Enjoy the chapter
It was a sunny weekend afternoon in Paris. While her father was out with Marianne, Ning was in charge of keeping an eye on their guest. While she would have preferred being with them, she realized this was her chance to confront the man.
"I'm coming in," she called out. She entered the room and lay a tray of food on the bed. "I made you some rice and sweet buns for you."
Su-Han glared at the tray and then at her. "I will not eat food that has been prepared by a traitor."
Ning informed him that she had made the food. "You must be hungry. You've refused that last five meals. Surely, even the Celestial Guardian must need sustenance."
He didn't respond to her so she just left the tray on the nightstand. She went over to the radio and inquired if he wanted to listen to any music. Again, he refused to answer her.
She turned the radio to an easy listening station. She hoped the soft music would make Su-Han more comfortable. "If you don't feel like eating, I can get you a book to read. Perhaps, you would enjoy some TV?"
"I don't need any distractions from you. You don't deserve those charms," Su-Han remarked harshly.
"Why? Because I'm a woman? Because I'm Fu's adopted daughter? Maybe because you think I don't know anything about duty and honor? Well, think again."
She snapped her fingers in front of the man's face, forcing him to pay attention to her. "I was created to be the ultimate peace-keeping officer, remember? I have spent my entire life preserving world peace or preventing conflicts from starting."
"I know what it means to carry out your duties. I recently learned something. That you can't blindly trust those in charge if you believe there is a better way to handle the situation."
Ning talked about how Fu had shown her that it was okay to have emotions. To make friends and be happy. Ultimately, showing her that there was more to life than just carrying out her duties.
"A life dedicated to duty is the most honorable way to live your life," Su-Han remarked to her.
Ning blinked at him before remarking that he forgot something. "A life solely dedicated to duty is a lonely one when you have no one to help carry the burden."
Su-Han looked like he wanted to argue before deciding it wasn't worth it. Instead, he asked her what she wanted from him.
She sat down in a chair and opened up her special wrist computer. "I'm not sure you understand the chaos you caused. You crossed the borders of eleven countries without the proper papers. These countries thought you were a scout for an incursion force. That caused increase tension at the borders."
"The citizens you attacked in Afghanistan were subjected to unnecessary violence. Do I need to mention you defrauded the food and transportation services?"
"The worst crime in my mind was creating an Akuma. If you knew what was happening in Paris, then you also knew your actions could cause an akumanzation. One, I might add, that nearly lead to exposing my father and the Miraculouses. On the other hand, Shadowmoth will be scouring the city for you. Your reckless actions have put people in danger. Even if you had succeeded taking Marinette and Adrien's Miraculous, no adult would use them."
Su-Han started to interrupt her only to stop when he saw the intense look she was giving him. She continued her speech with him glaring at her.
"Either for fear of what Shadowmoth would do to their families or, they would use them for personal gain. Times have changed. I doubt you would have time to find a perfect match that could handle the situation without training."
Abruptly, she stood up and announced she was going to check on the Kwamiis. She asked him to take some time to reflect on his actions before he was formally charged and prosecuted.
Entering the main bedroom, Ning laid on the bed with her legs curled to her chest. "What am I doing? I never should have compared myself to him. He doesn't even grasp the crimes he committed."
Starry and Furra came over and laid on the pillow next to her. Starry nuzzled Ning and then asked what the punishment was for illegal border crossings was.
"Different countries have different rules about that. Some of them jail their trespassers, and others might deport them. He violated eleven countries border crossings causing an international incident."
Furra questioned Ning about which government would issue the punishment. The little polar bear-like kwami was concerned about the safety of her brethren and the heroes.
"I honestly have no idea which government will carry out sentencing. This is an international matter. The ICC will probably handle the case as mandated in the UN charter."
"Is the ICC capable of handling practitioners of magic? I admit, in my time outside I learned a lot of the world still believes Shadowmoth is a hoax."
Ning shrugged her shoulders. She honestly didn't know if the world leaders were going to have to admit magic was real. If they didn't, then Su-Han would be locked up in the darkest pit forever.
