Chapter 03: Animaestro
"Movie?" Chloé paused in the painting of her nails to give Sabrina a raised brow. "What's so special about an upcoming movie?"
"Because this one's about Ladybug and Chat Noir!" Sabrina squealed from her bed, her positioning allowing Chloé to view the animation she was watching on her tablet. "Director Thomas Astruc directed it himself and the première's happening right here in Paris!"
"Oh, I see." Chloé replied in poorly disguised disinterest, returning to painting her nails. So that's what Daddy had been excited about earlier. Well, she supposed it would be a fine use of her Saturday tomorrow.
"Chloé." Biiri popped up from her jacket to float next to her ear, hidden from Sabrina's view. "What is this première, that the human in glasses is excited about?"
"It's like going to a movie viewing, except for the fact that you'll be the first to view it before the commoners do." Chloé whispered back as she admired the cyan-shaded finish to her peach nails, before beginning on her other hand. "Only those involved in the film's creation, along with famous figures get invited to those."
"And you are certainly no commoner." Biiri nodded in understanding. "Chloé, attend this première. I wish to view it for myself."
Chloé raised a brow at her kwami's demand before rolling her eyes. It wasn't like she had anything more important to do. Besides, something important might happen there. Four years really was too long a time period to accurately remember details, so much that Chloé was envious of Max and Markov's eidetic memories(the latter's existence as a sentient robot not mattering). "Sabrina, where and when is the premier happening?"
"Over here, Mayor Bourgeois!"
"Give us a smile, Mademoiselle!"
Chloé obliged the press and paparazzi as she and Daddy entered into the cinema. "Daddy, can you go do whatever? I want to find Adrikins."
"Of course, sweetie." Daddy cheerily replied, his desire to please her only increased by her recent lack of overt demands. "I need to find and converse with the director, anyways."
Waving her father off, Chloé looked around the lobby which was filled with guests milling around and making small talk, everyone either a celebrity, participant in the film's making or a lucky raffle ticket winner.
Unfortunately, Sabrina hadn't managed to win a ticket, much to her disappointment. She'd have offered to bring her along regardless, if not for her friend suddenly being reminded of her doctor's appointment today from her father's phone call.
Looking around the room, it seemed as though Adrien hadn't arrived yet, so Chloé looked around for other people she could tolerate. Having to mingle with strangers would be ridiculous, utterly ridiculous.
Starting towards the table with the refreshments, Chloé paused at the sight of Marinette's parents. "Dupain-Chengs?"
"Oh, Mlle. Chloé Bourgeois." M. Dupain-Cheng greeted, the large man offering a large serving of red and black macaroons. "Would you like a macaroon?"
"Of course, I want a macaroon." Chloé quickly snatched one and popped it in whole, not holding back the genuine smile on her lips. "I like your pastries."
"Oh, thank you." Mme. Dupain-Cheng cheered as she clasped her hands. "Please be sure to spread the word with your classmates."
"Please, they have your daughter for that. But I'll be sure to visit myself later." Chloé rolled her eyes as she took another two macaroons before walking off, her mood lighter from her interaction with them. Before she'd gotten over it years ago, talking with Mme. Dupain-Cheng always stirred up her envy at Dupai- Marinette having such a doting mother while hers was deliberately staying as far away as she could.
However, present Chloé didn't give a shit about Audrey. All she was now waiting for was her inevitable 'dumping' of Zoé with her and Daddy. Then she could-
Chloé started as somebody knocked into her from behind.
"Excuse me?!" Chloé whirled about to face the culprit, only to freeze and stare at the casually dressed man with his scruffy beard. "Director Astruc?"
"Y-Yes, yes, I am!" The man beamed in pleasure, as if he somehow believed that he wouldn't be recognized on sight. "And you are-"
"Chloé Bourgeois, daughter of Mayor Bourgeois and one of Paris's superheroes." Chloé huffed in mock self importance. "So I just want to ask. Are Ladybug and Chat Noir going to be the only heroes in the film? Because the trailer was one thing, but I will not accept the absence of Carapace, Rena Rouge, and most importantly, Queen Bee!"
"W-Well, there were some issues behind the scenes." Director Astruc feebly explained, taking a nervous step back. "Especially regarding your character's... popularity. Not everybody have quite forgiven you for the... um... 'train incident'."
