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Of Stripes and Feathers: Chapter 1

Summary: On the worst day of his life, Nathaniel Kurtzberg was offered a deal from the devil. Take the peacock miraculous and become Hawkmoth’s new partner in his takeover of Paris. A deal he accepted. Chloe Bourgeois stumbled upon the bee miraculous. Wanting all the admiration that Paris gives Ladybug, she decided to take it and join the fight against Hawkmoth. From then on both their lives become intertwined, for better or for worse.

P.S. Author’s note at the bottom!

Chapter 1: Origins ________________________________________

The window had been closed for a few minutes. There was no light to fill the room, only the pale glow of the akumas that fluttered around. Hawkmoth stood in the darkness, deep in silent contemplation. He was overcome with the feeling of frustration and failure. A single question continually bounced in his brain. How could he keep losing to Paris’ defenders? All of his warriors, no matter how powerful, they were always defeated by the righteous Ladybug and her mangy cat, Chat Noir. It was a constant vexation in his life. He needed to step up his game, think up a new strategy to defeat his teenage rivals. But what?

Maybe… he needed a partner.

“Nooroo, dark wings fall,” Hawkmoth whispered. Instantly, he had de-transformed into his civilian identity and exited his lair. When Gabriel Agreste returned to his normal office, he turned and stared at the painting of his wife. How he wished to feel her soft skin underneath his fingertips, to be wrapped up in her arms as before. How he longed to see her gentle smile and gaze into her beautiful green eyes. How he yearned to be in the presence of her warm, kind-hearted personality once more. There was still so much more that he missed. Words could never truly describe how much he missed her. Everything he did, he did for his precious Emilie.

Tearing his eyes away from the likeness of his wife, he opened up the secret compartment hidden behind the painting. There weren’t many objects he had secluded, only those relating to that of his love or of his villainy. The item he was looking for was related to both his love and his villainy. It didn’t take long for him to find it, pulling out a broken violet brooch in the shape of a peacock’s feathers. However, it wasn’t just any ordinary brooch. It held powers just as his butterfly brooch did, but this one held the power of the peacock miraculous.

If he were going to have a partner, then they would need their own miraculous to be of any use to him. Though he was always hesitant about bringing someone else into his operation for one reason. Due to the peacock miraculous being damaged, when used for long periods of time, it would eventually lead to its user’s death. Which meant that he would have to choose his partner carefully.

The blonde man pondered who he could give the peacock miraculous too. The first person who came to mind was his assistant, Nathalie. She already knew his secret and his motives, plus she was extremely loyal to him. Yet, she was his most valuable ally, and in this war, he could risk losing her. Then his mind drifted to his son, Adrien. He quickly discarded the thought. The whole point of his quest for the miraculous was to reunite their broken home. To give the boy, the peacock miraculous would inevitably lead him down the same path his mother walked. And that was something that the man could bear to let happen, not again.

For the next master of the peacock miraculous, the person would have to be weak-willed, someone who could be easily manipulated to do his bidding. They also had to be invisible, inconsequential to society. That way, when they eventually die, no one would even notice that they were gone. Maybe he could choose someone who he had previously akumatized, but who? He only bothered to remember those who were significant people, whether to the people of Paris or to his future plans.

If only Gabriel hadn’t lost that other miraculous years ago, then this decision would be a lot easier. No, he couldn’t look back upon past mistakes.

Stuffing the peacock brooch into his suit jacket, he had come to the conclusion that he would need more time to pick someone than there were hours left in the day.

***

Nathaniel Kurtzberg strolled to school that day in better moods than usual. He had a bounce in his steps and a smile brighter than the sun.

The moment he had woken up, he knew that it was going to be a good day. For today was the day he planned to confess his love to Marinette. After his time as the Evillustrator, he believed that he had gotten over his affection for the girl. But in truth, his heart wouldn’t let those feelings disappear. In fact, it only seemed that his fondness for the blue-haired girl had strengthened over time. This was also the day that he would get his admission letter from the Académie Julian* school. It was a private art school and the most prestigious in all of Paris, maybe even in all of France. Ever since he was young, he had dreamed of getting in and pursuing his passion for art even further. He could hardly wait to open the letter after school.

Indeed, this would be a good day for him!

***

Chloe Bourgeois strutted onto the school grounds with her “friend,” Sabrina, following closely behind. An angry frown enveloped her face rather than her typical confident, smug smile. Tonight, there was going to be a giant party held at the hotel for her mother’s birthday. Initially, she had been ecstatic since that meant her mother would be coming home from New York. Her mother hadn’t been back in Paris for a long time, possibly years if she remembered correctly. So, of course, she would be excited. But this morning, her mother had canceled her flight and would apparently be staying in New York! She wouldn’t be coming home for her own party! After weeks of planning and inviting the most elite people in the fashion industry to come! Who does that!

