Probably last time I'll be dabbling in ADoL's set up, but wanted to wrap up Chloe's little story arc in the chapter A Bee's Woes. Also kinda wanted to play around with miraculouses and soulmates.

And Chloe's redemption struggle. Please let it be hard and difficult. I want her redemption to be difficult.

Malin's ear twitched, making the fox pout slightly at her arrival. With a huff, he turned, meeting the sharp gaze of Queen Bee. "Buzzkill," the fox greets.

"Fox," she returns with a huff.

Tail twitching, Malin asked, "Is there a reason why you asked me here Buzzkill?" Queen pursed her lips. Malin gasped dramatically, setting a dark glove on his chest. "Don't tell me you're here to confess!"

Queen gaped at him. "Wh-what?!"

"I'm very touched," Malin bemoaned, paw resting on his chest, facing the sky dramatically, "and I know it can't be helped. Foxes are such heartthrobs, but, my heart is taken!"

"Ew no!" Queen spat, turning away with a scoff. "I'm not here to confess to you. I, I'm here to ask a favor."

Malin blinks, eyeing her with interest. "Favor?" he repeats slowly.

Queen snarled, "No mischief!"

Malin hummed, not answering.

Queen looked away, crossing her arms. "I, I want to switch miraculouses."

Malin blinked in surprise.

"Just for a day!" Queen said, "I want to prove my kwami wrong."

"Prove her wrong...?"

"She says that my feelings for Belle aren't real! That I'm charmed!"

"I wouldn't be surprised," Malin comments.

"She tells me a fox can't be charmed be a peacock," Queen continues, "if I meet Belle as a fox..."

Malin finished, "Your true feelings would be revealed."

"Exactly."

"Hm," Malin hummed, tail tapping the roof behind him. "Only for a day?"

"Only for a day," she confirmed.

Malin grinned, tail wagging behind him coyly. "Alright," he concedes. His Bluebird loved him, he didn't have to fear for her, and it'd be interesting to see how Queen would handle Vixx. He offered his dark paw. "We'll switch miraculouses for a day."

Queen smiled, taking his dark gloved hand to shake.

Adrien nervously detransformed, hesitating in taking his miraculous off.

Vixx hovered before him, patient and grinning.

Shooting her a look, he warned, "You be good... but not too good!"

Vixx laughed. "Oh Kit, I love you and I don't even behave for you."

"...Noted," he huffed, leaning back against the wall, a nervous pout on his lips.

Vixx drew near, nuzzling him. "It'll be ok. She loves you."

"I know."

Vixx took the miraculous. "It'll be only a day."

Adrien gave a stiff nod.

"Good luck with Beea," she bid.

Across the way, hidden from view, Chloe pursed her lips, eyeing the bee comb in her palm. Beea hovered near her, patient and hushed as she let her chosen consider this.

Chloe glanced up at her, then quickly looked away.

Beea offered, "Reconsidering?"

"I want to do this," Chloe said, "I, I want to know."

Beea nods. "It's understandable to be nervous. You're about to test the truth of your reality after all."

Chloe pursed her lips. Beea sets a paw on the comb, meeting the blonde's nervous stare. "What'll bee will bee," Beea said. "No matter what, I will bee with you no matter what."

Chloe tightens her grip on the comb. "That's a promise?"

"Bees don't break promises."

Chloe unrolled her fingers, letting Beea take the comb. "Give Malin a hard time," she requested.

Beea gave an amused hum. "If he's anything like Vixx's usual chosens, I definitely shall." Giving her a slight bow, she states, "Good luck with Vixx herself. She can be... impossible."

Chloe raised a brow.

Beea didn't answer, deciding Chloe would understand soon enough.

She zipped out, stopping as she came across Vixx.

The fox greeted her with a coy smile. "Beea."

"Vixx," Beea returns.

"Looking as lovely as ever."

"And you. Though I do expect you to behave. And don't go near my hive! Or garden!"

"I make no promise!" Vixx cried, zipping away to meet Queen Bee.

Beea huffed after her, before zopping away to see this Malin.

