students jumped for joy and chanted, “No more school for us!” The more mature ones, however, looked on in disbelief. Police cars and ambulances arrived at the scene, checking on the students and searching for survivors among the rubble. Thankfully, no one appeared to be badly injured. Not long after, parents came in cars, trucks, and other vehicles to pick up their kids. All the teachers chattered nervously amongst themselves. “Mr. Damocles,” asked Adrien. “When will the school be back open?” “Hopefully soon once it gets fixed,” he replied, stress evident in his eyes. “It will take a while, I’m afraid.” ‘He’s right,’thought Marinette. ‘Without school days, I won’t be able to catch up with homework! Well, at least I can spend more time with Adrian…wait, what if his father homeschools him and forbids him from seeing me? He will only see Chloe and they will fall in love, and he will forget that I exist and then…’ She slapped her hand to her forehead. “I really need to stop worrying so much.” She peaked into her pouch and saw Tikki, still exhausted. “I’ll get you some food soon,” said Marinette. 

She looked up and saw Adrien. “Hey,” she said, nervously rubbing the back of her neck. “Hey,” said Adrien, not as nervous, but outgoing like he was earlier that morning. “So…are you doing alright?” “Yes, I’m fine,” said Marinette. “Same here,” he said, even though they both knew they were emotionally drained from the previous events. “Well, that was something you don’t see every day,” mentioned Marinette, referring to the earthquake. “No kidding,” he said. “I am glad that everyone is alright. I will miss all of you for a while.” “I will miss you too,” said Marinette. “Why do your parents have to be so strict?” “I don’t know,” he sighed. “It is hard to understand them, especially my father. Ever since, my mother disappeared long ago, he has not been the same.” They stepped over a large crack in the sidewalk and waited.  “You are not going shopping with Chloe are you?” Marinette asked. “Good heavens no,” said Adrien with a brief grin. Marinette couldn’t help but smile herself. “Even if I wanted to, my father probably would not let me out of the house, especially after what happened. It’s not that he is over-protective, he just…wants to keep me in line when he is not busy at work.” Imagining what it may have been like for Adrien; feeling lonely, even with his popularity as a model, feeling like his father never cared about him…it was too much. She was tempted to give him a hug, but she didn’t want to make the situation more awkward than it already was. “Just so you know, I am here for you if you feel lonely. You are one of my best friends, and I am so lucky to have a cute…I mean cool friend in my life…you know just as friends.” She smiled nervously again. “I’m lucky to have you as a friend, too,” said Adrien. As they looked into each other’s eyes, the rest of the world faded away. For a moment it was just the two of them, and everything was quiet, peaceful, the sunlight illuminating each other’s faces. They leaned in, faces inches away…

“There’s my father,” he said solemnly, breaking the trance. “We will keep in touch,” said Marinette, trying to hide her disappointment. “Of course. See you around,” he said with a wink before jogging to join his family. Marinette blushed at the fact that Adrien had just flirted with her. The black limo glided smoothly on the clear areas of the road. Marinette watched as Adrien met with his father’s black-haired assistant, who gave him a nod. There was no definite reaction from his tall, blonde father, but in his face was a mixture of fear and relief that his son was alright. She would not be surprised if Adrien’s household had an elaborate underground basement with bunkers and survival items in case of an apocalypse. Adrien and his family got in the limo. Adrien smiled apologetically at Marinette through the window before the limo drove out of sight. A dreadful thought crept to her head that turned to panic. ‘My parents!’ thought Marinette. ‘I better go see if they are alright!’ With her backpack still on her back, Marinette made her way back home.

Anxiety spread through her veins as she walked along the street. Usually around this time, people would be hustling and bustling around the city. Fashionistas would show off their colorful outfits, shopkeepers would sell their latest products and dogs would happily walk alongside their owners. Now, however, the place was deserted, save for families tending to their children, handymen and women already at work, planning on how to repair the streets, windows, and buildings. At last, Marinette saw the familiar white building with a bakery in the front that was her home. Thankfully, there was little damage, but her heart dropped when she saw a gap in the bakery store window. She rushed inside into the living room.

