[Narrator's POV]

Alya and Nino duck into an alleyway together to transform for patrol.

"Hey." Alya says. "We should swap miraculouses."

"Why?" Asks Nino.

"For funsies." Alya answers simply.

"Miraculouses aren't for funsies." Wayzz says in distaste.

Alya rolls her eyes. "You sound like Marinette."

"You asked Marinette to trade miraculouses with you before me?" Nino says, looking hurt.

Alya smiles sheepishly "I wanted to live out my dream of being Ladybug."

"The fox miraculous isn't good enough for ya, huh? Well I eat bugs for breakfast!" Trixx yaps.

"I do love being Rena Rouge, I just want to have some fun and Carapace's shield is really cool!" Alya says. "Plus Marinette went on about how the Ladybug and Cat miraculous are too powerful to let others play with."

Wayzz nods. "Master Fu chose wisely. Marinette is indeed a responsible hero, a great role model for the two of you."

"Yeah I guess it would be pretty narly to chill with some clones of myself," Nino says. "I'll give the fox thing a go."

Wayzz shudders in alarm as Nino slips off the turtle miraculous and hands it to Alya. "What are you doing? Are you not listening?"

Alya takes off the fox miraculous and gives it to Nino. Then, the two put on their new borrowed jewls and utter their commands.

"Wayzz, arm shell!"

"Trixx, tail out!"

Nino giggles to himself as he chases his own tail round in circles, and Alya examines her new sheild with eyes shimmering in awe. All of a sudden, Nino steps on his tail and trips himself over, falling backwards out into the street. As he does so, he accidentally bumps into a passing girl. Nino has to blink a couple of times to steady his vision, his head still spinning from running in circles. Turns out it is Lila he had run into and she too must blink a few times to make sure she is seeing correctly.

"Rena Rouge, you got a haircut? Mm, no, that's not it..." Lila puts a hand on her chin as she looks the fox hero up and down. "More like, you got real ugly."

Nino frowns dully. "Are you serious?"

Alya walks out to join the conversation. "I think he looks pretty foxy!" She says, giving Nino a wink as she elbows him playfully.

"Hey dude, she's got a boyfriend." Lila replies.

"What?" Upon seeing that their company is none other than Lila, Alya grins brightly. "Oh it's you-- Hey Lila!"

Lila shifts back as this hooded stranger waves at her all chummy-like. After a moment of silent staring, Lila narrows her eyes and responds bluntly, "Who are you?"

Alya laughs and points a finger at herself. "Rena Rouge!"

"No you're not." Lila scoffs. "Don't be stupid, she's right there."

"No, no," Nino says. "I'm Carapace."

"Who's that again?" Lila asks.

Nino flinches in annoyance. "Th-The rad turle hero!"

"Huh?" Lila scratches her head. "But you're a fox..."

Alya slings an arm round Nino's shoulders. "We switched."

"So...the dude that keeps touching Rena Rouge is actually the one with a boyfriend?" Lila says in confusion.

Nino stamps his foot in frustration. "I'm her boyfriend!"

"You're a boy?!!" Lila exclaims.

Nino slaps a hand on his face.

"Eh, so, uh..." Lila looks back and forth between Nino and Alya until finally settling on the latter. "R-Rena Rouge?"

"Yeah," Alya chuckles. "What's up?"

"You and your boyfriend broke up? I mean, your other one. The one that you kissed by accident and confused," Lila says. "You weren't able to fix things?"

"No, this is my original boyfriend." Alya clarifies.

"The knock-off of the second-rate Volpina?" Lila says in shock.

"Quit calling me that!" Alya snaps.

Lila smirks. "Well I guess now you're the second-rate...er, what was the turtle thing's name again?"

"Carapace!" Nino says shrilly.

"Cawapate!" Lila replies, blazing with confidence.

"Not even close..." Alya says bleakly.

"Heh? You sure?" Lila questions.

"Quite sure." Nino says. "Seriously, what even is that?"

Lila waves her hand dismissively. "Alright, well whatever. I'm happy to hear that your relationship is safe and sound, assuming I got that part right."

"Yep! That part's right," Alya says happily. "Quite the coincidence that it turned out this way, huh? Two superheroes in love without even knowing."

"Nah, this city is smaller than you think." Lila replies. "I've run into three superheroes just at my school."

Alya and Nino freeze up.