To top it all off, her father had told her that it was too late to cancel the party and that she would have to attend. Not only attend, but she also had to be the hostess of the party since her father had already made other plans that evening. On her mother’s birthday!

It’s ridiculous, utterly ridiculous! The girl screamed in her mind, her fingers digging into her scalp and ruining her hair. She took a deep breath and swiftly composed herself before the orange-haired girl could question her. She didn’t want the other girl to believe she wasn’t perfect.

She was Chloe Bourgeois, her life always had to be perfect. However, the morning had put her in the worst of moods that day.

As she entered the classroom and approached her desk, she had heard the Creole girl gush about the akuma attack from the day prior and how Ladybug had defeated it. While the blonde girl did enjoy listening to tales about the superheroine, she had to admit that she was somewhat jealous. She was always at the center of Paris’ attention, people showered her with their love and admiration.

I mean, of course, everyone loves me, she thought. But not as much as they love Ladybug.

The girl was getting too frustrated with herself, and her emotions were running wild. She needed a way to blow off steam, a more healthy way to make herself feel less angry. She needed to put somebody else down to make herself feel better.

Turning around in her seat, she examined who in class would make the best target. Not Sabrina, as she couldn’t risk losing her only serv- friend, her only friend. Not that Césaire girl, she would only start a fight on whatever she said, and she wasn’t looking to fight. Not her Adrikins, she couldn’t even come up with anything negative about him. Her usual target used to be Marinette Dupain-Cheng, but the girl had recently become immune to her tactics and tell her off. She had assumed it was due to hang out with Césaire, becoming more like a rival than a target. But now there wasn’t anyone good enough for her to drag down.

Then, as if reading her mind, Kurtzberg walked into the classroom. A small, shy smile graced his face as he gingerly stared at her rival. He hadn’t been as subtle as he thought since the blue-haired girl noticed and waved at him. He returned the gesture and continued towards his desk, a light shade of red dusted over his cheeks.

A cruel sneer stretched across her face, as a single word formed in her mind. Perfect.

***

The school day was over, but Nathaniel hadn’t had the chance to talk to Marinette yet. She was always surrounded by other people, there was never an excellent opportunity for them to speak alone. And the only way he could possibly build up the nerve to confess to her was in private. He wasn’t the type of person who could pull off some big, romantic gesture, he didn’t have the courage for it. But Marinette didn’t seem like the type of girl who would like that sort of thing. Right?

He hadn’t lost hope, though. Earlier, he had overheard Marinette and Alya make plans to study in the library after school. He could simply walk over to wherever the girls were sitting and pull the blunette away for a few moments. Then he would tell her everything. All the emotions that rumbled inside of him whenever she was around. How much he cared for her. How he wanted to be more than friends with her. It should have been easy enough. It was his perfect opportunity. His only opportunity.

Every student in the class couldn’t have packed up their bags and left faster. However, he took his time, needing to wait until his crush had actually entered the library. Soon, it was just himself and Chloe, texting on her phone, left in the classroom. It was odd. Usually, she would be the first to leave the room, and she always had Sabrina at her beck and call. It seemed suspicious, but he could be bothered to care about her at the moment. Having waited long enough, he finally got out of his seat and walked towards the door. In one of the windows that lined against the left wall, he noticed that Marinette and Alya hadn’t gone to the library yet. They were parked right outside its entrance, talking to Nino and Adrien. He had hoped that they would have gone in already, but what was a few more minutes of waiting. It was only just the nervous vomit that crept up his throat. But he could do it. He reached the door, took a deep breath, and grabbed the handle.

“You really are this pathetic, aren’t you.” A high-pitched voice remarked. It wasn’t a question but a statement. He turned around to see the blonde put down her phone to look at him. He already knew it was her who had spoken, there was no one else in the room to even talk. She glared at him, a predator stalking the meek prey, and he now wished he had left the room with everyone else. Yet, even that probably wouldn’t have saved him. It seemed as if she had made him her target for the day.

“What?” Nathaniel questioned, hoping she would at least tell him why she decided to pick on him.

Giving an exasperated sigh, Chloe finally stood up from her desk and strolled over to one of the windows on the left wall. His eyes followed her movements, too scared to ignore her. She leaned against the window and glanced back at him, a smug smirk taking over her face.

“Last time, I just laughed at you. I mean, your little crush on Dupain-Cheng was just too sad. I thought you had gotten over it, but apparently, you haven’t. ”

His body stood still for a moment. His muscles tensed, his breathing stopped, his brain froze over, and his throat tightened over every word that came out of her mouth. He couldn’t ask them aloud, but questions started to fill his head. How did she know, and when had she figured it out? Why was she shoving it in his face?

He finally voiced at least one of the questions that swarmed his brain. “Why do you care?”

Her grin grew even wider, ecstatic that he had asked. Elated that he had fallen right into her trap.

