Chapter 6: No Time to Break

Sabrina Raincomprix was at her home waiting for her best friend Chloé Bourgeois to pick her up when she saw her father leaving for work. "Don't forget to lock the door when you leave." Officer Raincomprix told his daughter. "I only hope Ramier's stopped feeding the pigeons. If I had a euro for every time he does that, I'd be richer than the Mayor."

"Yes, Dad." Sabrina replied.

Right after Officer Raincomprix left, a limousine showed up and Sabrina locked her home's door. "I take it that your Dad's not at home." Chloé commented.

"He already went for work, Chloé." Sabrina explained.

"Crime never sleeps, right?" Chloé asked.

"Tell me about it." Sabrina replied, keeping up with her best friend's inside joke as Chloé's chauffeur started driving the girls towards their intended destination.

"Yeah, I shouldn't have to." Chloé stated and produced a camembert wheel. "Now this is what you'll need if Kim gets akumatized over losing the race." The Mayor's daughter said with no worries about being overheard by the chauffeur since she closed the window between him and them.

"Or Alix if she loses the race." Sabrina replied and both girls laughed.

"Hilarious! Utterly hilarious!" Chloé said.

"Chloé, will you share your cookies with your classmates?" Tikki asked, wanting her wielder to be a nicer person.

"Don't worry, Tikki." Chloé replied, wanting to rationalize not doing so. "I won't risk not having any for you if you need to recharge." Tikki accepted her wielder's reasoning without any further words.

"Don't you even think about sharing my camembert, Sabrina." Plagg told his wielder.

"I doubt they'd want any." Sabrina replied and muttered "unfortunately".

"They don't know what they're missing." Plagg commented.

Eventually, they arrived at their destination. "Chloé, we missed the start." Sabrina said.

"For as long as we're around to see if Kim gets akumatized over his loss…" Chloé replied.

As expected, Alix Kubdel won the race. She then approached her friends and asked for her pocket watch back. "Pocket watch?" Chloé asked in surprise.

"Oh, that's right." Adrien said. "You weren't here when Alix showed the watch her Dad gave her."

"Looks too antique for your tastes." Chloé commented.

"It's a family heirloom and it's traditional to pass it to the youngest child, Chloé." Alix explained.

'Her father probably made up that part as an excuse not to give it to her brother.' Chloé thought but decided not to say anything out of fear somebody would be akumatized over it.

"Yeah, Chloé, so don't come up with any…" Marinette said until the sound of her smartphone interrupted her. "Hello." "What? That soon? Okay, Papa, I'm going right back! Bye!" She then turned her attention to her classmates. "Sorry but an emergency came up at home and I'm needed there. Bye!"

"Sabrina and I are leaving too. Goodbye." Chloé said while mentally struggling not to call the others 'peasants'.

"Just so you know, while I can't dare anyone to do anything for a year, you still can dare me to do things." Kim told the others after Chloé and Sabrina left.

By the time Chloé's limousine arrived at Tom and Sabine's bakery, she could see reporter Nadja Chamack leaving with a cake and Marinette Dupain-Cheng looking relieved. 'Good.' Chloé thought. 'No Akumanette for me to worry about.' She then stepped out of the limousine and Sabrina followed her. "Dupain-Cheng." Chloé called her classmate.

"What do you want, Chloé?" Marinette asked, being on the edge about Chloé's presence.

"I'm on the mood for some macaroons and, since I was nearby…" Chloé answered.

Marinette didn't like the idea of serving Chloé Bourgeois but it was bad form to turn down a customer and she was somewhat afraid of what the Mayor's daughter would do in retaliation. "Sure thing, Chloé." She replied. "How many and which flavor do you want?"

After Chloé answered Marinette's question, the latter brought the required macaroons, which Chloé paid for with a credit card. "For that price, they'd better be the best macaroons in Paris." Chloé commented and tasted one. "You were lucky."

"My parents are talented." Marinette argued. "Luck has nothing to do with it."

"Whatever." Chloé replied and motioned for Sabrina to carry the other macaroons as both girls walked out of the bakery.

Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng entered right after. "Marinette, was that Chloe's limousine?" Sabine asked her daughter.

"Yes, Mama." Marinette answered. "She bought some macaroons."

"Did she pay with cash?" Tom asked.

"No, Papa." Marinette replied. "She used a credit card."

Later on, as Chloé and Sabrina arrived at the former's hotel room, Tikki scolded her wielder. "Chloé, that wasn't very nice how you treated Marinette."

"I just made a comment on what the macaroon's price made me expect, Tikki." Chloé argued. "In my opinion, Dupain-Cheng should be satisfied that I did declare her parents' macaroons the best ones in Paris."

"Plagg, say something." Tikki pleaded to her fellow kwami.

"Sorry, sugarcube, if it's not about cheese, I don't have anything to say." Plagg replied.