Chloé flinched sharply, the memory of her first ever foray as Queen Bee stabbing through her like an invisible spear. Her first ever heroic act had been to endanger people. Why in the world had she thought that people would forget that, especially with it having been televised live?
She knew that she was no hero.
She knew that.
Zoé was the clear and better choice for Pollen.
She didn't deserve either of them.
Vesperia was the Bee Hero. Queen Bee was just a villain with a Miraculous, just like Hawk Moth, Mayura, Argos and Regina Farfalla.
Neither Chloé Bourgeois nor Queen Bee deserved to demand something as selfish as a spot in a movie. "I... I see. Thank you for letting me know."
"O-Of course... Please... excuse me." Director Astruc awkwardly shuffled away, leaving Chloé alone with her thoughts, the ponytailed blonde starting to breathe heavily.
Just as she was about to collapse into mild hysteria, Chloé's thoughts sudden got derailed at the sight of Marinette crawling around in a waitress outfit.
(Coincidentally, a butterfly steeped in corrupted magic suddenly faltered in it's course towards Chloé Bourgeois, the abrupt lack of negativity blinding it from it's target.)
"What are you doing, Dupain-Cheng?" Chloé asked, amusement curling her lips upwards. "I admire your dedication to groveling but don't make others have to bend for those macaroons."
"Ch-Chloé?!" Marinette hissed while clutching the thing she'd been chasing after. It looked like a packeted macaroon but of a different color and flavor than the ordered ones. "What are you doing here?!"
Chloé raised an eyebrow. "Would you like to try that question again?"
Blushing horribly, Marinette dusted her knees before standing properly. "I mean, shouldn't you be hanging around elsewhere with your Dad or something?"
Just how much of a daddy's girl did Marinette take her for- Wait, nevermind. "Daddy's talking up the bigwigs as usual. As for me, I found myself lacking in proper entertainment before the movie finally starts."
Chloé made an obvious feat of looking her over as she circled the bluenette. "And I finally found it."
"I am not your entertainment." Marinette growled.
Chloé resisted the urge to burst out cackling at the current avatar of Creation. She instead settled for patting her shoulder. "Keep believing that if it helps you sleep at night."
"You-" Marinette started, only to be distracted by the arrivals of one very dear friend and her mother.
""Oh no, not her/Oh yes, it's her!""
The two teenagers paused in their declarations to regard each other, Chloé with her frozen smile and Marinette with her frown at the entrance of Kagami Tsurugi(and her mother).
"Y-You know her?!" Marinette asked.
"Only met her once." Chloé answered, recent memories of Kagami's strong impression popping up along with her future memories to bolster. "I tried to intimidate her and failed horribly."
As expected of Team Miraculous's Dragon!
"Why do you look proud of that happening to you?" Marinette stared at her like she was a stranger.
Shit, she was getting suspicious. "Well, even with her going for Adrikins, I just have to admire that sheer intimidation aura she gave off. Nothing like Rossi tried with me. By the way, how do you know her?"
"Um, I don't exactly know her, but she's fencing buddies with Adrien." Chloé nodded along with Marinette's explanation, acknowledging the continuity. "And she... She likes him! Like you and me!"
No, not Chloé. She was just a possessive person. "And that's enough to make you panic? Despite everything, she's still a lot nicer than me. I thought you'd be happier for Adrien that he can make friends on his own without his father messing it up."
Marinette jilted as Chloé shot an invisible arrow into her own possessiveness. Chloé was well aware that Marinette was... well, basically the closest equivalent to a good stalker for Adrien, as oxymoronic as that description was.
She never quite demanded that Adrien alter his choices of friendship or threatened anybody like past Chloé would have, but there was just something to worry about how Marinette would even follow after him to different countries on every occasion she could manage it, the naïve blond model always thinking it to be a coincidence.
The sooner Chloé could instill some restraint or sense into her hero, the better for the bluenette's relationship with him.
"Well, yeaaaa-" Marinette grumbled jealously, exchanging glances with Kagami when the Japanese swordswoman locked eyes with them before blatantly moving to glomp Adrien's arm. "-aaah, no. Gabriel Agreste actually approves of her, proven by the fact that neither the secretary or the bodyguard are hounding them. Which more than can be said about every other girl in Adrien's life. Yes, that includes you. Then there's the fact that he's actually business partners with Kagami's mom. Along with the fact that she's a weird mix of beautiful and likable and scary, she can appeal to Adrien in a way I can't match. If she wins, Kagami will start dating Adrien, which will then evolve to marriage, which will then end with them heading towards Japan and starting up a new venture which somehow combines swordsmanship and modelling into an awesome combo because they're both great enough to pull it off! Then they'll have two kids that are like perfect but inverted images of their parents, the boy being a blue-haired swordsman who models on the side and the girl being a blonde model who swordfights on the side! The Agreste-Tsurugi Clan must not be allowed to form!"