Books, picture frames and other items were scattered on the floor and several dents had damaged the wooden floor. Marinette’s mother was busy picking up the objects that had fallen and rearranging the furniture. “Marinette, sweetheart, thank goodness!” she exclaimed as they rushed in for a hug. “It was pretty scary,” said Marinette, “but thankfully, there were shelters that I helped…the teachers help lead the students to. It will take a while for the school to be repaired, though. And I still have homework to do!” “Oh dear, I’m so sorry,” said her mother. “At least you are safe now.” Marinette quickly got to work, helping with strengthening up the room. “If only you were this dedicated when it comes to cleaning your room,” mentioned her mother. “Mom,” she groaned, rolling her eyes like the adolescent she was. “How is Dad?” Marinette asked. Her mother looked concerned. Marinette looked around. “He’s not…” “No, he is alive,” said her mother, followed by a sigh of relief from Marinette. They walked into the bakery and Marinette could tell that this was the area that took the most damage. Along with the gap in the window, pastries of all kinds were sprawled on the floor, flour coated wooden surfaces like frost. Her father was resting on a chair in the corner. “Dad!” exclaimed Marinette. “Marinette, you’re alright!” Marinette hugged him and he winced in pain. “Are you alright?” she asked, pulling back. She looked at his left ankle which was in a cast. “I twisted it when I tripped over a crack in the floor.” Marinette could see the dangerous crack he was talking about. “After ducking under the table, trying to get away from all the glass, you mother rushed in and helped me move to a safer spot in the living room.” “It could have been much worse,” mentioned her mother.‘No kidding’ thought Marinette. Her father looked around the place with stress in his face and demeanor.

“I am afraid that it will take several days of repair to get this place running again. I hope that we can make more fine desserts to lift the spirits of our customers.”

“I’m sure we can,” Marinette said with hope in her voice, putting a hand on her father’s shoulder.

“Marinette told me that her school was damaged by the earthquake and that it would take a while to get it repaired as well.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, Marinette,” he said.

“And I still have homework to do too!” she groaned.

“You will be fine,” said her mother. “We all will. All we have to do is work together and get through this. That’s what families are for.”

“Yes, you’re right.” Marinette added, feeling comforted by the presence of those she loved.

Over the next several days, Marinette was busy at work, rearranging the bakery, guiding her father from sofa to chair and back again, and cleaning the rooms with her mother, (except her bedroom, of course.) Not long after, the bakery was back in business, this time with Marinette and her mother taking customer’s orders. “I’ll have deux croissants, and aclafoutis, s’il vous plait.” “Coming right up!” said Marinette. She carefully pulled out the crescent shaped rolls from the oven and wrapped them up. The cake piece with berries baked inside came soon after. “Merci, Marinette!” the woman beamed, before giving her money and leaving. Marinette’s father looked on from his chair, his foot now in a boot. The pain did not stop the warm feeling he felt, watching his daughter grow up. “I’m so proud of you. Marinette.”

Doing her homework was the hard part. Somewhat traumatized by the earthquake, her friends and classmates had kept to themselves, either lost in their lives, or fear of another disaster. The longer she worked on her chemistry research, the less motivated she felt. Pulling out her notepad, Marinette began sketching more ideas for clothing and hats. Hours later, wads of paper were piled up in the trash, and a tired Marinette lay on her bed. The feeling of shock during the earthquake was long gone, but boredom had taken its place. Most of all, Marinette felt lonely. It settled in her stomach like a hunger that she could not fill. She stared at her poster of Adrien again. ‘I wish we could see each other again.’  Several times, she checked her phone to see if Alya wanted to work on her project, but there was no reply.

“Is everything alright, Marinette?” The voice came from Tikki, who had been fed enough food several days ago. “Yeah, I guess,” Marinette answered, staring at the ceiling.

“You still have plenty of time to get your homework done, even without Alya. Maybe you can get a head start.”

“I would if I were more motivated,” said Marinette. “And if the subject were more interesting.”

“I’m sure you can figure something out,” said Tikki.

“I just want life to go back to what it was before. I miss seeing all my friends, I miss becoming Ladybug, I miss…Alya and Adrien.”

“Wait a second!” Marinette said, sitting up. “Why didn’t the Miraculous Ladybug work and repair everything? It always works after I do my lucky charm.” “I don’t know,” replied Tikki. “You are not sick, are you?” Marinette asked.

“No, of course not. I have lived for thousands of years, and the charm always works. Maybe because it only works if you are fighting villains and not natural disasters.”

Marinette sighed. “Well, at least everyone is safe now. Hopefully, I won’t have to worry about any more villains or disasters for a while.” “How am I supposed to further my education without going to school?” she asked. “The school should be open in a few months, Marinette. Just be patient.” After a moment, Marinette slumped in defeat. 

“You’re right. I have to get through this. If only I could become Ladybug again and maybe go to school…wait…”

With an idea forming in her head, Marinette rushed back to her laptop and started typing. “What are you doing?” asked Tikki, now curious.

“What if I don’t have to miss out on anything? I could learn more things, while also being Ladybug!”

“So…are you saying…” Tikki asked confused.

“I could go to a secret superhero school!” Marinette exclaimed with excitement.

