Volpina poised herself up in the rafters of the dome, flute to her lips. She had summoned many minions courtesy of Hawkmoth – Now turned The Miraculous Collector.

Befena stood in the dark corner to the right of the window, Volpina could barely see the top of her reddish-pink hair and she was on the rafters.

Volpina had created a fake Hawkmoth to stand in the center of the room for when that damned creature arrived with his little whore. Volpina snarled at the memory of how she first got akumatized. Adrien Agreste had brought that book to school, and she wanted to show off for him a little, so she took the book and bought a necklace from Agreste fashion that looked like it.

It was strange how Adrien's father's company sold a necklace that looked exactly like it at the time, but that didn't matter. She had worn it the next day to school, bringing the book along, claiming he forgot it at the library – when in all actuality she took it from his bag when he was looking to a loud slam off to the other side of the library.

But of course! He had to have a sharp eye, he HAD to have seen his father's logo on the back of the fox tail as they walked. He confronted her for lying and the public humiliation she suffered at his hands was enough to make her snap. She got akumatized and went after him, but of course miss goody two shoes Ladybug defeated her with a fake dummy of the blond haired boy. But now, Volpina was back, stronger and wanting revenge – not just on model boy, but his superhero 'sweetheart' as well.

Befena had her pistol loaded with pellets, ready to shoot those two miscreants into coal for their actions. She was only trying to see her granddaughter, and to hear that she ran away with a villain?! Befena would not abide by that notion. She was going to teach her granddaughter a lesson she will never forget.

Riposte stood in the waiting, hidden behind the fake Hawkmoth, weapon drawn. If these two thought themselves as superheroes, than surely they would be worthy opponents for her to battle. If they weren't, then she has no use for them.

It was silent. Deathly still as The Miraculous Collector had poised himself above the open window. Once Chat Noir and his little ladybug jump in, his three minions will ambush them, and once defeated, he will take their Miraculouses and gain Ultimate Power!

All was silent, and there they sat in tense, angry silence. Volpina's eyes were trained to the window until a soft puff of air was heard from behind them all. She whips her head around and sees the black clad figure that she despised so much.

"NAUGHTY CHILDREN WHO SNEAK INSIDE DESERVE TO BE PUNISHED" Volpina heard Befena screech from the dark as a loud Crack set out from her firing the gun. It was then like all hell was set loose in the room. The fighting was chaotic. Volpina sent her minion clones to fight the black cat and his strange green partner.

"What's the matter FLEABAG? Did you finally kill Ladybug?" She teased as she slunk around on the rafters, taunting and teasing as she sharply wove between the framing beams. Chat Noir hissed gratefully at her and was about to lung if the girl in the green suit hadn't called him.

It was strange, almost funny how quickly his demeanor changed. One second he was going to leap blindly into her trap, but then the next second he went to fight Befena in the shade. Riposte used this moment of distraction between the two to lung forward. With her sword aimed right to the turtle girl's stomach, there was no way that she would be able to react in time.

But to the shock of everyone – most noticeably Chat Noir- she pulled the shield from off her back and used it to deflect Riposte's attack and launch her backwards with a kick to the gut. Volpina snarled as she watched the green one easily battle her clones, she felt tricked. She hasn't seen these moves since her battle with that stupid insect Ladybug… could it be? Could the stupid civilian really be that ridiculous hero?

Volpina chuckled dryly at the thought, she then turned her head to Chat Noir. She watched as he slipped between the bullets Befena shot like a feather on the breeze. How Volpina wanted to go down there and rip out every claw on that blond feline! But she couldn't. Hawkmoth gave her a specific Job to do. Make a fake him and stall as he collect the Miraculous from the other two holders.

The supervillain of discussion was currently slinking from shadow to shadow, waiting for the perfect moment to strike the cat he was currently stalking. He watched with sharp gleaming eyes as Chat Noir dodged a hailstorm of black bullets. As Befena ran out and needed to reload, a fake Hawkmoth took her place as she refilled her gun. It fought Chat Noir staff versus staff.

Chat Noir had the other Hawkmoth in a stalemate of force with the staffs, and it seems that he had done so easily, as when Befena finished loading her weapon and shot at his son, Adrien easily folded his legs and used some claws in his shoes to poor away the fake Hawkmoth with a snarling hiss. He whipped his head to The Miraculous Collector as a wall echoed from above them, originating from Volpina. She had been hit by one of Befena's black pellets and with terror clear in her voice, she was turned into coal.

