Notes: Yeah, she's here, too
Disclaimer: I do not own the Miraculous franchise
Miraculous Universe
Ch. 4: New Developments
The next semester of collège was still about a month away when Chloé got the text from Adrien.
Adrikins: Père says I can go to the same school as you!
"About time I got this text," she grumbled.
Chlo: Seriously!?
Adrikins: As long as I still attend my elective classes and continue to model.
Chloé was still excited that her scheme worked. She just had to celebrate properly. She texted Sabrina...
Chlo: Adrien gets to come to school with us. Let's throw a party at my place!
Brina: Your father won't mind?
Chlo: He helped me get Adrien into school. I'm sure he'll insist. I have to send a message to everyone!
She had managed to get ahold of everyone's cell number and sent out a mass text.
Chlo: You are all cordially invited to a party at Le Grand Paris for a special celebration
Alya was hanging out in Marinette's room when the text went out.
"Why would she invite us?" Alya asked, "I hardly know her, and you two barely talk."
"It must really be something special if she invited everyone in school."
Marinette got a text from Kim.
Kim: I can't resist a party. Are you going?
MDC: I guess...better bring some sweets
Kim: Sweet!
Then she got a text from Nino.
Nino: Are you going?
MDC: I guess so...
Nino: ...is Alya going?
MDC: Why, so you can dance with her, you sly dog?
Nino: Actually, Chloé insisted I be the DJ...but yes
"Nino and Kim are going. Nino's going to be the DJ actually."
"I hope he can still fit in a dance with me," Alya said with a smile.
"You're a terrible flirt, Al. Seriously, please don't lead him on."
"Marinette, I may be a flirt, but I would never intentionally hurt Nino. I better run home and change clothes."
"Good idea. I'll do the same and get some baked goods to take."
An hour or so later, everyone was headed for the hotel.
"I just realized she never said what time to be here," Marinette said.
"Maybe it doesn't matter," Kim said.
"It's nice to meet all of you finally," came a new voice.
Kagami and Ondine were already waiting in front of the hotel.
"I'm sorry, do we know you?"
"You will, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. My name is Tsurugi Kagami. I'm a friend of Chloé and Sabrina. Although to be fair, that's mostly because they're friends with Adrien."
"Your mother owns that technology company, right?" Alya asked.
"That's correct. Unlike M. Agreste, she decided to be lenient enough to let me attend normal collège once it started. It was quite surprising actually, but it did take some convincing. I was happy to make new friends. I brought one of them with me. She was the first to reach out to me, and for that I asked Chloé if I could invite her. I would like you all to meet Ondine."
"Bonjour."
"Bonjour. Wait, so you're friends with Adrien Agreste?" Marinette said, "Is he coming?"
"I'm afraid not. M. Agreste believes this sort of thing is beneath Adrien. You can't imagine how upset Adrien was when he was forced to be homeschooled."
"Gabriel kinda sounds like a jerk," Nino stated.
"That's a nice way of putting it. Anyway, we mustn't keep Chloé waiting."
Everyone went inside and made their way to the top floor.
"I'm taking the stairs," Kim announced, "And I'll bet I get to the top before all of you guys."
"The timer is set, Kim," Max confirmed.
"Wait," Ondine said, "He's being serious?"
"Kim doesn't say something like that if he doesn't mean it," Alix replied.
Ondine smiled, "You must be quite the athlete, Kim."
"Well, I don't wanna brag."
"Since when?" Alix joked.
"I've been training myself as well," Ondine continued, "Mind if I join you racing up the stairs?"
"Any competition is welcome. Say when, Max."
"Ready...go!"
Kim and Ondine dashed into the stairwell. Everyone else took the elevators.
"I think Kim has finally found someone as crazy as he is," Alix said.
"Statistically, it was bound to happen," Max said.
"It's so cute," Rose said.
"You think everything is cute," Juleka mumbled.
Upon arriving at the main room, they saw that several different snacks had been set up, as well as various drinks.
"I doubt she set this all up on her own," Alix remarked.
"Welcome, everyone," Sabrina called out, "May I present your host this evening: Chloé Bourgeois!"
Chloé made her way down a flight of steps. Her hair was down instead of in her usual ponytail. She was wearing a fancy gold dress and very nice heels.
"As if she wasn't tall enough already," Marinette thought.
"I'm so glad you all could make it. Help yourselves to refreshments. Make a request with the DJ. All I ask in return is that you listen to what I have to say first."
"I knew there was a catch," Alya muttered.
Just then, Kim and Ondine stumbled into the room, completely out of breath.
"Always so punctual, Kim," Chloé quipped, "Who's your friend?"
"She is the one I asked to invite," Kagami spoke up, "You remember Ondine, right?"
"Oh yeah. Hello...again."
Ondine gave a weak wave as she sat in the nearest chair. Kim looked at Chloé as he motioned towards the drinks.
She rolled her eyes, "Yes, help yourself,"
He grabbed several bottles of water, chugging one down, and handing another to Ondine.
"As I was saying, I'm sure you're all wondering why I bothered to invite you all here. Before you can all make wild speculations and accusations, I'll come right to the point. I felt like celebrating that my very dear friend Adrikins can finally attend school with us all."
"Who?" Alix asked.
"Adrien Agreste, genius!"
"You're actually friends with him?" Marinette questioned.
"No, I'm best friends with him. He's my oldest friend. In fact, he's more like a brother, that's how close we are."
"Pictures or it didn't happen!" Alya challenged.
"Ever the reporter, eh, Césaire? If it makes you feel better, I'll give him a call. I'm sure he's free."
While she made the call, Sabrina took her place at the front of the room.
"I can understand that you want proof, but I can assure you it's true. Adrien is my friend, too."
