It was an early morning. Everyone was up and Dev was gone before breakfast. Sabrina's clothes went to the hotel's laundry and Chloe fitted her out with a temporary outfit. Chloe nearly forgot her red eye when not looking in the mirror. There was a burning in her limbs from last night's exertions but it was a good memory. Sabrina had been so flustered waking up in the same room as a boy Chloe's heart was positively melting at the moment. Top it off with being a Friday and life was good. Chloe strode out the front doors with Sabrina in tow and Sunglasses hiding her injury.
She kicked herself later for not recognizing it wouldn't last. The Limo was already pulled up out front when they walked out and Chloe hadn't ordered it. Her pace slowed and trepidation grew as she approached. When the door opened she jumped, but it was only her father. He was wearing one of his 'smile for the peasants' smiles though and Chloe's nerves immediately all went into panic mode.
"Good morning Chloe, Sabrina." her father greeted. There was a twinge to his voice, he was nervous. Chloe's anxiety sought to grow still further,"Sabrina. Would you mind terribly walking to school today? I need to talk with Chloe."
Sabrina looked to Chloe. Chloe was glad her eyes were hidden by the glasses, it made faking the next bit easier. Chloe straightened up from the huddle she hadn't realized she was in and gestured Imperiously,"She doesn't mind at all, Do you Sabrina? She LIKES walking to school, or better yet running behind the car for exercise." There it was. How had she done this naturally?
Sabrina was trying to catch up, she looked as much thrown as Chloe was. Chloe tried to will understanding into Sabrina's head. Why wasn't telepathy a part of this stupid necklace's powers?
Oh? You want to see people's thoughts? Are you QUITE sure?
You go away!
The shadows rolled back and forth in her mind, tongue lolling and lupine eyes glinting. Chloe could feel a cruel laughter bouncing around the insides of her skull.
"Yeah, I'll walk. I love walking." Sabrina replied softly. Was it habit or did she understand? She turned and began to walk and Chloe wished she could walk too. The Limo's open door reminded her too much of the shadowy den right now.
She climbed into the limo and her father pulled the door closed. Chloe sat with her bag in her lap, looking out the window, waiting.
"So um.. Chloe. I know I've been busy lately, but it is good to see you. Have you been well? Anything you'd like to tell me?" her father was tap dancing around something. She'd had a whole life to learn the patterns and thanks to all the tumult lately now she knew that she knew.
"I'm FINE daddy." She sulked,"I wanted to walk to school with Sabrina," extra pout. She didn't even have to try. She brushed nonexistent dust off her bag.
"Oh? Nothing?" her father hemmed,"Do you want to tell me why you needed a doctor called to your room two days ago?"
"That was NOTHING daddy." Chloe sighed,"Just a stupid overreaction. Is that what this is about?" she looked back at him, mistake.
Her father met her shaded gaze in one of his rare bouts of parental assertion,"I've been told you've had a boy over in your suite for two nights in a row now. Would you care to explain yourself, young lady?" anger and admonishment tipped into his voice.
Chloe hissed in frustration,"It's NOTHING daddy." she repeated,"He's just from school. Sabrina was over last night too, it's no big deal." she didn't look away. His gaze was a direct challenge and Chloe was shrinking inside but the shell remained for the moment.
""Ah I see." he looked away and Chloe relaxed, too soon, he looked back,"Listen Chloe, we're a respectable family, and I'm a symbol of Paris! You have to think about these things! You can't just bring whomever into our hotel. I thought you knew better." he squirmed then announced, his voice cracking up an octave,"You're grounded; until further notice. No visitors."
"WHAT?" If her father's voice had risen Chloe's threatened to crack glass. "You can't! That's ridiculous! Utterly Ridiculous! It's MY room. I can do what-"
"It's MY hotel young lady, and you're MY daughter."
Chloe did collapse now, tears of rage and frustration She choked on a sob then rallied,"You let Sabrina stay over!"
"Sabrina is a GIRL."
"You let Adrien!"
"That was over a year ago, and he's an Agreiste." Her father tugged his sash straight,"This is not up for discussion young lady."
Chloe swallowed. Her mind raced. She contemplated opening the car door and jumping. She dug her nails into the palms of her hands and tried to squeeze the tears out of her eyes,"I.. Have a project." she found a lifeline."I need to meet with the project members."
"Oh? And who are they?"
A chance. Chloe swallowed,"S-Sabrina." She dug through her memories. Trying to dredge up information that had never seemed to matter before,"Marc Anciel and Nathaniel Katz- Kutrzburg." She was heaving with reaction. She was so angry she couldn't breathe.
"I will have the doorman admit them, but no one is to remain after sunset. No one. I will leave instructions with each of the staff." He was distant, authoritarian. It was obvious he was uncomfortable. Chloe assumed it was because of her. She wanted to claw his face.
Instead she just asked in a mewling little voice,"Can- can I get out?"
Her father relented, perhaps his own reserves shot. He signaled the driver,"Chloe, honey. This is for your own good. You don't want to make mistakes now that will hurt us later."
