Marinette grunted as she tried to mimic the dance moves coming from her computer, ignoring Tikki's giggles. Attempting the flip and landing on her back, Marinette smiled and moved herself up into her seat to watch the screen.
"And that was Clara Nightingale's hit single "Big Bang" for us!" Alec announced, the screen zooming out to show the man as well as the singer herself.
"Wow! That girl is incredible!" Tikki squeaked.
"I love her! She's totally passionate about her art!" Marinette praised, smiling at the screen.
"Clara, in just a few short months you've become an international sensation with your ultra-unique singing and style. Apparently, you even sing and dance in your sleep! Do you ever stop?"
"Never, you see. Dancing and singing are everything to me. And I'm happy to share the joy of song and dance to the amazing people of France!"
"See that, Tikki? She's a true artist!" The blunette grinned wide, admiring the brunette singer.
"You've come to Paris to film the video for your next song, one that you collabed on with a young mystery artist, which is gonna be titled 'Miraculous'."
Marinette gasped at the news, her brain jumping to the song on the 'Ladyblog'.
"I really admire and adore Ladybug, Raven and Cat Noir. An homage to them, I wanted to pay because they inspire me every single day! And this song I found, I find it so fun- I couldn't help but reach out to get this collab done!" Clara smiled, a knowing twinkle in her eyes. Marinette shrieked at the realization, that she knew Ella's song was being made even more famous!
"She's gonna be doing the song about me! I mean- Ladybug! The one Ella wrote! Oh! I'm so excited I could ...faint!" Marinette swooned, falling off her chair, as Alec continued talking.
"Auditions will be held at the Grand Palais Hotel, is that right? A little birdie told me that you already found your Cat Noir. Care to share the good news?" Clara shook her head, a little smile on her face.
"My lips are sealed, but soon he'll be revealed. We must still cast Ladybug, Raven and extras, by the way. So come on out and audition today!" The singer cheered, waving at the camera.

"It will be an excellent promotion for the upcoming opening of our stores in Korea and China. You don't have a choice." Gabriel spoke as Nathalie presented Adrien with a folded-up imitation Cat Noir costume, complete with face mask and collar-bell. Adrien ignored Ella holding in her snickers at the look of absolute shock on his face.
"But Father-"
"I've been designing Clara's costumes since she started out. She was very pleased with my humble suggestion of using you. She's only seen you in our advertisements, but she does admire you a lot. I'm hoping you won't let us down."
Adrien sighed, looking back down at the costume dejectedly.
"Of course not, Father."
"You may go, son. Ella, there is something that needs to be discussed."
Adrien smiled sadly at the girl as he left the atelier, the dreaded costume feeling like it weighed fifty pounds.

Ella blinked, staring from the request in her hands, to Mr. Agreste, and back down to the papers.
"Um... sir? Why am I being included in this? I mean- I know Clara wanted to collab with me and add onto the song I wrote but why am I being required to go?"
"She asked for you to attend, as well. In addition to being a co-writer on the song, she asked for you to perform alongside her in the video. With Adrien appearing as well, it was only fitting. Is that understood?"
"...yes, sir..."

The car pulled up outside the Grand Palais, both teens getting out and heading inside. The staff hadn't allowed the audition participants inside yet so it was silent as the pair entered the large open room. Up on the stage, a brown-haired girl was dancing. At their approach, the girl turned and her eyes found them.
"You must be Adrien and Ella- welcome, come on in! I'm so happy to be working with you and I can't wait to begin!" The girl clambered off the stage and grabbed their hands, smiling wide.
"Yeah, I'm Adrien Agreste. This is Ella... uh-"
"Ella Sancoeur. It's nice to meet you, Clara."
Adrien couldn't help the surprise coursing through him at Ella's words. He didn't know she was already taking Nathalie's last name.
"This is perfect, I can't believe my fate! But could I ask one thing of you, Ella, before it's too late?"

"Oh my god I can't do this!" Ella panicked, staring at herself in the dressing room mirror. Behind the teen, Kiismet was trying and failing to hold in giggles.
"Kiisy- not helping!"
"I'm sorry, Elly-bean but this is great! This is a chance for you to get over your stage fright and I can't hope but think this crown is super cute!" Kiismet smiled wide at her holder, floating over to straighten the feather crown.

Clara's favor had been for Ella to portray Raven in the video.

