Chapter 6: Peace Before the Chaos
After school, most of the class gathered in the Garden of the Ancients for one of their weekly training sessions. Those that did not come were Marinette, Adrien, Rose, Juleka, Kim and Ivan. Marinette had to go shopping with her mother, while Adrien had a fencing lesson. Rose too had a ballet lesson, and Juleka had promised her brother that she would help him with band practice, since he could not get anyone else in his class to help him with it. Kim had swimming lessons. And Ivan had a dentist appointment. But even without them, the rest of the team trained. On that day they all trained their ability to borrow each other's powers. Ever since Marinette had unlocked that ability and then helped the rest of the team unlocking it, that the heroes had attempted to master that ability, while also learning how to use each other's powers. It was not an easy feat to accomplish. They were used to using their own powers, which they had managed to master to a certain degree; and now, they were forcing themselves to learn to master the powers they borrowed from one another. Some were easier to master than others, while others were incredibly hard to do so. They quickly realized that some combinations were better than others; some were more powerful, while others less powerful.
On top of that, while experimenting with each other's powers, they also realized they could use the weapon from the person they borrowed the powers from, and even fuse them. That meant they had been given the advantage to use not one, but two weapons if necessary, during a battle. Needless to say, that they all knew they had a lot of work ahead of them. But they also knew that once they managed to master some of those things, they would have a serious advantage over any of Hawk Moth's Akumas. Still, they all tried
Feeling, they all needed a break from training, Master Fu invited the heroes for some tea. He usually did this, every time they finished training, but on that afternoon, he believed that they deserved a small break, before going back to training. On top of that, he also wanted to know about what happened on the photoshoot they did. Even with his advanced age, Master Fu was still one of the most curious people they knew. Though, he also wanted to talk to them about a more serious matter. Having chosen a vanilla and cinnamon tea, he poured it into their cups, while amicably chatting with them to find out the whole story.
"Things were completely different back when I was a miraculous holder." -Master Fu said. –"Not only photography was still in its early stages. But we also tried our best to operate from within the shadows." -he commented. –"So, no one knew about our existence."
"And it's a bit of a shame that people did not know about the sacrifices you and your teammates did to protect the world, master." -Forest Doe said. –"I think if people back then, and even today, knew about what you did, you would have be held like heroes, just like us." -she pointed out.
"A shame? Maybe... I can't say that a little recognition wouldn't have been nice. But like I said, things were different back then. Times were different, people were different, and just like you all, my teammates and I, we knew we had the responsibility of doing what was right, even if no one knew about us and our mission. On top of that, the world looked a lot bigger than it does now. Thanks to technology, we have the whole world at the distance of our fingertips." -Master Fu declared. –"And that is… for the lack of better expression, dangerous. Nowadays it's harder and harder for people to keep a secret about anything. It's like society demands that there isn't any kind of privacy in today's world." -he sighed. –"Which is why I must say that in the future, other situations such as this photoshoot present themselves, you must be extremely careful on what you must do about them."
The way the old master spoke those words made them all realize just how right he was about it. The same way that there were people that had good intentions and were true to the principles most of society upholds, there were people that were the opposite, and trusting them, could cost them a lot.
"Do you think we did the wrong thing by accepting to do this photoshoot, even if it was for charity, master?" -Panda Roux asked the old master.
"I have to admit that even though it was for a good cause, you placed yourselves in a position that could have compromised you." -Master Fu declared with a serious voice.
"So, we shouldn't have accepted it? Is that what you're saying?" -Dragonfly asked him, feeling like they had done something they should have not. –"Maybe we were a bit reckless. Maybe we should have asked the master for advice in the first place." -she thought to herself.
"I'm not saying that. I'm merely saying that one must always be careful on who to trust. For example, one of the photographers who was there, could have been one of Hawk Moth's lieutenants, like Reptile, or even Madame Romani. And not just the photographers. Anyone who was there, could've been working for Hawk Moth, under disguise." -Master Fu said. –"Still, from what you all told me earlier, Alya did her research, before confiding the whole thing to you. And we have all seen that she's got a great reporter's instinct." -he said. –"On top of that, you say that you were careful not to reveal any personal details about your lives. That demonstrates that you were always with your guard up, as well as demonstrating that you took the whole thing as if it was one of your missions, knowing that danger could come from anywhere."
"True. But like you said before, master. Before we agreed to doing that photoshoot, my girl there, she did all the work, to find out that we weren't heading straight into a trap." -Carapace said, smiling at the fox heroine. –"And I know that if Marinette and Adrien, our wonderful leaders, were here, like me, they would be telling us that she did an amazing job, checking for any inconsistencies on that story." -he praised her.
"It was nothing. I mean, that's what a good reporter does. We check our sources and we investigate. Besides, it's not like I was trying to pinpoint the location of Hawk Moth's hideout." -Rena Rouge said, before sipping her tea. –"By the way, Max, how's that task coming along? Have you managed to make some progress on that end?" -she asked Arachnid.
"Not so good, I'm afraid. I haven't had any luck." -Arachnid answered her. –"I've been trying to look for any kind of pattern on the Akuma attacks, but nothing. I've analysed all kinds of factors and elements; Location of the attack, time of day, kind of Akuma, longitude and latitude, even the air temperature… nothing. There isn't a pattern that might –"allow me to find out where Hawk Moth might be hiding." -he stated.
