"Sorry I can't do the group project with you Sabrina," Chloe spoke as she looked at the reflection on her locker mirror and retouched her lipstick, "but I got a ton of other important things to do."
"I understand." Sabrina replies.
Truth is, she does not.
For as long as she could remember, Sabrina has always stood by Chloe's side, answering to her every demand without question.
Just like today, when Ms. Mendeleiev assigned her, Chloe, and Marinette to do a group project. And Chloe had better things to do.
She thought being a superhero would do her best friend some good, make her more responsible and take hard work more seriously.
Sadly, the only things she takes really seriously are Akuma Attacks, and fighting Lila over Adrien.
Marinette approached her and Chloe. Clearly she has been listening, given the disapproving look in her eyes.
"You know sometimes I wish you were more like one of the brave members of Team Miraculous..." Marinette pointed out, "Azula Paonne."
At first, Chloe couldn't care less of what Marinette was going to say. But when she mentioned about the brave member of Team Miraculous, she stops, and asks in disbelief,
"Azula Paonne?!"
"Yeah." Marinette brought out her phone and swiped through pictures of the peacock heroine, "She may look and act shy, but that doesn't stop her from being brave and defending the innocent. Such bravery makes her even more beautiful. Oh and her feathers... If only I could get my hands on one of her gorgeous feathers, my collection would be complete!"
She snapped out of it when she realized she accidentally showed Chloe and Sabrina a picture her collection, which consists of a small torn piece of a Ladybug-themed fabric, a wood with Chat Noir's claw marks, a metal dent made from Carapace's shell, and separate strands of hairs from Rena Rouge and Queen Bee.
Marinette quickly turned off her phone and hid it, "Pretend you never saw that."
Ignoring the awkward moment... and the image she just witnessed that might have unsettled her... Sabrina felt elated.
It was obvious that Marinette was a HUGE fan of Team Miraculous. As the head administrator of the Miraculous Blog, she would find every opportunity to take photos and videos of her heroes whenever they fought an akumatized victim. At rare times, the blue-haired civilian would aid her heroes, even without their consent.
It was no secret that despite her undying loyalty to the entire Team Miraculous, the budding designer has a thing for their leader.
But hearing Marinette telling her that she (or at least her alter ego) was brave, beautiful, and gorgeous...!
"How could you compare me to the peacock?! She's a sidekick!"
At that moment, Sabrina felt her entire world turn into glass, and shattered into tiny little pieces.
How could Chloe say that? They're a team!
"'Sidekick'?" Marinette repeated in disbelief, "That sort of thing only exist in comic books. She's a valuable member of the team. They're basically family. Look how she fights along side of Queen Bee."
"Oh please." Chloe scoffs, "If it weren't for Queen Bee, she wouldn't be a hero in the first place."
That does it. She heard enough.
Sabrina grabs Marinette's arm, "We should really get started on that project, Marinette. And don't you have 'better' things to do, Chloe?"
Chloe never saw Sabrina scowl at her before. She was about to complain about her attitude, but her redheaded friend already left with Marinette.
She was only joking. She didn't have to take it seriously.
With a huff, the holder of the Bee Miraculous went to the opposite direction, while she nervously touches her hair, "How did she get my hair?"
"Remember Prime Donna?" Pollen whispered from within her purse.
"Oh, right." Chloe remembered, "She was such a prima donna."
"Marinette... I just want to say..."
Marinette was caught by surprise when Sabrina enveloped her in a tight hug.
"That was the most thoughtful thing you said about m...Azula Paonne!" Sabrina quickly corrected herself before she could carelessly reveal her alter ego.
"Wow. You must really be a huge fan of Azula Paonne, huh?" Marinette gently pushed her off of her.
"Absolutely." Sabrina suddenly had an idea, "Who knows? Maybe after the next Akuma Attack, you'd finally get one of her feathers."
Marinette sighs blissfully, "If only..."
Sabrina silently giggled to herself. Marinette doesn't know it, but she's about to get her wish come true.
Just as Chloe was about to approach her limousine, several berets appeared out of nowhere and fell on top of her. Before she could even complain, a giant hairdryer appeared before her and attacked her with a powerful blast of air.
She ran as fast as she could, away from the hairdryer. Unfortunately for her, it was flying as if it has a will of its own.
At the same time, Gabriel had just arrived to pick Adrien from school. Both Agrestes, along with Alya and Nino, spotted the hairdryer chasing Chloe. The older Agreste nodded to the younger, wordlessly telling him what he and his friends must do.
