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celestiall0tus · 14 days

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Tales of Bloody Bug and Chat Noir - Chapter 22 - Despair Bear

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Alix skated around the skate park around other skaters. She kept her eyes forward, but occasionally glanced over at Nino and Adrien, careful not to let them see it was her. She had been there since early afternoon when they hadn’t arrived more than half an hour ago. She wondered where Kagami was, but she imagined Adrien snuck out. He’s developed a habit of it since meeting Kagami, and when she showed him how she got over the walls of his mansion.

Alix paused for a moment and watched Nino try to teach Adrien how to skate. She cringed at the process, like teaching a newborn to walk. She shook her head and turned away when she saw them check their phones.

Alix raised a brow and stopped when she got a message. She pulled out her phone and saw a message from Adrien, inviting her to a party thrown by Chloe. She curled her lips back into a sneer, pulled down her hood, and approached Adrien and Nino.

“Hey, what’s the meaning of this?” Alix demanded.

“Yo, Alix, didn’t know you were here, my dude,” Nino remarked.

“Uh, that was the point? Anyway, what the hell? Why would you send this to me?”

“Oh, Chloe asked that I send it to you. She said she wants our entire grade there tonight at the party, including you,” Adrien answered.

“Look, I can believe a lot of stuff that comes from you, but I honestly can’t believe that. Why would Chloe want me there?” Alix asked.

“I have to agree, dude. Are you sure you read that message right?”

Adrien nodded and showed Nino and Alix the message. Alix’s jaw dropped when she saw Adrien was being honest about Chloe’s intentions.

“Fuck,” Alix hissed.

“What are you going to do? Will you come?” Adrien asked.

Alix sighed and pulled down on her eyelids. “Fine! I’ll… I’ll at least try.”

“Awesome! We’ll see you then, Alix,” Adrien cheered.

Alix forced a smile while she waved goodbye to Adrien and Nino. She dropped her smile and pulled up her hood as Tikki and Stompp poked out from it.

“Are you sure this is a good idea? Don’t you have history with Chloe?” Tikki asked.

“Well, yes, but… I don’t know.”

“I don’t think it’s a bad idea, Tikki. Shouldn’t Alix give Chloe a second chance? She has as Bloody Bug, so why not Alix?” Stompp pointed out.

“If she does that, she needs to give others second chances too,” Tikki remarked.

Alix glared at Tikki and skated out of the park towards home. “I don’t have to give anyone a second chance if I’m not willing, Tikki. Chloe is… not Marinette. Chloe didn’t use me. Chloe never made me feel welcomed just to make everyone turn on me. Chloe wasn’t the monster, I was. And… and it should fall on me to make things right, shouldn’t it?”

“Yes,” Tikki and Stompp said.

“Just like with Marinette,” Tikki pointed out.

“I disagree. That Marinette girl was rude for accepting the akuma and hurting Alix when Alix didn’t do anything,” Stompp countered.

“Maybe, but forgiveness needs to start somewhere. Someone needs to be the better person and teach the other the error of their ways. You’re willing to do it with Chloe, why not Marinette?” Tikki challenged.

Alix opened her mouth, then shook her head. “Can we drop this? I just want to head home, get ready, and get this party done and over with.”

Tikki sighed and slipped back into the hoodie while Stompp remained.

“Yes, Stompp?”

“Huh? Oh, I’m just comfy.”

Alix chuckled and headed back home to get ready.

Alix arrived at Le Grand Paris with Adrien, Kagami, and Nino. She kept her head pulled up as she looked around the room. Every kid in their grade appeared to be here, including Marinette, Alya, Mylene, Juleka, and Rose.

“Oh, no,” Alix groaned.

“You’ll stay near me, right?” Adrien asked.

“Come on, dude, it’s just the girls. Nothing to be scared of, dude,” Nino butted in.

“But-!” Adrien started.

Nino grabbed Adrien’s wrist and dragged him towards the girls. Adrien reached out to grab Alix, but she stepped back out of his reach. He turned back as she shot him an apologetic look before he vanished into the crowd. She sighed and moved away from everyone towards a wall when something pulled her sleeve. She turned, expecting to see anyone, but saw Luka.

“What the-? Why are you here? Don’t you have problem with these things?” Alix asked.

“I… I’ve been… getting better?” Luka hesitated.

Alix raised a brow when she saw the noise-cancelling headphones around Luka’s neck. “Right. Don’t you think this is a little much, even if you’re getting better?”

“M-maybe, but… I wanted to-,” Luka started.

“Attention, everyone! Welcome to this humble party I’ve so generously put together for all of you! Eat, drink, dance, or whatever it is you do, you have a great time!” Chloe announced.

The partygoers all cheered and moved around. Alix spied some headed into the elevator. She trotted towards the elevator when Luka pulled on her sleeve again.

“What do you want?” Alix asked.

“Could I… could I tag along with you?”

“Me? Why? Your twin’s here. Why not hide behind her?”

Luka stumbled through his words as his eyes darted towards them and a blush crawled onto his cheeks.

“Hold up, do you like one of them?”

Luka’s eyes widened, he pursed his lips, and shook his head in a panic.

“You’re a terrible liar, Couffaine. Which one is it? Alya? Rose? Mylene?”

Luka didn’t answer.

“Marinette?”

Luka’s blush deepened as he looked away.

“Eww, why her?”

Luka fidgeted. “She’s very pretty and nice.”

Alix rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Do what you want, Luka. I’m heading somewhere that isn’t here with everyone.”

Alix headed into the elevator with Luka following her. She headed up to the restaurant floor where it was cleared of the dining tables and chairs to make way for a plasma with a game station set up, a ball pit, and a DJ booth. She spotted Nino already at the DJ booth while everyone else danced.

“So… this, uh, this looks fun, right?” Luka attempted.

Alix snorted. “Looks like a headache.”

Luka grimaced and looked away. Alix broke away up to the bar top where refreshments were set out. She reached for one when she heard a loud bang. She turned towards the door to see Chloe stormed in with Sabrina behind her. Chloe stopped dead when she saw Alix. Alix sighed, pulled her hood more over her face, and looked away. Luka moved beside Alix between her and Chloe.

