Exceptional

by Squirrel Stone

"It's fine," Chloé declared. "I should have known better than to expect an ounce of kindness from her without hanging the moon." She took in a shaky breath, still trying not to cry. "This is… this is ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. And one day, you'll see how exceptional I am." Or, a rewrite of Queen Wasp that spares Chloé's identity from all of Paris's knowledge.

Chloé's jaw dropped at the sight of the creature in front of her. "Oh… my God," she breathed. "You… what the…"

"My name is Pollen," the creature declared. "I'm a kwami; your kwami, to be precise. I'll give you the power to transform into a bee-themed superhero and help Ladybug and Chat Noir defeat Hawkmoth!"

Still, Chloé was at a loss for words. Her mouth hung open, eyes wide as saucers. "You…" She finally got her wits about her. "You know Ladybug and Chat Noir?"

"I know their kwamis," Pollen replied. "As well as Rena Rouge's and Carapace's. They've kept the rest of us as well-informed as they can about what's going on in the world. It's nice to see that the Great Guardian is introducing another full-time superhero."

"That's why I found the box? I was chosen to be a hero?" Chloé looked down at the comb in the box. Without hesitating, she took it and slid it into her ponytail, letting her sunglasses hide it.

Pollen smiled at Chloé's acceptance. "Now I'm sure you've already figured this out, but you can't tell anyone," she declared.

Chloé let out a small laugh. "Yeah, that's Superhero 101. Or at least it was in all the magical girl animes Adrien and I watched as kids." She took a deep breath to collect herself. "So what do I do, Pollen? I know the other heroes all have a power they can use when they say a certain thing, so what's mine?"

"Quick study; I like it," Pollen giggled. "To transform, you need to say 'Pollen, buzz on!' and to turn back, you say 'Pollen, buzz off.' You with me so far?"

Chloé scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Of course I am."

"Alright, then to use your special power, say 'stinger.' It'll allow you to immobilize any one person, but after you do it, you'll only have five minutes until you transform back."

"Got it," Chloé replied with a nod. "Is there anything else I need to know?"

Without hesitation, Pollen launched into a full explanation of her powers as well as Hawkmoth's, repeating again and again that Chloé needed to be prepared for anything he could throw at her. Before either of them knew it, morning came, and Chloé had to return to the Grand Palais Museum.

Gabriel met them in the auditorium, extending his hand to shake Audrey's. "My dear Audrey, I heard about the unforgivable misfortune you had to endure."

Chloé didn't say anything but nodded her head in agreement. While getting akumatized resulted in a quick release of your frustrations, it was still traumatizing to black out and wake up somewhere else to a couple of superheroes telling you you've been turned into a monster.

Audrey seemed to agree. "I'm still quite overwhelmed," she declared.

"I want you to know that I've fired the person who was responsible for the misunderstanding," Gabriel assured her. "Only one row in the house is befitting to Audrey Bourgeois and that's the first."

Audrey smirked in response and tilted her head, easily calling his bluff. "Let's not overdo it. Huh Gabriel?"

To his credit, Gabriel didn't respond, instead just asking if she enjoyed the show.

"So-so," Audrey replied nonchalantly. Without warning, she took Adrien's hat and looked it over. "This hat is not a Gabriel Agreste." She looked at Marinette. "Are you responsible for this?"

"Um…"

Chloé smirked a little, then held it back. She was a superhero now, and heroes weren't supposed to laugh at others' pain- even if they were a goody two-shoes who always made her look inferior.

Finally, Marinette found her voice and straightened her back. "I-I'm the one who created it."

"Miss Dupain-Cheng won a fashion design competition," Gabriel explained.

Audrey lifted her sunglasses to better examine the hat. "It's the most exceptional thing I've ever seen!" she declared. "You're a visionary, Miss Dupain-Cheng! Glitter's had its day; feathers are the trend of tomorrow. I haven't felt this much emotion since…" She looked to Gabriel and smiled. "You."