The noirette was in a flurry; she couldn't stand still and her hands were wringing the towel provided in her room to shreds. She kept repeating 'she couldn't do this' and 'this is gonna be a disaster' as she paced the trailer. Kiismet couldn't help the little giggles that escaped her as she watched her holder; she really shouldn't be laughing but the kwami couldn't figure out which was funnier: that Ella was freaking out over having to portray Raven in the music video... or that the teen was freaking out over portraying her alter ego when she could just transform and act like Ella.
"Kiisy stop laughing!" The teen cried, coming to a stop once again in front of the mirror.
"I'm sorry Elly but you're making this a bigger deal than it needs to be! So you're wearing the Raven costume- big deal!"
"That's not the point! If I wear this out there, everyone's gonna realize I'm really Raven!" Kiismet sighed.

(Of course, neither of those two knew that in the trailer a few feet away, Adrien was having the same panic and conversation with Plagg- though, the cat kwami was less caring and more... critical of how blind people are.)

"No one will recognize you, it'll be fine- I promise." Kiismet sighed with a light smile, flitting close enough to press her little paws to Ella's cheeks.
"Have some fun with this. Let today be an adventure pretending to be a superhero with the love of your life playing the sassy kitty of the night." The kwami squeezed, forcing Ella to make a silly face, making the teen giggle.
"Alright, alright- can I have my cheeks back now?"
"I guess, though we should take a picture for Adrien later~"
"No way!" Both females laughed, before Ella looked back at the mirror. With a deep breath, she straightened her back and slipped the mask on.

Marinette and the other girls chattered on about how excited they were, as the two lines for the auditions began to form.
"I thought there would be three lines: one for extras, one for Ladybug and one for Raven." Alya spoke as she looked around, seeing some girls looking a little dejected.
"Maybe Clara decided to just combine the two heroine lines?" Mylené offered.
"Maybe. But some girls look a little put-off about something so I-"
"Thank you for coming, all of you! This is like a dream come true! Together we'll all dance and sing, it's going to be awesome and amazing!"
Clara spoke from the stage, drawing cheers.
"We're gonna be in Clara Nightningale's music video! This is humongous!" Alya cheered while Marinette shrieked in delight.
"I can't believe this is happening!" The blunette excitedly agreed.
"And now, meet one of our risings stars! Adrien as the charming Cat Noir!"

Marinette could have fainted from the excitement as the blond teen made this way to the stage. He waved at all the cheers, looking excited and nervous... but the blunette couldn't help but wonder why he kept glancing back at the trailers.
Her and the others watched him stop in front of Nathalie, with the ever present tablet.
"Hey... if Adrien's here, where's Ella? Aren't those two attached at the hip?" Alix wondered behind Alya, drawing all eyes but Marinette's to her.
"...what?" The pink-haired teen asked, but Alya's vigorous head shake and motion to Marinette had her shutting her mouth.

"It's no biggie; it's okay. We don't need the mask for tryouts anyway."
Clara reassured as she pulled Adrien up onto the stage before she turned to the auditionees.
"Now there's one more person for you all to meet. This song comes from a girl who's really sweet. When I met her today, even I couldn't deny. She just had to portray our heroine who once could fly! So everyone, welcome to our heroes haven: Ella as our heroine Raven!"

When she heard Clara begin to talk, Ella exited the trailer and came into view just in time for the introduction. Keeping her eyes trained on Adrien, she ignored the very few cheers and more present gasps of shock as she approached and climbed onto the stage.
"Oh you look so cute- I was right! You portraying Raven will make this music video so bright!" Clara cheered, clasping Ella's hands within her own.
"Eh heh... thanks, Clara... I guess..." Ella awkwardly smiled, trying to push down the panic welling up inside her chest. Clara grinned brightly and turned back to the lines of auditionees. As the singer explained the process, Ella sidled over to her boyfriend and let out a shaky breath.
"Don't. Just don't." She spoke as Adrien opened his mouth. The teen smirked but continued.
"I was just gonna say I'm still surprised you actually agreed." He sassed, knocking her gently with his shoulder. The girl chuckled, tucking some stray hairs behind her ear as Clara called for the first group of people to come up on stage and the music started.

