"Here's your usual, Chloe. Enjoy."
Chloe happily took the two boxes of treats and paid with cash to Bridgette. On her way out, Chloe glanced over her shoulder and saw Bridgette giving Felix his bitter dark coffee with a frown. Just as the woman placed the cup down, Felix touched her hand and she swept it away almost immediately.
Seeing the exchange, Chloe raised a perfectly trimmed brow.
The door chimed, alerting the blonde of someone coming in towards her way.
"Hi, Chloe." Marinette greeted her as she passed her.
A second later, Adrien appeared, following Marinette once again, staring after her longingly. Bridgette wrapped an arm around Marinette, swiftly sending a glare at Adrien and then the two disappear inside to their living quarters upstairs. Adrien sat down beside his older brother, sulking like a heartbroken kitten.
Chloe released a groan of some frustration. "This feud is getting ridiculous! At this rate, Adrikins will die inside. Just like when his mom disappeared, and his dad ignored him. I can't let that happen to him again."
Her expensive handbag shuffled on its own. Then a hand-sized bee popped its head out, it's big blue eyes fluttering.
"It's sweet you're doing something nice for your friend." It said, sounding as were an elegant woman.
Chloe gasped and clapped her hand at her bag, hissing. "Get back in there, Pollen, before someone sees you!"
"Gimme my honey caramels first!"
The young woman quickly stuffed the box containing the caramels in her bag, effectively shutting up her little friend so she can ponder more.
To which she came to the ultimate conclusion of how protective Bridgette was over Marinette when it comes to Adrien.
"There's something about Bridgette that's causing this mess."
She took out her phone and simply picked a number on speed dial.
"Sabrina? I need a favor."
Later in the day, Chloe entered another cafe, one of a more modern design. She sat down at a table, sitting across her best friend since...well, forever!
"So, did you get it?"
Her question was answered with sniffles. Puzzled, she put down her Prada sunglasses to eye Sabrina who was oddly shaking.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Bridgette Cheng's history." The redhead wept the tears off her red face. "So sad."
Chloe plucked the file from the woman's hands and read the content. Everything she needed to know about...
"Bridgette Cheng, born and raised in London...Parents were immigrants from China, the father's sister went to Paris...Went to Sir Arthur High School...Hey, that's the school Felix went to in London! I remember because Adrien sent me a photo when his dad finally let Felix out of homeschooling."
Chloe's pretty blue eyes wandered to its corner in deep thought.
"So, Bridgette went to the same school as Felix. I wonder if-" Her eyes caught sight of some words that almost stopped her heart. "Mon dieu...she lost both her parents in a car crash at 17."
"Oui. It was a terrible accident." Sabrina inputted, finally calming down from her crying. "After that, she spent her final school year in Paris under her aunt and uncle's custody until she left for culinary school in China."
"According to the police report, the car accident was caused by a- an Akuma!" Chloe practically screamed it out, startling the other customers. "Wait, Ladybug was in London 10 years ago?"
"From what I found, that was Ladybug's last appearance in London. Ever."
"That's not important, Sabrina! What's matters is that Bridgette and Felix went to the same school! Felix is a total asshole, even at 17. Bridgette must of have a huge crush on him and he must've broken her heart."
Like cousin, like brother.
"If Bridgette liked Felix just as much Marinette did with Adrien...then that explains everything."
She wasn't the only one conducting an investigation on a blue-haired woman.
She was only doing half of one.
One certain reporter conducted her own investigation on the link that Ladybug was known in England a few years earlier.
"Ohhh! Ahhhhh!"
...Although she was taking a break at that current moment.
"Harder! Harder!"
"I'll give you hard, babe!"
A heated break.
Two stark naked bodies rutted like animals in heat, skin glistening with sweat.
"Nino..."
"Alya!"
They rolled along the cream-coloured sheets, getting into different positions. The sex was rough. The sex was wild. The sex was loud. The bouncing bodies had absolutely no shortage of energy in the lovemaking. The bed they shared creaking under their jumping weight.
Her back arched off the bed. Nino was the one above, hoisting Alya's leg over his shoulder for a better angle. Alya screamed her approval before she pushed herself up, sitting on his lap, then flattened him on his back and rode him in a slow yet deep pace, causing him to groan and roll his head back against the pillows. Her hands on his heaving chest held him down. She smirked teasingly, keeping that smirk on while she twisted her hips around into the reverse cowgirl position, picking up her snail's pace. The man below her decided to desist resisting by sitting up, hugged her against him, palming her bouncing breasts, breathing in her shoulder. She threw her arm behind her, throwing it around him, pulling him even closer. Their grunts, their gasps, their thrusting all came together in perfect unison.
"I can't believe you!"
"You can't believe me? You're the one who didn't fight the Akuma at all!"
"I was analyzing the situation, trying to find the butterfly without causing major damage to the area but you just jumped right in and destroyed half the city!"
"It was just a building or two. Besides, LB fixed everything."
"We can't always rely on Ladybug to clean up our messes. You need to be more responsible for your actions. You can't just leap away with an excuse that your civilian life is so busy. I have one too, you know. One day, your irresponsibility will come and bite you in the bud!"
