This week had been a bad one.
It had been 9 days, and no matter where Volpina searched, no matter how many times she went back to Sacré-Cœur, she hadn't seen Hawkmoth or Steel Peacock. And there hadn't been any Akumas, either. At least with no danger, it was easier to avoid Ladybug and Chat Noir. Volpina was avoiding them because she was dreading telling them the bad news with Steel Peacock, and she was afraid they'd just accused her of coming up with the whole thing because of the drugs in her system at the time.
But that wasn't even the worst part.
Chloè was losing her mind. She had already ran away from her home twice, and when Volpina had finally found her both times, she had been in tears, screaming about how she had to find Sabrina. At school, she overworked herself as a distraction from Sabrina. Volpina had visited her several times to cheer her up, and it seemed like it was working. But the next day, she'd be reminded of Sabrina and it'd be all for naught.
Finding a host for the Bee Miraculous was the least of her problems.
Alya had just arrived at school, only to see Nino running up to her.
"Alya!" He hissed urgently. "Sabrina's back!"
Alya blinked, and for just a moment she couldn't even process what Nino had just said. Sabrina was back? No, that wasn't possible. Was it?
"What? Sabrina... As in the Sabrina in our class? Sabrina Roger?"
Nino rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. "Yes, that Sabrina. Who do you think I was talking about?"
"I don't know-" Alya began, but then cut herself off. "Wait, is Chloè here yet? Does she know?"
"I don't think so." Nino admitted. "But if you just got here, Chloè won't be far behind. Isn't that how it's been since she started walking to school, instead of taking a limo?"
"Yeah." Alya looked behind herself quickly. "She'll be here soon."
Nino shivered with dread and anticipation. "This is gonna be interesting."
Alya had dragged Nino over to a bench. And sure enough, Sabrina was present at the school, standing off to one side of the courtyard. Alya noticed she was wearing a blue windbreaker, but that was the only physical change to her. She looked the same, but different. It wasn't just her clothes that changed, it was Sabrina herself. She stood with a certain pride and her eyes held a certain depth to them that was almost sinister.
Alya turned her head anxiously and saw Chloè sauntering into the courtyard. Alya bit her lip, dreading what was to come.
Chloe looked up and her eyes widened. "Sabrina!!" She ran towards Sabrina, whose face, for just a second, contorted into one of pure rage. But the enraged expression morphed into one of cold detestation.
"I'm so glad you're okay!" Chloè looked like she wanted to hug her friend.
Sabrina stepped back from Chloè with a cold look on her face. "Yeah, I'm okay. No thanks to you."
Chloè's face fell. "What- I tried looking for you, I ran away from the hotel twice looking for you..."
"Of course you'd say that." Sabrina sneered. "I suppose you want to make up with me now that I'm suddenly all interesting?" She glared harder at her former friend. "Would it have given you a sweet disposition in the press? Did you just want to make the front page?"
Chloè looked devastated. "No! I'd never do that to you!"
"Wouldn't you?" She screamed. "It's not like you've never used me before, why would this be any different?!"
"It is different!" Chloè cried, tears flooding and flowing down her cheeks. "I've changed! I didn't want any friends after you disappeared, not because I was too doused in self-pity, but because I was and never will be in any way worthy of their friendship!"
"Yeah, for once, I agree, Chloè." Sabrina growled. "You're not worthy of my friendship, either."
"I guess I knew that." Chloè blinked away her tears. "I guess there was just a small part of me that hoped you'd forgive me. You'd forgive me, and we'd go back to being friends. I guess I was just imagining things."
"Who's not dousing themselves in self-pity now?" Sabrina said harshly. "And that's not the only thing you imagined. We were never friends, Chloè. There was a master and a slave. I cannot believe I had to get kidnapped to see that." She smirked cruelly and walked away.
Alya was thinking of the saying, You can't break what's already broken, and in that moment, she decided that was completely false. Chloè had looked broken before, and this wasn't it. She looked beyond broken by Sabrina's words. She looked shattered.
Chloè fell to her knees. She covered her face with cupped hands and started to sob.
Chloè felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up, to see Alya.
"Chloè... I'm sorry." Alya murmured.