"One down." Chat snickered darkly, "three to go." And he leapt to Collector a horrific gleam in his eyes. Collector barely had time to raise his book when Chat Noir' s cataclysm landed on it. The destruction magic was absorbed, along with the ring.

To all watching, it was like watching a reversed video of ink being poured on someone. And at once, shock set on everyone's faces -except for Miraculous Collector of course. Standing right in front of them was none other than Adrien Agreste.

His hair was longer, enough to pull back in a ponytail -in fact it was- and his eyes were wide with heavy dark bags around them. He was almost bone thin, save for the corded muscles that lined the revealed flesh of his arms and legs. His pupils looked to match the size of the head of a pin, a crazed bloodlust evident in the red spheres.

"C-Chat?" The green clad heroine called from the rafters, shell in hand to block the attack of Riposte.

"Mari-" He started, but was interrupted by a loud smack from Miraculous Collector.

Miraculous Collector glowered at the young adult below him. Adrien hadn't fallen, but he was silenced. A hate filled glare spread across the young Agreste's features at the man above him. All attention was called to the Bluenette above again as she screamed "Chat!" again.

He quickly jumped to her, muscle memory kept him going, despite the absence of his magic. He stood just below her, unable to jump to the 15 or 20 feet necessary to get to her. She held something out to him, hand closed around a small object and yelled for him to catch. He had to push off of the approaching akumas to catch the two small objects that fell from her grip.

"Put them in!" She wailed, pointing to the earrings in his grip. And without a thought, he pushed the first earring into his unpierced ears and sealed it in. And shortly following that was the second earring. And just as soon as he sealed the second earring in place, a small red creature appeared in front of him.

"Quick, we don't have time! Just say 'Spots on!'" and without a second's hesitation he did so, and a horrified look settled on his face as a black suit settled over his skin. It was skin tight like his Chat Noir suit did, the only difference was that on the back of this suit was a pair of wings outlined in silver. As the transformation continued, plates of a thick heavy shell material all around his arms and legs, torso and even part of his head. A small black band – like a portion of a headband- sat in the center of his head with two tall antennae standing about a foot high. The shell material was, as expected, red with black spots and the mere sight of something like that made him want to burn everything to the ground.

Adrien couldn't help the sickened glare he sent to Marinette. But at the mere sight of her, he felt his heart throb. She was always there for him. He wanted her for himself, yet she was also trying to prevent him from doing just that? Why? She claimed she loved him, she claimed that she was his… so why did she try to stop him from making the world theirs? He wanted to confront her immediately, but after his transformation concluded Miraculous Collector had sent the other akumas after him.

Riposte had changed victims and raced to Adrien- who now called himself The Red Shell. But as she approached he pulled out the unbreakable yoyo string and used his martial art experience to start attacking her. He had successfully slammed on her helmet a few times when Coquille dove down to fight with him. His immediate reaction was to punch her in the throat -knowing she was ladybug – But he resisted as he reminded himself it was his beloved Marinette. His beautiful, fragile, Marinette. His secretive, lying, betraying Marinette. Either way, she's his Marinette. And with or without her acceptance, she will stay HIS MARINETTE.

With a kick to Befena's gun, it had launched into the wall beside Miraculous Collector and the akuma broke free. With the akuma being completely composed of a Miraculous's magic it had been sucked into the book. One more Akuma was taken care of, and she slumped onto the ground unconscious and human. And with that as an opportunity Coquille yelled to Red Shell to summon his lucky charm. As he did so, Coquille wedged the tip of Riposte's sword into a crevice in her shell. The tip held solid and Coquille pushed the shell against the tip so Riposte couldn't pull it loose.

"Call your lucky charm, Chat!" She yells as he jumped over the unconscious body to Miraculous Collector.

He nodded and screamed the phrase that would guarantee his victory. And from the magic dropped a red and black picture frame with his drawing inside of it. It was a scrappy drawing he drew when he was really young, of his father his mother and him. It made him tense in anger. Those times were so different… his mom was there, he was normal, his father cared… but most of all… he didn't have his Marinette.

With that thought in mind, he launched the picture to his father – who easily caught it with his left hand. As Miraculous Collector looked at the drawing Red Shell jumped back. His thick boots landing right on Riposte's sword, breaking it into thirds. Without faltering, Red Shell launched the sword shard to Miraculous Collector, where it pierced right through the book and impaled both to the wall of the hidden room.

Coquille leapt up to the Coal Volpina and turned to Red Shell.

"Chat! Get ready!" she called as she reeled her leg back.