“Is… everything alright?”

“Yeah. Just… just preparing myself.”

“For what?”

“Kubdel,” Chloe said.

Alix sighed. She looked up at Chloe and Sabrina. “Can I help you?”

“Are you… are you enjoying yourself?”

“It’s… tolerable.”

Chloe nodded and left. Sabrina gave a thumbs up and followed Chloe.

“That was… different. I thought you two, y’know, hated each other,” Luka pointed out.

“It’s… complicated.”

Alix sighed and rested her head on the bar top. Luka hesitated as he reached out for her shoulder when the music shifted from club music to slow dance.

“What the hell?” Alix remarked.

Alix turned as everyone on the dance floor paired off. She spotted Alya and Nino, Juleka and Rose, and Kim with a reluctant Chloe.

“I didn’t realize Nino and Alya were together,” Luka commented.

“I could care less about them. How long have Juleka and Rose been together?”

“Uh… I’m not sure.”

“You’re her brother. How do you not know?”

Luka shrank back and looked away.

“Sorry. Forget I asked. Hey, why don’t you take a chance and ask Marinette to dance?”

Luka’s eyes lit up. He turned and scanned the room, then shrank back again. “I don’t think I can.”

Alix furrowed her brow and looked around. Anger flared when she saw Marinette drag a reluctant Adrien onto the floor as he led her in a slow dance. She glanced around for Kagami but didn’t see Kagami.

“Where the fuck is his babysitter? Why isn’t she stopping this?” Alix hissed.

“Babysitter?” Luka asked.

“Nevermind. I need-!”

Tikki peeked over Alix’s shoulder in the hood. “Don’t rush in! Be smart about this. We don’t need to cause any, well, you know.”

Alix sneered and looked back at the dance floor. She noticed Adrien and Marinette stealing attention of the dancers as the floor was cleared for them. She looked over at Chloe, who glared daggers at Marinette, but remained with Kim.

“I have an idea. Stay here,” Alix whispered.

Alix pulled her hoodie off, rolled it up, gave it to Luka, and headed over to Kim and Chloe. She kicked Kim in the groin and sent him crumbling to the floor. Everyone gasped around her and jumped back. She took a deep breath and offered her hand to Chloe.

“Will you do me the honor of leading you through this dance?” Alix asked.

All eyes fell on Chloe. Chloe looked up, gulped, and reached out a shaky hand. Chloe placed it down in Alix’s. Alix stifled a grimace as she felt Chloe’s still trembling hand. Painful memories surfaced that Alix pushed back down. Alix took a deep breath as she pulled Chloe closer, placed a hand under Chloe’s right arm on her back, and took Chloe’s left hand in her own.

Alix took a breath before she led Chloe in a waltz. Chloe struggled with the steps until she got ahold of them. Alix had trouble with twirling Chloe as part of the dance with Chloe being a head taller, but Chloe worked with her. Alix kept her eyes on Chloe but glanced aside at Adrien and Marinette.

Adrien and Marinette’s dance had stopped their dance to watch Alix and Chloe. Adrien’s eyes were wide and sparkled in admiration while Marinette was dumbfounded. Alix allowed herself a smirk until she caught a glimpse of Luka, whose eyes were wide in awe with a slight blush as he stared at Alix. A feeling gnawed at the back of Alix’s mind, but she ignored it as she dipped Chloe and finished the dance.

Alix bowed while everyone gawked at her. She sat back beside Luka as she put her hoodie back on. She looked over at the door and saw Kagami reappear, putting her phone away. She relaxed when Kagami took her place beside Adrien, warding off Marinette. She smiled, stood, and headed for the elevator when Chloe ran up and grabbed her arm.

“Wait! I… you aren’t leaving, are you?”

“I think I’ve had my fill already, Chloe. I’d rather leave now before you-.”

“Don’t go. I did all this to talk with you,” Chloe admitted.

“What are you talking about?”

“I wanted to talk to you, Alix, but I couldn’t think of any other way to, well, talk to you.”

“I knew it! I knew there was no way Chloe could be nice!” Marinette cheered.

Everyone murmured as they all shot Chloe side glances. Chloe’s lips curled back in a snarl and her hands balled into fists.

“I never said I was trying to be nice. I’m just trying to be better, and that doesn’t mean I have to be nice to everyone. I don’t care about you. I don’t care about any of you guys except Adrikins, Sabrina, and Bloody Bug,” Chloe declared.

“What’s the point of trying to be better if you’re not going to be nicer?” Marinette challenged.

“Because… because I don’t have to be. If I don’t like someone, I don’t have to be nice, but I don’t have to be mean either. I can still be me and still be better.”

Alya scoffed. “Yeah right. Where would you get a notion such as that?”

“Bloody Bug.”

Alix’s eyes widened as fear and anxiety tore through her.

“Please, how would Bloody Bug give you such a notion?” Alya demanded.

“Because I’ve seen her for who she is. She may be a hero, but she’s still a person. She’s… she’s flawed. She’s not some perfect, untouchable hero, but a deeply flawed person. She has her moments of blinding rage that hurts people. I mean, really hurts. However, she can also be fun, energetic, and compassionate. She has baggage, just like the rest of us,” Chloe explained.

Everyone exchanged confused glances with each other and Chloe. Alix frowned as guilt mingled with the anxiety.

“I don’t believe that. Bloody Bug is a hero. There’s no way she’s just like any of us,” Alya remarked.

Chloe opened her mouth, but Sabrina stepped in the way.

“And that’s why Chloe is better. She recognizes this fact, unlike someone like you who actively stalks the hero to unveil her identity. Don’t you stop to think of the dangers of that and how compromising it is?” Sabrina challenged.

“It’s not that big of a deal. Besides, I bet she could take out the enemy, even with her identity revealed.”

