Scene #2962: Hello, Mother

Owner	Pose
Gabriel Agreste	It's after school, and Adrien Agreste has been told to meet his father for a trip to his father's workplace, and his mother's hospital: a trip to Obsidian Tower. Gabriel Agreste had sent a car sent to pick his son up; the fact that Gabriel himself is in the backseat of said car is remarkable only in that on any other day he would have been present only via video call. But today, Adrien is going to see Emilie, for the first time in three years, and today, Gabriel is going to ensure his son, visiting his workplace for the first time, does not see anything untoward. "Adrien," he greets, when the door is opened by their valet and Adrien is directed inside the car. "You'll leave your belongings in the car - there's no need to bring anything extra into the Tower, when I'm certain you won't waste any of your time with your mother on anything so trivial as your homework."
Adrien Agreste	Adrien Agreste was there ready and waiting for the car in spite of the fact that he'd easily skipped at least half of the school day. It was for a very good reason and one that wouldn't be passed along to his father. RHA was if anything very good about excusing student absences no matter how off the wall the excuse may seem. 'Needing to process about his mother being in the hospital' was certainly a very valid one in this case even if only slightly touching upon the truth. Surprise flits over his face at the sight of his father here personally, although it does garner a smile. No matter what he knew now about him, there would always be some deep down hope that perhaps this time his father was coming around to actually being a better parent. "Of course, father. I wouldn't want to risk bringing anything inside that might risk her health further." He easily slings his bag off his shoulder to tuck into the side of the seat for safe keeping. Plagg was already gone along with his Miraculous. There wouldn't be any trace of him in his bag. Not even the usual pack of cheese was in there. "I know it's also your workplace. I'll be on my best behavior."
Gabriel Agreste	"I would expect nothing less," Gabriel asserts, and his harsh gaze had softened ever so slightly at Adrien's acknowledgement of the potential risks to his mother. Emilie had always, always been Gabriel's greatest weak point as much as his greatest strength, and care for her is the easiest way to gain or maintain his respect. "You shouldn't run into any of my colleagues, but if you do, maintaining composure is of utmost importance." He truly, ''truly'' did not need his son learning the truth about magic - it would lead to far, far too many questions, questions that Gabriel had no desire to answer without Emilie at his side. (Where do babies come from? An objectively simple question, made complicated by the added explanation of 'well, when nature and modern science utterly fail a pair with far too much money and obstinate stubbornness, a baby comes about as the culmination of years of searching for ancient magics-' <- just one question Gabriel is utterly ill-equipped for.) The drive to Obsidian Tower is quick, made more effective by a driver paid very, very well to do his job. Before long, they are in front of the building's entrance, and Gabriel guides Adrien past the mall entrance for the public, and towards the private elevator for employees. The very, very private elevator, which when magical sight was applied, revealed a near infinite array of floors to ascend. The first few floors seem perfectly normal, as far as elevator rides go, only the smooth motion of it ascending. After those first few floors, though? There's the heavy weight of dark energy, growing stronger as they ascend. They can't ride for long, but it likely ''feels'' longer to Adrien, with that weight pressing on him. Ding! "Follow me. I would hope it goes without saying, but I expect you to avoid photography and cameras, given your mother's officially ''missing'' status, Adrien."
Adrien Agreste	Adrien Agreste doesn't even have to consciously fall into step with his father but he does; equal pace met and yet he walks one step slightly behind as he's led along. It was where he usually stood when they entered events together as father and son. It was an automatic reaction to do so now as they enter Obsidian. 'Don't look too hard at things that might not be normal to see' Plagg had warned him as they had discussed this entire venture before he dropped him off with Masato. It's very hard not to glance at the array of buttons in the elevator so he only offers it a cursory glance while well aware that the building outside did not seem to have so many floors as an option. It's a thought he finds himself tucking away for later while that heavy sensation of dark energy seems to weigh down on them. Enough so that when the doors finally open his perfect lock-step with his father falters just a bit forcing him to take a longer stride to catch up. "I won't take any pictures. I'm sure mother wouldn't want any, either." ... He really wanted to take a photo though. Something new, something to prove to himself later she was actually well and truly alive. "Is it much further?"
