18

!

Shimmer stood in her office as the heroes of Paris have all gathered together, along with Chloe. After Chloe had told her she knows who Ladybug is, she told her to get Ladybug to show up at her office. Which all of the kwami users did showed up after Ladybug managed to get all of them together. With her revealing who she is to all of them who didn't know yet, seeing how Chloe now knows who she is, before asking Pegasus to teleport them all to Shimmer's office. 

Shimmer didn't say anything as she turns on a large screen with names on it going with pictures of said names.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng / Ladybug

Adrien Agreste / Chat Noir

Alya Césaire / Rena Rouge

Nino Lahiffe / Carapace 

Luka Couffaine / Viperion 

Max Kanté / Pegasus 

Kagami Tsurugi / Ryuko 

Alix Kubdel / Bunnyx 

Lê Chiến Kim / King Monkey 

Zoé Lee / Vesperia 

Mylène Haprèle / Polymouse 

Rose Lavillant / Pigella 

Juleka Couffaine / Purple Tigress

Shimmer then turns on another screen showing detail drawings of the kwamis with their names. 

Tikki, ladybug kwami of creation

Plagg, cat kwami of destruction

Wayzz, turtle kwami of protection

Nooroo, butterfly  kwami of transmission

Trixx, fox kwami of illusion

Pollen, bee kwami of subjection

Duusu, peacock kwami of emotion

Mullo, mouse kwami of multiplication

Roaar, tiger kwami of exaltation

Fluff, rabbit kwami of evolution

Longg, dragon kwami of perfection

Sass, snake kwami of intuition

Kaalki, horse kwami of teleportation

Xuppu, monkey  kwami of derision

Daizzi, pig kwami of jubilation

Barkk, dog kwami of adoration

Orikko, chicken kwami of pretension

Ziggy, goat kwami of passion

Stompp, ox kwami of determinaton

"Alright kids now why don't you all change back as I know who you all are and who the kwamis are," Shimmer said.

"Adrien?" Marinette asked looking at him.

"My lady?" Adrien asked just as shocked. 

"I guess you told her Chloe," Zoe said nervous remembering how Chloe had enter her room holding Pollen in her hands. 

"The only ones I learned was you and Marinette," Chloe said.

"I figured it out myself," Shimmer said causing everyone to look at her. "Wasn't that hard to figure out. How many girls you know around here who has Marinette's hairstyle and blue hair? Also the fact that her voice is the same, her figure and the small mask she wears shouldn't had been able to fooled people she hangs around with all the time. Like how all of his coworkers should be able to tell that Superman is Clark Kent."

Causing all the kids to blush as they all realized how they should had seen it. Shimmer pulls out a pair of joke glasses with a fake nose and a mustache, putting it on. Causing all the kids and kwamis to stare at her. 

"Ms. Shimmer what's with the joke glasses?" Chloe asked.

"Just checking that you all aren't the types to be fooled by someone doing this and you all can't tell it's me," Shimmer said taking the glasses off. "Seeing how none of you kids figured it out when Marinette sounds, acts and knows you all for years and yet all it took was a small mask to fool all of you."

"We're not that dumb," Max said as he and all the other kids are insulted but also embarrassed that they could be that easily fooled. (1)

"Just making sure," Shimmer said. "Once I figured out who Ladybug is, it wasn't that hard to figure out that she would had only given the miraculous to only those she knows outside of her being a superhero and who better than her school friends."

"I'm surprise that Hawkmoth didn't figure that out when he learned who held the some of the other miraculous," Chloe said.

"Which you helped," Alya points out.

"Which I have help in keeping Chloe from falling into being a villain. As I said before Chloe was on her way of being a better person as Queen Bee but as Marinette refused to let her help out, she just lost hope. Same as I was before, I lost all hope at an early age only to be pulled out by Greg the only father I ever knew. I gave Chloe what she needed and got her to become better then she was before. You all can't say since becoming Mammoth Queen, Chloe hasn't gotten better from how she use to act," Shimmer said.

"She is less of a jerk," Alix said.