Meanwhile, Marinette was walking towards Ivan's home. Adrien and she had agreed they couldn't wait until an akuma showed up. She was going to secretly invite the rest of the CZMC potential wielders, to participate in a series of tryouts.
The tryouts were simply to witness how well each of them did with a kwami. None of them would know that she and Adrien would be observing them in school. Giving the kids simple tests to know what each wielder needed to practice on.
The final tryout would determine if they were ideal temporary heroes. Only then would they be escorted to the secret HQ for training.
Marinette was clutching the first invite tightly. She would need Rocco's help to get the invite inside Ivan's room without detection.
The teenager stopped half a block from the house. Squeezing into an alley she unzipped her purse. Rocco quickly exited so he could take a breath of fresh air.
"I forgot how confining bags can be. Small spaces and big wings don't mix." Stretching out his body he waited for his instructions.
"There is a big building two doors down from here. You need to deliver this invitation to Ivan's bedroom," she said, showing Rocco pictures of Ivan's room. "Once you enter, leave the invitation on the bed and get back here."
"Remember, don't get seen," Tikki whispered as Rocco took off. He found the building and started checking the windows. Eventually, he found Ivan's room. Ivan was laying on the bed listening to his music.
"This is going to be a little tricky. Marinette did want it on the bed." Looking around, he saw the window to Ivan's right was part of the same apartment.
This is going to hurt Rocco thought. Gaining height, he swooped down and kept himself solid as he hit the window. The glass rattled from the strike. The kwami had to do a bird strike three times to get Ivan's attention.
Rocco had to ignore a splitting headache as he wobbled over to the bedroom window. It was a tiny bit open. He pushed the invitation inside and watched it fluttered onto the bed.
One down and four to go. I hope I don't have to bang my head against a window again Rocco thought to himself.
The next two were very easy. Mylene was watching her father perform and didn't notice the kwami dropping something into her bag. Sabrina was also stress-free.
Marinette didn't know the Raincomprix family had a dog. He acted tough for a few minutes before succumbing to the wonderful scratching Tikki was doing. Rocco was in and out less than a minute later.
Nathaniel and Marc were the hardest. The two were on a date holding hands. The couple never let their bags out of their sight. Worse, Marinette couldn't recall where either boy lived.
If she called and asked someone where they lived, there was a small chance the boys would realize Marinette was Ladybug. She needed another way to give the boys their invitations.
"I can't believe I'm doing this," she told herself as she dialed her phone. "Hi, Alix. I need a favor from you. It involves our club business."
Twenty minutes later, Alix came to a stop in front of Marinette. "Yes! A new speed record! I think all that training is helping my body develop."
Marinette shushed her. You never knew when someone was listening. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out the two invitations. "Can you make sure Nathaniel and Marc get these? They trust you, and with your speed, you should be able to do it without anyone noticing."
"You can count on me. I'll text you when the deed is done," Alix assured her. Marinette smiled knowing that Alix would not fail in her mission.
The girls said their goodbyes and headed in opposite directions. Two hours later, Alix sent a text to Marinette confirming the drop-off. Now it was time to implement phase two: observations.
On Monday, Ivan walked to school still puzzled by the strange invitation he had found on his bed the other day. He looked at it once more hoping it would make sense.
Ivan Bruel, the heroes of Paris are requesting your presence this coming Saturday at ten pm at the following address ********. We will answer any of the questions you have
Shadowmoth and Mayura are getting harder to defeat. We believe you have the potential to assist us. You will be given a simple test to evaluate yourself. If you feel you aren't up to being a hero, we will understand.
Please help us protect our city. Bring Shadowmoth and Mayura to justice so Paris is safe once again.
"Why do the heroes of Paris think I can be a hero?" Ivan muttered to himself. He didn't think Ladybug or Chat Noir even knew his name. It didn't make sense to him at all.
Despite the doubt, he knew he was going to show up at the address on Saturday. Finding out what they saw in him would be worth it.