Alix shook her head. She had heard enough. Alya, Marinette, Sabrina, and Chloe continued their argument, but she headed out. She crossed over to the elevator as Chloe’s butler ran into the restaurant. Curiosity struck her, but she pushed it away. She entered the elevator as her hand hovered over the panel. She considered leaving but didn’t want to just yet. She did need some quiet, so she headed up to the roof. She heard her name called out as the doors shut. She wondered who it was but ignored it and leaned against the wall.

Alix watched the numbers go up until she was at the rooftop. She stepped out to the empty pool and sat along the edge. Tikki and Stompp flew out from her hood and hovered in front of her.

“Alix? Are you ok?” Tikki asked.

“I don’t know. A lot just happened a moment ago. I’m still processing it all.”

“Should we be worried that Chloe knows who Bloody Bug is?” Stompp asked.

“I mean, Bloody Bug and Chat Noir know, so it can’t be too bad, right? Besides, Adrien is down there, hopefully helping with the situation,” Tikki remarked.

“Or getting out like he should,” Stompp muttered.

“Anyway, Alix, how are you feeling?” Tikki asked.

“I don’t know. Confused? Angry? Sad? Confused? I mean, Chloe clearly had been talking with Sabrina to come to all those points. There’s no way she would have on her own without Sabrina’s help. Which means she’s listening to others, which is good. However, that might be part of it.”

“What do you mean?” Stompp asked.

“I dunno, but hearing Alya say that Bloody Bug couldn’t be like any normal person just… I dunno. It hit different. I know what she meant, that Bloody Bug can’t be flawed, but it just hit different.

Tikki and Stompp exchanged glances. Tikki opened her mouth when Alix’s phone buzzed. Alix checked it to see a message from Adrien about Chloe’s butler being akumatized and turned into a teddy bear that could control people and was targeting Chloe. Alix groaned and rolled her eyes while Tikki and Stompp read the text.

“I don’t want to deal with this nonsense,” Alix complained.

“Hey, at least with Blood Shell, it’ll be quick and painless,” Stompp pointed out.

Alix rolled her eyes and growled. “Alright, let’s get this over with. Tikki, Stompp, unify.”

Tikki and Stompp flew into their respective jewels and transformed Alix into Blood Shell.

Blood Shell heaved herself up and back downstairs. She walked into the restaurant to see the utter chaos of everyone running around while the teddy bear took control of people by grabbing their leg. She rolled her eyes, activated her armor, and whistled.

“Hey, chew toy!” Blood Shell yelled.

The teddy bear stopped and turned to Blood Shell. It ran up to her, grabbed her leg, but nothing happened. It tapped her leg, and she reached down, grabbed it, and tore the head off the bear. The Akuma flew up, then back down to the mace as it lit up. It purified and flew away as a white butterfly. Everyone blinked and then cheered while Blood Shell grumbled and left. She headed for the stairs and up to the roof again.

Blood Shell stepped back into the cool night air. She headed for the railing but stopped herself. She knew where she would head. She would go to the cemetery where her mother’s grave was. She’d be alone for a little while until Alim or Adrien came looking for her. The idea was enticing to have people around her help her, but not this time. She just wanted to be left alone.

Blood Shell curled into a ball and rolled back into the empty pool. She held her knees tight as she let everything surface before it all came crashing down.

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milarqui · 9 months

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Scarlet Lady: Despair Bear

Directory | Princess Fragrance

It had been a few days since Marinette had her epiphany, and today was her day with their teacher.

“Master Fu, have you talked about Chat Noir about reclaiming the Earrings?”

“Yes,” the old master replied. “What spurred this on?”

As the two talked, she felt Pollen doing something to her hair, but she let her do: the little Kwami was likely showing off for Wayzz.

“I've always known Scarlet Lady to be inept and lazy, but... seeing Tikki so sick, knowing Scarlet Lady let her get like that, allowing her to be stolen in that condition... she never should've been allowed to keep the Earrings in the first place!”

“Ugh!” Master Fu muttered, feeling the jab to his ego, but didn't let that affect him too much as he stood up. “As I'm sure Chat Noir told you before, Scarlet Lady has the public's favor.”

“He did mention that...” Marinette admitted.

“It's that favor that allows you to fight Akumas unrestrained,” he explained. “It will do your cause no good if people see their beloved heroes infighting.”

“And Scarlet Lady only comes out for publicity... no chance to strike privately.” Marinette grolwed at the thought.

“Also, the Ladybug is necessary to fight Akumas,” Master Fu said, sitting down again.

“Hmm...”

“You'll need to have a ready replacement when that time comes.”

“Did Chat Noir have any ideas?” she asked, curious.

“Uhhh...”

----

Of course, Marinette couldn't have known what Chat Noir said in his previous visit when asked the same question.

“Marinette, obviously Marinette.”

----

The next day was a normal day, with classes and teachers and hopefully no Akumas, but there was also something the teachers had agreed with, which was....

“Look at that emulsion!” Tom Dupain exclaimed as he showed the students the contents of his bowl.

“Wow!” Alix said.

“Oo...” Adrien was fascinated.

“I love baking class!” Nino said.

… that.

“Oh please,” Chloé started in her best 'let's complain about everything' tone. “You expect me to soil my brand new pants to cook?!”

“Chloé, shh!” Sabrina muttered.

“Hellooo? I'm complaining over here!” Chloé replied, once again blind to anything that wasn't her opinion.

“No one cares!”

Chloé moved to a side and pulled out her phone.

“Oh, I'll make you care,” she muttered with a smirk as she called a number, unaware of Marinette watching her do so.

Marinette's musing was interrupted when her father gently pushed the bowl he had been using towards her.

“Marinette, can you put this in the cafeteria fridge, please?”

“Oui, Papa!” she exclaimed, picking it up and making her way out of the class -

RIIIIIIING!

Marinette jumped in shock, and just about didn't drop the bowl.

“Wha–?!”

“The fire alarm?!”

The door opened behind Marinette as her classmates started to walk out.

“Everyone out calmly, single file,” Mme. Bustier said.

And, as Chloé passed Marinette...

“Heh,” the Mayor's daughter let out.

Marinette could immediately tell that Chloé had had something to do with this. It wasn't like she was pretending otherwise!