"But you must have a couple of theories of where that creep might be, right dude? -Carapace asked the spider hero.
"Well, I would be lying if I said I don't have a theory or two. But I prefer not to list them. At least until I'm sure that any of them is even remotely plausible." -Arachnid said.
"Come on, at least tell us one, Max." –Forest Doe said. –"Maybe if you tell it to us, we might see if its plausible or not, by discussing it as a group." -she told him.
"Okay, okay… one of the possibilities is in the sewers; somewhere in the sewers. But even if I'm right, Paris has more than 2100 kilometres of sewers. And like I said, that's only a theory. He could be hiding anywhere else. He could be in the neighbourhood where one of us lives, and be our neighbour." -Arachnid said. –"He could even be hiding in an attic with a large round window with a butterfly-shaped glass, for all we know." -he sighed, frustrated. –"I'm sorry, I didn't want to sound rude. But all this… it's frustrating, to say the least. By now, I should have been able to pinpoint that bastard's hideout, but I've failed to that… it's so frustrating."
That was one of the questions that they all asked themselves: where was Hawk Moth and his minions hiding. They had been fighting him since September, and now in the final days of April, they still did not have a clue where he was hiding. On one hand, they were eager to find out where they were all hiding, so they could force them out of the hole they were hiding and fight them. But on the other, they feared that they might not be strong enough to take him. They had seen some of his powers and abilities, but they knew they had not seen all of them, and it were those very same abilities and powers that even Master Fu did not know about, that made them cautious, regarding their wish to take down Hawk Moth.
"Well, with them having the whole city at their disposal, it's not hard to imagine being nearly impossible to find their hideout." -Louve Grise said.
"What if Hawk Moth has more than one hideout, or he's in constant movement?" –Queen Bee asked. –"I mean, if I was him, I would have more than one hiding place, so if they found one of them, I would have another one." -she stated.
"That's another hypothesis." -Arachnid said.
"Well, wherever he is hiding, sooner or later you will find it." -Master Fu said. –"Though to be fair, I hope you only find out where he is, when you're all ready to fight him head-on. Remember, just like you, Hawk Moth is getting stronger with each passing day. In order for you to defeat him, you must all continue to train to perfect your powers, abilities and tactics. And be sure that I will make sure that you do it. After all, what kind of tutor and teacher would I be, if I didn't do that?" -he said with a wise voice. –"but changing the subject, when will that auction you were talking about happen?"
"It will happen next week." -Rena Rouge answered the old master. –"And anyone will be able to acquire a copy of the photos, while the original ones will be auctioned to the highest bidder." -she added.
"I'm going to try and get originals from all of us." -Queen Bee said.
"Chloe, there's no need for that. I think if we each got a couple of copies from our favourite photos, would be enough." -Louve Grise said. –"I mean, I know it's your money and all, and you get to spend it how you feel like it. But you could use it for something else." -she said. –"The price of the originals won't be cheap, that's for sure."
"Yeah, why waste all that money, when you can have pretty much the same thing, for a lot less? The only downside is that it's on a smaller scale." -Dragonfly said. –"I know the money is for a good cause, but still…" -she said, before sipping her tea.
"Speak for yourself, Alix. Why should I waste money on something that anyone can get, when I can waste money on something that only a selected few can get?" -Queen Bee asked her. –"Besides, like you said. The money is for a good cause, and I don't mind spending it. Not to mention that the originals will be a lot larger than the copies. I don't know about you, but I like to see myself in huge photos." -she stated.
"I admit that having one of the originals of myself would be a cool addition to my bedroom." -Panda Roux admitted.
"Well, I don't really care." -Carapace said. –"I mean, I agree with you that it would be cool to have one, but it's just a wishful thinking, because I wouldn't have the money to buy one, even if I wanted to." -he said to Panda Roux.
"True. Excluding you and Adrien, none of us has the money to buy those things." -Forest Doe told Queen Bee.
"Then, I will buy one for each of you and give it to you." -Queen Bee told her. –"That's just how generous I am." -she smiled at her friends. –"And don't try to convince me otherwise… I know you want to Sabrina, but forget it. You're not going to accomplish it."
"Well, if you want to spend money that I don't have in something for me, go ahead." -Dragonfly said.
"Alix!" -Rena Rouge, Louve Grise and Forest Doe exclaimed, looking her in the eyes and silently telling her that they did not like the way she had spoken those words to the blonde.
"What?! I was just being honest. And for the record, I wasn't being sarcastic this time." -Dragonfly said, defending herself. –"If Chloe's okay with giving us something that will be super expensive, I'm not going to stop her. She's the one who knows how much money she has." -she declared. –"It's not like I, or any of us, have asked for it, or anything."
The conversation went on for a little longer, before they all went back to training. And as he watched them, Master Fu admired how much they had progressed, since they had their miraculouses, while also reminiscing about his own team and how different they were from the current Miraculous Team.