Mylene was in the girl's bathroom trying to psyche herself up. When she had found that invitation she wondered if it was a joke. The heroes wanted to test her to see if she could be a heroine?
I don't understand. Sometimes I'm scared by my own shadow. I'm not very tall or athletic. Why can I bring to a team of heroes? Ladybug and Chat Noir are going to realize they made a mistake inviting me to join, Mylene thought to herself.
She wished she could talk about the invite with Ivan or the other girls. If the heroes trusted her enough to send this invite then they also trusted her not to tell anyone.
Sabrina was sitting in her seat in class. Her entire body was wiggling in anticipation for Saturday's test.
Ladybug and Chat Noir believed in her! She had always wanted to be a heroine like her father. She was determined to ace this test. It didn't matter that her father would never know. He would be proud of her for trying her best.
Nathaniel was busy drawing in his sketchbook. He had mixed emotions about the invitation. This was a chance for him to be a hero like in his comic. He was pleased that Ladybug had noticed his talent.
Still, he had seen how much danger there was involved in being a hero. When Marc had been akumatize, he couldn't believe how he took away Chat Noir's confidence.
He didn't know if he would even have the confidence to fight a supervillain directly. What if he didn't know how to use his powers properly? One mistake and Paris was destroyed.
These doubts were mixing with his excitement. He was using his art to work out his problems.
In Ms. Mendeleiev class, Marc was writing in his journal before class began. He also had mixed feelings about the invitation. He was scared and uncertain about what the test would be.
He did have a tiny bit of hope in himself. It was flattering to know the heroes believed in him. Maybe he could do this.
During literature class, Adrien watched Sabrina see if she could do something on her own. Chloe had let up a lot with her, but Sabrina was still shy about taking on the initiative.
The class was discussing classical writers today. Ms. Bustier was first explaining what made a book classical.
"Jack London, Herman Melville, and, Anna Sewell are considered classical authors. What makes them classical writers is their works embrace the concepts associated with the literary definition."
"The definition is that a book must have a timeless concept that makes you think and embraces the freshness of modern times. Jack London's White Fang, was written about a challenging time in America due to the gold rush."
"The book explains the harsh conditions for both humans and dogs, especially ones that were half-wolf. Throughout the book, Mr. London explores how the treatment of animals affects how it reacts to people."
"Herman Melville's Moby Dick was about how whales were once hunted to provide oil for lamps. Anna Sewell's Black Beauty was about the life of horses in England. These also describe different time periods and important issues at the time."
Turning to the class, she explained that the three authors highlighted the relationship between humans and animals. The differences between the books were in the way the authors used those relationships.
She turned to the class and asked them what they thought the authors were trying to accomplish. Sabrina held up her hand firmly. Ms. Bustier called on her.
"Ms. Sewell's book highlighted the cruelties horses dealt with while helping humans as their main transportation. By writing the story through the eyes of Black Beauty, readers realized that they should respect the animals for all they did."
Ms. Bustier was very pleased by Sabrina's answer. "You are correct. Ms. Sewell lost the ability to walk when she was a young girl. She depended on horses to help her get around."
"Her motives for writing the book were to promote ideas that would lead to providing better care for the animals. They also eventually led to banning of riding gear that hindered the animal's abilities."
She called on Ivan next to explain the relationship in Moby Dick. "Uh, well I think I heard the author based it on a true story?"
Ms. Bustier nodded and encouraged him to continue. "I think that the author was exploring the relationship of survival between animal and man. Both are dangerous and either can win when conflict arises."
"Indeed. This story was written during the height of the whaling era in the United States between the years 1820 to 1860. The book, while an adventure book, did provide many young men, a glimpse of what could happen to them as whalers."
She looked at Mylene and asked what relationship was exploring in White Fang. The girl took a deep breath. "I believe that the story was a retelling of how man domesticated wolves and led to the dogs we know today. I think Mr. London was attempting to show how we all have a wild side to us. With time, patience, and love anyone can tame their wild side."
"Excellent deduction Mylene. Jack London's famous work, "Call of the Wild," is considered a mirror version of this story, though it was written first. It demonstrates that domestic animals will become wild to survive."
