Sorry for the late update! Long story short: allergies suck.

I've been trying to figure out a way to incorporate Zoe since I saw her debut in season 4 (though I am not caught up at all with season 4 and most of this fic is not compliant with what I have seen for obvious reasons). I didn't want to make her Chloe's sister because I just didn't like that aspect, but I thought the whole mirroring other people/masking aspect, as well as the actress aspect (since Mylene and, in this story, Sadie are also interested in drama), was really interesting, so that's what I'll be focusing on with her character in this (though she is not going to be a major character).

Also stot = baby ox.

Chapter 13: Zoe

Stompp floated worriedly behind Sadie.

"It's not that late," Sadie replied, brushing off the kwami's concern. "I've stayed up later doing research."

"Yes, but there's no need to," Stompp repeated. "It's a school night, and you need to be well rested in case there is another akuma."

"I am well rested," Sadie said. "There's nothing Mayfly can send at me that I can't handle."

Sadie replaced the book back on the shelf. The Paris House of Life's librarian was very particular about her books, and everything needed to put back in the right location.

"Sadie, my stot," Stompp continued. "There are multiple people researching this. You do not need to carry the weight of all of this."

Sadie picked up a different book and scanned through it. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But I'm here, so I might as well help out."

Stompp floated in front of the book, hands on his hips. "Sadie."

Sadie sighed, closing the book. "Fine." She replaced the book, and sighed.

So, now she just needed to go and sleep. Her homework was done, her book bag packed. Should be easy, right?

"Sadie?" Stompp prodded.

"But what if something happens tonight?" Sadie said. "What if something happened and I could've stopped it if I just read that one more thing?"

Sadie pressed her forehead against the bookshelf. This was exactly why she left Brooklyn in the first place. She constantly felt like she had to be doing something, working on something, and if she didn't, the world would end.

But even then, when given the opportunity to go to Paris, explore the world like she had always wanted to, always envied Carter and her dad for, she had to bribed by the opportunity to help.

"It's good that you want to help," Stompp said. "But you don't have to push yourself like this. Not anymore."

Sadie nodded. "I know, I know, it's just - I guess it's a hard habit to break."

She turned so her back was against the bookshelf, and looked up at the ceiling above. For the first time that evening, she realized how tired she was.

"Ugh, I hate it when Carter is right," she muttered. She smacked the back of her head against the books.

Out of the corner of her eye, Sadie could see a butterfly coming her way.

It fluttered in front of her for a moment, and Sadie glared it at. The butterfly turned the other way, as if tired and wishing she could just go to sleep was not a good emotion for a super villain.

"We should probably do something about that," Sadie muttered.

"Just text Marinette, she can handle it," Stompp said. "You need to sleep."

"Okay," Sadie said. "Let's go home."

The next morning, Sadie still felt tired, but she refused to give in and oversleep.

She was the third person in class that day - Max and Lacy being the only other two there.

Lacy, being Lacy, noticed Sadie's mood immediately.

"You okay?" She asked, sliding into the seat next to Sadie.

"Hm? Yeah, just tired," Sadie replied. "Nothing to worry about."

"Uh-huh."

Lacy gave Sadie a look and Sadie replied with a look of her own.

"I'm fine," Sadie repeated.

"You don't look fine," Lacy said.

"Well, thanks."

"I didn't mean it like that!" Lacy grunted, rubbing her hand down her face. "You're being difficult."

"Further proof I'm perfectly myself," Sadie replied.

The classroom door opened as Chloe and Mylene walked in.

"Fair enough," Lacy said. "Let me know if-"

"Yes, of course, now stop worrying so much."

Lacy rolled her eyes. "I only worry cause I care."

"Lacy," Chloe said. "If you want my opinion-"

"Yes, yes, I know," Lacy said, waving her off. "We've had this conversation before."

"Are you two still planning to join us for practice today?" Mylene asked.

"Yep," Sadie replied. "I'm looking forward to it!"

"Wait, that's today?" Lacy asked.

"Tech week starts today," Mylene confirmed.

"It's been too long since I've experienced a good tech week," Sadie said. She hadn't been in the BAG play this year due to a... disagreement with the play chosen, but she missed being involved in theater. Being a stage hand wasn't the same as being on stage, but it was something.

"It won't be too stressful this year," Mylene said. "We don't want any akumas!"

"I don't know, a stressful tech week could keep everyone too tired to be akumatized," Sadie said.

"A good point," Max piped up from the other side of the classroom. "Mayfly hasn't akumatized many on exhaustion-based emotions, unlike Hawkmoth."

"There was Sandboy," Lacy pointed out.

"Who were still not talking about," Sadie added.

"That was fear, not exhaustion," Max replied.

"Either way, no theater akumas would be good!" Mylene said. "Especially since that leaves more time for actual practice! And we definitely need it." Mylene smiled like it hurt to do so, and she and Chloe took their seats.

The door opened with a dramatic bang, and Adrien and Nino walked in, excitably talking to each other. When they reached the middle of the classroom, Adrien stopped to address the room.