"Well, cya." Lila says casually before continuing on her way.

"W-Wait..." Nino stammers.

"What?" Alya chokes out.

The two turn to look at each other with wide eyes.

"Did she--?" Nino starts.

"She just said she knows who at least three of us are!" Alya cuts in.

"I thought I might have misinterpreted it, but she totally just told us that, right?" Nino says.

"When did she...?" Alya trails off.

"How did she...? Nino whimpers.

Alya and Nino whirl round but Lila has already disappeared from sight.

Nino slowly faces Alya, pale with terror. "What now?"

"Don't tell the others, I don't want them to freak. We have to find out what Lila knows first." Alya says. "We should make sure, but I'm guessing that the three she knows are Ladybug, Cat Noir and Queen Bee since she didn't say anything to us."

"But what if that was her way of letting us know that she knows." Nino replies. "Rena Rouge and I both told Lila about our love troubles, what if she realised how similar our stories are?"

"That's a good point..." Alya says. "We'll definitely have to investigate."

"I'm so freaked!" Nino whines and doubles over to clasp his knees. "My legs won't stop shaking..."

"Would a piggy back ride make you feel better?" Alya asks.

Nino shoots back up, his eyes sparkling. Alya smiles and turns round so he can jump on her back, and the two soar away happily.

.

Da next day..

.

[Nino's POV]

Alya is absent from school today and she told me not to investigate without her but I just can't sit here and do nothing! So, I'm spending my lunch break with Lila in the art room under the excuse of wanting to play with our bunny boy. Well, I do actually want to play with him...

"If only there was a bunny superhero, am I right?" I chuckle as I pat the little fella.

Lila looks deeply moved by this idea. "That would be extraordinary!" She whispers passionately.

"I'm curious about those heroes of ours," I continue casually. "You know anything about them?"

"Mmm..." Lila taps her chin. "Have you heard of that rad Rappasake guy?"

I squint in confusion. "What?"

"Or was it the cool Cappa...cake? Super Sakkarace," Lila mutters. "Parrapace? Turttarace!"

Is she...Is she trying to say Carapace?

Lila clicks her fingers. "No, I got it-- The Racing Turtle! That's it, I'm sure of it."

"Carapace! It's Carapace!' I exclaim. "Why do your guesses only get worse??"

"Carapace?" Lila snorts. "That's not right!"

I heave a sigh and go back to patting Bunny.

"Well anyway," Lila says. "I just found out yesterday that turtle dude who is also sometimes a fox is dating Rena Rouge but they had this whole horrid mess--"

"Uhh forget about that!" I interrupt urgently.

Can't have Lila dwelling over that story and realising it's also my story.

"Geez, you asked." Lila grumbles.

Yeah, I guess I should just ask her something more specific and direct, but I can't do it as Nino.

My thoughts are interrupted when Lila scoops Bunny up out of my arms.

"We've gotta get to class," She says. "Say ba-bye!"

"Aw...Bye Bye Bunny." I say sadly, reaching out to rub his little head between the ears.

.

[Narrator's POV]

After school Lila is making her way home when all of a sudden Carapace drops by.

"Rena Rouge!" Lila greets happily, but immediately after her smiles drops. "No, wait, you're the ugly one!"

Carapace frowns. "My name's--"

"The Flying Shell!" Lila declares, pointing a finger at Carapace dramatically.

"No!" Carapace yells. "It's Carapace! Where did you get Flying Shell?"

A small squeak comes out from Lila's bag. She reaches in and takes out her bunny to cuddle it comfortingly.

"Don't yell at us!" Lila snaps. "You're scaring Bunny."

"Sorry lil bunny boy." Carapace says sympathetically as he scratches the bunny between its ears.

Lila looks Carapace up and down before continuing the conversation. "Your sheild is like a shell and you throw it through the air, you're also a turtle that leaps around a lot-- that's where I got the flying shell. What's a Cassapake supposed to be?"

"A Carapace is the hard upper shell of a tortoise, crustacean, or arachnid; something regarded as a protective or defensive covering." Carapace recites.

"Whatever," Lila says. "Whaddya want?"

"I want to know whose secret identities you know and how." Carapace replies strongly. "You said yesterday that you go to school with three superheroes. Is that true? Who are they?"

Lila makes a smug expression. "I can't tell you their identities, it's a secret."

"I already know their identities," Carapace says. "It's not a secret to me."

