Chapter 13: Bonus chapter
Author's note: This was a scene I had in my mind for my story for a while, but I could never find a way to fit it in, so I'll just give it its own small chapter instead. This takes place before the Dollmaker chapter, so Hawkmoth isn't yet using his strategy of targeting those with deep-rooted negative emotions, so there is no Renard just yet and Ladybird is still Ladybug.
With Chloe Bourgeois' record of creating Akumas, it wasn't a surprise when another villain popped up to target Chloe for her actions, though Chat had pointed out that these incidents were getting further apart. The Akuma had come about when Chloe had entered a talent competition, and since Chloe was the daughter of the mayor, who was also one of the judges, she had won despite it being clear that the other contestants had more talent than her, but surprisingly Chloe had been unaware of the competition being rigged and was under the belief she really had the most talent. Of course, Chloe had rubbed her win in the other contestants' faces, which got one of them mad enough to be targeted by Hawkmoth, turning them into a singing-themed villain.
Ladybug, Chat Noir and Paonne decided the best way to protect Chloe from the villain after her, who was named Sour Note, was for one of them to protect her in her hotel room while the other two searched for and took down Sour Note.
"I don't see why I have to be put in danger because someone was a sore loser." Chloe complained to the Ladybug and Paonne as they returned her to her room after rescuing her from Sour Note, Chat had already left to look for the villain.
"Sour Note could try and come for you again, so one of us will be staying to protect you." Ladybug said.
Ladybug prepared for Chloe to latch onto her and beg for her to stay and protect her, acting like they were friends like she usually did, even though Ladybug was needed to catch the Akuma. But she was surprised when that didn't happen.
"Can Paonne stay and protect me?" Chloe asked, latching onto Paonne's arm happily.
Both heroines' eyes widened with surprise, Chloe's love of Ladybug was well known, so it was a shock for her to choose Paonne over Ladybug.
"You don't mind, do you?" Chloe asked Ladybug, worried that choosing Paonne would make the spotted hero think Chloe didn't like her anymore.
Ladybug quickly recovered from her shock and had to fight to keep from grinning.
"No. It's no problem at all." Ladybug said with a smile. "I'm sure Paonne will be happy to look after you."
Paonne looked at Ladybug with betrayal, obviously not wanting to be saddled with Chloe.
Chloe squealed happily and hugged Paonne's arm tighter. "We're going to be such great friends, I can tell." She said.
"I'm sure you two will get along very well." Ladybug said, her amusement clear as she started to leave.
"Yeah, I'm sure." Paonne said, her eyes promised retribution to Ladybug as the heroine jumped out the window.
"Come on." Chloe said happily, pulling Paonne over to a chair.
For the next hour Paonne had to put up with Chloe's incessant talking, the blond not realising she was having a one-sided conversation as Paonne did her best to ignore her. It was especially bad when Chloe started bad-mouthing Paonne's civilian form and boasting about how she and Adrien were going to get married one day.
When Paonne spotted the swarm of glowing ladybugs flying through the sky, meaning that Ladybug's Miraculous Cure had been used and Sour Note defeated, she knew that there had to be some sort of god that existed who saved her from the torture of listening to Chloe.
"Looks like Sour Note's been defeated." Paonne said quickly, getting up. "Well, I've got to go."
Paonne didn't give Chloe a chance to try and convince her to stay before she jumped out of the window and extended her feathers to glide away.
"Thank god." Paonne said as she landed. "If I had to put up with anymore of that I would have snapped."
"Sorry about that." Ladybug said as she and Chat Noir came over. "But I believe the saying is, better you than me."
"Next time, one of you can play babysitter to miss spoiled-brat." Paonne said. "And I will get you back for abandoning me with her." She said to Ladybug.
Ladybug shrugged in acceptance.
"I've got to go, my time is running out." She said, swinging off.
Paonne huffed.
"Don't take it personally." Chat told Paonne. "We've both had to guard Chloe on our own before, and it sort of became a game of who could get out of guard duty first."
"Well, next time I'm going to make sure it won't be me." Paonne said.
"I'm hoping there won't be a next time." Chat said quietly.
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
"Sure. You better be going, you're about to transform back." Paonne pointed to Chat's ring, which only had one pad left.
"Oh, bye." Chat said, running off.
Paonne sighed and made her own way home.