Chloe pushed the door open even before the car was stopped. She lunged out and caught a foot wrong, falling onto the sidewalk. The car rolled several feet past as she picked herself up. Sabrina was running toward her. All these things merged into a moment, and Chloe felt her anger return, an old familiar friend. By the time she had straightened she snatched her glasses off and rounded to where her father was reaching out of the Limo after her, his mouth opened in shock.
"DADDY! I am going to SCHOOL." she screamed at him, stomping her foot,"Get out of my SIGHT or I won't ever come home again!"
That stunned him enough to sit back in the car. Onlookers turned and that made him shrink further. Her father couldn't handle a scene. The limo door closed and the car pulled away.
Sabrina panted as she caught up,"Chloe?"
The Chloe who might have heard her or cared never made it out of the car. The one that did simply tossed her bag at her beleaguered friend,"Hurry UP Sabrina."
Chloe was incandescent with anger. She stalked up the steps to school and a path actually cleared without effort. The red eye accounted for a portion, but her expression lent itself even more to earning her space. Sabrina trotted after her holding all their things and an expression of apology for everyone they passed.
You could end any of them, all you need to do is reach out. Take their staring eyes. Silence their snapping mouths. It would be beautiful.
The voice was on her shoulder, it was a coaxing purr. Chloe felt strength spark through her limbs. She felt her senses begin to open and her fingers curl.
NO! NO! I will not. You WANT me to do it. No one orders Queen Bee around.
She got only howls of laughter in response.
Once in the classroom Sabrina unburdened herself made another attempt,"What did your dad say?"
"Dad?" Chloe snapped,"What dad? There was no daddy in there." Chloe crossed her arms and sat back,"Just a creepy old man Who doesn't love his daughter." There was just enough of Chloe now that knew how she was behaving, but not enough to stop. She snatched her bag from Sabrina and plucked out her phone. She opened messaging but her thumb just hovered over the keypad. She just stared at the letters. The stare became a glare. Chloe threw her phone so hard it rebounded off the chalkboard, skidded across Mrs. Buster's desk and landed right back beside her, the yellow otterbox case was the only thing that saved it from exploding on any of the impacts.
Chloe stooped to pick it up and was about to hurtle it again, ignorant of the sudden silence in the room when a voice cut in,"hey Chloe, I can see you're busy, but I just wanted to let you know," Marinette's voice cut in fast and she rounded Chloe to interpose herself in the line of Chloe's throw. She twiddled her fingers a second then picked up,"So, Kitty Section's going to be performing this Sunday on Luka's mom's boat, it's nothing big just kind of a rehearsal but anyway I thought I might ask if maybe you might want to come to see, just to try something a little different?" Marinette's expert run on delivery briefly battered Chloe's armor of anger, but it wasn't quite enough.
"Me? You're inviting ME to your little show?" That sounded far more desperate and less offended than Chloe had expected, in both words and voice. She hardened her tone,"Even if I weren't grounded, I would NEVER go see your stupid little band." better.
Marinette's eyes went wide as saucers,"You got grounded?"
"What? No!" Chloe recrossed her arms and turned her head,"Shut up, and go away Du-Pain-Chang."
Marinette persisted slightly. Chloe saw her raise a tentative hand out of the corner of her eye,"Four o'clock. If you change your mind." Chloe emotion radiating from Marinette and assumed it was pity. Who wouldn't pity the pathetic little Chloe? Useless girl locked away to not embarrass daddy. Chloe ground her teeth, though anymore she couldn't tell if it was in anger or to keep from saying anything worse.
Marinette left to return to her seat. Mrs. Bustier opened the door to enter the room just as sirens pealed. The Akuma warning, followed by a loud explosion in the distance.
Chloe jerked out of her fugue. A crisis! The shadow in her head rumbled, anticipation. Marinette skidded past Mrs. Bustier,"SorrymissbustierIgottausethebathroom!" Chloe dodged past Mrs. Bustier on the other side,"I left my homework in the Limo!" She cried. The two ran into each other outside the classroom, separated in confusion, then Marnette ran for the bathroom and Chloe darted out the front doors of the school.
Chloe glanced up and down the street, trying to gauge how close the Akuma could be. Another explosion nearby. She homed in and ran, looking for a place to hide and change.
Call on me. Call me now! We can have such fun. There was a hungry anticipation. Ears perked, paws braced.
Chloe passed an alley, swallowed her disgust and darted back into it. Out of sight she took a breath and took the plunge,"Tscherna AWAKEN!"
The shadow Lunged. Jaws at her throat. Power raged and burned along her skin. The joyous transformation of a Miraculous was nothing like this. Chloe felt it sweep over her. She curled up. It burned down her arms; she threw back her head and howled a long inhuman cry. It swept over her legs and she snarled. She struck the ground with claw-gloved hands and the transformation was complete.