"They are getting better. I would be lying if I said that I'm not surprised with just how fast their powers are evolving. Still, I should've predicted this would happen. Like I told them, the times are different, from when I was a miraculous holder. So, it's only natural that their abilities and powers have evolved this fast, to keep up with crazy these times are." -Master Fu thought to himself. –"They have already surpassed myself and my old team in many ways, though there are things that they haven't yet. But in time, they will. That I'm sure of it." -he mused about. –"Even so, I need to force them to train even harder than now. Just like them, Hawk Moth is getting stronger, as well as his lieutenants. So far, they have been able to fight them and come out always on top. But we can't believe that that will always happen, regardless of the circumstances, and if things turn out for the worst, they need to be ready. He's out there, somewhere. I know that I should tell them this more often, so they understand that this mission of theirs will only get more dangerous as time goes by. But at the same time, they're just teenagers. They already have so much to worry about in their daily lives, that telling me that, over and over, could do more harm than good… still, I must ensure that they will be ready to deal with whatever challenge they're faced with. That is my duty as their master and guardian of the miraculouses."
Over the years, Sabrina had learned numerous things with Chloe. And one of them had been how a good massage can help one to relax, after a really rough day. When the two arrived at the Le Grand Paris, they were both feeling exhausted and hurt. Chloe immediately went to the spa and asked if it would be possible for her and Sabrina to have enjoy the rest of the afternoon in it. Unfortunately, they were fully booked, so the girls decided that instead of enjoying a massage in the spa, they would have to improvise something on Chloe's suite. Calling Jean, Chloe told him to bring some snacks and a couple of smoothies to her suite, so she and Sabrina could regain their strength back. Once in the suite, and believing the girls wanted to be alone for a bit, Pollen and Mika told them they would go for a quick walk, and would come back later, leaving the girls alone. But before they left, Mika warned Sabrina that when they came back, there had to be a delicious snack waiting for him, to which she giggled and assured him that she would save something for him.
Determined to relax and enjoy the rest of the afternoon, Sabrina called her parents and told them she would be staying at the hotel to help Chloe with a school assignment and she would eat with her, before going home, giving her and Chloe all the time they needed to rest and enjoy each other's company.
While waiting for Jean to arrive with the food, they decided to give each other a massage, with Sabrina volunteering to go first. Taking off her shirt, the redhead lay on the bed on her stomach. Once in position, Chloe began to massage Sabrina's back, always being careful not to apply too much pressure on the places she knew her girlfriend was hurt. As she did this, Sabrina realized that the blonde had the gentlest hands one could imagine. Pressing them against her sore back muscles, Sabrina let out a relaxed moan.
"I didn't even know I needed this so much." -Sabrina sighed, as Chloe continued to massage her back.
"Well, now you know." -Chloe said.
"It was really nice of you to… tell the others that you were going to get them original photos from or photoshoot." -Sabrina said, while moaning lightly.
"I know." -Chloe sighed. –"After years of being the most despicable person one can imagine, and treating everyone like crap, I've got a lot to make up for it." -she said.
"I thought we had… ouch!" -Sabrina yelped, when Chloe applied a little bit more strength to one of her vertebrae. –"Chloe, please, be gentle!" -she begged her.
"Sorry, Sabrina." -Chloe apologized to the redhead.
"It's o-okay." -Sabrina said holding her breath momentarily, as the pain decreased and Chloe resumed massaging her back. –"But as I was saying, I thought we had talked about this before, Chloe. You don't have to spend tons of money on expensive gifts, to show our friends, or even me, that you have changed." -she said. –"All of us, including me, will be happy with you just hanging out with us, laughing with us, hearing us when we need… and in my case, being super sweet, when I feel like cuddling with you."
"I know that I don't have to spend money to make up for the mistakes I did, when I was my old self, Sabrina. It's my way to do it. It may not be the best way, but it's the way that makes me feel better about myself. It makes me feel that I'm spending my money on things that aren't for myself but for others, whom I love." -Chloe told her. –"But in the near future, I'll try not do that, and to just be there when you need me, like a good friend." -she promised her.
Smiling after hearing that promise from Chloe, Sabrina allowed herself to relax and enjoy the rest of the massage. And when Chloe finished, she felt completely relaxed and refreshed. The only thing that would topple such a feeling to her, would be a hot shower or a bubble bath, which she would take, when getting home.
"Thanks, Chloe." -Sabrina thanked her, as she stretched her arms. –"I was really needing that massage after the training session we had." -she smiled at the blonde, while putting her shirt back on. –"Ready for me to also give you one?"
"You bet. I won't deny you the pleasure of giving me a relaxing massage." -Chloe smiled, as she took off her jacket and her shirt. –"Just make sure to rub my shoulders gently, okay? They're super sore." -she warned her, as she lay on her stomach.
Doing as Chloe had requested her, Sabrina was extra careful with her shoulders. It did not take more than a couple of seconds to realize why the blonde had asked her to be gentle. Chloe's shoulders were a lot tenser than she could have imagined. Because she yelped in pain, Sabrina decided to massage her arms first, to get her a little bit more at ease, before getting to the main course, which were her back and her shoulders. Another minute went by, when the redhead felt her girlfriend was a little bit more at ease, she decided it was time to get serious.
"You shouldn't have tried that crazy stunt alongside Mylene, without warming up your shoulder properly first." -Sabrina said, as she placed her hands once more over Chloe's shoulders, resuming to massage them. –"I know that like always, you want to show that you're a great fighter, but you've got to take it easy. Combining abilities takes a lot of power and practice." -she said, before leaning down and kissing Chloe on the back of her neck. –"On top of that, I don't want you to hurt yourself."
"O-Ow! Ow! Gently, Sabrina!" -Chloe yelped with the pain. –"That really hurts." -she sighed.