"Because, I explained to her that she has nothing really to be proud of that she had earned herself. I act high and mighty, and better than others around me because I earned it. I started at the bottom and now running a multiple billion dollar company. Chloe was just a rich girl who never had to earn anything and when she had the chance to be a hero to actually earn something instead of having her parents buy what she wanted, is the reason why she turn against you when you Marinette when you kept refusing to let her be a hero. A self center reason to be a hero but there are people who became police officers for those reasons but still help others and do their jobs. Which is why, I offered her to be mentored by me so that, I can mold her into something better. And since becoming Mammoth Queen with Tusk helping in teaching her how to be a better person. Which she has as she finally sees she doesn't have to be like her mother," Shimmer explains. 

"Like her mom?" Rose asked. 

"The fashion world is cut throat with very high standards, which shows in how Mrs. Bourgeois acts. She knows what she's doing and knows when fashion is in or out, which is why she's able to act as she does and still has a job. As she knows what she's talking about. That said she isn't a good mother to either of her daughters. When she isn't neglecting Chloé, she's putting her down every minute or mis-remembering her name. Even if she's nice to her daughter, it's while encouraging her to be spiteful and selfish. She's slightly less abusive to Zoé but that's not saying much, as she's no more interested in her than Chloé. Zoé needs to put up a similar stuck up attitude in order to gain her mother's attention. Still, she doesn't put her down and actually remembers her name. Which is why Chloe doesn't like Zoe because their mom actually remembers her name. And why, I have been mentoring her and giving her jobs like sorting the mail among other things to learn some humility and she doesn't need her mother's love as she always had a loving parent in her father," Shimmer explains causing all the kids to stare at Chloe. 

"Chloe? Is that true?" Zoe asked looking at her sister. 

"It is Zoe. Our mom is just a bad mom, and we should just expect that she is who she is and we can't change her when she doesn't want to change. We shouldn't seek her approval as she will never give it to us. At least we have our dads and we should just expect that," Chloe said. 

"I signed Chloe up with some therapy to help her with her issues as well as some sit downs with me. I do have several psychological degrees under my belt," Shimmer said. 

"You do?" Kim asked. 

"Why do you think I was able to figure out Chloe's problems and how to handle her so quickly?" Shimmer asked. 

"I'm trying to be a better person from what, I was before. I'm sorry for what, I was before and how, I acted to all of you," Chloe said to her classmates surprising them. 

"Ms. Shimmer how long have you known about me?" Marinette asked.

"About around the time, I got here," Shimmer said. 

"You knew that long?" Marinette asked surprised.

"And yes me being critical about how you treated Chloe, yes she's a spoiled brat. But she was making progress till she lost hope. Yes you didn't have any reason to trust her or even like her or help her. But you didn't had to just ignore her whenever she wanted to help you. You could had just explain to her why you refuse to let her be a hero again," Shimmer said. 

"I wouldn't had been so worked up if you had," Chloe said to Marinette. 

"Sorry Chloe," Marinette said. 

"This hiding your identity and enduring everything by yourselves without any support, is the reason why the American heroes don't do that anymore with few exceptions, especially the young heroes. You Marinette and Adrien have been fighting Hawkmoth by themselves for awhile now. It's fine for now but having to endure having a superhero life with you two not even being able to know who you are without your masks, builds up alot of stress. You kids need a support system to help you when you kids need help. It's the reason why, I have all sorts of aide for Chloe and the others working for me, it's the reason why the heroes in America have a system to help them. If you all keep up being heroes you are all going to find out that the world isn't going to accommodate for your choice of lifestyle. When you're not being admitted to college, or can't get a job, or even leave Paris, because of having to save the day. Everyone may be cheering the heroes of Paris, but meanwhile they're looking at the people behind those masks like failures. It's the reason why the America heroes have a system in place to support them. You kids are all still living off of your parents and believe me, once you're living on your own and have to pay for everything yourself. You be more worried about paying the bills then being a hero, unless you all retire from hero work," Shimmer explains. (2)

"It's the reason why me and the others are getting paid well and have lots of benefits," Chloe said.