Chloe panted for breath and from the flood of sensations. The normal insanity of the necklace was merely a fraction of all this. A glint of light. A mirrored surface. Chloe caught sight of herself. Her mask was black with a white stripe down the center. The stripe shot through her hair as well. One white and two black stripes from front to back swept in a mane all the way down her back, tied loosely at the waist. Her suit was grey, with black gloves and boots. Fur ringed both forearms and shins, as well as a short cape across her shoulders. It wasn't fashionable, but she would MAKE it fabulous.
Chloe leapt and strength surged. She cleared the roof unaided and landed lightly. Sights, sounds, and smells all swam around her, but now she had the ability to pick them apart with ease. She was ready just in time.
The akuma rounded a corner and stormed the park. It was dressed hideously in a huge white stetson hat, a green camouflage shirt, torn blue jeans, and black cowboy boots. He had a pair of six-shooters holstered at his hips and was bellowing angrily as he ran.
"Where's some REAL food?" he drew back a hand and an oversized grenade appeared in it. The akuma lobbed the grenade indiscriminately and it exploded into a puff of red white and blue smoke. The people caught up in it found themselves suddenly dressed in the Akuma's clothing. The cars changed from compacts to huge pickups on oversized wheels, and two of the buildings caught in the blast became Starbucks.
She was tensing to pounce when Ladybug swung in beside her.
"A new hero in town? You have a miraculous?" She asked, eyes on the lumbering Akuma.
"No. But I can still help save the day." Chloe was surprised, she didn't feel angry at Ladybug, she didn't care. She was a hero again. Nothing else mattered.
Chloe leapt from the building and darted across the park Ladybug's 'Wait!' trailing after her. Running felt as free and easy on two feet or all fours. The Akuma threw another grenade. Chloe leapt and kicked off of it, deflecting it from a group of park-goers to land harmlessly in front of a shop. Well, almost harmlessly. It skidded in front of the Boulangerie Patisserie and in a puff of multi-hued smoke The shop was replaced with a Dunkin' Donuts.
"Ahhh yeah, that's it." The Akuma lumbered toward the building, crouching down shove a hand in the door.
Ladybug swung back down beside Chloe,"We need to be careful!" she chided,"Akumas are dangerous. You can't just go running off."
"Pardon my tardiness Ladies!" A black suited streak joined them, Cat Noir,"Who's this with you M'Lady? A new partner? Should I be Jealous?" he teased.
"Come ON Cat Noir!" Ladybug groused at him,"focus!"
Chloe realized she was still in a crouch. It felt natural, coiled to spring,"The name's," She didn't have one ready, she hadn't expected to look like this. Then something popped up from memory and a feral amusement made her run with it,"Mama Badger." Chloe stood and flexed her fingers,"How about you stay and plan and I fight the Akuma?"
Chat Noir quipped first,"Mama Badger? Do we call you badger, or maybe mommie?"
"Why?" Chloe responded in a purr. Her pulse was racing, she needed to bite something,"Have you been bad?"
Cat Noir's eyes went wide as saucers, and Ladybug looked caught between a reprimand and a giggle. Chloe didn't wait around to find out what was next, she raced across the park at a full four footed sprint. The Akuma was pulling fistfulls of donuts out of the transformed Patisserie. Chloe jumped and kicked off of his cheek at full speed. She landed, bouncing on her toes with unspent energy. The Akuma yanked his head out of the facade of the building and turned a livid gaze on her.
"Hey Tubby! Come down here and fight someone your own size!"
"It's a Varmint!" the Akuma bellowed, drawing both revolvers and opening fire. Chloe vaulted back into a handspring and then a juke to avoid the barrage of wooden stakes. Each stake stuck in the ground, sidewalk, or tree they hit then unfurled a little American flag.
The Akuma's barrage tracked her and Chloe had to dodge again, and again. She didn't mind, it felt great. Dodge, jump, duck, move it was familiar and exhilarating. She missed that the Akuma seemed to have learned, and converged the two lines of fire. Chloe doged into oncoming fire and let out a yelp, landing too hard to jump again fast enough.
Ladybug was there. The Stake spanged off her yo-yo shield,"Badger, you need to be careful!" Ladybug admonished again, backing up slowly towards Chloe while keeping the shield spinning. "We can't go running off. We need a plan."
Chat Noir had circled the park and came at the Akuma from the side, but it switched lines of fire from one it's revolvers, forcing him to abort his attack and block like Ladybug.
"Gimme them there Jewelries kiddies! I'mma git to go home once I gott'em." The Akuma advanced towards Ladybug.
Ladybug retreated, keeping Chloe behind her and trying to separate from Noir as much as possible to split the akuma's attention.
"So What's your plan then?" Chloe retorted, grumpy at being rescued. She moved up close behind Ladybug, still crouched, noticing how much Ladybug smelled like Sugar and Flour for the first time.
"We need to buy time. These akumas are becoming more aggressive lately. I need room to use my lucky charm." Ladybug had to adjust her shield. The akuma wasn't mindlessly firing. He was switching up shots high and low, Ladybug's yoyo couldn't protect as much of her at once as Cat Noir's staff. One shot slipped past her guard low and Chloe leapt, snatching the stake out of the air and snapping it satisfyingly in half.