Lila crosses her arms. "Then who are they?"

"I can't tell you, it's still supposed to be a secret to you!" Carapace says.

"Then how do I know that you know?" Lila replies. "I can't tell you what I know until I know what you know."

"Tell me what you know and I'll confirm that I know." Carapace says.

"No." Lila answers shortly.

"GAHRRRGGH!" Carapace growls and grips his head. "Please? This is really important!"

Lila pokes out her tongue and pulls an ugly face as she walks away.

.

Marinette had hurried over to the hospital as soon as she got out of school. When she enters the room, Adrien smiles brightly and exclaims, "Marinette!"

Marinette's mouth drops to form an O-shape. "Ooh, you have so much more energy now!"

"He's been staying up night after night training himself to talk and trying to move his fingers." Plagg says.

"I'm happy that you're feeling better but don't push yourself, okay?" Marinette skips over to Adrien's bedside and plants a kiss on his forehead before sitting down.

"I'm not pushing myself. It's not tiresome work at all, because it's for you..." Adrien says. "Nothing is beyond my reach if it's for you. I'm getting out of this bed Marinette. I'm getting back out there to live out our lives together."

Marinette smiles. "I love you so much."

Plagg sticks his tongue out in disgust. "Blah!"

"Since you have more strength now, I have something special for you." Marinette presents the peacock miraculous. "You saved it, Adrien."

Adrien's eyes widen. "D-Duusu...?"

"She's right here with you," Marinette pins the miraculous to Adrien's hospital gown and it glows a bright blue. "Your mother's kwami."

A tiny peacock-like creature appears in a burst of blue sparkles. It blinks dazedly before inhaling the longest, loudest gasp in history and then screaming excitedly, "IS THAT PLAGG?!"

"Aahh!" Plagg hollers as he gets tackled by Duusu.

Tikki zips out of Marinette's purse to join the reunion. "Duusu!"

"TIKKI!" Duusu squeals. "Oh I haven't seen you two in a millennia! I'm so happy I might-- I might--!"

Duusu's eyelids flutter and she suddenly falls to the ground. Adrien shudders in fear, thinking that perhaps he had failed to save her life after all.

"It's okay kid," Plagg says as he straightens out his fur. "She just fainted."

Marinette brings a hand to her mouth. "Dramatic isn't she?"

Tikki pokes Duusu lightly.

"I'm so glad to be alive..." Duusu whispers as she awakens, her eyes shimmering with tears. "Your owners are such wonderful people, taking care of me...Where is he?" Duusu flies up to Adrien and squishes his cheeks. "The beautiful boy who saved me! I heard your cries when I was on the verge of death-- you called me back to this world at your own expense. Is it true? Is it true that you are the son of my beloved Zara?"

Adrien smiles. "Yes! That's me, my name's Adrien Agreste. I'm so happy to finally meet you, Duusu."

Duusu's eyes well up with tears that overflow in large streams of droplets. "H-How sweet, how pure...I-I am so happy to meet you too. I...I..." Duusu suddenly bursts, wailing loudly. "I am so happy yet so sad! Oh, the sorrow! My dear Zara, I miss her so! But to meet her darling child is such a blessing! Such a beautiful blessing upon my woeful soul!"

Marinette giggles. "I bet Nathalie had a hard time dealing with this one."

Duusu stops crying abruptly, her feathers spiking up fiercely. "I am so MAD at that-- that BEAST for what she did!" She snarls angrilly. "Abusing my miraculous-- Zara's miraculous..." As soon as it came, Duusu's fury disappears and a fresh wave of tears streams down her little cheeks.

Plagg licks Duusu's cheek and smacks his lips. "She might be annoying but all is excused for tears that taste like salty cheese!"

"I don't know whether to be sad or happy or angry about tasting like cheese! Oh, and now I'm feeling so hungry!" Duusu cries. "Life is just a whirlwind of pain!"

Marinette fishes around in her bag and brings out a bag of sunflower seeds. "Would you like this to eat?"

Duusu settles down, staring at Marinette with a deep love and appreciation. "S-So wonderful! Thank you so much, sweet, sweet, kind, lovely girl."

Duusu dives into the bag and begins gobbling up the seeds.

"When you're finished eating...do you think you could tell me about my mom?" Adrien asks.

Duusu turns her seed-stuffed face to Adrien and nods eagerly.

