Miraculous Gamer Guild

by Inkaliber

Marinette didn't know what to do when Alya abandoned her for Lila, so she turned to online gaming. The people she met there helped her to smile again, but things take a harsh turn when Alya smacks her across the face. Not knowing who to turn to, she unloaded everything to the Americans she befriended. Little did she know they had more in common with her than she ever knew.

16. Bee Friendly

Inkaliber: Hey guys! Back again with another chapter! I'd like to notify everyone that I have fixed the error with Marinette's round in the previous chapter. It now has the proper information in it. I will be skipping reviews and review parts that mention this detail.

Deadpool: If you ask me I think you did a good job writing that all things considered. One mistake is nothing to sneeze at. You just keep up the good work man.

Inkaliber: Thanks for the vote of confidence. I… WHAT ARE YOU DOING BACK HERE!? I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO TELL ME WHEN YOU WERE COMING!

Deadpool: I told those three stooges from Pokémon that I was coming. Then again they did see pretty busy so my message might not have gotten through. Oopsies!

Inkaliber: Ugh! Just please let me answer reviews in peace. You can have ONE chimichanga from the fridge if you do.

Deadpool: Make it two and I'll try really BLEEP!ing hard! And the censoring begins.

Inkaliber: One, you literally signed up for this. Two, please keep any swearing to a minimum regardless. And three, deal.

Deadpool: YES! CHIMICHANGAS!

Inkaliber: Ugh. I hate dealing with that guy. Anyway, review time.

myslef- Yeah. Hearing the story really didn't help her concern for him as much as he thinks it did. She'll probably be monitoring any recorded Phantom sightings for a while now… Great now I'm thinking. lol.

CrystaruChan- Glad you like the chapter and the story!

P96822- I really hope so. I'll do my best to write them that way.

I haven't actually seen that episode. With college being so busy I haven't been able to watch it in succession for a while. I think Sam brings enough salt for everyone, lol.

I've actually read a few of those myself. I love that series. I won't say how far Sam will go, but things will get interesting. Hawkmoth could have definitely taken advantage of Juleka's feelings if Danny didn't handle that situation right.

I'm glad you enjoyed the game! I had a fun time writing it. Sam and the rest of the team will definitely not be happy with Danny for sharing his secret so readily. Someone may scold him later down the line, but that's for another day. Oh they're flirting, they just don't know it yet.

I'm glad Deadpool returned the stuff. Otherwise I would have introduced him to the Saibamen. They've been needing a new play thing for a while now.

Deadpool:… I'm gonna put the rest of these chimichangas back in the fridge. Just because.

Inkaliber: And the chocolate pie too, Wayde!

Deadpool: You're no fun!

Inkaliber: Then deal with it! Anyway, back to reviews.

The_Keeper_of_Worlds- Yeah. I wasn't even planning on Danny revealing his identity to someone so soon, but it just felt right. It's probably changed up the rest of my plans for the coming chapters. Anyway, glad you liked it!

Aussiescarecrow- Glad you liked the interaction between them! It'll probably take more than a hostage situation for Danny to pull out the sword, crown, and ring. Unless her life was really on the line that is. Either way that would be a funny scenario.

Alex_xleA- I don't know what that means but thanks for the review!

With that out of the way, let's begin. I don't own Miraculous, Danny Phantom, Marvel, DC, or any of the other series that show up in this story. I do own original characters, places, objects, and other such unless stated otherwise.

Username list:

Mousegirl15- Marinette (Mouse/Mari/Nettie)
GhostWatcher- Danny (Watcher/Ghost)
NightwingFan- Dick (Nightwing)
SeaMonkey- Kim (MK)
LadyTigress16- Juleka (Tigress/LadyT/Jules)
QueenBee17- Chloe
GothQueen/GQueen- Sam
BatTuck- Tucker (Tuck)
Babs21- Barbara (Babs) (Username change Pending)
BeastMan- Garfield (Beast/Gar)
Mr.R0bot0- Victor (Vic/Bot)
CyberPegasus- Max (Pegasus)
SpiderRose- Rose
JazzyTime- Jazz
Sk8terBunny – Alix(Sk8ter, Bunny)
Starmoth03- Kori'ander/Starfire (Kori, Star, Moth)
EbonyRaven- Rachel Roth/Raven (Raven, Ebony, Rae)

---

Paris, France

Marinette hummed to a tune on her phone as she worked on a vest draped on a mannequin. She was working on Max's new outfit when she felt the need for inspiration. She had turned to American music since there was America based fashion implemented in Max's design. She had to thank Danny for introducing her to this artist, the song even having Tiki flittering around in a dance. She felt the urge to sing along with the song as she began to sew a green techno pattern on the vest.

"Ember, you will remember~!" began the designer. "Oh Ember, you will remain! Ember, so warm and tender! You will remember my name!" Tiki couldn't help but giggle as she floated beside her holder, dancing around her in a way that didn't impede her work.

This Ember only had the one song so far, but Marinette could tell it was an instant hit. There were rumors that there used to be a hypnotic effect to the song, but the rumor also says that it was removed for commercial use. Whether the rumor was true or not, Marinette didn't care. She was just happy to have another rock star to listen to. Her computer suddenly displayed a notification, Tiki quickly flying over to observe it.

"Looks like someone messaged you directly in Chatty." Said the Ladybug Kwami. "I can't see who sent it though." Marinette did some finishing touches on the pattern before taking a seat at the computer.

"It's probably just Max wanting to add something to his new outfit. He was contemplating whether he wanted those star cufflinks or not." She began to unlock her computer, wanting to see just who messaged her. "I mean, who else would be messaging me at this…" Her words died in her throat, the sender not being the person she expected.

QueenBee17: Hey Marinette. How are you doing? We haven't talked since the incident.

Marinette's brow furrowed, slightly suspicious of the sender's intent. "Chloe? Asking me how I'm feeling?" Tiki floated beside her, giving her a quick shrug. Deciding to give the blonde a chance, Marinette began to type back.

Mousegirl15: Doing good. I think the time away has been helpful as I keep in touch with some American friends.

How about you?

QueenBee17: I'm doing good. Can't complain really.

Just glad I don't have to see her every school day.

Mousegirl15: You and me both. I hope her mother sends her back to Italy after this.

QueenBee17: That would be a Heaven-sent miracle.

Marinette couldn't help but chuckle at Chloe's reaction. It felt weird to be on good terms with the blonde bully, but Marinette wasn't going to complain about a break from the "Adrikins is mine!" situation. She couldn't tell why this felt more natural though. Chloe suddenly sent another message, regaining Marinette's attention.

QueenBee17: I know it's a little last minute, but are you free today?

I was thinking we could go for a day on the town.

I can't remember the last time we hung out.

Marinette's eyes widened at the request, not expecting it in the slightest. Chloe wanted to hang out, just the two of them? There was so much that could go wrong in that kind of scenario. She could be trying to trick her or trying to get her help in separating Adrien from Kagami, or… Tiki quickly rubbed the back of Marinette's neck, hoping to calm her.

"Calm down Marinette! Take deep breaths and let the massage soothe you." The Miraculous Wielder sighed as she nodded her head.

"Thanks Tiki. I haven't had a panic attack like that in a while. I just don't know what to think about this. It's not like Chloe to want to spontaneously want to hang out with good intentions." Tiki floated to be in front of her holder, a soft smile on her face.

"Well you haven't seen her in a while. Maybe she's trying to make a change. This could be a chance to help her be a better person." Marinette bopped her eyes around a bit, trying to think about what to do. She smiled as she got an idea.

"I think I'll ask the guys what they think. They haven't steered me wrong before. Better do it over the Mod-only chat though." Tiki smiled, happy with her holder's decision making. The bluenette quickly began to type in the aforementioned chat, trying not to keep Chloe long.

---

Mod Only Chat, Miraculous Gamer Guild Server, Chatty

Mousegirl15: Hey guys!

I'm having trouble figuring out what to do in this situation.

Mind giving me some advice like good old times?

NightwingFan has logged on.

NightwingFan: Sure thing Nettie.

Always willing to give a helping ear.

GhostWatcher: Same here!

Also ha!

Looks like I caught you unawares this time Dick!

NightwingFan: Let's talk about your lurking skills late Danny.

Lay it on us Marinette.

Mousegirl15: Okay, so I was working on a commission when I got a message.

I thought it was the client, but it turned out to be my old bully before the vrăjitoare came along.

She's actually been rather friendly to me since the incident, even asking how I've been in her recent message.

GhostWatcher: Sounds like a good situation if she's genuinely being nicer.

I'm guessing that she's wanting something specific.

Mousegirl15: Exactly.

She wants to hang out today, a day on the town.

I'm worried that she's going to try something while we're out.

NightwingFan: Looks to me like she's being genuinely nice.

I think you should take her up on her offer.

Everyone has the capacity to be a good person.

You just have to be willing to give them that chance.

GhostWatcher: That's really deep man.

I have to agree with Dick on this one Nettie.

This girl can't be as bad as Dashmaster or the vrăjitoare.

Plus if she is up to no good you can either confront her or just leave.

Mousegirl15: Once again you guys bring up great points.

I'll give her a chance to show that she's being serious.

Better message her before she thinks I'm ignoring her.

GhostWatcher: Good luck Marinette!

If you need us to come and take care of her just let us know!

NightwingFan: Not sure we can just up and leave to take care of the situation in the same day buddy.

GhostWatcher: I know, but the offer is still there.

Mousegirl15: Lol, thanks Danny.

Wish me luck today!

NightwingFan: Good luck Nettie!

Also, Danny, you left your status on auto.

I knew you were at least on the computer this whole time.

GhostWatcher: Aww man!

---

Marinette sighed as she collected herself. She knew the guys were right, but she still had her doubts. Chloe had been the same person since as long as she could remember. She can't even remember a time where they were friends, nor if they ever were. Still, Chloe had the right to the same chance everyone else has.

The bluenette quickly began to type, happy that Chloe was still active and not having a conniption over being ignored. That was a good sign in and of itself. She finally finished her message, clicking send.

Mousegirl15: I was working on a commission, but I'm at a point where I can take a break.

Did you have a meeting place in mind?

Marinette had never seen a typing prompt appear so fast in her life. Was Chloe really waiting on the screen that whole time? She didn't have to ponder long as the blonde sent her a reply.

QueenBee17: I was thinking about meeting at the park.

It's a nice day so I figured it would be a great place to start over, you know?

Marinette hummed in response to the last statement. Chloe wanted to start over? This idea made Dick's words more likely to her. Still, she had used these kind of tactics before. Holding off on those thoughts, Marinette quickly replied to the blonde.

Mousegirl15: That's actually perfect.

I was needing some inspiration for a client's Summer lineup.

QueenBee17: Awesome!

See you there!

Marinette tilted her head a bit. This whole situation was throwing her for a loop. She looked to Tiki with a frown.

