"I guess I have no choice but to mentor you," Plagg sighed as he raked his dark hair with his hand while staring at the blond boy inquisitively "Your name's Adrien, right?"

"And you're the one who Cataclysmed me."

"That must be one hell of an impression, eh?" the Kwami barked a laugh much to the boy's chagrin "Anyway, our first lesson is about control. I want you to focus your energy on a single spot and when I say 'release', you have to let go of that power. Okay?"

Adrien nodded then closed his eyes to concentrate.

Ever since he abandoned his civilian life and became a Miraculous wielder, he never realized how sheltered he was about the real world. He thought that the Order was only established for exterminating Akuma; he wasn't aware that they were also protecting and saving those people who were oppressed due to their magus blood.

He didn't know that some children were abandoned and killed even at the shy age of two by their own parents just because of their magical essence, while others that were kept alive were sold at the black market for a hefty price. Even adults, especially those with latent abilities and late bloomers, were not spared from murders and human trafficking.

"You will realize how cruel this world is once they know who you really are," he recalled his father's words as if it was yesterday "Are you ready to face the consequence, Adrien?"

"I told you to focus, not to reminisce the past!"

"Sorry!" the blond winced, squeezing his eyes shut as he let his mind adrift again.

Ladybug was obviously not happy about his decision. She didn't greet him when he first entered the facility despite his attempts to coax her, and every time he tried to approach her she would turn him down if it was something personal. Master Fu told him that she was like that when she first became a Miraculous wielder – aloof and business-like to everyone.

"Most people here joined the Order for various reasons," said the old man "Money, protection, companion, family," he paused to look at the blond, "How about you, Adrien? What's the reason why you joined the Order of the Miraculous?"

"Freedom," was his immediate answer as he stared at the spotted heroine from afar "Freedom to protect her."

"Now release!"

Adrien screamed violently when a surge of magic flowed out from the tips of his fingers. He was out of suppressors for almost a week, so they informed him about the unpleasant feeling he could experience while he was in the remission phase, but boy sure it was painful. It felt like his limbs were being ripped apart from his body.

He was supposed to aim it at one spot as instructed but the force was too overwhelming for him to control.

"Snap yourself out, kid!"

Adrien jerked immediately at Plagg's scolding voice, and almost lost his footing when he opened his eyes and saw the destruction that he had caused.

The training room was completely obliterated as if an explosive bomb diffused inside - the electrical wires were smoked and melted, the circuits were hanging exposed on the ceiling, and the white walls were now charred with bare steel beams corroded by some sort of a chemical.

Adrien was aware how destructive his power was - the number of fixtures and furniture he destroyed throughout the years were enough proof - he didn't know how extensive it will be.

He gulped anxiously as he turned his head towards his assigned Kwami in shame "I'm sorry...?"

"It's a good call that we practiced in a room where we test our micro missiles for Akumas," Plagg crossed his arms with a smug "Don't worry, you're good for a first-timer."

His emerald eyes lit up immediately "Really?"

"You have a thirty minutes break while I look out for a sturdier practice room," he went on then jerked his thumb to the other side of the room "For the meantime, feel free to entertain your secret admirer there."

His face turned into a ripened tomato when he saw Ladybug waving a mineral bottle on his way.

Adrien jogged towards her with a smirk "So, you're my secret admirer, huh?"

"I just passed by to say hi," the spotted heroine scoffed with a blush "And to give you this."

"Gee, thanks," he said as he uncapped the bottle and gurgled its content.

Ladybug whistled lowly, eyeing the extent of damages in the room "I never thought that your power could be this destructive. No wonder you got Plagg as your Kwami."

"A Kwami that I expect the least," he scowled indignantly, securing his half-consumed water by its lid "Why can't I select Trixx as my Kwami? Or maybe Pollen?"

"That's because your magical essence is not attuned with them."

He gasped incredulously "Does that mean I'm stuck with that old stinky cheese lover?!"

"Hey, don't give me that look. Plagg's not too bad."

"Says the person who has a cookie-lover Kwami" he grumbled with a pout.

"More like a cookie monster," Ladybug shrugged casually "She will kick you out to oblivion if she doesn't have her cookie fix. And that's without remorse."

"That scary, huh?"

"You have no idea," she muttered as she placed her hand on the wall, and as she emitted a red aura, the room began to self-repair itself.

Adrien's jaw slacked with awe. He dropped the mineral bottle absentmindedly and let it roll to the ground when he saw how the walls reattached and mended itself, as well as the ceiling and the exposed cables. It was as if he was watching a movie on a rewind.

He inspected the repaired wall deftly with his fingers and noted the lack of burns or any hints of its damaged condition a while ago.

"My power is to reverse anything destroyed by magic and restore it to its original state," Ladybug's voice broke his reverie "Which is beneficial to the Order since it saved them from being fined for the property damages due to Akuma battles."

"You can undo the magic on people or any living beings but not the injuries caused by it" his statement earned a nod.

"I was scared when I first discovered my ability," she muttered dolefully as she stared at her spandex-covered hands "I couldn't touch a paper without turning it into plants, or a cloth into a hemp. I think I destroyed a lot of things in my room whenever I had a magical leak. There was a time I woke up in a bed full of branches and dead leaves."

"I've had this ability since I was born," Adrien interjected, placing his bare hands on top of hers "They molded me to a belief that my powers are meant to be kept in public, that I have this weird illness that I can't share to anyone. I live on that fear, Marinette, and because of that fear, I became a recluse."

"Now I understand why you didn't shake my hand when we first met," she snorted.

"You were my first friend, my first best friend, and the only one who taught me on how to live my life despite my secret. You made me see the beauty of the outside world that scared me the most, and the reason why I should be brave enough to venture it," he confessed, linking her fingers with his then squeezed it lightly "Without you, I don't think I will ever go to public school, or even meet Nino and Alya. So, thank you, Marinette. Thank you for making me see the things in a better perspective, for releasing me on this curse called insecurities, and for being there with me all along."

"I did those things because I want to, not because I want some paybacks. Please, Adrien," she pleaded "You have to quit the Order before it's too late."

"What if I don't?"

Ladybug squeezed her eyes as she mustered all of her strength not to revoke her patience "You're making this harder than I thought."

"Why are you still wearing a mask, Marinette?" he asked, "Why do you wear it even inside the facility?"

"I want to remind myself that I'm here not for myself." was her stoic reply.

"Why are you preventing yourself to seek happiness? To seek freedom?"

"Because I have no choice!" she lashed out as she stepped away from him "Unlike you who has the means and ways to survive in a society of normal people with the help of suppressors. I'm nothing but a peasant, Adrien. I'm just a baker's daughter without this mask. But this mask, this glamour that I am wearing right now, grants me another reason to live."

"If you really want me to be happy," she quivered with a smile "You have to keep yourself away from harm."

"But I want to keep you away from harm too!"

She shook her head "You can't."

"Why not?" he asked, and when she failed to respond he continued "How can I convince you to accept my words? That I deserve to be your equal?"

"Three days," she told him "If you can control your power in just three days then I'll accept you."

"Sure."

True to his words, Adrien mastered everything in less than two days.