"Technically, you said something." Sabrina told her kwami. "It just wasn't something Tikki expected you to."

"Albeit I should have expected." Tikki muttered.

"Anyway, I'm just glad nobody at school was akumatized." Chloé commented and picked up a book. "I'd better start up my studies before my luck runs out."

"Now that's a decision I approve." Tikki said.

Sabrina's cell phone then rang. "Dad?"

"Are you still with Chloé?" Officer Raincomprix asked his daughter.

"Yes, Dad." Sabrina answered.

"Just asking." Officer Raincomprix explained. "Just because there were no akuma attacks today, it doesn't mean there's nothing to worry about. After all…"

"Crime never rests." Both Sabrina and her father said at the same time. "I know, Dad. I'm safe and sound at Le Grand Paris."

"I'm glad to hear it, Sabrina." Officer Raincomprix commented. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Dad." Sabrina replied.

Meanwhile, at his lair, Hawkmoth gave up on finding someone to akumatize for the day. He detransformed himself, causing his kwami a great relief. Gabriel Agreste returned to his mansion's private office and was soon followed by his assistant Nathalie Sancoeur. "Gabriel, didn't you find anyone to akumatize?" She asked.

"No, Nathalie." Gabriel answered. "Some people were quite upset but not to an akuma-worthy level."

"Well, I have an idea." Nathalie said. "A derby hat contest. You could sponsor it and Adrien's classmates could be the entrants."

"Nathalie, why would I do it?" Gabriel asked, wondering what his assistant was planning.

"Sir, knowing Chloé Bourgeois as well as we do, she'll likely try to cheat her way into winning." Nathalie said. "Probably by copying another student's idea and presenting it as her own. Once you disqualify whoever her victim turns out to be, they could be akumatized."

"Or I could disqualify both." Gabriel replied. "Or if Chloé's target manages to prove the brat's guilt, disqualify her. Either way, I'll have an akuma and it'll finally be the result of that brat's actions. It's a surprise she hasn't caused any yet. Tell me the details, Nathalie."

Minutes later, Adrien Agreste was playing a videogame when Nathalie entered his bedroom. "Nathalie?" He asked in surprise since he didn't expect her to show up that soon.

"Adrien, your father has plans for you." She said.

"Really?" Adrien asked with a hint of fear.

"He's inviting your classmates to enter a derby hat contest and you will wear the winning entry." Nathalie stated.

"Cool!" Adrien exclaimed. "I'm sure Marinette will win!"

"Adrien, for sake of neutrality, keep your opinions on the matter to yourself and don't discuss them with your father." Nathalie ordered Adrien.

"That won't be a problem." Adrien sadly replied. "It's not like we talk much. Or at all."

Hearing that, Nathalie couldn't help but hug her boss' son. "Don't worry, Adrien. Someday, things will get better." She said but couldn't actually expect Adrien to believe her words. She herself wasn't sure.

"Anything else?" Adrien asked.

"Well, since you're playing videogames, I assume you've already done your homework." Nathalie commented. "I'm checking it to see if that's true."

One checkup later, Nathalie was satisfied. "It looks like everything is in order." She said. "One more thing, about the contest, don't tell anyone at school about that until your father announces it. He wants it to be a surprise."

"I won't, Nathalie." Adrien replied.

"Excellent." She stated. "Goodbye, Adrien."

Nathalie then returned to Gabriel's office. "Did you instruct my son to keep his lips tight?" Gabriel asked her.

"Yes, Mr. Agreste." Nathalie answered.

"Did he already do his homework?" Gabriel asked.

"Yes, Mr. Agreste." She answered.

"Then start the preparations for the contest." He ordered her,

"Yes, Sir." She replied and left his office.

'I'm counting on you, Ms. Bourgeois.' Gabriel thought.

The next day, school started as usual. Chloé and Sabrina were happier than usual since it was the first of many school days they wouldn't have to worry about Kim daring them. At least until Alya approached the two girls. "Be warned. Kim might pester you into daring him to do something."

"What's she talking about?" Marinette asked Nino.

"After you, Chloé and Sabrina left, Kim reminded the rest of us we still can dare him even if he's not allowed to issue any dares himself." Nino answered his friend's question.

"Ugh." Marinette moaned.

Chloé then approached Alix. "Please, remember this the next time you and Kim enter a bet." The Mayor's daughter asked.

"Sure thing." Alix said with a smile.

Kim then showed up. "Am I late?" The muscular boy asked.

"Not yet." Chloé answered. "You didn't stay at the pool as long as you thought."

"How did you know about the pool?" Kim asked in confusion.

"You're still wearing your swimming cap, Kim." Chloé answered.

"Oh." He said as he realized Chloé was telling the truth.

End chapter.

Author's Note: I added that scene with Gabriel and Nathalie because I have this theory that they started that contest with that idea on their minds.