“... what are you smirking at?” she asked.

----

The entire school had gathered near the entrance, and for once the principal actually looked the position, as noted by his fuming face.

“So apparently one of you thought it'd be funny to prank call the fire department and waste the fire captain's time?!”

“M. Principal~!” the world's eyesore exclaimed from behind Marinette. “I saw a student leave the classroom right before the alarm went off! It was obviously her!”

“Oh? And who was that?”

“Let's see if she'll confess, ey, Marinette Dupain-Cheng?”

Marinette felt her eye twitch, as she repressed the desire to just throttle Chloé – just as her friends began to shout.

“Sir, Marinette didn't have her phone on her!” Alya exclaimed.

“And she wouldn't interrupt her dad's workshop!” Adrien added.

Meanwhile, she contented herself with glaring down at the person she hated the most in the world (along with Hawkmoth and Scarlet Lady, of course).

“Oh you wanna go, huh?” she muttered, eager to crush her in some way.

Then she remembered something else.

“Well, Chloé, I'd like to know who you were calling in the middle of class.”

“Huh?!”

Hah, she didn't even realize I saw her.

“Mlle. Bourgeois made a phone call?” the principal asked. Chloé turned her back on the rest of the crowd.

“M. Damocles, this is an obvious deflection! I refuse to be interrogated!”

Pretty much everyone else knew that this was as good as a confession from the girl... but M. Damocles had other ideas.

“Since no one is confessing, the entire school will be punished.”

“Awww!” everyone simultaneously groaned.

And then Chloé pulled out her cellphone, showing the contact information of her father.

“A–hem!”

“Except Mlle. Bourgeois of course!” M. Damocles instantly added, folding like a piece of smoking paper.

“OH C'MON!” everyone yelled in irritation.

----

As everybody was forced to work in cleaning up the school as punishment for something they didn't do, Adrien was let go of his part, and he decided it was high time to have a serious discussion with his oldest friend.

As it was, he quickly found her sitting on a bench, as if lording her status over the masses, while checking her phone.

“It's good to be queen,” he heard her mutter, and he decided to make his presence known.

“Chloé.” He was trying to contain his anger with her, but a bit still escaped.

Then she glomped him, once more ignoring his personal space.

“Adrichéri!” she shouted.

“Ack!” he let out as he tried to fight off the pain in his ears and push her off him, before he brought up the reason he had come here. “Chloé, did you really call the fire department just to get out of M. Dupain's baking class?!”

“Sure did!” she replied.

She wasn't even ashamed.

In fact, she sounded like she was bragging.

“CHLOÉ!”

He had seen her do a lot of things, and he had tried to make her fix them or something, but she never did. And his patience had worn thin over time.

Today she had dropped one last straw, and she had broken the camel's back.

Sabrina had done this already. He could do it as well.

He sat at the bench, and Chloé quickly followed. She clearly thought she was going to get something out of this.

How wrong she was.

“You know, Chloé, being at school has taught me a lot about what a good friend is,” he began.

“A-huh?”

She hadn't realized what was coming.

He looked away, and thought of the people he had befriended since he came to school.

Myléne. Ivan. Rose. Juleka. Max. Kim. Alix. Nathaniel.

And, of course... Alya, always full of energy. Nino, who had become his brother in all but blood. And... Marinette (whom he hoped would eventually become more, but that was for the future).

He had made so many friends...

“You watch out for each other, consider each other's feelings, and make each other feel good when you're together!”

“Okaaaay?”

… and he had realized what had been missing with Chloé, as he turned to glare at her.

“Thing is, you don't do any of those things! You do the opposite of those things! And I can't be friends with someone who treats people like you do!”

“Wuh–?!”

She was finally realizing it.

It was time to cut.

“We're done, Chloé! We're not friends anymore!”

Her devastated face hurt, he had to admit it.

But, as he left her behind, as he walked away from the bench to return to his real friends... he felt as if a weight was lifting from his shoulders.

----

He had seen Mademoiselle crying many times during his long time in service for the Bourgeois family (mostly when she wanted something and he could not get it immediately), but he could not remember a time where her crying was so intense that the tears were gushing out like a fountain.

“Mademoiselle seems sad,” he gently pointed out.

“Adrien! Says! He won't be my friend anymore! Because of one! Little! Time! I prank called the fire department!” Mademoiselle said between sobs.

“Oof,” he replied in sympathy, although he suspected there was more to this tale than what Mademoiselle shared. In order to tranquilize her, he decided to bring out the one thing that always worked, picking up her old teddy bear. “Maybe Mademoiselle will find comfort in Mr. Cuddly.”

“Oh!”

Well, it did seem to work. At least she was crying no longer.

“When Mademoiselle was a little girl, Mr. Cuddly was always nice to her,” he reminded, offering the bear to her.

“Nice... that's it!” Mademoiselle's face changed, and now she looked eager for something. “Jean-Luc, if I show Adrien I'm nice, he'll have to take me back!”

He blinked. He didn't know how both things were related, but there was little he could do now save for playing along (ignoring that she never remembered his real name was Armand was something he already did on a daily basis).

“Uh, sure.”

He just hoped this plan wouldn't eat too much into his other duties...

----

“How's the fit?” Marinette asked as Rose tried the skirt she had made for her.

“Perfect!” Rose replied, just as euphoric as ever, as Alya took photos.

“This'll look great on your blog–”

DING!

Everyone's cellphones rang at the same time, and they quickly checked over to see something none of them would have ever expected.

“What the–”

“Did Chloé just invite me to a party?” Mylène said.

“Me too. Maybe someone hacked her phone?” Juleka suggested.

“Wanna go?” Alya suggested, and Marinette looked at her best friend as if she had grown a second head.

“Seriously? It's Chloé!”

“Exactly,” Lila replied, leaning back on Marinette's bed. “Let's eat her food, trash her hotel, and leave her with the bill. It'll be fuuuun.”

“Uhh,” Marinette said, trying to process that. “Remind me not to invite you to any house parties.”

