4. Beelligerence
Chloe sighed with relief, as she lathered up her precious hair with a dose of expensive imported herbal shampoo. Finally the teenager thought, while relaxing under the soothing warm water spurting from the showerhead. Some time to myself. If I have to listen to one more lecture from that overgrown insectoid tonight, I'm liable to throw myself off the edge of the building.
She'd really been given the third degree. About how bullying was wrong, why she should care for others besides herself, the amount of people she could help as the mayor's daughter if she put her mind to it, the reasons why she didn't have any friends besides Sabrina... On and on that bee creature went, poking her in the side at various intervals when she'd almost nodded off.
Just yesterday, if you'd showed her a bug could talk, she'd have declared it a minor miracle. Now, the real trick was getting it to shut up. Who did this 'Zzubo' think she was, her mothe...
Chloe froze momentarily at this juncture, expertly repressing memories of that day from assailing her consciousness again. I can't break down again...
Instead, the heiress refocused on the fact that she was beginning to think of the bee thing as 'she' rather than 'it', and was even referring to it by name in her mind. But why, she pondered, reachingfor a flannel to wipe her eyes. She, I mean, it's an insect. Zzubo isn't a person, she doesn't deserve to be... Wait, let me rephrase that...
Lost in a state of confusion, even in her own head, Chloe failed to spot the shadow cast over her body inside the cubicle. It was only when every last trace of soap had been washed from her face, that the teenager noticed the oddly shaped silhouette on her naked frame. Hoping against hope it was just a trick of the light, she slowly moved her head upwards...
It was no optical illusion. There was Zzubo staring right back at the girl, a blank expression on her face, perched right at the top of the unit. Even as Chloe screamed, covering herself as much as she could, and turned the air blue with profane language, the creature still didn't budge from it's spot.
"What... What are you doing in here?" A very red-faced girl demanded to know, the shower curtain wrapped around her person.
"I was just curious as to what you looked like without all that make-up on..." Zzubo replied, unmoved by her wielder's ire. "I've always wondered why humans waste so much of their money on that stuff, when most of the time, they look better with just keeping their skin natural. Seeing you now, I'm inclined to think you're fine without all that junk. Of course you can afford it, but even so..."
"GET OUT!" Chloe moved to grab a bottle of conditioner from the nearby cabinet, intending to use it as a projectile weapon. " WHO INVITED YOU IN HERE ANYWAY?! DON'T YOU WEIRD CREATURES HAVE ANY RESPECT FOR PRIVACY?!"
Zzubo blinked a little at her new owner's tantrum, but stayed where she was. "Well, you didn't say I couldn't come in, did you? And don't flatter yourself, with all the previous holders I've had, you haven't got anything I haven't seen before. Well, apart from that large scar on your right butto..."
Before the insect type could finish her sentence, the plastic bottle was thrown at her, forcing the bee creature into the air. After watching the item crash harmlessly against the wall, she turned her attention back to Chloe, who was now fumbling around for something even bigger to launch at her.
"Fine, fine. If you're going to be like that, I'll leave." Zzubo sighed. "I have a few leftover nougats to finish off from earlier, anyway. But don't think our session tonight is over by any means. We've already covered why it is wrong to pick on others... But there's something else my Master told me that I'm interested in. Namely, why the vast majority of your attacks seems to target a very nice girl called Marinette, who's never done anything to you. We'll discuss that when you've finished. Do try and be quick, now."
The large insect then took her long-awaited departure, and Chloe felt she could at last relax again. Isn't it bad enough she thought, mournfully That I've already had to grovel on the phone to my far inferior friend tonight, cancel my search for a new dress, and tolerate the incessant sound of nougats being unwrapped, without having to listen to even more mindless chatter? Is becoming a superhero really worth this much trouble?
As Chloe climbed out of the shower to complete her beauty routine in front of the life-size mirror, she tried to put a positive spin on things. Maybe it wasn't all bad... Sabrina was absolutely ecstatic at her climbdown, which had bought a warm internal feeling to the heiress, the same kind of emotion she'd experienced after they'd made up for the whole Vanisher/Antibug thing. Plus, she could always decide what outfit to buy tomorrow, it wasn't like the party was until next week. She might even ask Adrien's help in the task, giving them an excuse to bond further...