Tikki looked stunned. “But Marinette, you already do fine, fighting villains on your own, plus you are a great student!”

“Yes I know, but I could help save the world again and be better prepared. Plus, Cat Noir could decide to go there!”

“Your parents still need your help,” Tikki countered. “They would never let you go to another school by yourself!”

Moments later, in the living room, Marinette explained her idea, obviously leaving out the superhero part. “That’s sounds like a great idea,” said her mother. “Going to a nearby school as a transfer might help you get caught up.” “We still need as much of your help as possible,” added her father. “My foot is getting better, but an extra helping hand would not hurt.” “No problem!” Marinette stated. “Do you need any help signing up?” asked her mother. “Which school do you plan on transferring to?” “I’m still looking,” Marinette said. “Okay, just let us know if you need any help,” said her father. “We’ll do!” Marinette called as she went back upstairs to her room. Tikki floated out of the pouch again. “Well that worked out better than I thought it would,” she said. “Come on, let’s go school searching!” beamed Marinette.

In a white, gated mansion, across from the Eiffel tower, Adrien sat on a white couch in his room, throwing a basketball in the air and catching it. A rock climbing station stood next to a library on the second floor. A Foosball table, an arcade station, skateboard ramps, and a basketball hoop were also present. Fencing banners and trophies decorated the room. Here, Adrien had everything a teenage boy could dream of…yet he could not have been more miserable. Now that Adrien was off from school, waiting for it to be repaired, he went back to his daily schedule his mother gave him. One could imagine the most mundane lecture in school, and it would not compare to the lessons his father gave him. The Agreste mansion, seemingly pleasant to visitor’s eyes, felt like a cage to Adrien, albeit a comfortable one.

At this moment, his ‘lessons’ were over and now he had free time to himself. He placed the basketball down and walked over to the window. The sky was now cloudy, with shades of white and dark gray. The leaves blowing in the wind hinted at autumn around the corner. Adrien closed his eyes, as if opening them would make his friends and loved ones appear.

He and Chole were still close childhood friends. He almost regretted not going shopping with her during the weekend. Then again, the earthquake had disrupted the normal routines of everyone who had witnessed it. Chole was also very clingy towards him; something he was glad he did not have to deal with at the moment.

Nino was fun to hang out with, as usual; he wished he could hang out with him more. If anything, he was the closest guy friend Adrien had. Adrien wondered if he would mix a track about the earthquake once school got back in session.

Marinette and Ladybug. He was starting to miss them, especially Ladybug. Once again, he had flirted with her in front of the blocked classroom, and was pleased that he had managed to make her blush. While he had cleared the path, Ladybug helped out the rest of the way. Thankfully, he was able to transform in the shelter just before time had run out. He looked for Ladybug afterwards, but she was nowhere to be found. Then there was that moment when they were waiting for his parents to pick him up. Marinette had comforted Adrien about life with his parents, and he had appreciated the genuine act. As pretty as Marinette’s blue eyes were when he stared into them, it was awkward at the same time. If both of them were in a trance at that time, Marinette was deeper into it. Certainly, they were best friends, but…did Marinette have other feelings for Adrien?

Last, he thought of his mother. He still remembered the beautiful blonde hair, he pointed chin and her bright green eyes. She never would have disappeared for no reason. He missed her very much; even more, he longed to have a closer relationship with his father. Yet, with her gone, he could not see the distance between him and his father closing anytime soon.

“Why so bored?!” yelled a black blur that suddenly appeared in his vision. Adrien yelped and stepped back. His wide eyes narrowed when he saw Plagg floating in the air, laughing his giant head off. “Plagg, for the love of Paris, stop scaring me like that!” Plagg loved to play pranks on Adrien. “Hey, I was bored too! What else am I supposed to do?” Adrien sighed. “I don’t know, go eat your smelly cheese somewhere?” “I already had some,” he remarked, patting his belly. “Though that does sound like a good idea.” Adrien rolled his eyes. “I’m going to my room. I can’t take this anymore.” After watching some fencing matches on his laptop later on, Adrien was still as bored as he was before. “Hmm” he thought out loud. “I wonder if there are any schools for superheroes around? I would love to spot Ladybug at one of them.” “Who needs more boring homework?” Plagg asked with a yawn. “We have everything we need right here!” He spread out his little arms, referring to Adrien’s home. “Maybe you do,” answered Adrien, “but right now, I want to see if there is a way to climb out of this boring hole.” “You know, I could just fly out of it,” Plagg remarked. Adrien ignored him and began his online search. 