Adrien smiled as he copied down notes. Sabrina, Ivan, and Mylene had all demonstrated they could take initiative, and the ability to handle highly stressful moments.
Later that day, Marinette decided to have lunch with Nathaniel and Marc, who was coming up with the storyline for their next comic. "Hi, Nathaniel. Hi, Marc. Is it okay if I join you?"
"Sure, we could use the help," Marc said in a soft voice. He waited until Marinette was seated before turning his attention back to discussing storylines.
"Now that Hawkmoth is going by Shadowmoth, and has new powers, we need to create a new storyline. It needs to be relevant to current events. But we need something else to make it our own."
Nathaniel suggested that the main characters need to go through a period of change. "There's been news footage of Ladybug's costume changing when she calls for her Lucky Charm. We could start drawing her in that costume."
Marc shrugged. It was a good idea, but he felt there needed to be more than just one change. Ladybug was the main character, but they couldn't forget about the other heroes.
Marinette took a look at Nathaniel's base sketch. It was Ladybug fighting alongside Chat Noir. There was no enemy currently on the page. "Hmm, maybe instead of fighting you could work on a scene where the heroes discuss their encounter with Shadowmoth."
Nathaniel remarked that would only cover two to three pages. Marinette clarified that all the heroes could meet in a hidden base. "If you drew something like the Round Table, you can have the characters pitch ideas."
"That would cover the first book in the new series. It would also open up ideas of the kind of changes each character has to go through to better themselves," Marc said in support of her idea.
During the long lunch hours, Marinette gave the boys advice when they asked. She would also compliment them when she thought their ideas were brilliant.
Near the end of the school day, Chloe got permission to announce something important to the class. "Attention everyone! I have something important I would like to share."
"Which spa do you think is number one in Paris?" Alix asked sarcastically.
"No! It's nothing frivolous I assure you. My half-sister, Zoe Lee, will be arriving in Paris in two days. I know it's short notice, but I would love your help in setting up a surprise party for her," Chloe explained.
Everyone raised their eyebrows in confusion. Chloe had a sister? Did she want to through a party for someone else other than herself? The most confusing part was she was asking them for help.
In the last month and a half, Chloe had been doing a lot better behavior wise. She wasn't throwing tantrums and was civil to her peers. They knew she was doing a majority of her own homework now, only using Sabrina to double-check her work.
It was still shocking to see Chloe going out of her way to plan a nice surprise for her half-sister.
"I want to make a good first impression when I meet her. I thought a party would help her make some friends on her first day."
Marinette was pleased by the idea. "As the class rep, I volunteer my skills to help organize the party."
"Thank you, Marinette. First, I need a venue to hold the party at since the hotel ballroom is being renovated. Second, the party needs decorations and lights. There also has to be music to dance to. Also. We will need food and drinks for everyone. Lastly, I need ideas for party games that we can play."
Juleka volunteered to host the party on her houseboat. The other members of Kitty Section agreed to perform at the party.
Nino offered his service to assist with the music. He also knew where to get a great deal for party lights. Nathaniel, Mylene, and Sabrina agreed to take care of the other decorations and help set up the party.
Alya promised her mom could make some party food if Chloe bought the drinks. Adrien said he could come up with some party games that would be fun. The party was going to be amazing.
Adrien had fencing lessons followed by Chinese so he couldn't join Marinette at Master Fu's for their lesson today. She promised to fill him in later.
Upon arrival, she noticed that Su-Han was in the main room while Master Fu gave Ning her lesson. She could hear Marianne humming in the kitchen as she prepared the tea.
Ning was blindfolded and the ECMC's Miraculouses were laying in front of her. The Kwamiis were huddled next to her waiting for something to happen.
"As a future Guardian, you must be able to identify each Miraculous when your senses might be hampered. I want you to identify each Miraculous and who it belongs to."
Su-Han pursed his lips as he watched the lesson. He was saving his remarks until after Ning's lesson. He felt certain she wouldn't pass considering Fu was giving the lesson.