Chloé frowned, looking at her shoes. Low on emotion was a good way to describe Audrey, but really? Nothing even the day her own daughter was born? Truth be told, she couldn't feel surprised, just going numb and tuning out the conversation, only picking up a few words here and there. New York… biggest name in fashion… helicopter… leaving tomorrow…

"Isn't this awesome for Marinette, Chloé?"

At the sound of her name, Chloé jerked her head up to look at Adrien. "Yeah… yeah, it's… awesome." The bitterness in her voice was impossible to hide. She turned to her mother, her lips in a mockery of even a forced smile. "You know, Mom, I've never been to New York with you, and you're taking her?" she asked. "Someone you only met yesterday and not your own daughter?"

"I'm taking her because she's exceptional Claudette. Uh- Chloé."

Chloé took in a deep breath, feeling her eyes start to water. "I'm exceptional, too!" she insisted.

"The only exceptional thing about you, my dear… is your mother," Audrey declared, voice dripping with condescension.

Chloé cringed at the sound of Adrien and Marinette gasping. Great, the last thing she wanted—Marinette's sympathy.

"Audrey, dear-" André began, putting his hand on Chloé's shoulder, but she jerked away. "Chloé!"

"It's fine," Chloé declared. "I should have known better than to expect an ounce of kindness from her without hanging the moon." She took in a shaky breath, still trying not to cry. "This is… this is ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. And one day, you'll see how exceptional I am."

She turned on her heel and stormed out, wiping at her eyes without caring how it would mess up her makeup. Pollen flew up in front of her and gave her a sympathetic smile.

"That was very brave of you, my queen," she said. "I know standing up to your parents can be frightening, and yes, you could have handled it better, but you did a great job in the moment."

Chloé sighed. "Thanks, Pollen, I-"

"Courtney!"

Chloé rolled her eyes as her mother grabbed her shoulder and turned her around, letting Pollen slip into her ponytail unnoticed.

"Clara, all you need to do is prove you're exceptional," Audrey declared. "Once you do that, I'll admit it."

Pollen's warnings flashed through Chloé's mind, but… this was her chance to prove how incredible she was, to get her mother's attention. She took in a deep breath and looked around. No one else was on the street, no cameras, no one to notice except the one person who needed to.

Chloé took a deep breath. "Fine. Pollen, buzz on!" She felt Pollen's energy wash over her, and before she knew it, she stood in a bee-themed costume, feeling taller than she'd ever felt in her life. "See? I am exceptional!" she snapped, tears in her eyes again. "There are only a handful of people who can do something like this, and I'm one of them! And if you want to see something more, just keep your eyes on the news."

She jumped up on the roof and took off running, not trusting herself- no, not trusting her mother- to handle what had just transpired well. Already, she could hear her mother's admonishments in her head, but she shook them away. It was time to be a hero and show what she was capable of.

"This just in, there is a runaway train at Concorde line 1!"

Chloé's attention turned to the television in one of the cafés down below, her altered hearing picking it up with ease. She took a deep breath and nodded, seeing her chance. Without hesitation, she took off running, jumping down to the metro at Tuileries and jumping atop the train. She climbed forward until she got to the first car, where she jumped in through the window.

"What's happening?" she asked.

The conductor yelped and jumped away, cowering in fear. "Oh God, not another akuma!"

"What? No!" Chloé objected. "I'm Queen Bee! I'm here to help, so tell me what's going on!"

The conductor hesitated, still keeping as much distance as he could between himself and Queen Bee, but he explained nevertheless. "The train, it won't stop! The throttle's stuck!"

Queen Bee took a deep breath and tried pulling the throttle back to its original position, but it stubbornly refused to move. She let out a frustrated grunt as she gave up. "Okay, stay here and tell everyone on board to hold onto something." Without waiting for a response, Queen Bee jumped out of the car and in front of the train, digging in her heels and pushing with all her might. Just like with the throttle, she was unsuccessful.