“Because she’s going to reject you.” The blonde pleasantly hummed. “She has a crush on someone else.”

Before he could even speak, the girl tilted her head towards the direction of the library. She was trying to tell him something, but he didn’t know what. Letting his curiosity get the better of him, he trudged over to her spot and focused on where she had been indicating. There he saw a certain blue-haired girl trying to speak to Adrien, her face as red as a strawberry. The red-haired boy’s eye dilated, a deep frown forming on his face. He suddenly knew what the girl next to him meant, and he hated the implication.

“I know it’s so sick.” Chloe knew he had figured it out. “To think she even has a chance with my Adrikins is just laughable. But she isn’t doing any harm, she might even be making me look better in comparison. So, might as well let her try, even if it is point le-”

“Why are you doing this?” He cut her off. He wasn’t sure if he even wanted to know the answer to that question, but he asked anyway.

“I’m doing this to help you see reality. Marinette doesn’t like you. She wants somebody who can give her some big, romantic gesture. Somebody who’s not afraid to openly show their feelings to her. Somebody who can sweep her off her feet. And you can’t give her that. What can you offer her in a relationship? All you are is a shy, lonely boy who can barely even speak to a friend. Nobody wants to date a person like that. People want to date strong, confident men who are able to brighten up any room they enter. So I’m doing this to help you realize that no one will ever like you. You’ll always be the sad, lonely boy who no one will ever love.” The way she spoke, with her superior tone, had slashed him open and ripped out his heart.

Nathaniel felt sick to his stomach, the puke that had been creeping up his throat could seemingly come out at any moment. Why was she so cruel to him?

Well, he knew the answer to that question. She was Chloe Bourgeois, she lived off of other people’s torment.

He sprinted out of the room, off the school grounds. He didn’t know where he was headed, only that his feet were moving of their own accord. He didn’t care where he was going, as long as it was nowhere near Chloe. If there was a she-devil in all of Paris, then it would have to be her. She always knew how to ruin somebody’s day.

Suddenly, he was in front of his apartment complex. No, his day hadn’t been completely ruined yet. He still had the letter from the Académie Julian school to read. Surely, that could help salvage the day.

He rushed up the stairs to his home and opened the door, collecting the mail along the way. He threw all but the letter from the art school on the kitchen counter. He tore open the envelope and scanned over every word that was written down. Though it didn’t take long for him to understand what the letter was saying.

Denied. He had been rejected from Académie Julian.

Immediately, he shredded the letter into the tiniest of pieces, his temper finally getting the better of him. Then stormed into his room, throwing his body on the bed. He felt so disconnected from reality. What was supposed to be his best day rapidly transformed into his worst. And it was Chloe’s fault. Her smug, entitled attitude had ruined the day for him. But was she right? Did no one really care about him? Would he really be alone forever?

Could the day get any worse?

***

Hawkmoth could sense the negative energy that radiated from the red-headed boy. For a brief moment, he considered sending out one of his lovely akumas to infect the boy. But he stopped and pulled out the peacock miraculous instead. Why risk akumatizing him, only for Ladybug to purify his emotions, when he could let the negativity soak into his heart until it became permanent? This boy could be very easily manipulated, so he wouldn’t dare to stand against him. He also didn’t have many friends, so hardly anyone would notice if he were to disappear.

Nathaniel Kurtzberg was perfect for the next master of the peacock miraculous.

The villain left his lair, following the feelings of despair and anguish to their very source. He would make this boy his partner, no matter how much trickery was needed.

***

The boy was still lying down on his bed when something knocked against his window. He ignored it at first, assuming a pigeon had run into the window. Only after it became more consistent did he finally decide to get up and look. What he saw outside of his window shocked him to his very core.

It was only the most infamous villain in all of Paris, Hawkmoth.

He should have tried to call the police or somehow gotten into contact with Ladybug and Chat Noir. Hawkmoth was casually standing outside his window, he needed to do something about it. But thinking about the situation further, why was Hawkmoth waiting outside his window? Out of all the people in the city, why him?

Against all better judgment, Nathaniel opened his window and allowed the man to come in. He hoped he wouldn’t regret it.

“Finally, you could have let me in quicker.” The villain said. “Nevermind that, I came here to speak with you. To offer you a deal.”

That certainly caught the boy by surprise. He couldn’t even mutter a single word before Hawkmoth spoke again.

“You see, I am in need of a partner, somebody to help me take down that nuisance of a superheroine, Ladybug.” The older man held out a peacock brooch between his fingers. It was beautiful, elegant in shape and color. “If you join me, then you will have your own miraculous with powers to aid you.”

“Why me?” The boy gathered the courage to ask. He couldn’t even consider the deal without knowing his reasoning.

The villain scowled slightly before it transformed into a grin. “Because you are important. You’re intelligent, creative, and can handle yourself. You’re the only person who fits the role of the peacock.”