Ladybug stepped back in front of Chloe quickly, resuming her guard.
Chloe felt instinct sparking in the back of her head. The shadows were shifting, hinting,"Leave buying time to me Ladybug. Get your charm so we can save the day."
She tried to dash around Ladybug but Ladybug checked her, grabbing her upper arm,"We need to work together." frustration laced the bug's usually cool demeanor. She stared into Chloe's eyes and there was an instant of recognition. "Chloe?"
Chloe squirmed free,"It's Mama Badger to you. I'll protect you Ladybug, just you watch.". Chloe shot to the side and charged the Akuma.
How did she know?
Oh, was it supposed to be a secret?
As the closed the Akuma switched his aim, bringing both revolvers into play at her. This time instead of dodging Chloe let the sensations in the back of her mind take hold.
"Flurry!". She struck out, her hands moving faster than she could see, or even feel. She reached too far, too quickly, shadows replaced her arms. The moment subsided and she was holding two fistfull of stakes, snatched from the air. The power made her feel giddy.
Chloe threw them down and smirked up at the Akuma,"Is That all you've got?" She heard Ladybug's trademark call behind her. Time enough bought. If only I could do it again.
Why not? It's a rather silly trick.
I can?
Enjoy little thing
The exchange only took the space of a breath, and none too soon. The Akuma railed,"I'mma make me a new hat!" and thundered forward, guns blazing.
"FLURRY!" Chloe repeated the maneuver. Snatching more stakes out of the air.
"Flurry!" and again. She dodged back to gain space.
"Flurry!" She laughed with glee. Dropping the stakes and doing a little jig in place to the sound of them clattering to the pavement.
The Akuma roared it's rage, but pursued her single-mindedly.
"Flu-" Pain lanced through Chloe's chest, cold fingers wrapped around her heart and squeezed.
Oh dear, perhaps you've broken?
Bitterness at the betrayal didn't have much time to fester. The barrage she'd planned to deflect flew unerringly. Chloe cringed but was swept from the path, bridal carried in a firm grip,"Don't worry, Kittycat Taxi is here for you grey Lady." Cat Noir quipped.
The pain still pounding in her veins, adrenaline on overdrive only enhanced the moment. Chloe reached up and gripped Cat Noir's bell then gave a sharp tug, pulling his face down close to her,"MY hero." she purred.
He was obviously shocked, and for that matter so whas Chloe. She certainly didn't want Cat Noir.
What does want matter? Take all you see. Indulge.
Cat Noir all but dropped Chloe, skidding to a half behind a car for temporary cover. Ladybug swung in and groused,"Are you two quite done?" She was holding a pair of polka dot trousers that would have fit all three of them. She pointed through the car window right before a barrage of stakes hit it, "It's his belt buckle" all three of them scurried to the next car for cover,"Cat Noir can you get one of his guns? And Ch- Badger. Can you get the other?"
"No problem Ladybug." Chloe was actually feeling burnt from the inside out, but she wasn't going to mess this chance up.
"Alright… Go!" The other side of the car was pelted with a barrage and the three scattered in separate directions.
The Akuma tried to cover all three. Ladybug was charging him directly and he made the mistake of switching his aim from Cat Noir to her. With a shout of "Cataclysm!" he pounced and slapped the barrel of the gun, turning it to powder.
Chloe had been wracking her brain while running. She didn't know if Flurry would break something that big and solid. Her lungs were on fire; how to help.
You know how. I'm hungry. Indulge me.
Without any better plan, Chloe did. She leapt for the akuma's other hand while it tried to bring its weapon to bear on Cat Noir. Her claws dug in, then her teeth. She kicked the gun out of nerveless fingers and continued her assault, scrambling up the Akuma's arm to a horrified yelp of pain. At the shoulder she vaulted free, landing in time to see Ladybug Lasso the akuma's belt buckle and yank it free, swinging it around her head once and smashing it into the ground.
Chloe missed the de-evilization because she realized she was licking her clawed fingertips. Copper coated her tongue. She gagged and spat, then wiped her mouth with the back of one forearm.
Wasteful little thing. Is that the gratitude I get?
When Chloe had scrubbed herself as clean as she could she looked up. Where the Akuma had been sat a befuddled looking man with all the telltale signs of a tourist. Cat Noir and Ladybug were both approaching her. Cat spoke first,"Not now I would have done it." he said with a bit of confusion in his tone,"but I guess you can't argue with success."
Ladybug was staring directly at Chloe with a mixture of concern and disappointment. Chloe wanted to scratch out her eyes. She clenched one hand into a fist to fight down the urge. Was it hers? Was it the shadows?
You are splitting hairs now little thing.
"Go on ahead Kitty. I want to talk to our new friend for a moment."
"Your wish is my command M'lady." Cat Noir's voice went from concern to adoration in an instant, and he was off.
Chloe felt like running, or tackling Ladybug. She didn't do either. She just froze on the spot, feeling too much right after the adrenaline rush of the battle.
"Chloe, are you using the Maelaculous?"
