Chapter 5: Statuesque

The Mayor of Paris was making a long-winded speech in anticipation to the unveiling of the statue in honor to the superheroines Superbug and Catgirl. "How long will it last?" Sabrina whispered to Chloé.

"Until Superbug and/or Catgirl show up or Dad gives up on that happening, Sabrina." The Mayor's daughter answered. Both girls mentally laughed at the irony since the Mayor didn't know they're the superheroines he's honoring.

Eventually, Mayor Bourgeois gave up and unveiled the statue without their (known) presence. "Mr. Mayor, won't Superbug show up?" The sculptor asked.

'Why didn't he ask about Catgirl?' Sabrina thought in dismay.

"Mr. Barbot, we have no way to contact our superheroines." The Mayor explained. "Without having a clue to their identities, we can only make guesses on what's keeping them from coming."

"Too bad." Theo Barbot commented. "I wanted to confess my feelings to Superbug."

'I'm so going to give Tikki a triumphant smirk later.' Chloé thought.

"Mr. Barbot, Superbug is, or at least seems to be, around my daughter's age." The Mayor said, unknowingly making said daughter worried. "Please, leave the stage."

"But I'm…" Theo tried to say but Officer Raincomprix interrupted him.

"My daughter and the Mayor's are the same age, creep." Officer Raincomprix said and escorted Theo away.

Thanks to Gabriel Agreste having ordered a background check on anyone attending the same school as his son Adrien, Hawkmoth knew Theo Barbot's actual age and didn't feel bad about sending a butterfly to give him power.

Back at the place of the statue's unveiling, Chloé and Sabrina tried to tell the truth to their respective fathers but none of them would listen. Both girls were ordered to Chloé's hotel room, where Sabrina's Dad would pick her up later. While the Bourgeois family's chauffeur drove the girls away from the ceremony, the Mayor was approached by what looked like Theo Barbot except he and his clothes had the same color of the statues he made. "Theo?" They Mayor asked in horror.

"The name's Statuesque now!" The akuma formerly known as Theo Barbot answered while scratching his goatee. "And you're going to become my newest masterpiece." He said and pointed a finger at the Mayor and a laser beam came out of it. Out of his duty to protect and serve, Officer Raincomprix jumped between them, being hit by the beam and turned into a statue. "Not what I had in mind but this sculpture does have feeling." Statuesque maliciously commented.

By the time the girls arrived at the hotel, they already knew about the akuma attack thanks to their smartphones. They quickly rushed inside and the chauffeur thought they were just scared and ran for safety. "Chloé, my Dad became a statue!" Sabrina pleaded.

"And we'll save him, Sabrina." Chloé reassured her friend. "We just have to feed our kwamis first."

The situation was so serious Plagg didn't make any of his typical comments. After transforming, Superbug and Catgirl returned to the battleground, where several officers were already transformed into statues. "Surrender, Statuesque!" Superbug demanded.

"But they're getting in our way, my love." Statuesque replied.

"I'm flattered but I don't date villains." Superbug said.

"Not to mention the age gap." Mayor Bourgeois intervened.

"How old are you anyway?" Catgirl asked, pretending not to know.

"Of Françoise Dupont school age." Statuesque answered, shocking everyone who didn't know yet.

"But your goatee…" The Mayor said.

"It's a fake Theo used to disguise his age so you wouldn't dismiss him as too young to make the statue." Statuesque explained. "I'm still surprised your daughter didn't tell you just so you wouldn't hire me."

'Is that how people see me?' Superbug thought. 'I already knew I'm not the nicest person around but I didn't know people thought I was so petty.'

"I think I know where the akuma is." Catgirl whispered to Superbug. "Activate your Lucky Charm."

"Lucky Charm!" Superbug shouted and received a can of… "Shaving cream?" Outraged at the seemingly useless item, she tossed it at statuesque, who tried to hit it away with his arm but ended up causing it to spray the cream on his eyes, distracting him long enough for Catgirl to knock his goatee off him, exposing the akuma. Superbug then de-evilized the butterfly, tossed the can upwards, and shouted "Miraculous Ladybug!"

"What happened?" A de-akumatized Theo Barbot and a recently restored Roger Raincomprix asked at the same time.

"Roger, the both of us were wrong about Mr. Barbot's age." The Mayor explained while the two superheroines left. They hid in an alley where Superbug detransformed. "Where did Barbot get the idea I hated him to that point?" Chloé asked while feeding Tikki a cookie. "We barely interact with each other in spite of attending the same school."

"That can wait, Chloé." Tikki answered. "We must get back to the hotel before the Mayor and Officer Raincomprix find out you and Sabrina aren't there."

"True." Chloé conceded. "Tikki, spots on!"

