Chapter Text
Thunderbolt cackled as they ran through the streets, running over, under, or through any obstacle that crossed their path as they moved, running through the entire city.
They knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that the heroes would be chasing them. That's what heroes did, chased the bad guys until they were caught! or try and get ahead of them, and catch them that way!
Speaking of…
“Alright kiddos!” Chat said, smirking as he stood in front of them, pole stretched between two buildings at chest level. “Road’s closed! sorry!” he said, smiling cheekily as he braced against the bar.
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“So, tell me, this plan relies on the fact that their kids?” chat asked, looking at Menagerie as he spoke, his emerald eyes narrowing as he saw her relaxed posture.
“Of course. Children think very wild, yet simple, thoughts. they believe in their own personal reality, and nothing can shake them of it. They think if they run, you’ll chase them. If you get ahead of them, your trying to stop them.”
“And if I block a path for them…” he trailed off, a light coming on in his eyes as she grinned.
“Then you're obviously trying to trick them into going another way.”
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As the Akuma ducked under his pole and continued to run, Chat had to admit Menagerie was a good planner. He wouldn't have been able to come up with something like this. He was, unfortunately, all looks and no brains.
‘That's what you have Chloé for. or, well had. Now you have new friends, and replaced her~’ a venomous voice in his thoughts hissed at him, dark and angry like a stepped on cat, as he forced the thoughts away.
He was still there for Chloé, at least now. He wouldn't let her get hurt like that again.
“alright menagerie, their heading towards you.” Chat said into his pole, looking at her as she glanced at him through Ladybug’s communicator, a smile crossing her face.
“ good. Now, let's hope this all goes well.” she said, looking off screen as she nodded, the communication cutting off as Chat nodded with a grin.
And with that, he bounded after the Akuma, making sure he was as loud as possible as they continued to run.
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Chloé was looking out at the crossroads drolly, her eyes tracing the open street, clear of all pedestrians, as she looked at Ladybug, unimpressed blues meeting nervous ones. “well, now it's your turn. Put those acting chops to good use, I guess.” she said, earning a confused look from the girl before Chloé rolled her eyes. “just get down there.”
As the red suited heroine jumped down, Chloé leaned back, narrowing her eyes as she did so. Apathy was a bad kwamii to be using now, she realized, but dammit if it wasn't effective, and exactly what she needed right now. War and Peace weren't options, too widespread. She needed something focused. And, this was the least energy intensive, or corrupting, option available.
That didn't mean she liked having her positive emotions dampened, and her negative emotions partially uncovered. She was already depressed, at least slightly, from everything that had happened after Demis.
She didn't need more pressure put on her.
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“And after their running down the path, how do we make sure they fall into the trap?'' Ladybug asked, looking at the funeral dressed Menagerie with a raised brow, looking skeptical, but intrigued.
“Well, from what i’ve heard, again, its a pair of kids. young kids at that. Reverse psychology would work with Chat and the pole, but we need you to act desperate. you're trying to stop them from getting into the smoke at all cost. attack them, cry out, things like that. just make sure they want to get lost in the smoke.” Chloé muttered, looking her dead in the eyes before grinning. “I'm sure you can do fine.”
it's not like you didn't lie to my face after all. your god with acting.
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Ladybug swung down, landing on the street as she saw the blur running towards her, obviously seeing her and preparing to turn.
no.
That would ruin the plan and, despite being a piece rather than a player this time, she couldn't think of anything that would help her from the Lucky Charm right now, and they had a VERY good plan already.
better to try it and, if it failed, then use the charm. a backup, just in case.
“Don't let them get into the smoke!” she cried, looking over their shoulder to Chat. “If they get in there, we might never find them!”
And with that, she launched her yo-yo forwards, trying to wrap it around the Akuma’s legs as they lept, rolling through a handstand back to their feet as they gave a raspberry to the spotted girl, running into the white smoke cloud as Chat skidded to a halt next to her.
“and now,” the cat said, grinning. “We wait.”
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Thunderbolt grinned as they skidded to a halt in the white cloud, grinning as they looked back, keeping their ears out. This was perfect. In a situation like this, they could easily ambush the heroes and take them down, fast as lightning! All they needed to do was keep an ear out as they leaned over, hands on their knees, anticipating the noise of footsteps.
only… they didn't hear any.
