Peacock held back at laugh at Hawkmoth's attempt to look friendly. She just ignored his question. "Good thing you're a designer because you would be a terrible model."

"We should go talk them," Ladybug replied. "We want people to see us together." She stood up and walked over to them.

Peacock noticed Ladybug and greeted her with a smile. "Good evening, Ladybug. I love your dress! Your kwami did a great job."

"Thanks. Tikki watches me design clothes so my style has rubbed off on her," Ladybug replied.

Peacock tried not gasp. "You design your own clothes?"

"Well not all my clothes. I buy most of them, but I enjoy making dresses, skirts, hats, scraves, and shirts."

"Do you want to become a fashion designer?"

Ladybug nodded her head.

Peacock looked thrilled. Her son was dating a future fashion designer! Prefect! If they got married she could take over the buisness! She had a feeling her son would never take interest. Also she had something in common with her!

"So where have you guys been?" Ladybug quickly changed the subject. She could see Peacock's excitement and it made her feel uneasy. Thoughts of her being Chat's mother popped into her head. She didn't want to think about it.

"Oh, I was just hanging around on a building across the street. But Hawky here," replied Peacock and patted Hawkmoth on the shoulder. "Caught me and dragged me over here."

Ladybug tried not snicker at her calling Chat's father Hawky. If she was his mother that would explain his outgoing side. "The ball isn't that bad."

"I know, but I'm not use to these fancy parties anymore. I've been gone for six years after all."

Hawk Moth gave Peacock and unamused look when she called him Hawky in front of the children. He did not want that nickname to stick. Not that he could keep her from using it. Instead of confronting her about it, he gazed out to the ballroom to take in all the people mingling, dancing, or eating. Every so often he would catch someone's eye and quickly glance somewhere else.  

His attention flew back to the conversation, however, when he heard Peacock talk about fancy parties. She had literally given enough of a clue in that statement that any sharper individual would realize her identity.

Chat looked interested. "What kind of fancy parties did you go to before you disappeared?"

Hawk Moth had to look away to roll his eyes. While their son was interested in Peacock's past, it was in a conversational way rather than a suspicious way. How oblivious could this kid get?

Peacock slightly avoided Chat's gaze. "You know the typical ones. Fancy parties are all alike. Boring and dull. But hey at least the ball spices it up a bit with music and dancing!" She wasn't lying. It was the truth. She only went to social events to help keep her husband sane. The ball was only social vent she actually enjoyed.

"So did you go with your family?" Ladybug asked. She was interested to now.

"Why yes I did! Well my son went to the ball my husband and I didn't drag him to the other parties." She let out a fake sigh. "My husband loved the ball. We used to dance the night away."

Chat grinned.  "That sounds great. I'm surprised we never met you at any of these things.  There aren't that many different balls in Paris. Did you ever travel for events?"

Hawk Moth stared at Chat while he was busy talking to Peacock. He knew his son was smart. His grades said as much. So how could he not put everything together? Were they not teaching him problem solving at that school of his?

"No we didn't," Peacock replied. Wow. Was her son this naive? She really had nothing to worry about! She was happy that he wasn't suspicious after the dragon attack. But still it was best to change the conversation. "You know you two should go off and have some fun!"

"You sure?" asked Ladybug.

"Yes! You have no reason to hang around us. Hawky and I will keep an eye on things."

She smiled and then grabbed Chat by the arm. "Alright bye." Both of them then left.

Peacock did a facepalm. "Our son..."

Hawk Moth chuckled and patted her on the shoulder. "I promise he's usually smart. I don't know why this is going over his head with all the clues he's gotten. I'm sure he'll feel really stupid when this over."

Chat briefly glanced back at the two of them as he and Ladybug walked away. It was nice that Peacock was finally trusting them with a little background information from her life. He looked back to Ladybug.  "So, what do you want to do now?  I'm not sure I trust them to stay in the ballroom."