He nodded before shouting, "No more evil doing for you little akumas!" He started to spin the yoyo as Coquille kicked the leg in front of her. It powdered into dust and released the Akuma, as Red Shell captured it she leapt to where the red stone had fallen from Riposte's broken sword. With a stomp to it, another akuma was released. And as he captured that akuma she went to the book wedged in the wall.

She quickly tore it down and the two akumas surged out, seemingly desperate to escape and fly somewhere safe. Red Shell captured those as well and looked to her -Coquille didn't recognize the emotion in his eyes, but it left her chilled over.

It seemed an eternity had passed before he opened the yoyo and released the akumas.

"Bye Bye Petit Papillon." She whispered. His eyes seemed to widen in disgust. Red Shell finally accepted the fact that his beloved, precious, fragile Marinette was none other than the vile, despicable Ladybug that he has tried to kill since the beginning.

He slowly crept towards her, like a predator stalking prey. A sick gleam in his eyes.

"We need to talk." He hissed.

….

"This is Nadja Chamack saying 'Don't be bemused it's just the news' and today I have a very special set of guests. Our local hero Ladybug, and the first supposed victim of Chat Noir, Adrien Agreste!"

The cameras slid to reveal Ladybug and a gaunt, angular figure. He was clearly a head and a half -if not two heads- taller than her. Compared to her 5'4 - 5'5 stature, he was easily 6'3 or more. This made him look even more terrifiying. He was thin, clearly starved and scarred – nothing like how he used to look a few years prior.

"Thank you for having us Mrs. Chamack, we wanted to let everyone know what happened before rumors took hold as facts." Ladybug spoke with a thankful tone. Her hand was clenched tightly in Adrien's. They had discussed what they were going to tell the public after the battle, as well as her explaining that incident with Copycat.

"So! Let's get right to it! Adrien, if you may, can you tell us what happened to you? What is your connection with the villain Chat Noir?" a painful twinge crossed his face at the word 'villain'.

Why was he doomed to be classified as a villain? It wasn't his fault he was like this… or was it? Did him giving in make it his fault?... can the things that his father had done be blamed on Adrien?... Adrien was the reason for his mom leaving… he thought he was anyway, so is anything that happened his fault?

He did kill those people… BUT that was for Marinette! Those people were going to hurt her! If not then, then later! Everyone hurts you in the end, and he couldn't let that happen to his precious Marinette. And besides, she forgave him! She said so! She knew that he did it because he loved her! She knows, and she understands! She won't leave him because of it, she said so! He needs her. He needs her to love him. He needs her to be his. Only his.

"Adrien? Are you okay? Would you like a glass of water?" Nadja's voice broke through his thoughts as a tender hand settled on his skin. He looked to it as his muscles tensed out of habit. There was the red spandex with black spots that he has recently grown comfortable of.

He nervously coughed and cleared his throat with a chuckle. "Y-yeah, I'm sorry, it's just – it hit really hard, what happened. I- I need to sort it out myself." He started to ramble, but halted at the thin smile on Ladyb-Marinette's face.

"I-Im okay, promise. It's just that this is a little… hard to accept… even for myself." He crawled pathetically, looking to Mrs. Chamack to fill in the empty air.

"I should suppose so! You've been through a lot lately, what with your experience with Chat Noir and finding out that Hawkmoth was your father and all of that." Nadja listed. "It must be very difficult for you. Take your time." He nodded and exhaled heavily as he sorted out one last time what he was supposed to say.

"W-Well. I'm sorry to say, but I didn't have a run in with Chat Noir…" he heard the audience gasp in disappointment and the bracelet on Nadja's hand beep. "I am Chat Noir. " the terror set in at that moment. People ran to the exits, Nadja gasped in horror. Ladybug stood to comfort the rampant Parisians but Adrien held her down by her hand.

"Please, listen to me?" He asked, making himself seem like a beaten puppy -rather than a murderous feline. "There's more to this story than what you're thinking… Listen to my side please."

Ladybug nodded her head to a quivering Nadja on the floor, the news anchor then slowly rose from the ground.

"O-okay. But security is coming, don't try anything." Nadja spoke cautiously and slowly, "I-ive got a little girl at home, please, I want to go home and see her after this is over."

"I thought you of all people would understand what it's like… " he began. Pull the sympathy card. He reminded himself. "May I tell my story please?"

Nadja nodded shaking and gulped. "P-Please… go ahead."