"You are such a worrywart."
"Better to be a worrywart than a slacker."
"Lame-o."
"Maniac."
"Shell head!"
"Fluff brain!"
"Nerd!"
"Tramp!"
"Stop bickering, you two!" Ladybug snapped.
"Maybe you two should avoid one another for a while..." Chat Noir timidly suggested.
Rena Rouge shook her head. "No, let's keep going! Every time we fight, my boyfriend and I fuck our brains out!"
Carapace made a face of utter disgust and a T sign with his fingers. "Gross! Too much information!"
It was a routine. They work, they transform, they protect Paris, they fought each other verbally, they detransform, they resume their work, and they have sex to release the stress.
And that was why Nino was taking his girlfriend from behind. He hammered into her, an iron grip on her hips. She gasped at every hard thrust he gave her. Nino squawked, the sounds he made taken from the vicious velociraptors of Jurassic Park, his eyes tightly shut. Suddenly, he grasped her short hair and pulled, yanking her head back, thrusting fiercer when he did.
"You're mine, babe!"
"Fuck yes, I am!"
In one swift thrust, they met their end together and screamed it out together.
Nino collapsed on top of Alya, both exhausted from the rather vigorous session. The couple laid there to catch their breaths. Alya turned to Nino, smiling. Nino returned the smile, so they leant in for a chaste kiss.
Neither noticed the creak made in the door, where a little green head took a careful peek.
"Are they done, Wayzz?" His orange foxy friend asked.
"I assume so, Trixx."
"Let's go back to the kitchen. I'm hungry!"
Watching Trixx zoom off, Wayzz shook his head but followed her anyway.
Back in the bedroom, Nino and Alya were off each other. Alya was slipping on a dressing gown where she came across her boyfriend's discarded boxers, childishly adorned with banana-wearing turtles swinging weapons. The underwear made her thought of Carapace immediately.
"God, that jerk really riles me up!" She screamed and tossed the boxers at Nino's face.
"Do you want me to talk to him?" Nino asked, putting on the cursed boxers.
"I will when you let slap that bitch you're always moping about."
"I prefer to keep my work and private lives apart."
"Me too."
They kissed, although their minds were elsewhere. Alya loved Nino, she really did, yet there was something about that annoying stick-in-the-mud turtle that just itches her in another way, one that ignites her curiosity and kindle her fascination. But she could never retort to cheating, to stoop that low for an uncertain feeling. And Nino was in the same boat. He adored Alya to the bone, but the wretched, crazy vixen that was Rena Rouge caused his head to spin like his discs and break the cool posture he maintained as Carapace. Although he felt as there could be more beyond their current status, he would rather die than betray Alya.
If only they knew the truth.
"So, when is your girl gonna give my dude a chance? So, they can have crazy sex and we'll cringe to hear about it?"
"Only when her cousin lands a date, I guess."
"Adrien's brother is already winging Bridgette. I mean, really. He's flying!"
"Yeah, out the door when she turns him down. What is with her with the Agreste brothers? Adrien, I understand, but Felix? Anyway, I better back to work."
She directed her attention to a wall, pinned with photographs and articles of Ladybug from 10 to 15 years ago. Handwritten notes planted everywhere. A section dedicated to the secret identity of Ladybug.
Alya's obsession with Ladybug expanded over the years. From her research, she uncovered evidence of Ladybug being active in London when she had multiple braids and braces. Even as a superhero herself, she still wants to know the secrets of Ladybug. Every piece of newly discovered fact fed her hungry curiosity, encouraging her year-long goal to uncover Ladybug secret id-
She redirected her full attention to a golden-framed picture of herself and Marinette taken in their younger days, smiling, side-by-side.
Holding the frame in her hands, she remembered how her obsession nearly cost her best friend.
It was the day after the rejection.
Marinette followed her cousin's good 'advice' and avoided Adrien like the plague. She switched seats with Chloe, took lunch outside of school, and looked away every time Adrien came to view. And like a gentleman, the boy of the problem gave her the space she needed, having his own broken heart to carry.
However, Alya was more cornered about the Akuma battle yesterday. Especially that Ladybug was hurt during it.
It begun when they walked home after school.
"Girl, didn't see the beating Ladybug got?" She asked while glued to her phone.
Her eyes barely noticed how Marinette was holding her right arm and wearing a different jacket that had longer sleeves.
"N-No…"
"Come on, Mari! How can you not see it? Ladybug could be seriously injured!"
"I-I-I s-suppose s-so."
They walked and Alya talked all the way to Marinette's home. Just when they were outside the bakery, Alya asked a severe question.
"Don't you care about Ladybug?"
Marinette squeaked, grappling her arm more tightly, the pain striking throughout her body in a much fiercer quality. Despite the great pain growing each minute as Alya ranted, she kept her mouth shut, making muffled noises of discomfort.
The front door opened and there appeared Bridgette, wearing a brown uniform with a chocolatier logo imprinted on.