So Adrien's time being immobilized in the hospital was not entirely wasted. From this day forth he spent days and nights listening to Duusu's passionate story tellings and learning all about his mother. It was wonderful, and he couldn't wait to share everything with his father when he would be able to return home.

On the day before Adrien would be emitted, his friends -- Marinette, Chloe, Nino, Alya, Sabrina and Lila -- have gathered for one final visit to his hospital room.

"You want this, Nino?" Adrien asks, referring to his jello cup.

Nino instantly snatches up the snack. "Yes please!"

"No fair," Lila criticizes. "Come on Nino, be a hero and offer this deprived soul some jello."

Nino flinches. "I'm no hero!"

"Hm, I dunno," Lila smirks. "I heard that superheroes love jello!"

"I changed my mind, I'm not hungry." Nino quickly shoves the jello cup into Lila's hands. "But this has nothing to do with being a hero. How would you know what they're like anyway?"

"You asked me a while ago if it is true that I know three of the heroes. Well, now I think I know all five," Lila points a finger at Nino. "Carapace."

Everyone in the room gasps, although Nino's reaction stuck out as less alarmed and more pleasantly surprised.

"You..." Nino clasps his hands together happily. "You said my name right!"

"Nino, you just admitted--!" Alya slaps a hand on her forehead. "Argh."

"Thanks, that's all I needed." Lila says casually before digging into her jello.

"Why would you just say that out in the open?" Chloe yaps crossly.

Lila shrugs. "Everyone in here already knows."

"Not Sabrina..." Marinette says awkwardly.

"Hm? Sabrina doesn't count. She's, like, my other half or something." Lila replies. "We share everything."

"Wait, wait, wait," Adrien pinches his nose bridge. "So, you know--"

"That you're Cat Noir? Obviously, since I witnessed Marinette transform into Ladybug and you're her boyfriend. Same logic applies to Rena Rouge over there who's dating Carapace." Lila says. "And Chloe must be Queen Bee judging by the way she and Nathaniel have been behaving."

Sabrina's mouth is wide open and her entire body is shaking in response to Lila's revelation.

Chloe's eyes widen and she grabs Lila's jacket. "What are you talking about? Are you saying that Nathaniel knows I'm Queen Bee?"

"Uh, yeah?" Lila says. "Pretty sure at least."

"Pollen, stripes on!" Chloe shouts.

Sabrina almost collapses with shock but Lila steadies her. The now transformed Queen Bee climbs out the window and sprints away without another word. The hospital room falls silent, apart from the squelching of Lila demolishing her jello.

.

Nathaniel is sketching in his room when he hears a loud and relentless knocking. He turns and squeaks in fright when he sees Queen Bee's face pressed up against the window.

"Nathaniel!" She hollers as she pounds on the glass. "Nathaniel I need to talk to you, open up before I break in!"

"A-Alright! Alright, I'm coming!" Nathaniel scrambles from his seat to open the window.

Queen Bee leaps in and grabs Nathaniel by the shoulders so forcefully that she tackles him to the ground.

"AH!" Nathaniel looks mortified. "O-Off! Get off me! Er, please I mean-- Please get off! W-What are you even doing?"

Queen Bee remains straddled on top of Nathaniel, peering down at him intensely. She tries to speak but instead gulps nervously. Meanwhile Nathaniel begins to get hot and flustered, his heart is thumping wildly.

Nathaniel screws his eyes shut and musters up his strength to shove Queen Bee off of him. "Y-Y-You seriously have no concept of personal space!" He says shrilly as he sits up. "You're a crazy woman!"

"Do you know who I am?" Queen Bee asks abruptly.

Nathaniel's breath hitches. "What?"

"I asked you...if you know who I am." Queen Bee leans in, surveying Nathaniel seriously. "Do you know who I am beneath this disguise, Nathaniel?"

"I-I..." Nathaniel stammers. "I...don't know. Every time I think it's you, I feel like my own head is telling me that I'm crazy."

Queen Bee places her hands on either side of Nathaniel's face. "That's the miraculous magic messing with you. Trust your gut feeling and answer me straight-- Do you know who I am? Did you...know back then as well?"

Nathaniel blushes and averts his eyes. "I thought that I did but after your response, I'm hoping to god that I was wrong..."

"Why...?" Queen Bee questions.

"Because you rejected me," Nathaniel answers painfully. "And I just can't lose you. I'm so sorry, I'm such a coward..."