...wow. Was Marinette even aware that even with her jealousy, she was still lowkey complimenting Kagami?
Also, if Chloé wasn't a tiny bit disturbed right now, she'd be almost impressed with how accurately Marinette managed to predict that Adrien did end up with Kagami in the future, albeit they had still been holding off in becoming parents.
"Chloé, you have to help me!"
The blonde blinked flatly at Marinette. "What."
"We can't let Adrien and Kagami get too close!" Marinette flailed animatedly, with Chloé staring at her with utter deadpan. "We can't let Adrien move to Japan, no matter how cute he'd look in a kimono!"
"Again, what." Chloé hoped she hadn't caught Marinette on one of her really stalker-ish days. "Dupain-Cheng, don't go stooping to my level because of your obvious crush on Adrien."
"Wh-Whaaaa- My crush isn't that obvious- Wait, what are you doing?!" Marinette tried to lie, only to protest as Chloe suddenly dragged her towards Jagged Stone who happened to be passing by.
"Excuse me, Jagged Stone!" Chloé called to the rockstar, spinning Marinette about to face him. "Who does Dupain-Cheng have a crush on?"
"Oh? You mean that rocking model boy Adrien?" Jagged answered after taking a moment to think it through. "Can't blame her. The guy's sweet inside 'n' out. That's a rare duet if you ask me."
"Thank you for your opinion." Chloé ushered the stunned bluenette away. "So, what was that about your crush not being obvious?"
"Everybody knows..." Marinette fell to her knees in shock. "Even Jagged Stone knows..."
"Snap out of it, Dupain-Cheng." Chloé rolled her eyes. "Almost every girl in this city and beyond has a crush on Adrien. You're nothing special."
Marinette kept grumbling to herself, so Chloé tried another tactic. "So, did you finish the assignment I gave you and Kutzberg? About a new costume idea for Ladybug?"
"Oh? O-Oh, yeah, I did." Marinette returned to life. "I spent a good while drawing it out-"
Before she could finish talking, the security guard outside the cinema was suddenly kicked inside through the doors, preceding a man who appeared to be made out of pencil scribblings and wearing a domino mask like Ladybug's. Not only that, he looked a lot like Director Astruc... "AHAHAHA! So you really think a director does nothing!? Well, let me show you all exactly what Animaestro is capable of!"
How had he gotten Akumatized?!
Noting Marinette to have already snuck off to transform, Chloé made her exit as well, vaulting over a table with ballet-borne grace and slinking under it. "Biiri, it's time for our debut."
"Very well." Biiri flew free of her jacket, the kwami hovering before her. "Let us prove our dominance against the enemy."
"Biiri, darken the skies!" Chloé invoked, causing the kwami to be sucked into her belt buckle, shifting the Miraculous into it's active state.
"Tikki, spots on!" Marinette invoked, causing the kwami to be sucked into her earrings, shifting the Miraculous into it's active state.
Caressing her eyes and jaws, the energy of Creation sparkled as a polka dotted domino mask formed before extending down her jawline to evoke the appearance of mandibles. Raising her hands up and twirling as she snapped her fingers, the transformative energy quickly spread over her body, forming her old 'onesie' before renewing itself into something better. The black polka dots on her hands, legs and waist expanded to engulf those areas before red polka dots appeared upon them. Her collar morphed it's shape, becoming swan-necked with red lining and a small ladybug zipper connected to the front of her costume similar to Chat Noir's. Similarly, ladybug zippered pockets appeared over her front as well. Not being done yet, the unaffected red-with-black-polka dots area gained thin, flexible plates over them, resembling a specially modified plate mail. Then her hair transformed as well, bursting free of it's pigtails to become tied into a bun at the back of her head. Finally, the last of the transformation took shape, revealing her hip-mounted yoyo to be the same as it always was.
Taking a look at her new self at a nearby mirror, Ladybug nodded in approval of what she saw. "No more onesie! Ladybug 2.0 is ready to roll!"