"Alya, this is my cousin, Bridgette." Marinette introduced.
Alya waved. "Hi!"
Bridgette didn't smile.
"Marinette, get inside."
"Ok."
Marinette made no complaint as she scurried inside, leaving her best friend and cousin by stared down Alya, her cool blue eyes scaring the younger girl. She had heard Alya talking down on her vulnerable cousin, chatting nothing but Ladybug, ignoring Marinette's obvious pain.
"Alya, isn't it?" She questioned.
Alya took a gulp before speaking. "Yes."
"You're Marinette's best friend, right?
"Yes."
"I find that hard to believe.
"Excuse me?"
"If you are really her friend, why do you care so much about some dumb superhero?"
The young journalist dropped her fear for the defense of her hero. "Ladybug is not dumb! She's the greatest superhero of all time!"
"Marinette just got rejected and you're swooning over some other girl? Ladybug was the reason why she got rejected in the first place! First her crush, now her own friend? If you know Marinette nearly as much as I do, you would've known how deeply she felt for that blonde idiot. Do you really think she would just get over it so quickly? She's hurting and you're not there for her except to blab about somebody else. You don't even know Ladybug, yet you care so much about her and care even less about Mari. Don't you care about your best friend? Marinette needs someone who can support her, be there for her, not bail on her for anything. So, unless you understand that…I advise you to make up your mind and choose whose side you're on. You can't have both. Marinette or Ladybug. Now…goodbye."
Just as callous as her words, Bridgette closed the door on Alya, leaving her alone on the pavement in bafflement. Bridgette's harsh speech opened her eyes, cut open her heart, her deepest unknown feelings spilling out.
Was she that clueless?
Was she that transparent?
Was she that shallow?
She knew Marinette was hurt by Adrien's rejection. She wanted to rip that boy apart and feed his body parts to her father's animals, however she let herself be distracted by Ladybug's rough battle yesterday that she threw her best friend aside to fawn over a girl she barely knew.
She was no better than Adrien!
The older girl had a point. She had to choose.
Her best friend or her idol?
This obsession of hers with Ladybug nearly cost her the greatest friend she ever had. On the other hand, Paris will fall if anything happens to Ladybug. But Alya would fall if anything happens to Marinette. Ladybug saved her life countless times. Marinette helped so many times.
"Why can't I have both? Why do I have to choose?" Alya started to walk home, asking herself on the subject, trying to decide between two very different girls who possessed important parts of her life. "How can this be so hard? I know its selfish, but I can't pick! If only I had some understanding about Ladybug…I only know her face. I guess not everything is what it seems."
She had no idea that her self-conversation was being overheard by a short old man.
The doubt sat heavy on her shoulders throughout the whole way home. The first thing she did was lock herself in her bedroom and hide under the bed covers.
However, Alya didn't made it to the second part once she spotted the small dark box on her pillow.
Her eyebrows rose to her hairline. "What the?"
Picking it up, she found that the box was much smaller than the palm of her hand. When she opened it, orange lights shot out, blinding her and sending her falling, dropping the box in the process. After a minute of dizziness, Alya hoisted herself to her feet, blinking her vision clear, finding a little floating orange fox grinning at her.
"Hi!" It chirped, flashing little fangs.
Alya screamed.
The tiny fox took it as a good sign, floating over to her. Alya defended herself with the first thing she grabbed. A sock.
"Stay away from me!"
"It's ok, kit, I'm a friend." It flashed her a friendly grin.
Arching one of her eyebrows, Alya dropped her useless sock yet kept her eyes on the weird creature. "What the Hell are you? What are you doing in my house?"
"Straight to the point, I like that about you! I am Trixx, master of trickery, lord of deception, king of the double sight!"
"And god of exaggeration."
Her snarky remark made the fox crackle with laughter, throwing his little head back, going into a loop-de-loop.
"Funny, I like you even more! Now, here's the story. I am a Kwami, lord of the Fox Miraculous!"
"Miraculous?"
Alya thought about the word, having heard it many times from chasing after superheroes with a phone. In every attack, every akuma had demanded Ladybug and Chat Noir to surrender their 'Miraculous' for a reason she couldn't find.
Until now.
"What does a Miraculous do? Why would anyone want it?"
"It gives you power and dresses you up in a swanky, foxy attire!"
"You mean…" A grin spread across Alya's face. "Like a superhero, like Ladybug?!" She held up the necklace, the orange white-tipped fox tail gently swinging. "This is a Miraculous?"
Trixx nodded. "Miraculouses come in all shapes, sizes, and styles. With my necklace, you can cast illusions. Wanna try it out?"
"Absolutely!"
"Just say my name and 'pounce on.'"
"Trixx, pounce on!"
Vibrant orange lights filled the room as she swapped her comfortable clothes for an eyecatching orange, white and black bodysuit, just as swanky as Trixx promised. Her hair pulled into a voluminous ponytail, white streaks covering half of the tail. In her hand, she clutched a flute. Her glasses gone for a mask yet she can see clearly.
She felt more energetic, more vivacious, animated, bouncing on her feet, barely capable of staying still.