Hawkmoth… needed him… he was the only person who could become the peacock.

“Plus, you looked as if you could use a wish.”

“A wish?” The red-head asked curiously.

“Hmm. Oh, of course, you wouldn’t know, not many people do. If someone gathers both the ladybug and cat miraculous, then they get to wish for anything their hearts desire. If you were to help me in this endeavor, then we could both get a wish.”

He could get anything he wished for. It almost sounded too good to be true. He could wish for Marinette’s love. He could wish for admission into Académie Julian. Or, he could wish for Chloe’s downfall, to show that everything she said about him was wrong.

“So, what do you say? Will you accept my deal?” Hawkmoth proposed, hold out the peacock brooch to him.

Nathaniel couldn’t have grabbed the brooch any faster.

***

Chloe stood in the middle of her room, glaring at the new dress that lay on her bed with a pout. She wasn’t upset to have a new dress. In fact, it was a very pretty, snowy white that would highlight the color in her skin with a bronze ribbon tied around the waist. If she were to change into the dress, she had no doubt that she would look fabulously. But she had a problem with the reason for the new dress. Her dad must have bought it for her to wear to the party. He probably bought it in the hope that she would become elated and want to host now. Instead, it had only made her more frustrated with the notion. She didn’t want to attend, much less be the hostess. What was the point of hosting a party when the guest of honor wouldn’t even becoming? However, she would do it. Not because she wanted to, but because she didn’t want to disappoint her father.

She sighed, “Well, if I have to go in place of mother, then I might as well wear something of hers.” The girl marched out of her room and into her parent’s. Then she went directly to her mother’s closet in the back of the room. It was very spacious, able to five or more people. Shoe shelves lined up against the left wall while the other two walls had just a clothes rack and drawers. There was one row across all three walls that was full of boxes that were either empty or had items that her mother thought were unfashionable. Upon entering, she started coughing from the particles of dust that were floating around. No one had probably come in the closet since her mother had moved to New York, and who knew how long ago that had been.

What she did know was that when she was younger, her mother was given a pair of wedges that would go perfectly with her new dress. Her azure eyes scanned over the rows of shoes stored away, but she couldn’t find the pair she was thinking of. If they weren’t on the shelves, then that meant they were on the very top row. She let out a groan in annoyance. It looks like she would have to climb up and search for them.

The blonde started by placing one foot on the shelf and then the other on the shelf above. She kept repeating the gestures, growing closer to the top with each one. She moved with caution, making sure each foot wouldn’t slip out from under her. Once she reached the top row, she instantly spotted the shoes she wanted. Unfortunately, they were just out of reach. That didn’t stop her from trying, as she leaned forward and extended her arm towards them. She was so focused on the wedges that she didn’t notice one of her feet lift off the shelf. When she successfully grabbed the pair of shoes, she almost shouted in victory. Before she could, her other foot had slipped from its hold, causing her downward descent to the closet floor. Acting on instinct, she grappled onto the clothes rack to stop her fall. But it only broke under the pressure and speed. Her back hit the ground, a bunch of clothes falling on top of her. Digging out of the pile, she was thankful that she wouldn’t have to attempt that again.

When she got up, her foot landed on something. It appeared to be a tiny white box, one that could easily fit into the palm of her hand. She plucked the box off the ground and opened it, hoping it was a piece of jewelry that she could also wear tonight. A shiny, golden hair comb with a bee emblem at the top laid within. Her fingers traced its spines, transfixed on the item. It was the most stunning hair accessory that she had ever seen. And she knew that would look absolutely perfect in her hair. Wanting to put the comb on, she took it out of the box. Immediately, a glowing, yellow orb sprung from the comb and circled around her body. It was so bright, the girl was forced to shut her eyes or else go permanently blind.

“How may I serve you, my queen?” A voice asked. Believing someone had heard her crash and came to check on her, Chloe’s eyelids rose in relief. That relief was swiftly demolished into dread when she saw the tiny bee that flew in front of her face.

A scream dislodged from the girl’s throat. While her screams continued, she ran out of her mother’s closet, out of her parent’s room, and back into the safety of her room. She shoved a pillow into her face, trying to cease the noise that exited her mouth. It couldn’t have been the bee who had talked to her. Surely, it was one of the servants who was playing a prank on her. A very elaborate prank that involved a talking bee. Right?

Disproving her theory, the tiny bug had followed her and spoke again. “What’s wrong, my queen?”

“Stay away from me!” The blonde exclaimed. The pillow shifted away from her face and over her shoulder before she swung towards the bee. However, it dodged the attack. She repeatedly tried to whack it out of the air, but it kept dodging her attacks. After a while, she noticed how the creature hadn’t tried to get any closer to her. Deciding it wasn’t going to harm her, at least for now, she dropped the pillow onto the floor. “Urgh! Why won’t you just leave me alone?”