"I never thought Chloe would be excited about the two of us being in the same vicinity." Began the bluenette. "Much less on purpose. I'm not entirely sure about this Tiki. Maybe I should reconsider." The kwami in question lightly patted her holder on the nose.

"No Marinette!" denied Tiki. "You told Chloe you'd meet her there. The least you can do is show up!" Marinette sighed as she looked to her lap. She quickly stood up with a determined frown.

"You're right Tiki. I have to trust that the guys are right on this one." She remained silent for a bit before gaining a panicked expression. "She never told me when to meet her there!" She quickly scrambled to get ready, almost as worried as another person.

---

Meanwhile

Chloe could be found in the park sitting on a bench. She was currently fidling on her phone, engaged in her conversation with Marinette. The whole thing made her nervous, something she was not used to. She sighed in relief when the bluenette accepted the invitation.

"Okay." Sighed the blonde. "Cool it down Bourgeois. You're just going to have a friendly day out on the town… with your former love rival… who you're looking to bury the hatchet with." She suddenly put her phone away as her anxieties worsened. There was no way she was ready for this!

Marinette probably still hated her guts for all the times she ruined her moments with Adrien. Not to mention her past transgressions against the designer. "Maybe I should tell her not to come. I can always ask her to meet another day or see her at school." She was about to just that when a message suddenly appeared in her texts.

Sabrina: Hey Chloe!

Good luck patching things up with Dupain-Cheng!

Sorry, I mean Marinette. Gotta get used to being nice to her again.

Anyway, you can do it!

Chloe sighed as she read over the messages. Sabrina wasn't even there with her and she was still being supportive. The blonde couldn't have asked for a better friend. Her mind then drifted back to that faithful day she made her commitment, when she called Sabrina in. She may not have started off very well though.

---

Sazz, Give us a Flashback!

"WAIT WHAT!?" cried Sabrina. This was her response to Chloe's request for her to hurt her. It was a genuine and appropriate response to such a sudden and worrying request. "Why would you ever want me to hurt you!? I can do anything but that!" The blonde shook her head, quickly realizing her error.

"Sorry, that didn't come out right." Apologized Chloe. "What I'm saying is I need you to unload every gripe you have or have had with me. Every disagreement you've had, every complaint about my attitude, every snide remark to one of my hairbrained plans… Anything you've ever bottled up." Sabrina sighed in relief at this clarification.

"Okay. I thought you were asking me to beat you or something. Still, why would you want me to do something like this Chloe? It's not really like you to want criticism." Chloe nodded in response, hugging one of her pillows.

"I know, but I've had a lot of time to think about this. I realized after the incident that Césaire had basically become Lila's blind supporter, much like you have been trying to be for the old me. Don't try to deny it. I've held you on a short leash for most of our friendship, which I'm also sorry for." Sabrina wanted to say something in response, but now didn't feel like the right time to do so.

Chloe decided to continue as she looked to her roof. "I then began to think about the times where I did something really close to what Rossi would do in a situation. Manipulation, sabotage, lying, and a good bit more. It was only recently that I realized that I was starting to become just like her." Sabrina suddenly leaned forward a bit, an angry look on her face.

"That's not true Chloe! You are way better than her! She manipulated the whole class into thinking she was their friend. You are not even remotely close to.." Chloe frowned angrily at this, clenching her pillow tightly.

"Face the facts Sabrina! I'm a bully and we both now it! If I'm not becoming like Lila, then I'm definitely becoming Mom!" Sabrina jerked back, not expecting the words coming from her best friend. Chloe's mother was a sore subject, and it wasn't like the blonde to speak of her in an ill light.

Chloe took a few seconds to calm down before continuing. "I didn't used to be this bad. I was actually friends with Marinette before the day we both changed. I don't wanna push people away like Mom does or be a bully like Lila. I wanna be me." Sabrina felt regret as she watched the blonde rub tears off her eyes.

Chloe quickly collected herself as she looked her best friend in the eye. "I can't trust Daddy-kins to really help me with this. He spoils me too much and he won't understand. That's why I need you to be as brutally honest with me as possible. I want to be a better person, Sabrina." The redhead sighed as she shook her head.

"You're asking a lot of me Chloe. You're asking me to unload a lot on you, and then to help you be better when I've encouraged some of your bad habits as a groupie. That being said, I really want to help you. If we're gonna really do this, however, I need to hear you say it." Chloe nodded, letting go of her pillow.

"Sabrina, save me from myself."

---

Back to the Present!

Sabrina did just as Chloe requested, pointing out all of her bad qualities and moments where she had went too far. From there the redhead helped her rebuild herself, something that she's still undergoing. Patching things up with Marinette was one of the big steps in the process of saving herself. The bakers' daughter had a way of helping people become better versions of themselves. That would be a powerful effect on Chloe's road to recovery, but to the blonde that lost friendship was more impotant than any of it.

"Chloe!" cried the girl of the hour. Chloe suddenly looked up from her thought process, watching as Marinette appraoched her. "Sorry if I'm late! We never really picked out a time." The blonde quickly stood up as she waved her hand dismissingly.

"It's no big deal." Denied Chloe. "That one's on me. So, how are Auntie Sabine and Uncle Tom?" Marinette looked a little surprised by the question.

"I don't think I've heard you call them that before." Chloe began to panic, worried that she overstepped herself. "They're doing fine. I'm just glad that they didn't have to pay our lawyer much for the trial." Marinette watched as a sad frown appeared on the former bully's face.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened at DuPont. You didn't deserve to be treated like that." Marinette's look of surprise returned, but it was soon replaced with a sincere smile.

"Thanks, I guess. So… did you have somewhere in mind for where we'd go?" Chloe smiled as she nodded her head.

"I figured that we'd head to a small restaurant for lunch since I know you tend to work without eating at times." Marinette chuckled as she rubbed the back of her head. She did have a bad habit of doing that. "I made reservations so we don't have to wait." The bluenette smiled in response.

"Sounds great! Lead the way." Chloe nodded her head as she began to walk towards the restaurant of her choice. Marinette trailed behind a bit, a small smile on her face. "So far she seems to be serious."

She opened her bag, revealing Tiki inside it. "What do you think Tiki?" The Kwami smiled as she nodded her head.

"Looks like she's really making a change Marinette." Replied the red being. "You were worried over nothing." Marinette shook her head in denial.

"We'll see. The day is still young." Marinette quickly closed the bag as someone jogged by her. She quickly sped up to catch up to Chloe, deciding to chat with her along the way. They covered several minute topics before they reached their destination.

"Voila!" cried Chloe with a grin. "Chez Dimitri! (1) It's a family pub and one of the best small restaurants in Paris. Their rattatouille is to die for." Marinette hummed as she nodded her head.

"Sounds delicious." Agreed the bluenette. "I can't wait." The duo walked into the building, hopefully to have a good time. Unfortunately, Chloe would have the first test of her progress here. Not long after giving the server their reservation name, she found herself growling in anger.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T SEE THE RESERVATION!? I made these reservations hours ago!" The man at the podium remained calm as he shook his head.

"I do not see a Bourgeois on our list." Explained the server. "It may have been lost in the process. I can get you a table but it will be a 15 minute wait as we have a rather large party here today." Chloe steamed as she felt like she was going to scream. Marinette put a hand on the blonde's shoulder, taking a risk to try and calm her down.

"Calm down Chloe." Pleaded the bluenette. "I really don't mind waiting. Or we can just go to a different restaurant." Marinette really hoped that the blonde wouldn't cause an akuma today. It looked as if things hadn't changed at all.

That's when Chloe surprised her yet again on this weird day. The blonde took a moment to breathe, doing her best to calm down. She counted to 10 in her head, a method Sabrina found online to help her keep her cool. She finally oppened her eyes, taking one last long breath. She looked to the server with a sad frown.

"Could you look one more time?" requested Chloe. "I may have put it under my full name. Chloe Bourgeois." The server suddenly jolted as he looked through the list. He groaned in embarrassment as he facepalmed.

"Chloe Bour… Boujshwa!? Sacrebleu!" cried the man. "The new employee butchered the spelling of your name! That's why I couldn't find you! I'm so sorry for the inconvenience Madame Bourgeois." Chloe smiled as she nodded her head, quickly trying to shove down her snarky attitude.

"It's no problem. As long as we get our seats it's fine. These kind of things happen all the time." Marinette couldn't help but smile, actually proud of the blonde. The server nodded as he grabbed two menus.

"I will personally ecort you to your seat." Offered the server. "Follow me s'il vous plaît. (2)" The girls followed the man to their table. It was a nice spot next to a few tvs and a fireplace. "Your server shall be with you in a moment, but I would be happy to get you a beverage." Marinette nodded in response.

"I'll have a tea and some sugar cubes please." Requested the bluenette. "Maybe a small plate of cookies too." Chloe chuckled as she nodded her head.

"You always did have a sweet tooth Mari." Stated the blonde. Marinette looked confused as to how Chloe knew her nickname, only to remember that the others made it no secret back during gatherings. The blonde looked to the server with a smile. "I'll have a diet lemonade please. Would you happen to have one of those little umbrellas?" The server shook his head in denial.

"I'm afraid that's more for our alchaholic beverages." Denied the man. "Unless you want a hard lemonade as a refill, which I do not recommend for a minor, I'm afraid I can't provide one. I will, on the other hand, get to those cookies as soon as possible." Chloe sighed in disapointment but nodded nonetheless. The girls were left to their own devices as the man went to fulfill their order.

"This is a nice place Chloe." Complimented Marinette. "The atmosphere is refreshing and welcoming." The blonde nodded in response.

"I know right?" agreed Chloe. "I told you they were the best. Now this trip is on me so order anything you like." Marinette looked over the menu, only to quickly realize that some of the items were expensive. She looked to the blonde with a worried expression.

"Won't your father be mad if you spend so much money? Some of these things are rather pricey." Chloe sighed as she nodded her head.

"I was gonna ask him to move me to an allowance so I could work up my own money, but he was insitent on letting me use the card. As long as I don't spend thousands of dollars in one day he won't bat an eye. Both a blessing and a curse when I'm…" For some reason Chloe felt hesitant to share her life choice with Marinette, probably because the restaurant wasn't the best place to say it. Marinette quickly caught the pause, looking to her companion with a frown.

"When you're what?" Chloe quickly tried to think of something to say, coming up empty. She sighed as she shook her head with a sad smile.

"It's nothing. Anyway, just order what you like. Today is a girls' day out and I'm looking to treat you." Marinette continued to hold the concerned look o her face, only to smile as she nodded. Picking their order was an easy choice after that.

---

Later

Not long after finishing their meal the girls decided to walk the streets of Paris. Chloe had planned on taking the girl to a fashion show, but the show had to cancel due to the key model sustaining an injury. She felt her rage boil up again when she heard the news, but recited her counting in her head once more. So instead she decided to just talk with Marinette and see what they come across on their walk. Marinette hummed in delight as she licked her lips.