"Mine as well, as I explained," Kagami added.
"Bonsoir, Adrichou! I'm sorry to hear your father wouldn't let you out of the house yet. I know you're excited about it. I'm so excited that I threw a party. I know, mon frère, but you can get a sneak preview at the people who will attempt to befriend you. Ta da!"
She pointed her phone at the crowd. Adrien was on screen looking over everything.
"Hey, everybody! Nice to meet you all...sort of."
Everyone was too shocked to say anything, so they all just waved.
"Uh oh, sounds like Père wants me. I'll call back when I can. A bientot!"
Marinette placed her snacks on the table with the others. Everyone else lined up to grab something to eat.
"So you two are really childhood friends?" Marinette asked.
"That's correct. Give the girl a prize."
"If Gabriel Agreste is so strict, why did he change his mind about Adrien going to school?"
"Papa and I had a hand in that, and Gabriel's assistant Nathalie might've had something to do with it as well...well, her and maybe Tante Emilie...in a way."
"It was so sad to hear she died. Well, I mean, I didn't know her, but knowing she left behind a son, that was sad."
"I can't say I was as broken up over it as Adrien. Tante Emilie was nicer than Oncle Gabriel, but she was really just as controlling as he was. Adrien was rarely ever let out of the mansion. He couldn't even go to her funeral. Even though they let him go to maternelle for a while, it was always straight to school and straight back. We always had to go to his home to see him after that. Then of course there was the fact that Emilie couldn't sit still. Always running off on some excursion. Adrien was always so upset when she traveled. Maybe if Emilie and Gabriel weren't so restrictive, he'd be more okay with the fact that they had such busy schedules."
"So from what I gather," Alya said, "Gabriel is kind of a jerk, Emilie was nicer, but not that nice."
"Sounds about right. At least Emilie was miles better than the Style Queen."
"Didn't you tell everyone she was your mother?"
"I was just telling the truth. That doesn't mean I like it."
"Audrey rarely remembers Chloé's name," Sabrina explained, "And she certainly doesn't remember her birthday."
"You don't have to tell them everything, Sabrina!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you were okay with it now."
"Everyone already knows she's a horrible person. I don't need anyone to feel sorry for me. Nobody needs to know how I'm lucky if I see her once a year. No one needs to to hear about she's never once told me she loves me!"
Chloé was now standing up, and was suddenly aware of the awkward stares she was getting.
She cleared her throat, "Excuse for a moment. DJ, play some music."
Chloé was now standing in the hallway, try hard not to cry.
"What's the matter with you? You don't want tear stains on your dress, do you? How could you lose your cool like that?"
She checked her handbag for a handkerchief. Thankfully she had one.
"Chloé?"
Her head whipped around towards...
"Papa? What are you doing here? I told you I was having a party."
"I know, sweetheart, and I'm sorry to interrupt. Have you been crying?"
"Uh, no, it's just all the bright lights, and maybe some dust."
"I'll make sure they clean that room better. Is that a new dress?"
"What, this old thing? Yes, actually."
"I sometimes forget how beautiful you are."
"Merci, Papa, but you didn't come all this way just to make polite conversation."
"Well, no," he seemed to hesitate, "I actually have some rather important news. It's a rather delicate matter. You see, I just got a rather irate call from your mother."
"Is there any other kind of call when it involves her?"
"I...I really don't know how to put this."
"It's best to just come out and say it. Rip the band-aid off, as they say."
"You have a sister."
Her eyes went wide, and she seemed to freeze in place, "W-w-what?"
"Well, technically she's your half-sister. She's from New York. Audrey wants her to stay with us."
She seemed to snap out of her stupor, "But why now? Hasn't she been staying with mother?"
"Oh, good heavens, no. She lived with her father, and I think a stepmother was mentioned."
"So that's what she meant all those times. All those vague allusions to another girl."
"She never directly mentioned her until now because, well, she says it was none of our business. Also from what I gather, unless it was time for her yearly visit, she never remembered the girl. The only reason we're learning about her now is because some tabloid reporters found out about the Style Queen having a secret child."
"Did she cheat on you, Papa?"
"She claims this was before we were married."
"Wait, so this girl is older than me?"
"Yes, mon trésor, by a year. Her name is Zoé Lee."
She scoffed, "Zoé? How creative can you get?"
"She'll be arriving next week. I've arranged it that she'll also be attending the same school as you."
"So just because she's my sister, no wait, half-sister, I should go out of my way to be nice to her?"
"Please, mon ange, I know this is sudden, but try and get to know her. She can't be any worse than Audrey...I shouldn't have said that."
"Don't deny it, Papa. She can't remember your name half the time."
"The points is, don't take things out on her just because of how your mother treats you. From what I gather, this girl has interacted with Audrey even less than you have. I had a talk with her parents. They didn't sound like they cared too much about her. She's all alone in a new city. What she really needs is a friend."
She let out a long sigh, "Okay, Papa, I'll give her a chance."
"That's all I ask. Maybe you should take her out shopping when she arrives. Women like to do that, right? It's like when men go out on camping trips. It helps them bond."
They hugged, and then Chloé went back to the party. Sabrina was waiting by the door for her.
"Are you okay?"
"Of a fashion, yes. I'll tell you everything later. Right now, we have a party to host."
Chloé didn't tell anyone about her out of nowhere sister. She wanted to meet this girl first before she blabbed about it. It was next week in the blink of an eye. She woke early that weekend.
"I have to look my best no matter what, but this is really special."
She made sure she had everything, and then headed for the limo. Even though she was sure she'd know her just by seeing her, she was eventually given a picture. As the plane landed, she kept looking at the picture on her phone and back to the exit. After a few minutes, she arrived. They really didn't look that much alike. They had the same blue eyes and blonde hair, but that was about it. Her clothes were a lot more casual. Chloé had a habit of wearing heels or boots to emphasize her height, while this girl was wearing colorful sneakers. Her blonde shoulder length hair had a streak of pink in it.