She wasn't expecting Chloe's kinda friend Adrien. "You're Malin?" Beea noted aloud, surprised.

Adrien blinked at her. "You are adorable!" he uttered, wide eyed.

Beea hummed. Just showed how good at misdirection he was, she supposed. " I prefer beautiful, but thank you. I am Beea." She held out the comb to him, letting Adrien take it. "As a precaution, what you need to know is that the bee miraculous is that it's the only one to come without a matched pair. As such, out of all seven, we can work best alone and won't suffer from imbalance in battle.

"Despite this, we are the one miraculous that's capable of working with any other without much issue. We can easily work with any pair, or just one other miraculous alone."

"Because bees can do a lot?" Adrien guessed.

Beea buzzed in approval. "Yes, my miraculous is based off a whole hive. You can work alone, you can support, you can protect, you can build, and you can fight. Only major limit is that you can't build structures that would last, you can't deal heavy damage, and you will be a one hero army. You'll have the power of a whole hive, but it's still you alone. You have to bee careful to not get overwhelmed."

Adrien grinned. "You're a punner!"

Beea smiled, buzzing. "I appreciate penury. Very charming. One of my chosens was the one to make puns. It was very cute and fun."

Smiling, he ran his thumb over the comb. "The weapon? The... beeblade."

Beea giggled, wiggling. "It works very similarly to Ladybug's yo-yo. There is an added feature that the top can separate and pursue fleeing targets."

"Queen hasn't don't that before."

"She has a silly fear that it won't come back. She wants to make sure she does well as a hero. You also have a sort of secondary weapon. A bag full of honey. It will not be sticky to you. You can use it to build and shape structures. And special move is Swarm. You can move at great speeds and appear to be in many places at once. It's used to build great structures quickly, or overwhelm your opponents."

"Cool!" Adrien gushed, slipping the comb into his hair.

Beea eyes him curiously. "I'm surprised you sat through that. You seem like the sort that would like to rush in and experiment."

"Uh, I used to be... Vixx taught me that an impatient fox is a starved fox."

Beea hums. She supposes he would care about food very much.

"Words?" Adrien asked.

"Buzz here."

Chloe jumped when a fox miraculous fell into her lap, and a giggle tickled the air above. She looked up to see the fox kwami.

"I wondered if Queen Bee was you," the kwami said.

Chloe blinked at her in surprise. "You, you know me?"

"Yes."

"Does... does this mean I know Malin?"

"Yes."

Chloe leans forward. "Who?"

The fox laughed. "I may be a troublemaker, but I'm sorry to say that the fox and peacock are infamously known as secret keepers. Can't tell you that anyway."

Chloe huffed. "Who are you then?" the blonde asked.

"Vixx," the fox answered.

Chloe took a shaky breath, slipping on the necklace. "Ok. What do I need to know?"

"The fox is not confrontal. You shouldn't charge into the open like the bee, you work in the shadows, you're job is to confuse. Make illusions to trick your prey."

"Easy enough."

Vixx smiled. "Special move Dirge. You create the greatest nightmare that scares your prey."

"That's it?" Chloe said.

"That's it."

Chloe wrinkled her nose. "Fine. What's the words?"

"Slink out."

The bee and fox slipped into view, stopping to take a moment to look over each other.

The bee wore goggles that were all blue and he had fuzz on his upper torso. Chloe notes he had a little more black in his design.

Adrien blinked at the fox, her design a more amber color, with white underbelly, gloves, and tail tip. The end of her ponytail was white as well. Only black on her were the tips of her ears.

"You do look like a pretty fox," the bee offered.

"A regal fox," the fox corrected, eyeing the moon white glove. "I suppose I'll be Renard Ambre today."

"Bumblebee!" the bee cried, wiggling.

Renard scoffed.

Leaning down, Bumblebee warned, "Be good to my Bluebird!"

"Of course!" Jabbing at him, she warns, "Don't get into any mischief!"

Bumblebee grinned. "That's what I should be telling you."

Not waiting for Renard to comment, Bumblebee tore off and jumped high into the air, crying out in glee at how high he flew through the air.