"I'm sorry, my bumblebee." -Sabrina apologized, before kissing the blonde on the back of her neck.
"Mmmm… that feels nice, my little she-wolf." -Chloe giggled, hoping for Sabrina to kiss her on the back of her neck once more, which she did. –"Mmm… I love it, when you kiss me there, Sabrina." -she moaned.
"Only the best for my girlfriend." -Sabrina giggled, as she moved her hands over Chloe's back in a circle. –"I'll get back to your shoulders in a minute." -she said.
"Mmmm… you make the best massages." -Chloe moaned again, as Sabrina pressed her knuckles against her spine. –"I'm starting to consider, not getting another massage downstairs for the rest of my life, and letting you be my personal masseuse. You are way better than any other masseuse we have at the spa." -she said.
"Tempting, but I'll have to pass on the offer." -Sabrina giggled, as she began to massage Chloe's lumbar muscles, which made the blonde yelp in pain. –"These muscles tension down here, Chloe. When was the last time you had a proper massage?" -she asked.
"Before all that happened with my mom, so it's been a couple of weeks." -Chloe answered her. –"And we've been so busy with the Akumas and the training, not to mention school, that I haven't had the chance to have one… ouch! Gentler, please!" -she said, as she bit her lip.
"It's amazing how much tension you have in these muscles." -Sabrina said, as she massaged Chloe's back, as gentler as possible. –"The last thing I want is to make you feel more sore than you already feel." -she thought to herself. –"Do you have any Voltaren gel or something similar that I can use? It would do you good."
Quickly, Chloe pointed to the nightstand on the right side of the bed, and Sabrina understood the gel was on the drawer. As she retrieved it from the drawer, Chloe commented that she had Jean buy it for her, claiming she felt her legs tired at the end of the day. Using it a good amount of the gel, Sabrina spread it all over Chloe's back, making sure not to press her hands too hard. This went on for another five minutes, with Chloe yelping from time to time, and Sabrina apologizing to her.
"There. I did my best. Hopefully, you'll be back to your usual self in no time." -Sabrina told Chloe. –"Don't move for the next half hour. Doctor's orders." -she giggled, when they both heard someone knocking at the door. –"Don't move. I'll go get it."
"Just don't take too long, Sabrina. I'm already missing your hands." -Chloe sighed, before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.
Sabrina went to the door and opened, only to be greeted by Jean, who was carrying a cart with all kinds of goodies. Not knowing what they would be in the mood for, Jean took the initiative of getting a little bit of everything Looking at the cart, Sabrina saw croissants, muffins, frosted cupcakes, numerous fruits, cheese and ham, jars with different kinds of jams and jellies, as well as honey; and of course, the two smoothies Chloe had ordered for them, as well as a jar filled with orange juice. There was enough food in the cart to feed a small army. But what caught the redhead's eyes was not the food, but a letter that had Chloe's name written a beautiful cursive letter. Asking Jean what the letter was, he quickly told her that it was a letter from Chloe's mom that had arrived for her, moments after they went up to the suite.
Thanking Jean for bringing them their snacks, Sabrina told him that if they needed anything else, they would call him, before closing the door. Looking once again at the letter, Sabrina wondered what might be written inside it. She knew the last time Chloe and her mom spoke, Audrey had apologized to her for treating her the way she did, almost since she was born, and she was happy that that happened. Still, Sabrina was a little suspicious by nature, when it came to Chloe's mom. She had seen and heard her do things that no decent mother would do to a child they carried inside them for nine months.
"I was starting to think that Jean had forgotten about us." -Chloe said. –"What did he get us, Sabrina?" -she asked her, as she heard her pushing the cart.
"He pretty much got us a little bit of everything. There's enough food here to choke a lion. And there's also a letter for you." -Sabrina said, as she stopped the cart and sat on the bed. –"It's from your mom." -she said.
"My mom?!" -Chloe asked, as she opened her eyes to see Sabrina seated next to her. -"Oh, yes, daddy told me that two letters from her were to arrive, one for him, and one for me." -she said. –"It's part of her treatment, from what he told me."
"I see. Do you want it to read it later, or right now?" -Sabrina asked her.
"Could you read it for me, please? I can't get up, on account of doctor's orders." –Chloe smiled at her.
"Are you sure you want me to read it?" -Sabrina asked her. –"I mean, there could be stuff here that's private, and only addressed to you." -she said, hesitant to read it.
"Sabrina…" -Chloe sighed, while looking at her. –"You're my best-friend, and you're my girlfriend. Whatever's in that letter, I'm sure that it's not something that I wouldn't tell you later." -she said. –"Also, I don't want there to be any secrets between us. I told you I was willing to do anything to see if our relationship would work, and that is because there are no secrets between us about anything. Whatever my mother wrote in that letter, I want you to know firsthand, just like me."
Ever since they had begun to date, Chloe had showed that she had even more confidence in Sabrina, than she did before. Their relationship had changed not long ago, and the differences were still beginning to happen, because neither one, nor the other expected to start dating each other. Still, the subtle changes that had already happened were enough for Sabrina to know that things between them were different, while also remaining the same. And hearing Chloe telling her that there would be no secrets between them, it warmed her heart, while once again reminding her, just how much she had changed.
