45. Day 4 Part 2

Dark blue, itchy cardigan. Navy blue, buttoned-up shirt. Grey skirt that went all the way down to her knees. All made from the most economical, budget-saving synthetics.

This used to be the official uniform for College Dupont, until it was abolished a few years ago in a schoolwide referendum, when the faculty as a whole voted 90-10% to consign it to the dustbin of history.

There were exuberant celebrations everywhere the evening it was officially retired: A massive party...Someone poured alcohol in the punch... Tipsy bodies haphazardly scattered the ground the next day, with one poor fellow hanging from the flagpole by his boxer shorts. Good times, good times.

But now, courtesy of one malicious practical joke played on a not-at-all-amused heiress, the unpopular apparel was making an unexpected comeback. Obviously, the drenched girl couldn't stagger around all day looking (and smelling) like a swamp monster, and she had no spare set of clothes on her. Exhuming the only remaining girl's uniform from the depths of the attic, blowing off the cobwebs and having her wear it seemed like the only logical option.

Chloe stared at her open-mouthed reflection in the girls bathroom with abject horror. I know I'm not supposed to be so uptight about my appearance these days, she lamented, but this is absolutely ridiculous! I look like a reject from an old Britney Spears video! What is everyone going to say...

Then she realised, her misgivings about her upcoming humiliation didn't really matter. For you see, everybody in the class pretty much despised her already now... apart from Adrien, that all-loving nice guy who'd never lost faith in her to change her ways. Heck, she could tear someone's head off in front of the teen model, and he'd still insist in court that it was all just an optical illusion. That sad, pathetic, loveable, squeezable...wait, aren't I supposed to hate him?

After her unfortunate 'accident', he'd tried to converse with the blonde... get her to calm down, as well as give her side of the story about what happened with Alya's mother. But then Miss Bustier had appeared on cue, dropping her books once more in shock at Chloe's dishevelled state... and that's when all hell broke loose.

Alix didn't seemed to mind getting shouted at, with the additional 'bonus' of detention for an entire week. She wore her punishment like a badge of honour, especially as it saved her from implicating any of her fellow classmates.

As for Chloe, she was much more interested in explaining to Alya that this was all the mayor's doing in retaliation for his daughter's rebellion, but unfortunately the reporter was being guarded by Marinette like a mother bear would protect it's only cub. Regardless, the blonde was soon bundled off by a nostril-holding Miss Bustier with two simple words that neatly summed up her redolence: "Dou Dtink."

Now that Chloe had changed into her not-so-new outfit, no matter how much she sashayed in these less-than-salubrious surroundings, she couldn't make this fashion atrocity the least bit appealing. Indeed, in the midst of her analysis in front of the mirror, she began to wonder who'd actually got the brunt of the deal... Her or Alix. Seven days incarceration sounds pretty good right now, rather than strutting around in these infernal togs. Maybe we can do some sort of swap...

"Can I come in?" There was a light knocking on the door, accompanied by a soft female voice. It was Miss Bustier, and Chloe was thrust out of her daydream to face terrible reality. "Y-yes..." She stammered while instinctively covering up, although she was fully dressed now, and the teacher had seen most of her unclothed yesterday anyway to her chagrin.

The door opened, and in came the rather flustered educator, who then proceeded to inspect Chloe up and down carefully. "Y-you look very nice, dear..." She tried to come up with something diplomatic. "I-it's amazing how well it fits you..."

Chloe was not impressed with Miss Bustier's tactful display. "You call this 'fitting' me?!" The heiress shouted, while stretching out her cardigan and blouse, revealing that they barely covered her navel. Her language might have been a little more colourful, if it wasn't for the distraction of Zzubo listening nearby. "Can't I just go home and get changed? I'll be straight back, I promise..."

"Sorry Chloe, but the headmaster denied permission..." Miss Bustier shook her head sadly. "After Kim missed an entire schoolday, we're being tougher about students staying in lessons until hometime from now on."