First, Ning ran her fingers over all the Miraculous to figure out their surface touch. Next, she pressed her hands on top of the Miraculous to figure out what order they were in.
She determined the Miraculous were mixed up so she couldn't use the shelf order to identify them.
She picked up the first item. "This is Starry's pin," she answered correctly.
"Very good. What is the sixth item?"
Ning picked it up and responded, "It's Raah's cartouche pendant."
"Nicely done. What is the ninth one?"
She didn't even need to pick it up. "Jaggy's decorated cape."
"Excellent. Name the rest starting at two while skipping the ones you identified."
Su-Han's clenched his jaws. The young woman had completed the lesson in record time. Fu's lesson had been very simple, but effective.
"Ah, Marinette. Right on time. Would you like some tea before we start your lesson?" Fu asked as Marianne entered the room.
The teenager nodded and took the teacup. She noticed Su-Han had begrudgingly accepted the tea Marianne offered him. He took a sip and gave the old woman a slight nod.
The tea was very soothing and it helped calm everyone's nerves. Even the Kwamiis took turns drinking from a tiny cup set aside for them.
After sipping their tea for a few minutes, Master Fu and Marinette put theirs aside for the lesson.
The elderly man tapped his magic charm attached to his belt. "You went beyond the Ladybug Miraculous known powers. That is a big achievement for someone so young."
Marinette blushed at the compliment. It was nice to know others thought so highly of her.
Master Fu went on to explain that this new power had a drawback that had yet to been discovered. Each Miraculous power and ability came with a drawback.
Lucky Charm gave you what you needed to win, but you needed to figure out how to use it. The cleansing and restoration only worked on the damage created by a specific Akuma. Even her luck ability could work against her if she wasn't careful.
So what was the drawback of making magical charms? They protected individuals from being akumatized again by Shadowmoth. But did that only work if they were carrying their own charm?
She voiced her concern and Fu agreed it was a possibility. What else changed when she used this new power?
Su-Han decided to interrupt the conversation. "Why do you waste magic on changing your outfit while fighting?"
Marinette blinked her eyes. "I don't understand what you mean. I thought since I created a new power, the suit automatically changed."
"The Miraculous respond to your subconscious. If you want the costume change do it when you transform so you're not wasting magic."
Ning narrowed her eyes and spoke sharply. "She's not wasting any magic. The costume change is just rearranging the magic used to create the suit in the first place. If anything, it's just a response to her activating her new powers to create the magic charms after an attack."
Su-Han opened his mouth to argue then thought better about it. He had to admit the young woman was right. He had been making a mountain out of a molehill.
"I think it's like my Lucky Charm. I'm given an item for one particular situation. I can't use a new item to fix the damage that has already been caused if I was dealing with another situation."
"That is correct, Marinette. I do believe your magical charms work the same way. The charm is created for a specific person so they won't be akumatized. Having someone else's charm won't protect them."
"I'll remember that. If anyone else expands their powers in some way I'll let them know about that."
Two days later, Chloe's sister Zoe arrived. Her looks were akin to the girl next door beauty. She had pale, light grayish gold-blonde hair with light brilliant rose-colored bangs on the left side, vivid azure eyes.
She had a perky little nose and coral lips. Small freckles dotted across her nose and under her eyes. She was a little shorter than Chloe and her skin was one shade darker than her as well.
Her attire was also akin to the girl next door style. She wore a black faux leather jacket, a white top with pink, cyan, and yellow honeycomb flower on the front, and yellow pants.
Her shoes were the most interesting part of the outfit. They had white shoelaces, toe caps, and soles. The sides of the shoes are decorated with blue, lime-green, and pink heart and star patterns with black outlines. A moderate apple green crown on the left side of her left shoe and a white skull on the left side of her right shoe.
The midsole of the shoe was blank except for the word I heart U. Her accessories included two bracelets and a beautiful cyan beanie.
To keep the party a surprise, Chloe decided to act more like her old self. Then that evening she would escort Zoe to the party pretending they were going to crash it. Once onboard, they would surprise her that the party was for her.