Chapter 3: School searching

“Hmm” sighed Marinette. “I didn’t know there were so many superhero schools out there, and so far away, too! I don’t know about this.” Marinette had been searching for schools and was now staring at the screen. “You know, you could sketch some designs for a new hat or that Paris-themed dark gray jacket you were talking about last week,” Tikki suggested. “I’ve run out of ideas,” said Marinette sadly. “I can’t stop thinking of that earthquake that happened. If there had been people inside the school…” “It’s okay, Marinette,” said Tikki. “The important thing is that everyone is safe now. You still saved the day.” “I guess you’re right,” said Marinette. Continuing her search, she found a site that displayed the top five superhero schools. “Let’s see… Braddock Academy. It says that this school is a training ground for England’s ‘best and brightest children.’ Well that’s not going to work.” She continued to scroll down. “Avengers Academy…now that’s more like it. Wait, it’s all the way in California?! Bug-gone-it!”

“Marinette,” said Tikki who was floating in front of the screen trying to block her view. “This plan is not going to…”

“Future Foundation…Fantastic Four trains the greatest young minds. I wonder where that is? Next is Sky High…doesn’t sound very impressive. The Jean Grey School of Higher Learning… at least this place has an address…wait, I’m not a mutant, and what in France’s name is an X-man?” She face-planted on her deck in frustration. “I told you Marinette, this is not only a bad idea but an impossible one! You need to stay and wait for the school to be fixed and help your parents with the bakery. Besides, Paris could still have villains anywhere.” Marinette sighed.  She could not believe that she had let boredom and sadness get the best of her for so long. “You’re right. What was I thinking? I’m sure my parents will need my help soon. If I can’t save the world today, at least I can be a superhero for my parents…as Marinette of course.” Marinette got up from her chair, motivation surging through her. “That’s more like it!” said Marinette. “You can do this. The sky’s the limit!” Marinette froze in place. “Hang on…sky…” She ran back to her chair and scrolled up on the superhero page. “It’s that Sky High school again. Where is it located?” She looked up images of it and her eyes went wide. “Wow, it’s actually a floating building somewhere in the sky. I didn’t know it was so literal. ‘Sky High: the first and only high school for kids with super-human abilities. Reach higher. Enroll now.’ Oui s’il vous plait!” “No Marinette!” cried Tikki. “You don’t even know where it is!” “Don’t you see Tikki?” asked Marinette who was now jumping with excitement. “By going there, I can practice using my powers while also meeting new friends. Oh, I wish Adrien could come with me too!” “You don’t know how to get there,” Tikki reminded her.

Marinette thought some more and a new idea came to her. “Actually…there is a way to get there.” On the bottom right corner, there was a space to type the location. Marinette typed in “Paris, France.” The results on the next page said “type in code. Prove you’re not a regular human.” All Marinette saw was an empty white box. “What am I supposed to be looking at?” she asked. “I see some blue numbers” stated Tikki. “What are they?” asked Marinette. “840735” said Tikki. Marinette typed the code in and hit ‘enter.’ “Invalid number. Please try again.” Marinette did so and the same error message showed up. “Why isn’t it working?” she asked in frustration. “I’m a superhero. Surly they would let me in.” “I’m sorry, Marinette,” said Tikki. Marinette hung her head. “I was so close! Now I won’t be able to practice using my powers. What will the world think of me now?” “Just stick to fighting crime in Paris,” said Marinette. Marinette noticed that Tikki was more relaxed than she was a moment earlier. Staring hard at the white space before her, she thought of something. If the numbers could only be seen by superheros…she would have to see the numbers for herself. “Hey, Tikki?” asked Marinette. “Yes,” said Tikki. “What was that number again?” “I told you what it was: 840537.” “That doesn’t sound right,” said Marinette narrowing her eyes. Tikki realized her mistake and her checks blushed pink against her red face. “Are you hiding something?” “No I’m not!” argued Tikki, but her reactions were clear. A lightbulb sparked in Marinette’s head. ‘Tikki, spots on!” she called. Tikki was sucked into her red earring. A moment later, she had transformed into Ladybug, yo-yo, spotted red suit and all. “I see the numbers!” Ladybug exclaimed. “347639. Yes!” The next page read “Enrollment complete. Please arrive Monday at 7:00am at the Eiffel Tower. Bring your school supplies. Room and board will be provided for foreign exchange students. See you all soon. – Ron Wilson, bus driver.”

“This is so exciting!” said Ladybug. “It’s only three days away!”

“Marinette, is that you up there?” called her mother. “Spots off,” whispered Ladybug and soon she was back as Marinette in her usual pink and white clothes. “I’m here mom! Just talking to Alya on the phone!” ‘Why don’t you come on down and help your father with the rest of the macaroons.” “Coming!” she called. She put a tired Tikki in her pink carry-on purse. “Don’t worry. I’ll find you some cookies to eat soon.” Marinette made her way downstairs and into the bakery with a spring in her steps.