The two superheroines returned on time, preserving their secret identities. Their fathers then showed up. "Are you alright, Dad?" Chloé asked the Mayor while Sabrina asked Officer Raincomprix a similar question.

"Yes, Chloé." Mayor Bourgeois answered. "But why didn't you tell me Theo Barbot is one of your schoolmates?"

"I've seen some of his previous work, Daddy." Chloé answered. "I didn't think his age was a reason to doubt he'd do a good job with the superheroine statues."

"I meant when Sabrina's Dad and I thought there was a big age gap between Superbug and him and she was the only minor between them, Chloé." The Mayor clarified, causing his daughter to frown.

"Seriously?" Chloé asked. "Sabrina and I tried to tell you both but neither of you would listen and now you want to blame us? Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!"

"Sir, she's right." Officer Raincomprix replied, sounding defeated.

"I know." The Mayor conceded.

"Daddy, we all had too much for a day." Chloé said. "How about we rest?"

"Sabrina and I are going home." Officer Raincomprix told the Bourgeoises. "Goodbye."

The next day, the students were at school as usual. "Chloé!" The Mayor's daughter heard her friend say.

"Sabrina, is your Dad upset at me for what I said back at the hotel?" Chloé asked out of worry.

"No, Chloé." Sabrina reassured her friend. "In fact, I'm glad you said that because I felt invisible for how he ignored me."

"Me too." Chloé replied and then noticed Theo Barbot approaching the girls.

"Chloé." Theo said.

"What do you want, Barbot?" The Mayor's daughter asked with a frown.

"I don't know if your father told you but, I was told that, as an akuma, I wondered why you didn't tell him my real age to make him not hire me and expected you to do so just to spite me." Theo answered.

"Barbot, you may see me as a bully but I never had a big enough problem with you and I'm sure my Daddy was impressed with some previous work of yours to have hired you otherwise someone else would make a statue of our heroines regardless of what he knew or didn't know about your actual age." Chloé explained, secretly glad she had an out for knowing what he said. She wouldn't lie about her father telling her out of fear it'd hit her later.

"Good to know, Chloé." Theo replied. "Bye."

As Chloé and Sabrina entered the classroom, their classmates were in the middle of a conversation. "Don't worry." Marinette told the others. "The banner will be ready by tomorrow."

"Banner?" Chloé asked. "Is it some school event?"

"None of your business, Chloé." Nino replied.

"As Class Representative, I disagree, Lahiffe." The Mayor's daughter replied.

"In that case, it's not a school event so your position as Class Representative doesn't make it any of your business, Chloé." Marinette said.

"Whatever, Dupain-Cheng." Chloé huffed.

Lê Chiến Kim, however, had a different opinion. "Alix and I are racing tomorrow at the square!" He excitedly said. "When I win, she'll have to give me her roller blades."

"And what're you risking in this bet, Kim?" Chloé asked.

"Practically nothing since it's obvious I'll win but technically I agreed to never challenge anyone to anything for a whole year." Kim answered.

"A whole year without your dares?" Chloé asked in surprised and then turned her attention to Alix. "Alix Kubdel, you need to win this more than you ever needed to win anything else you ever entered!"

"Since when does she care?" Nino asked.

"I suppose even she hates Kim's challenges as much as anyone else here, Nino." Marinette commented. "Maybe Adrien and Alya aren't as annoyed since they're newcomers."

"I won't speak for Alya but Kim once dared me to hold a pose for longer than him." Adrien said.

"And I won!" Kim bragged.

"Just because Dad called me for another modeling gig." Adrien argued.

"Losers' excuses are almost as amazing as my victories." Kim commented.

"And I'm still trying to get Superbug pose for a selfie with me." Alya said and then turned her attention to Chloé. "Chloé, can't you ask your Dad to tell the cops to let me pass? Freedom of Press!"

"The cops in Paris answer to a higher power than the Mayor's office and I'm afraid one must be a formally-trained journalist before invoking freedom of press." Chloé responded. "Not to mention I think you're risking too much for your scoops."

"Is it wrong of me to agree with Chloé on that regard?" Marinette asked.

"No." Nino and Adrien answered.

Ms. Bustier then entered the classroom and all conversations ended. After classes ended, Chloé and Sabrina walked towards the former's limousine. "Chloé, do you think Superbug will pose for that selfie with Alya?" Sabrina asked.

"Only if she wants to paint a target on Alya, Sabrina." Chloé answered like it was obvious. "I won't believe any superhero would be that reckless."

"You're right, Chloé." Sabrina commented.

End chapter

Author's Note: The idea of Mayor Bourgeois not having the power over the cops of Paris is something I've done some research after reading the Anarka chapter of the fancomic Scarlet Lady.