"That's one way to stand out, I guess. Well, that and those bright shoes."
She took off her faux leather jacket. It was now noticeable that she was wearing some kind of pendant around her neck. She also had on a t-shirt and jeans.
Chloé took a deep breath, "Okay, here goes."
She walked up to the new girl.
"Bonjour, ma sœur. My name's Chloé Bourgeois."
"Uh, Zoé Lee, nice to meet you."
"I'm surprised how well you speak French," she said as she gestured to the limo.
"Well I...wow, you got a limo just to pick me up?"
"Uh...sort of."
"Anyway, my dad rarely ever talked about Audrey, I mean mother, I mean mère. She always spoke English when visiting, so it was surprising when one of the few things dad told me about was that she was from France. Ever since, I've always tried to take a French class so I could learn the language. You know, in case I ever visited."
"I was the same way with English when Papa told me that the Style Queen's lair was in New York. I don't regret learning a new language, but I should've known she'd never take me with her. So...you've barely interacted with her?"
"I think I might've met her once or twice when I was really young. She barely acknowledged me, and when she did, she got my name wrong."
"Sounds about right. When she was in the middle of complaining about things, she'd sometimes vaguely mention you. By the way, what's with the shoes?"
"Oh, these are special because I found them through serendipitous means. The writing on them is from my friends back in New York as a farewell."
There was only one signature on there that read 'Love You'.
"Only one friend?"
"Jessica was my only real friend, but hey, quality over quantity."
"How true. Are you going to tell me the shoe story?"
"Well, I didn't exactly fit in at school. When I told them I was half French, they made a lot of stereotypical jokes."
"Like surrendering, and eating frogs and snails?"
"Yeah, stuff like that."
"Well let me tell you, I never surrender, and I wouldn't touch frogs or snails. I don't care how they taste. I actually prefer sushi."
"Anyway, so in order to avoid being bullied, I became a bully."
"Oh, what a vicious cycle," Chloé said, dramatically clutching her breast.
Zoé giggled, "That lasted about a day. I got tired of it really quick. So instead I told those jerks how I really felt...and then they picked me up and threw me into a nearby dumpster."
"Wow, that escalated quickly."
"As I was climbing out of the dumpster, that's when I found these shoes."
"You decided to wear shoes you found in a trash heap?"
"What? I washed them first."
"Yeah, sure."
"After I washed them, I gave them a tye dye. That dumpster is also where I found this pendant I'm wearing."
"What is that, some kind of claw?"
"It's a talon actually. You know, like from a bird of prey."
"Did anything else happen at school?"
"I spent the rest of the semester apologizing to anyone I might've offended in my brief jerk phase, while at the same time avoiding the kids who threw me in that dumpster. I eventually made friends with Jessica. I made a few other acquaintances, but Jessica was always there to help me out."
"Yes, well, since you're new to Paris, I'm going to be a good sister and friend by treating you to shopping for new clothes."
"You'd really do that for me?"
"Hey, that's what family is all about, right?"
"It's just that, we barely know each other."
"That's what the shopping spree is for, pinky. We can chat a bit more while we find you the perfect outfit...s."
"Ooh, can we stop there real quick?"
Chloé resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
"Of course she'd want to get something from this store."
The limo stopped at the Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie. As the duo walked in, this felt odd for Chloé, being in the residence of a girl who she tolerated. She was sure Marinette felt the same.
"Bonjour, mesdemoiselles," came Tom's jovial voice, "Wait, don't we know you?"
"I'm the mayor's daughter, M. Dupain."
"Oh, that's right," Sabine said, "You're our Marinette's classmate."
"That's about the best way to put it. She's not here, is she?"
"We actually sent her out on an errand," Tom explained.
"We needed a few things," Sabine added, "And she made a delivery to our friend down the street as well. I'm sure you've been to Master Fu's massage parlor."
"Boy, have I ever. The man's a genius."
"Glad to hear you're a girl with good taste."
"Speaking of taste, Mme. Cheng, I'd like one of everything for my sister here. She just arrived in Paris, and I'm sure she's eager to try all of your delicious treats."
"How delightful," Tom said, "Just give me one second."
"Where are you from, dear?" Sabine asked.
"I'm from New York. My, uh, mother, yes that'll do, thought it would be best if I move here."
"Wait, so that means you're both the daughters of the Style Queen?"
"Unfortunately," they both said.
"Tom, give them a discount, please."
"Mme, Cheng, you don't have to do that. I have plenty of money."
"Think of it as a welcoming present, dear. Both of you help yourself to a croissant."
Chloé honestly didn't know what to say. She knew Marinette's parents were nice, but she had never actually spoken to them like this before.
"Wow, merci beaucoup. Isn't that nice of them, Chloé?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, you're too kind, thank you," she said as she handed them her card.
Zoé clutched the bag close as they headed for the door.
"Please come again," the couple both said.
Just then, Marinette came running from around the corner. She already looked like she was tripping over something, so before she could slam into the door, Chloé pushed Zoé back and held the door open. Before Marinette fell over, Chloé grabbed the bag of supplies from her arms.
"I'm okay. Thanks for the save. Hey, cool shoes."
"Thanks."
As soon as Marinette looked up, she gasped. She jumped to her feet.
"What are you doing here?"
She was definitely more confused than angry.
"What does it look like? Buying baked goods," she replied, placing the bag on the counter.
"You've never come here before."
"Zoé here wanted to try some French food. What better way to start than with dessert?"
"In that case, hello, how are you? I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng."
