It took a whole evening and into the next morning to Marinette to pick up her phone and text Alya about what she heard and saw. Granted, she still didn't want to admit any of it but...
"So wait a minute girlie. Did you actually hear Adrien actually say anything like that?" Alya asked, sitting closer to her friend at their desk. The third desk-mate had already left for lunch, providing the perfect moment for the pair to discuss Marinette's claims from the evening before.
"I was behind one of the display signs and after that girl Kagami left, Adrien said he didn't want to worry Ella or for her to get hurt... then they walked out hearing range... I couldn't bring myself to look again... Alya, it's obvious Adrien is in love with Ella! Ugh- I could never compete with her!" The blunette buried her face in her arms, just about bursting into tears in the empty classroom. Alya sighed, patting her best friend on the back. She knew this was gonna happen eventually and while she has been rooting for the blond/noirette pair, Alya felt awful for Mari-
"I don't wanna give up on him yet..." The redhead heard Marinette mumble into her arms before raising her gaze up to meet Alya's.
"But how can I compete with whatever's going on between Adrien and Ella?"
"Marinette- it's not about competing. Yes, you love Adrien and it hurts to see and hear all this with Ella... but do you really wanna risk losing what friendship you have with Ella and what friendship you could have with Adrien? Cause from what you said, he considers you a really good friend! Can't that be enough for now?"
Marinette took a moment and thought about that. Ella constantly called the blunette her best friend, and now... Adrien considered her a really good friend! Could there be a chance in the future for her and the blond model, if he and Ella end up not working?
...but should she force herself to hold onto that possibility and experience the hurt every time she sees Adrien and Ella together? For now- she can hold on in hope- until the day she sees for herself that Adrien could no longer be hers.
With a sigh, Marinette nodded at Alya's words to placate her friend, whispering a small thanks and giving a gentle smile. The friends hugged, and parted just in time for the classroom doors to open as the five minute warning bell rang.
-The next day-
"Kiismet, what are we doing here?"
Ella asked again, standing in front of a random apartment complex on the Sunday following the Riposte chaos, when she's supposed to be studying with Adrien before Marinette's party. Then again, after Friday night when she visited the blond as Raven, Ella couldn't quite look her boyfriend in the eye. She could swear he called her Ella as he fell asleep... and heavens, if that wasn't making her heart beat fast and her thoughts turn to mush, then she didn't know what else would. Could Adrien have really figured out she's Raven?
The kwami sat on her shoulder, eyes trained on the windows up above. Kiismet turned her head to explain, but once again, she saw Ella was off in her own world. With a little giggle despite the outer situation, Kiismet poked Ella's cheek until the teen pulled herself from her reverie and moved her grey-eyed gaze down to her shoulder.
"We need to see the Guardian of the Miraculous. There has to be a reason you're remembering what you see when you use 'Fate Sight' as Raven. It's dangerous to know your own fate, but especially knowing others in your civilian form... and the Guardian's the only person I can think of who may have answers." Kiismet frowned as her little eyes darted from window to window.
"Stay here, beany. I'm gonna go up first- through the window. I'll come back down and guide you up."
Ella bit her lip at being separated from the kwami but nodded. Kiismet mirrored the nod and flit into the brick wall.
A minute later, the little bird poked her head through the wall and flew back to Ella's shoulder.
"Let's go. Up the stairs, turn right, last door on the right."
Nodding, Ella took a deep breath and pushed open the complex door. She followed Kiismet's directions, coming to a tan and red bamboo screened door.
"This it?"
"Mhm. Go ahead- it's okay."
Ella inhaled through her teeth, nervousness and anxiety crawling beneath her skin as she raised her hand and knocked on the door.
"Come in." An older male voice called, making Ella flinch back.
"I can't do this, Kiisy..! I can't- Kiisy!" The kwami zipped from Ella's shoulder and phased through the door, vanishing. Biting her lip, Ella wrapped her fingers around the door knob and turned it, pushing.
"Master Fu- I promise there's a reason! I wouldn't bring her here without something being wrong!"