Renard glared after him, lips pursed. Then pulling out the flute, she sent a request to Belle to meet up. She crossed her arms, giving her elbows a nervous squeeze.

She was about to see the truth.

See if her love really was true or through... through the peacock charm.

She was really scared to see.

Renard instinctively hid when she caught sight of Belle approaching. She rebelliously closed her eyes, too scared of the outcome.

What if she looked to her and...

But what if it was love? What if she really...?

Maybe it was the necklace around her neck, but Renard found she didn't mind the thought of screaming out to Belle. She adored her so much, she just had to cry out and let the world know!

...She could get it now why Malin struggled so much, why he couldn't help but release a loud squeal. These feelings were exhilarating, she felt like she could walk on clouds, could sing and cry out without care, so long as she was heard, it didn't matter.

What mattered was Belle hearing her.

What mattered was the world hearing her.

This was her true love.

This was her's.

Everyone should know.

Maybe it was a little embarrassing to scream but at the same time it, it felt right to do.

"Malin?" Belle's melodious voice beckoned, making one of Renard's ear twitch and her lips pout. Of course she didn't know that this fox wasn't Malin, Renard didn't inform her of this. And yet, it still bugged her that it was that fox's name that came out of her lips.

"Don't be childish," she muttered, straightening.

This was it.

This was where her love for Belle would be tested.

For a fox, they couldn't be charmed by a peacock.

As Renard, she would see if she loved Belle truly or not.

Breathing in, she stepped out into view, greeting, "Belle!"

There was a sharp intake of breath and she heard an angry rustle of feathers. "Who..." she heard Belle demand, then trail. "Queen Bee?"

"Yes!" Renard confirmed, tail wagging behind her.

"...You two switched miraculouses."

"Yes!"

There was a rustle of relaxing feathers. "Why?" Belle asked.

"To test something!" Renard answered. "A, a fox can't be charmed by a peacock!"

"...You wanted to test your feelings."

Renard gave an eager nod.

"Is that why your eyes are closed?"

With a sheepish sound, Renard nodded. She would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous of the truth.

Truth... ha, only time truth has been associated with a fox.

There was a rustle, and it sounded like Belle sat down. "Alright," the peacock voiced. "When you're ready."

Renard tensed.

This... this was it.

This was where she tested her feelings.

"Is," Renard voiced, "is it weird to be nervous?"

"I don't think so," Belle reassured.

Renard took a deep breath, relaxed, and opened her blue eyes, seeing Belle for the first time through the eyes of a fox.

She was still beautiful, as any peacock should be. Her coloration was lovely and pleasing to the eyes, her pigtails endearing, and the green scarf complimenting her suit's attire.

And yet, there was... she seemed... less wondrous?

Did Belle always have freckles?

Was she always so... small?

And her colors, Renard remembered them to be... more vibrant.

Not that they weren't!

But, they didn't have that constant gleam that Renard recalled.

And she, she didn't feel like screaming out in glee.

She didn't feel like letting the world know how much she loved Belle.

She... she didn't...

She was... she had been...

"Queen?" Belle asked, rising up. Her movements didn't have that same grace and elegance that Renard remembered.

It was all the charm.

She had been... all along...

"I, I need to go," Renard rushed out, turning tail and fleeing before Belle could move.

The peacock stared after her, frowning, considering if she should pursue. She felt that she shouldn't. Queen should be left alone, there was time to talk later. That was probably for the best.

A bee landed next to Belle, announcing, "Well that was quick!"

Belle jumped with a squawk, her tail instinctively fanning out and shoving the bee away with a loud "oof".

"Malin!" she cried, wincing. "I'm so sorry! I was surpr-"

"I can't beelieve you," Bumblebee moaned on the ground, turning his all blue goggles to her, "if you wanted me gone, you could've just told me to buzz off."

Both jumped at the flash of yellow, leaving a wide eyed Adrien on the roof and the unamused bee kwami hovering over him. "Oops," he offered sheepishly.

Beea sighed. Turning to the peacock, she bowed and greeted, "Belle Bleue, I am Beea, it is an honor to meet the peacock."

Starry eyed, Belle gushed, "You are darling!"