“what? why aren't they following me?” they muttered, eyes narrowing as they strained their senses, trying to make them out through the grey smo- grey?
wasn't it white when they entered?
but no, it was starting to darken, taking on a darker and darker tone until it was a deep, thunderstorm black.
By that point, they were on their rear, panting as they looked at the sky.
“w… what? what's going on?” they muttered, even as they fell backwards, their breathing shallow as they felt a blackness overtaking them, their eyes closing as the pressure became too much.
and they knew no more.
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outside the now black smoke cloud, Chloé smiled, casually walking past the surprised Ladybug and Chat Noir as she put her pipe to her lips, the smoke cloud attached to it now black as oil as she slowly started breathing in, the cloud pulling away to reveal the downed akuma, unconscious from the energy drain as more and more of the compressing cloud was drawn into her pipe, a POP signifying the last of it as she sighed, exhaling white smoke out her nose like a steam train as she smiled.
She felt better already.
“This should be your job now, right?” Chloé said, looking at the two stunned heroes, looking at her with a curious light in their eyes. “i do believe that i've done all i can, and all i want to. so, i will be leaving.” she finished, smiling as she leaned back on ehr grey cloud chair, the smoke slowly whitening as she sped away, the now white smoke dissipating as she lept from it, landing solidly on a rooftop before disappearing through the alleyway, finally ending up at her hotel room through a few more stealth techniques as she entered her room, letting out a sigh as she sat on her bed and let Slipp out, relaxing on the mattress as she inhaled deeply, and let out a soft breath.
Oh that was much better.
With a groan, she stretched her arms, her legs feeling just that bit more solid under her as she saw the ladybug swarm pass over Paris, rushing over her in a wave as she grinned.
The energy was still with her.
With a shaky sense of balance, she forced herself to stand, ignoring the worry from her Kwamii as she supposted herself on the bed frame, her legs shaky, but working.
a few more days of rest would do her well, but she had to show Papa.
With a smile, she took some crutches, which were supposed to be months away from her use, into her hands, starting to limp her way to the door as it opened, revealing a familiar face with a tray in his hands, before it clattered to the ground in shock.
“Mademoiselle!” Jean said, rushing towards her as he tried to support her, her hands batting him away as she smiled.
“I'm fine, jean. I feel better after the latest Cure. Maybe it helped fix me?” she said, smiling nervously as he looked at her, eyes narrowed.
he wasn't buying it. but, on the other hand, it was the only thing that was different now then a week ago.
“... Very well.” he said slowly, looking her in the eye. “but that doesn't explain why you're out of bed.”
“I wanted to show Daddy of course!” he said, wobbling out the door before Jean could protest, hobbling her way into the elevator with him right behind, trying to protest all the while as she pressed the button for the first floor.
as the door opened and she walked out, her heart soared, seeing her Papa in the main hall, instead of in his office in city hall. Said heart hit something hard as she looked to who he was talking to.
another girl, blonde, blue eyed, who could be her twin if her hair wasn't different, and her face wasn't rounder. she looked younger than her too.
“... Papa? who is this?” she asked, her voice suddenly hoarse with pain as two pairs of eyes snapped to her, one filling with confusion, the other with joy as her father all but ran over to her, scooping her into a hug.
“Oh, you're up! why are you up, you should still be in bed?!” Andre babbled, his voice a mix of mappy and worried as he looked her over, checking to make sure he didn't leave any injuries as she ignored him, her eyes locked onto a familiar pair of blues.
her eyes.
“Papa. Who. Is. This.” Her voice was cool, and controlled. She was the perfect daughter of a mayor and a model, her anger was always tightly leashed, only let go on those who she thought could handle it, or those who drove it over the edge. It was a lesson she had put to the side long ago, bt, after bullot, she had been trying to get back in place.
“A… ah. Right. Chloé, this is your half sister, from New York. She’s… moving here to stay with us.” Andre said, now sounding nervous. “She is family, after all.”
… Family? From New York? a half sister?
she had heard the rumors, but.. she hadnt believed them. Mother loved papa, loved her.
Why would she want another daughter?
Even as these thoughts overwhelmed her, the blonde who had her eyes walked forward, smiling nervously.
“um.. hi there! I’m Zoe, Zoe Lee. It's nice to meet you, sis!”
At that, Chloé felt all that energy, all the joy she had managed to muster about FINALLY being able to move again, leave her in a flash, collapsing as her vision went black, The cries of her father, her butler, and her half-sister resounding in her ind as she blacked out.