"You know how Hawkmoth had been after Ladybug's miraculous since the beginning, yeah? Well the reason he only went after hers is because he already had mine. Hawkmoth… " Adrien stopped and swallowed heavily, "Hawkmoth is … my father. And he forced me to accept my Miraculous." Adrien looked away before continuing.

"He had corrupted the miraculous, making me act and think ways I didn't want to… like an Akuma, but worse…" Adrien then forced tears out of his eyes. He thought of all the cruel things he was forced to do because of his father. All the slashed faces and mauled bodies (other than the ones for his precious Marinette, he would never feel sorry for those gifts) and tears actually did rise and slowly trail down his cheeks.

"Ha-Hawkmoth is the real monster!" Adrien wept "He-here He made me kill all those people! He made me act all weird! He changed my thoughts to what he wanted." Adrien started to breath quickly and shallowly. It was almost as if he was about to experience a panic attack. "He-he-he made me l-LIKE killing!" at that he let out a wail and wrapped his arms around Ladybug.

"Once Hawkmoth was subdued and his Miraculous properly disposed of, only then was his hold on Adrien relinquished. He had manipulated Adrien's feeling and made them dangerous. He had turned his innocent feelings for a classmate into a toxic feeling that left bodies in its wake." Ladybug defended. "None of this was his actions, this was completely and 100% the actions of Hawkmoth, and I will not accept any other allegations against this teen."

Ladybug pulled him closer into the hug -a more maternal action than romantic- it seemed routine for her to pull close the injured, weak or scared to her body for comfort.

"And anybody who wishes to personally blame what happened on Adrien can talk to me themselves so I can help them understand the situation." Ladybug saw that Mrs. Chamack was still terrified and went for a different approach.

"Mrs. Chamack." At her name the older woman looked to the young heroine. "You, yourself, know someone who was akumatized, your daughter if I am correct?"

Nadja nodded and supplied her answer, "Yes… Manon… she became the Puppeteer…" Nadja seemed to lose herself in a memory, but shook loose of it as Ladybug continued talking.

"If you ask her what happened when she was puppeteer, shell say she doesn't know, correct?" Nadja nodded. "We all know from experience that when you're under the influence Hawkmoth's magic, you have no control of what you do. So please, don't blame this innocent boy on the wrongdoings forced on him by a horrible man."

The rest of the day seemed to fade. He numbly heard Ladybug tell Mrs. Chamack that she had selected a trustworthy civilian and her family to help him get properly reintroduced to Parisian life. And she told everyone that he would join her as Paris's second hero, like they were meant to be.

Later on that day, Adrien himself had to reassure the Parisians of his 'good intent'.

He would do anything to keep Marinette to himself. And if that included having to take care of the city that she lived in and its citizens then he would. It sickened him to do so, but Marinette said that she wouldn't be his if he didn't try to atone for his crimes.

...

He had crouched on top of a lamp post above everyone else. This was so they could hear him better, and so he would be out of reach from angry mourning family members. He's only doing this for Marinette. He would tell the public what she wanted him to, but if any of them laid their hands on him, all would be forgotten. Only his Marinette can touch him without his permission. Only his Marinette has that privilege.

"Citizens of Paris!" He called to the crowd of faces that surrounded him. There were worried, scared, angry and sympathetic faces in the large group. This was two days after Marinette's announcement on television, so the people around him thought they knew his story.

"I know that Ladybug has already told you all what has happened, but I wanted to tell you myself. I remember all that I had done, and I hate myself every second of the day for what I've done. I can't fix what I've done. I left families destroyed, and siblings only children. I've done irreversible damage to everyone I've encountered, to that I'm sincerely sorry. But I swear to you now, I will do all in my power to protect all of you. It is the least I can do for the disgusting things that I've done."

And so it was settled. Adrien would live with Marinette as his ploy of needing 'rehabilitation' or some crap like that. And he finally figured out what happened with Copycat. Apparently her Lucky Charm was a crash dummy dressed up as herself.

It seemed strange how her miraculous would make her use the same technique twice. She had taken the drone from that kid and used it to draw him in the woods, and she had purified the akuma and fixed everything while he was wandering through the trees.

He could now have her to himself, with even more time since that bug that he'd been fighting was her. So even more hours of their days would be spent together, like how they should be. She would be his. And FINALLY he could be hers... as himself.

...

And quite a distance away. Sat in a heavily guarded cell sat a disgusting, manipulative creature under about 100 pounds of chains listened to a newscast.

He chuckled venemously in the dark, dank cell.

"Like father, like son." He hissed with a sinister smirk.