Ladybug stopped walking. "Hmm about another dance? Or do I have a better luck asking Adrien Agreste?" She gave him a teasing smile.

Peacock chuckled. Hawkmoth was probably right about their son feeling stupid. She glanced around. There was really no point to be here. She could see the mayor close by. He probably took notice of their presence. She then turned to Hawkmoth. "Shall we return to the rooftops and have a good old stake out?"

Chat grinned, subtly motioning to the side where Chloe seemed to be pushing through guests looking for her. "I think Marinette would be better off asking Adrien for a dance. You might want to lay low for a bit. At least until Bridgette and Chloe go at it again."

Hawk Moth nodded and took a step back toward the balcony. "This is nothing I'd like more than getting out of this ballroom," he answered.

Ladybug glanced toward Chloe and cringed. She has yet to spot her and Ladybug but didn't want to take that chance. She got closer to Chat and whispered in his ear. "I'll go change in the bathroom. Meet you back here." She then walked away and headed toward the women's bathroom.

Peacock grinned and made her way to the balcony. There were other people out there now and she waved at them before flying back up to the rooftop. She sat back down a lounge chair and cancelled her transformation. Pain floated away without saying a word. Iris frowned. What was up with her?

Chat also headed towards the bathrooms to change back.  Not like he could hang with Marinette as Chat Noir.  Well, he could, but it would be very suspicious to anyone else watching. He entered the men's room and let his transformation drop.

"Finally. I was getting bored," Plagg said, floating in front of Adrien. "Can I have some cheese?"

Adrien sighed and pointed to his pants pocket. "It's in there." Plagg disappeared into his pocket and Adrien headed out of the bathroom and back to the ballroom to meet up with Marinette.

Hawk Moth gladly followed Peacock up to the roof, ignoring the people on the balcony who were watching them leave with interest. Once he was on the roof, he walked over to the lounge chairs and sat to the one next to Iris's chair. He detransformed without a word and Lycca flew off to talk to Pain.

"It's nice to be out here rather than in there," Gabriel said.

When Ladybug went into the bathroom, there were some women hanging around the sink area. Great. She went into the stall and had to wait until they left before detransforming. Tikki just smiled at her and went into her purse. Marientte then left the stall and headed back into the ballroom. She spotted Adrien and walked over to him.

"Sorry if I made you wait," she said. "There were people in the bathroom."

Iris frowned. Why didn't he sit with her? She was in the mood again. She got up from her chair and sat herself down in his lap. "It is quite nice."

"Don't worry about it," Adrien said with a shrug, "I had better luck than you for once."  He looked around the room. His father and Peacock were gone again. Wonderful. Now it looked like no one was guarding the place. Oh well. Not much they could do about it now.

"Shall we dance?" He asked with a grin, holding out his hand.

Gabriel stared up at the sky, pausing for a moment to mull over his thoughts. It was great to be able to talk with her and have her near him again, but it would just go back to him being without her when the ball was over. And they couldn't do much during battle both because it was dangerous and impractical to pay more attention to each other than the fight at hand, and because it would blow her cover.

He sighed. "I don't want to have to leave your when the ball is over... Do you really have to go back to Fu's?"

Marinette returned his grin with her own and took his hand. "Of course."

Iris frowned and got up from his lap. "Yes I do. I told you we were done with this argument. Do you want me to leave?" He just had to kill the mood. She folded her arms angrily.

Gabriel mirrored her folded arms and gave her a stubborn look. "I understand we've had this conversation, but you don't seem to understand my side of it. I don't want you to leave. I never want you to leave again. But that's exactly what you're going to do when the ball is over. Even though it's completely unnecessary to do so."

"Of course I understand!" She waved her hand angrily. "It's just better this way until the brothers are gone for good. Just wait a little bit longer please."

Meanwhile Pain was pulling on the feathers that were on top of her head. Both her and Lycca were sitting on a ledge of the rooftop. They could hear their owners from afar. "Lycca, we need to help Gabriel somehow!"