"I'm waiting..." Came the voice from the other room. Chloe rolled her eyes at it, as she began to organise her many cosmetics. Zzubo did not seem the most patient of kwamis...
Kwami. That was a new word Chloe had learnt that very day, from the mouth of the bee nuisance herself. Just her luck. One of the rare occasions she actually gained new knowledge that wasn't about fashion or money, and she couldn't even bring it up in class.. The only people who'd know what she was talking about were the human faces of Ladybug and Cat Noir, and she was certain they wouldn't be seen for miles of her useless school full of losers (With two... Maybe, three exceptions).
Oh well, such is life. Chloe finished off applying the last of her moisturiser, before changing into her pink silken pyjamas. She had no idea why, but she was in no mood for her usual nightwear which consisted of a yellow top and black bottoms. Maybe something to do with current events...
"I'm still waiting. Should I come in there, again?" Chloe heard the buzzing get closer.
"N-no... Zzubo. It's fine. I'm coming out now..." The heiress rushed towards the door, flinging it open and almost catching the kwami in the process.
"Wow, that only took you about an hour..." Zzubo commented sarcastically, as it fluttered higher. "Are you sure you've managed to scrub everywhere?"
"Oh, ha ha!" Chloe was not amused by her companion's tone. "What would a measly bu... Sorry, kwami know all about true attractiveness, anyway? To get follicles looking as good as this, you have to stick to a dedicated regime, or you're in danger of curling, frizziness or worst of all... Split ends!"
"No!" Zzubo's sardonic tone continued. "That's terrible! I meet, the very fate of the world is at stake, and you're in danger of being a friendless delinquent for the rest of your lonely life, but of course... Having a bad hair day trumps all of that! What was I thinking?!"
Chloe had just about enough of the attitude. "Excuse me. Who gave you permission to be so rude? You're a guest in my house, and I expect to be treated with respect..."
"Oh, the same way you 'respect' almost everyone you come into contact with, by insulting and belittling them? Not so nice when the boots on the other foot, is it, Chloe Bourgeois?" Zzubo sharply replied. "And respect has to be earned. I'll start thinking of you as more than a petulant brat, when you start acting like it. Are we clear on that?!"
"...Yes..." Chloe murmured in a huff, as she purposefully turned away from the kwami.
"What was that?" Zzubo smirked a little, putting an arm to her ear.
"I said... Yes!" Chloe eventually confirmed, between gritted teeth.
"Good girl!" Zzubo seemed very pleased at the teenager's cooperation, and ruffled up the girl's hair affectionately.
"Oh no!" Chloe reacted in shock at all her hard work brushing and straightening being ruined. "Now I'm going to have to start all over again! Thanks for nothing, Zzubo!" She turned around, as if meaning to return to the bathroom.
"No, you don't!" All of a sudden, the heiress found herself being dragged towards her bed by a deceptively strong Zzubo. "You look fine as you are, and I'm not hanging around here alone for another hour! Besides, I'm quite sure you're not expecting any guests for the rest of the night. Unless your father is going to pay you a visit..."
Just hearing that last sentence visibly upset Chloe, with all thoughts of putting up any kind of resistance to the kwami were swiftly quashed. "N-no, I'm not." She sniffled. "H-he's working tonight. J-just like he's been 'working' almost every evening for the last few years. N-not to worry though, since I have a whole floor of maids and butlers ready to serve my every little whim, whenever I should desire. Whoopee!"
Realising she might have stumbled upon a touchy subject, Zzubo decided to briskly change it. "Erm... Let's get back to what I said we were going to talk about, your classmate, Marinette. For all intents and purposes, she seems like a sweet girl. What is it about her that makes you want to go for her constantly with your childish antics? I really would like to know."
Not really in the mood to discuss one of her least favourite people, but with it being a far more pleasurable topic than her longstanding parental woes, Chloe bowed her head in defeat. "Alright, alright, Zzubo. You've got me. Well, let's see. It all started around four years ago..."
Author's note: Hi, everyone! Thanks for reading. If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments and I'll try to answer them in the next update! Thx :)