Chloè stood up and gently pushed Alya's hand off her shoulder. "Alya, I don't deserve this. Any of it. I don't deserve your pity, I don't deserve your sympathy, I'm not worthy of anyone's friendship. I know you're just trying to be nice, but they're all right about me. They say I'm a spoiled brat, my heart is so full of evil, they hate me. Maybe you should listen to them. Maybe... You should stay away from me."
"No, Chloè!" Alya said, horrified at Chloè's words for herself. She was falling lower and lower, but she wouldn't accept Alya's hand to pull her out of the abyss.
"Seriously, Alya." Chloè turned away from her. "Drop it. Stay away from me, I'm not good for anything." She broke into a sprint, running away from everything.
"No..." Alya stared after her, stunned.
Then it hit her.
How hadn't she seen it before?
Alya had to find her. But she'd find her as the one person Chloè might listen to.
Alya ran towards where Nino was standing.
"Nino! Tell the teachers I had an emergency at home!" She hissed.
"What? Why?"
"I gotta find Chloè. I've finally figured it out."
"Is it some of that destiny mystery stuff with the Miraculouses?"
Alya gave a faint smile. "Yes. Exactly that."
Nino let out a sigh. "Alright, I'll tell the teachers. Good luck."
Alya kissed Nino on the cheek and sprinted out of the school courtyard. Hiding behind a nearby sign, she opened her bag, allowing Renard to fly out.
"Remard, I gotta transform!" Alya said urgently.
"I'm ready if you are!" He replied cheerfully.
"Renard, transform me!"
Volpina flew up into the skyline of Paris. It didn't take her very long to find Chloè, as it was broad daylight and she was wearing a bright yellow jacket. She dove towards Chloè and landed in front of her.
Volpina hugged the crying girl. At first, she was surprised. But then she hugged back, melting into the embrace.
"Stop running, Chloè." Volpina said gently.
"I can't." Chloè whispered. "I don't know what else to do."
Volpina pulled away and rested her hands on Chloè's shoulders. "I've finally seen it. You have a destiny, Chloè."
"What destiny?" Chloè sniffed. "To never have friends again? To always be hated?"
"No." Volpina shook her head. "You've become a part of something bigger than you can imagine, and it started that night Sabrina was taken." Volpina held out a hand. "Will you come with me, and claim your destiny?"
Chloè looked surprised that Volpina was serious. She spoke after a minute of silence. "I trust you." Chloè accepted Volpina's hand.
"Good. Hold on tight!"
"Wait, what do you mean-" Chloè began, before she got cut off. Suddenly, she was high in the sky, dangling in the wind. Chloè yelped and gripped Volpina's arm tighter. She'd never been afraid of heights, she was just startled by the sudden takeoff.
"Where are we going??" Chloè yelled over the roaring wind.
"We're going to the Great Guardian's studio!" Volpina yelled back.
Chloè had no clue what she was talking about, but perhaps it was best she didn't ask questions.
Within a few minutes, they had arrived at the studio. Volpina landed in the front and gripped Chloè's hand firmly. The two stepped into the studio.
"Greetings, Master." Volpina gave a small bow. "I've finally found a host for Abeille's Miraculous."
"Wait... This is my destiny?" Chloè turned her head to face Volpina. "To be a Miraculous holder? But that's.... No, there must be a mistake."
Volpina ignored her and instead looked at Master Fu, who had stood up and looked at Chloè.
"This is the girl I mentioned before, Chloè Bourgeois." Volpina explained. "I believe we need her in order to stop Hawkmoth and save Steel Peacock."
"Volpina, please." Chloè begged. "Tell me what the heck is going on. Why do you think I'm worthy of wielding a Miraculous? Who's Steel Peacock?"
Volpina turned to Chloè. "The night that Sabrina was taken, she was taken by Hawkmoth. While I was searching, I found her and Hawkmoth at Sacrè-Cœur, where Hawkmoth was making a deal with her. She'd agreed to become his Lieutenant, an he gave her a Miraculous. And with that, Sabrina became Steel Peacock."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Chloè didn't sound mad, just curious.
"I didn't want to upset you any more." Volpina sighed. "But I think you are worthy of the Bee Miraculous, because you have proven that you can change. And I think you can help us save Sabrina."