"Grr... and I don't even have the kit to restyle and redye my hair. I'm going to have to wear it straight for the rest of the day..." Chloe grumbled in annoyance. After the putrid water had messed it up, she'd been forced to wash all the dirt out with plain soap and water, which wasn't exactly an ideal solution. Oh, what I wouldn't give to have the bag full of cosmetics I used to drag to school every day on me now...

"Sorry, but rules are rules..." Miss Bustier was apologetic, but firm in her refusal. "Anyway, please come and join us when you've made yourself a bit more presentable. Take your time, dear..."

"Fine, fine..." Chloe sighed in defeat, as she returned to primping herself as best she could.

Miss Bustier was about to shut the door, but a sudden notion popped into her head. "Oh and Chloe..."

"What is it now, Miss?" Chloe responded, without turning and in a tired voice distinctly lacking enthusiasm.

"I just wanted to say, if you ever need anyone to talk to about what's going on in your life..." The teacher sounded genuinely compassionate. "You know where to find me. I know things haven't been easy for you lately, and this little incident can't have helped. But remember: whenever you want me, I'll be here. Don't forget that, okay?"

Chloe couldn't help but blush profusely at her teacher's sincere concern for her well-being, and finally moved her head to acknowledge the grown-up. "I won't, Miss. And, t-thanks."

Miss Bustier replied with a simple, reassuring smile, before leaving Chloe alone to finish her preparations. Well, she wasn't completely alone...

Zzubo appeared as soon as the teacher had left, flying out of her wielder's bag to hover nearby. "...So, how are you feeling now?" She buzzed with warmth, perfectly aware of what had just transpired in the classroom.

"I feel... I feel." Chloe tried to put her twin mindsets of isolation and fear into exact words, before the sound of her stomach rumbling overshadowed everything else. "Kinda hungry!"

The heiress immediately brushed Zzubo aside and reached into her holdall, where she made a desperate lunge for her big bag of nougats next to Zzubo's smaller one, stuffing her face with wild abandon.

The bemused kwami watched in astonishment as treat after treat disappeared down her user's throat. "Wow, you seem to love nougats even more than I do! I hope you're not going to overdo it, though... or when you transform into a superhero, your costume might not even fit. Just like what you've got on now..."

"Hey, you made me this way..." Chloe grunted between mouthfuls, stopping only to belch in a most unladylike way. "And need I mention my fuzzy feet?! Anyway, I've got bigger problems at this moment in time... like, how I supposed to win back all the friends I just lost, and make new ones, when they hate me now more than ever?! This is all my father's fault! He's even booked me in to see a psychiatrist tonight, because I'm 'acting too normal'. Ugh Zzubo, when did life get so complicated?"

The bee creature thought back to that fateful evening they'd first met, and lay one hairy arm gently on Chloe's shoulder before saying "Chloe, can I ask you something...?"

"Hmm...?" Chloe replied, swallowing the last of her mouthfuls, appetite finally sated.

"I was just wondering..." Zzubo hesitated momentarily, before continuing. "How do you like having me as a kwami, and a parent? I mean... I know I can be kind of harsh and strict at times, but I always try to do my best for my chosen, and in your case I felt that there was so much untapped potential, hidden behind a layer of artificial snobbery. That's why I decided to adopt you... because I felt if I could just break through it with a bit of love and patience, the real you would finally rise. The kind, humane side, which the world is just beginning to see. Of course, I might have made a few mistakes along the way, but I really feel in the short time I've known you, you've grown so much. A-and I-I..."

Chloe looked at Zzubo in surprise, while the kwami still struggled for words. Like her blonde charge, heartfelt speeches weren't really the bee creature's area of expertise. "Zzubo? What brought this on? Was it all that stuff you heard my dad said about my sudden personality switch? Why are you so worried about that? Like I said to him... the stuck-up, selfish, horrible person who I've tried to be for the last ten years wasn't me at all. She was a fake... a fraud... a facade made up to impress my still-grieving father. Of course, later on the act stuck, and soon even I managed to fool myself into thinking that's who I truly was, and I might have been that way forever... if you hadn't scared me half to death that day with your ugly bug eyes. You refused to listen to me when I told you to get lost, misplaced thousands of euros worth of clothes and make-up, and forced me to follow a load of stupid new rules. You were a rude, incorrigible, pesky little parasite, who's turned my life upside down, who I routinely feel like squashing underfoot..."