"Hmm, so you're my sister. Your style is a bit lacking, but I think a shopping trip will help improve your style."
Chloe circled the girl once. "If you're going to be a Bourgeois, you need to act the part. Remember, we're above the rest so we can step over anyone of the peasants at school. Don't forget to find a stooge to do your homework, a peon to put into their place, and lastly, a gorgeous rich boyfriend."
"That should be no problem. After all, we share the same mother. We can take anyone down," Zoe huffed.
"Then let's begin by making a lot of demands to make the perfect first impression." Chloe took out her phone and yelled at her dad to paint the limo pink before taking her to the school.
Luckily, her parents knew what she was up to and were willing to play along.
At school, she was placed in Ms. Mendievel class. Zoe continued to act like how Chloe dictated to her. She wasn't making the best first impression and wished she could be herself.
But I can't. No one likes who I really am. My family here will not accept me as I am. I just hope Chloe doesn't expect me to put roaches in someone else's locker. After what happened to me, I couldn't do it.
While Zoe struggled to stay in character at school, the other students were wondering if they were going too far to keep the secret about the surprise party. It didn't seem like Chloe's sister enjoyed being awful.
Sabrina whispered to her friend, "I think that we should tell Zoe about the party. She seemed uncomfortable on the ride to school. Are you sure that being a mean girl is necessary?"
"It's only for a few more hours. I promise I'll apologize once the party gets started."
As soon as they got home from school, Chloe implemented the final part of the surprise party. "Can you believe everyone at school today? I heard my classmates were planning a party and didn't invite me!"
"That's their loss. Losers like them will know not to mess with a Bourgeois. What's the plan to get back at them?"
Chloe grinned wickedly. "We're going to crash their lame party and release a swarm of bugs to eat all the food. Which insects do you think will be better? Should we go with ants or cockroaches?"
At the mention of cockroaches, Zoe covered her mouth praying she wouldn't throw up. She snatched a pair of gold shoes from Chloe's closet. "Pick whatever you think is best. I'm going to try on these shoes for the party."
The teenager ran to her room and collapsed on the bed. "Why is this happening again? I can't do this anymore! Why can't people like me for who I am?"
Through the tears, she took off her clothes and shoes, placing them in her walk-in closet before shutting the door with a bang. She wasn't aware the door tended to stick to the frame.
Putting on designer clothes and Chloe's shoes, she looked at herself in the mirror. She hated what she saw in the mirror and started crying again. Why couldn't she be who she wanted to be?
She was not aware that an akuma had infected her shoes in the closet until the double mask outline covered her eyes. Zoe went still as she heard a man's voice speaking in her mind.
"Soul Crusher, I am Shadowmoth. You're hiding again to please other people. Why should they get to dictate who you are? I can give you the power to squash them as they did to you."
"I ask for only one thing in return. Retrieve Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous for me. Do we have a deal?"
"Yes, Shadowmoth. I'm ready to serve you." The purple and black smoke covered her and expanded. It got so big it destroyed half the hotel.
Guests were running away in fear. Andre grabbed her wife's hand and they ran for their safe room. Chloe scooted away from the edge of her destroyed bedroom wall.
She gasped when she saw her half-sister's Akuma form. She was as tall as the hotel. Her face had changed into a replica of hers! Her outfit even matched, except it was pure gold with encrusted cyan gems on it.
Her headdress-like accessory had lightning-shaped horns. Her jacket collar and the back of her high heel shoes also featured lightning-shaped ornaments.
"What do you think of me know, Chloe?" Soul Crusher asked her sister. "I think I look great don't you?"
Chloe opened her mouth to respond. Before she could, Soul Crusher clapped her hands in delight. The vibrations from the clapping shook the hotel and caused more portions of the building to collapse.
"On second thought, I don't need your opinion. I'm bigger and better than you. So, you need to go!" Soul Crusher kicked out her left foot inside the destroyed bedroom.
Chloe rolled out of the way and next to her bed. She yelped and leaped into her living area as Soul Crusher stomped the bed into oblivion.