"Heroism doesn't pay the bills the way you kids been doing it. Which is why I'm offering you all jobs," Shimmer said.

"What?" the kids all asked.

"The same as Chloe and the others who are already working for me. Paychecks every week on Friday, benefits, college, and other things that be explained if you sign up. In exchange you'll be expected to do the same things that Chloe and the other kids are doing around the company. And let Sparkle run tests on the kwamis," Shimmer said.

"What?" Tikki asked as she and the other kwamis all didn't like what they heard. 

"It's not so bad. Sparkle scans and do test on me and the others all the time. Showing how our powers work….," Tusk said. 

"Wait you can use your power without a user?" Barkk asked.

"Yes I can, can't you?" the ancient kwami asked the younger ones. 

"Plagg did once and sank Atlantis," Fluff said causing all the kids to stare at the black cat who gave out a weak laugh.

"That at least that explains why you are all kept locked up," Shimmer said looking at the Chinese kwamis.

"No wonder," Tusk said looking at miraculous ring on Adrien. "This is a poor craftsmanship in creating a miraculous." 

"What?" Plagg asked as he and the other Chinese kwamis gathered around Tusk. 

"Tae the shaman who created my miraculous did a better job at it then what I'm seeing. No wonder none of you can use your powers without a user. Sure it's not as powerful as the miraculous is a limiter but when, I use my power it won't cause a entire landmass to sink," Tusk said. 

"And another reason to study you kwamis, as there is a big difference between you and the neanderthal kwamis. To see what was lost or weren't used in creating the different miraculous items," Shimmer explains.

"It's not so simple, Master Fu told me not to reveal myself to others," Marinette said.

"Thats the problem with old mentors, they're set in their ways as it works for them. Never taking into account of what pressures the young hero has to go through and to balance their life with. While they don't have things to do like going to school or keep up relationships or even worry about things like money. Setting up rules that works for them as they don't have to worry about things like going to school and making the grade. Leaving you in taking on full responsibility for protecting Paris, the box and everyone around her, along with getting blamed for anything that goes wrong, with Tikki and others holding you to impossibly high standards," Shimmer stated as she broke down everything that's been bothering and putting Marinette under so much stress.

"I…," Marinette said but looks down.

"Stop listening to people who don't have to deal with what you have to deal with. Especially when they're old and not under the same pressures as you. I dealt with people who just don't appreciate the fact that you're just a kid and expected in dealing with things that would overwhelm an adult. It's the reason why Chloe and the other kids don't have as much work as Mr. Damocles and Ms. Mendeleiev. They're still children and they need time to relax and do other things. That's what I'm offering you and your friends, a chance not to have it all on your shoulders at such a young age and actually have a normal life," Shimmer explains. (3)

"I'm the guardian," Marinette said remembering what her duty is.

"You are but it doesn't mean you have to do it alone and find meaning more than being just the guardian," Shimmer said. 

"What?" Marinette asked.

"Do you watch Steven Universe?" Shimmer asked. 

"Yes," Marinette said.

"In the last part of the series, all the stress that Steven built up over the years being a kid hero, all came out with his breakdown. As being a kid hero was all that he had, which is why you shouldn't put the weight of the world on your shoulders when you're not alone. You have friends who will help you and people like me who are offering a hand to help you," Shimmer said.

"We're here for you," Alya said. 

"You kids don't have to choose now, you can all think about it," Shimmer said and turns to Marinette. "Marinette you should let the others keep their miraculous, so that they can help around the city when Rainbow Peacock attacks. With more heroes around they be able to response faster. And the kwamis should get to know their partners better." 

"She's right, you're not alone in this anymore," Alix said with all of her other friends nodding in agreement. 

"Chloe please escort your friends out. I have a meeting I need to attend to. Don't stay long or let anyone see you here or they be wondering why your classmates are all here and why are there kwamis around," Shimmer said.

"Yes boss," Chloe said watching Shimmer leave her office, leaving the kids alone in her office.

!