----

Adrien had invited Nino to his house before they got Chloé's invitation. Since Nino had admitted that he wasn't sure if he had the clothes for a party like that, Adrien had decided to open his (large) wardrobe and share the goods.

That was when Adrien's father entered the scene.

“Adrien, what are you doing?” he asked, curious.

“Père! Chloé invited everyone to a party.”

“For some reason,” Nino deadpanned.

“Chloé Bourgeois?” Gabriel tried to confirm.

“Yeah. We're looking for something appropriate to wear,” Adrien admitted, and Gabriel nodded.

“Very good. Let your driver know when to pick you up.”

“Yes sir!” Adrien replied as Gabriel walked away.

“Wow, he's letting you go?” Nino asked as he picked up a white vest from the pile. “Can I borrow this?”

“It's Chloé, he'd probably make me go,” Adrien said, dismissively. “Go ahead!”

----

Within the dark recesses of Gabriel Agreste's mind, a different option for his actions arose.

A party organized by the most despicable girl in Paris is a breeding ground for Akumas! BWAHAHA!

Father of the year, everyone.

----

Marinette had invited Alya to get ready for the party along with her, because that way they'd be able to help each other, and meanwhile Marinette would be able to make the last adjustments to her dress.

Then the bell rang, and both girls walked down to the entrance, where they found their boys waiting for them.

“Thanks for picking us up!” Marinette said as Alya said goodbye to M. Dupain and Mme. Cheng.

“No problem!” Adrien replied, and as he took on Marinette, he began to blush. “You look great! Did you make your dress yourself?”

“A-heh-heh, yeah!” Marinette giggled, also blushing.

“Wow!”

Seriously, those two dorks made her want to push them into a closet and lock the door until they finally got together.

But, also...

“Man,” she complained. “Must be nice getting so many compliments, ey my boyfriend, Nino–”

Then she turned around, and learned the meaning behind the saying 'be careful what you wish for'.

Because Nino was there, laying on the ground, shaking as if he was suffering convulsions... and writing 'DEAD BY BEAUTIFUL GIRLFRIEND' on the dirt.

“Oh Lord,” she said, covering her burning cheeks.

----

Mademoiselle's guests were arriving to the hotel, and she was watching from up above as they gathered.

“Huh, they don't look totally homeless,” she declared, and he decided he had to do something to help her understand what to do.

“Mademoiselle,” he said, bringing the teddy bear with him, “Mr. Cuddly would greet his guests with a kiss on the cheek.”

“You're kidding, Jean-Michel!” Mademoiselle exclaimed. “You expect me to let these peasants touch their cheeks to mine when Adrien's not even here to see it?!”

He was starting to feel less enthused about Mademoiselle's plan, but he could still work with it.

“But M. Adrien is here to see,” he replied, pointing out the young man that had been a guest here for many years.

“Adrihoney!” Mademoiselle said, running down the stairs to meet the young man.

He worked with the tools he had, not the ones he wanted.

----

The sensation of impending doom Marinette was feeling became first realized when Chloé tackled Adrien from behind in a hug.

“Adrihoney! What do you think of my party?” she asked, while Adrien looked like all he wanted to do was to shake off some kind of parasite. “Nice of me huh?”

“Uhhh...” Adrien clearly didn't know how to take that comment (and, to be honest, she didn't, either).

“Chloé!” Rose called out, and very reluctantly she began to greet everyone...

“Salut!”

… by kissing them on the cheek?

“Hey!” Kim said.

“Thanks for the invitation!” Max replied as Chloé kissed him in the cheek.

“Eheheh. Sure.”

Then she turned towards Marinette and...

“Well, get it over with, Dupain-Cheng!”

Oh, god, she wants me to kiss her cheek?

“Why am I being punished?” she asked out loud.

----

Mademoiselle walked up to him, once again angry about something, and he braved himself for a new demand.

“Uh, Jean-Pascal, why isn't Adrien falling over himself to be my friend again? When I'm being so nice?!”

Choosing not to inform her that it would require more to prove so, he hoped she would learn to actually be the good person she could be.

“If I may, perhaps Mademoiselle could show her good will by making sure her guests are enjoying themselves?”

“Ugh. Fine.”

----

It was when they were talking about ideas on the future of their group that the strangest thing happened.

“What do you think about–?” Ivan was asking, but then Luka interrupted him.

“Whoa, Mylène, you okay?”

Mylène looked like she barely even knew what was going on.

“Chloé told me my dress belongs in the trash,” she said, much to the boys' disgust.

“Ugh.”

“Typical.”

“Then she said sh was kidding and loved my style.”

“Uhh–”

“What?”

“Then she dumped a bucket of ice on my drink and I just really don't know how to feel right now.”

…

Alright, that was weird even by Chloé standards.

----

There were yet guests to arrive, and two of them were two beautiful ladies wearing very elegant dresses.

“Whoa...” some of the boys (and girls) said at the sight of Kagami Tsurugi dressed as if she were going to the opera.

“Hi Kim!” Kagami's companion, Ondine, told her boyfriend before rushing to claim a kiss.

“Didn't the invite say semi-formal...?” Lila asked a smirking Alix.

Someone who did not take it well was the usual suspect.

“Jean-Marc, she's–”

“Deserving of a compliment, non?” the butler gently interrupted. “It's what Mr. Cuddly would do.”

“Ack! Fine!” Then she shoved down the teddy bear. “But put that away!”

----

Mireille immediately noticed the moment Aurore noticed the arrival of the Asian girl. She knew of her inclinations, but, good Lord, this was pure anime-like behavior. Aurore's jaw had dropped, her face was heavily blushing, and her eyes were this close to become little hearts.

She rolled her eyes and snapped her mouth close.

“Don't let her catch you drooling, Aurore,” she told her infatuated friend.

----

Suddenly, the music switched. Those who had come here in pairs joined hands and began to sway to the rhythm marked by the notes.

“Oh, a slow song. I need a partner,” Chloé decided.

And thus began Chloé's Quest To Find A Dance Partner!

Attempt 1: Luka Couffaine.

He was playing videogames with Max when Chloé approached.

