"You've heard of the Des Taches Mansion, right?" Nathaniel's voice echoed in the auditorium as he nervously eyed the camera Alec was holding.

There was a small silence. Ladybug assumed that people were shaking their heads.

"No? Let me tell you. There once was a girl by the name of Coccinelle."

A light shone on a young blue-haired girl and she waved at the audience, smiling. The set-up was a parlor backdrop, complete with a fancy sofa, a table, and plastic goblets.

"She was very proud of her parents' mansion. She was told, from a very young age, that she would inherit the mansion." Nathaniel glanced back at the scene.

The other blue-haired girl, whose name was Kagami, said in a motherly voice, "My dear Coccinelle, you will someday inherit this mansion."

"Oh, really, Mama?" the girl said, looking happy. Ladybug smiled from behind the curtain. At last minute, Ms. Bustier decided to have a young Coccinelle actress play the first part. "When?"

"When you are older, Petite Dame," Kagami said. "But I must go now, for your father awaits me."

Kagami exited. "Good luck," she whispered to Ladybug.

"But sadly, the girl was horrible and cruel," Nathaniel continued, as the young Coccinelle exited and Ladybug appeared on the stage. "She was also extremely foolish and gullible. After she had inherited the mansion when her parents died, she held many the parties."

Ladybug faked a laugh as other guests arrived for the scene. They all pretended to have a good time.

"An enemy slipped poison into her drink that night, and she fell dead," Nathaniel said. A cloaked figure slipped fake poison into a goblet and handed it to Ladybug. She accepted the goblet, took a sip, and made a gagging noise. She collapsed on the couch. The guests panicked and ran into the backstage.

"Coccinelle vowed to haunt her house until she found her murderer," Nathaniel explained, looking out into the audience. "Sadly, no one was found. She continued to haunt the mansion."

The curtain fell, and Nathaniel continued his part as the set designers carried the set pieces and props off. "Of course, there is a legend about the Des Taches Mansion. If you try to move into the house to stay, Coccinelle will haunt you for eternity."

Behind the curtain, Nino, dressed as Sir Claude, and Alya, playing Lady Jacqueline, got into position.

The curtain rose again, and a town scene had been set up. Nino was behind a lemonade-stand-looking-structure, except for the sign said, in big, red letters: Houses for Sale, Houses for Sale.

"Houses! Houses for sale!" Nino called, remembering his lines.

Alya walked by, holding her fancy orange parasol, not even bothering to glance in Nino's direction. But Nino saw her.

And boy, she was adorable.

"Houses -" he stopped, looking at her like he was supposed to, then quickly shook his head and resumed shouting. "Houses for sale!"

Adrien entered. He looked around, then saw the sign for houses for sale. He stopped.

"New here?" Nino asked.

"Yes, I am trying to find a home," Adrien said. He offered a hand to shake. "I'm Felix Manoir. You?"

"Sir Claude," Nino said, shaking Adrien's hand. "I have houses galore."

Adrien pointed to a picture. "That one has caught my eye."

Nino swallowed, following Adrien's gaze. "T-that one? It's haunted by a ghost," Nino said, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"Ghosts are fake," Adrien said, waving a hand. He was surprised how his costume wasn't itchy at all.

Neither was the blue scarf . . .

"Sir?" Nino said, waving a hand in front of his face. "It's all yours, if you want it."

"Right - yes, I'll take it. Still has the furniture?" Adrien asked, trying not to let his face go red from his mistake.

"Yes."

"I'll take it," Adrien said, hastily grabbing the sack in his pocket filled with "gold coins" and giving it to Nino. (They were really just rocks.) "Which way?"

"Here's a map," Nino said, handing Adrien a rolled-up paper scroll. "Good luck, mon amie."

Adrien smiled and quickly walked off stage.

He found the closest chair in the back and collapsed into it, putting his face in his hands.

"Adrien, what's wrong?" Ladybug said, appearing in front of him. Adrien glanced up and immediately wished she hadn't.

When had she been this beautiful?!

She was wearing a 17th century dress. The bodice and sleeves were a scarlet red, very close to the red of her superhero suit. Her sleeves had ruffled black fabric that was the length of her arms. The skirt was puffed up in the back, revealing a black lace train. An upside-down V shape was on the skirt, made of the same material as the black ruffled fabric on her sleeves. The red parts of her dress were polka-dotted, looking even more like her superhero suit. She still had her mask, and her midnight-blue hair was pulled into a half-bun, her hair all curled.

And since she was playing a ghost, she was all faded. Her clothes, hair, even her skin was lightly brushed with a white substance, giving her a ghostly look.

Ladybug smiled.

"I - mistake," Adrien managed, feeling like an idiot for staring at her for too long. "I got lost in thought."

"I do that all the time," Ladybug said, laughing at her mistakes from the past.

He could hear Plagg struggling to keep his laughter.

"We're not in a few more scenes, anyway," Ladybug continued.

Adrien nodded, glumly watching the scene where Sir Claude tried to talk to Lady Jacqueline but failed tremendously.

But the time for his turn to be on the stage once again seemed to come suddenly, and soon was the scene where he met Lady Coccinelle for the first time.

He walked onto the stage, dropping the empty sack and collapsing on the couch - the one that Ladybug had fake-died on. He glanced around the set. "Nice place," Adrien remarked.

The audience laughed. There was a clear inch of fake dust everywhere.

Ladybug began to stomp gently from inside the giant closet.

Adrien looked confused.

"Wooooo," she wailed.

Adrien got up and walked over to the closet.

