Chapter Text
The news featuring the Miraculous Team kept showing up on newspapers, television and Internet. They were the biggest sensation ever since Justin Bieber or any other superstar. The difference between them and the music or movie superstars was that they had superpowers and had defeated a monster, and nobody knew who were they under the masks. Even without the Internet, they were still a pretty big deal. In a matter of little more than a week after their first appearance, there were already fan comics based on them, and there were already plans for figures and collectibles from various toy companies, t-shirts, balloons, and other kinds of things. On top of all, there even people who had already begun to create cosplays of all the heroes. There was also a rumour on the Internet about an animation studio having the idea to create a cartoon show based on them.
But not even all the news in the world regarding the Miraculous Team were enough to overshadow one of the biggest events in the city, the Paris Fashion Week. The spring/summer edition was about to start, and on that particular year, all the greatest designers and fashion houses were there. Gucci, Prada, Chanel, Dior, Versace, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gautier, Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Cardin, and others, were there to show the world what would be the fashions and trends for that year. But, just like every other year, there was a fierce rivalry between some of the designers, who wanted to prove that they were best of the best, and on that year, the rivalry that stood out from all the others was between Gabriel Agreste and Amélie Dufayel.
Their rivalry was known by just about everyone in the fashion world. It had begun on the year Gabriel founded his brand, naming it after himself, and ever since, the two had been competing against one another. They were always trying to beat one another. Some would say that that kind of competition was healthy for both Gabriel and Amélie, who did their best to surpass one another. But the truth was that that competition was seen by both designers as diabolical. They could not stand one another. Gabriel Agreste believed she was an arrogant, self-centred woman, without any sort of talent for fashion, while Amélie Dufayel believed he was a cold, snobbish man, who did not have the necessary tenderness to create clothes. All in all, the two hated each other, and if it was up to them, that would not change.
Still, all of that did not really matter for Chloé Bourgeois and her best-friend, Sabrina Raincomprix, who were visiting the backstage of that event. Chloé’s dad, Mayor Andre Bourgeois had managed to get her VIP tickets, which gave her access to the backstage. Not feeling like going alone, she called Sabrina, who agreed to go with her. But, the two of them did not go alone. In their purses, were their kwamis, Pollen and Mikka. Because secretly, they were two of the members of the Miraculous Team, Queen Bee and Louve Grise.
“Thanks for inviting me to come with you, Chloé.” -Sabrina told her.
“Don’t mention it.” -Chloé smiled at her. –“Besides, you know that I hate to come to these things alone. And who better to come with me, than my best-friend?” -she asked Sabrina, who smiled back at her.
Chloé had been trying really hard to become a better person, ever since the school year had started, and those who knew her had seen a slight improvement in her attitude and on her behaviour towards others. Of course, sometimes she would revert to her old self, but with the help of her friends, but especially Sabrina and Pollen, those moments were becoming less frequent and she was beginning to act kindlier towards everyone.
“Hey, what about me?” -Pollen cried out.
“Oh, Pollen, you know I don’t go anywhere without you.” -Chloé said, as she opened her purse and smiled at the bee kwami, who also smiled back.
“This place looks something.” -Mikka said, as he slowly got his head from Sabrina’s purse and saw what was going on. –“I think I’ve never seen these many dresses in one place before.” -he commented.
“That’s not entirely true.” -Pollen said. –“Don’t you remember that princess you had for a holder about 1500 hundred years ago?” -she asked him.
“Oh, you mean Liu Chuyu? Yes, I remember her quite well, and yeah, she had a large collection of dresses, but nothing like this.” -Mika declared.
“Guys, please, try not to talk so loud.” -Sabrina begged the kwamis in a hushed voice. –“We don’t want anyone to know that you’re here.” -she whispered at them.
“Sorry, kiddo.” -Mikka apologized to Sabrina. –“But you know what? You would look really pretty on one of those.” -he told Sabrina, while pointing to a simple, yet stylish blue sleeveless dress from Chanel.
“It certainly looks beautiful… but I don’t have the height or the physique to wear it.” -Sabrina admitted, as she pictured herself wearing it. –“Chloé on the other hand, has the perfect figure to wear it.” -she said.
“Oh, thanks, Sabrina. But I don’t think blue is my colour.” -Chloé declared.
As they went on, they had the chance to see just how the fashion shows were prepared. All kinds of technicians were running around, making sure that everything was perfect. From the lighting to the way the chairs around the runway were placed, everything had to be just perfect for when the guests arrived and the models started walking on the runway. Speaking of models, the girls and their kwamis also managed to take a little sneak-peak at the models that were getting ready. The smell of hairspray and make-up was in the air. On that particular night, Givenchy was presenting its spring collection, along with Versace, so one could see just how different the styles of each fashion house were. You could say that the only thing they had in common was the colours. Turquoise blue, sheer-white and lime green were going to be the colours of next year spring.
“Those are so beautiful.” -Sabrina said.
“More or less. I like the ones on the left, but those over there just aren’t my style, and you know that I pretty much wear just about anything from that designer.” -Chloé said. –“Those purses over there, on the other hand… I’m tempted to take one of them with me.” -she declared, without taking her eyes of the white and black purse. –“It would go so well, with pretty much everything I own.”
“I don’t think they’ll let you, Chloé.” -Sabrina chuckled.
“Nonsense, Sabrina. I’m Chloé Bourgeois, remember? I’ll buy it from them, and that’s that.” -Chloé told her.