"Okay, if you insist." -Sabrina smiled, as she opened the letter and took it out of the envelope. Looking at it, she took a second to admire Audrey's beautiful handwriting. –"Dearest Chloe… this will be the first of hopefully many good letters to come. I've been required to write to you, and your father, about my progress to help with my treatment. But I find myself writing this does indeed sooth me, and I think it's something I appreciate for what it is, outside its requirement. I hope you and your father are doing well. The clinic I'm in, is located in a beautiful and quiet valley, where it is possible to hear the birds singing throughout the whole day. Most of the time, I have to stay inside, but whenever I can, I like to spend my time outside in the garden. I think you would like it here. So far, the doctors, the nurses and the staff have been very accommodating to me, even though I sometimes lose my patience quite easily. The treatment is... not easy, but I feel that even the slightest progress is better than none at all. I hope both you and your father are truly well. And I find myself missing you both. The more time I spend here, the more I realise how foolish I was before. Not realising the precious things, I had until it was too late. But this was something of my own doing and so, I must try and get better for my own sake, as well as yours, so we can all be a true family again. The doctors have told me to set goals and imagine things I would like to do in the future, to help me overcome the obstacles I have in this journey. For such, I have thought that once I complete it would be fun to go shopping with you, while also getting to know you, you friends, your hobbies. In sum, to make up for all the years I've neglected you. Also, I would like to go back to dancing with your father. I find myself content thinking so, and I hope that in time, these wishes will come true. Yours truly, your mother, Audrey Bourgeois." -she finished reading the letter.
When she finished reading it, Sabrina did not know what to think. That did not sound like the Audrey Bourgeois she knew. It sounded like a totally different person. And as for Chloe, she could not help but to shed a few tears, after hearing the words her mother had wrote her. For so long, she had earned her mother's approval and attention without success. And now, she had finally had both, and she could not be happier about it. To hear such sweet words and promises from Audrey, even if they were written and not spoken, made her feel hopeful that one day, she and her mother would have a normal and healthy relationship.
"Whoa, this letter doesn't sound like it was written by your mom." -Sabrina said, astounded by what she had read.
"I know." -Chloe sighed, with a smile on her face. –"And isn't it wonderful? It means that she's slowly getting better." -she said, as she wiped the tears from her eyes. –"I know we haven't talked about this, ever since we started dating, but… but I was afraid that this thing that my mom's doing, it wouldn't work, and she would just storm out of there and continued to be the awful person she has been ever since I remember."
"Well, then, I think we can safely say that that wasn't the case." -Sabrina said, as she caressed Chloe's cheeks with her fingertips. –"And that's a good thing. It means that your mom is really trying to change." -she smiled. –"I know this might be a stretch, but turns out, you two have something else in common. For a very long time, you both pretended to be someone you're not."
While growing up, Chloe never thought her mother pretended to be someone she was not. But the reality was that she pretended. And she pretended for so long, she ended up becoming someone, who was the opposite of who she was in reality. And without knowing it, Chloe ended up following on the same path as Audrey. The difference between them was that Chloe decided to change because she realized she did not want to end up alone, without friends and without anyone who truly cared about her, while Audrey only realized she had turned into the kind of person she had always swore she would never be, when her husband finally lost his patience and threw a couple of harsh truths to her face, making her realize that if she did not change, she would lose her family's love, which she had taken for granted. In the end, both of them realized that they needed to change, but Audrey's path to redemption was one quite different from Chloe's.
"You're right." -Chloe sighed. –"And you and so many others suffered because of that." -she told her in a low-pitched voice.
"I agree. But in the end, all that suffering I went through, was worth it, because I was able to make you realize that you couldn't continue to be the person you were. Otherwise, you would end up alone." -Sabrina smiled kindly at her. –"Do you remember that one time, when Marinette and Alya won that contest for the class flag, and you were sure we were going to win, that when Miss Bustier chose theirs, instead of ours, you practically burst out of rage?"
"How could I forget? I was so furious that I blamed you for the flag's design not being good enough, that when we arrived here, I told you to do my homework inside my wardrobe, because I didn't want to see your face for the next couple of hours." -Chloe sighed sadly, as she remembered the whole scene. –"I was awful to you. You should have walked right out that door, instead of doing what I told you." -she told her, as she sat on the bed, feeling shame about her actions. –"I was a monster to you."
"You're right. You were a bit of a monster to me that day. And I should've gone out the door, instead of doing what you told me. But I knew that when you calmed down, you would apologize to me, and everything would be alright. Also, I was only there for like half hour and I only did your math homework, before you opened the door and told me to come out and that I could do your homework by the window." -Sabrina said. –"Sufficient to say, that on that day, perhaps I should have told you a couple of truths about the way you were acting towards me and everyone else… but I still hadn't reached the point where I would tell them to you. And that's okay, you know? We both needed to learn things. You needed to learn that you couldn't treat others the way you did and that you couldn't take my friendship for granted, and I needed to learn to stand up for myself a little bit more." -she declared. –"But that's all in the past. What matters is that we both learned our lessons, and now we're better… much better."
Smiling at Chloe, Sabrina planted a kiss on the blonde's lips, with Chloe returning that kiss. When they kissed, they could not help but to feel that time stopped around them. And they both knew that was impossible, and that such a thought was as cliché as one can get. But one thing they were sure, and that was that when they kissed, their hearts skipped a beat and gave them a nice feel.