"I'm fine, thanks. My name's Zoé Lee."
Marinette kept looking at one girl, and then the other.
"What?" Chloé asked.
"Is she your cousin or something?"
"No, she's my sister. Well, gotta go. So much time and so little to do."
"Nice meeting you," Zoé said.
As they walked out they could hear Marinette talking.
"Oh, that's her sister. Well, no wonder. WHAT?!"
The girls got back in the limo.
"And they call me dramatic," Chloé said.
On the way to the shopping mall, Zoé asked what every treat was called before she scarfed it down. She had looked everything up, but she wanted confirmation.
"How about this last one?"
"You saved the best for last, I see. That's a macaron. It's their specialty...well that and galette."
They started their trip all around the various shops. At the nearest clothing store, Zoé was trying on an outfit.
"So what's your relationship with your dad like? You also have a stepmom, right?"
"Well, they were never really mean to me, they just barely paid any attention to me. I think my stepmom resented me. As for dad, well, he just didn't seem to know what to do. I was sent to private school."
"So getting all this attention now must be jarring."
"To say the least. Although...I told you about the French class, but there was one other class I felt compelled to take: acting."
"You want to be an actress?"
"Absolutely!"
"Wait until daddy meets you. He's going to show you the film he made, I'm sure."
"He actually directed a film?"
"Just one of those short, independent, art films. He made me watch it with him. I was really only interested because Tante Emilie was in it."
"Emilie? As in Emilie Graham de Vanily?"
"Got it in one."
"Wait, so you're talking about Solitude?"
"That's the one, yes."
"When I decided I wanted to be an actress, I started by watching as many classic films as I could. I eventually moved on to foreign films, starting with French of course. So your dad knew Emilie?"
"She and my Papa were good friends. She financed the film, and Gabriel made some outfits. Are you done yet?"
She stepped out of the changing room.
"How do I look? I'm not really sure what to think."
She was now wearing a blouse, some nice pants, and black boots that matched her jacket. Per her request, she was allowed to wear a béret.
"You look almost as amazing as I do."
"I'm just not used to these kinds of clothes."
"I'm not saying you can't wear your usual clothes, but I am saying that since school's starting soon you have to make a good first impression. You can at least try and get used to wearing more variety. With my help, you'll be the second best surprise those numbskulls get."
"What's the first?"
"Have you heard of Adrien Agreste?"
"I think so. He's a model, right? He's not as well known in the States, but I was always looking up anything related to France. He's the son of Emilie and Gabriel."
"Adrien has been stuck being homeschooled since before...elementary, that's right. He even missed the first year of...what do you call it? Middle school. By the way, we have to make a quick detour before we get home."
"You're the expert around here."
"About time someone realized it. I may not be an expert at designing clothes, but I know good craftsmanship when I see it."
Back into the limo they went, eventually stopping at a house.
"Come on," Chloé said, "There's someone I want you to meet."
*Knock knock knock*
"Open the door, Sabrina!"
Sabrina opened the door.
"Chloé! I wasn't expecting this unexpected visit."
"It wouldn't be unexpected if you expected it. I'm giving you a sneak preview of the first day of school this year."
"What do you mean? Who's this?"
"I'm getting to that. Sabrina Raincomprix, this is Zoé Lee. She's my newly discovered sister."
"WHAT!?"
"Well, technically half-sister, but whatever."
"Nice to meet you," Zoé said.
Sabrina was dumbstruck, "But, how? Where? When? Why?"
"I guess that just leaves who and what," Zoé joked.
"Let me see if I can sum up," Chloé said, "How? The Style Queen decided to have some fun before she got married. Where? New York. When? Papa told me a week ago, but she just arrived today. Why? Because everyone's favorite fashion critic is afraid of scandal. However, just because she was sent here under rather negative circumstances, that doesn't change the fact that she's very much welcome."
Zoé's smile faltered for a second, taking in that statement, but it was soon replaced with a bigger smile.
"Oh, well yes, of course. Will you be coming to our school?"
"You bet she will," Chloé answered, "You'll be right there next to us once we get everyone's attention the second we walk in. Speaking of which, I got you this."
She handed Sabrina a brooch.
"Oh, Chloé, it's so pretty. Thank you so much."
"Anything for you, mon amie. Well, we must be off. Daddy's waiting for us."
"See you later! Nice meeting you, Zoé!"
They got back in the limo and headed for the hotel.
"She seems like a good friend."
"She was one of my first, after Adrien of course. I'll bet you're hungry."
"Starving actually."
"Good thing you ate all those sweets for breakfast, because now we can eat at the restaurant in the hotel."
"You're putting me in a hotel?" she frowned.
"What? No, not like that. We live in the hotel."
"You live in a hotel? Is that really your home?"
"Well seeing as how Papa is the manager there, yes."
"What, so you're telling me you live in a suite on the top floor or something?"
"Almost. There are six floors, my suite is on the fifth. The top floor is for the restaurant and the staff."
Chloé got out of the limo and motioned towards the door, "Entrez."
Zoé smiled, "I think I'm gonna like it here."
As they walked through the lobby towards the elevator, Chloé started a new topic.
"You said you took acting? I took ballet for a while. I still know enough when the need arises."
"Why didn't you stick with it?"
"One of the main reasons I did it was because I thought it would impress the Style Queen. Alas, she couldn't care less. This way."
They stepped into an elevator.
"I've actually been thinking of taking up a new activity."
"Oh yeah? Like what?"
"Savate and/or parkour."
"I know what parkour is, but I don't think I've ever heard of savate."
"French kickboxing."
They finally reached her room.
"Bienvenue!" Chloé announced as she threw the doors open.
Zoé was in awe, "This is your room?"
"And you're welcome to it at any time. I'm pretty sure the room across from mine is yours. It might not be as big though."