Without a second thought, she jumped out of her window, leaping across rooves, scaling walls, swinging from lampposts.
Her wild tryout caught a lot of attention.
Especially Paris's famous duo.
Her fun was cut short when she landed on the top of the Opéra Garnier, crouching and gazing starstruck at the two figures before her.
Her grin took up her whole face. "Ladybug! Chat Noir!"
But when she rose to her full height, she ended up close and personal with Ladybug's ferocious scowl.
Her hero was scaring her.
"Uh…greetings?"
"Really?" The red clad heroine hissed. "Just what I need, Volpuna back again."
Alya knew instantly that she was talking about Volpina aka Lila the Italian liar.
She was quick to defend herself. "No, no, no, no! I'm brand new to this! I'm not an akuma! I'm uh…I'm…Rena Rouge!"
Thank God for her father for introducing her to every breed of foxes.
Ladybug didn't look the slightest trusting.
Chat Noir, on the other hand, was.
"So how did you come to be Rena Rouge?" Chat Noir asked much more nicely.
"I-I-I found a box in my room! A tiny fox god thing popped out! He told me about my miraculous!"
Ladybug studied her intensely until eventually her expression softened, understanding that she was telling the truth.
"I believe you."
Rena Rouge released a heavy sigh of relief she didn't know she was holding in.
She spent the rest of the day with her idols, filled in on her new role as Paris's hero and their mission to stop Hawkmoth who has the power to akumatize people. But the hardest part was feeling Ladybug's calculating stare on her, as if patiently waiting for Rena Rouge to suddenly change her appearance and wear a red-painted smirk, saying "Surprise, suckers!"
Who knew Ladybug was so difficult towards newcomers?
Fortunately for the vixen, Ladybug's gaze shifted from her to the purse-snatching occurring on the street. Ladybug and Chat Noir chased the thief, but the creep blended in the busy crowds, making it almost impossible to keep up with him.
Rena Rouge glanced to her flute. She stopped running, gripped her instrument, took a deep breath, shut her eyes tight, thought of someone in her mind and blew.
Officer Raincomprix popped out of thin air, his brawny hand stretched out. His intimidating stance was effective, making the scared thief skid to a stop and thus allowing Chat Noir to pounce on him, snatching the purse back to its rightful owner and shoving the weasel to the real policeman.
The incident brought pride to Rena Rouge. She grinned as it swelled it up inside her.
Instead of thanking her, Ladybug said quite bluntly. "You have to leave now."
"What? I thought we're a team!"
"Your miraculous is beeping. That means you have only a few minutes and you detransform. We have a strict no-revealing-identities policy, so leave. Now."
Rena Rouge turned to Chat Noir who just shrugged.
"You better go before she literally kicks you to the other side of Paris."
She sighed before jumping away, her new vixen ears picking up the couple's conversation.
"You were too harsh on her, Ladybug."
"I am not going through another Volpina fiasco."
Ok, so maybe Ladybug wasn't what she fantasied. She was strict, short-tempered, driven, professional to a T. A red-hot machine on a mission barking out orders and taking no questions. It was a completely different side of her hero.
The experience truly changed her viewpoint of her favourite hero. Her idolisation deflated by an ounce. It turned out if she spent quality time with Ladybug, she would see her as what she truly was.
A human with flaws.
At least her curiosity was put to rest.
Yet she persisted for her secret identity!
After she left Ladybug and Chat Noir, Rena Rouge dropped down in a dark alley and her suit dissolved into her plain civilian clothes. Trixx magically popped out from the fox-tail necklace hung around Alya's neck, around shining silver.
"Well," Trixx grinned. "How about that?"
Alya took deep, heavy sighs. "I never knew how difficult being a hero is! I didn't know that Ladybug can be so…snarky! I guess everyone has an illusion of themselves."
Trixx's grin relaxed into a smile. "We all have illusions. We present ourselves differently in different situations. It's natural. You even acted differently as Rena Rouge."
Alya beamed. "I'm glad to see past that fake image. Now there's something I have to do."
Moments later, she was standing outside the bakery, closed for the rest of the night. With another deep breath, she rose her hand, fisted it and knocked upon the wood. And as lucky as Ladybug's Lucky Charm, the door opened up and showed Marinette on the inside.
She looked puzzled yet better than earlier. "Alya?"
Guilty laid upon Alya, her hands tightly balled together, fingers interlocked while her sad eyes stayed cast on the pigtailed girl.
"Mari, I just to say I'm sorry. I've been a lousy best friend to you. I'd focused on Ladybug on my phone rather than on you on front of me. I neglected you for her. I ignored you when you needed me. You've always been there for me, even coming late, you're there. It's not fair on you, especially after Adrien rejected you. I didn't realise how much my obsession was taking over me until Bridgette told me. I'm so sorry. I'm not expecting you to forgive me right away, but please, just know I' really sorry for everything."
Marinette stared at her, bluebell eyes blinking. Then pale arms shot out, wrapped around Alya's form, Marinette's face buried in her shoulder. Alya copied the gesture, her eyes leaking tears of happiness.