The auditions went by- some faster than others. Ella and Adrien stood side-by-side while many people danced or showed off talents to try and convince Clara they were good enough to be Ladybug. Ella couldn't help but let her gaze shift to Marinette standing in the extras line. Why wasn't she trying out for Ladybug?
"I wonder if Tikki convinced her it wasn't a good idea..." Ella whispered to Kiismet, who shifted in the curtain of hair to hang from Ella's ear.
"Maybe... being the leader of the team, she needs to keep a lower profile." The teen nodded at her kwami's words, her focus moving back to the auditions. Clara had walked away from the stage and picked up a plate of chouquettes.
"You must be starving from all this waiting!"
Ella watched, as Clara carried the tray, she deliberately tripped herself, tossing the tray in the air, and fell to the floor. Many of the extras in line gasped, and the noirette watched Marinette get out of the line, and run over to help Clara back to her feet... but Clara hugged Marinette close instead.
"There you are! Here's a hug, because you are Ladybug!"
"Called it~" Ella whispered to Kiismet, who giggled.
"What?! I have no idea what you're talking about!" Marinette chuckled, clearly nervous- to at least Ella. Clara stood herself and Marinette up, and twirled the blunette around.
"You did what Ladybug would have, just the same. Your heart is pure, like hers. What's your name?"
"Uh, Ma- Marinette."
"Marinette! Say it's so! Will you please play Ladybug in my video?" Clara got down on one knee, one hand in the air for Marinette to take.
"Yes! She'd be awesome!" Alya cheered.
"Go Marinette! You deserve it!" Rose added, smiling wide.
Ella smiled gently as Marinette turned to look over at the stage. The blunette met her gaze for a moment before her eyes moved to Adrien standing at her side. It wasn't hard to imagine what Marinette was thinking as she gaze at Adrien but after a moment, the teen looked down.
"That's so nice of you, and...I'm one of your hugest fans, but...I came here to be an extra with my friends, and I really wanna stay with them." Marinette's friends gasped in shock as Clara stood.
"That's a pity, a shame; but I understand it's true. That's a very cool gesture, very Ladybug of you!"

"I though Marinette would accept the offer; she really does act like Ladybug sometimes." Adrien commented, as he and Ella watched Clara lead Marinette over to the trailers and sit her down.
"Well she came with her friends... she would feel awful later if she abandoned them." Ella spoke, shifting and playing with the feathered belt around her waist.
Adrien watched her, still in shock and awe at how similar to Raven she looked in that outfit. Was his theory true? Was this sight before him confirming who she was? He opened his mouth, once more ready to ask that life-changing question, when the large doors opened and... Chloé? Dressed as Ladybug entered?
"Your 'Ladybug' has arrived! So when does the shoot begin?" The girl sassed, walking up onto the stage and leaning into Clara's face.
"Chloé, everyone has to audition. You know that!" Adrien wiped the look of shock from his face and sighed, exasperated by his childhood friend's actions.
"Oh yeah, that little formality." The blonde stretched her arms, then walked to the far side of the stage. From there, she launched into a series of expert dance moves, the extras in line cheering wildly.
"Aaah...ha ha. It's been a while. Eight years of private classes with Aurélie Dupont from the Paris Op-er-a. I know. I'm breathtaking."
"You've definitely got enough talent for me, but you, Cat Noir and Raven have to be a good match, you see." Clara spoke, turning the teen towards Adrien and Ella. Chloé leapt forward, wrapping her arms around Adrien's neck, causing him to tumble back a little. Out of the sheer shock and discomfort, Adrien couldn't help but reach out and grab Ella's hand to stabilize himself.
"No problem! Adri-kins and I have known each other since we were little! And Ella is just. Well- she's Ella."
"Hmmm." Clara frowned for a moment, her eyes darting between the disgruntled Adrien and the blushing beet red Ella. Off to the side of the stage, Mayor Bourgeois yelled something about something, but Adrien wasn't focused anymore. Since Chloé had let him go, his attention went back to Ella... and the fact that he was still holding her hand.
"Oh! Sorry Elle!" He blushed, gently dropping the grip with one last squeeze.
"I-it's alright..." Ella blushed scarlet but gave the teen a gentle smile.

Clara stood a moment, thinking about what to do before she walked to the stage edge where Nathalie was standing, and knelt down.
"What do you think, Gabriel?" The singer asked the fashion designer on the video call.
"Hmmm. Artistically speaking, the young lady with ponytails would've been ideal; but it's time to start filming. We'll make do with Miss Bourgeois."
"I trust you, Gabriel." Clara nodded, standing tall.
"Woohoo! We're both going to be in a music video, Adri-kins! ...Or should I say, Adri-cat! Get it? 'Adri-cat'?" Chloé cheered, once again wrapping her arms around Adrien's neck and poking him on the nose.
"Adri-cat, yeah." Adrien chuckled nervously. The blond couldn't help the expression of detestation and fear at the grip around his throat... but it changed to a smirk at Ella's attempted concealed giggles.
"You think this is funny, don't you." Adrien whispered, nudging Ella with his shoulder.
"Just a little bit~" Ella giggled.
"Hey wait!" Marinette's voice echoed across the stage, drawing the attention of everyone up there, "I've changed my mind! I do wanna be Ladybug!"
"Awesome! This will be the best video yet!" Clara gave Marinette a kiss on each cheek, "Thank you, thank you, Marinette!" She turned from the blunette to the blonde, with a wry smile.
"I'm really sorry, what's-your-name, but you can still be an extra in the video, if you're game!"
"What?! You want me to be a mere...extra?!" Chloé screeched, storming away with her father in tow, "Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!"