"Does it matter if I am?" Her hand instinctively went to her neck. The necklace was gone, but she felt stitched into the fabric, the raised design of the clawed paw. "I helped today."
Ladybug sighed,"It's not safe Chloe. They're dangerous, just look at yourself."
Chloe had no argument, so she didn't try to make one,"You can't stop me from being a hero this time." she said instead, meeting Ladybug's gaze.
Ladybug reached out towards her,"Chloe I never wanted to-"
Chloe recoiled,"Save it! I was there. No one knows who I am except you this time. I'm going to keep it that way. You don't have to worry about me Ladybug. Even if this thing is dangerous I'm only hurting myself." She straightened,"And why should I be left out."
Chloe vaulted away before Ladybug could get out a response. She hit the rooftops running and never looked back, sprinting until she was sure she wasn't being followed. Then she dropped down into the shadows. She realized she didn't know how to turn the power off. The voice was frustratingly silent now, yellow eyes watching her. She hazarded a guess, "Tscherna, sleep."
Barely any fun at all, but it is a start. Prey survives another day.
The shadows swelled around Chloe then swept away on the wind, leaving her restored to her normal self. The sudden loss of sensation was like being stuffed in a pillow; sounds dimmed to only what was close. Her eyes no longer caught every hint of motion and she could barely smell the city around her. She was ravenously hungry, but surprisingly her eye no longer hurt. Chloe pulled out her phone and checked with the selfie cam. The redness was gone.
She felt… what? Excited, frustrated, anticipation, hunger, and trepidation. She felt too big for her own skin. Gathering herself, Chloe started back for school. She'd need to come up with an excuse. Luckily nothing she ever came up with could be half as bad as the silly stories Marinette came up with when she was slacking off.
Lunch, a moment's peace. Chloe knew her mind was still processing everything this morning. She'd filled Sabrina in on half of it already, the other half would take some thinking though. With the akuma fight happening so close to school the other students were already huddled together talking about it. Chloe tried to tune them out. She wanted to hear what they thought of the new heroine, but she didn't want them to know she wanted to know. With that in mind she'd sent Sabrina off to investigate, and right now it looked like she was chatting up Marc and Nathaniel, a good start.
She decided to tackle the other problem. She pushed aside the stack of four plates she'd cleared and pulled out her phone.
Chloe(to Dev): Daddy's decided you're not allowed in the hotel anymore because he doesn't know anything about you. Think it's time to come clean with me now?
Chloe wondered if this would be a quick reply, or one that took a day again. *buzz* Quick then.
Dev: I could practice lying, and you'd know. I could tell the truth and he'd still kick me out, and maybe lock you in.
Chloe squinted in frustration.
Chloe: What is that supposed to mean? Try that mysterious stuff with Sabrina, not me.
Dev: If you really want to sleuth it out, Sabrina might be the best one to ask. I'd rather you didn't though. We can still meet up wherever else you like, or at school?
Chloe: As if you were ever here.
Dev: I can stop by whenever you like.
Chloe: It's a school, not a club. What about all your tutoring?
Dev: Ha. I'm not sure the last time I saw one. Dad doesn't keep track. Same with school. I told him I wanted to be able to go, he took care of it after some convincing it was safe. Money changes hands, I get to show up.
Chloe smirked at the message.
Chloe: I know how that one works.
A light popped in her head.
Chloe: If you're really that rich, why not just get a room in daddy's hotel?
Dev: Not gonna happen. Way too public. We're more of a quiet rich.
Chloe: What's that supposed to mean?
Dev: It means no fancy hotels, but I could take you to a cabin on a lake and three thousand aces in Colorado. We could visit a slightly rundown castle in Bohemia my dad owns, or we could hike on a mountain the Urals we own most of. I've never been to that one.
Chloe fiddled with her phone, not quite sure how to answer that. The Cabin kind of sounded nice. She chose something more comfortable.
Chloe: No one owns a mountain.
Dev: Sure they do, you just have to buy one.
Chloe: Who sells mountains?
Dev: People who have more mountains than they need and less money in their retirement account than they would like.
Chloe: You are still so weird.
Dev: It's working for me so far.
Chloe smirked again.
Chloe: Don't get too comfortable with yourself.
Dev: I'm utterly comfortable.
The color rose in Chloe's cheeks. Even alone at her own table she looked around to see if anyone noticed and ducked her head.
Chloe: Ridiculous!
Dev: That too. Utterly. I have to bail now. I might be gone this weekend, not sure but you can still try to drop me a line.
Chloe typed out one more thing frantically.
Chloe: Bring me your jacket at school. As soon as you can.
Dev: My jacket? Okay. I can drop it on our way out. Just get it back soon, and don't give yourself a hernia with it.
Chloe put away her phone and stood. Waving to Sabrina she made her way down to the school entrance to wait.
It was a pain to lug around. Heavy and awkward to carry, but Chloe had a plan and with plan in mind she stuck with it.
"Chloe." Sabrina fiddled with one of the extraneous zipper pockets on the jacket during art class,"Are you gonna tell me why you have this? Or is this another one of your secrets?"