The three teenagers scanned the area, making sure there weren't any witnesses, transformed into Chat Noir, Rena Rouge, and Carapace, and went after the giant hairdryer.
Meanwhile, Chloe managed to find a hiding spot...behind the trash bins.
The hairdryer passed by her, giving her the opportunity to transform into Queen Bee.
The striped heroine wrapped her top around the handle of the hairdryer, tripping it, and smashing it on the ground, causing it to vanish.
Chat Noir and his two friends have just arrived at the scene, when they spotted someone on the roof.
The akumatized villain.
The four heroes leap on the roof and faced the villain.
Rena Rouge immediately recognized the one akumatized, "Nathaniel?"
Nathaniel, or rather now known as Evillustrator, sketched something on the tablet embedded on his arm. The heroes charged at him, only to bump in some kind of invisible glass, which, to their dismay, allowed the Evillustrator to escape and jump off the roof.
All eyes were on Chloe, impatiently waiting for her to explain.
The blonde swore she didn't do anything wrong, but after a receiving a raised eyebrow from Gabriel, she finally gave in.
As it turned out, Nathaniel was sent to the principal's office for drawing in class. On his way, he accidentally dropped his sketchbook, which Chloe picked up and made fun off.
And thus, Evillustrator was born.
"It was just a joke." Chloe explained.
"It wasn't just a joke, Chloe." Adrien scolded, "It was rude, disrespectful, insulting, and someone's going to get hurt all because you couldn't keep your big mouth shut!"
Everyone was taken back by Adrien's outburst.
"Chloe made fun of the kid's drawings of Marinette." Plagg emphasized.
Well that clearly explains everything. His son has a rival in love.
Gabriel clears his throat, "The Butterfly Miraculous amplifies a person's skill, and emotions. Nathaniel would be completely urged into getting his revenge on Chloe, no matter what stands in his way."
Chloe didn't like the sound of that.
"However," Gabriel continues, "he would also be more open to his feelings for Marinette."
Adrien froze in place, "More... open...?"
Nathaniel proposing to Marinette...
Team Miraculous defeated by love...
Wedding...
Evil akuma babies...
Nino managed to shake his friend out of it, "Come on, Dude. Marinette is way too smart to fall for a supervillain."
"But he might still go after her." Wayzz pointed out, "You have to warn her."
"Lady Sabrina is with her." Pollen recalled.
"Right." Chloe pulled out her cellphone and called her best friend.
The bakery is always filled with so many choices.
Marinette insisted Sabrina take a break from their project and sent her down to the bakery to grab some treats.
She was wrong about Chloe needing to be more like Azula Paonne.
Chloe should be more like her.
And "treats" Marinette?
If there was a reason why a lot of costumers come to the bakery, it was because of the many variety of breads, pastries, and cakes the bakers have to offer. Each one hand-crafted for hours, decorated with love.
Even if Sabrina had to get a large bowl and fill it with cookies, she couldn't bring herself to eat them. They have such beautiful intricate designs that makes them more like works of art rather than food.
She gazes in wonder at the Team Miraculous-themed pastries. There were cookies in the shape of ladybugs, cupcakes with icing in the shape of green paw prints, pretzel sticks in the colors of Rena Rouge's flute, turtle shell-themed macaroons, Queen Bee honey tarts, and mille-feuilles in the shape and colors of Azula Paonne's feathers.
Just the sight of them made Duusu drool on his holder's shirt.
They went to check out the other delicacies, until Sabrina's eyes caught a one of the pictures decorating the wall.
It was a picture of the owners of the bakery, Marinette's parents.
They were such a sweet couple, always treating people with warm smiles, always comforting those with dark clouds over their heads.
Then they disappeared...
Noone knew what happened to them. Sabrina's father and the police searched everywhere for days, only to emerge unsuccessful each time, even up to this day.
Marinette was devastated, but she reminded herself that she still had people she cared about who are always there for her. She prayed that one day she would be reunited with her parents again.
For now, she was under the care of her uncle. Together, the two helped each other in taking care of the family business.
She would be lying if she said Chloe wasn't right to label her as a sidekick.
Ever since she got Duusu and the Peacock Miraculous, she suddenly felt the need to have a feeling of accomplishment. True accomplishment.
She got that feeling every time she and her fellow heroes save the day from two evil butterfly villains. But she wanted the feeling of accomplishment that comes from something she did on her own.
It's not like she wanted to be a police officer like her dad, but she wanted to help the people who gave her and her dad free cookies reunite with their daughter.