"That ratatouille was delicious!" reminisced the bluenette. "You were so right about that place Chloe. I figured a place like that would fly under the radar for you. With your expensive lifestyle and all." Chloe smiled as she nodded her head.

"When I was little Daddy would take me there as a treat for when I did well in my school work." Explained the blonde. "As I got older he had more responsibilities pile up on him, so we couldn't go as much. It was honestly nice going there again." Marinette couldn't help her widening smile as she looked to the blonde. It was nice seeing this side of the girl who would antagonize her at school.

They came across a roundabout that was wet from a recent rain, an oncoming car moving faster than it should have. The vehicle plowed through a puddle, sending the dirty water splashing onto Marinette. The girl cried out in displeasure as the vehicle continued on its way, setting off Chloe's anger. She turned towards the offending vehicle, shaking her fist as it moved further and further away. "HEY!"

The car didn't stop as she continued to let her anger boil. "WATCH WHERE YOU'RE DRIVING!" She got out her phone, quickly beginning to type. "Let's see how you like what Daddy does when he gets a hold of you." She stopped mid way as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Chloe, don't worry about it." The blonde turned to Marinette, noting her pleading yet uncomfortable frown. "He's gone now and it would be too much. What if they're having an emergency?" Chloe sighed in defeat, putting her phone away.

"You are way too nice Mari. Look at you. Did you bring a spare change of clothes?" The bluenette shook her head in denial, not prepared for what happened. "I know just the place to get cleaned up and get some new clothes."

"Y…you don't have to do that Chloe. We can just go back to the bakery and…" Whatever argument Marinette was making was interrupted as the blonde pulled her along.

"That's an hour of walking and you're soaked. I promise the place we're going isn't too far. Just let me help you." Marinette felt an odd sense of déjà vu at those words, prompting her to follow Chloe. They soon arrived at a rather high up clothes store, a woman walking over to them.

"Welcome back Miss Bourgeois." Greeted the woman. "Can I help you with any… Great goodness! What happened!?" Chloe looked to the woman with a small smile.

"Hey Miss Calista. I was out with my friend when some jerk drove through a massive puddle beside us. He was going too fast and she got soaked. She could use a dry off and a new outfit." Marinette looked like she wanted to protest, but the owner of the store nodded in response.

"Anything for a friend of yours Miss Bourgeois. Head to the changing room and I'll get you something to dry off with." Chloe quickly helped Marinette to the nearby changing room, which looked more like a closet than the standard stall. The bluenette wasn't comfortable with undressing in front of the blonde, so Chloe waited outside while she was drying up. Said rich girl looked to the owner of the store with a determined glint in her eyes.

"You saw her outfit right? I'd like you to find something similar for her to wear, at least in colors. She's a modest girl so nothing overly gawdy." The older woman nodded in response, quickly heading for the main area of the store. Chloe rested her back against the door of the room, only to hear Marinette talking.

"I can't believe Chloe is going this far for me." Began the designer. "Just a month ago we were at each other's throats. I want to support her but I've been tricked by her before." Chloe frowned, feeling regret as the memories of those moments flooded her mind. It looked like her hard work was going to be for nothing.

"She's being very sincere Marinette, I can tell." Stated Tiki. Chloe raised a brow, having never heard the kwami's voice before. "You have to remember what Dick said, 'everyone has the capacity to be a good person. You just have to give them that chance.'" Marinette chuckled in response.

"I'm giving her that chance Tiki. It's just so sureal seeing her actually making that change. I'm proud of her." Chloe couldn't help but back away from the door, covering her smile with her hand in shock. She didn't know who this Tiki was but she was glad that someone could see her attempt.

"Miss Bourgeois." Greeted the owner of the store. The blonde turned around, surprised by the woman's sudden appearance. "I don't mean to startle you, but I think I found a good match. Her outfit was well designed so it was a little difficult to find this." Chloe looked to the requested outfit, smiling eagerly.

"That's perfect!" cheered the blonde. "Thank you so much Miss Calista." The owner had a look of happy surprise as the blonde took the clothes. She quickly rapped on the door. "Mari, I got something for you to try on!"

"Coming!" cried Marinette. She unlocked the door, opening it just enough to where a hanger acould fit through. "Just pass it to me." Chloe did as told, careful not to ruffle up the outfit. The door was quickly shut after the exchange was complete.

The designer's gasp told Chloe that it was a good pick. "This is so beautiful!" Chloe smiled, happy that she could brighten her companion's mood. It didn't take long for Marinette to change into the new look. The door opened as the bluenette stepped out.

Marinette had let her hair down to dry, her hair ties being included in the bag with her wet clothes. She was wearing a salmon pink dress with black flowers emblazoned on it, black leggings, and a pair of white flats. Draped over her shoulder was a designer bag that was a little bigger than her small purse. "Be honest, how do I look?" Chloe beamed as she looked over the bluenette.

"Oh my gosh! Girl, you make that outfit work! Reminds me of when we were kids actually. You always had the boys' attention back then." Marinette blushed as she looked away.

"Come on Chloe! You're overexaggerating! Still, I hope these won't be too expensive. At least let me help out a bit." Chloe waved her hand dismissively.

"Nonesense! I get a discount here so it won't be too much. Why don't you look around the store while I pay for the outfit." Marinette smiled as she nodded her head. They separated for the first time that day as the blonde made her way towards the register.

She quickly came face to face with Miss Calista once again. "The outfit is perfect. We'll take it." The owner smiled happily as she typed in the item numbers. Chloe frowned as she saw the price go up and up.

The outfit was bordering the thousands, only dropping to the six hundreds with her discount. She was prepared to hear an earful from her father when the price dropped again, this time reaching the three hundreds. "What's with the added discount?" Miss Calista's smile grew as she looked the blonde in the eye.

"Mostly because of the situation your friend found herself in." answered the woman. "What helped me come to that decision in the end was the fact that you thanked me. I can tell that you're growing into a mature young lady, and I'd rather not be the reason you get an earful from your father." Chloe smiled, happily handing over her father's credit card. The purchase was completed, just in time to hear Marinette cry out in shock.

"Mari!" Chloe turned to the bluenette, only to frown at the sight before her. Marinette had accidentally bumped into someone and fell over, the person looking angered rather than concerned.

"Watch where you're going clutz." Growled the offended girl. She had striking green eyes, brown short hair, and tan skin. She wore silver sunglasses, a black shirt with a white cat logo on it, designer jeans, and black high heels. This was Melany Alistar, a girl who was everything Chloe hated about her old self. Marinette quickly picked herself up, looking towards the girl apologetically.

"I'm sorry." Began the bluenette. "I didn't see you coming and triped over your foot." Melany growled as she gestured to her shoes.

"You're lucky you didn't mess up my custom made shoes. What is someone like you doing here? I didn't know they let poor circus freaks in here." Chloe growled, a righteous fury growing in her. She stomped her way over to the duo as Melany laughed at Marinette's hurt expression.

"Back off, Alistar." Growled the blonde. Melany paused her laughing as she looked to the fellow rich girl. She wore a friendly smile as she nodded to the other girl.

"Hey Chlo! Long time no see. I was just reminding this reject of her place." Chloe felt like going on the attack at the insult towards Marinette. She quickly controled herself as she shook her head.

"That 'reject' is my friend, and I don't tolerate you insulting her. Leave her alone, now." Melany looked to her in scrutiny, not believing her words.

"Please tell me you're not actually friends with this rubish. You're better than that. How about we go to the mall and hang out like old times?" Chloe couldn't help the growing anger inside of her. She stomped her foot in defiance, shocking the spoiled brat.

"Marinette deserves to be here same as you and me! This is our girls' day out, so take your fake tan and go bother someone else!" Melany gasped at the jab at her skin tone. Taking a second look, Marinette could actually tell that her tan was indeed fake. The brat growled as she began to stomp towards the blonde.

"How dare you!" Chloe prepared herself for a cat fight, only for someone to come between them. It was one of the guards and Miss Calista herself, the woman not looking happy in the slightest.

"Get out of my store!" demanded the woman. Melany took a step back, completely flaberghasted at the order. She gestured to Marinette with a pleading expression.

"That pig over there started it! She should have watched where…" Miss Calista shook her head in denial.

"You're the one causing a problem over an accident. I will not have you ruining the name of my store or bothering my customers. Not now, nor ever again." The woman looked to the guard, the man standing in wait. "Escort her off the premises, and make sure to put her on the no admitance list."

"WHAT!?" Melany didn't have time to argue her case as the guard began to forcefully remove her from the building. "You can't do this to me! My daddy will ruin you for this!" Chloe sighed as the bothersome brat was removed, trying to recollect herself.

"Deep breaths." Soothed the blonde. "1…2…3…" Marinette looked to Chloe, still shocked by what just transpired. The blonde quickly regained her composure as she looked to her companion. "Are you okay Mari?"

"Y…yeah." Stuttered Marinette. "I'm good. It was just a trip, something I'm used to nowadays. Sorry I caused all this trouble." Chloe shook her head in denial, a stern look on her face.

"You didn't do anything wrong. That's just how that witch is. It makes me sick that I used to be like that." Marinette looked to her companion in shock, not expecting her to admit her faults. She sighed as she looked to Miss Calista.

"Still, she's going to tell her father about this. I don't know how that's going to affect your store's reputation." The owner of the store chuckled as she shook her head.

"Oh trust me, everything will be quite alright here." Reassured Miss Calista. "I know her father personally. He'll call me to get the details before he believes her words. I must say that you have an eye for fashion, something I caught the moment I noticed you." Marinette looked ready to dissuade the praise, only for Chloe to nod with pride.

"I couldn't agree more Miss Calista." Praised the blonde. "Can you believe she made that outfit herself? She's an aspiring designer with a few clients already." The woman looked interested in that fact.

"Really? You made that yourself Miss Mari?" Marinette nodded her head, too embarrassed at being praised to argue her normalcy. "I must say that I'm impressed with your work. I'd like you to have something."

The woman quickly pulled out a business card, handing it to the bluenette. "When you're ready to expand beyond the indie scene, give me a call. You have a talent not many girls your age possess. I'd be honored to work with you in the future." Marinette looked to the card, surprised beyond belief.

"Wow." Marveled Marinette. "T…thank you so much. I'll definitely consider the offer." Miss Calista looked pleased with her answer. She nodded to Chloe with a respectful bow.

"Now if you ladies would excuse me, I have to take inventory. Thank you for shopping with us, and I hope you'll come by and visit us again some time." The girls said their goodbyes as the woman went to the back of the store. They decided to take their leave, hoping to recover their day after the incident. Sadly, things weren't over quite yet.