"I have an announcement to make," Adrien announced.

Alix slipped in through the door, closing it softly behind her.

"I'm going to dye my hair," Adrien continued.

"Ooh, let me do it!" Sadie said. "What we need to do is find the cheapest, lowest quality hair dye possible-"

"And risk getting green hair like yours?" Chloe asked.

"Yes," Sadie said. "You're not trying to look good with hair dye."

"I dye my hair to look cool," Alix commented.

"I agree with Sadie," Adrien said. "I want to do something that would annoy my father if he saw."

"Cheap it is," Chloe commented.

"Anyone else in for a hair dyeing party?" Sadie asked. "Lacy, you're coming, right?"

"Yes!" Lacy agreed. "I loved the pink highlights you did last year!"

"Max? Mylene?" Sadie asked. "Chloe I assume-"

"That I won't let you touch my hair?" Chloe finished.

"Exactly."

"I'm in," Mylene said. "If I can, but this is tech week."

"I don't do hair stuff," Max said. "But you all enjoy."

"I need to redo my roots, so I'm in," Alix said.

Marinette and Alya walked in, discussing something on Alya's phone.

"Nino?" Adrien asked.

"Dude, I don't have enough hair," Nino replied.

"Enough hair for what?" Alya asked.

"We're dying Adrien's hair," Sadie said.

"Oh, I'm so in for this," Alya said. "We're getting the cheapest hair dye we can find, right?"

"Is it today?" Marinette asked.

"No, probably not for a few more days," Adrien said. "We still have to get all the hair dye."

"Maybe next Monday, after all the theater stuff is over with?" Sadie suggested.

"Works for me," Adrien said.

"I'll mark it down," Marinette agreed.

"Ooh, you should do your hair red," Lacy said. "Like, just the tips."

"No, you should do pink," Mylene said.

"So where are we doing this?" Lacy asked. "Sadie's place?"

"We could talk Kagami into doing this!" Alya said.

"I'm sure Tidir wouldn't mind," Sadie replied. In fact, she might enjoy seeing me hanging out with friends and doing regular stuff.

Juleka, Rose, and Ivan entered, pausing when they saw Adrien and Nino in the front of the class.

"Are you three in for hair dyeing?" Sadie asked.

"Yes!" Rose chirped. Juleka gave a less enthusiastic yes as well.

Ivan ran his fingers through his hair, and then shrugged. "Not sure if I have enough hair."

"It's enough," Juleka said.

"I'm going to go ahead and assume Kim is in as well," Sadie said, because Kim was Kim and Kim was always in.

"I'm volunteering Nath," Alix added.

"I'll work out the schedule," Marinette said. "I know the practice times for tech week already, and fencing practice, and everything else."

"Tech week?" Adrien asked. "That sounds fun."

"Totally," Mylene said, chuckling nervously.

Sadie glanced back at Mylene and gave her a thumbs up, and when she looked back she saw Stompp floating in front of her.

"Your phones ringing," he said.

Sadie frowned, reaching for her phone in her pocket before remembering she didn't have pant pockets today. Her phone was in her book bag, where she wouldn't have noticed it ringing.

"Thanks," Sadie said, reaching for her bag to grab the phone.

It was ringing, and a quick glance at the caller ID told her it was important.

"It's my brother," Sadie said. "Watch my stuff?"

Lacy nodded, and Sadie slid out to the hallway to take the call.

"Hullo?"

The voice on the other end was not Carter's.

"I need to - you keep the-"

"Cleo? What's wrong?"

Something very loud clattered in the background.

"Alissa - and I-"

"Cleo, calm down and start from the beginning."

Cleo took two audible breaths before continuing.

It was hard to make out what she was saying, due to the commotion in the background, but from what Sadie could figure out, a magical project went wrong and now they were being attacked by statues.

By the time Cleo was explaining why Carter wasn't handling this himself, most of the class had arrived and Sadie could clearly here someone chasing after penguins in the background of the call.

"Okay, here's what you need to do," Sadie said.

Someone cleared their throat, and Sadie turned to see Bustier watching her.

Sadie gestured to her phone a mouthed "family". Bustier nodded and continued in.

Sadie returned to giving her instructions.

It took about ten minutes, but Sadie talked Cleo through fixing the problem. And once Cleo confirmed that all was well, Sadie snuck back in class.

The first thing Sadie did at lunch was call Carter.

"I'm supposed to be on vacation!"

"I didn't tell her to call you," Carter argued. "I was busy."

"I am trying to destress, as you asked me too," Sadie continued.

"You don't sound destressed," Carter said.

Sadie rubbed her forehead. "Look, I'm trying. But there's a terrorist on the loose, another person portalled to Las Vegas instead of Cairo this morning, and Walt is being no help with the anti sleep things."

"It's not-"

"Our sole responsibility to save the world anymore, I know," Sadie said. "But - this isn't even what I was calling you about!"

Sadie sighed, sitting down on the stairs. Behind her, students were still leaving school in packs, on their way to wherever they were having lunch that day.

