Zoe was nervous as she picked her way through the city. She was on her way to Marinette's place for the measurements for the Ladybug costume. She was going to tell Marinette her secret. It had been made a little tougher now that she knew Marinette admired her alter ego. She blushed as she thought about kissing her girlfriend while she was all dressed up in her suit.
She was turning the last corner on the way to the Bakery when she heard the sounds of battle. She slipped behind an Adrien ad and watched as Ryuko and Chat Noir did battle with an Akuma, trying to keep him away from the Dupain-Cheng Bakery. Zoe felt her heart sink. Another Akuma after Marinette. She wanted to transform and help them, but the desire to make sure her partner was alright won out. She started to dash for the Bakery.
"Ah, there you are Zoe Lee!" The akuma called out in triumph.
"No!" Ladybug screamed as she landed on a nearby roof. "Zoe, go back to cover. We'll cover your escape."
"I'm sorry, Ladybug. But I need to make sure Marinette is alright." Zoe kept running despite the protests of her fellow heroes. She heard the Akuma laugh.
"Sorry, spoiled rich kid. Time for you to take a nap that never ends."
To Zoe's concern, the Akuma looked like the evil Queen from Snow White. She pulled a green apple from her bag and hurled it at Zoe. Zoe knew what was coming, and braced herself for the impact she could not possibly dodge. She closed her eyes and thought of Marinette in what might be her final moments. However, the apple never hit her. She heard a thump on the sidewalk and a feral outraged scream from Ryuko.
Zoe opened her eyes slowly to find Ladybug laying on the ground, eyes closed. She felt her blood turn to ice. The heroine of Paris, the one that could undo the damage of the Akuma, had sacrificed herself. She was about to fall to her knees when a strong wind spread over her. She felt herself, and saw Ladybug's limp body, be picked up and carried away faster than the eye could blink. She had no idea where they were going.
The wind set her and Ladybug down on the grounds of the Agreste manor, far enough from the battle that they could not be followed and it took off back in the direction of the fight. Zoe understood that Ryuko had used her Wind Dragon powers to save them. Chat Noir came down and landed in the grass near them.
"We don't have much time. We need to beat this Akuma quickly."
Zoe blinked. "But how? Even if we do, without Ladybug who is going to undo the damage caused by this Akuma? Who is going to save Ladybug?"
"You will, Zoe. Once we saw what this Akuma was capable of, Ladybug was very clear on what was to happen if she went down. You are to don the earrings and merge the miraculous of creation with the miraculous of action."
Zoe shook her head in confusion. "Why me? Why not you or Scarabella? You've both used the miraculous before."
In answer, Chat Noir tugged off the earrings from their leader. Zoe fought the urge to close her eyes as pink light overtook the spotted heroine. She was not prepared for what she saw and started crying hysterically. Because there before her in the grass lay her girlfriend, Marinette. Her brain tried to reject the connection for a moment and then it just clicked. Of course, Ladybug was Marinette, it was so obvious now. This must have been the secret Marinette had wanted to share with her, that was stolen from them now in the heat of battle. Zoe then noticed what she was wearing.
"Why is she dressed as a K-pop idol?" Zoe asked as she wiped away her tears. Anger at the Akuma was taking the place of her grief.
"She had this whole musical number planned out and was going to reveal herself right at the end. You know how she gets, has to plan everything down to the second. She stayed up all night sewing the outfit, despite Kagami going over to her place and forcefully tucking her into bed." Chat Noir disappeared and Adrien was left in his place. "Only thought it right you know both of us. I was going to tease you with my identity for the next month but this is hardly the time."
"So, Kagami is Ryuko? I guess that explains why she always hugs Ladybug so often. I thought she was trying to make you jealous."
"Oh, she was. I always miss the rock, paper, and scissors on who gets the Marinette hugs each week."
Zoe could not help but giggle. "You two sound like a divorced couple fighting over the affection of your shared custody daughter." She finally accepted the earrings and the small red Kwami appeared.
"Hello, Zoe. I had hoped we would meet in the warm safety of Marinette's bedroom." The Kwami of creation saidapologetically.
"It's fine. I mean, it's not fine. I am going to freak out later over a great many things. I mean, Marinette knows the things I've thought about doing to Ladybug in my very private moments! Oh lord, how smug she must have been."
The Kwami smiled. "She was very happy to be both the love of your life, and the object of your fantasies. My name is Tikki and since you will be using both Miraculous, you're going to say 'Pollen! Tikki! Unify!'"
Zoe nodded and held out her hands as Tikki had showed her. "Pollen! Tikki! Unify!"
The Akuma fight only lasted another four minutes. The only reason it was not over faster was because after Zoe had stung her with her trumpo, she and Chat Noir had taken turns tossing her around the city until their aggression was worked out. Zoe created a Lucky charm that looked like a promise ring. She blushed deeply and both Chat Noir and Ryuko gave smug looks.
"Please, not a word to Marinette. We haven't even had sex yet, let alone discuss marriage."
"Your secret is safe with us, Beebug. Now, let's wake the sleeping princess."
Zoe leaned down and kissed Marientte as she tossed the Lucky Charm into the air. The magic Ladybugs spread out and restored the city. The very first thing it did was wake up Marinette whom returned Zoe's kiss quite eagerly. Zoe looked into those bluebell eyes and fell in love all over again.
"Wow, you look really good in both of our suits at once. What are you calling yourself in this form? I was Ladybee."
"Hmm, maybe Bugperia? I'll work on it."
Zoe detransformed and handed the earrings back to Marinette. "I have so many questions, so many things I want to say right now. But I can wait a little longer, if you need."
Marinette pulled Zoe into an embrace and they sat holding each other. "Thank you. I need a moment to adjust from that sleep."
"Well, when you feel up to it, I heard you had a music number for me?"
Marinette giggled and got up. "Sure, I can do that now. Are you ready?"
Zoe watched as her girlfriend began to dance. "Another day, I'm back at school! I think about her, she's so cool! She looks at me, I look away! But does she see me anyway? Oh, oh, oh! She's got me spinning around!"
Zoe held her burning questions in her heart as her girlfriend poured out her own in song. They would get through this together. They could wait a day though for this heart to heart. And then, whomever was targeting her sweet, superheroine girlfriend would wish they had never been born.
Next time: Heart to Heart