"I-I didn't reject you-- I would never reject you!" Queen Bee denies quickly. "I was just freaked out because you confessed to this me and not the other me a-and so how would I know that it's the real me that you really love? Why would you tell me that you're in love with Queen Bee? Do you know how much that hurt?"

"You are you no matter what mask you wear and I am in love with you-- All of you! I've been crazy in love with you for so long that when you started talking about dating and stuff it just spilt out, but even though you were Queen Bee at the time I did tell you that I love the girl beneath the mask. We couldn't form a relationship without trust anyway so you would have to tell me your secret-- I wanted you to tell me your secret! I was hoping that you would come to me after that but you ignored me and broke my heart. So then, then I pretended that I had it wrong. That it couldn't have been you..." Nathaniel says.

Tears trickle down Queen Bee's flushed cheeks. "How could I come to you when I don't know if it's really me that you're hoping for?"

"Have some faith in yourself. In me. In us! Do you know how terrified I am, confessing all of this to someone I can't even recognise? How ridiculous would I feel if I really did have it wrong? But you know what, I believe in my feelings for you. I can't possibly be mistaken when I feel this way with you, because it's the same way I feel when I'm with her...There is only one girl for me and it's you, I'm sure of it." Nathaniel gently wipes away Queen Bee's tears. "Don't you trust me...?"

"I do! I trust you always, Nathaniel." Queen Bee says.

"Prove it." Nathaniel replies. "We can't have love without trust."

Queen Bee exhales shakily. "P-Pollen...Stripes off."

Nathaniel watches Chloe's sparkling transformation in awe, memories of her and Queen Bee mixing in his mind. Chloe feels discouraged by this silent staring.

"Am I...what you wanted?" She asks timidly. "A-Am I worthy of loving someone like you?"

Nathaniel's eyelids flutter. "Yes! Of course, Chloe, you're worthy of the world!" He answers genuinely.

Chloe's face turns a bright red. "So, d-did you mean what you said. That you-- Do you...?"

"Yes! Yes, all of it! Every word! I'm in love with you, Chloe Bourgeois," Nathaniel laughs happily. "You stole my heart, you crazy woman...And I won't give up until I've captured yours."

"You already have! I can prove it-- I wanted to give this to you that day with the girls but I totally messed up. I'm so sorry about that--" Chloe nervously fumbles for her bag and retrieves the golden lock and key from inside. "See, it reminds me of us because...b-because you're the key to my heart, Nathaniel."

"So that's what you had planned...To be honest I had considered that you were going to tell me about Queen Bee that day, since she suddenly appeared out of nowhere. But this is..." Nathaniel's blush deepens.

"I-I'm sorry if it's a bit much, you don't have to accept it if you think it's stupid," Chloe rambles anxiously. "I just--"

Nathaniel places a hand on the back of Chloe's neck and presses their lips together. Chloe's heart bursts there and then and the girl flares up like a red hot firework. She is left in a daze as Nathaniel pulls away.

"I-I'm sorry! I should have asked first, I just...couldn't seem to find any words to express how I'm feeling." He says.

"It's okay, I...I don't mind." Chloe looks down and fidgets bashfully. "B-By the way, I...love you too, N-Nathan. I-I love you a lot!"

Nathaniel smiles as he gazes at Chloe tenderly.

"So are we done here?" Someone says impatiently.

At the sight of Pollen, Nathaniel grabs Chloe and pulls her into his chest protectively. "What is that thing?!"

"Nathan, it's okay, that thing is my kwami. It's a magical creature that gives me my powers," Chloe explains hastily. "Her name is Pollen."

Pollen tisks.

Nathaniel slowly releases Chloe. "It...doesn't sting, right?"

"I don't think so." Chloe giggles.

"Weird." Nathaniel says.

"You are far stranger than me." Pollen retorts.

"Is that your way of saying 'no you'?" Chloe mocks.

Pollen huffs. "You have had your identity exposed twice in one day. I am stressed out so I would like to go home."

"I don't wonna!" Chloe whines, clinging to Nathaniel.

"Please, er, Pollen," Nathaniel says politely. "I would like to take Chloe out on a date."

Chloe looks at Nathaniel in surprise. "R-Really? Where?"

"Let's go put our lock on the Pont des Arts," Nathaniel smiles and clasps Chloe's hands. "Together."