"I could just sleep on your couch and I'd love it. Is M. Bourgeois here?"
"Daddy is probably still at work. We can get a meal in before he arrives."
Marlena was checking her phone when she saw the girls arrive in the dining room. She decided she'd better check on Chloé personally.
"Good afternoon, Mlle. Bourgeoisand friend."
"Not just friend, Mme. Césaire, but sister. This is Zoé."
"Sister?"
"She just arrived from New York, so get her some good French food. No doubt she's only had the kind people claim is French. You're the best, after all."
Marlena smiled, "You're not just flattering me now, are you?"
"I wouldn't dream of it. You're obviously the best because you work here."
"Sit anywhere you like. I'll have the waiter bring out some bread. Any type of food in particular?"
"I'll try something simple first," Zoé said, "How about soup?"
"Coming right up."
As the pair sit down, Chloé stuck her tongue out.
"What's the matter?"
"I don't really care for soup. I need something more...more. Ah, here's the bread."
The waiter placed the bread on the table and took their drink orders.
"Ooh, a baguette. I ate these all the time in New York. Well, that and croissants. Maybe next time we'll get you some American food."
"I appreciate the thought, but I've had lots of food that could be considered American. After all, if all I ate was haute cuisine, then it wouldn't be special."
Marlena now arrived with a waiter in tow.
"For Zoé, I present the soup of the day: vichyssoise. Remember, it's supposed to be cold."
"Oh, I remember. Merci!"
"And for you, Chloé, I know you don't care for soup, so I thought you might like ratatouille."
"That actually sounds ideal. Thank you very much."
"I'll give you a few minutes in case you want something else."
"Believe me," Zoé said, "I'll definitely want some more. I'm starving!"
Chloé was certainly surprised with how much Zoé ate.
"Everything was absolutely delicious."
"I think for dinner we'd better get you something less fancy before you overload your senses. Let's head back to my room."
On the way to the elevators, that's when André finally showed up.
"There you are, Papa. Here she is."
André shook her hand, "You must be Zoé. It's so nice to meet you. André Bourgeois, at your service."
"I've heard lots of nice things about you, M. Bourgeois."
"Oh, please, no need to be so formal. Call me Andy."
That certainly surprised Chloé, but she continued, "She wants to be an actress, Papa."
"How delightful! I wanted to be a great film director."
"So you really did make Solitude?"
"I can fetch it from my secret storage and show it to you."
"That can wait, Papa. We just had lunch, and on top of that, Zoé sampled the entire repertoire from the Tom and Sabine bakery."
"Oh, of course. I'm sure you're tired. I have a few things to take care of anyway. I'll see you both tonight."
Back in Chloé's room, Zoé sat on the sofa.
"This is such a comfy couch. Such soft pillows."
"Sofa, Zoé, it sounds more European that way. Be right back."
Chloé went to the bathroom. She looked in the mirror.
"Do I ever not look good? You know, Zoé, not a lot of people can pull of a beret, especially not someone that's not French, but you look good. It must run in the family."
Chloé waited for some kind of reply. She looked around the room.
"Uh...Zoé?"
She walked back over to the sofa. Zoé was passed out. Chloé grabbed a blanket and draped it over her. Zoé stirred a bit, but didn't wake. Chloé sat on the opposite sofa.
"I knew all that food would make you crash. I know I should tell you this when you're awake, but I'm not sure if I'm ready. I always said Adrien was like the brother I never had. I never even thought about having a real sibling. I know we've only just met, but even if it's only been a few hours, I'm glad to have you as my sister. I'll make sure you're never alone again."
Zoé was still asleep.
"I'm glad we had this talk. Now I think I'll follow your example and take a nap myself."
When Chloé woke up, the first thing she noticed was that Zoé wasn't on the opposite sofa anymore, although her shoes and pendant were still on the floor. She then realized that she now had a blanket over herself. She also noticed that Zoé was now sharing the same sofa, laying on the opposite end. Chloé decided to get up, causing Zoé to start stretching.
"Bon après-midi, Zoé."
"I almost don't want to get up."
"There'll be plenty of time to sleep later. Speaking of which, uh...thanks for the blanket."
"What's a big sister for?"
"I'm sorry, what?"
"I'm older than you. I might be new around here, but even I know I've got to look after my kid sister."
"Please don't ever call me that."
"What, you don't like it?"
"Not particularly."
"Oh, okay...then I'll have to use it more often," she said with a devious smile.
"I'm already seeing the downsides of having a sibling."
The pair eventually decided to order some pizza. They would go pick it up after a quick pit stop.
"Hey, Nathalie! Open the gates!"
Nathalie sighed, "Sir, it's that annoying blonde girl again. Except this time she's got another blonde with her."
"Just let them in so she'll shut up."
Nathalie motioned to Gorilla to open the door.
"Thanks, buddy. How's it going? Hello, Nathalie. Hello, Oncle Gabriel!"
"Please don't disturb him while he's working," Nathalie requested.
"That's just his way of avoiding people. He claims he's always working. Anyway, we won't be long. We just popped in to see Adrien and let him meet Zoé."
"Hi there," Zoé said, awkwardly waving.
This got Gabriel's attention. He had heard the story about Audrey's secret child with an American businessman. He poked his head around to corner to get a look at her.
"Go ahead and take all the time you need," Nathalie said, "But please keep it down."
As they ascended the stairs, Gabriel walked back to his work station. Nathalie was back to scrolling through her tablet.
"So that's Audrey's little accident."
"That's a rather harsh way of putting it, Sir."
"I was simply thinking about how Audrey herself would describe the child. She had to do a lot of lying to save face."
"It's no less than she deserves."
Meanwhile...