Ladybug stomped a little harder, making the closet sway from side to side.

She swayed a little too hard.

Panicking, Ladybug tried to stop the tipping closet. Adrien sensed her fear and quickly stopped the closet, setting it back where it was.

Ladybug pushed the door open and presently walked a few steps -

Until she paused, turned around, and faced Adrien, who was still looking puzzled.

"Well?" Ladybug said, crossing her arms and tapping her foot impatiently.

"Well what?" Adrien asked.

"I'm a ghost. You're supposed to scream," Ladybug pointed out.

"Am I?" Adrien asked.

"Am I doing a bad job?" Ladybug said, looking around and dusting herself off.

"No, no - I just think that ghosts aren't that scary," Adrien said.

"Well, aren't you absurd?" Ladybug said, pretending to get mad.

"I am not -"

"The perfect definition of absurdness is right here; you moved into a house that has two inches of dust all over everything!" Ladybug cried.

The audience snickered.

A slight smile appeared on Adrien's lips. "Mind if you stay?"

"I do very much mind, sir, and I think you must be going insane."

"Please, Lady -"

"I'm about to tell my name to a complete stranger?" Ladybug asked, frowning.

A crazy, insane idea popped into Adrien's head. No one knew that he used it . . . except for maybe Carapace, Rena Rouge, or Queen Bee - but they weren't here - except for Chloe . . . but why not?

"I'm not asking you for your name, but I shall make up one -" He paused, knowing the lecture he would get from Plagg.

"- My lady."

He bowed. He offered an outstretched hand. While his eyes never left hers.

The audience loved it. They applauded hard, not noticing the blush on Ladybug's cheeks.

"Good day, sir," Ladybug said, and she turned on her heel and quickly left the stage, like it had been written in the script.

The audience loved it. As the curtain went down, they applauded hard and long. They couldn't have possibly known that a trio of people, all dressed in their costumes, were gaping, paling, their eyes widening in shock. They couldn't have possibly known that Ladybug, who was in the dressing room, was staring at herself in the mirror, not believing what had just happened. And they couldn't have possibly known that Adrien was confused - then upset, as Plagg comforted his Miraculous Owner.

"That explains it," a very familiar girl with ombre hair in a fancy orange dress with an orange lace parasol said weakly.

Ladybug sat in a chair in front of the wide mirror in the dressing room. She was numbly spinning around.

The play must go on.

And the play would go on until April.

The door slammed open and Ladybug saw, in the corner of her eye, Alya rushing through with an angry expression.

"Ladybug Whateveryourlastnameis," Alya growled, "you'll pay."

Ladybug gulped.

"How dare you let Adrien call you that?!" Alya continued. "Thanks to his clever plan to woo you, I know who he is! What secret he's been hiding! And, boy, does it explain a lot!"

"Al - Alya, I can explain -" Ladybug squeaked, shrinking in her chair as her friend came closer to her.

"Tell me. Now." Alya crossed her arms and glared at the superhero.

Ladybug closed her eyes.

"Tikki, if I ever detransform during the play, will my whole costume still appear if I transform again?"

"Of course! Your hairstyle will stay the same, but the dress is your suit for now! Until you change it."

She opened her eyes.

"Alya," Ladybug began, taking a deep breath. "Your best friend will get the love of her life."

"How do you know?! You've been stealing him from her!" Alya exclaimed.

"TIKKI, SPOTS OFF!" Ladybug yelled.

She stared at her best friend angrily as her transformation wore off. Alya paused, her mouth wide open, her glasses askew, as her eyes trailed Tikki zooming out of the Miraculous.

"Happy now?!" Marinette shouted.

Marinette wasn't aware that she was standing. Not until Alya slowly pulled her into a hug did she realize that she was standing.

"I'm so, so sorry," Alya whispered. "I've been discouraging my best friend the whole time. I've been telling my BFF to get away from her crush."

It was a miracle neither of them cried.

It was a while until Marinette let go. "Alya, you can't tell anyone who I am. You can't post it on the LadyBlog."

"But -"

"You can't," Marinette repeated.

Alya nodded. "Can I tell Nino?" she asked.

"Let him figure out for himself.

"Tikki, spots on."

"DUDE!"

Nino came crashing into the men's dressing room wildly. He quickly hugged Adrien.

Adrien pulled away. "You're not mad?"

"Mad?! Why would I be mad at my best friend for being -" Adrien quickly shushed his best friend. Nino closed his mouth and nodded.

"No wonder Alya's been mad at you!" Nino said hoarsely.

"She's mad at me?" Adrien asked, confused.

"Yeah, she didn't want you to end up with Ladybug," Nino continued.

"Why?"

"Well . . . Marinette kinda has a crush on you," Nino said, looking at the floor and twiddling his thumbs.

Marinette?

That's why she's so nervous . . .

"It's really obvious," Nino added.

Adrien slumped back into his chair. "I'm sorry, Nino, but I love Ladybug."

Nino's eyes grew wide.

"There. I said it," Adrien said, relieved to have said it out loud to a normal human being. "I love Ladybug. And even though Marinette's amazing and brave and strong and -"

Wait.

Those were the exact same adjectives he often used to describe Ladybug.

Nino raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Knew you liked Marinette."

Adrien snapped his mouth shut. "Nino, I have a plan.

"I'm going to try and mend things with Ladybug." 

* * * 

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Almost done posting this entire book! Ahh this was so fun to write!

I'm not sure what book I write next! Any ideas? It doesn't have to be Miraculous Ladybug!

Thanks for reading, and have a "paw"some day!