Chat...is that you?

Chapter 1

It's a new day in the bright and bustling Paris, the city of love. People of all kinds line the streets, taking photos, seeing sights and taking in its rich culture.
And Adrien is at the table, doing his English homework.

"Father I don't understand, it's Saturday! I should be out with my friends! They invited me to hang out on Luka's boat today and watch his gig!"
Adrien looked at his father hopefully, gripping his pen in his hand out of fearing how his father would react to his request. He had already calculated the risks of asking this question beforehand. Surely he'd say yes.
Surely.
The silence was deafening as Gabriel Agreste looked at his son with a blank stare, and glassy eyes. Natalie stood behind him, placid as ever as she watched the scene unfold.

"Do you remember what I said" Gabriel stated flatly as he turned away from Adrien.

"But father-"

"Don't question me. Like I always say...you should be thankful I allow you to even go to school with those...children. They're below us.
I would never let you 'hang out' with them outside of supervision"

Adrien looked down, pen clenched in his fist as his eyes start to water. No come on, he can't cry, not now, not in front of father. This keeps circling round his head as he keeps his eyes down, trying not to let his emotions get out of control. He'd been looking forward to this for months, he was so excited to see his friends.
Gabriel turned to leave, beckoning Natalie to follow.

"I'm glad we reached an understanding, that homework better be complete by the time I get back. Or I will ground you from school as well.
Understood?"
Gabriel turned to Adrien as he hovered in the doorway, awaiting his son's answer.

"Understood father"
With that answer, Gabriel hummed in satisfaction as he left the room, Natalie quickly following. She shot a sympathetic look at Adrien as she left him alone.
Adrien stared down the vast dining table, at the empty chairs that lay before him. Nothing new.
No (living) loving family and no chance to see his friends. He scoffed as he beat himself up inside for not standing up to his father? How could he be so weak. If mother was he she would've-

No, don't think about her. Never think about her.

Adrien stood up, discarding his homework in the trash as he went up towards his room, quickly passing his father's study.
Why was father so busy? He rarely released any new clothing lines, nor any new catwalk shows. Yet all Adrien even heard was
'No I'm busy'
'I can't spend time with you, I'm busy'
'I have important work to do'
'Stop burdening me with your so-called problems, I am busy!'

Adrien stood there, staring into nothing as these thoughts flashed his mind, weak flickers of sadness brewing in his stomach, like a candle put out by a gust of wind (that wind being his 'dear' father)
At that moment, a head popped up from inside his white jacket.

"Hey Adrien!? Why are you just standing there, I've woken from a nap and I'm hungry" Plagg shot at him as he rubbed his eyes, perching comfortably on Adrien's shoulder.
Adrien stood there, staring at the wall next to his mother's painting.

"Adrien? Hello are you in there??" Plagg waved his paw in front of Adrien's fixed eyes.

"This painting is hung wrong...it was slightly higher up when I saw it this morning" Adrien pondered slowly as he run his finger across his textured surface, near his mother's painted shoulder that was adorned with colours. They paled in comparison to her beauty though, if only he could see her once more.

"Look, I heard the argument you had with your father, how about you go to your room..and we can share a nice tasty cheese.." Plagg looked over at Adrien, but his words had seemed to fall on deaf ears as he watched Adrien try to pry the painting from the white wall.

"Hey..what are you doing...that's your mother right? Your father would kill you if it-"

Suddenly the painting fell ajar, revealing a secret door into a dark abyss. Adrien's eyes widened as he gasped. How long has this been here? And why had he never noticed it?
Adrien stepped forward, allowing its darkness to envelope him in its cold embrace as he ventured deeper. Plagg tried to pull at his shirt.

"I don't think that's a good idea Adrien!"
In that moment Adrien pushed Plagg away as he went farther.

"Then stay out there...I'll be okay. I'm Chat noir remember? I can break out of anything" he flashed Plagg a grin as he went ahead. Plagg could see the nervousness in his eyes, fear tugging at that smile he always tried to plaster on his face, even as Chat noir. Plagg new Adrien better than anyone, he could always tell his true feelings.
He could see clear as day the fear of this newfound secret, reflected in those innocent eyes that had already seen too much.
Plagg had a bad feeling about this, but it was Adrien's choice what path he may take.
Plagg hid behind a nearby cupboard, waiting for Adrien to return, trying to shove down the feeling in his stomach, that definitely wasn't the cheese.

Adrien gulped as he felt the elevator go down. How was he in an elevator? He always thought he knew every inch of the agreste house but...
he was very, very wrong.

With a shudder it came to a stop, and the doors opened with a squeak. Adrien stepped out into the eerily cold air, beholding the massive space that stood before him.
A path stood before him, leading to what looked like a lush green space at the end, decorated with arching patterns of lines woven above it. What looked like a strange cylinder or container stood in the centre of it all.
What is that?
Adrien took a step forward, hearing it echo around the space as he saw the water below the corrugated metal path. And he had one question....
How did this fit under the house? When and how was it built?
His senses seemed to be heightened as a walked, aware of every step and breath he took that echoed along the curved walls. God he wished he took Plagg with him.
As he drew closer to the strange object in the centre, he looked around in fear as he clutched his shirt, feeling his heart beat increase. Does father know about this? He has so many questions.. but could he even ask him, or would father be enraged at his disobedience once again?
Adrien definitely knew the answer to that.

As he drew closer, he took a look at the shiny, cylindrical object. He didn't know what to call it, he'd never seen anything like it before. Then again his father always enjoyed collecting strange memorabilia from all over. His vast fortune always allowed it too

As he caught a better view, something stopped him in his tracks.
Is that a...person in there...?
This simple curiosity had taken a turn for the worse in a matter of seconds.
Adrien just hoped in his heart this was all..not as bad as it looks.
He inched closer as his heart sped up, and he clutched his chest as he felt himself shaking, not just because of how cold it seemed to be down there.
His breaths could be heard even clearer as they were echoed back at him, almost like a sick, mocking form of torture.
Once he got as close as he could handle, it took him a second to register what lay in front of him. At once all other thoughts left his mind as he stared, eyes wide in disbelief.
His blood ran cold as he felt his body freeze.

Mom?