A few blocks away, Melany was seething in anger. She had called her father over what happened, hoping that he would deal a swift blow to the store that wronged her. Instead he hung up, then called her minutes later scolding her for her actions. She now found herself having to walk home as she was grounded from her luxuries for a week. She kicked a nearby trash bin over in her rage.

"How dare they do this to me!" roared the brat. "First that reject trips over me, then Bourgeois freak turns her back on me, I'm kicked out of the store, and Daddy takes their side! I am Melany Alistar! No one makes a fool out of me!" Her anger grew at a rapid pace, fueled by hatred.

This caught the attention of a certain man. Far across Paris, in an unknown location, a window was unsheathed to brighten the room it belonged to. Surrounded by white butterflies was a man wearing a dark purple dress shirt with a black butterfly-shaped lapel, the a butterfly brooch on the center of the collar, and black dress pants. Over the majority of his face and neck was a silver mask.

This was Hawkmoth, the supervillain of Paris and the forceful keeper of the Butterfly Miraculous. He used the power of his miraculous to try and find the location of the negative emotions he just sensed. He sighed as he nodded his head.

"The feeling of betrayal, hatred, and pure anger." Listed the villain. "The perfect candidate to wipe Ladybug and Chat Noir off the face of the map." He held out his hand, allowing a butterfly to land in it. He cupped his hands around the creature, pushing his twisted magic into it. He revealed the animal once more, the creature now being black and purple in color.

He allowed it to fly away, the center of the window opening so it could fly off. "Go forth my little akuma, and evilize her!" The butterfly flew across Paris, soon coming across the angered Melany. The girl was holding a comb in her hand, angrily brushing her hair to pass the time. The creature suddenly phased into the object, causing Melany to stop in her tracks.

A bright purple butterfly-shaped outline appeared on her face and around her eyes. The same thing happened to Hawkmoth, signifying that the connection was made. "FashionMaster. I am Hawkmoth. I give you the power to control the world of fashion and eliminate those who you find unfitting of your world."

Melany grinned, liking the sound of a world revolving around her every whim. Hawkmoth continued, his dark grin never changing. "In return, you must bring me the Miraculous of Ladybug and Chat Noir. Do we have an accord, your majesty?" The brat rested her comb in her hair as she clenched her fists.

"I decree that this beautiful alliance is befitting of my grand vision!" She began to laugh maniacally as Hawkmoth's power began to change her. The dark energy covered her entirely, obscuring her from view. Once the transformation was complete her skin turned a fiery red color. Her outfit changed to a skin tight orange suit with black striping on her stomach, back, and legs; a domino mask with a matching color pattern; and a tiara with a big cursive "F" adorning it, the object connected to her akuma.

She was now FashionMaster, as Hawkmoth dubbed her, a wicked witch with a Napoleonic complex. "I decree that Bourgeois and her reject friend will be among the first to go in the making of my perfect world!" She looked to a nearby old man, the geezer unaware of her presence. She gagged at the sight of his plain attire. "Right after I cleanse this man's tastes."

She formed a ball of energy in her hand, the man finally noticing her. She fired the blast at him, engulfing him in red energy. In his place was a mannequin, wearing a gawdy version of his outfit. "Much better. Now, to find my ultimate enemies." She quickly flew off into the sky, looking for her next victim.

Nearby, at a café, Adrien and Kagami could be found enjoying some scones and tea together. The blonde model couldn't help but sigh as he enjoyed just sitting together with his girlfriend. His father didn't seem to make a fuss about the boy spending more time with his girlfriend. In fact, after that day his photographer gave him some extra time off, the man redrew his schedule so that he could have more time with her. He was brought back from memory lane as Kagami sent him one of her small smiles.

"You picked a good café Adrien." Complimented the fencing prodigy. "It's nice and peaceful. I'm just glad none of your obsessive fans are here." Adrien groaned as he rubbed his temples. He loved his fans but he hated meeting them most of the time.

"You and me both." Admitted the model. "I like this spot because I feel like I can be myself here. The owner even provides me with a private booth so no one can alert my fan mob that I'm here. I feel like I'm back at school, you know before the incident." Kagami sighed, recognizing the sad look beginning to form on her boyfriend's face.

"I'm sure your father will allow you to return to school when the new staff are put in place. You just have to give him time. He has been more lenient about us being together, so give him a chance." Adrien let his smile return at the prospect of seeing his friends again. He was about to respond to her words when the doors to the café were kicked open.

"All bow before me, FashionMaster!" cried FashionMaster. She walked into the room, ignoring the scared look some customers were giving her. "I need an army to chase down my targets! Prepare to either represent my world of fashion or become part of it!" Adrien and Kagami hid in their private booth as the villainess scanned her surroundings.

She hummed as she charged her energy in her hand. "Not you…" She suddenly shot a woman in a business suit, turning her into a mannequin. "Or you… or you…" Left and right people were turned into mannequins.

She soon came upon a young man wearing Agreste brand clothing. She hummed as she looked him over, smiling at him. She charged green energy in her hand this time, a medallion of some sort floating in it. "You'll do quite nicely." She fired the energy at him, causing him to glow.

The boy turned into a blue skinned, handsome imp. His clothes merged into a sparkly leotard, his outfit preserved as a pattern. He bowed to her with an evil grin.

"Happy to be of service Mistress!" cheered the creature. "I shall never be late unless it's fashionable!" FashionMaster smiled as she turned around. She soon saw a girl wearing a rather gawdy dress, the poor victim frozen in place at being caught. The villainess sounded her pleasure as she gestured to her new target.

"Oh I adore your outfit! You will definitely fit into my world!" She fired the green energy at the girl, turning her into a pink imp.

"Ready to be beautiful for you my lady!" cried the girl. "No one is as perfect as you!" Satisfied with her catches, FashionMaster left the building with her two new minions. Adrien and Kagami peeked their heads out, horrified to find that everyone else had been turned into mannequins. Adrien opened his shirt to reveal Plagg resting inside.

"Looks like break time's over Plagg." Stated the blonde model. "We've got a strong akuma this time." The black cat kwami sighed in annoyance.

"I just wanted to finish my camembert in peace." Groaned the feline. "Is that too much to ask?" Adrien clenched his fist as he held his ring forward.

"PLAGG, CLAWS OUT!" The kwami cried out in shock as he found himself being sucked into the ring. Adrian was covered in green electricity, quickly transforming into Chat Noir. He looked to Kagami with a sad smile. "Sorry to cut our date short macheri, but duty calls."

"We always have tomorrow so don't apologize." Reassured the fencing beauty. She pecked the cat hero on the cheek, causing him to purr in delight. "Now go get her… but please be careful." Adrien sent a wink her way before vaulting after FashionMaster with his staff. He just hoped he could catch up in time.

Meanwhile, Marinette and Chloe had reached the Louvre while on their walk. Ever since the spat at the clothes store they hadn't said a word save for which way they'd go. Both of them were deep in thought as to what they should say. They came to a stop just outside the building. Marinette decided to break the silence as she adjusted her new bag.

"Hey Chloe?" asked the designer. The blonde jerked a bit, having been lost in her thoughts. She smiled as she turned to the bluenette.

"Yeah Mari?" questioned the blonde. "Got an idea of where you'd like to go next?" Marinette shook her head in denial.

"I just wanted to say, thank you for everything you've done today. To be honest I was worried that there was some ulterior motive to asking me to come out here. Still, you've proved me wrong time and time again. Even getting me these new clothes when I had tons of spares back home." Chloe smiled as she nodded her head.

"Again, silly Mari, an hour long walk while you were soaked. I'd rather spend money out of my own pocket, well my daddy's pocket at the moment, than let you get sick like that. The only thing I wanted out of today was to at least get the ball rolling on our friendship. I… I miss the days when we were little and didn't have this teenage drama to deal with." Marinette sent the blonde a sad smile at this admission.

"Oh Chloe… You don't need to…" Her words were suddenly cut off when screams filled the air. The duo turned to see FashionMaster, an imp army following her and holding victims in place. The brat looked to the Louvre, an evil grin on her face.

"Ah the Louvre." Admired the Akuma. "The most beautiful thing in Paris. It just needs a few adjustments if it's going to be the center of my world." Using her green energy, a much larger ball of it to be precise, she turned the gallery into a glass castle. Chloe paled at the sight.

"Oh no." gasped the blonde. "Not again. I'm supposed to be better now so why did I cause an Akuma!?" Marinette tried to cover her mouth, but it was too late as Melany saw them. The brat growled at the sight of the duo.

"Seize them! They must be removed so I can have my perfect world! No one who stands in my way shall remain!" The imp army suddenly rushed the girls, looking to fulfill their master's wish. Marinette took charge this time as she grabbed Chloe by the wrist.

"Run!" ordered the designer. The blonde had no room to argue as she was dragged along. They ran further into the city, the imps hot on their tail. FashionMaster smiled at her minions' drive to please her. A sixth sense activated as she dodged, moving out of the way of Chat Noir's staff.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of fashion today." Joked the feline hero. "News flash, Queen Bee already had that look going for her. Let's not even start with that crown." Melany growled, not liking his insults. She suddenly looked him up and down, gaining an approving smile.

"Ooh." Swooned the girl. "Master likes a good looking kitty. You're definitely going to be the king of my new world. You'll be my best work yet." Adrien prepared to defend himself, staff at the ready.

"Sorry, but I'm already spoken for. Why don't you marry a mirror since you love yourself so much?" Melany giggled as both her hands glowed in her green magic.

"Silly kitty. My choice… IS NONNEGOTIABLE!" She threw the energy at the feline hero, but he spun his staff in order to deflect the attacks. She went for a more physical approach, only for the cat to kick her away. He leapt up to the wall of her glass castle, running across it to gain some distance.

FashionMaster stood up, an obsessive smile on her face. "I just love a man who plays hard to get! You're purrfect!" She leapt after her new target, completely forgetting her grudge. Chat sounded his disgust as he leapt to the other wall.

"Hey! Leave the cat puns to me Mrs. 'I'm too perfect for the world!'" He had to dodge once again as the girl fired another green energy orb. It ended up hitting one of the mannequins, causing it to glow. In a shocking twist the energy returned the victim to normal.

"I'm free!" cried the woman. She quickly fled the area in order to avoid being transformed again. Adrien hummed at the sight, getting an idea. He decided to finally put his model training to good use as he sat on the wall of the castle. He flipped his hair as he grinned at his opponent.

"Oh dear, you have me cornered. Whatever will I do?" FashionMaster grinned as she powered up more energy.

"It's so cute how you think I'll fall for one of your tricks." Swooned the villainess. She then created a larger volley of the green energy behind her. "Nowhere to dodge now my feline prince!" She fired the attack at him, only for the hero to slip off the edge of the building.

"You fell for the oldest trick in my book! Talk about a dunce!" Chat landed on his feet, taking a moment to watch his plan play out. More mannequins were turned back to normal, the people trapped within running for their lives. FashionMaster was too obsessed to even register his insult from earlier, looking down on him in admiration.

