Chapter 16: Kung Food

Chloé Bourgeois was walking through the lobby of her father's hotel when she noticed Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Adrien Agreste, and a man she didn't recall ever seeing before but presumed to be Marinette's granduncle Wang Cheng since he was expected to come for the cooking competition. "Adrikins, are you here for the cooking contest as well?" Chloé asked the young model.

"Marinette and Chef Cheng needed someone who spoke both French and Chinese, Chloé." Adrien explained.

"I thought English was more expanded than that." Chloé commented and then thought of something. "Dupain-Cheng, couldn't your mother come? She was born and raised in China, right?"

"She and Dad had to take care of the bakery, Chloé." Marinette explained while wondering why she bothered explaining things to Chloé.

"Couldn't you help in the bakery while your mother helped your Uncle, Dupain-Cheng?" Chloé asked.

Marinette then remembered some of her clumsy moments working at her parents' bakery. "Not exactly." She hesitatingly replied.

"Anyway, the talk's good but I must return to my room to enjoy a nice sushi." Chloé commented.

"Chloé, Marinette's Uncle is Chinese. not Japanese." Adrien pointed out.

"My tastes for food have nothing to do with him and who says people who aren't Japanese can't learn how to make sushi?" Chloé asked.

"Good question, Chloé." Marinette conceded.

After that conversation ended, Chloé went to her room and started eating sushi as she planned. "I don't understand, Chloé." Tikki commented. "Why would you expect English to be a language both Marinette and her Granduncle would understand?"

"Tikki, through the 20th Century, England and later the United States became so influent their language became popular even among people who don't speak it as a first language." Chloé explained.

"Okay." Tikki replied and the two of them started watching the contest on TV. "Is that Gabriel Agreste's assistant?" The kwami asked.

"Mister Agreste must have decided to send her when my Dad asked him to replace me as a judge." Chloé suggested.

Everything went well with the competition until the judges tasted Wang Cheng's soup. "Wow, either those people hate soup more than I do, or somebody sabotaged that soup." Chloé commented. "And I suspect Hawkmoth."

Meanwhile, at Sabrina's house, she was also watching the contest. "Sabrina, isn't that failure of a chef an uncle of a classmate of yours?" Her father asked.

"Yes, Daddy." Sabrina replied. "He's Marinette Dupain-Cheng's Granduncle and the reason Chloé renounced her place among the contest's judges. She wanted to avoid a conflict of interest."

"More like wanting to avoid that soup, not that I blame her." Sabrina's father commented.

Sabrina's cell phone than rang. "Chloé?"

"Sabrina, are you watching the cooking contest?" The Mayor's Daughter asked.

"Yes, Chloé." Sabrina answered.

"I believe Hawkmoth will try to take advantage of this to akumatize Dupain-Cheng's Uncle." Chloé said. "You know what to do."

"Yes." Sabrina replied and they ended the call. Minutes later, Catgirl rushed towards Le Grand Paris Hotel, only to find it covered in some strange substance. "Cataclysm!" She shouted and opened a way inside the hotel.

Meanwhile, Superbug noticed Catgirl's doing. "Good." She commented. "Now I don't have to worry about people wondering how I got in."

Two minutes later, the two superheroines met. "Did you already recharge after cataclysming your way inside?" Superbug asked Catgirl.

"Yes, Superbug." Catgirl answered. "What's this akuma about?"

"That's my Granduncle Wang Cheng." Marinette answered as she revealed herself. "Somebody sabotaged his soup and I suspect it was Chloé Bourgeois."

"The Mayor's Daughter?" Superbug asked and Marinette nodded. "Why do you suspect her?"

"Even if she mellowed out recently, I still think of her as bully who likes to torment me, Superbug." Marinette explained. "Not to mention I cannot think of anyone else who would do such a thing."

"Not even one of the other finalists?" Catgirl asked. "Given how the Mime came into existence…"

"True but I still suspect Chloé." Marinette conceded.

"You'd better not making accusations without proof." Superbug advised. "Now, what do you know about the akuma's powers?"

"Everyone who tasted my Granduncle's damaged soup is now under his control." Marinette answered. "And he now wants to add Chloé to his soup."

"Another reason you should be careful about accusations." Superbug muttered.

"Fine, but I don't know where Chloé is." Marinette replied. "Is she okay?"

"Don't worry." Superbug said. "She's well hidden. Now, where's your Uncle?"

Marinette led the two superheroines to the pool area, where the Akuma was using the pool as a soup bowl. "Of course." Superbug muttered.

Fortunately, the akuma's minions were still trying to locate Chloé Bourgeois so the girls could reach him without having to face them. "Hey, Goku!" Superbug called the akuma.

"My name's Kung Food!" The akuma corrected the heroine.

"But you're dressed like a Super Sayajin!" Superbug exclaimed. "Are you Chinese or Japanese?"

"Dragon Ball is loosely based on a Chinese story "Journey to the West", not that I expect a casual viewer to notice." Kung Food explained.

"Whatever." Superbug shrugged. "Lucky Charm!" She shouted and received a pair of red chopsticks with black polka dots. "Chopsticks? Somebody must believe you should be making sushi instead of soup."

"I'm not Japanese!" Kung Food shouted and became too distracted to notice Catgirl approaching him and destroying an object that turned out to be the akumatized object.