“Mon Chouka~ wanna dance?” she asked.

“NO,” he replied, in a tone that implied he'd rather eat crystal.

Attempt 1: FAIL.

Alright, that was a bust.

Attempt 2: Lê Chiến Kim.

“Well, I guess I'll dance with you, Kim,” she said, only to get bumped on by Kim – who was dancing with Ondine and, thus, barely paying attention.

“Whoops! 'Scuz us!”

Attempt 2: FAIL.

Attempt 3: Nathaniel Kurtzberg.

“YOU THEN!” she angrily shouted as she slammed her hands on a table, right behind the artist.

“WAH!” Nathaniel shouted... and began to desperately look around for a way out of this. He grabbed the hand of the person that was closest to him. “MAY I HAVE THIS DANCE?!”

“Hey!” Chloé complained at being ignored.

Nobody cared.

“Huh?!” the person Nathaniel had grabbed said before they were into his embrace.

Attempt 3: FAIL.

----

“Sorry about that,” Nathaniel apologized as they swayed to the music, his eyes closed. “I was trying to escape Chloé.”

“I–It's okay,” his partner replied, and he opened his eyes. “Chloé scares me too.”

Nathaniel began to blush as he took in his improvised dance partner.

Wait, isn't this person way too cute?!

----

Attempt 4:

“Fine,” Chloé mumbled as he shoved someone aside, “who needs them when I have–”

Adrien Agreste.

Who was currently taking Marinette Dupain-Cheng's hand into his as they prepared to dance.

“ADRIEN?!” Chloé screamed, incredulous. “What's the point of being nice if he dances with Dupain-Cheng?!”

Attempt 4: EPIC FAIL.

She furiously made her way through the dancing teenagers, intent on giving her rival a piece of her mind, when her loyal butler stepped in between the couple and her.

“Mademoiselle, please consider–”

This time, however, Chloé wasn't keen on listening to anyone.

“Move, Jean-Jacques!”

----

Oblivious to the drama that was taking place behind him, Adrien basked in the feeling of holding Marinette in his arms.

“This party's pretty fun, isn't it?” he asked as they passed by Nino and Alya.

“Yeah, but what brought this on?” Marinette asked, and he gave a tight grin.

“I think it might have to do with me ending mine and Chloé's friendship,” he admitted, causing Marinette's jaw to drop in shock.

“You did?!” she asked, feeling her heart beat a bit faster for the boy in front of her. “I–I can't believe you did that!”

“Well, I can't support what she did.”

“You think she's trying to win you back?”

Adrien put an ugly face at the thought of it.

“Well, she's not making up for pulling the fire alarm,” he stated, and she smiled while leaning into him and hiding her face in the crook of his neck.

“HAHA!” she laughed, dizzy with the feeling he had given her.

----

“I've had enough of your stupid bear, your stupid party, and your stupid name, Jean-whatever-it-is!” Chloé shouted, with her usual lack of self-awareness and inability to accept the blame for things she did.

“The party was Mademoiselle's idea–” Armand tried to say, but Chloé, as usual, was not in the mood to listen.

“There is no 'mademoiselle'! There is no nothing! You're! FIRED! Get OUT!”

----

“I knew you wouldn't let me down, Chloé,” Hawkmoth said. If she weren't so insufferable, he might have been tempted to take her in as a minion. “Good evening, Despair Bear.”

It was time to awaken today's Akuma.

----

With the butler out of the way, Chloé walked up to her original target, ready to unleash her rage.

“And you two!”

But she was interrupted when a hand grasped her shoulder.

“Chloé,” Sabrina said, and Chloé turned around – only to see Sabrina with some rather unnatural green eyes, holding a brush.

“What do you want?” Chloé asked, either unaware or uncaring.

“Let me brush your hair, Chloé. I promise it won't hurt.”

As Sabrina attempted to brush Chloé's hair, she finally had an inkling that something was seriously wrong, and grabbed Sabrina's wrists.

“Get off me, psycho! Don't come any closer!”

And those watching realized there was a teddy bear holding onto Sabrina's leg, with eyes just as unnaturally green as those of Sabrina.

Creeper bear! Adrien and Marinette thought, before deciding to move in order to transform and deal with the Akuma.

“Err, scuz me, I think I drank too much orange juice,” Marinette said.

“Right! And I, uh, am gonna call my driver! See ya!”

Thinking they had perfectly fooled each other (and not thinking about how lame each other's excuse was) Adrien and Marinette sought the closest empty place and became their Miraculous selves.

----

“Stop! You'll mess up my hair!” Chloé shouted, and a top with a rope suddenly found its way around her, pulling her out of the controlled Sabrina's grasp.

“Get out of here, Chloé!” Marigold shouted, sending the girl spinning towards the open elevator.

“AAAAAAH!” Chloé shouted as she spun without control.

“This is an official Akuma alert!” Chat Noir shouted, and all those present quickly moved out of the way to let them work without obstacles.

----

As the elevator doors closed behind her, Chloé dropped to her knees, dizzy from spinning.

“Now my sidekicks are party crashing?!” she complained, ever the grateful, as an also dizzy Tikki flew out of her bag.

“Ugh,” the Kwami complained.

“What did I do to deserve this?”

Lack of awareness was strong in her.

She stood up and moved her hair out of the way.

“I'll handle this! Tikki, Spots On!”

“HRK!” Tikki grumbled as Chloé transformed.

----

As Marigold and Chat Noir did their best to hold off the Akuma – who was much smaller than the usual and was using other people as puppets – Scarlet Lady arrived into the scene.

“Fear not, everyone, the Hero of Paris is here!”

“Scarlet Lady!”

“Scar!” Chat Noir shouted. “Did you pass Chloé?!”

“Obviously, I got her to safety!” Scarlet Lady crowed.

“Really?” Marigold asked, doubting her word.

“After all, she and I are best friends!”

Immediately, everyone else in the room began to chatter.

“Wait, for real?”

“Is she serious?”

“Best friends with Chloé?”

Unfortunately for Scarlet Lady, what she thought was something that would bring her fame instead became a petard exploding right off her hands.