"SKREEEEEOOOOOOOONK!"
*BOOOM!*
Nevermind, Akuma first. Self admiration, later. Ladybug leaned forward, the plates on her back shifting around to release a pair of insect wings that glowed and levitated her into the air.
"I am never going back to swinging by yoyo." Pushing her fist forward and straightening her body, Ladybug released a little of her inner geek out and took a page out of Majestia's comic books. "Up, up and away!"
Ladybug shot forward at high speed, accidentally slamming into a chimney("Ow!"), then floundered across a rooftop("Oof!") before spiraling a little out of control ("Urgh...") as she rocketed towards the giant Akuma.
"BWOOOH!"
*BOOOM!*
"BWOOOH!"
*BOOOM!*
"BWOOOH!"
*BOOOM!*
Slamming down hard enough to crack a rooftop, Ladybug paused to regard the cartoonish Godzilla... which looked pretty ridiculous-
"BWOOOH!"
*BOOOM!*
Ladybug's jaw dropped as Godzilla Animaestro roared out a colorful beam of energy that tore through two skyscrapers, her enhanced hearing picking up the screams amidst the falling rubble.
Well... suddenly, things just got a lot less ridiculous...
"Well, looks like I'm not the only one who thought an upgrade was due." Chat Noir commented as he landed next to her. Across the black of his catsuit, emerald lightning bolts had replaced the contours, along with a large glowing green paw-print over his entire back. Winking at her, Chat Noir called up to Godzilla Animaestro. "We'd have come to your movie première if we'd known how upset you were gonna get!"
Godzilla Animaestro swiveled towards them almost immediately, the ground shaking with each gargantuan footstep as he came closer. "Chat Noir and Ladybug."
"And what's with that trailer too?!" Ladybug shouted up at him. "I am not scared of cats! At all!"
"You haven't even seen the movie yet, and you're already slamming it?!" Godzilla Animaestro raged.
"He does have a point, y'know." Chat Noir pointed out, right before the two heroes had to dodge the immediate blast breath that demolished their previous location.
"I wasn't slamming it! It's called constructive criticism!" Ladybug's yoyo encircled Godzilla Animaestro, tying him against a skyscraper taller than him before flying up to his face. "Ain't you ever heard of the willing suspension of disbelief?!"
"Good job, milady!" Chat Noir cheered from another rooftop.
"Disbelief, you say? Well such a thing no longer applies to me!" Godzilla Animaestro huffed before his mask started to glow. "Lights! Camera! Mecha!"
When the light faded away, Ladybug gawked at the sight of a gigantic robot with the ladybug mask standing free of her yoyo, it's hand shifting into a gigantic plasma cannon. "Behold the true power of animation!"
Ladybug then decided that flight was the best thing ever as she flew as fast as she could, keeping herself skyward so that no more shots of Mecha Animaestro would hit the city.
Which was why she certainly considered it a shock when the sky seemed to crack open before something small and fast slammed into the Akuma's face hard enough to send it crashing down.
"What the..." Snapping out of it, Ladybug flew down towards the person. It seemed to be a costumed female in predominant turquoise, her metallic wings furling up as she stood up from her crouch and gestured upwards. "Who are you?"
"Introductions come later." The girl replied as she clutched her raised fist. "[Disastrous Thunderstorm]."
Happening way faster than it was supposed, Ladybug and Chat Noir gawked as the clear sky above immediately darkened and crackled with electrical energy before it was all unleashed in a single bolt upon Mecha Animaestro.
The resulting impact was almost enough to deafen Ladybug as she recoiled from Mecha Animaestro's pained screams as he short circuited terribly due to his current form before slumping in a mess of smoking and sparking electronics.
"Ladybug, get to it." The heroine flew towards the massive mask and pulled it off, immediately ripping it apart and exposing the corrupted butterfly.
"No more evil-doing for you, little Akuma. Time to de-evilize!" Ladybug said as she opened the elytron-like top of her yo-yo to kickstart it's purificative powers and started to swing it for momentum before sending the weapon forward, the elytron-like hatch closing around the corrupted butterfly with a snap. "Gotcha!"
She then opened it up, letting the newly purified butterfly flutter away to freedom. "Bye bye, little butterfly!"
"Wh-What am I doing here?" Director Astruc muttered as he reverted back to normal, being helped to his feet by the winged heroine. "Ladybug? Chat Noir? And a new hero?"