"They're thankful she has sweet friends like you."
Sabrina jumped in surprise and turned around to face Marinette's uncle, Amshel. Many times she heard the costumers, mostly the teenagers, mention he was quite handsome for someone who was the same age as Marinette's father.
And they were right.
Amshel smiled at the red-head as he held a plate full of Team Miraculous treats for her. Sabrina took the plate and thanked him.
"And thank your father for me." Amshel spoke back, "He and his men are doing a good job protecting the city from those awful Butterflies."
Sabrina responded with a smile at the older man. The Dupain-Chengs are really such kind and grateful people.
"Also, you might want to try the mille-feathers on your way back." Amshel advised, "She's been going crazy for them all week for some reason."
Sabrina silently giggled to herself. Wonder what Azula Paonne did all week to impress her classmate.
As she climbed the stairs to Marinette's room, and enjoyed a bite of the pastry dedicated to her alter-ego, Duusu levitated in front of her while carrying her phone, which was ringing.
Sabrina balanced the plate with one hand as she answered her phone. She narrowed her eyes at the caller, "Calling in to check the project you never even bother to help us with?"
"Well excuse me." Chloe's annoyed voice spoke from the other side, "I was attacked while you were hanging out with sweet, little Marinette."
Sabrina rolls her eyes as she continues to make her way to Marinette's room, while listening to Chloe complaining.
Just as Chloe finally tells her about the akumatized villain, Sabrina has lifted the hatch to Marinette's room. She had just lifted an inch, only to stop when she heard a male voice, coming from inside Marinette's room.
Peering through the small opening, she could see Marinette's feet. And the black and white striped covered feet of an unknown newcomer.
"Oh please Marinette." The akumatized villain, who sounds a lot like her classmate Nathaniel, pleaded, "It'll be just you and me."
Sabrina could hear what sounds like growling coming from her phone, followed by Adrien angrily cursing.
She covered the speaker of her phone with her hand to avoid being caught. To her complete surprise, Marinette agreed to going on a date with the Evillustrator.
On the condition that he won't hurt Chloe.
Aw. That's sweet of her.
She does realize she's going on a date with a supervillain, right?
She could hear what sounded like rockets and the Evillustrator's feet disappeared from view.
Sabrina quickly yet quietly closed the hatch and climbed down as fast as she could in order to find a hiding place to transform.
Unfortunately for her, Marinette found her.
"Sabrina..." She looked nervous, "Listen, something came up and..."
"Yeah. Me too." Sabrina smiled sheepishly, "A... friend got into an accident and I really, really need to go. So, we'll catch-up tomorrow?"
Marinette nodded. Sabrina shoved the plate of pastries in her hands so that she can grab her things. Marinette grabbed the last Azula-themed mille-feuille, but Sabrina grabbed it on her way down, much to the blue-haired girl's dismay.
Marinette returned to her room, only to find Azula Paonne in HER room...?!
"Azula Paonne?" Marinette squeaked, dropping the plate in the process, which the peacock swiftly caught in one hand, "What are you doing here? In my room?"
Azula faced her seriously as she could, "I was searching for a recent akumatized victim and spotted him flying out of your room. He didn't hurt you, did he?"
"No. He just, um..." Marinette shifted nervously.
Azula hold her shoulder and gave her a calm smile, "Marinette, I can't do my job if I can't protect you."
This did the trick.
Marinette took a deep breath, "Nathaniel's been akumatized and I want to help you de-evilize him."
Like always.
"Aren't you afraid that you'll get hurt helping us?" Azula asks in concern.
"I do." Marinette nodded, "But, you guys are so brave, always saving the day, and our home. I just, feel like I want to be a part of that."
Azula smiled. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to get her to help.
"This was a terrible idea!"
The heroes held Chat back in order to stop him from blowing their cover. When the Azula told her teammates about Marinette going out with the Evillustrator, Chat was not happy.
Especially when the Evillustrator took Marinette on a romantic boat ride, then a romantic flying carpet ride.
The girls had to admit though; Nathaniel really knows how to treat a lady.
Hopefully, when he's not akumatized as well.
Finally, Chat had enough...
Chat's teammates couldn't stop him from extending his baton at the flying carpet. When the Evillustrator saw the baton, he stops the carpet before they could get hit.
Realizing Chat just blew their cover, Ladybug manages to hit the carpet with her yo-yo. The collision of both objects caused the carpet to side-ways, which also made Marinette fall off the carpet!
Chat rushes to save her. So did Evillustrator. But neither boys was the one who caught her in time.