Chloe a happy little grin at Sabrina, one that prompted a confused but hopeful one in return,"What's good for the goose is good for the gander." she said,"Besides, just LOOK at this thing, it's hideous isn't it?"
Sabrina lifted one sleeve and let it *thnk* back to the table,"It's.. Uhh black?"
"Boring, black, no character. It makes him look like Ivan."
Sabrina shook her head,"Oh no. They have different bone structure, his hair is totally different. They don't walk the same either; and while like Ivan is big he's got a different build. If you compare their arms; I don't think Ivan works out like Dev does. It's hard to tell normally but if you see him at the gym-"
Chloe was watching her friend with her mouth hanging wide open,"The Gym?" she interjected.
Oblivious to the consternation, Sabrina continued her flow,"Oh, yes. He works out at the gym on fifth street three times a week. It has a glass front so you can see inside."
"Are you sure YOU don't want this?" Chloe plucked the jacket again and made a face.
Sabrina finally caught up to what she'd been saying and blushed hard,"Well, you told me to find out about him." she squeeked softly,"And… and.. It'll be good practice for figuring out Luka…." Sabrina fidgeted,"and… boys are neat."
Chloe was still floored,"Maybe one at a time though Sabrina?"
"Does it count if I haven't gotten one yet?"
Chloe laughed and patted Sabrina's shoulder, shaking her head,"No, I suppose it doesn't." She recovered herself,"But if I see you going through trash like Du-Pain-Chang for any of them then we'll have to do something about this."
Sabrina grinned,"Only if you see me, right?"
Chloe gave Sabrina a light swat on the arm, then turned back to the clothing in question,"Okay." she looked over to Nathaniel's table,"Let's make this happen."
They crossed the room, something that shouldn't have been a big deal, but in the small classes you didn't shift or mingle without notice being taken,"Nathaniel." Chloe announced their presence.
Nathaniel looked up, then down at Chloe's burden, then back up again. His expression wasn't guarded this time, a little warmth sparked inside Chloe at that,"Hey Chloe, what's up?"
Chloe snuck a peek at his work, hunting for small talk. "Is this for the programme?" she asked, stepping in further to get a closer look.
Nathaniel instinctively covered his work, but then sheepishly moved his hand away revealing the rough sketches,"Yeah. Just some doodles to start."
"Well, if your sketches for the dance are anything to go by, it'll be fabulous." Chloe primped slightly,"though, you WILL have excellent subject matter this time."
Nathaniel gave a slightly amused smile at that but didn't offer a response. Chloe tried to cast around for another lead in. She considered asking about his ride in the Limo, but remembering last night she abandoned that line. She was out of options at the moment."Are you any good at painting?"
"Painting?" Nathaniel took the sudden shift well,"I can paint some, I haven't practiced much. It's mostly pencils and inks for comics."
Chloe went all in. She dropped the jacket on Nathaniel's table, actually remembering at the last second NOT to drop it on his sketches. Then she dug a small square of paper out of her pocket and held it out,"Can you put this." she pointed to the jacket,"On this?"
Nathaniel looked at the paper and Chloe could see him shift into artist mode. He took the square from her hand, considered it, then plucked at the jacket, feeling the fabric. He turned the jacket over, looking surprised at the weight. He spread it out, examining the back,"Well, you've got room here, andthe design is simple enough. Having a black base to work from actually helps. Fabric though. I've never done that before. You should probably ask Alix."
Chloe's eyes shot to where the pink haired tagger was working on another new piece. "Alix? But she-" fear rose up without hesitation,"She uses spray paint so much, it's so awkward and messy, and.." Chloe realized what she was saying,"and.. That works actually." She turned her eyes back to Nathaniel,"Could you please ask her for me?"
"Why can't you ask her?"
"She's so-" Chloe bit off a dozen scathing criticisms none of which would help right now,"Alix." The fear rumbled inside of her, replaying each of the insults that could bring Alix down a peg or two, taunting with the relief that was offered.
Nathaniel thought for a long moment, his eyes wandering down to the paper in his hand. He reached a decision,"Okay, but you come along too." Nathaniel picked up the jacket and walked over. By this point Jean-Pierre had noticed, and others as well Chloe was suddenly aware of the eyes again, but she had no power this time. She laced her fingers behind herself to keep from fidgeting while Nathaniel explained what they wanted to Alix. She felt Sabrina scooting closer and took strength from her silent friend. Alix's eyes kept bouncing between the two of them and each time Chloe expected a flat refusal. Instead she walked over to a shelf loaded with spray cans and began picking through them, lifting and shaking several cans with yellow lids, rocking them in her hand to test the feel. When she came back it was with a casual,"Sure, I can do it."
Then she turned to Chloe,"But you're gonna help."
"Me? Do you think I'd be here if I knew how to paint?"
Alix frowned, Chloe thought too late it might've been a test, one she failed. That was normal. "You're going to help if you want me to do it." she repeated, more firmly this time.
Chloe looked to Nathaniel and back, seeking help but finding none. Nathaniel's expression was a kindly patience, but that was all. Chloe's shoulders slumped,"Am I going to get filthy?" she asked.