"In the flesh." Ladybug confirmed before she and her partner turned to regard the stranger with them.
"So now that that's done with, who exactly are you supposed to be?" Chat Noir asked. "No wait, lemme guess! You're... Hawkgirl!"
"Do you see a mace with me?"
"Archangel?"
"I'm female."
"Maleficent!"
"Black is a terrible color on me."
"Gallantmon, is that you?!"
"How do you even-?!" The heroine shook as she tried to restrain her annoyance, Ladybug grateful that Chat Noir seemed to remember the problems Volpina had caused and was already testing her his own way. "My alias is Aera. Unlike that fox faker, you can go meet the Guardian for confirmation of my identity later. I met with him first before deciding to join in on your mission to defeat Hawk Moth."
Ladybug and Chat Noir exchanged surprised glances. If she knew of Master Fu, then... "You're a real Miraculous holder?"
"Avatar of the Thunderbird Miraculous of Calamity." Aera curtsied, her wings spreading a little as she bowed her head. "You two seem to have done a good job so far, but there's only so much you can achieve with your ignorance. Am I right in assuming that you haven't used your {Lucky Charm} yet?"
"Ah, yeah-"
"Then, let's leave it to Chat Noir today." Aera cut Ladybug off to regard Chat Noir, the Parisians staring at the winged heroine in shock. "Lesson 101 on Kwami utilization: Powers are semantic."
"Semantic?" Chat Noir repeated bemusedly.
"Every Kwami has a chosen concept they represent but often show different powers as superheroes, right?" Aera hinted.
Ladybug nodded in surprised acknowledgement. Tikki was the Kwami of Creation, but {Lucky Charm} always seemed more concentrated on the idea of luck. "Yeah..."
"Well, our powersets are basically influenced by both the concept and the animals the Kwami take after." Aera stated. "For example, the Turtle's concept is that of Protection, but aren't turtles known to have extremely long lifespans? It doesn't even have to be accurate as long as it is strongly believed by many people."
Aera paused to give both Ladybug and Chat Noir knowing looks. "Just like everybody knows that ladybugs are signs of good luck and what happens when you get when crossing a black cat's path-"
"Bad luck." Chat Noir finished with awe. "Compared to Volpina, you sure do sound like you've got serious experience."
"Which is why I'm going to coach you into fixing the city's damage this time." Aera stated. Just as Chat Noir opened his mouth to protest, Aera shushed him. "Creation and Destruction are two concepts that can never exist without keeping the other in check. That is why your Miraculouses are always demanded as a pair by Hawk Moth. Are you ready to step up, Chat Noir?"
"O-Okay!" Chat Noir twirled his staff. "So what do I do?"
"Destruction can take on many forms: Abolishment, annihilation, dematerialization, disintegration, nullification." Aera coached. "Even metaphysical existences cannot be spared from your power. So make it so that the memory of every damage caused by the Akuma... is just... deleted."
Chat Noir nodded in thought before twirling his staff and slamming the point against the ground. "Here goes! [Miraculous Chat Noir]!"
Upon impact, a mass of crackling energy in form of tiny black-and-green cats surged over the landscape like a looming tidal wave before literally washing away all of the damage to the point before Animaestro's rampage began.
Even the stormy skies from Aera's power were now gone as well, Ladybug noted with a slightly dropped jaw.
"Oh. My. Gosh." Chat Noir however had the widest grin she'd ever seen him with. "Th-That was like an antivirus, or a detergent, or like soap. I literally... washed it all away! Thanks, Aera!"
"Not a problem, Chat Noir. Here's to a hopefully beneficial relationship for us all." Aera's wings unfurled before she suddenly rocketed upwards, leaving contrails in her wake.
"Nooo!" Chat Noir yelled after her. "We're supposed to 'pound it' at the end!"
"Once again, another ally to your aid, but also a powerful stranger you do not know." Hawk Moth hummed in thought. "On top of that brief but powerful burst of Chloé Bourgeois's negativity, things sure are starting to get intense, aren't they? The final act will soon set upon my victory, regardless of no matter who rushes to your aid!"
Hawk Moth's ominous cackle filled the Butterfly Observatory as the window closed out the light.
Returning back to the cinema and transforming back, Chloé congratulated herself on a job well done. She helped stop Animaestro, set up the heroic duo to reach their upgrade potential much earlier, and most thrilling of all, didn't mess up her first impression.