Gabriel Agreste	"She wouldn't. Emilie," and he doesn't shake, but there's a stillness that comes to him, a stutter of motion, as he says her name, the word soft and loving, "has never appreciate being seen at anything less than her best. Even by us." She had tried, very hard, to hide the worst of her bad days, the worst of her sufferings. Gabriel hadn't always been there, to call her bluffs, to force her to take the rest she so dearly needed. He had ''tried'', but he was only a man, and one who was often scouring the globe for traces of magic, at that. They walk through a long corridor, passing signage directing them alternatively towards the INFIRMARY, MEDICAL RESEARCH LABS, MORGUE, and WASTE ROOMS. The path Gabriel leads them to is definitely, distinctly, the infirmary. When they arrive, it becomes clear that infirmary is a bit of a misnomer - the space could absolutely be mistaken for a small hospital, with a receiving area, many individual beds with equipment, and finally, a number of private rooms. Emilie, of course, is in one of those private rooms, in glass tank filled with air. She's laid on a bed of velvet pillows, dressed in a finely tailored pastel pink and black suit, her eyes closed, her hair perfectly plaited, her hands folded over her chest. Were it not for the panel displaying her vitals below, she could almost be mistaken for dead. She looks almost exactly as she had the last time Adrien saw her. Gabriel hesitates, at the doorway, looking into the room, and the pain, the grim weariness, the ''love'' on his face, is more emotion than Adrien will have seen in a long while.
Adrien Agreste	Straight ahead down a corridor with different paths. The directions are remembered out of habit much as he used to do when he and Ladybug would sometimes sneak through the tunnels in Paris. Much as he did now to recall which street he was on in Tokyo. Just in case. His hand twitches at his side feeling the lack of the ring that often adorned his finger keenly. All he can do is clench his hands when they arrive at the room to see his mother. In a coma. In a glass medical coffin like some sci-fi Snow White. The air rushes from Adriens' lungs wordlessly. For all the emotion on his father's face his own was certainly a mix of sorrow, hope, a broken heart all his own. Without a word he steps over to the side of her 'bed' to gaze down at her before finally just... Slumping into the chair that was there. All posture, poise, or manners are forgotten as he sits with elbows braced on his knees, and one hand reaching out to ever so lightly flutter fingertips over the glass. "Mother." What exactly does one say to someone in a coma in a weird glass coffin? Awkwardly, he continues quietly. "It's good to see you again."
Gabriel Agreste	Technically, it's more a techno-magical induced state of suspended animation than a coma, but Gabriel is hardly going to say that. It ''had'' been simply a coma, once, slipped into on a day when Emilie had grown weaker, frailer, as they had expected, and she had simply failed to wake. Her heart beat. Her lungs expanded. Both were far, far weaker than they should have been. But they had continued to work, and so had he. "Emilie," Gabriel says, quiet, "Adrien is here. I know, it's been far longer than we hoped... and you would be so surprised to see how much taller he's gotten." He's almost as tall as Gabriel himself, now, and it takes him by surprise every time he thinks of it for any true length of time. Emilie, of course, is silent, and still. Her heart rate has been artificially slowed by the suspension, her brain activity reflecting her lack of consciousness.
Adrien Agreste	Adrien Agreste allows his hand to fall away to rest over his lap along with the other. It wasn't as if he could reach out and hold her hand in the state she was in, being kept alive. Though magic is involved it wasn't anything he could really do anything to help -- His power was of Destruction after all. "I've missed you," he adds in, before just falling silent not sure what else to say or do. This was not a situation he had ever expected to occur over the last several years. It's perhaps then that the words do come to him. "I always wondered what I'd say when I see you again. If I saw you again. I was so afraid you were gone." His hand lifts to rest over his eyes to swipe away some tears before they got too far along. This was far more than he expected. After a few moments of composing himself he rises to his feet again and clears his throat. "Thank you for bringing me to see her, father."
Gabriel Agreste	Emilie is silent. The infirmary is silent, save for the quiet sounds of the machines maintaining her stability, her health. Gabriel listens quietly, focusing on his son's grief, his wonder. There's a part of him that thinks, ''oh, this would make an akuma of great power''. He tucks that part of him away. Not Adrien. Not here. Not in front of Emilie. "She misses you too," he says, and his tone is - trying for comforting, stilted. "She hated the thought of being apart from you, but she hated dying more. Our hope was that we'd find a solution quickly, before it could disrupt your life." And that had failed, obviously. "...I would say any time, but we both know that wouldn't be true. However, if you tell me when you would like to visit... I can attempt to make my schedule meet with your needs."
Adrien Agreste	Adrien Agreste stands with arms at his side just watching the seemingly sleeping figure of his mother. Gabriel's words were heard, but not immediately responded to as it takes a moment to get through the fog of his emotions. A simple nod is given, and he finally turns away to look back at Gabriel. "Thank you," he repeats again. "... I think we can go home for now." Another glance toward Emilie, and he risks a half-smile. "I'll visit another time, mother." If only he could rescue her from this horrible place.