“But, my queen, you were the one who awoke me from my slumber. That means you are my new master.”

Despite what the bug had said, she still didn’t trust the thing. “What are you anyway? How do I know that you aren’t going to sting me?”

The bee politely laughed. “I’m not going to sting you. My name is Pollen, and I’m the bee kwami.”

“A kwami?” One eyebrow raised in disbelief.

“Yes. With the miraculous that you discovered,” Pollen indicated to the hair comb that the girl still clutched, “and myself, you can be given powers and abilities beyond your wildest imaginations.”

That little detail caught Chloe’s attention. She stared down at the comb, examining the accessory. That sounded a lot like…

Her head perked up with the thought, as she turned her attention back towards the kwami. “Are you saying that you can turn me into a superhero? Just like Ladybug?”

Pollen nodded her head. “Yes, I can. All you have to do put on the miraculous and say, ‘Pollen, buzz on.’ That will allow you to transform into a hero.”

At that moment, the girl heard a faint explosion from outside. There was only one explanation for the sound. The pair turned to look out the window and saw another explosion, with two figures heading for the Eiffel Tower. The battle between the superpowered teens and the akuma must have already started. A smile grew on the girl’s face. Then she had no time to lose. This was her chance to be like Ladybug, to get as much love and attention that she gets.

Sliding the comb into her hair, she exclaimed, “Alright. Pollen, buzz on!”

Instantly, the magic took into effect. Her regular outfit felt non-existent against her skin, replaced with a costume. She also felt a mask form over her face, concealing her identity from the rest of the world. Once the magic dissipated, she took no time to admire the transformation. If she didn’t hurry, then she could miss her chance at a grand entrance.

She sprinted out to her balcony and jump across to the next building. Not accounting for the momentum she had built up, she overshot her landing and plummeted to the streets of Paris. Before she hit the ground, she took out her weapon, a spinning top, and threw it at the chimney of another building. Once the top had securely wrapped around the chimney, she swung herself onto the rooftop, narrowly avoiding the ground. She inhaled deeply, trying to fight off the excited laugh that threatened to steal her breath. She could hardly believe what she had just done. She was so much faster, stronger, and more agile than normal. She truly felt untouchable that she could do anything.

She continued running across the rooftops, finally landing on one closer to the battle. She could clearly see Ladybug and Chat Noir fighting off the akuma, but they were too distracted to notice her. The taste of everything adoration rested on the tip of her tongue, it only took a few more jumps for her to completely consume the taste. Before she could join, something appeared in her peripheral vision. Turning to inspect, she realized it was a person. More specifically, it was a boy who stood far enough from the battle to not be seen by those participating. He wore a dark violet waistcoat that had several tails trailing behind him, with a pair of trousers and shoes in the same shade. He also wore a red undershirt, matching the color of his hair. There was also a feather attached to his hair, it appeared to be pulling back the mound from covering his face. From her angle, she could only view his profile. She couldn’t see his face nor the finer details of his outfit. Though he just stood there, she had a bad feeling about him. If he was a threat to Ladybug, then he must be taken down before he can strike.

***

For the entire battle, he had stalked the crime-fighting duo from the shadows. The only time he stood in the light was when no one would notice his presence. He had a mission, steal the heroes’ miraculous, and deliver them to Hawkmoth. All he needed was the perfect chance to strike them down. And that time was approaching quickly.

He was about to join the fight when an object wrapped around his ankle. He looked downward, scrutinizing the object, he was confused by what he saw. A spinning top had coiled itself around his ankle. But where had it come from? Faster than he could comprehend, there was a rough tug on the spinning top’s string. The force caused him to plummet face-first to the ground. Before he could recover, the string dragged him away from the akuma battle.

The red-haired boy growled. No one knew about him, so what could possibly be interrupting him? He would have to deal with this new development swiftly or else he wouldn’t be able to complete his mission. When his body had finally stopped moving, he flipped onto his back so he could see his attacker. Instantly, a heeled foot stomped down on his chest.

“Caught ‘cha!” The attacker declared.

Nathaniel examined the figure above him, shocked by the cite. It was a girl, probably no older than he was. She wore a black and yellow jumpsuit with a mask of the same colors. She had one dark stripe in her blonde hair, the end curling like a bee’s stingers. There was also a pair of antennae sticking out of her hair tie. Her eyes, the most striking color he had ever seen, shone proudly with victory. He could tell that she wasn’t any ordinary citizen. She had to be a miraculous user. However, he hadn’t been aware that there were any more. Sure, she could have been new, but it seemed like too big of a coincidence that they would both be starting on the same day.

“Who are you?” He questioned. He didn’t need to ask whether she was a friend or foe, she had made it pretty obvious where she aligned. Yet, he still needed to gather as much information on her that he could. The more he knew, the easier it would be to successfully defeat her.