Sometime during the following day, Adrien concentrated on the AP economics homework that Nathalie had given him earlier. Apparently, even though school had been canceled, there was still enough time to get caught up on homeschooling and college preparation. “So what were you saying about not needing to do homework?” Adrien asked Plagg. “I can’t remember,” Plagg replied through mouthfuls of moldy cheese. “Yuck,” Adrien muttered. “Would you mind eating that in the bathroom or something? I can’t study with that smell.” Unsurprisingly, Plagg ignored him. Heaving a sigh, Adrien turned back to his work. He was tempted to look up more schools when his thoughts were interrupted by a ding from his phone. He expected the message to be from Chloe or Nino, but instead it was from his news app: “Breaking news, two armed men broke into city hall bank around twenty minutes ago and have escaped to the northeast in a dark blue truck. A chase by police is now underway…” 

Adrien stood up confidently. “This is my chance. I can still make it,” he declared. Nearby, Plagg was curled into a ball in the back corner of the desk taking a nap. “Plagg, claws out!” The kwami jolted awake as he felt himself being pulled into Adrien’s ring. “Hey! What are you doing!” shouted Plagg, but his pleas faded as he disappeared. His tight black bodysuit replaced his clothing in jolts of electricity. A black eye mask appeared on his face with a swipe of his black-gloved hand. Chat Noir was back and ready for action.

Chat Noir pushed open his window and carefully inched out. After shutting the window from the outside, the superhero scaled the wall and climbed up onto the roof. Soon, he was leaping from one roof to another with the help of his long silver pogo stuck. The invigorating feeling spread through him as he raced to the northeast. Chat Noir finally found a lower part of the roof he was on and made a safe landing with a jump. Looking around, Chat Noir realized that he was in front of the bank. Behind the white columns holding up the roof, a gaping hole had replaced the once intact window. The ground was sprinkled with bits of broken glass. Already there were police cars parked nearby and crossed yellow tape that blocked the entrance. One police man looked slightly relieved when he saw Chat Noir. “My fellow officers drove to the northeast, down Main road and onto Willow Lane. “Got it,” said Chat Noir. “Good luck, Chat Noir!” he called as he left.

Even as he made his way down street blocks and ran past historical buildings, Chat Noir was still able to focus clearly on his mission, despite the afternoon heat. After an hour or so had passed, Chat Noir came to an intersection that was surprisingly quiet. There were three roads that diverged into different directions. There were nearby fast food restaurants and general stores to the side of one of the streets. It was a decent smaller area that Chat Noir had never been to. Glancing behind him, he could see the Eiffel Tower in the distance pointing to the blue sky. ‘At least I know how I can get back,’ he thought.  He slowly walked straight ahead to what he thought was a sushi restaurant. Then out of cat-like instincts he didn’t know he had, Chat Noir veered toward the right.

Chat Noir kept going until he saw a blue truck that had been described earlier in the news. The truck was cornered by two police vehicles, red and blue lights still flashing. The door of the truck was wide open. A series of shouts and gunshots rang close by. Chat Noir hurried over to an alleyway where two police officers stood with their backs against the outside wall. “Hey isn’t that one of the super heroes mentioned on the news?” asked the officer. “Careful, Chat Noir!” warned the other officer. “They have guns!” Chat Noir was prepared, however, and promptly blocked the firing bullets while spinning his stick. The two men stopped when they recognized him. The first bearded man wore a red and white baseball cap, a black tank top and large tattered jeans. The other was thicker set and adorned a similar outfit. A small metal skull hung from his necklace, grinning sinisterly. “Stay out of our way, hero,” the first man sneered.  Chat Noir charged at the men, sliding under foot and kicking Beard Man in the ankle. He tripped and fell to the ground with a yelp.  He picked himself up as Chat Noir knocked the gun out of the other man’s hand. He shot his foot toward the man’s chest but he grabbed his foot and threw Chat Noir to the ground. He quickly stood up and got into a defensive stance. “What’s the matter?” he asked the silent thieves. “Cat got your tongue?”

Beard Man went back to retrieve his gun. Chat Noir whacked him with his stick and he fell to the ground again. Strong hands grabbed hold of Chat Noir and he felt air being forced from his lungs. Skull Man had snuck up behind him and held him in a chokehold. The struggling hero reached for his stick that had clattered to the ground but it was too far away.  Bearded Man had recovered and was pointing the gun at his new victim. “Drop your weapon now!” ordered the two police men, guns drawn. “Surrender or he dies!” he shouted at them. The officers stepped back but kept their eyes trained on the criminals.