"Adrien Agreste, this is Zoé Lee."
"Pleased to finally meet you, Adrien," Zoé said, shaking his hand.
"I can't believe you have a sister now. That's so cool! Let me guess...you went shopping?"
"Was there ever any doubt?" Chloé replied, "I helped pick out her outfit."
"I may be a model, but I honestly don't know much about clothes...yet. As long as you like them, that's what matters."
"Well, we'll have to be going now. As it is, your dad doesn't like me."
"Why? What happened?"
Chloé thought for a few seconds, "Well...let's just say he doesn't like when someone challenges his authority."
"Oh, yeah, sounds about right. Okay then, talk to you later. Nice meeting you, Zoé."
"Likewise."
They stopped at the main door.
"Take care of yourself, pal," Chloé said to Gorilla.
He smiled and nodded in response.
"Goodbye, Nathalie. Au revoir, Oncle Gabriel!"
She made sure to slam the door as they left. Gabriel grit his teeth in response. Back in the limo, they headed for the pizza place.
"I think I saw that Gabriel guy peeking from behind the door."
"He probably wanted to see what Audrey's other daughter looked like."
"So, uh, what did you do to make him mad?"
"Oh...I may have threatened to go to the press and tell everyone he's a terrible father."
"Wow, that's crazy! I wish I was as tough as you."
"Do you really? I can help you toughen up. Just remember to draw the line before you come off as abrasive. Trust me on this."
"Seems like there's a story there," Zoé thought, "Better save it for later."
"Pizza place, dead ahead," Chloé declared, "Allons-y!"
They were now heading back to the hotel while sharing the pizza.
"I still can't believe you stood up to that guy," Zoé said,
"I hate how he's kept Adrien locked away. If I have to play dirty for his benefit, I'll do so. I'd do anything for someone I care about."
Zoé hesitated, but then asked, "Even me?"
She looked straight in the eye, "Even you."
"But you've known Adrien since you were kids. We've just barely begun to scratch the surface."
"We're family, though, aren't we?"
"Well...technically, yes."
"Then that's good enough for me. We're both willing to build a relationship, right?"
"Of course."
"We both despise Audrey, right?"
"Absolutely," she replied with a big smile.
Chloé held out her arm for a fist bump, but Zoé went in for a hug. Chloé was surprised, but returned the favor.
"Let's go home and watch the Solitude movie...and then something a bit more exciting."
"Sounds good to me."
Back at the hotel, they finished watching Solitude.
"So when you said you'd do anything for someone you care about," Zoé asked, "Did you mean absolutely anything?"
"Well, I mean, short of committing a crime. Don't think I'll bail you out if you do something stupid. If you become a criminal, I'll kill you and/or never speak to you again."
"I'm not sure how that second part is supposed to be a punishment," she said with a smirk.
"Oh, ha ha. I'm so glad you have the family's dry wit."
The rest of the week was spent shopping, visiting the different landmarks, and trying more French food. After they bought new swimsuits, the duo picked up Sabrina and joined Kagami and Ondine at the pool.
"It's an honor to meet someone who's essentially a better version of Chloé."
"You're always so funny, Kagami," Chloé said, "Full of laughs."
"I try. By the way, did you know Adrien is taking the same fencing class as me. I forgot to mention it last time."
"Doesn't surprise me. Is he any better at Japanese?"
"He knows the basics, but he's much better at Chinese...and English for that matter."
"We can both speak English, right, tye dye?"
"Absotively posilutely."
Kagami, Sabrina, and Ondine all gave each other puzzled looks.
Chloé chuckled, "That means yes. That gives me an idea. We need to go see Adrien again."
"You don't think his father will object?" Sabrina asked.
Now it was Zoé's turn to chuckle, "After what Chloé told me, I don't think even the mighty Gabriel Agreste will challenge her."
The next day...
"Hey! Open the door!"
Gabriel groaned, "What does she want now?"
"You know she's here to see Adrien," Nathalie replied, "It is still summer, after all."
"Fine, just let her in already."
As soon as Gorilla opened the door, Nathalie rushed to meet them.
"Please no yelling this time. Just go right up and see Adrien."
Chloé shrugged, "Fine."
Adrien had been practicing on the piano, so he was happy to see them again.
"Chloé, Zoé, back again already? You're spoiling me."
The girls sat down on his bed.
"I decided that I'm going to prep you a bit before school starts. Explain to you who's who and what's what. Zoé can learn from this, too."
Chloé got out a large notepad and drew three circles. One had her name, one had Zoé's, and one had Sabrina's.
"This is me, this is Zoé, and this is Sabrina. Lesson over. Glad we had this talk."
Chloé got up to walk away, but Zoé grabbed her by the arm and pulled her onto the bed.
"You brute. Fine, I'll talk about the others. Now here are the people you'll probably run into. The ones a grade above us are Luka the musician, his twin sister Juleka, Théo, and Socqueline. Then there's all the people in our grade: Jean, Marc, Aurore, Mireille, Ivan, Mylène, Rose, Nathaniel, Alix, and Max. Now for the people you'll likely interact with the most. The most prominent is Marinette Dupain-Cheng."
"The girl from the bakery!"
"Right...she'll likely ask a lot of questions. She was elected class representative last year, so she'll want to know your schedule so you don't miss out on any school activities. Even if she was class rep, she'd probably ask a lot of questions. You should've heard her at the party."
Chloé clasped her hands together and made her eyes wide.
"Oh, I felt SO bad for Adrien when I heard that Emilie passed away. He must be SO lonely and sad."
Adrien was intrigued, "She said that?"
"Well, I might be paraphrasing a bit, but essentially yes."
"She sounds like someone special."