"You're just full of tricks aren't you? If you come up here I'll give you a smoochie-woochie!" Chat gagged before jumping to a nearby rooftop.

"If you want a kiss you gotta catch me first. Now if you'll excuse me I have some girls to save!" He pole vaulted across the streets, not even looking back. FashionMaster laughed as she leapt after him. She was not going to let him get away that easily.

Back with the girls, they were currently running for their lives as the imps chased after them. Chloe was honestly surprised that Marinette was taking charge like this. She wasn't even scared and there was no sign of her clumsy nature. The way she frowned kind of reminded her of… Her thought process was cut off as an imp suddenly blocked their path.

"You wronged my Mistress!" cried the creature. "For that, you must pay!" He leapt at the duo, only for Marinette to push Chloe to the side. She soon sidestepped herself, forcing the imp to crash into another one that was trying to pull a surprise attack. The bakers' daughter then grabbed Chloe by her wrist again and pulled her along.

"Come on!" cried Marinette. "We're almost there!" Chloe looked confused and concerned by the bluenette's statement.

"Where's there Marinette!?" asked the blonde. "You're not seriously thinking of going home with these horrible creatures after us!" The hero shook her head in a form of confirmation.

"Exactly. That's why we're going to lose them!" They soon arrived at one of the underground parking lots, running inside it. The imps came to a sliding stop, one of them crashing into a lamp post. The lead imp giggled in delight.

"The fools!" cheered the creature. "We'll have them surrounded before they can even think of escape! Charge!" The imps were about to rush in when a huge amount of them were swept away by Chat Noir's extended staff. The cat hero landed to their side, a cocky grin on his face.

"It's not nice to gang up on people." Scolded Chat playfully. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" The lead imp growled in response to the interruption.

"Split up and take them all!" The imps split into two groups as ordered. Chat frowned as he found himself having to deal with one swarm while the other ran after the girls. He punched and kicked at a few of them before jumping away to a nearby lamppost. The imps tried to climb up, but they continuously slid down due to not having a good grip.

"Ha! Let's see you catch me now!" One of the imps growled as he punched the post, making a huge dent in it. The beasts looked at the spot for a moment before grinning madly up at the feline hero. "Me and my big mouth."

The imps began to attack the lamp, breaking it down further and further. Chat quickly jumped to another one, but they repeated the process there. He tried to bash them off with his staff, but they came right on back. He jumped to yet another lamp with a groan. "Ladybug I could really use a hand right now."

Little did he know that his partner was currently occupied with hiding from the imps that ran into the underground parking. Marinette and Chloe were currently hiding behind a car, doing their best not to make a sound. An imp came stomping by, looking for his quarry. Chloe wanted to look to see if he was still there, only for Marinette to grab her by her shoulder. The imp suddenly leapt on top of the vehicle, snarling in anger.

"I has you now!" roared the creature. His look of glee turned to one of confusion as the girls had vanished. "I could have sworn I heard something." He was about to turn around when the sound of a rolling stone caught his attention. He rushed after the noise, revealing that the girls were behind another car in the opposite direction.

Chloe mouthed an apology to Marinette, only for the designer to wave it off with a smile. They began to sneak their way towards their entry point, hoping that imps would be too distracted to look back. They heard more shifting around them, forcing them to stop. Soon the noise passed them, growing further and further away. They soon saw the exit, hastily making their way there. They were nearly out when they came face to face with FashionMaster and the imps that were looking for them.

"Well, well, well." chuckled the villainess. "If it isn't the traitorous mayor's daughter and her little freak of a reject. How's it feel to be in front of a real woman girls?" Chloe growled at being insulted but knew better than to act now. Marinette decided to try and play mediator as she held her hands up defensively.

"You don't have to do this Ms. Alistar." Began the designer. "Hawkmoth is using you for his own ends. Just hand over your akuma. Let Ladybug and Chat Noir help…" Melany bashed her hand into the wall of the entrance, causing a massive quake to shake the roof.

"It's FashionMaster to you, you worthless plebian! My life was perfect before you came along. Chloe was the perfect example of what our world should be, and yet you had to come and befriend her. As for Paris's heroes, Ladybug will help me by looking distraught as I take my kitty prince to be my perfect king!" Chloe sounded her disgust as she gagged.

"Okay, not even I was that obsessive with Adri-kins." Admitted the blonde. "Look Melany, people like you are the reason Hawkmoth gets akumas so easily. If the world doesn't work the way you want you make everyone else miserable. You can be pretty as you want on the outside but until you make the change to a better life you'll always be ugly on the inside! I'm coming to understand that better than anyone myself."

Marinette looked to the blonde with a sad expression. That must have been what she was so hesitant to admit back at Chez Dimitri. FashionMaster growled in anger, before growing a wicked smile.

"Well soon your friend will know too. This place is about to be ugly on the inside, and you'll get a view of it… forever! Break it down!" The imps began to punch at the walls on their master's orders, causing the walls to crack and buckle. Chloe grabbed Marinette's wrist this time as she pulled her along.

"Run! There's another exit on the other side! It leads to the mall!" FashionMaster pulled off an annoying anime laugh as she watched the entrance to the underground parking collapse. Chat looked on in horror from his newest perch.

"NO!" cried the feline hero. He leapt from the lamp post, rushing at the villainess. She turned around with a green energy in her hand. Chat punched an imp into the green energy, but it had no effect as it was already transformed. He tried to fight his way through the imps, but he was quickly captured.

He growled as he had his staff taken away. "You'll never get away with this! Ladybug will find us and stop you!" Melany smiled obsessively as she rubbed his face.

"Oh my sweet kitty, I'm counting on it. I want her to be in despair as I take you as my own. Then I will make her the most beautiful mannequin I own, before handing both of your Miraculous over to Hawkmoth." Chat jerked his cheek away from the villainess, causing her to growl in annoyance. "Bring him back to my castle."

The imps did as told, Chat fighting them all the while. He had to find a way out so he could save the girls. Little by little, however, he found his efforts to be in vain. The butterfly visage appeared over her face again, a sign that Hawkmoth was communicating with her. His twisted excitement could be heard in his breathing.

"Yes!" cried the villain. "It won't be long before Ladybug comes to save her precious partner. This will be my finest hour! It's been fashionably late for long enough!" He cackled to himself as he looked up to the ceiling.

"Oh would you shut up!? Your voice is grating my beautiful ears!" Hawkmoth stopped his laughter at FashionMaster's criticism, grumbling to himself like a child.

'I will not miss this brat when I make the wish.' Thought the villain. Back in the parking garage, Marinette and Chloe had a good lead on the collapsing tunnel. This lead grew smaller and smaller as they could only run so fast. They saw the light at the other end of the tunnel, giving them hope. That hope was dashed as a rock suddenly fell down to their side.

"The whole thing's about to collapse!" cried Chloe. "I don't think we're gonna make it!" Marinette wanted to argue, but the cracks were beginning to spread towards the exit. If they didn't think of a way out they were toast. Marinette looked around for an answer, but her creative sight wasn't giving her anything.

Chloe looked to the panicking baker's daughter, a sad frown on her face. "I'm sorry for dragging you into this! If I knew that witch would be out and about today I never would have asked you to hang out! Instead of rebuilding our friendship, I got us killed! I'm sorry!"

Marinette suddenly had her life flash before her eyes at those words, a memory playing through her head. A young Chloe and her were running side by side, the girl apologizing to a playmate playfully. There was the sound of snapping as a large branch had broken from a nearby tree. It was heading right for Chloe's head, looking to crush her. In the span of that memory Marinette saw a huge rock falling towards present Chloe.

"NO!" cried the baker's daughter. She threw caution to the wind as she sped towards the endangered blonde. "TIKI: SPOTS ON!" Chloe couldn't believe her eyes as the world moved in slow motion. She watched as Marinette, her old friend and the girl that irked her throughout the school years, transform into Ladybug: the hero she idolized the most out of all of them.

She didn't have time to voice her surprise as the bug-themed hero scooped her up bridal style. Ladybug then threw her yoyo forward, catching on something outside. With a mighty pull she yanked the two of them forward, nearly avoiding the falling stone. They found themselves outside just as the exit collapsed. The two girls rolled across the ground, becoming separated on the sidewalk.

Marinette looked up to see Chloe kept her head facing the ground, even as she sat up. "Chloe… I…" The blonde suddenly shot up, fury on her face.

"Well isn't this just swell!? Instead of dying, I get saved by Ladybug!" She walk back and forth, not paying attention to the rising hero. "Only now I know that the hero I idolize is the girl I bullied ever since we stopped being friends years ago! Isn't that just SWELL!?"

She pulled at her hair in frustration, threatening to yank out more than a few strands. "Now I feel even worse because I was a total monster to one of the biggest heroes in Paris! I've become like Lie-la and Melany! I've become my Mom!" She let go of her hair as she looked around, too angry at herself to see reason.

She soon spotted a nearby wall, a flyer for an archery club on it. Needing something to hit, she reared her fist back in preparation. "I HATE MYSELF!" She tried to swing forward, only for something to strongly hold her back. She looked up to see Marinette holding her arm, the girl having a scared look on her face.

"Chloe! Stop and count, please!" The blonde was shaken enough by the sight of Ladybug scared, allowing her to gain some sense back. She did her best to count in her head, only for tears to begin streaming down her face. She could barely think at all as the wall of nobility and grace she built up over the years was broken down to rubble.

Marinette turned the blonde to face her, wiping some tears from her eyes. "Now you listen to me Chloe. Would your mother have taken me to get new clothes when that car splashed dirty water all over me? Would Lila or Melany have stood up for me when someone was talking me down? Would any of them even be here, trying to be my friend?" Chloe sniffled as she shook her head in denial.

"N…no. Mommy-k…kins would have told you to walk home and the two witches would have joined in. They probably wouldn't feel regret for bringing you into this situation either. But I caused this akuma to happen." Marinette nodded her head with a sincere smile.

"Didn't you say that this is just how 'the witch' is? Chloe you can't blame yourself for other people's actions or compare yourself to people like them. All day today you have shown me that you are becoming a better person. Through everything that's happened today, I can say that I'd be proud to call you my friend, whether an akuma attacked today or not." The blonde suddenly looked to the ladybug hero in disbelief.

"R…really? In just one day?" Marinette nodded, causing Chloe to hug her in a sudden motion. The bakers' daughter allowed her former bully to cry into her shoulder as she rubbed the back of her head. The massive screen of the mall suddenly powered on, causing the duo to separate.

"People of Paris!" greeted FashionMaster from her glass palace. "I am FashionMaster, and I bring you a special announcement! By the end of the day I plan to marry my handsome prince, and rule over all of Paris." The imps turned a nearby throne around, revealing a gagged Chat Noir. Marinette's eyes widened in shock.