There was nothing more precious than the bond of best friends.
Amidst the hug, Alya glanced behind Marinette. Bridgette leant against the doorframe, arms folded and frowning while staring intensely at her, as if keeping an eye on her for another mistake.
Alya muffled a squeak of terror.
Alya hadn't moved since she picked up that photoframe. Her mocha finger traced the outline of the Chinese-French girl behind the glass.
She may have reconciled with Marinette, but she still had to deal with Bridgette. The Chinese woman was always watching her every move, always looking for an excuse to kick Alya out.
There was still the risk of losing her best friend.
From behind, her boyfriend hugged her with one arm. He nuzzled her shoulder, planting a sweet kiss on her skin as an effort to comfort her. She laid her free hand on his arm, still staring at the picture.
Watching the sunset was her favourite part of the day. Where the warm colours of yellow, orange and even purple mixing together before gently fading to midnight blue, like witnessing an artist's masterpiece in patient progress.
It made Chloe feel at peace.
Although her eyes were on the sunset, her mind was still set on the file.
The akuma attack that claimed Bridgette's parents did more than made her lose them. It also damaged London Ladybug's reputation as a hero.
And London Ladybug was never seen since.
She must've felt so horrible for not preventing that accident. Chloe thought. She probably thought everyone hated her, so she gave up her Miraculous. It's not like she did it on purpose...like I did.
That was a fact she knew very well.
For years, she had been abusing her wealth and status, making others miserable for her sick pleasure. She was so high, she could pass of as Zeus genderbent and reincarnated.
She never thought that one day, all of her actions will come to bite her in the ass.
She was 17, still in her teenage brat prime. Shopping, plotting, bullying, snapping, the usual.
And then one day, her father was delivering a speech for his re-election campaign when a blast cut through the air.
A bullet shot his shoulder.
Frozen to the stop, she watched her father fall until she snapped out of it and rushed to his side.
"DADDY!"
Her father was rushed to the hospital, immediately into surgery. She waited outside while the doctors worked to save her father's life.
He could've died.
Then she felt someone sit beside her. She turned and froze.
Robert-Pierre Bonaparte.
Her father's biggest opponent.
Young, handsome, charismatic, intelligent. And a little too ambitious.
He gave her the creeps by just his smile.
"My condolences to your father. He was a worthy rival."
"He still is."
"On the contrary, my dear. If a politician is injured during the election, he can still run but cannot have anyone in his campaign to take his place to promote himself. If he dies..." His smile became sinister. "He can't run at all."
Chloe stared at him, shocked at his words. "Why are you telling me this?"
He shrugged. "Might as well. I wanted to see my money wasted on nearly assassinating this fool."
She took in his words, slowly understanding what he meant, receiving a horrible realization.
"You shot my daddy?!" She stood up from her seat and glare at Robert-Pierre. "How dare you?! I'm having you arrested!"
But he chuckled instead. "Oh Chloe, you are such a naive little girl. That's not how you play politics. You have no proof of my involvement."
"You just told me! I'm calling the police on you!"
However, he laughed, throwing his head back. "With what evidence? Your father is not mayor anymore during the reelection and he is certainly in no condition to do as you please."
"Then I'll do it myself!"
"No one will help you." He stood up, easily towering over her. "As will no one will believe you. You're just a spoiled brat. Everyone is more than happy to dethrone you. You belong on the streets you spat on." With every word he said, he stepped towards her, making her step back. "I'd done my research. You're rather a notorious bully at your school and responsible for about 90% of all Akuma attacks on Paris, isn't that right? You even got a fellow student suspended for taking a picture of your locker, didn't you?"
"S-She violated my privacy!"
"But that gave you the right to lock a student in a closet just so you can stand beside the boy of your fancy, blackmail your fellow competitors for Class President, and more importantly, nearly had a girl arrested on suspicion of stealing your bracelet which was in your handbag the entire time?"
His arms shot out, caging her against the wall. She squeaked and cowered under him.
"I'm doing Paris a favor of getting of you. Everyone will thank me for it. You're not the city's princess anymore. You're not protected by anything anymore. So, unless you want to end up like your father..." His eyes roamed to the door behind him. "I suggest you stay out of my way and let me win."
He then pulled away. Once freed, Chloe slumped down to the floor, speechless for the first time.
Robert-Pierre sundered off with a cocky way of the hand.
"Avoir."
Chloe had spent the rest of the day and night by her father's side, holding his hand as he laid unconscious in the hospital bed.
The doctors said he'll live, but the bullet to his left arm caused great damage.
He may lose use of that arm for good.
Nearly losing her father opened Chloe's shallow eyes. Her father may have spoiled her a 'little' too much, but he was always here for her. Even with the weight of Paris on his shoulders and the demands of his five-star hotel, he always made time for her. He single-handedly raised her after her mother left, her mother who was as cold and neglectful as Adrien's father. The only time she even had a nanny was for a few hours for a few days a week. He was there most afternoons and every evening and every morning.
This man was the reason she was still alive today.
