Falling in Lust

Chapter 12 - My Hero

Chloe gaped at her, blue eyes wide. Marinette stood before her, having just transformed into her Ladybug self.

"You're Ladybug?"

Marinette nodded. She moved to the dollhouse which hid the Miracle Box, trying not to panic. This had been her choice. She could trust Chloe. It was the right decision. It had to be. She carefully pulled out the Miracle Box and set it on the desk.

"You can't tell anyone, of course," she reminded Chloe. "It's our little secret."

"Aren't you worried I could get akumatized?" Chloe asked, sliding out of the chair. "It's happened before."

"Well... yeah," Marinette replied. "But if Hawkmoth learns of my identity... I just won't detransform or something. I don't really want to think about it now."

"Alright." Chloe leaned in and kissed her, and Marinette shuddered with relief. Chloe liked her as Ladybug! Even despite their miraculous dispute, though that had been a long time ago.

"Wait..." Marinette murmured before she could get lost in the kiss. She still had a job to do. It didn't magically go away just because she transformed.

"They're still out there," she reminded herself as much as Chloe. She turned back to the Miracle Box. It dawned on her Chloe couldn't return as Queen Bee. Hawkmoth would recognize her and that could lead to him paying extra attention to her regularly. Marinette couldn't have that.

She selected the chameleon miraculous for Chloe, then spun around and extended her arm to present it to her.

"Chloe, would you be my hero?" she asked, holding out the multicolored pair of glasses for her to take.

Chloe didn't hesitate. She'd always wanted to be like Ladybug and Chat Noir, to protect her city. Now the opportunity was upon her and she'd be a fool not to seize it.

"Yes." She accepted the miraculous from Ladybug and delicately placed it on her face. Her new kwami appeared out of a flash of light. This time, she knew not to rush the process and get to know her kwami before activating her powers.

"Hello!" the little chameleon-resembling bundle exclaimed. "I'm Camille, your kwami!"

"Chloe," she replied. Marinette watched her, a warm smile on her face.

"We're going to have so much fun together!" Roxie continued. "I've been in the box for so long! To transform, all you have to say is 'Camille, camouflage!'"

Marinette nodded to her. "We need to go. They'll only do more damage the longer we wait."

"Right," Chloe responded, still a little dazed from the unfolding events. "Camille, camouflage!" she declared. Yellowish-green light surrounded her and her new suit climbed up her body. She then stood before Marinette, dressed in adorable new suit with a utility belt that holstered various items.

"Well, let's go," Ladybug decided. "What's your superhero name?"

"Um... What about Cammy? Until I find something better, that is."

"That's fine." 

The two superheroes exited the room and onto the balcony. From there, Ladybug sent her yoyo flying where it latched onto a chimney, propelling her forward. Chloe followed, leaping from building to building with heightened agility.

They found the five akumatized victims, who were all dressed similarly in new villain outfits.

"Ladybug," it was Adrien. "So good of you to join us. Now, if you'd be so kind, bring us Marinette. And then your miraculous." Ladybug scanned the area but there was no sign of Chat Noir. She would really have appreciated having him in battle. He was a seasoned warrior, after all. But until he arrived, she'd win the fight with Chloe instead.

A flicker of movement caught her eye. It was Kagami, skirting around to attack them from behind. Ladybug flicked her wrist, more a reflex then a conscious thought, and sent Kagami toppling to the ground, her legs secured in yoyo wire.

But she'd made a blunder in preoccupying herself with Kagami. Felix and Luka nodded to themselves in silent understanding and started after Chloe. Lila and Adrien went after Ladybug, who retracted her yoyo and spun it about to form a shield. Still no sign of Chat Noir.

Chloe busied herself dodging attacks from Felix and Luka. She racked her brain, looking for a way to change the situation.

It occurred to her, so obvious she wondered how she hadn't thought of it before and rolled her eyes. She had a sharp sense of her powers, knowing exactly what they were and how to activate them despite it being her first time in the suit. She knew because Camille knew, and they had partly merged together during the transformation.

It was Marinette they wanted. She'd seen how they acted earlier. Assuming the effects of the perfume were stronger than the akuma, she should have no trouble deterring them.

She took a few steps back and her two attackers stepped forward. She stood on the edge of the roof, the city moving in a busy bustle below. She wasn't afraid. She had powers, she could save herself. There was no way she would fall.

She closed her eyes for a moment as Felix raised his hand to strike. Then suddenly, it was no longer Chloe standing before them.

Well, it was Chloe and it wasn't. She was still standing there, blonde hair swept into a ponytail, green suit the same as before. But that's not what they saw. They saw Marinette, blue eyes, dark pigtails, the beautiful red dress she'd worn at the party, and all because it was what Chloe wanted them to see.

Both of them stopped cold, Felix's hand freezing in the air. They stood immobile for a long moment, eyes wide, pupils dilated.

Then they surged forward, and Luka swept the phony Marinette into his arms, and they carried her safely away from the edge.