"The person I am today, it's all because of you." -Chloe told her. –"Well, you, Pollen, our friends, my dad… but most importantly, you, because you never gave up on me, even you had every right to do so, after I treated you like a slave or minion, and not my best-friend." -she declared to Sabrina, before kissing her forehead.
"And I'm glad I never gave up on you, because you're a very special person, who just needed someone by your side, to make you realize that you're a very special girl, capable of anything she sets her mind to, and who deserves all the love in the world." -Sabrina declared, before kissing her on the lips.
Like it had happened before, Chloe and Sabrina resumed kissing and completely forgot about the world around them. What was supposed to be just a couple of kisses evolved into something a little bit more, with them wrapping their arms and legs around each other, and pressing their bodies against one another. Gone was all the feelings of pain and exhaustion they might have. The love, combined with the lust and physical attraction they had for one another was strong enough to block away those things, as they kissed and moaned in pleasure.
"Are we interrupting something?" -a voice asked, startling Chloe and Sabrina, who immediately stopped what they were doing. The voice belonged to Pollen, the bee kwami.
"Because we can always come back a little later." -Mika said, in a casual tone.
"N-No!" -Chloe and Sabrina exclaimed in chorus, slightly embarrassed.
"Hey, it's okay. There's no shame in what you were doing." -Pollen said.
"No, we just gave each other a massage, and I still hadn't put my clothes back on, and…" -Chloe justified herself, as she grabbed her shirt and put it back on.
"And I guess we got a little carried away, Chloe." -Sabrina giggled.
"Hey, kiddo, it's like Pollen said. There's no shame in what you two were doing." -Mika told Sabrina. –"We're the ones who should have taken a little longer to come back." -he said. –"Do you want us to go for another ride and come back later?"
"N-No, it's okay, Mika. I think we already had enough kissing for now." -Sabrina said, while smiling mischievously at –"Anyways, are you guys hungry?" -she asked the kwamis, as she jumped from Chloe's bed. –"Because Jean brought us a small feat, and we're going to need help eating all of this."
"Indeed. Oh, and Jean also brought me a letter from my mom." -Chloe said, as she too jumped from the bed.
"A letter from your mom?!" -Pollen asked Chloe, surprised. –"What did it say?" -she asked.
"I'll tell you everything, as we have ourselves a little snack." -Chloe said, as Pollen landed on her hand. –"Come on, I know you're in the mood for honey." -she smiled at her.
Grabbing the training bag with her things, Rose left the dressing room, heading for the street. Unlike most of her friends, she was unable to attend the training session in the Garden of the Ancients, as she could not miss ballet class. She did not like to miss training with her friends, as it was a way to spend more time with them, and to also hone her abilities as a superheroine. But ballet classes were sacred to her. The idea of skipping one, was one that did not even cross her mind. She loved those classes, and on top of it, her parents were paying a small fortune for her to attend them.
Since she joined that academy, Rose had learned a lot. When she started, she already had some knowledge regarding ballet, but it was pretty basic, when compared to what she now knew. And that day, she had learned a new dance step. Every time she learned something new in those classes, Rose felt like a small child, happy and excited to have discovered something new. Even as exhausted as she was after the class, the happiness and the excitement in her heart, were making it easier for her to withstand the exhaustion.
Once outside, she saw one of her colleagues, waiting on her parents to pick her up. Saying goodbye to her, Rose made her way up the street. Before she could go home, she still had one last stop to make… Juleka's home. Earlier at school, Rose asked her girlfriend to borrow her notes, and ended up keeping them, by unwittingly stashing Juleka's notebook inside her backpack. It was only when she arrived at the ballet academy, that she noticed this, when looking for her water bottle, which she had stashed inside her backpack. Knowing that Juleka would need them to do her homework, she had decided to go and return them to her, before heading home. On top of that, it would give her an opportunity to see her one more time that day.
The one who did not like the idea of making a detour was Flint. The flamingo kwami wanted to get home and fast. He was hungry and he wanted to see one of his favourite shows.
"Come on, let's go home. I'm hungry, Rose." -Flint complained.
"Hold your horses, Flint." -Rose whispered to her kwami, who was inside her backpack. –"First, I'm going to pass by Juleka's place and so I give her, her notebook back. She needs it." -she whispered.
"Can't that wait until tomorrow, when you see her in school?" -Flint asked her. –"I know she's your girlfriend and all, but come on, think about me! I'm hungry and I want to watch the newest stand-up comedy special at the Apollo Theatre." -he said. –"Please, have pity on me."
Like it happened almost every time he begged her for something, Rose had to calm him down. Stopping, she slid off her backpack, opened it and looked Flint in the eyes.
"It'll only take a few minutes, Flint, I promise you." -Rose told him, with a smile on her face. –"And to make it up to you, I'll buy you a mango on our way home." -she said, while continuing to smile
The flamingo kwami was not happy knowing he was going to lose the opening of his favourite show. But when he heard the word "mango", he immediately shut up and told Rose that he would not complain about it again. Thanking him, she quickly closed the backpack and put it back on, while resume walking.