"Yeah, whatever. Now her three closest friends are as follows. Alya is fairly new, she wants to be a journalist, and she likes superheroes. Nino likes wearing a cap, wants to be a DJ and a film director, and obviously has a thing for Alya, but hasn't said anything yet. Kim is an athlete who's not very bright, but good for a laugh. Got all that?"
"I guess so."
"Well, once you get there, I'll point everyone out to you. Oh, I should tell you about the teachers...the ones I can remember anyway. Mme. Bustier teaches literature. Mme. Mendeleiev teaches physics, chemistry, and math. M. D'Argencourt teaches PE."
"I didn't know my fencing teacher was there."
"Live and learn. M. Monlataing teaches art. M. Damocles is the principal. M. Haprèle is an assistant educator, whatever that means. Those are the only ones I can recall."
"That's more than enough, Chloé. Thanks for this catch up session. It helps a lot."
"My pleasure, Adrikins. You'll be on top of things once school starts. That goes for you, too, pinky."
"You're smarter than you look, Chloé," Zoé said.
"Naturally! Hey, wait a minute!"
Zoé and Adrien were now laughing. The last few days of summer seemed to fly by. The first day of school had finally arrived. The sisters had picked up Sabrina, and they were waiting for Adrien to arrive. His car finally pulled up and he practically leapt out the door.
"Remember, Adrien," Nathalie said, "Wait for the car to pick you up after school."
"Of course, Nathalie," he then looked at the bodyguard, "See you later."
The bodyguard smiled and waved.
"You're here at last, Adrikins. Time to make my announcement."
The four kids walked in and stood by the entrance.
Chloé cleared her throat, "ATTENTION!"
Everyone in school turned to look.
"I have two important announcements to make. First, this is my sister, Zoé. Treat her with even more respect than you give me."
"That shouldn't be hard," Alix called out.
"Shut up! Second, as I'm sure you all know, this is my good friend Adrien Agreste. Be nice to him, and don't crowd him. He gets enough of that from rabid fans. Where's Dupain-Cheng?"
She stepped forward, with Ayla and Nino close behind, "You bellowed, Chloé?"
"I'm taking Zoé here straight to our homeroom. Since you're the class representative, I leave you the task of showing Adrien around a bit. We all have the same homeroom, so make sure you get him back before class starts. I trust that shouldn't be too difficult...even for you."
"You just had to throw in that last part, didn't you?"
"I wouldn't be me if I didn't, baker girl," she replied with a smile.
The sisters walked off, followed by Sabrina. Marinette was about to say something, but Nino stepped forward.
"Glad to finally meet you, mec. I heard you're excited to be here."
"Chlo told you all? Yeah, it feels great to get out of the house."
"Don't you mean mansion?"
"Actually the word I was going to use was jail, but that didn't seem fair."
"Jail?" Marinette said.
"Sure, it's not so bad. You behave yourself, they make you a trustee."
No one said anything.
"That was my attempt at a joke."
"Oh," Nino said, "You mean all of what you said?"
"No, just the second part. My house really does feel like a jail sometimes."
"Well I'm glad you have some freedom now," Marinette said, "How about that tour?"
"Lead the way, Marinette."
They went all around the school, checking every room. The lunchroom was what intrigued Adrien the most.
"You mean you can basically pick whatever you want to eat?"
"That's right, sunshine," Alya replied.
"This is so awesome. I wish I could eat now. I didn't have much breakfast. I wanted to leave as fast as possible just in case father changed his mind."
Marinette pulled a small bag out of her purse, "I was saving this croissant for later, but I can always get more. You can have it."
Adrien's eyes went wide, "Is this from your bakery?"
"Where else would I get it?"
"And you're really giving it to me?"
"Think of it as a welcoming gift."
Adrien took it and, remembering some wise words, savored the treat rather than scarfing it down.
"This brings back memories," he said, finishing the croissant.
"Of what?"
"When Master Fu first introduced me to your bakery's amazing food."
"You know Master Fu?"
"He's my Chinese teacher."
"No kidding? He teaches me Chinese, too."
"Really? Well whaddya know?"
"Looks like you've got a new friend, mec," Nino spoke up, "And a friend of Marinette is a friend of mine."
"That goes likewise for me," Alya said, looking at her phone, "Uh oh. We better get to homeroom."
Meanwhile, Chloé and Sabrina were helping Zoé pick a spot to sit.
"Sabrina and I sit up in the front here. That way everyone can see me in all my greatness."
"More importantly," Sabrina said, "The teacher can keep a close eye on Chloé."
"Everybody's a comedian these days."
"Excuse me, girls, gotta go...you know."
When Sabrina left, Zoé started thinking.
"Hey, Chloé. That girl from before, Alix. Why did you let her snark at you like that? You didn't even have a witty comeback."
"Two good reasons. One, because unlike the Style Queen, I'm trying to have a sense of humor about myself. Two, because I deserve it."
"What do you mean?"
Chloé sighed, "When I was younger, for a while I was a very angry person. I would lash out at anyone who got in my way. I especially didn't like Marinette."
"What did she do?"
"Nothing...it was my fault. She had two parents that loved her and always tried to spend time with her. What did I have? A busy father and an essentially non-existent mother. One day, one of the teachers had a talk with me. She helped me realize I was close to going down a dark path."
"That's a rather dramatic way to describe it, Chloé," said a voice.
"Mme. Bustier?"
"So this is the sister I heard about. Nice to meet you. Do you know how important you are?"
"What do you mean?" Zoé asked.
"Chloé's changed so much since that day. She's been trying to help people...in her own special way. It warms my heart, though, to know she has a family member she can truly relate to and take care of, and one that will take care of her in return."
"That makes me sound pretty awesome."
"You're related to me," Chloé said, "That alone makes you awesome."