In the conference room - 

In the room Shimmer met with heads of the branches of her company who know about her real plans. All on video screens so that they all could talk in real time, on secure channels. They're the ones who handle the other branches and help in the preparation for the end game, which she's been setting up since she first recruited Sparkle and began using the umbrella to enter books, for 4 years now give or take. 

On the first screen is Charlene Roberta McGee who has the power of pyrokinesis. From the book Fire Starter, has taken lessons from firebenders in Avatar to better control her powers. As well as going to business school like all of her managers have done so that they know what they're doing. 

Carrie White who has the powers of telekinesis and a telepath. From the book not the film Carrie. 

Owen Burnett who is really Puck a member of the magical race called Children of Oberon. It took awhile for Shimmer to get Puck out of his book world, which was him transferring his mind into a powerless body for it to work, as all the other attempts just killed Shimmer doing it and sending her out of the book to redo it all over again. But at least thanks to Puck being able to read Shimmer's mind when she allowed it, saved a whole lot of time in explaining things. 

Azula former fire princess who has really adjusted to life outside of her world. Who can related with Shimmer in having to deal with the issues of parents. And thanks to book worlds where she was allowed to have a normal childhood, has dealt with all of her issues thanks to support from her friends. 

Gary Fischer henchman 21 from the Venture Bros. Likes working with Shimmer as she's a friend and a great boss. Plus she brought 24 to life and let him lived out his fantasy of being in the Dc and Marvel comics. 

The twins Goldie and Wendy from Sin City. Both like no longer living in a world where they sell their bodies or have to deal with living in their world. They also brought along some of their friends from their world. 

Daenerys Stormborn from A Game of Thrones. No longer burden in being Queen and likes working for someone else. She also overjoyed in having her husband and son back in her life. 

Eudial the last survivor of the Witches 5 from Sailormoon. Found something in Shimmer that she didn't had with her old group. Actually friends and people she didn't have to worry about in backstabbing her.

Ramses De Nile from the Monster High books. Joined up when his children agreed in making copies of themselves, which their mother also joined in. Found being in the business world is like how he ruled before, and enjoys being a business man. 

Sima Yi from Dynasty Warriors game series. One of the greatest strategists of his time, Sima Yi has adapted well to the modern world, along with his extended family who came with him, thanks to spending some years in some books to learn the ins and outs of modern life. His family has really taken to technology and are very up to date in them and how to use them. 

And Charles Foster Ofdensen from Metalocalypse. With his badassery and extreme competency in taking care of Dethklok financially, physically and emotionally is the reason why Shimmer let's him run most of the company. As Shimmer having played his role as CFO to the band, found that anyone who could deal with Dethklok can handle anything. Which he has shown in how well he runs things and have the others doing what they need to do, which only Shimmer has been able to do at the same level. 

"All the key communication towers have been setup to link up with the power grid," Owen said. 

"The cover stories are holding up for now," Wendy said. 

"The main problem is with the regular employees wondering what's going on with all the things happening and the hardware showing up," Goldie added. 

"Sparkle has managed to open a hole and sent some drones to see how much has changed since I last been there. The problem is that the hole is like a hole on ice, the hole will be frozen over given enough time. And the sheer amount of power needed to make it in the first place. Won't be enough to allow us to crossover," Shimmer explains. 

"Was it really necessary to build the portal in Paris?" Daenerys asked.

"It is, Paris is one of the few weak points where opening a portal is easier to do that is located to a power grid and in a country that running this operation would be harder. Besides it has a large metal structure that can easily be used to channel the power needed to open a large enough portal," Shimmer explains.

"The old glowing portal over the city thing?" Gary asked.

"Of course not. That would just draw way too many eyes," Shimmer said. 

"What about Tusk? She is the kwami of power," Daenerys suggested.

"That would do it but the problem is Chloe and the others. Sparkle has been storing up the power Tusk has been giving out during the testing," Shimmer said. "Also till the data from the drones come back, there is no need to go in blind."

"There is also a matter I need to bring up. The cost of the operation is going well above the budget," Charles said.