“You’re sounding a lot like the old Chloé, you know?” –a voice said.
Recognizing that voice, Chloé turned around to face her old friend Adrien Agreste, smiling at her and Sabrina.
“Adrikins!” -Chloé exclaimed, calling Adrien by the nickname she had given him.
“Hey, girls!” -Adrien said, as he approached them. He had just given the slip to his bodyguard, so he could go for a walk alone, and was happy to see two familiar faces. –“What are you doing here?” -he asked her.
“Chloé’s dad got her VIP passes, so we’re checking things.” -Sabrina answered him.
“Are we going to see you on the runway tonight, Adrien?” -Chloé asked him.
“No, not today. I’ll only get to be on the runway on the very last day.” -Adrien confessed. –“Truth be told, I’d rather be home playing videogames or listening to music, than hanging out here all the time. But my dad insists I be around, because one of the models might get sick, or be late, or get cold feet at the very last minute, and if that happens, I’m the back-up plan.” -he sighed.
Chloé knew what that was. Just like Adrien, she too had a father and a mother who were famous and knew just how demanding it was to accompany them to public events. Especially, when her mom was not around, and her dad’s advisors felt that he should be seen with Chloé, so as to portray him as a family man.
“I know how that is… but, at least you’ve got Plagg to keep you company and tell you jokes.” -Chloé said. –“By the way, where is he?” -she asked him.
“I left him in my dressing room, enjoying a Camembert sandwich. I can’t stand the smell of that cheese, so I decided to come and get some fresh air… which is not easy, when you have a certain Gorilla guarding you.” -Adren joked about it. Everyone in his class knew that he had named his bodyguard Gorilla because he did not know his name, and because he looked a bit like one.
“Plagg and his Camembert… I still remember when he became addicted to that particular type of cheese.” -Pollen said, as she pried her head from inside Chloé’s purse. –“Has he told you about the fact that he became addicted to it, because one of his previous holders was the person who invited Camembert cheese?” -she asked him.
“Multiple times…” -Adrien chuckled. –“He loves to tell me about it, every night, when I give him another piece of that stinky old cheese, before going to bed.” -he said.
“That’s Plagg, alright.” -Mikka said.
The conversation was becoming more cheerful by the minute. Adrien, who had not been able to go to school during those days, was happy to see their friends, and more importantly, to be able to talk to them. But like all good things, that conversation between him and the girls ended abruptly, when the three of them heard a voice that was quite familiar, especially to Adrien… his father, Gabriel Agreste. Along with his secretary and personal assistance, Nathalie Sancoeur, he was approaching them, and quite fast.
“Nathalie, have the floral dresses for tonight arrived yet?” -Gabriel asked his assistant and secretary, while checking on the dresses’ design in question on his iPad.
“Not yet, sir. The truck is stuck in traffic, but I was assured that they will arrive in about 20 minutes, sir.” -Nathalie answered him, as she checked her cell phone to see if she had received any other texts.
“Make sure they do. I want the models to try them on before the show tonight.” -Gabriel told her.
“Very well, sir.” -Nathalie answered.
“Uh-oh, it’s my dad! He can’t see me out of the dressing room.” -Adrien said.
“Why not?” -Sabrina asked him.
“Let’s just say, that he hates me going around without my bodyguard. Could you….” -Adrien said, as he was about to ask the girls for a favour.
“Don’t worry, Adrien.” -Chloé told him. –“Go. We’ll buy you some time, right, Sabrina?” -she said, as Sabrina nodded her head.
“Owe you a favour, girls. See ya!” -Adrien told them.
As Adrien disappeared behind one of the billboards that had to be put up yet, Gabriel Agreste turned the corner, and almost bumped into Chloé and Sabrina, who placed themselves so that would happen, to buy Adrien the time he needed to get out of sight.
“Oh, hello Monsieur Agreste.” -Chloé waved at him.
“Oh, hello there, Chloé.” -Gabriel saluted her.
This small distraction gave Adrien enough time to put some distance between his father, and getting back to the dressing room, before anyone noticed he had left. But on his way, there, he accidently went up against a moving man, who was pushing a cart with a huge card box on it, where you could read the word “Fragile” on it. The box did not tumble, but the man fell on his back. Adrien immediately helped him getting up.
“S-Sorry, about that.” -Adrien apologized himself.
“Watch where you are going, kid.” -the man said, as he got on his feet. He was clearly in a grouchy mood.
What Adrien did not know was that the man that he had accidently pushed was no ordinary man. In fact, the man was none other than Hawk Moth’s lieutenant, Reptile, in disguise. After his master’s humiliating defeat at the hands of the Miraculous Team, Reptile and Madame Romani had made their mission to find new targets for their master to use his Akuma Butterflies on, so he could finally rule the world. But before that could happen, they would need to get rid of the Miraculous Team. And that was just what he was doing there; looking for a way to defeat them, or in this case, someone whose heart was filled with dark emotions and feelings and that Hawk Moth could use to destroy those infernal brats. As he got up, he looked around once more, despising what he saw.
“Look at all this ostentation! What a waste of good money.” -Reptile asked himself. –“How can anyone squander money like this is beyond me… not to mention, that those who wear these clothes are people who look you from the top, as if you were an insignificant cockroach. Still, in a place like this, there’s bound to be someone who the master can use to destroy those kids… all I need to do, is to find it.” -he told himself.