The girl smirked, her demeanor becoming more prideful. “I’m glad you asked. I am the newest superheroine in Paris, the marvelous Queen Bee.”

The boy’s eyes couldn’t have rolled farther back into his head. He had only known her for a minute, but he determined that she was the most arrogant person he had ever met. Well, the second most arrogant person.

A tiny chuckle escaped his lips. “Marvelous, really? I don’t see anything marvelous about you.” Surprised by his own words, his chuckling ended. Had he really just gotten cheeky with her? He had never done that before. Usually, he could barely talk to people, much less have a retort to what they say.

Ever since he had transformed, he hadn’t been acting like himself. He didn’t endure the weight of the fears he carried. He felt unshackled, free of the things that brought him down. He hadn’t felt apprehensive, his need to hide away gone. He felt more assertiveness, the need to fight back heightened. His hair hadn’t even been covering the left side of his face, allowing both his turquoise orbs to see the world. It was as if the mask hid not only his identity but his personality as well. As the bearer of the peacock miraculous, it’s as if he became a whole new person. A chance to be the person he wanted to be, rather than who he actually was.

The blonde’s pride had been stripped away at the comment, leaving an irked sneer in its place. Her foot pressed down harder into his chest, causing him to wince. He didn't regret his words, though. In fact, it made him glad to have gotten her so mad.

“Alright, then just who are you?”

He beamed at the question. “I am Hawkmoth’s partner. You may call me Pavo**.”

She hadn’t immediately respond. He thought her silence was out of amazement. Then, one of her hands went to cover her mouth. When her shoulders started to shake, it revealed her real thoughts.

“What kind of a name in Pavo!” She roared, no longer trying to hide her laughter. “Seriously, Pavo is the stupidest sounding name I’ve ever heard!”

Her giddiness had caused her to let her guard down, the pressure of her foot slightly lift off his chest. Ignoring the humiliated blush that formed on his cheeks, the redhead knew this was his chance to gain the upper hand. He grabbed her ankle and launched it away from his body. As she crashed to the ground, he had gotten up. If he ran fast enough, there would still be time to strike down Ladybug and Chat Noir. But he couldn’t bring himself to run away from Queen Bee. He was overcome with the need to continue this fight.

He strolled over to Queen Bee, each step menacingly slow. Once he reached the spot where she lay, he tried to kick her in the ribs. However, she rolled out of the way before his foot could land. Swiftly, she was on her knees and threw her spinning top at him. He wouldn’t let a little toy beat him this time. He pulled out his own weapon, a hand fan, and smacked the top away.

“Is that really all you’ve got?” Cockiness dripped out of his voice, drunk off his own power and attitude. He turned his back to her, unafraid of what she could do. “I would have thought you to be a killer bee, but it turns out you’re just a bumblebee.”

He heard her snarl at the remark. God, it was too much fun to tease her. The ability to get such a rise out of a haughty person like her, it was more satisfying than he could have guessed. If only he could act this way around Chloe, that would be pure bliss.

Nathaniel started to turn back towards her. “Well, it’s been fun, but-” He was cut off by a hand making direct contact with his cheek. Too distracted by his own enjoyment that he hadn’t noticed that she had gotten closer. He was stunned by the slap, not being able to recover. Taking advantage of his state, she then punched him in the gut. She tried to hit his face again, but he was able to pull himself together and caught her fist with his hand. She struggled to pull away, his grip was too firm.

He was about to whack her when a warm, comforting breeze ran up his spine. Looking at the sky, a swarm of ladybugs swept over the entire city. It must have been Ladybug’s restoration power, which meant that she had defeated the akuma. And that he had failed his mission.

A sharp, sudden pain pinched at the top of his foot. Instinctively, he released the girl and held onto his foot instead. The fight was over, she didn’t need to trample his foot. He would have let her go… well, after he returned all her blows.

Queen Bee took a few steps back with a frown on her face. Her arms crossed over her chest, her posture now in the form of a pout.

“Ugh, I can’t believe this! Because of you, my grand entrance has been ruined!”

Was she serious?

“Wow, you really are a spoiled brat, aren’t you.”

Before she had the chance to attack, he jumped across several rooftops. Then he fell down into an alleyway. He needed to report back to his partner, even if he didn’t want to report his failings.

***

Hawkmoth was more furious that day then he had been in a long time. How could that boy have failed him? It was a simple job, even the most idiotic person in all of France could have completed it. Unless this boy was the most idiotic person in all of France. He could barely comprehend how wrong the plan had gone. How could he not even get one of the rivals’ miraculous? It didn’t matter whether it had been that cat ring or the ladybug earrings, either would have been fine. He had the element of surprise and an akuma on his side, it should have been easy. But the boy had turned out to be a disappointment.

The glowing symbol of the butterfly formed in front of the man’s face. Before the boy could start his report, he spoke.