"STINGER!" she yelled out, then thrust her fist into the front of the train. To her shock and horror, it continued on. "What?" she asked herself. "That was supposed to immobilize anything-" Realization hit her. "Anyone! Dammit!"

She spun herself around and cast her trompo out behind her, but it only caught on one side and failed to slow the train much.

"Need a helping paw?"

Queen Bee looked up to see Ladybug and Chat Noir on top of the train, looking down at her. "I've got this!" she insisted. "I just- need another rope or something!"

Ladybug gave a nod to Chat Noir. "I'll slow it down as much as I can; you stop it!" she ordered. She ran off and jumped to the wall of the tunnel, using her yoyo to complete the rope Queen Bee had begun.

Chat Noir threw his staff in front of the metro, then yanked Queen Bee up before she could be squished between the two. The train came to a halt at Palais Royal, and the three hopped down as the doors opened.

Chat Noir and Ladybug handled it like a couple of old pros, shaking people's hands and reassuring them that they were safe. "Thanks for your co-operation, people. Please, keep on being pawsome and evacuate the station calmly," Chat declared.

Sabine Cheng stopped in front of them and smiled. "Thank you so much, Ladybug!"

Ladybug smiled back. "You're welcome, mo- madam and sir! I'll take care of the driver." She leaped off, returning moments later with the driver. The second the man seemed steady enough to stand on his own, she turned to Queen Bee.

"Look, I know you were trying to help, but you could have gotten yourself killed. Civilians shouldn't be involved in these things," she said quietly, turning her away from the cameras. "Please, leave this to Chat Noir and me."

Queen Bee scoffed. "No," she replied indignantly. "I'm not a civilian. My kwami said I'm supposed to use this power to help people, and that's what I'm gonna do. I'm not gonna fail to live up to her expectations, too." Her comb gave off a beep, and she put her hand over it. "I have to go." Without waiting for a response, she ran off, only stopping once she got back to Le Grand Paris.

"Well that was… unimpressive." Queen Bee gasped and turned around to see Audrey standing on the balcony, arms crossed. "Though I think your ineptitude speaks for itself."

Queen Bee's shoulders fell, and tears pricked at her eyes. "Mom, I'm gonna get better," she insisted. "The first time Ladybug and Chat Noir showed up, they let the akuma go and there was, like, an army of Stonehearts for a while. Just… give me time."

Audrey scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You've had more than enough time to prove yourself to me; soon, all of Paris will see that you really never get better. That you never learn." Audrey turned on her heel and left back inside, leaving Queen Bee on the balcony.

Before she could stop herself, she let out a sob and collapsed to her knees, face buried in her hands. Her mother was right; over and over, people gave her second chances, and it was never enough. She was never enough.

She didn't feel the akuma fly into her comb, just heard Hawkmoth's voice, somehow familiar in a way beyond her experience as Antibug, which suddenly came flooding back to her mind.

"Queen Wasp, I am Hawk Moth. Ladybug and Cat Noir don't want you as their friend, so you will be their most powerful enemy. Nobody has managed it yet, but you will defeat them, because you are… exceptional. In return you must seize their Miraculous."

Queen Bee nodded, still crying. "You can count on me, Hawk Moth. I won't let you down." The troubling, familiar feeling of black and purple magic washed over her, and in a heartbeat, she knew what to do. She looked down at her hand, silently summoning her stinger, then willing it away. Wasps surrounded her, and she felt her power flow through them.

She walked into the hotel, calling out after her mother. "Hey, m-"

Don't say it, a tiny voice in her head whispered. He only knows what you tell him. It wasn't Hawkmoth; it was warmer, kinder, more feminine. She wanted to listen to it- couldn't help but do so.

Still, she'd gotten Audrey's attention right before she could get on the elevator, so Queen Wasp stung her, immobilizing her without a second thought. She took the elevator down, stinging anyone who came near her or got in her way. Once everyone in the lobby was frozen, she stopped and waited.