Superbug was quick enough to catch and purify the butterfly. "Miraculous Ladybug!"

"Thank you, Superbug and Catgirl!" Marinette happily said.

"Just have the security cameras checked before making accusations." Superbug replied as she and Catgirl left.

"Do we go to our room, Chloé?" Sabrina asked after the two girls detransformed.

"No unless you can explain to your father how and why you came, Sabrina." Chloé replied.

"Fine, I'll transform and go home." Sabrina said.

"Don't forget the camembert." Plagg added.

Moments later, Superbug went to the Mayor's office. "I see Marinette Dupain-Cheng relayed my message about security cameras, Mr. Mayor." The superheroine commented.

"Yes, and I'm astonished by what I see." Mayor Bourgeois said. "Or by what I don't see."

Later on, at Chloé's hotel room, she, Sabrina, Tikki and Plagg were watching an interview given by Superbug and the Mayor. "Superbug, are you saying Hawkmoth turned somebody invisible just so he could sabotage Chef Cheng's soup?" Nadja Chamack asked.

"It's the prevalent theory by now and that's why Catgirl and I will increase our efforts against Hawkmoth." Superbug declared and felt good upon hearing the cries of support from outside the building.

Chloé then turned off the TV. "Prevalent theory?" Tikki asked her wielder.

"Would you rather have me tell them Hawkmoth is being helped by some evil kwami, Tikki?" Chloé asked, already knowing kwamis didn't appear in cameras.

"Nooroo isn't evil!" Plagg shouted in protest, surprising everyone around him.

"Plagg!" Tikki said while glaring at her fellow kwami.

"Who's Nooroo?" Chloé asked, intrigued by Plagg's protest.

"Uh, nobody." Plagg answered but failed to convince Chloé and Sabrina.

"Plagg, give us a truthful answer." Sabrina ordered and Plagg, because of the enchantment binding him to the ring miraculous, was compelled to answer.

"Nooroo is the butterfly kwami." The cheese-loving kwami answered.

"Let me get this right." Chloé asked. "This Nooroo is the source of Hawkmoth's power and you don't consider that kwami evil?"

Tikki and Plagg then looked at each other like they were wondering if they should tell their wielders. "Chloé, the Miraculous doesn't just enable us kwamis to give power to our wielders." Tikki sadly explained. "It also forces us to obey our respective wielders whenever they address us by name while giving the order."

Chloé and Sabrina were shocked upon hearing it. "Plagg, does that mean that you were forced to obey my order regarding Nooroo and every other order I gave you while addressing you by name?"

"Yes, Sabrina." Plagg answered.

"So, would you and Plagg be willing to help the fight against Hawkmoth even without this?" Chloé asked. "Give a truthful answer, Tikki."

"Yes, Chloé." Tikki humbly answered.

"Sorry I forced you but I needed to be sure." Chloé said.

"Apology accepted, Chloé." Tikki replied. "You and Sabrina have a lot to digest."

"What about Nooroo?" Sabrina asked.

"Every kwami would rather use our power for good or at least not use it at all, Sabrina." Plagg answered.

"And how exactly does Nooroo's power work when used to do good?" Chloé asked.

"Nooroo's wielder is supposed to give superpowers to people who would use them to do good, Chloé." Tikki answered. "A non-corrupted butterfly would look for a good-natured human whose personality fits the superpower or superpowers required for the occasion."

"Well, it was an enlightening conversation but Plagg and I must go home." Sabrina said. "Goodbye, Chloé. Goodbye, Tikki."

Meanwhile, at Agreste Manor, Gabriel Agreste was having a conversation with his loyal assistant Nathalie Sancoeur. "Are you still angry at being turned into an akuma's minions?" Gabriel Agreste asked.

"No, Gabriel." Nathalie answered. "I understand why you did it. I'm just wondering if Superbug really believes the invisible akuma theory or if she suspects Nooroo."

"I doubt the Ladybug and Black Cat kwamis would trust those teenage girls with the truth of their bonds, Nathalie." Gabriel commented. "Nooroo certainly wouldn't have trusted me with his name if he knew what would happen."

"I still think it was too risky using Nooroo like that." Nathalie said.

"I was so looking forward akumatizing one of those chefs ever since Mayor Bourgeois told me Chloé would be in the jury that, when she withdrew, I had to do something." Gabriel explained.

The next school day, Chloé was approached by Marinette. "Chloé." Marinette called the Mayor's Daughter.

"What do you want, Dupain-Cheng?" Chloé asked with a haughty tone.

"I want to apologize, Chloé." Marinette humbly said. "I was so sure you were behind the soup sabotage I unjustly accused you and that made an akuma go after you."

"Dupain-Cheng, I accept your apology but you're ridiculous, utterly ridiculous." Chloé replied and the two girls went to the classroom.

"What's new, Adrien?" Chloé asked.

"I'm entering a gaming tournament for the right to represent Françoise Dupont in another gaming tournament, Chloé." Adrien answered.

"That's correct." Max Kanté said. "Our school is allowed to have two representatives and Adrien is trying to get the second spot."

"The second one?" Chloé asked.

"The first one is mine, that's assured." Max arrogantly said.

"You wouldn't say that if you knew how good Adrien is at videogames." Chloé replied.

End Chapter

Author's Note: Dragon Ball being based on a Chinese story is something I read about in tvtropes' recap page for the Kung Food episode.