“Best friends with Chloé,” everyone thought with a sick feeling in their gut at the mere idea.

----

As Chat Noir and Marigold corralled the Akumatized bear, it jumped off from Sabrina's leg and grabbed Max's leg.

“What do you say to a game of flying chairs?!” the controlled Max said, holding a chair above his head.

“Stop him, sidekicks!” Scarlet Lady demanded.

“Ugh,” Marigold growled.

The bear then jumped off Max and onto Ivan, who grabbed a table and seemed ready to throw it.

“AARGH!” the controlled Ivan roared.

“Protect me, sidekicks!” Scarlet Lady demanded again.

“Shut up, Scar!” Chat Noir shouted at her, angry with her complete lack of collaboration. Not that it was the first time, but it was still irritating.

And then the bear let Ivan go and–

“Give me your Miraculouses, sidekicks!” Scarlet Lady – her eyes unnaturally green – demanded, her hand extended as if they would fall for it.

“SERIOUSLY?!” both heroes yelled as their partner-slash-millstone got caught by the Akuma's power.

“Bad kitty! Bad bug!” Scarlet Lady admonished as she jumped after Marigold and Chat Noir, who were now retreating away from the crowd.

“Yikes!” Marigold shouted, dodging a poorly-aimed yo-yo throw.

“Uh, is Scarlet Lady always like this?” someone in the crowd asked, while Alya and Rose looked on, perturbed.

When the heroes – and the brainwashed 'hero' – reached the pool, the Akuma decided to see what Scarlet Lady could create to gain victory.

But the result was clearly not what it expected.

“A fork? What even is the Ladybug's power?” she asked, unaware of the closing hand.

“MINE!” Marigold shouted, grabbing the fork and snagging it into a loose thread on the teddy bear's body.

“Hey! Give that back!” the controlled Ladybug heroine asked on behalf of the Akuma, but Marigold wasn't going to obey.

Instead, she threw the fork at one of the sunshades that were still open now, to hook it around one of the rods.

“Wha–!” the Akuma said through Scarlet Lady's voice.

“If you don't mind, Chaton.”

“As you wish, Your Highness!”

And Chat Noir began to spin the sunshade.

And the threads that made the teddy bear began to unravel.

“NOOOO! BAD KITTY! BAD BUG! AHHH!”

But it was too late. The teddy bear was undone, and Scarlet Lady woke up from possession as the Earrings began to beep.

“What the heck– When'd we get by the pool?!” a confused Scarlet Lady asked, while Chat Noir knelt and grabbed the tiny form of the Akumatized butler.

“Don't sweat it, we took care of things,” Chat Noir replied. “As per usual.”

----

“Begging your pardon,” the butler said, confused, after he was finally freed from the yoke of the Akuma, “but, what happened?”

“You became bad but I saved you–” Scar said, but as her earrings beeped once more, Marigold slapped her on the shoulder.

“That's enough of your lies. Your timer,” Marigold interrupted her, pushing the blonde 'hero' away, leaving Chat Noir alone with the butler.

“I only wished to help Mademoiselle salvage her friendship, yet she fired me,” Armand said, downcast.

“Aw, don't worry so much,” Chat Noir tried to cheer him up. “Knowing Chloé, she'll have forgotten she fired you by tomorrow.”

“But–”

“Jean-Baptiste! Get down here and save my party!” Chloé yelled.

“Oh!” Armand said.

“Or she'll forget right now,” Chat Noir corrected himself, rolling his eyes.

----

After Armand left to see what had to be done in the party, Chat Noir found a solitary place and changed back into Adrien, ready to see what had been of the party (and see if he could find Marinette).

“Wow, everyone's still here–”

“Adridarling!”

“Gah!” he yelled, shocked after Chloé snuck up on him.

“Did you see? I totally helped Scarlet Lady get to the Akuma. Aren't I so nice?”

Adrien looked down on her as she (once again) ignored the concept of 'personal space' to cuddle up to him.

“Don't you want to forget our little fight? Don't you just want to be friends forever and forgive me for everything?”

Yes, his thoughts on the goal of this party were correct.

And he had the perfect answer for this question Chloé had made.

“No?”

Chloé's simpering face suddenly twisted in rage.

“WHAT?!”

He walked off. He had nothing else to say to her.

----

Before everyone could get back to the party, they were told it was canceled.

Marinette managed to return from the place she had chosen to change back, and met Alya, who was in the middle of a crowd of murmuring people.

“Alya, is everything okay?” she asked, noticing the downcast faces. “Everyone's acting off.”

Alya turned to look at her.

“Girl, didn't you see–!” Alya exclaimed, but stopped herself short. “Nevermind. I just... have some things to work out.”

“Okay...” Marinette replied, confused, as she followed the crowd.

----

It had taken a while, but he managed to find her.

“Marinette! There you are!” he said.

“Hey! Do you know why everyone's so down?” she asked. He noticed that she was shaking, and he felt that the air had turned cooler as the sun went down.

“No idea,” he replied, starting to take off his jacket. “Maybe because the party ended early? I know I was pretty disappointed when your dad's lesson ended early. Here.”

And he put his jacket around Marinette's shoulders.

“I was looking forward to making macarons.”

“Thanks,” Marinette said, putting the jacket on. “You could always come to the bakery for a lesson. Papa's always willing to teach!”

“Really?!” That would be awesome, learning one on one with M. Dupain!

“Sure! And I can bring some tomorrow for the class!”

“Score!”

----

That night, thankful that Mademoiselle had, indeed, forgotten that she had fired him, he checked on the lady.

“Look, Jean-Deer, Adrien is obviously just being dramatic with this whole 'not being my friend' thing! And since I'm so nice I'm willing to forgive him for teasing me like this,” she declared.

Yes... he's the dramatic one, he thought, feeling awkward at the mental gymnastics Mademoiselle was doing.

----

Sapotis

@zoe-oneesama Our two beloved dorks dorking around each other while the alpha bitch bitches around on her lonesome.