"Chat!" cried the Ladybug hero. By the way her partner was wriggling and by the tone of his muffled voice, he had some choice words about the villainess's plan. FashionMaster rubbed his head as she looked directly into the camera.

"Ladybug, if you wish to save your precious partner, come to the Louvre and come alone. I wish to defeat you in battle, and make you watch as I take my precious kitty as my own. This video serves as your wedding invitation. I hope to see you there, as I'm expecting your miraculous as a wedding present." The screen suddenly cut off, Chloe sighing as she rubbed her arm.

"This is all my fault." Grieved the blonde. "Chat Noir's in this mess because I couldn't just walk away with you." Marinette sent her a small frown, unhappy with her words.

"Stop blaming yourself." Ordered the ladybug hero. "With her attitude it was only a matter of time before Hawkmoth got a hold of her. Now normally I'd use my Lucky Charm for advice, but I have an idea for how we can counter her. We'll need to be in a secure place though." Chloe thought about it for a moment before nodding to her rekindled friend.

"Your place would be best. Sabrina is probably waiting back at the hotel for me." Marinette nodded before gesturing for Chloe to grab on. The other girl did as told, crying out in shock as she was taken slinging through the city. They soon arrived at the front of the bakery, Marinette turning back to normal.

"I think you did the right thing Marinette." Stated Tiki as she reemerged. "Saving yourself and your friend takes priority over any secret." Chloe had jostled back a bit at the sight of the floating red creature. She looked just like Pollen, the kwami of the be Miraculous, only ladybug themed. It made the blonde feel regret for how she handled the little yellow creature.

Tiki looked over to Chloe, an excited smile on her face. "It's nice to meet you Chloe. I'm Tiki, Marinette's kwami." The blonde only nodded in greeting, still frazzled by everything that went on. Tiki quickly flew into Marinette's bag as the duo walked into the building.

"Mom and Dad went on an anniversary date on the other side of town, so they probably won't be home for a while." Explained the bakers' daughter. "Still, we should head up to my room just in case. Come one." Chloe followed the hero up the steps, having a surreal feeling. She looked around with a reminiscent smile.

"I haven't walked these steps as a friend since we were kids." Admitted the blonde. "Feels like forever since those days." Marinette smiled back at her as she looked her way, a silent agreement confirmed between them. They soon reached Marinette's bedroom, the place just as she left it. "If I remember from Jagged Stone's show that one time you had a bunch of pictures of Adrien in your room." Marinette chuckled as she rubbed her head in embarrassment.

"I got rid of them after I accepted his relationship with Kagami. My mother reminded me that it wasn't healthy to have so many pictures of a boy in your room, especially if he's already in a relationship." Chloe looked to the designer's corkboard, gaining a devious smile.

"Then what's with these pictures of that Spider Guy from New York? Seems like a lot for being a simple fan." Marinette rolled her eyes at the comment, smiling all the while.

"Don't go getting ideas Chloe. Rose wanted to go as her hero persona SpiderRose for Halloween this year, so she commissioned a costume from me. Those pictures are there as reference, nothing more." Chloe sounded her understanding, a hint of disbelief hidden in there. The fact that there was a note that had the spider symbol sketched with a heart around it did not help the designer's case.

Tiki quickly finished one of the cookies from Chez Dimitri, sending a nod to Marinette. "TIKI: SPOTS ON!" Chloe turned around to see that Marinette had turned back into Ladybug. The hero opened the door to her balcony before looking back at the blonde. "I'll be right back so don't go anywhere."

Chloe could only nod as she watched the designer swing off somewhere. The blonde ended up sitting on the couch, once more reminiscing about the old days. She couldn't help but worry about Chat Noir, still blaming herself for his situation. She planned to make it up to the Parisian hero however she could once this was all over. Speaking of Parisian heroes, the telltale sign of Ladybug's yoyo zipping got her attention.

Chloe turned around just as Marinette began to climb down the ladder. It was obvious that the hero had something in her free hand, jumping down to the floor mid-way through climbing. Chloe decided to speak up as Marinette kept her back turned.

"Is there any way I can help in the plan? I want to make it up to you guys for causing so many akumas and getting you into this mess." Ladybug turned around, a smile on her face.

"Chloe, you are the plan." Chloe blinked a couple of times at the answer, quickly sounding her confusion afterwards. Marinette held up a small brown box that was hexagonal in shape. Chloe immediately knew what it was, having seen it before a long time ago. "Chloe Bourgeois, this is the Bee Miraculous."

Chloe received the box from her friend, still dumbstruck that she was allowed to be this close to it. "As you know it gives you the power to immobilize your opponent. I trust you know its kwami already." The blonde took this as a sign to open the box, a small yellow light flying out. The light turned to a kwami similar to tiki in shape, only with a bee stripe pattern, black limbs and antennae, and a collar of yellow fuzz around her chest.

"My queen!" cheered the little bee. She nuzzled against Chloe's chest, surprising the formerly spoilt rich girl. She quickly composed herself as she floated backwards, putting on a regal air. "At your service once again my queen." Chloe chuckled as she shook her head.

"It's okay to be excited Pollen." Reassured the blonde. "We're both letting a different side of us loose today." Marinette decided to break up the moment between them, not having much time until FashionMaster's "wedding."

"You will use this power for the greater good." Continued the ladybug hero. "We'll determine what to do after the Akuma is dealt with. I trust that whatever the outcome you'll take great care of Pollen. So, ready for Queen Bee to return?" Chloe jerked at the name, growing a determined frown.

"No. I'll never be Queen Bee again." This shocked both hero and Kwami, only for the blonde to let her hair down and secure the comb in its usual spot. "It's time for a new Bee to be born, a warrior bee!" Pollen smiled eagerly at the declaration.

"As you wish my queen." Accepted he bee kwami. "I am at your disposal. I trust you remember my activation code." Chloe nodded before climbing her way up to the balcony. She stood near the trap door, keeping a hand on the wall.

"Goodbye, Queen Bee." She let go of the wall, along with the old part of herself. She jumped off the balcony, taking a leap of faith. "POLLEN: BUZZ ON!" The bee kwami flew into the Miraculous, returning it to its true colors. Chloe felt the familiar rush of the transformation flow through her, only this time it felt a thousand times stronger.

She crossed her arms, breaking it as a yellow mask with a black X pattern at the nose formed on her face. She spun midair, allowing a yellow unitard to take over her original outfit. A set of three golden rings formed before her, something Marinette had never seen happen during a transformation sequence. Chloe dove through the first ring, a yellow jacket with black fuzz surrounding the collar and sleeves. The second ring appeared to form wings on the back of said jacket. She zoomed through the last one, slamming feet first onto the ground as an ornate yellow and black stripe pattern took over the surface of her unitard.

The weapon of the Bee Miraculous, a spinning top with a winding string attached, formed at her hip as its string rapped around her waist. She kicked at the air a few times before taking on a dynamic pose. "Now I'm Honey Bee! I'm a warrior bee who will do whatever it takes to protect the things I care about!" Marinette dropped behind her, a big grin on her face.

"Not bad Bee!" complimented the ladybug hero. "This look suits you way better than the old one. Are those actual bee wings on your back?" Honey Bee hummed as she looked back at the extremities. She focused on making them move, surprised to find that they responded as naturally as her arms would.

"I think they are!" Chloe immediately tried flying, immediately soaring into the air. She was frightened at first, only to cry out in excitement as she got the hang of it. "THIS IS AMAZING!" Ladybug play pouted as her new companion floated before her.

"You are so lucky! I gotta ask Tiki about this later." Her face turned from a playful smile to a determined grin. "Now here's the plan, which has changed a good bit thanks to the wing development." The girls quickly huddled up, Chloe giggling at her part of the plan.

---

The Louvre

Wedding Time

Chat was forecfully chained to a post, an imp tying a bowtie around his collar. He couldn't even use Cataclysm to break the chains as they were each nailed to different objects. He frowned as a twisted wedding fanfare played throughout the glass castle. FashionMaster walked across a cat walk towards the restrained hero, a saunter in her step. She held a glass bouquet in her hand as she reached her prize.

"Time's up my beloved." Teased the villainess. "Ladybug is nowhere to be found. It's time to exchnage your ring for a wedding one. Look, I've already picked it out!" She displayed a gold ring with a massive green gem in it, thinking it would win over his affection. Chat showed no interest in the ring as he growled.

"She'll be here any minute now." Argued the feline hero. "She's never let me down before, and you're gonna be in for it when she gets here." FashionMaster growled as she let her smile fall to a frown.

"It's bad to talk about another girl on your wedding day. Now, please officiate us Fraanz!" An imp wearing a tuxedo and a top hat walked up to the duo.

"We are gathered here today to wed our beloved mistress to her sweet kat prince." Stated Fraanz. "They are wed! Yay!" The other imps cheered at the sudden words. Chat looked at FashionMaster with a raised brow, noting of her childish smile.

"Wow. I'm a sheltered guy and even I know that's not how mairrage works. You're skipping a lot of steps her FashionMaster. Would Daddy approve of this?" The girl growled as she got up in his face.

"Daddy doesn't get a say in this! Now, give me that ring!" She began to reach for his hand, the Miraculous in her sights. Chat tried to pull away, but the chain was too tight on him. He chuckled as he looked for a way out of the situation.

"I think I'd feel more comfortable if we did things properly. If anyone objects to this union, please speak up or forever hold your… HELP!" As soon as his cry rang out a familiar yoyo wrapped around FashionMaster's hand. She was suddenly pulled to the lower level of the castle, landing face first into a column.

"I object!" cried Ladybug. FashionMaster growled as she jumped to be in Ladybug's line of sight, the yoyo still wrapped around her arm. "Sorry FashionMaster but you just aren't Chat's type. He's more into tough girls that don't treat him like a filet mignon." Chat grinned as he looked to the scene.

"That's my partner for you. She knows me better than most people." FashionMaster was seething in rage at this display of commraderie.

"I am sick of people like you getting in the way of my perfect world!" roared the spolit brat. "I will turn you into a mannequin, then pull off your arms! Then those earings will be going straight to Hawkmoth! GET HER!" The imps in the area began to converge on the ladybug hero, ready to hold her still for their master.

Ladybug quickly kicked one of the creatures away before spinning her yoyo to make a form of shield. The minions couldn't get close without being hit by the spinning weapon. FashionMaster tried to hit her with the red energy, but it bounced off the yoyo and hit a straggling minion. Much like the mannequins when interacting with green energy, the creature was turned back into a person with the red energy. The person cheered out at their freedom, running away as FashionMaster looked on in shock.

She growled as Marinette took the chance to tie up a minion in her yoyo. She then used him like a wrecking ball and plowed through the other minions. FashionMaster rushed up behnid her, kicking her towards a nearby door. Chat Noir tried to fight his way to freedom, only to stop as he heard a buzzing sound. The chains that held him in place were broken by yellow blasts of energy, allowing him to move again.