"Are you okay?"
Marinette stutters at her reply. How could she talk normally, when she's in the arms of Azula Paonne?!
After settling her friend down, the feathered heroine thanks for her help and then asks her to run to safety.
Evillustrator was not happy that the heroes ruined his date and trapped them in a large cube made out of glass. He even placed a stack of heavy giant books on the top, just in case, and then left.
"You had to go all Jelly Kitty." Ladybug remarked in annoyance.
"You knocked her off the carpet." Chat snapped back.
"Azula caught her." Ladybug pointed out.
"Chat, just get us out of here." Rena Rouge interrupted.
Chat did as he was told, and uses his Cataclysm to destroy the glass cage, freeing the heroes in the process.
They decided to follow Evillustrator, who Rena Rouge placed a tracking chip on.
Their first guess was that he was planning on following Marinette. But when they found him, he was planning to destroy Le Grand Paris with giant missiles?!
Okay NOW Queen Bee feels guilty.
The police tried to stop him, but he keeps the away with giant electric fans. Not even their shields could withstand such powerful winds.
Azula manages to destroy the fans with her feathers, giving her teammates an opening to Evillustrator.
Only to be stopped by a swarm of butterflies.
"Hey Kitty Chat!" Mariposa waved as she held Evillustrator's arm, "How do you like my new man?!"
New ma- Wait. Why would that bother him?
Hawk Moth appeared before his protege. He clears his throat in disapproval, "Please use appropriate words, Dear."
Mariposa pouts. She watches as Evillustrator draws a fly swatter on his tablet and a giant fly swatter materialized in front of the heroes.
The heroes dodged, only to be chased by giant buzzsaws that the Evillustrator conjured up.
Azula hid behind a police car, completely losing the buzzsaw that was chasing her. She tried to find a way to get pass the Evillustrator's defenses.
She didn't sense a buzzsaw slicing the car in half until her father pushed her out of the way.
The peacock heroine briefly stared at what could have been her demise before turning to her father, "Thank you."
"Don't mention it." Roger turned to the Evillustrator, "You kids have any ideas how to beat that kid?"
If only she knew. The hotel was completely surrounded by missiles, waiting to be launched by the creator. They need a giant robot to...
An idea suddenly flashed before Azula. She turns to her dad, "I'm going to need your help, Lieutenant Raincomprix. A really big help."
She plucks a feather from her fan and shows it to the police officer. Lieutenant Raincomprix was aware of Azula's power and nodded in agreement.
The peacock heroine filled her feather with enough energy before fusing it within her dad's whistle.
"Hope you enjoyed your last stay at Le Grand Paris, Chloe!" Evillustrator taunted as he drew the final missile and sent all of them to destroy the hotel!
Queen Bee could only watch in horror as her hotel was about to be destroyed...
Only to be saved by a giant police robot?
Evillustrator watched in complete shock as a giant blue police robot, taller than the hotel, slammed its fists on the missiles, causing them to explode and preventing the hotel from being destroyed.
The robot slams his fist down at Evillustrator, but stops it with a giant bomb he drew which exploded upon impact.
However, he was unprepared when Azula Paonne emerged from the smoke, grabbed his akumatized stylus, and broke it into two, releasing the corrupted butterfly.
"Everyone's a critic." Mariposa mused as she and Hawk Moth watch the policemen cheer on Team Miraculous after Ladybug fixed the damages.
Hawk Moth turned his gaze at Queen Bee hugging Azula Paonne, "Yet, the true work of art comes from the actions of your heart."
After Gabriel congratulated her for saving the day and Chloe telling her she was more of a hero than a sidekick, Sabrina just couldn't stop smiling even when she arrived to school the next day.
She really did her best last night. Plus her father told her she was the bravest hero he has ever worked with.
Last night, was her best act of heroism ever.
"I'm sorry about yesterday." Marinette apologized when they met at the locker room.
"I know." Sabrina smiled in understanding, "You were busy helping Team Miraculous save your friend."
Marinette was surprised, even when Sabrina mentioned some teens seeing Team Miraculous trapped by a guy riding on a magic carpet.
Sabrina went ahead to class, only to hide behind a row of lockers to watch Marinette open her locker.
The bluenette's eyes widened bigger than before to the point that her pupils dilated, as a blue and green feather gently fell from her locker and landed next to her feet.
Sabrina beamed as Marinette picked the feather up, and smiled widely as she held it close to her chest.
Oh yeah. It feels good to be a hero.
And a friend.