The Akuma switched legs forcing the blond towards the wrecked portion of the room. Suddenly she stopped as parts of her floor fell. She was standing on a small square of flooring next to her door.
Soul Crusher laughed gleefully. "Nowhere to run sis. Time to make you the dirt under my shoes!" She aimed her foot at the helpless teenager.
At that exact moment, two pieces of Chat Noir's weapon hit her on the forehead causing her to tilt slightly.
The baton pieces bounced back towards Chat Noir, who grabbed them. Quickly he snapped them together before elongating the baton.
As he fell, he lunged at Soul Crusher. His weapon struck her directly in the chest. The Akuma flailed and then fell over. Landing in front of the Akuma, Chat Noir smirked. "You need to watch your step," he joked.
From behind him, Chloe groaned. There was a whirling sound as the magic yo-yo string wrapped around a beam above the blond's head.
Knowing what to do, Chloe took off her jacket and used it to zip line to the ground.
"Run and hide! We'll take care of this," Ladybug hissed. Chloe started to protest when Ladybug gave her a sharp look. "We need Chloe Bourgeois right now. If we can see what her powers are we might be able to determine where the akuma's hiding."
The blond nodded and took off. Chat Noir came rushing by and catapulted himself and his lady up to the roof of a nearby building.
"Trust me, My Lady. We do not want to be stuck like gum to her shoes." He looked over his shoulder and saw Soul Crusher was back up on her feet.
Instead of coming at them right away, she started to stomp on guests and pedestrians trying to flee the area. Each person turned into gold dust. The dust then made Soul Crusher grow larger until she was three stories taller than before.
The two took off as Soul Crusher followed them, yelling that they would be crushed to smithereens.
"We need a plan, My Lady. We know her power now, why not summon your Lucky Charm?"
Ladybug shook her head. "We don't know if that's her only power. She might have a hidden protector. We need to wait a few more minutes, then stop her."
Soul Crusher chased after them. Eventually, she had to slow her pace slightly. It was not easy to run in high-heeled shoes. Suddenly a flash of yellow caught her attention.
It was Chloe! She was running towards the school. She was a coward not to face her. "Chloe! I thought you were Ms. Popular! I never thought you would be Queen of the Cowards!"
"What are you doing Soul Crusher? Don't go after your sister when the heroes are within your grasp!" Shadowmoth barked at her.
"I promise I will. Right after I crush Chloe into dust!" she replied angrily. The Akuma changed directions and went after her sister, who threw open the doors to the building.
Chloe ran in aiming for the door to the basement. She could hear Soul Crusher right behind her. She reached the door only to be slapped away. She went sprawling across the courtyard.
"You thought you could run away from me? Well, you can't get away from me. Now until your part of me!" Soul Crusher lifted her left foot instead of her right. Meaning, she could use either foot to turn people into dust.
A high-pitched whine filled the air. Soul Crusher covered her ears trying to block out the sound. Chloe used the distraction to crawl into a classroom before shutting the door tight.
The high pitch noise stopped. Soul Crusher uncovered her ears and looked around for the source of the sound. She heard the snapping sound of wood and looked across the street.
Ladybug and Chat Noir had been hiding in the tree. It looked like Ladybug had snapped a twig by accident.
"YOU TWO! Your Miraculouses are mine!" She smashed through the school coming at them.
"Chat! Cataclysm one of her heels!" Ladybug ordered as she summoned her Lucky Charm. It was a shoehorn. She looked around, but nothing was highlighted.
Rocco, who had been hiding in Chat's collar, waited until the right moment to use his powers. Chat Noir told him to wait until the right moment to use his power.
"Not yet, not yet, now!" Rocco activated his power. The little bit of gravity he used kept the Akuma from raising her foot. That was all Chat Noir needed to use his power to break one of the heels.
Soul Crusher pitched to one side and flattened the entire street. To the heroes' surprise, no akuma came out of the ruined shoe.
"The akuma's not in her shoe. Where is it?" Ladybug pondered anxiously.