FashionMaster tried to get a few more strikes in on Ladybug, but the hero was too fast to get a good read on. Her opponent finally got a kick in on her, sending her backwards. Hawkmoth communicated with her again as she looked up.

"FashionMaster!" roared the villain. "This is a diversion! Turn Chat Noir into your minion so we can end this façade!" FashionMaster grinned at the idea, leaping back up to the catwalk. She readied a green magic blast towards Chat Noir's podium.

"Looks like you'll be your normal self for this. It's time for me to marry my kitty prince!" She powered the blast up even more, turning towards her target. "Time to be mine Cha… WHAT THE…!" In Chat's place was Fraanz, the imp looking rather frightened.

"Look out Mistress!" cried the imp. "Chat Noir is loose!" FashionMaster looked around for the cat hero, only to be kicked back off the catwalk by him. She falls into Ladybug's punch, sending her hurtling outside the castle. She coughed up dust as she looked up towards the approaching duo.

"Not… COUGH!... fair." She instanty rose to her feet, intent on taking them down. Chat Noir rubbed his wrists in annoyance.

"Those chains hurt a lot." Grumbled the cat boy. "Thanks for busting me out My Lady. I was not looking forward to being married to this brat for the rest of my life." Ladybug nodded in response.

"No problem." Replied the red and black hero. "Gotta take care of my kitty." That sentence sent FashionMaster off the edge, the villainess roaring like a movie monster. Glass from the palace began to encasse her, creating a reflective golem around her exposed upper body. She glared down at the duo, the golem glowing red with her mannequin magic.

"HE'S MY KITTY PRINCE!" roared FashionMaster. "NOT YOURS! MINE!" She suddenly fired out a massive volley of her magic, looking to end things there and then. The heroic duo dodged the attack, the magic hitting her imp army.

The heroic duo landed on a nearby roof, getting a good look at the spoiled princess. From their angle they could clearly see her dark purple comb hidden behind her crown. She looked up at them, rage in her eyes.

"Well at least we know where her Akuma is now." Stated Chat Noir. The two had to run as another volley of red magic was thrown their way. "Please tell me you have a lucky charm for this. Maybe a mirror or something." Ladybug hummed in response as she looked to him.

"Not a bad idea, but I didn't bring anything like that." Replied the ladybug hero. "I brought a helping hand. Honey Bee, now!" FashionMaster aimed another volley at the duo, only to hear a buzzing noise. She felt a light tapping on her shoulder.

"Hey Fashion Disaster!" cried Honey Bee. The villainess turned to face the floating hero, only to get a face full of her fist. "That F on your crown stands for failure!" Chloe punched the villainess again, sending her flying into the old structure of her castle. Melany growled as she stood up.

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!?" roared the brat. "QUEEN BEE!?" Chloe growled as she readied her spinning top.

"The name's Honey Bee! You've messed with Paris, my hive, long enough!" She flew around the villain, continuously firing her blasts of energy at the villainess. FashionMaster tried to fire a volley at the bee hero, but she used her top as a shield similarly to Ladybug and her yoyo. She then flew in with a kick, sending the evil girl flying once more. Chat Noir couldn't help but whistle at the sight.

"Color me impressed." Complemented the cat hero. "She's working that power like pro. I didn't even know the bee Miraculous let you fly." Marinette couldn't help but smile, happy to see her partner approved of the new Chloe as well. She watched as the bee hero began to struggle a bit, her smile turning to a frown.

"She's doing great, but we need a new plan to stop FashionMaster." Observed Ladybug. "Let's try this on for size. LUCKY CHARM!" She threw her yoyo high into the air, the object spinning with power. It unleashed a swarm of magical ladybugs, the creatures converging to create a fake crown.

Marinette quickly caught it, looking it over. "A toy crown? Well it's pretty obvious what we use this for. Now how to make the switch." Chat smiled as he nodded to her.

"I know the deal. Help Honey Bee while you figure out what the Lucky Charm is for. Don't take too long!" He quickly vaulted off the roof, rocketing straight towards the fighting duo. Honey Bee saw this coming and allowed FashionMaster to grab her.

"Ha!" cried the villainess. "Now I've got you! I like your style, but you're only worth will be displaying that outfit when I'm through with…" She didn't get to finish that sentence as Chat Noir kicked her straight in the cheek. Honey Bee was able to escape as her opponent was forced to release her.

"Nice save Chat." Thanked the bee girl. "Glad to be working with you. Hope you're okay with working with another bug for a little bit." Cat smiled as he landed to her side.

"As long as Ladybug is still around I don't mind a few new friends." Admitted the cat. "You go high and I'll go low." The blonde nodded just as FashionMaster got back to her feet. She had a crazy look in her eyes, each one now matching a color of her magic. Her glass shell began swapping colors between the two types of magic.

"Whether you're conscious or whether I have to beat you senseless… YOU WILL BE MINE!" roared the villainess. She rushed at the duo, being so blind in rage that she didn't stop running when she dodged. She suddenly turned around, firing a massive red beam of her energy. It hit a building, turning the side she hit into plastic. Chat came in from below, tripping her with his staff.

Ladybug looked over the area, trying to find something that could work. She soon spotted Honey Bee, the word turning grey as she lit up due to the imagination vision. She then looked to her own yoyo, the object glowing as well. She finished her rounds by looking at Chat, the feline hero having that same effect. She finally got an idea as she looked to the duo.

"I got it!" cried the Ladybug hero. "Keep her busy until I find an opening!" The two teammates nodded as they tried to push the villainess into a corner. Marinette kept a strong watch on the fight, looking for the perfect opening. They soon pushed her towards two lampposts, giving her the perfect shot.

She slung her yoyo forward, creating a form of web around the glass golem shell. She readied to sling as she looked to her usual partner. "Chat Noir, now!" Realizing what his lady meant, the cat hero leapt forward. A dark energy suddenly formed in his hand as he reared a fist back.

"CATACLYSM!" roared the leather clad hero. He held his fist forward, the energy growing stronger and stronger. He hit the glass shell with his attack, causing it to crack and splinter throughout its form. It finally shattered as Marinette took the swing, Melany falling in shock. The ladybug hero caught the villainess, allowing her yoyo to unhook.

"Let me go!" roared FashionMaster. "I will not be carried by a spotted unitard wearing…" Marinette dropped her as requested, allowing her to roll to the ground. The ladybug hero landed across from the villainess. The last imp, Fraanz, decided to try and sneak up and grab the girl.

"VENOM!" cried Honey Bee. Fraanz looked up just in time to see Chloe transform her top into a stinger upon her hand. She stung him with the attack, completely imobilizing him. Fashion Queen growled as the flying girl landed on the ground. She slowly stood up as she looked to the trio.

"You really think that destroying my golem will save you? Pathetic!" She held a hand behind her back, faking an injury as she prepared to fire an attack. "All I need to make a powerful servant… IS ONE CLEAN SHOT!" She raised her hand in order to fire a magic blast, only for her hand to be void of her magic.

"Looks like your crown is the source of your power." Declared Ladybug with a smile. "We'll be sure to remember that if Hawkmoth akumatizes you again." She held up FashionMaster's crown, the F proudly on display. The villainess before her removed the fake crown from her head, realizing the trick that was just made. Melany slowly looked to the heroes, her face showing her disbelief and rage.

"No… NO! NO-NO-NO-NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME! WHO DO YOU UNFASHIONABLE REJECTS THINK YOU ARE!?" Marinette smiled as she looked between her companions.

"You really haven't heard of us? We're Miraculous Heroes." She turned to Chloe with a smile, presenting her with the crown. "You wanna do the honors Honey Bee?" The bee hero grinned as she accepted the item.

"Thought you'd never asked." Joked Honey Bee. She snapped the comb of the crown, releasing the dark butterfly within. Melany suddenly fell to her knees as her power began to leave her. She didn't even have the energy to scream in anguish as she remained on her knees. Marinette slid her finger across the top of her yoyo, opening it to reveal a glowing center.

"No more evil doing for you little Akuma." She dropped the yoyo to where it hung mid air, before spinning it rappidly behind her. "TIME TO DE-EVILIZE!" She slung the weapon towards the akuma, catching the butterfly within it. She caught the yoyo in her hand, the object having bright sparkles shine off it.

She opened the top of the yoyo again, releasing the now white butterfly back into the world. "Bye-bye little butterfly." She grabbed the fake crown from FashionMaster, quickly throwing it back into the air. "MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!" At the sound of her finishing battlecry, the object errupted into magical ladybugs once more.

The massive swarm flew all around Paris, returning it to its prior state. The mannequins were turned back into people, any remaining imps were also reverted, and even the Louvre was put back together in its natural state. Melany reverted back to normal, coming to her senses as she looked around in confusion.

"Um, what the heck just happened!?" asked the bruenette. "Where am I!?" It was well known that de-evilized victims were unable to remember their time as an akumatized villain. The heroes ignored the confused teen as they stood close to each other. Chloe watched as Ladybug and Chat Noir prepared for their post battle victory tradition, only for the former to look towards her.

"Get in here Honey Bee. You're part of the team now, temporary or not." Chloe felt touched to be included in the tradition, wiping away a quick tear before readying her fist. It had been the first time in a while since the duo could add another fist to their special symbol. The trio brought their fists together in a form of triangle.

"POUND IT!" cried all three heroes. Ladybug and Honey Bee couldn't help but chuckle as they looked to each other, earning a confused yet happy smile from Chat Noir. Far away, Hawkmoth could be seen seething in rage himself.

"Curse you Honey Bee!" roared the villain. "If you were not present I would have won this day. Still your power under the bee Miraculous intrigue me. Perhaps there is another way to evolve my own power." He left to stew over this fact as his window closed.

Back at the Louvre, the heroes were trying to settle things with the police and answering questions from Nadia Schamack, a famous reporter in paris. Melany was avoiding letting the police escort her home, not wanting to be helped by such "terribly fashioned people." She soon turned her attention towards Chat Noir, gaining hearts in her eyes.

"Ooh!" cheered the brat. "I love a man in leather!" She suddenly got in Adrien's personal bubble, making him uncomfortable. "Won't you be my purrfect prince?" The cat hero sounded his disgust as he pushed her away.

"Eww!" cried the cat hero. "I thought that was just a FashionMaster thing!" He turned to the girls with an apologetic frown. "Sorry ladies but I need to get away from here, and not just because my ring is about to run out of juice. It was nice meetiing you Honey Bee!"

He smiled at the blonde as she nodded. "Welcome to our Miraculous little family. Aurevoir!" He jumped away to the nearby rooftops, Melany trying to follow him in spite of police restraining her. Marinette gestured for Chloe to follow her, the bee hero doing so. They jumped across other roof tops as they moved a different direction.