“Oh I almost forgot,” said Bearded Man, turning back to Chat Noir. “How about I take that pretty silver ring you have there? There’s no one here to help you now!” “Yes there is!” called a voice. A red spotted yo-yo wrapped around the man and pulled him down the alley. Surprised, Skull Man loosened his grip, and soon found himself being shoved against the wall by the now freed superhero. “Ladybug!” exclaimed Chat Noir. “Thank goodness.”

Bearded Man fired more bullets and Ladybug blocked them while spinning her yo-yo in front of her. “Give us your Miraculouses and no one gets hurt,” the two men stated in union. “Aw great” complained Chat Noir. “Can’t Hawkmoth just take a break from this?” “Chat Noir,” said Ladybug, pointing to the guns the men were holding. Getting the idea, Chat Noir charged forward, landing two punches to the men’s faces with each of his fists. “Time to steal from these stealers!” He raised his hand, palm up. “Cataclysm!” Chat Noir shouted. He grabbed hold of one of the guns, expecting it to crumble under his touch. Nothing happened. Wasting no time he threw it against the wall where it broke into pieces under the impact. He did the same with the other gun and it also broke. “Where’s the akuma?” asked Chat Noir. “Try his necklace!” she suggested. Chat Noir yanked the necklace off of Skull Man’s neck and crushed it with his foot. Ladybug swiped the cap from Bearded Man’s head and ripped it apart. Nothing else happened.

“Lucky Charm!” called Ladybug throwing her yo-yo in the air. Peculiarly, the yo-yo hung still in the air and a gust of wind picked up. The bag that the thieves had hidden in a corner, flew toward Ladybug. Chat Noir caught it in the blink of an eye and the contents dropped from inside. Pearl necklaces, euros, bills, and several bars of gold littered the ground. “Come…on…” Ladybug grunted, frozen in place. “Why…isn’t…this…working?”

Chat Noir spotted something silver on the ground that blended in with the coins. It may have been the trick of the light, but he thought he saw a spark or two fly from it. “Bomb!” yelled Chat Noir, grabbing Ladybug and ducking behind the wall outside the alley. The robbers backed up against the farthest alley wall. “Stand back,” commanded an officer. He shot a bullet at the object and it exploded in bits of metal. Gravity corrected itself and the yo-yo landed with a drop on Ladybug’s head. “Ow,” she said, rubbing where she got hit. The officers had already apprehended the criminals and were taking them to a nearby police car.  “Vous avez le droit de garder le silence. Tout ce que vous dites ou faites peut et sera tenu contre vous ...” A moment later, the men were handcuffed in the backseat and the officers drove them away. “Pound it,” said the superheroes, bumping their fists together like they did after each mission.

“What was that thing?” Chat Noir asked. “I don’t know,” replied Ladybug. “After that device went off, my yo-yo fell back down. “Why are our powers getting messed up?” asked Chat Noir. “Hopefully we can figure it out,” said Ladybug. “Yes, we can, the both of us,” grinned Chat Noir. As Chat Noir helped more police men clean up the jewelry, Ladybug saw something move in the distance. Leaning against a wall straight ahead was a figure in a robot suit. Ladybug looked over as Chat Noir’s ring beeped. “I’m about to detransform. I have to go soon!” Ladybug looked straight ahead again, but the figure had vanished into the shadows. “Wait!” called two officers who arrived at the scene. “Thank you for helping us,” a police woman said. “I thought I saw a young boy who needs a ride to Paris,” said Chat Noir, pointing to another building. “Follow me.” “I need to get going. Bug-out!” said Ladybug. She hurried behind a corner to hide and soon was back in her regular clothes. She stepped out to find the police woman still there and Chat Noir nowhere to be seen. “Are you alright, young lady?” she asked. “Yes,” said Marinette. “I was…on a shopping trip with my friends, but they panicked and left me here. Can I have a quick ride back to Paris?” After staring for a moment, the woman said, “Yes, but I don’t have too much time. I have to get back to work.” “Merci” said Marinette as they got in the car. “Tikki,” she whispered looking inside her purse. The tired kwami was curled asleep at the bottom of her purse. “I’ll find you a snack as soon as I can.”

Back by the alley, Chat Noir transformed to his regular self.  Plagg was curled up in his hands, fast asleep. “I have to get you some cheese, fast” he said. “Are you the young boy Chat Noir was talking about?” Adrian quickly put Plagg in his pocket and turned to the police man. “Yes I am, sir. “I’m Adrien and I really need to get back home.” “Of course,” he said. “But only for Chat Noir’s sake. There is much work to be done.” Soon, Adrien was in the car on his way back. After Adrien gave him directions, he stared out at the moving scenery, lost in thought.