"I don't know, I'm just tired," Sadie said. "It's like - it's like my brain was wired a certain way while we were dealing with the whole end-up-the-world stuff, and now I can't rewire it."

"Technically speaking, I think that is what happened," Carter replied. "And I'm going through the same thing here."

"I don't know why you want to stay there," Sadie admitted. "Getting out, even if it's just for a little while, is helping."

"I've spent my life traveling, I'm fine staying here for now," Carter replied. "But I might drop by Paris in a few days, I think I found something to help with the portal problems."

"Cool," Sadie said, trying to hide the jolt of excitement that ran through her. She missed her brother - but she would never tell him that.

Lacy announced her presence by nudging Sadie with her foot.

"Eat," she said.

"Anyways, got to go!" Sadie said. "Lacy wants attention."

"I want food," Lacy corrected. "Let's go."

She nudged Sadie again with her foot.

"Alright, alright," Sadie said, standing up. "Where to?"

As planned, Lacy and Sadie met with Mylene after class. Chloe also ended up tagging along, out of boredom.

As they walked to the practice, Mylene explained what they would be doing as stagehands, occasionally getting distracted by other random details.

"- oh and she's so nice," Mylene was saying. "So pleasant to work with. Much better than the lead last semester."

"Wasn't he akumatized over something?" Chloe recalled.

Mylene shrugged. "I try not to pay attention to who's been akumatized. Especially after Ivan's experience."

"That's right, he was the first victim, wasn't he?" Lacy recalled.

Mylene nodded. "And here we are!" She opened the door, waving the three of them in.

Inside, students were already scrambling. In one corner, a teacher was explaining something to a group of students - all male, Sadie noticed, so it was likely about stage makeup - and in another, a group of students were running through vocal warm ups.

"So where do you want us?" Lacy asked.

"Over here!" Mylene led them up to the makeshift stage, where a teacher was talking with a student.

"Mr Monlataing," Mylene said.

The teacher broke off his conversation and broke into a smile. "Oh, good, you did come. We'll walk you through what you need to do as we practice, sound good?"

Lacy and Sadie both nodded.

"Oh, and this is our lead, Zoe," Mr Monlataing said, gesturing to the student.

"So you're the Zoe Mylene's been talking about nonstop?" Chloe questioned, giving Zoe a look over.

"And you must be Chloe?" Zoe replied, mirroring Chloe's stance. "Mylene's talked about you too."

"You're American," Sadie noted, recognizing the accent.

"Kumer Boomer?" Lacy guessed.

Zoe nodded. "We just moved here last fall."

"Zoe's mom teaches mythology," Mr Monlataing said. "Something you're all interested in?"

Lacy bounced on the balls of her feet. "Really? That's so cool! What type?"

"She teaches several," Zoe replied, shifting her weight forward. "But my favorite is Celtic mythology."

"Ooh, I don't know anything about that," Lacy said. "I really only know Greek mythology."

"Maybe sometime you two can compare notes?" Monlataing suggested.

"Sounds fun!" Lacy said.

"Anyways, Mylene and Zoe need to get changed, I'll show the two - three? - of you backstage and explain," the teacher continued.

Lacy and Sadie nodded, and Mr Monlataing began showing them (and Chloe) backstage, but was cut off by everyone's phones going off.

Sadie was the first to check her phone. "Oh, it isn't near us, it shouldn't be a problem."

"We still need to keep track of it," Mr Monlataing said.

"I can do that!" Chloe volunteered. "Since I'm not doing anything else."

"Great!" Mr Monlataing said. "Thank you. The rest of you, let's get this show on the road!"

"Which akuma is it this time?" Adrien asked, already looking around for a place to transform.

Adrien and Nino were almost to their apartment, after stopping by the bakery on their way home from school, when the akuma alert went off.

"Looks like it's Mr Pigeon again," Nino replied. "They can probably handle it without you, with your allergies and all."

"True," Adrien said. "I don't feel like being attacked by pigeons today. I should tell her I'm sitting it out."

Adrien fished his phone out of his backpack and sent a text to Marinette.

not pigeons, was the response. rats.

"Looks like I'm good to go," Adrien said, showing Nino the text.

"Oh good. Rats don't fly."

They ducked into the apartment building and into the empty staircase to transform.

Chat Noir met Ladybug in the street in front of the bakery, Carapace right behind him.

"Don't worry kitty, no feathers this time," Ladybug teased.

Pigmy and Lis Tigre landed behind Ladybug, and Ryuko next to Chat Noir.

"Giant rats," Lis Tigre said.

Pigmy bounced on the balls of her feet. "They're so cute!"

"I thought Mr Pigeon used pigeons," Ryuko said.

"Nope, no pigeons," Ladybug confirmed. "Giant rats."

"Like ROUSes?" Carapace asked.

"Rodents of unusual size?" Chat Noir asked, leaning on his staff. "I don't believe they exist."

And then, true to the reference, a giant rat slammed into Chat Noir.

I have had that last scene stuck in my head for so long ngl.