Beea buzzed eagerly. "That is high praise from a peacock! Thank you!"

Belle cupped her, eagerly asking, "Would you like some cookies?"

"I would love some!"

"I'm still on the ground!" Adrien pouted. He should be paid attention to as well!

"Slink in!" Renard cried as soon as she was inside, diving for her bed.

Vixx twisted about, wiggling in the air. Turning to Chloe, she eyed the blonde, considering her. Her ear twitched when she heard the muffled, "It's not fair!"

Vixx blinked at her. With a hum, she comments, "Well most things in life aren't."

Chloe sat up with a snarl, "It should be for me!"

Vixx blinks at her, amused. "Because you have money and political power?"

"Yes! It should work out for me!"

Vixx laughed, "Oh, Beea has her work cut out for her. Hee, hee, hee." Vixx zipped away when Chloe swiped at her. "The price for money and power is love and bonds. With money and power, you have little reason to bond and connect with someone, your relations will be mostly false and half hearted."

"Daddy loves me!"

He does," Vixx agreed. "But that doesn't change that the rules of exchange still apply. His marriage was loveless and crumbled after a year; and you, his dear daughter, got everything she wanted, but not what she needs."

Chloe snarled, "And what do I need?"

"To step down from the pedestal your father built, and you climbed up to sit upon."

Chloe stuttered and stammered angrily.

Vixx continued, "Until you correct this view of reality, that only you matter and no one else; you are going to continuously find yourself alone. Friendless. Loveless."

"Th-that is-"

"Don't bother lying to a fox, Honey Bee," Vixx cuts in. "I know a lie when I hear one."

"That's not true!" Chloe snapped.

"Oh?" Vixx hums, grinning toothily as her tail curls behind her. "So, when your friend Adrien first came to school, you were excited for him? For this opportunity to meet people his own age? To have this experience he's been wanting for so long? Or, were you more excited to show off who your childhood friend was?"

Chloe sits, scowling and shaky.

Vixx hummed, taking it as a confirmation.

Chloe huffed, turning away. "It doesn't matter anyway. I'll, I'll be just alone."

Vixx snorts, a little baffled, a little amused. "You'd rather continue living this reality than change?"

"I don't love Belle!" Chloe snapped at her. "I'm going to be alone anyway! The bee, love doesn't work out for bees anyway! And, and we don't have a soulmate!"

"Oh little Honey Bee, you need to stop being a queen and bee a worker! Stop and smell the flowers!" Vixx piped.

Chloe shot her a look. "What?" she asked stiffly.

"Step down from your throne, stop being a queen bee, be a worker for a while. Mingle with others, enjoy the flowers. You won't be alone then, you may even find your soulmate then."

Chloe blinked at her, laying back down on her bed. "But, I thought the bee didn't have a soulmate? A partner?"

Vixx snorts, trying to contain her giggles. "Oh little Honey Bee. Everyone has at least one soulmate. Sometimes more. The bee can have up to multiple soulmates."

"Multiple?" Chloe repeats.

"As you know, your miraculous is based off a whole entire hive. It allows you to adapt and work with other miraculouses easily." Chloe nods. "It's similar with you and soulmates. You can connect with almost anyone!"

Chloe frowns. "So I can have multiple romantic partners?"

"You can, though romantic partners isn't always what soulmates are."

"What about miraculous pairs?" Chloe asked. Ladybug and Chat Noir seemed romantically involved, same for... Belle and Malin. Leaving her alone... "They seem to be romantically involved."

Floating over to peer down at her, Vixx answers with a hum, "That really depends on the pair, both in soulmates and in miraculouses. They're not always romantically involved, and with some, it's not best"

At Chloe's frown, Vixx elaborates, "Ladybug and Black Cat usually wind up romantically involved. They are two halves of a whole, and out of all pairs, it's a must to work together, for them balance the other. Ladybug is the healer, and Black Cat the fighter; to wield these miraculouses, a soulmate pair is very carefully considered. They have to be a match that get along, that will work and listen to each other. Success depends on the strength of their bond and their balance."

Chloe nods, bringing her peacock pillow to her chest to cuddle. "What about turtle and butterfly?"