"What are you doing?" Hawkmoth demanded.

"They'll figured it out and come here soon enough," Queen Wasp explained. "Then, they'll be so worried about not hurting the civilians that I'll be able to steal their miraculous before they even know what hit them."

True to form, Ladybug and Chat Noir walked out of the elevator minutes later, unaware of Queen Wasp watching from the second floor.

"Where is she?" Ladybug asked. "Reports had her coming this way…" she stopped, looking at the civilians, all frozen like statues. "That's impossible, she can only use her special power once, like my Lucky Charm. She should've transformed back."

Queen Wasp grinned, and she directed her wasps to them.

Ladybug glanced over her shoulder at the sound, her eyes going wide. "Chat Noir, watch out!" She pushed him out of the way, the two landing in a heap on the floor.

Queen Wasp stepped up and smirked. "Your reign is over, Ladybug and Chat Noir! I don't even care if you don't give me your Miraculous; my wasps will paralyze you and I'll just take them myself!"

In her head, she heard Hawkmoth's voice again. "Nice work, Queen Wasp. You truly are exceptional! I knew it!"

Queen Wasp didn't waster time responding, instead directing her pets. "Wasps, Stinger!" The wasps took the form of two darts, each heading after one of the heroes as they fled Le Grand Paris.

Queen Wasp followed, picking up their conversation with ease. "Hawk Moth must've akumatized her while she was still Queen Bee," Ladybug declared. "But why was she vulnerable to being turned? She was determined to help us!"

"We'll have time to ask her once we stop her," Chat called back. "I bet the Akuma's in her Miraculous."

"That makes sense, but Miraculous are indestructible. We will need your power to release the Akuma."

Chat Noir grinned. "You know I'm all yours, milady. We just have to find out how to capture it without getting stung."

"A ladybug doesn't stand a chance against the queen of wasps!" Queen Wasp snapped. Her wasps lifted up two cars, throwing them both. The first went to Ladybug and Chat Noir, the next to a group of civilians.

Ladybug gasped and jumped out of the way, spinning a net out of her yoyo string to catch the car just before it could hit the civilians. Again, Queen Wasp sent out the wasp darts at her.

While focused on that, Queen Wasp nearly failed to notice Chat Noir's attempt on her. She spun, grabbing his staff right before it could hit, and she let out a laugh. "Put the claws away, kitty!" she snapped, throwing him to the ground. Ladybug attempted to catch him, but the two only crashed into a street light together. "So who's exceptional now?" she demanded. "Them… or me?"

Queen Wasp felt Hawkmoth in her head again, saying, "To claim total victory, you must take their Miraculous, Queen Wasp."

Queen Wasp smirked, but again, that little voice in her head fought back. Don't do it, my queen, please. She shook it off. "I was just having a bit of fun, Hawk Moth, before delivering the final sting!" She sent out her wasps, and Ladybug and Chat Noir ran, jumping into the Seine.

"Really?" Queen Wasp asked. "You think a little water's gonna stop me? You can't escape my wasps! Bring Ladybug and Cat Noir to me! Dispersal!"

The wasps spread out over Paris, searching for Ladybug and Chat Noir. In her pause, the voice came to Queen Wasp again. You don't have to do this. Fight him.

"Why would I want to do that?" Queen Wasp asked aloud. "I deserve this recognition. I am exceptional, and now everyone's going to see it!" She started moving back to Le Grand Paris, still speaking to the voice. "I can't let him down; all I've ever done is let people down. This is my chance to prove I'm worth something."

You haven't let me down.

Queen Wasp stopped just short of the doors. "Yes I have."

In her pause, Chat Noir jumped down onto her, wrapping his legs around her waist; in his hands were a snorkel and an inflatable duck attached to one another. Ladybug jumped down to the Seine, wrapping her yo-yo around Queen Wasp's ankle as she fell, pulling all three of them down into the river. Chat Noir quickly affixed the snorkel to Queen Wasp before putting his own baton to his mouth to provide him with oxygen.