Alix turned back to the wall that supported her current work,"Nah. Might break a nail though. Bring that jacket over here."
With a last look back to Sabrina Chloe stepped over to Alix, taking the jacket from Nathaniel. Both of them walked back to the tables. Sabrina made her way towardsMarc and Nathaniel actually walked over to talk to Rose and Juleka, creating a bit of a distraction. Chloe wondered if that was on purpose.
"Okay, put it down and help me with this." Alix was carefully cutting tape along the edge of the giant sheet of paper she was using as a canvas. She passed it to Chloe and made an 'up' gesture. Chloe lifted as Alix cut, freeing more of the paper from the backing.
Chloe watched Alix work, her fingers were nimble and had a practiced ease about them. She cut until Chloe had to stand on her tiptoes and hold the paper over her head to keep it from drooping.
"Okay hold on." Alix darted off and came back with a stepladder. She set it up, grabbed a roll of tape and climbed up,"Okay, hand me the corner, watch it doesn't fold. Watch the paint doesn't touch."
Chloe went through a momentary paroxism trying to follow all the instructions at once. Whatever she ended up doing though, Alix didn't yell. Chloe handed up the corner and Alix carefully tapped along the existing tape, firmly affixing it to the ladder to keep it up out of the way before climbing down,"There we go."
"What was that all about?" Chloe studied the impromptu arrangement. Beneath the cover of the paper was a pegboard backing.
"Got to have room to work." Alix reached down to lift the jacket,"Jeez. What is this made from?" She hefted it and looked thoughtfully up at her workspace,"Okay yeah this is going to take some rigging." Alix flopped the coat over and unzipped it,"Grab me a handful of hangers from the rack."
"Hangers?" Chloe was so out of her element, she wanted to just run from the room, she felt she sounded like an idiot.
"Yeah, hangers. The wire ones. You have to have a million of them at home right?" Alix was digging in a toolbox now.
Chloe marched to the rack in the corner and swept a half dozen off the bar. She marched back, squeezing the metal a bit to try to relieve some of her stress,"Not wire hangers. They damage the fabric." Chloe corrected, trying to recover some ground.
Alix seemed to find that funny. She scooted back over and crouched over the jacket and clacked a pair of needle nose pliers,"okay, hand me one." Chloe crouched beside Alix and passed a hanger. Curiosity was starting to get the better of her.
Alix snipped the end off the hanger with the base of the pliers and then began straightening the unruly wire, fighting it into position,"So, you are doing a thing with Nate and Marc right?"
Chloe watched Alix's hands work, fascinated,"hmm? What? Yes. Sabrina too."
Alix fed the wire through one sleeve of the jacket up to the collar and tested it, then took another from Chloe and repeated the process,"you're not just messing with them right?"
"Why does everyone ask me that?"
"Ha, you want a list?"
That stung, even more so because Chloe couldn't really protest. She settled for,"I'm not messing with them. Our show will be fabulous. You'll see."
Alix seemed more satisfied when she lifted the jacket again and began twisting the wire together a few inches from the ends. "This isn't for either of them. Is it for the new guy?"
Chloe was suddenly on defense,"What makes you think that?"
"There's like two people in our school who could fit into this, and you're not doing it for Ivan." Alix shifted her position and began doing the same down the other sleeve of the jacket as she had the first.
"So what if it is?" Chloe snapped, only barely managing ot moderate her tone.
"Got a crush or something?"
"What?" Chloe's voice was too loud. Eyes shot her way from around the room. She lowered her voice again and hissed,"Look, he gave me this." she flicked the necklace with her fingertips,"As a joke. Now I'm doing this to his jacket, same thing."
Alix finished the second sleeve much faster than the first,"Yeah, uhuh. You're doing this." She flicked out the paper,"As a joke." she resumed twisting the wire,"I don't believe you."
Chloe squirmed internally, and it turned into a shiver,"Why're you picking at this?" she countered.
Alix scooted around, hefting the jacket once more, lifting the wired arms out to the sides and checking the wire length,"You've messed with my friends for years. Even if you're easing up now, I'm still gonna get a little of my own back." Alix met Chloe's gaze with an unabashed grin. The sheer audacity of it earned a begrudging respect in Chloe's mind.
"Okay, fine. Have your fun. I've got thick skin."
"That's a lie. Now here, take this. We've got to feed the ends through the pegboard." Alix rounded the backing and a tap sounded from the other side,"Start with the collar, pick a side and get the two ends through two holes next to each other."
Chloe lifted the awkward garment and tried to follow the instructions. Holding it up that high was harder than just holding it, and maneuvering the wires even harder. Chloe's nails scrapped at the synthetic fiber and she lamented once more her manicure though she couldn't remember the last time her nails hadn't been a disaster lately.
"No, not there, lower."
"Here?"
"There. No wait, okay. Hey, bring it back.
"It's heavy."
"Just get the ends in and hold it."