"That pair, being romantically involved is the worst idea for them. A platonic relationship is more ideal, but still quite sad. They're a soulmate pair that will constantly hurt. Out of the pairs, they're the most fine being distant and apart. The Turtle will live a long life, and will have to see the Butterfly reborn each and every time, will have to find their soulmate again and again. Have to live through every new face of the Butterfly, have to handle the Butterfly not knowing them, despite being soulmates. It's a very sad and bitter and lonely soulmate match. It's largely because of this that the turtle kwami, Wayzz, will discourage his holders from being in love. Nothing but hurt comes with love and the long life of a turtle."

Chloe licks her lips, nervously asking, "Fox and... Peacock?"

"Soulmates of the Fox and Peacock," Vixx repeats slowly, "that's a pair that's... a little all over the place. Sometimes they are romantically involved and it works out very well, sometimes they are simply best friends, sometimes rivals, and sometimes they're enemies."

"En-enemies?!" Chloe repeated in alarm.

"Yes. Sometimes it can be a very cruel match, especially for me and Juuno. But it can't be helped."

Chloe hugged her peacock pillow to her chest. "Wh-why?"

"We balance each other with different views and morals and symbolism. The Peacock, thrives to be in the light, thrives off truth, order, to be trusted and in a group, and looks to the future. The Fox, we thrive off darkness, thrive of deceit, chaos, solitude, and many have been known to cling to the past." Pausing for a moment, Vixx asks, "In most stories, why do you think the fox is usually portrayed as a villain? Why is the peacock usually a good symbol?"

Chloe bites her lip, lightly touching the miraculous.

"It happens time to time when a miraculous is misused. Sometimes it's through poor judgement on the kwami or Guardian's part, sometimes it's just an unfortunate change in the holder. Generally, it happens to Black Cat and Fox most of the time. Especially the Fox. While we do look for someone that's the opposite of our miraculous, we do also seek someone that is similar in some sense; for me and Plagg, we look for some that have a bit of darkness to them. Someone whose willing to dabble into the darker nature of our miraculouses, to use it for their own means, for hopefully good. Sometimes that darkness wins and takes over. Usually the Peacock is summoned to stop the Fox since the Fox cannot lie to a Peacock, making them hard to deceive."

Chloe grimaces. "What sort of darkness does Malin have?" she asked.

"Malin's darkness stems from solitude, doubt, jealousy, bitterness, and frustration."

"He won't-"

Vixx chuckles and shakes her head. "Not when he's found his love. He would hurt himself sooner than go against his love's views."

"And that's all he needs?" Chloe asked, baffled.

Vixx's smile turned sad and grim. "Perhaps it's a curse to the Fox, for our nature; the one that we grew, we shaped, and settled for. But a fox, will only love once in their whole life. If something happened to their love, or there was rejection... we'll never refind love again. When we do, it's the purest, most loyal love to have; but the risk of it can be painful."

Chloe stiffened, glancing down at the fox tail resting on her collar. "Does, does this mean-"

"No," Vixx reassured. "You're a bee, not a fox. You have a chance to find love, you have a chance to find love in anyone. A chance to be with another if it doesn't work out with one." Pointing to her, the fox stresses, "But you have to change yourself first, get better, and learn to love all sides of a person."

Chloe blinked. "All sides?"

"That's why you don't truly love Belle Bleue," Vixx stated, "you adore only one side of her, not the whole person that she is, flaws and all. You only lock onto what you like and not on the rest of her. And that isn't love, Honey Bee."

Chloe pouts, considering the fox. "From what I hear, I didn't think you were so..."

"Wise?" Vixx finishes smugly.

Chloe nods.

Vixx chuckles, "My miraculous represents cunning, wisdom, and passion. If I really wanted too, I can give the 'wise turtle' a run for his money." Tail wagging, Vixx bid, "But I think it's more important to enjoy life and your own happiness. And I enjoy a bit of chaos, and seeing how things will play out."

"...Which is why Beea states you're troublesome."

"Yes!" With a giggle, she taps Chloe's hand, adding, "This is likely why you aren't truly a fox. We both enjoy having chaos happen around us."