"It's about time to start. I'm glad to have you with us, Zoé."
"Thanks, Mme. Bustier."
That's when Marinette, Adrien, Alya, and Nino, ran into the room.
"Someone other than Marinette must have been keeping on eye on the time."
"That would be me, Mme. Bustier," Alya said.
"So glad you could join us, Adrien. I know this means a lot to you."
"Nothing could keep me away, Mme. Bustier," he said with a big smile.
Adrien and Nino sat in the front, Marinette and Alay behind them, Nathaniel and Zoé behind them, and Ivan in the back. With his large stature, he was glad he didn't sit next to anyone for fear of crowding them. Also in front were Chloé and Sabrina, behind them were Alix and Mylène, behind them were Kim and Max, and in the back were Rose and Juleka.
"Welcome back, students. Hello again to our new arrivals: Adrien Agreste and Zoé Lee."
Adrien raised his hand.
"Yes, Adrien?"
"I guess you could say our class covers everything from A-drien to Z-oé."
The class was quiet, save for a groan from Chloé.
"Oh no," she said, "He's trying to be funny."
Marinette actually started to snicker, which in turn caused Nino to do the same.
"Oh, come on," Chloé said, "It wasn't that funny."
"It was just so dumb that it was kind of funny," Marinette replied.
Adrien gave Chloé a smug smile, to which she replied by ticking her tongue out at him. She then looked back at Zoé, who simply shrugged. Chloé then got a text.
Z: Don't look at me. He's your brother.
Chloé gave her a dirty look, and she quickly turned her head and started to whistle.
"Well," Caline said, "That's one way to make a first impression. Let us now begin."
As the day went on, Adrien seemed to be fascinated by every class they attended. The fact that was was fascinated in turn fascinated Marinette. When she had a moment alone with Nino, they had a brief chat about it.
"It's kind of odd seeing someone so amazed by the things we normally find mundane. It makes you realize you can inadvertently take some things for granted."
"I know what you mean, Nette. I think we should do our best to help him make the most of his time here."
"I'll try to make sure he can come to as many school events as possible."
The end of the school day came at last. The Bourgeois limousine pulled up.
"Until tomorrow, Adrichou," Chloé said, "Let's try for something this weekend."
"Sounds good, Chlo."
"Zoé, Sabrina, let's roll."
As they left, Nino turned to Adrien.
"I'm glad you had a great time, mec," Nino said, "Maybe we can hang out sometime. It's not fair that you're always stuck with girls."
"Excuse me?" Alya said.
"Uh, scratch that last part."
Adrien laughed, "Maybe if I play my cards right, father will let me have you over."
"I'd get to see inside your house? Whoa."
"Why not? I hope all of you can visit eventually. We're friends now."
"You're the best, sunshine," Alya said, "Care to walk me home, Nino?"
"Sure thing. Later, Nette, mec."
As they walked off, they could still hear Alya.
"Nino, it looks like it's going to rain. Did you bring an umbrella?"
No reply.
"Nino!"
"Uh, I hope you like running."
"I hope you brought an umbrella, Adrien," Marinette said, "I'd hate to see those nice clothes get wet."
"I did as a matter of fact. You really like these? Nathalie tried to pick my outfit, but I managed to have some input."
He quickly opened the umbrella as the rain started to fall. Marinette instinctively reached inside her bag, but found nothing.
"I knew I'd forget to bring one."
"We can share until my ride gets here."
"Oh, thanks."
They stood in silence for a few seconds, but then...
"Chlo told me a bit about you, by the way."
"I hope it wasn't anything too bad."
"Surprisingly, despite her mocking tone, it was actually pretty positive."
"That is a surprise."
"I wanted to say thank you."
"For the food?"
"Partially, but mostly because you empathized with me despite not even knowing me."
"Why wouldn't I? You lost a parent."
"In a way I lost both. Father barely talks to me anymore."
"I'm sorry."
"When mom died, all those people turned up to her funeral. She was really famous. If any of those who paid their respects felt bad for me, I'd never know since father kept me locked up. My friends got me through all that. They comforted me when no one else would."
"Well you can count on me to be another friend. Snacks included."
That's when the Agreste limo pulled up.
"Come on."
Adrien knocked on the window.
"Marinette, this is my bodyguard. This is my new friend Marinette."
"Enchanté," she said, holding out her hand.
Gorilla smiled and shook her hand. Adrien got into the limo.
"Do you need a ride?"
"Oh, my house isn't that far."
"I'd hate to see you get soaked, Marinette. Take my umbrella, please. I can always get it back tomorrow."
"Oh, well, thank you. I promise I won't forget it. In fact, give me your number and then text me a picture of an umbrella so I won't forget."
They exchanged numbers. She immediately got an umbrella emoji.
"Thanks again."
"See you tomorrow, Marinette."
As the limo drive off, Adrien excitedly told Gorilla, "I made so many new friends today!"
Marinette was so happy she practically danced home.
"Welcome home, Marinette," Tom said.
"You forgot your umbrella, dear," Sabine said, "Where did you get that one?"
"Adrien Agreste let me borrow his. He started going to our school."
"I'm glad to hear he's such a nice boy," Tom said, "We don't need another Gabriel."
"He loves our baked goods, Maman. Can I make him some macarons?"
"Of course, sweetie. Just don't forget your homework, if any."
"No worries, Maman. No homework just yet. First day of school, you know."
After she made the macarons and put them somewhere she wouldn't forget them, she got a text from Alya.
Al: Did you get rained on?
Nette: No, Adrien loaned me his umbrella
Al: He must really like you
Nette: Are you implying something?
Al: Who me? Not at all
Nette: Uh huh...I'm glad he's in school like he wanted
Al: You're all heart, girl. See you tomorrow
Nette: See ya