Going down the stairs leading to the underground station she needed to use to get to Juleka's house, Rose called her and asked her if she was home, to which she responded she was not home, but instead in her mom's boathouse studio, not far from it. Taking the underground, it was a matter of minutes before she arrived at her intended station. Exiting it, she crossed the street to the other side and made her way down the flight of stairs that linked the street to the river bank, where the boathouse was docked not far from there. And as she climbed down the stairs, she heard loud music coming from it. It did not take a genius to realize that Juleka and her older brother, Luka, were both playing it. Rose immediately recognized the song, which belonged to Jagged Stone. Brother and sister loved his songs, and it had been Juleka who had introduced her and the rest of her friends to Jagged Stone's music. So, it was on surprise, when she heard them playing one of his songs. They both intended to become rock musicians one day, and they made sure to practice it, whenever they had the time.
The music continued to grow louder and louder, as she approached the boathouse. Brother and sister were giving everything they had, and Rose could see hear it. When they played together, they showed just how talented. Rose herself had wanted to learn to play an instrument, when she was a bit younger, and even tried to, by learning to play the flute. But after a couple of lessons, she realized she was not good at it, and instead decided to focus on dancing. Still, she had not given up on the idea of one day learning to play an instrument, and Juleka had offered her to teach her to play the bass, if she felt like it; an offer that she promised to think about.
"Permission to climb aboard?!" -Rose shouted over the loud music, asking for passage to the Couffaine siblings, as they continued to play.
"Permission granted!" -Juleka shouted back at her, with a smile on her face.
As she climbed aboard the houseboat, the siblings finished playing the song. Smiling, Rose quickly applauded them. No matter how many times she had heard them play, the way they played together made it look and sound like it was the first time she heard them. Juleka and Luka had a gift to play music, the same way she herself had a gift to dance. And whenever they played together, someone who did not know them, would wonder if they were professionals.
"That was beautiful." -Rose said, as she applauded the Couffaine siblings.
"Why, thank you." -Luka smiled at the blonde. –"We tend to do our best to not put Jagged's songs to shame." -he declared.
"Rose!" -Juleka exclaimed, as she placed her guitar down and quickly went to hug the blonde.
"If you girls want to kiss, don't mind me. Just pretend I'm not here." -Luka said.
"Luka!" -Rose and Juleka exclaimed in chorus.
"What?! It wasn't a joke. You know I don't have a problem with you dating each other." -Luka declared in a casual voice.
"I know that! But don't say that out loud. Rose and I are trying to keep our relationship a secret." -Juleka told him, in a ushed voice. –"What if mom or dad showed up now, and heard you say that, Luka?" -she asked Luka, slightly annoyed with him. –"Or anyone else for that matter? There's nobody passing by, right now, but imagine if there was? They would have heard you."
"And you really think I wouldn't make sure that it was safe to say something like that?" -Luka asked his little sister. –"I mean, come on, Jules, give a little credit to your older brother here." -he smiled at her. –"You know better than anyone else, that I would never do that on purpose."
"I know that, Luka." -Juleka declared. –"But you need to stop saying things like that, when we're out in the open. Someone who shouldn't hear them, might, and you'll get me and Rose into trouble." -she said, as she placed her hands on Rose's shoulders.
Luka understood why his sister was upset. He knew he was not the only one who knew about her and Rose, and that he had been the first one to find out about their secret; and that when he found out, Juleka begged him to not tell their parents or anyone else, fearing what might happen. He quickly told her that his lips were sealed, and until now, he not once talked about it with anyone. He knew just how sacred a promise he made to Juleka was to her.
"Okay, okay, I promise I'll be more careful." -Luka declared. –"But you girls will have to tell the truth, sooner or later. I've seen how you're always glued to one another." -she chuckled. –"Just because you're the best of friends, that doesn't mean that trick will hold on forever. People aren't blind, and they're definitely not stupid."
"We know that." -Juleka said. –"We're just waiting for the right moment." -she told him.
"Okay. But if you want my opinion, if you keep waiting for the right moment, that one might never come." -Luka told her. –"Anyways, you girls want some…"
"Privacy? No, there's no need for that Luka." -Rose told him. –"I just came by to give your sister this." -she said, as she pulled Juleka's notebook from her backpack, and handed it back to her.
"Oh, thanks. But you could have given it to me tomorrow at school." -Juleka smiled at her, as she grabbed the notebook. –"Still, I would be lying, if I said that I'm not happy to see you." -she said, making Rose blush a little. –"Whenever you show up, you manage to bright anyone's day, especially mine."
"Oh, don't say those things. You're making me blush, Jules." -Rose chuckled.
"But it's true. If I had to describe you, I would say that you're like a personified ray of hope, wrapped around a rainbow, sprinkled with little crystalized bits of happiness, before being dipped in liquified sugar." -Juleka praised her.
"You're always so sweet with your words." -Rose said, as she blushed a little more.
"Okay, now I know I'm starting to feel like the third wheel here." -Luka joked. –"I'll leave you girls to chat alone for a bit, while I go inside and get something to eat… hope mom has stocked up the refrigerator the last time she was here. You girls want something?" -he asked them, with the girls saying they were good. –"Okay. See you in a few minutes, girls… and remember, don't do anything I wouldn't do, if I was with someone truly special."
As Luka went to get himself a little snack, leaving the girls alone, there was a brief moment of silence between them, where they just stood there, looking each other in the eyes, wondering what they were going to say and do next. Their wish was to kiss each other, but they knew they could not do it. So, they just hugged each other, this time even tighter than before, feeling each other's heartbeat against their chests.
"Your brother's really something." -Rose chuckled, as they broke the embrace.
