Chapter 5: The Towering Imbroglio

The bus stopped at the Eiffel Tower. Chat Noir carried Queen Bee out of the bus.

"Stay together and follow me," Chat said.

The only other ones left were Alya and Nino. The zombies (Juleka, Rose, and Alix) remained in the sealed-off back of the bus.

The survivors ran inside the elevator room at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower. Zombies noticed them and came running.

"Nino! The vending machine! Quick! Everybody, inside the elevator!" said Chat Noir.

Nino pushed the vending machine in the way of the door and Chat Noir helped push it with his back.

Alya pressed the the elevator's "up" button. "Faster, faster!"

When the door opened it released two more zombies. They grabbed Alya and she went down to the floor.

Nino pulled one zombie guy off and pinned him to the floor. Chat Noir got the other off with one foot. It was too late: Alya had dark kiss marks on both cheeks.

"Oh, no..." said Nino.

"There's nothing we can do for her," said Chat Noir, getting into the elevator carrying Queen Bee. "Come on!"

"He's right," said Alya. "Just go and save Marinette."

Nino let the elevator door close without going in. He tipped his hat in farewell.

"Nino?" said Chat in shocked surprise.

As the elevator continued to rise, Queen Bee said, "Only the best remain."

Chat Noir scowled.

At the top of the tower, the platform around Gustave Eiffel's office, there were many more zombies. Chat Noir (still carrying Queen Bee) ran from one bunch, only to be faced by another group coming charging from the other side.

"You have super powers. I trust you to catch yourself," said Chat Noir. He threw her into the air.

Queen Bee screamed, but she used her super agility and strength to land, balanced on her good leg.

"Cataclysm!" called Chat. He used the power to bend a section of the railing into a barrier to block the zombies coming from one side. The zombies from the other side grabbed at him, but he pushed through them and blocked them from coming toward Queen Bee with his extended staff.

Queen Bee hopped closer. She could see that Chat had been kissed several times.

"Chat Noir!" she cried.

"I'll just stay here and chill," said Chat. "You go on and save Marinette, okay?"

Queen Bee, frightened and demoralized, pushed into Gustave Eiffel's office and locked the door behind her. She exclaimed in fear at what she thought was another zombie. It turned out to be the wax figure of Gustave Eiffel.

Zombizou appeared outside the window. "You're all alone now. Hand yourself over, Chloé. Then I might just let you witness the final triumph of love!"

Chat Noir pushed out of the pile of zombies and rushed to Zombizou. "Kiss you! Kissy-poo!"

"First give me your ring, Kitty," said Zombizou. "Then I'll keep you as a pet."

Chat Noir extended his ring hand to her. While Zombizou was distracted, Queen Bee sent her trompo smashing through the window, invoking "Sting!"

The trompo flew with magical energy trailing behind it. Zombizou caught it out of the air with one hand. The magic arced around her and she gave a gasp of pain. She threw the trompo off the side of the Tower.

"That was your major power, wasn't it?" asked Zombizou. "Now I just have to wait for you to time out and you're mine. Stay back from her, my pretties. I want to do this in person."

Hawk Moth sent, "That Sting is weakening our mental link. In case we get cut off, bring Chat Noir's ring to 1841 Rue Morgue. There's an open window in the attic on the south side."

"Bring Chat Noir's ring to 1841 Rue Morgue," Zombizou repeated aloud. "Got it."

The mental link broke. Zombizou continued to stare at Queen Bee, waiting for the time-out.

Chloé knew this was her last chance. She might have weakened the akuma's hold on Marinette, but it wasn't enough. She had to break through to her, and only sincerity would work. She dug deep to see herself as other saw her. She relived her classmates turning into zombies one by one. It was all her fault for messing up Marinette's gift.

"Marinette, I know you're in there. Please listen. I hurt everyone by what I did today. I forgot Mlle. Bustier's birthday, once again. And when I saw everyone had prepared a gift for her, I totally lost it and vandalized your present. Because I, too, would've liked to offer her something."

As a final gesture of vulnerability, Queen Bee released her transformation. If she was wrong, these might be the last sensible words she would ever say: "I'm sorry."

Zombizou looked at her intently. She got out her tube of lipstick again and... broke it in two. The akuma butterfly flew out, and Zombizou collapsed in a cloud of purple magic. She was back to Marinette, but stunned from the transformation.

Chloé rushed out of the office and went to her.

"Marinette, snap out of it," said Chloé, shaking her. "There's something you need to do as Ladybug, stat."

"Me? I'm not Ladybug," said Marinette groggily.

"Don't give me that! Ladybug was nowhere to be seen during this akuma attack. You were turned into a villain called Zombizou, and you filled the city with kissing zombies. They're holding back from us now because you told them to, but they may change their minds any second. We need your Lucky Charm to fix everything."