"Looks like it's time for another pocket of gold to be found then," Shimmer said. Thanks to the gold mine she owns in Canada she's able to laundry the gold she has gathered by other means, to make it look like it's coming from her mine. 

"Yes but there is also the matter with damage control once the operation is launch. The company is a multinational business that employs over a million counting all the other businesses you run," Charles said.

"I know, it's a shame what the aftermath will be but I haven't spend years preparing for this just to back down when it's so close," Shimmer said. "Besides Sparkle did the blood work with my aunt and shows she is my mother thanks to being twins."

"Giving you the birthright to claim what's yours," Azula said.

"I already brought the statue from my parents home for Sparkle to work with. The news of the discovery is already leaking, thanks to Sparkle's trip to the states and with her talking to her brother, his wife, and my aunts about me being the missing daughter of the dead twin sister. It has already spread to news outlets," Shimmer said.

"News of the mysterious billionaires learning of who her family is, would bring out the news crews," Carrie said. 

"At least this will help in getting peoples attention off of the operation," Charlene points out. 

"There is a way to get the funding we need," Sima Yi spoke up. "We could reveal vibranium."

"That would get us the funding but you know it painstakingly for Korra to make it, even with the help of others. Sparkle and the others have tried to make it without her with no success. At best we could make a story where like in the comics the process to make it is lost because of the one making it fell asleep," Shimmer said.

"Very well," Sima Yi said. "Also you left Chloe and the other kids in your office." 

"My computer is off and needs a password to unlock and I don't leave anything out in the open. As for the secret room, I have that cover," Shimmer said.

!

In Shimmer's office -

Chloe stared like her classmates as they all stared at the secret room that was hidden behind a false wall, that had open up like in many movies. The room was discovered by Kim who found it by pressing a hidden button on the underside of a shelf, revealing a small room that has a simple bed, a small shower that has a toilet inside of it, a small refrigerator, a drawer, a wardrobe, three bookshelves filled with books and a dirty laundry basket. 

"A secret room and it's just a bedroom?" Mylene asked. 

"This explains where Ms. Shimmer goes too when she doesn't comes back to the hotel," Chloe said opening the drawer and see some underwear inside and looks inside the wardrobe and see some suits inside. 

"Ms. Shimmer disappears?" Nino asked. 

"She sometimes doesn't come back to the hotel for days before coming back. Which she just sleeps in her office," Chloe said. 

"But really, sleeping in her office? What does she do when she's hungry?" Juleka asked.

"There's the cafeteria downstairs. The food there is pretty good, expect for when Ray is on duty," Chloe said. 

"Ray?" Luka asked.

"There's a picture of her over there," Chloe said pointing to a frame picture on the wall of Ms. Shimmer with a bunch of people who are all dress as Disney characters at the Disneyland Paris. "Ray also works as Raya at the park, with a whole bunch of others working here."

"Wow! They all look like they step out of the movies," Kagami said as she and the others crowded around the frame picture.

"Tell me about it. They all easily got jobs at the park because of that. They also have the habit of staying in character even when they're working here, even responding to their character's names. It's like the movie Roger Rabbit, where all the characters have jobs once their films are done with. And Ms. Shimmer is perfectly happy with it, saying that they still do their jobs," Chloe said. 

"That must be fun," Adrien said. 

"Come on let's go," Chloe said. 

"Wait doesn't this seem like something you see in a James Bond film? The powerful CEO of a big company having a hidden room?" Kim asked looking around and looks at the kwamis. "You all can pass through walls why not you go and look around?" 

"Can't Ms. Shimmer put magical seals that prevents me and the other kwamis from passing through walls. The wards she place is to keep anyone with magic or powers to just be able to pass through the walls to steal company secrets," Tusk said. 

"Really?" Zoe ask Chloe. 

"Sounds like her, with her doing things that would cause people of the magical world. And Ms. Shimmer isn't a Bond villain and we're not going to be finding any secret room that reveals that she's a villain," Chloe said as she looks around the room and spots another switch on the wall. 