#scarlet lady #fanfiction #milarqui #long post #adrien agreste #marinette dupain cheng #chat noir #marigold #adrienette #scarlet lady is better than canon #despair bear

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artzychic27 · 9 months

Note

Can you tell us who the first akumas for season 2 will be?

Here’s three

Evillustrator

Prime Queen

Despair Bear

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous #evillustrator #despair bear #prime queen #answered ask #ask me stuff #ao3fic #scarlet beetle and ikati black #scarlet beetle and Ikati black season 2

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miraculous-prompts · 3 months

Text

Grab a dictionary, flip to a random page and point, use that word to create a scene using Sole Crusher, King of Plastic, Jessica as The Collector, and Bob as Despair Bear

#Zoe Lee #Bertrand King #Jessica Keynes #Bob Roth #Sole Crusher #King of Plastic #The Collector #Despair Bear #fic prompt

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adrinoir · 2 years

Text

Bully into friend/lover arcs - how Chloe was robbed

I was just thinking about this. There are so many good ways to write a bully into friend/lover arc. I know a couple, but Chloe Bourgeois was robbed of this because we can’t have nice things can we, Mr. Astruc?

Good examples

In The Owl House, Amity Blight went from being a school bully to being Luz’s girlfriend, and restoring her friendship with her childhood best friend, Willow. It was so well done, too.

Throughout the series, even after the arc, we see how pressured Amity is by her family. Her parents want her to be a certain way and hold up a “good” reputation. But, Amity wants to be her own person. She cares about Willow, she’s a lesbian and wants to be with Luz, she has her things she enjoys doing (ie working at the library and reading Azura). She doesn’t care about someone being “more powerful” or being a tool in helping her family’s business grow. They even made her changes in hair color represent that, and made her siblings understand her better.

Also notice how it wasn’t super rushed. Willow wasn’t entirely forgiving of Amity right away, it took time to feel okay having her around again and getting Amity to see her as a strong person. Amity also had her chance to ask Luz to prom, but got so scared, and over the course of a few episodes, their feelings for each other blossomed naturally.

There’s also Tyler in Turning Red. He’s this immature kid making fun of Mei, but it’s shown he has no friends. Tyler has all this insecurity in who he is as a person and can’t even have people come to his birthday party without having Mei there to turn into her panda form.

This one also wasn’t super rushed. Mei and her friends agreed to go to this party for the sake of making money, not for Tyler. But they connected dots as soon as they saw him at the 4Town concert, and ran to him. Then, he ends up sticking with the friend group, which was so sweet.

These characters were given reasons for why they became a bully. And you know who else was? Chloe. Their insecurities and upbringing helps the audience understand and connect with these characters, and why they do what they do. This leads me to my next point.

Chloe’s build up

Chloe has a great backstory. Her mom left her and her dad for New York, neglecting them both and having an affair. Meanwhile, her dad is very dismissive and doesn’t know how to be a good parent. He feels the most he can do is buy her whatever she wants. He cares about her, but isn’t good at being an actual dad, moreso just pleasing her impulsive desires.

Chloe also only had one childhood friend, thanks to the parents being friends: Adrien. She’s used to being around not only her rich family, but this one cute boy who also has a rich family. So, her view of other people who don’t live a life of luxury is very warped.

Chloe has this idea that you’re unworthy of being treated well if you’re not super wealthy. The one friend she made at school, Sabrina, is treated as a servant, being ordered to do things for her.

However, deep down, Chloe does care and we started seeing a lot of that at the end of season 1 and in the beginning of season 2. She has a solid enough friendship with Sabrina that she plays dress up with her, and they pretend to be Ladybug and Cat Noir. She cares so much about her friendship with Adrien that she hosted a party and invited all her classmates, just to show she cares. She felt bad about ruining Marinette’s present to Ms. Bustier, enough to apologize and hug it out with her.

Then, we really see how much she cares about her mom in the two part special, when she gets hold of the bee miraculous. She creates a risky scenario to save these people, simply to prove to her mom that she’s “exceptional.” She also wanted to prove herself to her idol, Ladybug. Her mom is shown to be so conceited and neglectful that she can’t even remember Chloe’s name and picked Marinette over her own daughter to come to New York with her. There’s such an emotional scene before her mom gets on the plane, where Chloe cries and says, “why don’t you love me, mom?” Heartbreaking.

There was such a good build up to a potential character arc. So many episodes shined a spotlight on her actions and backstory. The audience could get a good understanding and sympathize for her. But by the time season 3 rolled around, all of that was completely destroyed, as if none of that meant anything.

Thomas knew he wanted her to stay a bully. He selfishly based her off of a nasty ex girlfriend of his. He did the audience so dirty because anyone who wanted a good character arc for Chloe can’t feel that way anymore. She became even more of a brat and didn’t even want Adrien to be her friend anymore in season 4. It’s now too late for her to have any sort of character arc that would actually make sense.

What could’ve been done

If I had overthrown Thomas early on, there are things that could’ve been done to create her character arc.

She could’ve eased up on Marinette after wrecking her present. She knows Ms. Bustier sees the good in her and wants to prove she can change.

She could’ve made more of an effort to be nice to all the classmates, instead of her losing development as soon as the party in Despair Bear was over.

She could start treating Sabrina like a real friend. Hanging out with her more and showing she appreciates her company.

If she proved she can be a good person, she can eventually get the bee miraculous back in her possession, gain Ladybug’s trust.

After proving her worth, Chloe could become Marinette’s friend or at least friendly acquaintance, like Amity with Willow or Tyler with the girls. She could get close with Adrien again and have a more genuine friendship.

Or, if we want to get into lover territory, maybe Marinette feels okay enough to introduce her to Luka or Kagami, and Chloe starts feeling a certain way. Maybe it’s comphet behavior, obsessing over Adrien, because she’s shoving down feelings for girls. Maybe she hasn’t been exposed or understanding enough of other guys who don’t fit the rich boy standard. Either way, having a significant other and/or friends who see the good in her would be so good for Chloe.

She could stand up to her parents about how she needs more love and time with them. How she wants them to be here for her and accept her as a caring person.

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