Truth Seeker

Epilogue

Natalie quietly stepped into the room where the gigantic portrait of Emilie Agreste was, and as expected, Gabriel was standing in front of it. He didn't even blink when she stepped up beside him, clutching her iPad with dread.

"Sir -" She started to say, but she was cut off by Gabriel.

"It's fine, Natalie. I knew that if you could handle being a wounded Mayura you would certainly be able to handle being a normal Hawkmoth. I didn't expect you to win, but we always have to try. We can't ever stop," Gabriel said with an unreadable expression. Natalie's tensed muscles eased slightly, and she let out a silent sigh of relief.

"However, why did you decide to akumatize my son?" He asked. 

Natalie's heart pumped a little faster. "I'm sorry, sir. His emotions were so perfectly...terrible, they couldn't just be wasted. I assure you that he is doing just fine now," She said nervously. She still felt guilty, even with the possibility that Gabriel didn't. Adrien was like a son to her now, and it hurt her to see him in pain.

But her first orders were to Gabriel. She had to prioritize that, no emotions taking over her duty.

Gabriel nodded. "That's good. You're right, of course, negative emotions are too precious to me to be thrown away without any use," He said. They both hesitated. Then, Gabriel walked up to the portrait and rested his head and hand against it. 

"Soon, Emily. We'll be together again, no matter what it takes."

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Lila stared out her bedroom window, anger swelling inside of her like a helium balloon. Her plan had totally backfired. Instead of making everybody hate Ladybug, they still practically worshipped her. On top of that, Adrien had asked Marinette - her worst enemy other than Ladybug - out to the movies, and not her! What did he see in that blubbering idiot of a girl?!

And how could she forget about earlier? Adrien had confronted Lila after school, and he was the most angry she's ever seen him. She replayed the scene in her head...

________________

Adrien was walking toward Lila, and she grinned to herself. He probably needed comforting after his akumatization, and of course he would come to her for consultation. She smiled sweetly when he stopped in front of her. It faltered momentarily when she noticed that his arms were crossed accusingly and was glaring at her icily.

"Hi, Adrien! So, when do you think I can come over so you can help me with my homework?" Lila said. That excuse was foolproof - people were basically attracted to homework lies.

"You won't be coming over anytime soon, Lila," Adrien growled. She put on a confused and slightly concerned expression. 

"Why would that be? Is everything okay?" Lila cooed.

"Everything is fine now. No thanks to you. I know you're the 'anonymous user' on social media everyone has been talking about," Adrien said, locking her in his intense anger.

He's trapping me. I can't escape, Lila thought with a little jolt of panic.

"If you even have an ounce of goodness in you, you'll sit there quietly and hear me out," Adrien said. Lila nodded meekly. 

"Good. I know that you're extremely envious of Ladybug, and I can see why. She gets way more attention, because she's everything you are; but genuine and infinitely better. You did all of that so people would hate her just as much as you do, and so you and I could be together. You made me lose all hope in the world with those videos, using those actors as Ladybug and Hawkmoth, and saying that it wasn't edited! You made me lose hope in everything!!" He stopped to take a deep breath.

"From now on, we are not friends. You went too far this time, and it's going to take me a while to forgive you, if at all. So no, I will not help you with your homework, or anything for that matter. Got it?"

Lila nodded again, at a loss for words. He had just taken all of her hopes and dreams and smashed them. After the shock gradually ceased, only rising, burning hatred remained. Crush over. 

"Yes. I understand, Adrien." Lila muttered, standing up straight and attempting to look brave.

Adrien grinned. "See ya!" He said cheerfully. And then he walked away.

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Lila's face felt hot with anger at Adrien, Ladybug, Marinette, the whole world. It was so unfair. It was all Ladybug's fault, it always would be...

If I ever want to see my enemy obliterated, I'm going to have to step up my game. I need something even more terrible than the last, something that's real. I need everybody to see it, and seeing is believing, after all.

Get ready, Ladybug. You're biggest threat isn't Hawkmoth anymore. It's me.