She realized how much she truly loved him.
The very next day, she tried to get into her routine to no avail. Her words lacked venom, her actions dropped halfway, her scheming fell through and all she bought was a bottle of shampoo.
She sat on a bench next to an old man, burning holes into the TV displayed in a shop. A small crowd was gathered around it, fawning over the sickly-sweet words of the man who tried to murder her father preaching flamboyant promises of a better Paris, better opportunities for everyone.
The adoring crowd truly believed he was an angel sent from beyond to help them.
But Chloe knew he's only in it for the money and power.
"Who are you voting for, dear?" The old man sitting beside her asked. He was short, Asian and wearing a hideous Hawaiian shirt.
"Definitely not him." She snarled.
"Why so?"
She couldn't hide her anger for another second. "Because he's promising things he'll never fulfill, that's why!"
"All politicians make promises they never keep."
"Then what makes him think he's any better? That man is a monster! He lies, cheats, manipulates, hurts others just to get what he wants! He's-"
She stopped upon a realization.
"...just like me."
She slumped against the bench, dejected at the terrible connection, and silently begun to cry.
"I'm really am a monster...Now I know understand what he said. Mon dieu…He's right. No one will help now. I just wish I can make things right."
The old man said nothing. He only smiled with one hand behind his back.
When she returned to her home, all she wanted to do was to take a bubble bath, order sushi, and desperately try to ignore the impending election. Disconnect herself from the world.
Instead, she reached into her purse for her phone to turn it off when she found a small oriental box.
She peered at it quizzedly. "I don't remember buying this."
Nonetheless, she opened it right away, gasping at the piece of jewelry inside, a golden haircomb with the style of a black-striped bee sitting on red velvet.
For a brief moment, she believed her father had gave her another gift until she sadly remembered he was in hospital still.
Suddenly, the box glowed. Beams of white yellow shot out, like sunrays, almost blinding Chloe, promoting her to look away, shielding her eyes with her hand.
When the lights died down a minute later, she looked.
A palm-sized bumblebee, yellow and black, big royal-blue and black eyes smiled at her.
"Hello!" It spoke femininely.
Chloe screamed, falling back on her queen-sized bed. The bee-thing only floated closer.
"What are you?!"
"I'm Pollen! At your service." It gave her a bow. "I'm a Kwami, or in other words, a tiny god of beauty, wealth and rebirth! You have been chosen by the great guardian to wield the Bee Miraculous."
"Miraculous?" Chloé uttered.
She remembered that was what the Akumas always demanded from Ladybug and Chat Noir. Apparently, it was something that made them the heroes they were today.
If she now has a Miraculous of her own...
Her fear washed away by a wave of excitement.
"You mean...I can be a superhero? Like Ladybug?"
"Exactly! The Miraculous must be used wisely, never for evil. My fellow Kwami, Nooroo is forced by his holder to do evil, Hawkmoth. As my holder, you have the special power to immediately immobilise their opponent by stinging with your spinning top weapon. But once you used it, you have little time until you detransform and I have to recharge."
"B-B-But why me? How can I be a superhero? I make a better villain. Everyone says so."
"In order to help others, you need to help yourself."
Chloe paused, taking in what the little god assured.
This was a second chance for her. A chance to help others. A chance to make things right. A chance to end corruption.
She beamed. "I'll do it!" And then she yelped, realizing one important fact. "I have to stop Robert-Pierre before the election ends tonight!"
"Just say my name and stinger out to transform."
"Pollen, stinger out!"
In a vortex of yellow and black, her clothes were placed with a bodysuit and she became anew. The first thing she did was provide herself an alibi, putting her evil masterminding to better use for once.
The election was being held outside the Hôtel de Ville, where Robert-Pierre was laying it on thick to his adoring crowd, assuring the final touches to his plan before the people can vote. For him.
"The attempted assassination of Andre Bourgeois is a blow to all of us. Yet it is a blessing in disguise. During his reign as mayor of Paris, we endured akuma attacks, all of the cause of his selfish daughter, Chloe. Is this really who you want to lead Paris? A bumbling idiot who neglects the needs of us to spoil his dangerous daughter? The Bourgeoises are not safe for Paris."
"Look who's talking!"
Everyone looked up to the historical building where a figure stood on the edge of the very top. All assumed it was Ladybug until they realized she was in yellow and black. The figure jumped and landed on stage, right beside Robert-Pierre, who staggered back in surprise.
"Who are you?" He demanded.
Not-Ladybug straightened up from her crouched position. With a smirk, she proudly declared herself to the people of Paris.
"My name is Queen Bee, your newest hero! And I got proof that he is solely responsible for the assassination attempt on Andre Bourgeois!"
Gasps erupted. Whispers slithered.
"She's lying! I would never do such a thing!" Robert-Pierre protested.
"He also threatened the life of Andre's daughter, Chloe Bourgeois, just as he threatened the five people to drop out of this race! Andre Bourgeois was his only competition! If you don't believe me, you're welcome to look at the video footage!"
Queen Bee held up her hand, clutching a video tape and photographs. Solid proof.