Marinette was dropped off at the front door of the bakery. Her mother opened the door and gasped. “Marinette, thank goodness!” She gave her daughter a tight hug. “Are you alright? Where were you?”

“I…went to Alya’s house…to work on our chemistry project.”

“Then why are your clothes so dirty?” her mother asked.

“Well,” said Marinette nervously. “Our project kind of blew up and…” “Marinette, you’re back!” exclaimed her father. He embraced her while using the nearby wall for support.

“Please don’t run off without telling us. You had us worried sick!”

“I’m sorry Mom and Dad,” said Marinette. “It’s just…” After a brief silence, her mother sighed.

“I know how badly you want to go back to school and see your friends, but you are going to have to wait a little longer.”

“It is hard work for all of us,” her father added. “All of us can get through this, but we have to support each other.”

 “I know,” said Marinette. Marinette made her way to the stairs.

“And Marinette,” said her mother. Marinette looked at her. “You can sign up for some weekly classes at some other schools until yours gets fixed.”

“Thank you,” Marinette smiled.

“But,” she cut in. “Only schools that are around this area.”

 “But Mom…”

“That is my decision, Marinette.”

Sensing defeat, Marinette nodded. She walked into her room and flopped on her pink bed. Pulling out a cookie from her pocket, she broke off a small piece and handed it to Tikki who was slowly waking up. “What am I going to do, Tikki?” she asked in despair.

As the police man and Adrien got closer to his mansion, Adrien thought of a plan. “Um excuse me sir, can you drop me off here? It is not that far from here.” “No problem,” he replied. The car stopped at the front of the Cheng bakery. “Thank you,” said Adrien. “Take care of yourself, kid,” said the police man and then drove off out of sight. “Marinette’s place,” breathed Adrien. “It would be nice to help her out. She must have been stressed out for a while. Oh I wish I could tell her about Ladybug and my homework and fighting crime and hanging out with Ladybug…” He shook his head. “No, I have to get back before…”

Several loud beeps rang behind him. He turned around and to his horror, a familiar black limo pulled up by the sidewalk. His large gorilla-like chauffeur was in the driver seat with his usual serious expression on his face. In the passenger seat with the window rolled down was Nathalie. Her dark-rimmed glasses made her look more stern than usual. “Get in Adrien. You father wants to see you.” With no other choice, Adrien slid into the backseat without a word.

All too soon, they reached the wrought iron gates. Nathalie opened the door and Adrien stepped out. She typed in the password and the doors slid open. Adrien forced his shaking legs to move him toward the front door. He sighed, turned the door handle and stepped inside the foyer. He was greeted by the familiar white and black checker floor, elegant white columns supporting the roof and the larger than life size family portraits graciously displayed from the walls. Standing at the top of the stairs was Mr. Agreste himself. He was dressed in his usual attire of a white suit, a red and white striped tie, long red pants and polished shoes. His blonde hair was combed back and round glasses circled his eyes. Unlike Adrien, there was no trace of innocence in his calculating blue eyes. He spoke only a single word that chilled Adrien to his core: “Explain.”

Adrien took a deep breath. “Father, I swear I wasn’t going to be away for long. I was going to visit my friend…” “Which friend?” he asked. Adrien knew that Chloe had been wondering where he had been as well. His father also did not seem to favor Marinette either. “Nino,” Adrien stated. “I was working on a chemistry project with him.” It was the best lie he could come up with and unsurprisingly, Gabriel was not convinced. “And I’ll bet that the majority of that time was spent partying with that annoying music of his instead of studying.” “I swear father that is not what happened.” “It seems you have gotten too attached to that high school and fooling around to understand the importance of your family…”

“All of you are important to me,” said Adrien.

“You, ruining our family reputation,” he mentioned.

“Do you think I choose to do all this?” asked Adrien, adrenaline rushing through his brain. “To be a model for young boys every day? To be burdened with scheduled activities and more work than I already have?”

Gabriel crossed his arms and walked down the stairs. “You should know by now that it is your responsibility!”

“Sure, okay. My responsibility to be stuck in here like a prisoner instead of going out and doing what I want to do for a change!”

Nathalie looked around nervously and adjusted her glasses.

“Adrien,” said his father. “Your homeschooling will now be on Saturdays along with the usual five days a week.”

“Father, no!” he cried.

“There will be extra security to insure that you don’t leave your room.”

“I promise I will behave from now on…”

“And,” he added “You will no longer be allowed back to that high school when it opens.”