"I am both impressed and worried, Chloé." Biiri spoke up from her collar. "On one hand, you've established yourself as a reliable heroine for Tikki and Plagg's wielders to rely upon. On the other, now Hawk Moth is aware of that as well, which will likely prompt him to create either stronger or different Akumas from the ones you know, thereby derailing your timeline's memory."
"The timeline was derailed from the very moment Lila's abilities as Chameleon got changed." Chloé answered. "Besides, as long as Marinette and Adrien wield their Miraculouses, Hawk Moth will always be predictable enough until I go for a strong divergence point. The real problems are Lila and Felix."
"Of course. The prevention of Regina Farfalla and Argos's existences is the end goal." Biiri agreed.
"That's right." Chloé whispered as she recited her goals. "Teach M. Agreste how to rehabilitate his wife without needing the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculouses, therefore not only helping the Agreste family heal but also saving M. Agreste from Rossi's manipulations as he got more and more desperate from his constant failures."
Even when said out loud, Chloé liked her plan. Even if Nooroo and Duusu might not be recovered, they'd at least stop being used for evil, as the elder Agreste had literally never used it for nothing beyond drawing out the Miraculous wielders possessing the tools to save his wife.
Ergo, if Emilie Agreste got saved, Gabriel and Nathalie would quit as supervillains, and therefore put a damper on the future villains' existences.
"Foolproof! Utterly foolproof!"
"Chloé?"
Chloé blinked as Marinette approached her from behind, inside the theatre. "Aren't you supposed to be serving macaroons outside?"
"I was, but then Director Astruc gave me his ticket, saying he'd seen the film a dozen times at least and he wanted as many people to see it as possible." The dark-haired girl explained. "Of course, he did take all of my macaroons in exchange, so technically, I already finished my job."
"So why are you here?" Chloé raised a brow at the lack of empty seats in her row. "Is his assigned seat here?"
"Actually, it's at the front. Right next to Adrien, even." Marinette replied.
Huh? "I hope you're not coming here to gloat, even if I might deserve it."
Marinette frowned. "Actually, I'd like to give you the seat."
Chloé narrowed her eyes in immediate suspicion. "Why? What possible reason do you have to forfeit your chance to sit next to Adrien during the movie?"
"Well, other than the fact that I'll probably be watching him mor- Not paying the movie proper attention, there's also the fact that I'm... grateful... to you." Apparently, Chloé's confusion was every obvious, so Marinette clarified. "Recently, you've been toning down the... well, meanness. Becoming a superhero is clearly bringing out the best in you and I want to tell you straight to the face, especially as you earlier stopped me from doing to Kagami what you used to do to me."
Chloé only felt more confused. While she had indeed stopped that, she'd really done it for the sole purpose of having Kagami integrate better into Team Miraculous early. Despite everything, Chloé Bourgeois was not becoming nearly as altruistic as Marinette seemed to be believing.
But still, she couldn't deny the small warmth Marinette's kindness kindled within her. So thanking the theatre's darkness for hiding her red cheeks, Chloé stood up and pushed Marinette into her seat. "Thanks."
Without waiting for a response from her hero, Chloé rushed forward towards Adrien, ignoring Kagami's glare as she sat down.
"Oh, hey, Chloé." Adrien greeted. "I didn't know you were sitting here."
"Neither did I, Adrikins." Chloé replied with a soft smile she then directed to Kagami. "I'm clearly looking and speaking to you, Kagami Tsurugi. So how long until I can touch you again?"
Chloé repressed the urge to shudder as Kagami's teeth bared a little, forcing down the unbidden image of a crimson dragon looming over her. She wasn't supposed to be Ryuko and get attuned in Miraculous dragon magic yet, right?!
"Adrien, is your friend skilled in any martial arts?"
"Um... not as far as I know."
"...tsk."
Don't be so disappointed in lacking an okay means to attack her!
KingVessel: And Aera makes her official debut with a gamechanger for the Cat of Destruction! Sorry, Chloé, but when a terrible person suddenly starts acting nicer with no visible desire for a reward (but is clearly struggling to do so), the people around them (like Marinette and Butler Jean and Mayor Andre) will really want to encourage them to STAY nicer however they can manage it. Also, Kagami isn't really possessing Miraculous magic(yet). Chloé's just projecting her memories of their older selves onto the heroes.