Ella froze at the sound of her kwami's raised voice as she nudged the door fully open. Her eyes searched for Kiismet, finding the kwami... and the old man Ella recognized from when she was four...
"It's you...!"
Ella couldn't hold the bite back from her tone. This was the man who left her in that park when she was four and clearly in trouble! Was she angry? Yes. Yes she was.
"Ella... this is Master Fu, the Guardian of the Miraculous..." Kiismet floated over to her holder, worry etched on her face at the anger on her holders.
"I guessed over the years he had something to do with the Miraculous, given I got you from him... but I never thought he'd be the almighty Guardian."
Master Fu watched Ella talk her way through her thoughts and emotions. He knew she was upset, and he did own her an explanation- like he did Ladybug and Cat Noir.
"Raven, come sit down- please." He finally spoke, gesturing to the cushion opposite him. The teen bristled at being addressed like that, but after a few seconds, took the spot offered.
"I know you're angry-"
"Kinda passed angry-"
"Ella!" The teen flinched at Kiismet's admonishing tone but Fu waved the kwami off.
"You have every reason to be. But even I as the Guardian, could not play with the hands of Fate Kiismet had seen. It was not my place to remove you from your home all those years ago. If I had, you would not be living the life you have now... and would not be with the one you love."
At the mention of Adrien, Fu chuckled at Ella's blush.
"I speak not just of him- I see Cat Noir has captured Raven's attention as well."
Ella's blush changed to an inferno as she ducked behind her hair. Fu laughed quietly before returning to the problem that brought the teen here.
"So since you have not come for relationship advice, what seems to be the problem?"
Ella's gaze flickered between her kwami and the old man. Kiismet nodded, prompting the teen on.
"Well...um... there uh..." Ella tried, her hands clenched in her skirt.
"There's been a problem with the Miraculous, Master."
"Problem?"
"Ella's only used the 'Fate Sight' power as Raven twice... and somehow has managed to remember what she saw when she returns to civilian form. Both times."
Master Fu nodded, stroking his goatee. His eyes narrowed in thought, moving between Ella and Kiismet.
"Has anything from these sights come to pass?"
"Huh?"
"Master Fu means has anything you've seen actually become a life event... and well..." Kiismet wrung her little paws, eyes growing worried.
"Kiismet?" Master Fu pressed.
"We couldn't say events came to pass but... umm..."
"I know Marinette's Ladybug!" Ella blurted out, her anxiety getting the best of her. Purple and brown eyes landed on her, making her shrink back from the attention. Neither of them spoke, making Ella's anxiety rise and words pour out.
"I saw it back when we three first became superheroes! I wanted to cheer her up since everyonewasdoubtinghercauseshemadeamistakeandIjusthappenedtoseeshewasMarinetteandIdidntmeanto-"
Kiismet's eyes widened as Ella's words mushed together, her body shaking and her breathing becoming erratic.
"Beany!" The kwami yelled, flitting over as the girl curled up into a ball struggling to breathe. Tears poured down the beet red cheeks, unfeeling hands gripped hair and pulled, hyperventilated breaths fought to pass through lungs rebelling usual working orders.
Kiismet didn't know what to do. There hadn't been a panic attack this bad in so long, and all the ones lately, Adrien has been there to calm Ella down...
"T-t-tou-touch th-th-the sky..."
Ella managed to fight those words from her lungs and in a flash, Kiismet vanished into the choker and Raven appeared. Fu watched as the teen turned heroine took a deep breath and uncurled.
"Sorry, Master Fu... as Ella, I'm prone to panic and anxiety attacks."
"It is not good to hide from problems as Raven."
"I know. But as Ella, Adrien is there to help calm her down. When we're alone, it's best to just change and let the panic die." Fu nodded, studying the heroine across from him.
"You no longer have your wings." He stated, watching the girls hair fall unhindered as she shifted.
"No... they vanished after everything as Ella occurred... I wasn't thrilled but I understood they weren't meant to stay."
"You have grown into a wonderful young woman, Raven. Now, let's see about this problem. Give me your hand."