“Why have you failed?”

“I’m sorry, sir, but there was another miraculous user who got in my way.”

“What do you mean another miraculous user!” He had been trying to sound emotionless. He couldn’t risk losing control and having his new pawn abandoned him. Yet, this time he couldn’t hold back his anger. Did that mean that insufferable bug had added another ally to her side?

The boy could barely mutter out his reply, scared of the villain's tone. “I-it was a girl, s-sir. It l-looked like s-she had some type of bee m-miraculous.”

Hawkmoth paused for a moment. A bee miraculous user. The bee miraculous. The very one he had given away years ago. But the person who possessed no longer lived in Paris. Had she thrown it out? Did some random person find it in the garbage?

A callous smile lifted onto his face. It did not matter what that woman had done with the bee miraculous. All that mattered now was him gaining ownership of it again. Then he would no longer need this pathetic boy to do his bidding.

“Does Ladybug know of this new holder?”

“Based on what Queen Bee had said during our fight, I don’t think Ladybug does.”

“Perfect, then I have a new mission for you. We must make sure this Queen Bee never meets up with Ladybug and Chat Noir. It is your job to ensure that. You must take her miraculous and bring it to me. Is that understood?”

“Yes, I understand.”

Good, then you are dismissed.”

Without a farewell, the butterfly symbol disappeared from his face. This day had been very fortuitous for Hawkmoth.

***

It hadn’t been fair! How could her opportunity to join Ladybug’s side be completely ruined? It was all that stupid peacock’s fault! If he hadn’t been there, then she would be relishing in the people’s attention and adoration.

Chloe landed on her balcony, steam coming out of her ears. She couldn’t get over her confrontation with Pavo. Whenever he had spoken, with his condescending tone, it made her feel unimportant. The way he had treated her was ridiculous, utterly ridiculous! She deserved to be treated as a queen, not as a peasant. He should have kneeled at her presence, not scoffed.

Everything about him had aggravated her. She couldn’t even express her thoughts into words.

She was about to walk indoors when she caught her reflection in the window. It had been the first time she had seen her transformation. One that she could change into whenever she wanted. All she needed was the kwami and the hair comb.

Her temper marginally dissipated at the thought. She would have another chance to reveal herself to the world. She just needed to be patient and not run into Pavo again. If the peacock ever crossed her path again, she would give him the pounding of a lifetime.

“Pollen, buzz off.” She de-transformed and entered her room. Enough of this superhero business, she had a dumb party to get ready for.

***

After his battle with the pesky bee, all Nathaniel wanted to do was sleep his exhaustion away. He couldn’t, though, as he had to come to his asinine party full of the most vapid people in the fashion industry at the Grand Paris Hotel. His mother had been hired to photograph*** the event and dragged him along with her. He wouldn’t have minded any other night. He might have even tried having fun any other night, rather than leaning against the wall. But as the seconds grew, he felt more dreadful at being there. He just didn’t want to run into a particular bully.

As if knowing his fear, Chloe Bourgeois sauntered towards him through the crowd. She wore an off-the-shoulder white dress with a bronze ribbon tied around her waist. Blended in her blonde tresses was a silver hair comb. There seemed to be a shape at the top, but it was hard to make out without any color. Her face was powdered with the same makeup she always wore.

He would never understand her choices in attire. Her eyeshadow never looked good, so why did she continue to assault her eyelids with it? The pale blue shade paint didn’t match her dress at all, making her beautiful getup ruined by her face. If she hadn’t worn it, the dress might have actually looked pleasant on her. But even then, he would have to disagree. The lighter hues she often adorned made her look like an angel who has graced the people with her very existence. And that certainly wasn’t her. With eyes as vicious as a viper’s, there was no way she could have been an angel. He thought the shades of black and blood would suit her more. They were perfect colors for a mistress of Hell who yanked innocent souls down to the depths of their suffering. Or maybe a golden hue would be best. It was a color demanding both fear and respect, one suited for a que-

Stop that. He thought. You’re only thinking that way because of your encounter with Queen Bee. Chloe doesn’t deserve the respect of a queen.

“I can’t believe you’re here, but not my Adrikins.” The blonde exasperated, snapping him out of his thoughts. He had been so absorbed, he hadn’t even noticed when she reached his perch. A light red tinted his face, embarrassed to have been staring her for so long. She didn't seem to note it, or maybe she didn’t care to acknowledge it. She was more crabby than usual, though he didn’t know why. He couldn’t even muster out a word before she continued. “I mean, after today, I didn’t expect to see you again.”

Nathaniel felt like a bucket of ice had drenched him, freezing his muscles of all movement. He didn’t want the memory of their earlier conversation to replay in his mind, but there was no stopping a tap that had started rolling. Her words were amplified his brain, floating around the void. He had never really been able to stop the memory or the words, continually playing in the background. The acute pain he had experienced at that moment was now a dull ache at the reminder. The only time he had been diverted from the feelings was when he was wearing his mask. Pavo was confident and sly, a person not deterred by unwanted emotions. It was a persona he could never hope to be. Yet… Pavo had to come from somewhere inside of him. Maybe he could try to emulate the villain.