Master Fu smiled. "I agree with Volpina. Your motives are worthy and selfless, I think you and Abeille will be a great team." He turned around towards his record player and opened it. He took out the Bee Miraculous, which looked like a haircomb, and held it out to Chloè.
Chloè hesitated. Volpina felt an ache in her chest. She thought back to when Eliza was passing on her Miraculous. Volpina guessed that the same thoughts were rampaging through Chloè's head. At the time, Alya didn't have anyone to comfort her in her state of shock. That would be different this time.
Volpina rested a hand on Chloè's shoulder. "Think of why you must do this, Chloè. To help Sabrina. It doesn't matter if you're good enough or if someone else would be better. You are capable of this, and I will help you. Someone else can't do this, you were chosen."
Chloè looked empowered and confident after listening to her words. She reached out with a slightly trembling hand and Master Fu placed the Miraculous in her hand.
Chloè looked at Volpina. "Could you put it in my hair?"
Volpina nodded with a grin. "Sure thing, Queen Bee."
She took the haircomb and twisted Chloè's hair into a bun. As soon as she inserted the comb into the makeshift hairbun, a striped Kwami sprung out. She shook her head, like she just woke up.
She suddenly spun around in joy. "Yay! I've got a new host! Ooh, I like your clothes!" Abeille seemed to talk faster than Marinette when she was around Adrian, and that was fast. She flew around Chloè and noticed Volpina. "Oh, hey, that's Volpina! How's Renard?"
Volpina blinked and gave herself a second to process what Abeille was talking about. "You must be Abeille. Renard's doing fine."
"Oh, you do remember me! Wait, no you don't, you're a new host. Then how did you know my... Oh wait! I'll bet Renard told you! No, that doesn't seem like him. Oh! I know, I know! Wait, no I don't. But seriously, how did you know? Now you've got me curious." Abeille finally stopped talking and waited for her reply.
"Oh, um.." Volpina stammered. "Master Fu told me."
"Oh, that does make sense!" She zipped over to where Master Fu was standing. "How's Wayzz? I'm sure he's doing well, right? I mean, I haven't seen him in a little over a century, but-"
"Slow down, Abeille!" Chloè had to interrupt the Kwami's little ramblings and fast chatter. "Uh, I'm sure it would've been a good catching-up session, but I think introductions are in order, hmm?"
"Yes, you're right. Gotta stay focused. Bees are good at that." She slowed down her lighting-fast pace and became face to face with her new holder. "Hello, my name is Abeille. I'm your Kwami now!" With Abeille finally slowing down, Volpina got a good look at her. She was yellow, with five black stripes running across her body. While Renard had a long, thick tail, Abeille had two yellow wings. But the wings didn't seem to serve any purpose, as the Kwami had flew and flitted around the room without using them.
"Good to meet you, Abeille." Chloè nodded. "My name is Chloè."
"Awesome! So, some things to know about being Queen Bee. Oh yeah, your superheroine name is Queen Bee. Anyways, you can fly, your weapon is a tiny harp/lyre, and you can play the tune to summon a golden shield and attract bees. But since the bees just kind of fly around you and do their own thing, they're not all that useful, to be honest. I mean, if the villain does attack them, they will attack back, but they still sort of fight on their own terms. And if you yell out "Essaim Rayè!", you can turn yourself into a swarm of bees for five minutes. One last thing with the Striped Swarm power is that when you are the swarm, you'll be able to see Volpina if she's invisible."
"Okay then." Chloè blinked, but she looked as though she understood.
"Ooh! One last thing!" Abeille piped up. "When you release your transformation, or when you detransform, I will need to regain my energy. My preferred food of choice is honey. Mmm.. So sweet..." Se twirled around, as if imagining the taste again.
Volpina nudged Chloè's shoulder. "Maybe it's all the honey that makes her so hyper."
Chloè laughed a bit. It was good to see her smiling again.
Abeille realized she was getting off track, and immediately refocused. "So we gonna transform or what, Chloè?"
"Uh, sure. I mean, if you're up and ready for it." Chloè stammered.
"Girl, I was born ready! Just say Transform me!"
"Abeille, transform me!" Chloè called out, ad her Kwami was sucked into the Miraculous.