"Cataclysm!" he yelled, bringing down his hand on the bee comb before Queen Wasp could stop him.

In an instant, Queen Wasp transformed back to Queen Bee, then to Chloé.

Chloé blinked a few times, confused as she watched the disintegrated miraculous float away from her. Pollen! The first place her mind went to as she reached out and took the comb, pulling it to her heart.

Ladybug swam up and Chat Noir pulled Chloé up, but Chloé couldn't feel anything as Ladybug captured the akuma- not the hard, cobblestone ground, not the ice-cold water dripping from her body, not the pink, healing magic as it dried her off and repaired the comb.

This wasn't like when she was healed from being Antibug. There was no sense of relief, no feeling of her anger or sadness vanishing in a cathartic wave. All she felt was pain when Pollen reappeared in front of her.

A sob escaped her, eliciting stunned gasps from Ladybug and Chat Noir. Was it because they now knew she was Chloé, or was it just that an akuma victim had never been so distraught after being healed? It didn't matter to her.

"Pollen, I'm so sorry," Chloé cried out, still holding the miraculous against her chest. "I let you down. I told my mom and then I couldn't stop the train and then Hawkmoth got to me-"

"You did not let me down," Pollen declared, her voice far firmer than Chloé had heard it before in their short time together. She reached out, taking Chloé's face in her paws. "Honey, you are extraordinary, and I don't blame you for anything that happened today. You're a child, you're learning, and that involves making mistakes and getting upset. What your mother said to you is inexcusable, and I understand why you want to please her so much, but you don't have to. Blood does not make family. Love does. And when blood doesn't love you, or only loves you on certain conditions, it can be easy to lash out or try to meet those conditions, but you cannot live like that. I've lived like that, and it will kill you. Please, honey, give yourself another chance."

Chloé nodded slowly, still crying.

"We've gotta get her out of here before news crews show up," Ladybug told Chat Noir.

"I'll carry her," Chat declared, followed by a sniff.

"Are you okay, kitty?"

"I'm fine."

Suddenly, Chloé felt herself being picked up, and it was all she could do to lean into Chat, resting her head on his shoulder.

The heroes got her up to her room at Le Grand Paris and sat her down on the sofa. Chat Noir had calmed himself down in that short time, but Chloé's eyes were still filled with tears. "I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I'm sorry I made you go through all that, and that such a screw-up got the miraculous, and that I've caused so many akumas, and-"

"That's… enough," Chat Noir said, stopping Chloé from breaking down again. "We know. And… I know why you told your mother. It's hard- living up to a demanding parent. To… to an abusive parent. But that doesn't mean we have to be like them."

Chloé nodded slowly, then looked up at Chat Noir, then to Ladybug. "I wasn't chosen, was I?" she asked. "I was an accident."

Ladybug opened her mouth to respond, then closed it. "Yeah," she whispered. "And I'm sorry, but we-"

"-Think you need more time with your kwami," Chat Noir cut in. Ladybug's eyes went wide, and Chloé certainly didn't miss the death glare she shot at Chat, but he continued on. "You have to promise not to transform unless one of us calls on you, but I think you need more time with your kwami. Maybe she'll be a good influence on you. I know mine is." He glanced back at Ladybug, who nodded solemnly.

"Mine is, too," she confessed. "Maybe not in the way I expected, but she is."

Both their miraculous beeped, and Chat winced. "We need to go, but can we trust you?"

Chloé nodded mutely. Right as the two heroes headed out the window, she called out after them. "Thank you. For everything."

Ladybug and Chat Noir gave her a pair of kind smiles and nodded, and Chloé got up, sliding the comb back into her ponytail.

---

Has anyone else noticed how the akuma victim is always somewhat... calmer after they're changed back to normal than they were before getting akumatized? I feel like there's some sort of catharsis from the transformation, but in this case, Chloé's got too much pain and pain for reasons other than why she was akumatized.