"I want you to meet someone before we can discuss what to do about you and the bee Miraculous." Admitted the ladybug hero. "He has an important say in what happens here." Chloe gulped at the prospect at meeting a high authority like that, but nodded nonetheless. They soon came to their destination, a small apartment complex with different businesses within. They came across a certain window, the home of a masseus if the blonde wasn't mistaken.

"Come in Ladybug." Stated the man within, not even needing the girl to knock. Marinette opened the window, slowly making her way in. She looked back to Chloe with a determined smile.

"Don't worry. The master is a nice man. I'm sure he'll like the new you." Chloe nodded in response as she watched the Ladybug hero slide into the room. She flew in slowly, not wanting to accidentally damage something.

She came face to face with a short old man of Chinese decent. He had medium gray, a mustache, eyebrows, and goatee. He wore a red Hawaiian shirt with a white hibiscus flower pattern, tan capri pants, dark brown shoes, and a turtle charm wristband. Chloe was fairly certain that this was the master, the air about him. He had a look of genuine surprise on his face.

"Intriguing how a spiritually awakened individual has come into possession of the Bee Miraculous." Bemused the master. Even Marinette looked confused by this statement, only for the old man to nod towards the bee hero. "Please have a seat Honey Bee. Ladybug had informed me of the situation before receiving the bee Miraculous from me." Chloe did as requested, not wanting to upset the old man.

"Master, what do you mean by spiritually awakened?" asked Marinette. "I don't think I've heard you say anything like that before." The old man waved her off with the same kind smile.

"We will get to that Marinette. Now, young Honey Bee, I am Master Fu. May I ask who you are?" Chloe looked to Marinette, the girl nodding as she herself turned back to normal. The blonde sighed as she too detransformed.

"You may not think so highly of me due to my past with the Bee Miraculous, but my name's Chloe Bourgeois." Answered the girl honestly. Master Fu frowned, definitely remembering the girl. She decided to continue as she ran a hand through her still down hair. "I wasn't a good person the first time I had my hands on the Miraculous, but I'm looking to become a better person. Patching things up with Marinette was something I wanted to do as our friendship was really important to me."

She then looked to the old man with a soft smile. "When she offered me the bee Miraculous to help deal with the situation, I knew that I had to throw my old self away completely to be of real help. That's when I decided to be a warrior rather than a queen. Hence why I changed my hero name to Honey Bee." Master Fu hummed, looking to Pollen with a scrutinizing frown.

"Is this true Pollen? You have not said a word since being released." The bee kwami nodded in reponse.

"I wished not to interupt my queen, my friend, while she was speaking Master." Answered the little bee. "Back when I first found myself in her care, I felt the potential of a true bee clouded by her troubles. I tried to be a guide to her, as all Kwami do for their holders, but it ended when Heroes Day concluded. Until today I had not been in her presence for a long time, and I grew to find myself lacking a better part of me." Chloe sighed, feeling responsible for Pollen's dispair.

The bee kwami turned to her weilder with a big smile. "Today, when I saw her again, it felt like life had meaning again. Then she declared her intention to be a warrior who protects rather than a queen who flaunts, my words not hers mind you, but nonetheless I could tell she became a real queen. In other words, everything she says is true. Furthermore, I am proud to declare her one of the few holders I readily call my friend."

Chloe looked up at Pollen, seeing the sincere look on her face. She couldn't help her own smile as she allowed the bee to rub against her cheek. Master Fu smiled happily as he nodded his head.

"Very good. This saves me several questions I was going to ask you Chloe." The master then turned to Marinette, his smile remaining. "To answer your question, Marinette, I must ask you a question. Do you know how there have been cases of powerful heroes far beyond their peers in legend?" Marinette shrugged with a confused expression.

"I guess." Answered the bluenette truthfully. "I mean, I guess Hercules was much stronger than others around him." Tiki chuckled as she flew in front of her holder.

"Actually, Perceus is actually a better example of what Master Fu is talking about." Corrected the Ladybug Kwami. "Hercules just showed off with the Lion Miraculous of Greece." Master Fu cleared his throat, a bit perturbed.

"Tiki, I am the one telling the story." Scolded the master. Tiki made a silent apology as she flew back to Marinette's side. "As I was saying, many heroes of the past were above their peers in strength. This was true for both weilders of the same Miraculous and heroes who did not use one at all. Perceus falls into the latter case himself."

Marinette nodded, entranced by the story. "When a hero accepts or finds their true self, and they have a strong connection to a supernatural energy, they can awaken into a more powerful version of themselves. This usually takes the form of traveling through three golden rings that empower them." Marinette sounded her understanding as she nodded her head. Chloe beat her to the punch as she leaned forward a bit.

"Kind of like when I transformed." Noted the blonde. "I fell through three rings, one of them giving me the wings I use to fly." Master Fu nodded with a smile.

"Exactly, Chloe. You are so in tune with the Bee Miraculous that your decision to forge yourself anew awakened the power deep inside you. Such a rare gift to have these days." Chloe smiled at Pollen, happy to share the gift with her. Marinette looked to the master, a determined frown on her face.

"Master, awakened or not, I feel that we need more permanent Miraculous holders." Admitted the bluenette. The master looked to her with a stern frown, but she decided to continue. "Every day Hawkmoth grows stronger. Not to mention he's not the only supervillain Paris has to worry about. There's supernatural creatures like the ghosts of Amity Park and beings from beyond the stars."

Master Fu did not say a word, allowing the Ladybug holder to speak. "With so many threats coming to our world, the Miraculous are needed now more than ever. I have a feeling that without Honey Bee, we would have lost today. Chat and I can't do this alone anymore, none of us can. I know you're apprehensive of giving out Miraculous, but there comes a time where we must face our past head on."

Marinette gestured to the blonde girl beside her, a smile on her face. "Chloe did, and look what happened to her. I think it's time for a new generation of Miraculous Heroes to rise and show the world that miracles still exist. The longer we hide away, the stronger the enemy grows." Master Fu gained a contemplative look as he turned his attention to the roof.

"Ladybug is right Master." Stated a slithering voice. The girls watched as a kwami remeniscent of a snake flew out of a record player, floating before the old man. "Fluff and I have both felt a shifting in the sands of time. The world as humanity knows it is about to change, and the Miraculous could be the difference between a brighter dawn or our darkest days." Fu looked the snake kwami dead in the eye, only to sigh in defeat.

"You are right, Marinette." Relented the old master. "I am not long for this world, and times are changing faster than anyone could have anticipated. If you are determined to see this through, you must take responsibility for finding the perfect weilder for each Miraculous. Are you prepared to accept that responsibility?" Marinette smiled as she nodded her head.

"I picked right with Chloe and Pollen." Stated the bluenette as an example. "I'm going to be more confident in myself and say yes. I'll do my best to make sure each kwami finds a propper weilder, partner, and most important of all: a propper friend." Master Fu seemed to be in deep thought at the girl's answer. He suddenly smiled as he nodded her head.

"You are growing into a mature young Ladybug, Marinette. I feel safe entrusting the future of our world to you. Still, I will hold on to the Miracle box until such a time that I can no longer perform my guardian duties. You are both free to go, and please use the front door this time." The girls nodded as they made their way out.

Master Fu waited for them to leave before looking out the window. He saw an actual ladybug and a bee flying together, a small spiderling pulled behind the ladybug. It was definitely an odd sight to see, but to the master it was a good sign. He decided to close shop early today and pour over the images from the Miraculous book. If the next generation were going to step up to face the coming darkness, it's time he did as well.

---

Later

Once again the girls found themselves walking towards the park, walking in silence. Unlike last time, however, the silence was comforting. Chloe couldn't help but chuckle as Pollen rubbed against her cheek, making up for lost time between them. It was a sight Marinette did not regret making possible as they soon reached the bench where they met that day. Chloe decided to break the silence as she gestured to the nearby street.

"My driver should be here to pick me up soon." Informed the blonde. "I just want to say thank you for giving me a chance Mari. The day ended up a little more eventful than we planned, but I don't think I'd take back a single moment. Especially reuniting with Pollen and becoming Honey Bee." Marinette smiled as she nodded.

"I'm happy you invited me along." Replied the bluenette. "Also, I'm starting to get used to people calling me Nettie for personal reasons. You're welcome to do so too." Chloe smiled at the nickname, finding it to be rather adorable. She put on a fake air of her old self as she playfully skoffed.

"'I'll try to remember it Dupain-Cheng, though it definitely suits you.'" The two girls remained still for a moment before bursting out into laughter. Chloe wiped away a nonexitstent tear as she nodded her head. "For real though, it really suits you." Marinette smiled, sending a silent thank you.

Their conversation was cut short as her father's limo arrived. The driver honked at her to get her attention, causing her to groan. "I'm coming! Give me a minute!" She signaled the time to the man, causing him to nod in acceptance.

She sighed as she returned her attention to Marinette. "So, I guess I'll see you when school starts back, Nettie." She was about to walk away when Marinette placed a hand on her unoccupied shoulder.

"Actually, I and some of my American friends made a server for a game we play. It also acts as a kind of support system. Some of our classmates are on there, but I'd like it if you consider joining us. I know videogames aren't your thing but…" Chloe looked a little shocked, only to gain a sincere smile.

"We're friends for one day and you want to add me to an online group?" Marinette chuckled, realizing how on the spot her request was. The blonde across from her smiled as she nodded her head. "I have only one request. Sabrina really helped me get this far in becoming the new me, so I'd like it if you could extend the invitation her way." Marinette nodded in response, her smile growing into a grin.

"I think I can make something work out."

---

Inkaliber: And that's chapter 16 tagged and bagged! Chloe is now real friends with Marinette and has a new hero identity as Honey Bee. She's also undergone the mysterious phenomenon known as Awakening. Who else will get this special gift? You'll have to wait and find put.

Deadpool: Most likely someone in the main group. I wanna make a few bets, but the way you're glaring at me tells me I probably wanna shut up.

Inkaliber:… Is there any reason in particular that you're still here?

Deadpool: Oh! I was bored and you were reading. Better than just sitting somewhere. Plus your little attack dog looked like he was waiting for an excuse to throw me to those alien things.

Stitch: Naga~. Mi be good.

Inkaliber: Uh huh. Well you can leave now. I have to close out the chapter and you've overstayed the little welcome I've given you.

Deadpool: Fine! You're such a buzzkill.

Inkaliber: 5…4…3…2…1…One half…

Deadpool: AH! NO EVIL GREEN THINGS! THEIR TINY TEETH ARE SO SHARP!

Inkaliber: Finally. That guy is so annoying. Gotta get better locks on my doors.

Anyway, what did you guys think of Chloe's full face turn? Did you like her new look as Honey Bee? How about the reveal of what Chloe actually meant a few chapters back? Let me know what you think down below and I'll try to get back to you ASAP. This is Inkaliber, signing out.

1: Dimitri's

2: Please.