Marinette sighed. "It's only you who will remember this, so... can I trust you? I can't believe I'm asking you that, Chloé."

"You don't remember my apology? I'll tell you again later. Short version: I'm sorry for what I did and I promise to keep your secret."

"You'd better. Tikki, spots on!"

Chloé held her breath as she witnessed the transformation.

Ladybug said. "Did you see which way the akuma butterfly went?"

"Yes, it flew up to the tip of the Tower."

"It may be about to reproduce. I have to catch it."

Ladybug swung up with her yo-yo, caught the akuma, and purified it. "Bye-bye little butterfly."

Ladybug came back down to Chloé. "I don't know if I can do a charm. I don't have any need for an object to defeat my own akuma."

"Zombizou is still going harm you. Everyone is about to guess your identity. Can you wish for something to fix that?"

"I'll try," said Ladybug. "Lucky Charm!"

A cell phone with a spotted case fell into Ladybug's hands.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" asked Ladybug.

"May I see it?" asked Chloé.

Ladybug handed it over. There was a video displayed on it, and Chloé clicked the play button.

"Bring Chat Noir's ring to 1841 Rue Morgue," said Zombizou on the video. "Got it."

What followed was a realistic scene of Ladybug swinging in, defeating Zombizou, and turning her back to Marinette.

"This is perfect," said Chloé. "It could make even Hawk Moth have doubts."

"I need to throw the phone up in the air to complete the charm," said Ladybug.

"Let me email this video to myself first," said Chloé.

Ladybug took the phone back after Chloé was done. "Miraculous Ladybug!"

Nobody else was left on the top of the Tower but them. It seemed that all the zombies, including Chat Noir, had been sent home cured.

Chloé copied the video and sent it to the Ladyblog.

"Thank you for everything!" said Ladybug. She impulsively hugged Chloé.

Chloé forgot herself for a moment and relaxed into the hug. Then she said, "Uh, yeah. Okay then, we're all good."

Ladybug detransformed for the trip down the elevator with Chloé. It seemed better to come down from the Eiffel Tower as herself, a cured akuma victim, rather than leave questions about where she went.

The next day, before class began, Alya confronted Chloé in Mlle. Bustier's classroom.

"Me?" asked Chloé. "You want me to apologize to the entire class? Ridiculous! They should be thanking me for saving everybody. I did a lot to help as Queen Bee."

"I happen to have several accounts of what went down, including my own, and they don't exactly match your version," said Alya. "I think Queen Bee was just high-tech cosplay. Ladybug is the one who really saved the day."

Marinette came in and put an arm around Alya's shoulder. She said to Chloé, "I heard you helped Ladybug and saved me! Awesome! There really is a heart beating in there after all. Sorry I said there wasn't..."

"But...!" said Alya.

"And thanks," said Marinette with a giggle. She pushed Alya away and they went to their seats.

Sabrina looked at Chloé in surprise. Chloé gave a little shrug. She smiled to herself. She had a new ally now... almost a friend.

Alya said, "Marinette? Girl, are you still part Zombizou?"

Marinette said, "I've realized Chloé has a heart, too. She just doesn't know how to use it. Hopefully, she'll learn if we continue setting a positive example."

"That sounds a bit like Zombizou," said Alya.

"What do you mean?" asked Marinette.

Alya spoke in a voice like the akuma. "I have some great news for you, classmates! From now on, everyone's going to hug and kiss and feel the love!"

"Did I really say that?" asked Marinette.

"You did."

"Oh dear."

"Don't sweat it. Welcome to the akuma victim club, girl. Everyone in the class has been there, except for Adrien. Now we know there's a reason for that."

"What reason? And why isn't he here today?"

"Haven't you heard? Adrien's father, Gabriel Agreste, got arrested for terrorism as Hawk Moth. The police raided his mansion after they heard his address on that video. They found his secret lair full of white butterflies."

"What's going to happen to Adrien?"

"His grandmother on his mother's side is taking care of him. I wouldn't expect him back to school any time soon. His reputation is in huge trouble – people are saying he must have known who his father was."

"No! Adrien is innocent! I just know it."

"It's a good thing you didn't get very far into dating him, girl. Well, other than that time you went to a movie with him in your pajamas."

"I told you; I was just helping him escape from crazed fans. The pajamas were an accident. I was in a hurry and forgot to change clothes."

"I think the press will let you off the hook. You're not like an accomplice or anything. After all, Hawk Moth just victimized you. Maybe he targeted you because he didn't like those pictures of you with his son."

"This is such a mess! There must be something we can do for Adrien."

"I don't believe he knew, either. We can be character witnesses and help clear his name."

"Yes, we will," said Marinette firmly.

Mlle. Bustier came in and class began. On her desk was a belated birthday present that Chloé had furtively placed there.

The End