Raven raised at eyebrow at his request, but placed a hand in his.
"Go ahead- use your power."
"Uh- okay." Taking deep breath, Raven closed her eyes and let Kiismet's special power wash over her.
"Light the way..."
-Images and events flashed passed Raven as she stepped onto the white path of Fate. Various colors branched out from it, melding together into pictures of the futures possible. Taking a step, Raven watched different paths flicker and display what could come... but one fate- colored a mixture of pink, blue and green- shocked her, causing her to step back and break the connection.-
Raven yanked her hand away as if she had been burned. Fu watched her as she regained herself enough, that whitish grey glow leaving her eyes their storm grey color.
"Good. Now de-transform back into Ella, please Raven."
The girl hesitated, worry clear on her face, but nodded once.
"Touch the ground..."
Blue light flashed like electricity, starting from Raven's feet and moving up to her head. Ella blinked, catching Kiismet in her hands... before grey eyes darted up to meet brown.
"Do you remember what you saw, Ella?"
The teen nodded, visibly shaken. Fu sighed, stroking his goatee once more.
"I'll have to do some reading. This has never happened before, and the last Raven Miraculous holder abandoned their civilian form in favor of power... but another matter presents itself."
Ella cocked her head, looking exhausted, while Kiismet bristled.
"I'm not leaving Ella."
The kwami snapped as Master Fu opened his mouth.
"I have been with her for twelve years. I have been there for her during every moment of hell- she needs me and needs to become Raven. So she knows who Ladybug is. It hasn't changed her duties as the protector nor has it changed how her civilian self acts. If anything, it's helped Raven to know if she keeps the fight occupied when Ladybug is late. Master Fu- that rule of Miraculous users not knowing each other's identities is ancient- from the days when such knowledge meant death. And if you take my Miraculous away? It'll destroy Ella and I refuse to leave her like that. I'll never come out of the Miracle Box again. Or I'll ask Plagg to destroy my Miraculous!"
"Kiisy!" Ella nearly shrieked.
"No Ella- I need to be honest! I don't wanna leave you! You have been the best holder I've ever had! We have been through so much together and I will never leave you! I will look at your fate right now and prove we'll be together forever! Screw the rules!"
Ella's eyes filled with tears, Kiismet flying over to her and burying herself against the crook of the teen's neck. The kwami reveled in the feeling of Ella's hands encompassing her, and through the slits of Ella's fingers, glared at the Guardian, daring him to contradict her. Kiismet saw behind him- Wayzz appeared, his wide green eyes saddened by her words.
But the heartfelt moment was cut in two by Ella's phone ringing. Ella jumped at the vibrations going off in her pocket, one hand reaching in and pulling out the device. On the screen, Adrien's name flashed and Ella's brain registered the time- 4:15pm.
"Crap! I gotta get to the park for Marinette's birthday!" The noirette scrambled to collect her bag, answering the phone call as she ran out the door.
Master Fu watched the girl leave and sat silently, Wayzz at his shoulder.
"What will you do, Master? Kiismet seemed serious about destroying her Miraculous if you try to take her from Ella. I have never seen her so riled up about any of her holders before- not even Wahine Tuuturu."
Master Fu nodded and stood to retrieve his phone. He needed to search the Miraculous book chapter on the Raven's Wing for any clues possible.
"First things first, Wayzz. I need to find out how Ella can remember what is seen with 'Fate Sight'. Such knowledge is dangerous and could cause potential mental damage to the girl- or damage to those around her. Once we have that figured out, then, we will decide what to do with the Raven Miraculous. I cannot say it is a good idea to let this situation go, but Kiismet did raise a point."
"But Master- isn't the rule against holders knowing each other's identities-"
"I know what the rules say, Wayzz, and so does Kiismet. This is a delicate situation- one I do not want to have go wrong and risk having the Raven Miraculous destroyed- because we both know Kiismet would do it."
Wayzz nodded, thinking about the rare but firey temper the raven kwami had.
"Let us let Kiismet calm down for now, and then we can discuss this further. And hopefully this time, not cause poor Ella to have a panic attack."