Chloe blinked in surprise, then stubbornly turned away. "Let's get a hold of Malin and get you back. Beea's more bearable than you."

"Sure Honey Bee," Vixx said, grinning.

She hoped the bee would consider her words and wisdom. It'd be hilarious if she was able to get through the stubborn bee and not Beea. And in such a short time! If she was a cat, she'd purr at the thought.

Oh how funny it would be.

"So," Beea starts, floating before Chloe's mirror, overlooking herself. "Did you enjoy this little episode?"

"I don't want to switch miraculouses ever again," Chloe declared.

"For the best," Beea states, "one miraculous will always suit you best than another. And I personally do think there is much more you can learn from the bee than the fox." With a frown, Beea mentally notes that sometimes Chloe could be too similar to a fox. Not a good match at all. Turning to her, Beea asked, "Vixx didn't torment you, did she?"

"No."

"Good," Beea bid. "She's been known to enjoy tormenting her chosens. Like running away from them. She's quite a hassle really. Good at what she does, wise in her own way but... can be so impossible sometimes. I wonder how Juuno puts up with her."

"Hey Beea..."

Beea turns to her. "Yes my dear?"

Chloe draws near, eyeing herself in the mirror. "I, I am capable of having a soulmate?"

Beea blinks at her, nodding. "Of course you are. Everyone has at least one."

"Vixx said that the bee..."

"Yes, the bee is capable of having more than one soulmate. On how that bond will go, it'll depend on you and the people you meet."

Chloe hums, grimacing at her reflection. "How, how do you change? How do you get better? To be liked?"

Beea's antenna gave a little twitch, before sighing and seating herself on Chloe's vanity. "Change," the bee lectures, "starts with you. I'd say the first step is know who you are, know your strengths, and know your flaws. Acknowledge who you are now."

"That's the first step?"

"Change does not happen over night. It's a long process my dear, and a hard one. And for you, it will be hard. You will not be rewarded for acts of kindness, you've stung so many, they'll be mistrustful, and your change will be difficult, for you and them. Some may even try to stop your change, refuse the possibility of accepting it, or maybe forgiving you."

Wh... what?! Infuriated and scared, Chloe snapped, "Why should I bother then?!" If people would refuse her try at getting better, then maybe-

Floating up, drawing Chloe's attention back to her. Beea states, "That's why change starts with you. It's not an easy path to take. It won't happen overnight. You'll have to face your demons Chloe, face the hurt you put onto others. Acknowledge that hurt. Acknowledge that you won't be easily forgiven. It's a long, hard process, one you have to be willing to see through if you are going to grow and get better."

Chloe bites her lip.

Beea promises, "It is worth it, if you are able to see it to the end. You will be happier, you will have true friends. But it starts with you, Chloe. Change will test your patience, your strength, and determination." Meeting her blue eyes, Beea asks, "Will you be strong enough to face it?"

Chloe peers back, arms crossed.

Personally it sounded like a hassle more than anything.

Even more so hearing that there were people who weren't going to make it easy, when she would've thought they'd be happy if she wanted to change, thought that they would help her.

But apparently not.

It was just another lonely road she had to go down.

A... a road she might've put herself on...

She glanced looked away from Beea.

It was a truth.

She knows full well how mean she can be, doesn't deny that she enjoys going at people, knowing they can't retaliate.

The cost was loneliness.

And jealousy.

She'd see other friendships and wished she had that sort of bond with Sabrina, but habits were so ingrained, she couldn't figure out how to make it so. Beea told her once that she didn't know true friendship.

And she probably didn't...

And the fact that she didn't added an uncomfortable weight on her shoulders.

She glanced back at Beea, the kwami still peering at her patiently. To her, Chloe states, "I know I can be... a brat. I've... I've hurt a lot. What's the next step? How, how do I start? How do I face that?"

Beea smiles, buzzing approvingly.

Bee miraculous powers, and Adrien's bee hero name, was inspired from the fic Sting, by Kryalla Orchid (it's amazing go read it), and by my talks with Loosescrewslefty, specifically on weapon function.