A/N: This is another one I've been looking forward to 3

Adrien glared at his phone, the message long gone since the screen faded to black. The message that was short and professional, one that should be sent from employer to employee, not father to son.

'Adrien, I can't make it to lunch today. I apologize.'

"At least he sent it himself," Adrien said with a bitter laugh. "That's more than I usually get out of him."

"It's okay, Adrien." Plagg floated to him, hovering in front of his face. "I'll always be there for you! Here, have some cheese!" Adrien smiled as Plagg lowered himself to the desk and plucked a small triangle from the pile.

"I got that for you remember?" He stroked the kwami's ears before standing.

"Where are you going?"

"I'll be right back. I'm just going to see if he's in right now. I want to know why he cancelled." Adrien left, leaving Plagg to his cheese. Though his mood had lightened with Plagg's concern, the walk to his father's office brought the waves of anger crashing back.

He'd had enough of this absentee parenting. He wanted to talk to him, to enjoy meals with him, to bond with him like normal parents did with their normal kids. His sense of normalcy was already skewed, with him having to run off at least once a week to fight akuma victims.

Was remembering his birthday really too much to ask for?

He grit his teeth as he neared the door. He froze, hand barely brushing the knob, when he heard Gabriel's voice.

"...his birthday?"

"Yes, sir," came Nathalie's reply. "He should be in his room now, resting before he returns to the collège. Would you like me to give it to him now?"

"No, not yet. Show it to me first. I don't want you to mess it up again. I want to make sure you got him something suitable this year, instead of stealing some scarf made by one of his classmates."

Adrien's breath left him in an audible whoosh A cold sensation rushed down his limbs, numbing his fingers. He fled, bolting through hall after hall, until he returned to his room. Plagg looked up curiously as he opened his closet and sat in front of it. He turned his attention to the door when he heard the clack of Nathalie's heels.

"Lock the door," Adrien said over his shoulder. Plagg did so, taking note of Adrien's hostile tone. When Nathalie knocked on the door and called for him, she was ignored.

"What happened?" Plagg asked as he flew closer to Adrien, keeping his voice low.

Adrien said nothing, finally pulling the scarf from its box on the floor. He studied it, ran his hands over it, looking for any place a tag or signature might be. Surely there must be a name hiding in the embroidered corners? Or a tag tucked beneath a loose seam? There must be something there.

He groaned when he found nothing, tears blurring his vision. He looked down at the scarf, his anger and sadness peaking inside him. He ignored when Plagg yelled at him, telling him to run away. He ignored the tugging at his sleeve, though he did wonder briefly how Plagg could be doing that while he was sitting on the scarf.

It was only when the black smudge on his lap dissolved into the scarf that he realized he was looking at an akuma.

He'd been targeted.

By Hawkmoth.

That's what his father drove him to.

He tried to resist, he really did. But when the deep voice whispered of lonely princes, mysterious princesses, and happy endings, he found himself agreeing. He deserved to be happy, didn't he? And all Hawkmoth wanted was his ring. Easy enough, right?

Except when he reached to pull the ring off his finger, it was already gone. Standing, he looked around, wondering where it went. His thoughts were interrupted when the black mist surrounded him.

He stepped forward, the remnants of the cloud forming twin coat tails. The scarf was bigger - wider and longer than it had been before, it was now draped across his chest, blazing a light, baby-blue over an indigo coat. His charcoal gray pants were loosely tucked into boots of a dark color he couldn't name. He walked to his wall of fencing trophies, choosing a foil to use as a weapon. With a quick shake and a flash of gold, he changed it into a diamond-tipped walking cane before heading out.

He stopped at his window to admire what he needed a reflection to see. His hair was longer, the ends flicked up into curls. A simple silver crown sat on his head, tilted slightly to the side. He smiled as he studied the mask - it was his favorite part of the ensemble. It was the same blue as the sash, flecked with the color of the coat, and faded into colorful gemstones that trickled down his cheeks.

His smile widened, as an idea occurred to him. He waved the cane at the door, allowing Nathalie entrance. She gasped softly when she saw him, a hand over her mouth. "Adrien?" she asked softly.

"I'm the Lonely Prince, now, searching for my princess." His hand grazed the sash, and Nathalie's eyes flickered with understanding. "I would make you an evil queen, but I suppose I should give you a chance, first. Or not," he snorted with a roll of his eyes.

Adrien traced a shape in the air between them, and a spinning wheel appeared. A crown glittered on Nathalie's head, and her hand moved on its own, finger reached out for the needle on the wheel. She opened her mouth to protest, to explain, but stopped as she felt the needle puncture her skin. She fell to his floor curling up on herself, her chest rising and falling in even breaths.

With a wicked laugh, the Prince jumped out the window, rolling as he hit the ground. Plagg zipped out after him, dodging the thorns that sprung from the grass where he touched his cane to the ground. Chat Noir's ring dangled from his small arms, and he flew high, looking for any sign of Tikki or Ladybug.

"What a way to start a weekend."