Zzubo began to feel distraught at what she'd just heard and her head drooped in defeat, but soon her chin was lifted up by a broadly smiling Chloe. "...And I can never thank you enough for all that."

"W-what?" The insectoid buzzed in surprise, as Chloe began to lay out what she meant.

"Thanks to your stubbornness, you taught me the benefits of never giving up. Due to your thievery, I learned how it is possible to live without overpriced material possessions. And most of all, because of your affection and discipline, I found out who I really am. I'm never going back to who I was before, in fact the mere thought sickens me. So, once again, thank you, Zzubo. You're a terrific kwami and a great parent, and I'm sure we'll make a great team in the future too..." Chloe gave the bee creature a friendly wink, before returning to her reflection.

"Well, that's not what you were saying this morning..." A very relieved Zzubo nudged her kiddingly, genuinely moved by the heiress's heartfelt speech.

"Hey, I'd make the most of this emotional moment if I were you..." Chloe chuckled a little at the bee creature's joshing. "I don't have too many of them, you know. Besides, you've still got work to do. Can't you do something about the volume control on those wings? That buzzing kept me awake all night. If you're going to share my bed, it would be nice to sleep in more than one hour installments..."

"I guess you have a point there, but it's just a twitch when I'm dreaming..." Zzubo conceded guiltily, even though Chloe spoke with no malice. "Anyway, hadn't you better get out there already? I bet you can't wait to show off your new outfit to everyone in class..."

"Oh, ha ha. And what would you know about style?" Chloe fired back, a little annoyed. "Some of that gear you bought me the other day would have been out of fashion last century. It was like you got them from a charity shop, or something... Wait a second, what did you do with all my old clothes, anyway?!"

"I'll tell you later..." Zzubo gulped a little, thanking her lucky stars that her user wasn't a big television news viewer. "Now, hurry up. The class is waiting for you, and I believe you have a few friendships to renew, and gain..."

"Oh Zzubo, what am I going to do?" Chloe suddenly remembered her predicament, and facepalmed herself. "No-one there is going to believe that I had nothing to do with Alya's mother's sacking... even I'm having difficulty believing that myself, and I know I'm innocent!"

"Patience, child, patience..." Zzubo flew over to the heiress's ear, to whisper encouragingly. "I have every confidence that you'll win them around, just be yourself..."

"But who is the real me..." Chloe fretted, some of her old insecurities returning. "I've been the 'mean' Chloe so much longer than the 'nice' Chloe, I just feel confused! It would be much easier to just lapse back into my old ways. I could just pick up again from where I left off... My classmates would expect that of me... Daddy would be so happy..."

Zzubo fluttered from Chloe's lobe to stare deeply into the blonde's eyes. "...But, would you be?"

"No way...!" Chloe replied without thinking, and gazed back at Zzubo with equal seriousness. "I made my choice yesterday, and I intend to stick with it, no matter how tough things get. I've accepted the person I want to be... the question is, will everyone else?"

Zzubo proudly surveyed her foster child. "Then that's all you need to know. If your motives are selfless and your intentions are pure, you're bound to succeed. Take every day as it comes. Don't give up. Hang in there. Remember, every tree starts off as a..."

"Okay... enough of the hokey 'inspirational' phrases." Chloe rolled her eyes, wondering if one of Zzubo's former masters was a fortune cookie writer. "I'm going in. My popularity might be rock bottom, I might look like a complete geekazoid in this new uniform, but if there's one thing I can say about myself... it's that I've got DETERMINATION. Surely that has to count for something, right?"

Zzubo looked at her with uncertainty.

"R-right?!"

...

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Another update. Not much to say, apart from: I hope you're liking the story so far, and continue to enjoy it.

Oh, and wasn't the recent webisode good, in terms of revealing hidden depths to Chloe's character? Just look at her expressions when her latest bout of bullying fails... that's one needy girl.

What do you mean you haven't watched it? Go to the official Ladybug channel on Youtube, and watch it NOW. After leaving me a nice comment, of course... ;)