Police surrounded the stage. Desperate, Robert-Pierre darted to all sides to escape, a wild animal getting caged.
Sabrina's father was the one who put him handcuffs. The politician glared at the superhero responsible for his demise.
She glared back. "Robert-Pierre Bonaparte…You claim to be for the best of Paris, but you're not. You only want power and will step on anyone who gets in your way. You're no different than any other politician you claimed to be corrupt. Have fun in prison!"
She waved goodbye and then leapt away, beyond the buildings, made it home before the police arrived for her eager statement. As far as anyone was concerned, Chloe was in her penthouse all evening with CCTV proving none of her escape. No one made the connection between Queen Bee and Chloe.
Almost no one.
Maybe having Pollen sit on her shoulder while they were in her father's hospital room wasn't the best idea.
Her lips barely lifted from her father's cheek when she heard a sound. She jerked away from her father, expecting to find a doctor or nurse stumbling upon her and Pollen.
Anyone but Adrien.
"Adri-kins!"
He gazed straight at her. More importantly, he was staring at the frozen kwami on her shoulder. "Chloe, what is that?"
"Its…uh, a doll! One of a kind! Daddy got it for me from Korea before…you know."
"Did he get you that haircomb as well?"
"Yes, he did!"
However, he looked unconvinced by her quick lies.
"Chlo, you have a bee doll and a bee haircomb the same day as a bee superhero just expose the guy your dad is running against. Are you…Queen Bee?"
"Me? Queen Bee? That's ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!"
The undeniably cute boy knitted his perfectly trimmed brows. Unconvinced disbelief glinted in his peridot eyes.
She groaned, slapping her forehead.
"Just don't tell anyone, please? I'm not gonna not my superpowers to make anyone miserable, I promise!"
"Who's gonna believe him?"
Chloe jerked again at the second voice.
The only thing that changed was that was a black cat, similar in size and floating ability to Pollen, causally eating a slice of camembert in midair.
Adrien moaned, running his hands down his face. "Ladybug will kill me when she finds out we know each other's secret identities."
Chloe smiled, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Then she'll have to kill us both."
The blonds pulled each other in a hug. They hid their shared secret from the others, Ladybug and Rena Rouge at the time, the team small yet growing in time. The two had grew up together, practically brother and sister. They agreed to keep their identities secret, pretending that the reveal never happened.
Most of the time.
Becoming a superhero changed her life for the better.
She apologized to the ones she bullied, especially Marinette and Nathanael, confessing she was secretly jealous of their easy, perfect lives, that bullying gave her the satisfaction of feeling good, that she couldn't buy the happiness they had.
It was a surprise when she did that. She even caused an Akuma by not being mean at all, driven mad by the confusion-joint-frustration of her sudden change in nature.
Now Chloe was studying poli-sci at the prodigious University of Paris, working hard to join the ranks that her father climbed through by her own (reformed) terms, protecting Paris and sharing a romance with the dreamiest man she never imagined.
Yet she had her doubts.
SWOOP!
Behind her, there was a swish of air followed by light footsteps. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
"Here you are, my queen." Pavo greeted. "I've been looking for you." He sat down beside her on the edge of the roof, where he noticed her sullen face. "What's wrong, bee-utiful?"
"Just...thinking."
"About what?"
"My past. How I came to be Queen Bee." Queen Bee exhaled, head sagging. "I made a lot of mistakes in the past. I hurt so many people. Sometimes I wonder if I'm really am worthy to be Queen Bee."
Her boyfriend was silent at first. But after a minute of self-pity, her chin was lifted up by a finger, then the rest of the hand cupped her cheek and gently turned her to face a smiling peacock hero.
"You are worthy, my queen. We all make mistakes. It's only when we decide whenever to fix them or not that define us. You realized your mistakes and you tried to fix them. You think I'm the same guy without the mask? We feel more confident as superheroes, it brings out the sides of us kept hidden within our cores. It helps us open up to our true shelves. And someday, we can be our true shelves without the masks."
A detonation of love burst in Queen Bee's heart and ran through her body. Oh God, she loved this man so much. He always knew how to make her feel better. She leant into his hand, bringing her lips closer to him. Noticing this, he inched forward and their lips met in a sweet kiss.
"No."
"Come on, Bridgette. Just one night."
"I said it once and I'll say it again. No."
"You can't say no forever."
"Yes, I can. Watch me. Nooo."
Felix sighed. "Be that way. I'll see you tomorrow."
He stood up, leaving a fifty on the counter, and left the cafe.
Now Bridgette sighed after ten minutes of his badgering for a date. Her head was feeling light from the arguing. She cashed his money and went into the kitchen for a break. She rested on a stool and desk, taking deep breathes to relieve herself. Her eyes glanced to the framed picture directly in front of her. With gingerly hands, she grasped the framed edges, held it up, just staring at the two people photographed in dull grey, black and white.
Her parents.
Crystal tears fell.
While the news was writing Ladybug out as a careless failure, they completely forgot about the daughter of the victims.
One fatality in her whole career as a superhero.