Chloe leaned herself and the jacket both against the pegboard to help hold it up. If only her strength had hung around. Was it because she could transform now? The whole backing swayed.
"Careful! Okay now hold it steady just a second."
"Hurry."
Alix twisted the wires together on the back side with the pliers,"okay now the other end of the sleeve, Same height."
It was much easier after the first. The twisted wires helped hold the jacket in place. Soon it was spread out in a perfect T against the pegboard. Alix came back around and groaned loudly, slapping a palm to her face.
"What now?" Chloe fussed.
Alix gestured to the jacket,"The front's facing out! We need to turn it around so I can paint it." She disappeared back around to the back and the sound of untwisting wires scratching against the backing soon reached Chloe's ears. "This guy the reason you're acting all different now?"
Chloe ground her teeth,"When are you going to stop with this?" she asked through the pegboard.
"When I've had enough. The more I think you're lying to me the longer it goes." there wasn't any malice in her tone, just a teasing superiority.
"Fine." Chloe caught the jacket as it came free and shifted it around, trying the difficult task of getting those first two wires into the pegboard at the right height,"Yes. Well, not exactly. I don't know. Maybe."
"Now that's a true answer. No fair being on the wrong side of this board."
"Can you hurry? This is getting heavy."
Alix twisted the first set together and they moved on,"You should apologize to Rose and Juleka."
"Why? Don't answer that." They switched to the other side of the jacket,"I'm… working on it. Do you have any idea what this is like?"
"No, but then I was never Queen Brat either."
Chloe froze. She had been floating on a sea of unease but that line sank her. She slid the last set of wires through the pegboard and asked in a voice so small she was surprised Alix even heard,"Did... people really call me that?"
Alix seemed to have caught the change. Her tone softened as well,"Not often, but yeah, once or twice." The last wires were twisted together and she rounded to the front again. She mumbled,"Sorry."
"I liked being Queen Bee." Chloe's voice was still a tiny thing.
Alix shifted uncomfortably,"Yeah." Then she grabbed another roll of tape, blue tape this time and stepped up to the jacket. She tore strips of tape and began spreading them across the back of the jacket, forming a pattern against the fabric. "So what are you guys doing for the talent show?"
Chloe knew it was an obvious distraction but was so thankful for it she didn't care,"It's a dance number."
Alix looked back over her shoulder,"You're going to get Nate dancing?"
"That's the idea, yes."
"Okay, I might have to see this after all." she laughed. The pattern wasn't a complex one and soon she was grabbing paint cans and popping the tops off,"Stand back unless you want to wear more yellow."
Chloe backed up and Alix set to work. She was obviously in her element. She sprayed with a steady and precise hand; sweeping for thin coverage, pausing to let the paint pool and drip where she wanted it. The jacket soaked up the paint in places and Alix applied a second coat, switching cans when the first petered out. It was only the one color, she was finished in a matter of minutes, stepping back to survey her work. "The tape comes off once you're sure the paint won't run. It should be fine by now, that fiber is thirsty. You'll still need to leave it up a bit longer to dry completely. Check it at the end of the day. The fact it doesn't bend will make it last longer."
Chloe was still lost in thought, staring at the pattern. She remembered,"Thank you."
"Don't mention it." Alix wiped her hand on her pants,"Hey. You do right by Marc and Nate and we can call it clear, okay?" she stuck out her hand.
Chloe looked down at Alix's hand like it was an Alien thing. "Okay." The handshake she offered was inept and she completely missed the second part, but Alix didn't say anything, she just went back to her own work. Chloe began to peel the tape off the jacket, Yellow flecks adding one more ruination to her nails. Tape off the black did stand out and make the whole;the symbol of the Bee in silhouette with a graffiti style yellow background. The style wasn't what Chloe had planned, but it worked. "It's just a joke." she told herself.
Alix was right, it was dry by the end of the day. Chloe had a horrible time fighting with the pliers to unwind the wires though. She made a racket and so was caught off guard when someone cleared their throat.
"Feeling any better Chloe?" It was Marinette.
Chloe hauled the jacket off the floor, fighting the wires out of the sleeves,"Not that it is any of your business Du-Pain-Chang, but a bit."
"That's a cool design." Marinette offered, approaching.
"Of course it is, I made it." Chloe added after consideration,"Alix helped me."
"That's Great!" Chloe felt patronized,"so yeah. I just wanted to invite you again in case it slipped your mind. Sunday, four o'clock, Luka's boat. It'll be fun. Bring anyone you like."
Chloe lifted the jacket, not trying to fold it, afraid of ruining the fresh artwork."I'm not coming Marinette. Father is being utterly ridiculous." Chloe had an idea,"I might send Sabrina along though. She does like music."
Marinette smiled a genuine smile,"We'll be sure she has a good time if she comes. And when you can come, just let us know, we'll have another show."
"I wouldn't hold my breath. But it is good for Sabrina to get out once in a while." Chloe strode past Marinette,"Enjoy your little show."
Down in front of the school Chloe took Sabrina by the shoulder and whispered conspiritously,"We've got a mission for you this weekend Sabrina."