"He is. He can be an absolute sweetheart, but he can also be a total idiot, when he wants to." -Juleka chuckled. –"Still, I wouldn't trade him for all the money in the world." -she declared.
"I know you wouldn't." -Rose said. –"Just like I wouldn't trade you, for anyone else in this world." -she smiled at Juleka.
"Now you're the one who's making me blush." -Juleka told her, as one saw her cheeks becoming a little rosier than before. –"I know I said that you didn't need to come here and give me my notebook, when you could have given it to me tomorrow. But I'm glad you did." -she smiled. –"Every time I'm with you and I see your smile, my day gets a little bit brighter than before."
"Same thing with me. Your smile brightens my day, any day of the week." -Rose smiled. –"I just can't stay away from you, Juleka." -she stated, as she hugged her again. –"I wish I could be with you every moment of the day."
"So did I." -Juleka said, trying her hardest not to lean down and kiss Rose on the lips.
"Could you girls cut it out with that?!" -a voice was heard. Flint's voice. –"You told me that we wouldn't be long, and you also said that you would buy me a mango, Rose! Come on, let's go home!" -he begged her.
"Some kwami is in a bad mood today, isn't he?" -Juleka asked, after hearing Flint's muffled voice inside Rose's backpack.
"He's just a little grumpy, because he wanted to get home and watch his favourite show." -Rose giggled. –"By the way, where's Tamara?" -she asked.
"She's sleeping inside my backpack." -Juleka answered her.
"She can sleep with you and Luka playing music that loud?" -Rose asked her, surprised by what she had heard.
"At first, it was hard for her to do so. But little by little, she has learned to fall asleep to the sound of music, no matter how loud this one is." -Juleka explained.
Flying above the Champ de Mars, Rapier was getting ready to initiate his plan to get the attention of the Miraculous Team. Unlike the other lieutenants, he had decided that he did not need to look for a victim to be akumatized. Instead, he was going to fight the heroes alone. It was a clearly different tactic, but convinced that he was more than capable to take on the heroes by himself, Rapier did not care if he was not playing by the same rules as the others. Hawk Moth wanted the miraculouses and the corpses of the heroes at his feet, and that was what he was going to deliver him.
"Time to get the attention of the heroes." -Rapier said, as he looked down, looking for a potential target that could help him raise some Hell.
First of all, let me just apologize to you all for the lack of regular updates. When I thought I was finally going to be entitled to a break, so I could go back to writing in peace, life decides to play another trick on me. A week and a half ago, my dad was rushed into the hospital because of a glaucoma in his left eye. He's already out of the hospital, but the glaucoma did damage his eye, and he can't fully see from that eye. The doctor has already said that he's going to need a surgery, so around here, we've been looking for a good doctor to follow up on his case, before he can be operated on. Needless to say that all of the stress and anxiety has put my mind in a really bad place... 10 years ago, he had heart attack, and he was lucky enough to have survived it. he feelings I had back then, were the same feelings I had these last few days, and I don't wish them on anyone. So, you'll have to forgive me, if the updates continue to come at a slower pacing than I wanted them to.
In other news, during this last week, in the very little free time I had, I checked that our fandom is growing more toxic by the second, thanks to all the hate that fans are seemingly giving both Chloe and Zoe, because of why one should use the bee miraculous, and the other shouldn't, because she doesn't deserve it... from what I've seen and read, I only have this to say: let's not hate them... as bad as Chloe is being written right now, we can't hate her, because we need to remember all the good things she has done and how awesome she was as Queen Bee, even if she's not the bee miraculous holder anymore (or for the time being, we still don't know if she'll get another shot at it later on the series, once she's redeemed). And we certainly can't hate Zoe, just because she's a new character. She didn't replace Chloe. Chloe will always be our Queen Bee, while Zoe will be our Vesperia. She didn't steal the name from Chloe... I admit the way Zoe was written into the show wasn't the best, because it feels like she just came out of nowhere, without any kind of foreshadowing (I would've never written her that way, but that's me), but we can't hate her just because she's new. And more importantly, we can't hate either of them... they're sisters, and it's wrong to hate either one of them. Instead, we should all be rooting for the two of them to become friends and for Zoe to help Chloe become a better person. If you want to hate someone, then hate Lila, or even Audrey, because they're the only characters who haven't shown a single shred of decency in the show, whle all the others have, at least once. So, I'm begging you all, who read my fics, as well as the fics of other talented writers around here, and who accompany every AU out there, please don't bring that toxicity here. We must try and keep all the hate away, so as to be a healthy , let's all cheer our Queen Bee and our Vesperia, our holders of the bee miraculous.
Regarding this chapter, and I know I'm already dragging this "Author's Note", I'll try to be quick about it. In this one I wanted to shred a little bit more about Master Fu's time as the holder of the turtle miraculous, but without getting into too many details, for I am saving those details for a little later, and you'll understand why I'm doing that, when the time comes. As for Chloe and Sabrina's bit, I wanted them to have a momemt of passion, but without this one being too mature (I have plans to write the girls' first time, like the rest of the couples, but that's another story). And last, but not least, we're going to see just how Rapier handles the heroes on his own. In the meantime, feel free to comment, fav and leave suggestions to improve this fic.
And remember, keep the hate for any character (except Lila, of course) away from here and every other place in this fandom. For the sake of everyone.