The girl was about to walk away when he finally spoke up. “What you did today was not ok. Just because you’re the mayor’s daughter, you think that you’re automatically better than everyone else. That you can just crush whoever you want. Well, I’ve had enough. I won’t allow you to treat me that way anymore.”

“Oh, really.” She replied, a vindictive laugh oozing out of her throat. “And just how are you going to do that?”

“I don’t know. But I’ll start by giving you some advice. Lose the eyeshadow, it makes you look like a clown.”

Chloe’s bright eyes grew in astonishment while her lips drew down in galling glower. She was just a spoiled, arrogant girl who needed to be kicked off her pedestal. And he was determined to bring about her downfall.

“Oh yeah! Well, you should change the color of your hair. It makes your head look like a tomato.” She struggled out the insult. She stomped back into the crowd, thunder crackling all around her.

From this day onward, his life would be different. Nathaniel didn’t know how, but he hoped it would be for the better. ________________________________________

*The Académie Julian did exist. It was a private art school in Paris, France that was active from 1868 through 1968. **Pavo is a star constellation in the southern sky whose name is Latin for peacock. ***I made Nathaniel’s mom a photographer because I’m actually studying to be a photographer myself. I’m not saying I’m Nathaniel’s mom, I’m just putting a little influence of my life into the work.

A/N: Hello! If you read the chapter and are reading this now, I just want to say that YOU’RE A FUCKING CHAMP! If you haven’t read the chapter yet and skipped down to read this first, one, I appreciate your interest in my story, and two, I’m sorry for the long-ass scroll! This ended up taking around 30 pages in my writing journal and 18 pages on Google Docs. Apparently, it’s over 7500 words and I don’t know how. I didn’t mean for it to be this long, I swear!

For real though, I want to talk to y’all about this story, explain some of the decisions I made. Firstly, as some of you my have guessed, this story is based of the Buzzkill AU by @powerdragonmoon. Or you could say ripped off and I am fine with that. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, this is a link for you to go read Buzzkill on AO3! If are at all curious about this AU, please go read it or go to @powerdragonmoon‘s tumblr and type buzzkill in the search bar to get a generally idea of the AU. I fell in love with the Buzzkill AU the minute I found out about it! I’m just a sucker for enemies to lovers stories (Hate Square all the way baby!!!) and I loved the concept of Peacock!Nathaniel.

Secondly, this story this story takes place with season 2, with some elements from season 3 mixed in. That means I will be re-writing some episodes so that they fit with my story. Not all of the episodes, only the ones that affect the characters. You can probably guess which episodes, but I’m not going to spoil it.

Thirdly, this is also my attempt at a Chloe redemption arc. I just think it’s an interesting concept to see how I would go about redeeming her, also because I was unsatisfied with her development in season 3 but I’m not gonna get into that here.

Fourthly, this story mostly focuses on Chloe and Nathaniel. Marinette and Adrien aren’t really apart of this story. They will come into play eventually, but that’s not going to be sometime.

Fifthly, for those of you familiar with the Buzzkill AU, you might be wondering why I didn’t use Le Paon and created my own Peacock!Nathaniel called Pavo. There’s two reasons behind that. One, it makes me uncomfortable to take from other people’s AU, specifically if they’re writing a story of the AU. I just kinda feel like I’m stealing and I don’t want to do that. Two, I wanting to give Pavo a design that was more based off the show. That’s not me saying that Le Paon’s design sucks. Because really, it doesn’t. In fact, I only really added a slight twist to the design for Pavo because I love Le Paon’s outfit. I mostly just wanted to up date the color scheme to be more accurate to the show.

Speaking of which, if you were confused by my description in the story, here is Pavo’s outfit (sorry if art is bad, I’m not that good at drawing).

Now you may be seeing this and thinking, You literally just said you wanted to make the color scheme more accurate to the show yet its red instead of the hot pink. What the hell. And my answer to that is that I don’t think that Nathaniel’s shade of red and the hot pink used in the show look all that good together. I just think the two colors clash rather than compliment. Plus, I firmly believe that Pavo wearing red will make his hair not stand out as much, so Chloe won’t be able to figure out who he is as easily. Like whenever they fight, she doesn’t even notice how red his hair is. Also, ignore the feather attached to his mask. That was the original idea when I was designing this costume. I have changed it so that the feather is in his hair, pulling it out of his face as a symbolic way to show that Pavo is more confident than Nathaniel.

Alright, now I’m done. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, or I hope you will enjoy. I don’t know when the next chapter will be out, but I’ll try post it in spring. BYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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