Cappri, who had been hiding in one of her pigtails spoke up. "What if it is in her shoe, but not that pair of shoes? They don't look like something she would wear."
Ladybug realized he was right. She rushed back to the hotel. She was barely aware of her partner or the Akuma following her. All she could focus on was finding the akumatized item.
Reaching the hotel, the heroine quickly located Zoe's room. A quick scan showed her Lucky Charm needed to be used on the closet door. She jammed the shoehorn in the frame and struggled to open the door.
Chat Noir arrived and helped her force the door open. Ladybug found the shoe and tore it to pieces. The akuma came out and Ladybug purified it. At once Soul Crusher reverted into Zoe.
Chat Noir helped Zoe up as Ladybug fixed the damage to the city. He and Zoe watched Ladybug pluck a new magic charm out of the yo-yo.
"Here, Zoe. As long as you wear this magical charm Shadowmoth can never akumatize you again."
"Thank you, Ladybug," Zoe said as she put on the magical charm. "I was just upset that my sister Chloe was forcing me to act in an ill-fitting manner."
The heroes looked at each other sadly. "I think you should give your sister another chance. She might just surprise you. We have to bug out." The heroes took off leaving Zoe confused.
Later that afternoon, Chloe apologized to her sister. She told her she had a surprise waiting for her on the boat. Arriving at, The Liberty, Chloe led her up the ramp.
Once on the boat, everyone jumped out and shouted, "SURPRISE!" Zoe was shocked to see this party was for her!
"What, what is all this?" Zoe asked in confusion
Chloe scratched the back of her head, unsure what to say. Sabrina pushed her forward, gesturing for her to speak. "Zoe, I want to say I'm sorry again. In the past, I have been a brat, but I'm trying to change."
"I wanted to throw you a surprise party to welcome you to Paris to show how grateful I am to finally meet you. I figure between the two of us, we can help each other grow as people."
"Besides, this is a great way to make friends!"
Zoe laughed and hugged her half-sister. "I can finally be myself at a party for once. Thank you, Chloe." Releasing her sister, she called out for some dance music.
Soon everyone was laughing and dancing. Each having a good time with one another. From the roof of The Grande Paris, Audrey watched her daughters getting along with a small smile on her face.
At Master Fu's, Ning played a video she had shot during the attack with her eye camera. She had used one of her noise emitters during the fight to give Chloe a chance to escape.
It was Cappri who had made the sound of wood cracking to give her a chance to get away. Once she had confirmed that Soul Crusher could use both shoes to activate her power, Ladybug and Chat Noir had a better idea on how to defeat her.
Su-Han was silent as the video played. The Kwamiis cheered whenever the heroes did something amazing on screen.
Marianne squeezed Master Fu's hand to reassure him that he chose the right wielders.
Ning was taking notes for future references. She occasionally looked at Su-Han, trying to read his expression. The video came to an end. She put down her pen and paper before looking at the others.
"I believe that Ladybug and Chat Noir did an excellent job with this Akuma. Looking at my notes, the only thing I would comment to them is they should confirm if the akumatized object is on the Akuma."
Master Fu nodded in agreement. "Shadowmoth has tried this once before. He nearly won that time. If he tries this trick again, they need to know what to look for."
Su-Han jeered. "They let the Akuma keep attacking instead of stopping it at once. There was no need to let the Akuma chase her sister or for them to hide in the park."
Marianne cleared her throat and spoke kindheartedly to the man. "Ladybug and Chat Noir were being cautious. It was a first time victim. They wanted to make sure they understood her powers."
"They probably delayed a little because they thought there might be a hidden protector. It wasn't the finest idea, but I can understand their reasoning," Honorra chirped.
Su-Han was silent once more thinking over the kwami's words. Seeing that the Celestial Guardian might finally be listening to them, Honorra offered half her sticky rice treat to him.
Su-Han accepted it. He wasn't sure what to make of the offer. Was the kwami trying to bribe him to force him to change his mind? Was Honorra just trying to be nice to him.
He would need to observe the wielders and Fu more carefully to ensure that he didn't lose his resolve.