One.
And it had to be her own parents.
They didn't know that Ladybug was the victim as well. They didn't know that she left the same year as Ladybug did. In the same month.
That month was the worst time of her life.
It was such a tragedy.
She was doing her duty as a superhero of London, only to lose her duty as a daughter.
On that dreaded day, she was in her father's car, the three of them driving home from picking her up at school. They were halfway through a bridge when screams cut through the air. As soon she saw the akuma attacking, she jumped out, ignoring her parents' calls.
She fought the akuma head on, aided by Black Cat. That akuma destroyed the whole bridge. She saw a blue Volkswagen falling to its crushing demise under the debris. She took the akuma down in one hard strike just as quickly as she called on her Lucky Charm.
But Lucky Charm couldn't repair all the damage.
After the battle, she detransformed and ran to the perfectly restored Beetle, only to find her parents' dead bodies inside.
The media had a field day on that, cutting the daughter out. Some reporters did however wonder why the Chengs' daughter refused to press charges against Ladybug.
The guilt, the pressure was eating her up. Days went long in school, flowers given to her by sympathetic classmates. Nights were spent crying alone in her bedroom, knowing her mother wasn't downstairs cooking her delicious noodles and her father wasn't in the living room watching BBC news.
The only good thing that came out of this mess was the miraculous act of Felix approaching her in the hallway and asking her if the last date she offered was still on the table.
But that was also a bad thing.
She learnt that he only accepted the offer out of pity for her. She overheard him confessing it to himself when she came back from the bathroom.
"This date is the least I can do for her now that she's orphaned."
His tone was hollow of any emotion.
Bridgette actually thought he would cheer her up, but she realized that sad truth of it. She never had a chance with him. It took her own parents' death for him to give in.
He never cared about her.
So, she turned the other way, leaving him behind in the café.
Her parents' death was the wakeup call she needed but never wanted.
It was decided by the court that custody of her goes to her aunt and uncle in Paris. That was fine with her as she couldn't be in London any longer.
The night before she left London, she met up with Black Cat one last time.
"Kitten, I'm leaving."
"…What?"
"I'm giving up my miraculous. I can't be Ladybug anymore."
"Is it because of what to Bridgette's parents? It wasn't your fault."
"It is! London is better off without me. I need time to myself from on now. It's time for me to retire." She calmed herself down with an intake of cold English air as Black Cat stared her down uneasily. "And it's time we know who lies behind the masks."
Green eyes lit up. "Really, luvie?"
She nodded, touching her earrings. "I'm sure."
"Ready?"
"Ready. Tikki, spots off."
"Plagg, claws off."
Red and green bubbles ran down their bodies, their suits dissolving into plain outfits.
Nothing could prepare for what happened next.
"Felix!"
Her (former) crush stood there, a catlike kwami floating over his shoulder, his expression told of a physical blend of bewilderment, astonishment, displeasure, anguish.
"…Bridgette?"
Her heart broke for the second time, scattering her cracked soul into a million pieces.
Without a single thought, she snatched Tikki from the air, spun around, transforming back into Ladybug and ran off the roof to another and another and another, leaving both her good friend and bad crush behind where he hung his head in deep thought.
The last thing she did in her home was to place Tikki's earrings in the small box on her desk where she first found it before she took off in a taxi to the airport.
She tried to move on with her new life in Paris with her new guardians.
A while later, Felix moved to Paris, his birthplace.
A coincident.
Yet faith twisted it.
He found her in no time, hunted her down as the feline he portrayed. By then, she understood her feelings unrequited and turned away from him, but he claimed to have 'fallen in love with her'. He was only saying that because she left him hanging, she dumped him, so he pursued her relentlessly, just so he can dump her.
And now he was back for another run.
Ladybug was supposed to be lucky. Luck doesn't work on her.
This was the curse of good luck.
Bridgette set her cherished parents' picture down. Her hands engulfed her face while she slumped in the stool, the weight of the curse and the guilt and the pain and Felix heavy on her shoulders
She just wanted it all to end.
How hard is it to stop a curse?
Belle made it look so easy.
Despite everything that was wrong, a hope shone in her dark pit of sorrow.
Marinette.
Her sweet cousin.
Marinette was her comfort throughout the years of pain, the trouble with Felix, the death of her parents, Marinette was there with a smile and a hug and cookies.
Which was why she dedicated her life to protecting her from suffering the same fate.
If she got her heart broken by a stupid Agreste boy, she would comfort her.
If aunt Sabine and uncle Tom die, she would be there for her.
If anything anythinghappens to her, she will fix it.
And she never let Felix have her again.
He only wanted Ladybug as Adrien also desired.
If they want Ladybug, they couldn't have Marinette or Bridgette.
Brigdette would just keeping rejecting Felix until he yields.
And once he does, this cycle of can'ts and regrets will end.
A/N: The name of Bridgette and Felix's school is named for Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, the writer of Sherlock Holmes.
Also, in Jurassic Park, the sounds of the velociraptors communicating with each other are actually the recorded sound of tortoises having sex.