Adrien was shocked. “You can’t do that!”

“As your father, I think those are reasonable rules.”

“I don’t need to be protected every minute of the day!” Adrien argued. “I can take care of myself. You just won’t let go of what happened after mother disappeared…” Adrien then knew he had crossed the line.

“Do not speak of that in this household. Go to your room right now. I expect all your homework to be completed by tonight.”

“Please, I just want to know more about…”

“Now, son.”

Adrien stomped up the stairs, marched through his large game room and crashed into the leather chair. “I’ll show him,” he muttered angrily. “I’ll sign up for the first superhero school I find.” He typed in the words and viewed the results. “Sky High,” he read. “That works.” Adrien read the description and got to the registration page. “Type in the numbers you see and hit ‘submit.’” He read. “But there is nothing here!” “Adrien,” yawned a voice. “Plagg?” Adrien asked. He had completely forgotten about him. ‘Camembert cheese, now!” he ordered. Adrien did not need to be told twice. He reached into a mini fridge and, holding his nose, took out a small plastic bag of the stuff. ‘Thank goodness,” said Plagg, his little mouth watering. “I had dreams where I was starving to death!” “You’re over a thousand years old,” he remarked. “Does it look like I care?” he retorted before grabbing the entire cheese pie and stuffing his mouth into it. “You’re unbelievable,” Adrien said. “Out of all the kwamis I could get…” “You got the coolest one,” answered Plagg. “Admit it!” “All right, fine.” said Adrien. “You are the coolest. Now can you help me sign onto this thing?” Plagg floated over to the laptop screen. “Those are a bunch of numbers to type in,” he noticed. “Yeah but I can’t see them, Plagg.” “Are you blind?” he asked. Adrien sighed in frustration. “Can you just say what the numbers are?” “Fine,” he grumbled and flew into the screen. Then he heard his voice a moment later: “347639.” “Got it!” said Adrien as he typed the numbers in. “They must be hidden so that only superheroes can see them.” “But you are not technically a super hero,” said Plagg as he flew back into the room. “Not without me at least.” “Do you always have to ruin everything?” Adrien asked. “It’s what I do best!” he grinned, flying back to his cheese dinner. He read more: “Enrollment complete. Please arrive Monday at 7:00am at the Eiffel Tower. Bring your school supplies. Room and board will be provided for foreign exchange students. See you all soon. – Ron Wilson, bus driver.” Realization came to him. ‘I’m going to a superhero school where I can finally be free from my father, make use of my powers, and get a chance to see Ladybug!’ He then gasped. ‘But I am trapped here with no way out.’ He looked at Plagg. ‘I wonder if he could help.’ It was a random, risky idea, but it couldn’t hurt right? A ladybug flew past his window, so fast that he barely recognized it. ‘Save me Ladybug,’ he thought. Then it dawned on him that sometimes superheroes needed to save themselves. ‘I’ll see you again soon. I promise.’

Back downstairs, Nathalie and Mr. Agreste ate a silent dinner at the long table. The uncomfortable silence was broken when Nathalie stood up and gathered the dishes they had used. After washing them and putting them back in their place, Nathalie walked back into the dining room. Gabriel was looking at a tall golden painting of Adrien’s mother. She had a pointed chin, beautiful blonde hair, and exotic looking eyes. She had the beauty and elegance of a model like the rest of the family and her eyes had warmth in them like Adrien’s. Gabriel reached out a hand to touch the painting, almost as if she were there in person.

“Were you being too hard on Adrien?” asked a voice. Gabriel turned toward Nathalie. She wore her similar business-like expression, but there was a depth in her eyes that wasn’t there before. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“Adrien is just a kid,” she explained. “You can’t expect him to be perfect all the time.”

“Yes, that is true, but I do expect him to be safe where I can keep an eye on him.”

“What would happen if he got the chance to live like his peers?” she asked. “He still did well in school and he made some more friends.”

“I am accepting of that,” said Gabriel. “But I do not want him out of my sight for that long again.”

“What would happen?” Nathalie asked again, pressing further.

“He could disappear, he could have been taken, like she was…” He glanced at the painting.

“She will come back,” Nathalie said, hope in her voice.

“She is not coming back,” Gabriel replied, becoming more irritated.

“Would you please take the time to understand your son…?”

“We will speak no more of this,” Gabriel finished.

“Understood, sir,” she said quietly.  She walked back to her desk, heels clanking against the floor. Gabriel stared out the window at the sky, which was slowly becoming golden with the upcoming sunset. A brown butterfly fluttered from outside and landed on the windowsill. It had black circles on either wing like eyes. Then as quickly as it came, it flew away into the distance. 

To be continued