"Let's see what she's hiding," Kim said as he hits the switch and the wall of the hidden room opens to reveal, a small laundry room. 

"Oh yes, my boss is a villain who is using a mini portable washer and spin dryer for some evil plot," Chloe snarks at Kim. 

"Why the spy stuff then?" Kim asked. 

"She's a fan of spy stuff and likes hidden rooms and things like that," Chloe said. 

"Ms. Shimmer are you there?" a voice called out as a knock came from the door.

"It's Humphry Dumpler, the head accountant," Chloe said recognizing the voice she hits the button again, closing the doors of the secret room to make it look like no one was ever there.

"We should go," Rose said quietly not wanting to reveal who she is, not before thinking about it first. 

"Yes we should go," Max said already transformed into Pegasus and open a portal back where they came from. All the kids got into the portal leaving the office before they're discovered.

!

Conference Room -

"You have the entrance of the secret room look like a secret bedroom?" Gary asked.

"Make it look like a room where I sleep in when I don't return back to the hotel and have a second room that is a small laundry room to throw people off. And it worked, the kids all left," Shimmer said bringing up the camera feed from her office, showing what happen and the kids leaving.

"You predicted what would happen," Owen said. 

"Just like your old boss," Shimmer said having worked under Xanatos as his right hand woman, being the snarky woman compared to Owen the straight man. "Now if there isn't anything else, I need to see what Dumpler wants."

"Maybe someone has discovered what you're planning by the spending, and tax records," Sima Yi suggested. 

"Why you think, I run a shipping company in the first place. So that all the equipment for the project would be hidden as supplies for customers. Unlike in most cases where someone ordering a single, very specific item would raise suspicion and leave an obvious trail. Someone ordering 10,000 of them is just a routine business order that no one would pay attention to. In my case all the supplies for the many warehouses and depots around the world, gives me the prefect cover. All the equipment, I buy is easily explained away as just making sure the inventory is well stock for buyers," Shimmer explains. "I been planning this for years, and made sure that it can't be easily be traced by looking at the tax records."

"Yes but that was before you brought all of us to life. And while you have help us change from how we use to be, some people will never change," Owen said. 

"Which is why, I made sure never bring to life any idiots," Shimmer said. 

"Shimmer there you are," Dumpler said as he enters the conference room. "Oh hi everyone."

"Dumpler," Charles greeted him. 

"What is it?" Shimmer asked. 

"We have a problem," Dumpler said being fearful in what he has to say next. "It's Chumbucket and your food truck..." 

"What did he do? This time?" Shimmer said turning to him her eyes narrowing. 

"He... went.... and.... Mad Max it," Dumpler said sweating under her glare.

"WHAT!" Shimmer snaps. One of the reasons why she was so brutal with Icy and Stormy was because of what happen to her food truck. Shimmer quickly rushed out of the room heading for the garage. (4)

"Oh that's not good," Eudial said with everyone nodding in agreement. All of Shimmer's friends know that her food truck is worth alot to her and is her berserk button. 

"Shimmer scarier when she's mad then Sima Yi's wife when she looses it," Gary said. 

"I wouldn't go that far, but then again she unlike Zhang Chunhua," Azula points out. "But then again she has Sima Yi completely whipped." 

"I know," Sima Yi sighed. 

!

Author's Notes -

1 - Marinette doesn't act that much different out of her being Ladybug and the people she saves have known her for years. She doesn't change her voice, her figure and hair are the same, and acts the same. She puts no effort in hiding who she is and hangs around with her friends who she saves alot. She shouldn't have been able to fool everyone for so long.

2 - There is a reason why most heroes are written to be wealthy. As heroes having to either pick helping someone or working to keep a roof over their heads, isn't shown that often or at all in some fictions.

3 - Steven Universe Future shows what happens when a kid hero finally has the breaking point where they have a complete breakdown. And should be shown more as kid heroes being perfectly fine giving up their childhood and a normal life only works in settings where going to school for children is a rare thing.

4 - Sunset is very protective of her food truck as it was her home and one of the few things left to remember Greg by.

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