Class photo day. Lovely. Ella sighed from her spot on the steps by the school entrance, as her homeroom waited for their turn. She was sitting alone for the first time in a while, not having the energy to be right up in there with her classmates.
It didn't help that she hadn't exactly spoken to Adrien in two days...
Grey eyes looked up to find green already staring at her, although this time, Ella decided not to look away in embarrassment. At her continued glance, Adrien smiled and motioned for her to join him.
'Might as well just die of humiliation now and get it over with...' She sighed, collecting her stuff and shyly moving to the other side of the steps.
"Hey Elle." The blond smiled wide, holding in the urge to pull her close. He had texted her after the whole thing with his father, that the man had approved of her, but she had only responded with 'okay' and then...
He knew she had been embarrassed about the panic attack and was scared- he thought the approval would help, but after her not talking to him for two days had him on eggshells and his own panic welling up in his chest.
"Hey dudette! Check out this clip Alya posted! You'd have to be blind to think these two weren't together!" Nino popped between the two, playing a clip from the fight last night, of Cat Noir and Raven getting chummy with Ladybug off to the side yelling at them to focus.
'Thanks Nino!' Adrien cheered as Ella cracked a smile at the video.
"Poor Ladybug..." She giggled, making the boys laugh as well.
"Alright, next class! Time to flash your pearly whites, guys! You kids take a seat in the front bench." The photographer gestured to Max, Alix, Rose, Marinette, and Mylène. Adrien tuned his attention back to Ella and Nino, the pair now talking about Jagged's new album from last week.
"It's not quite my taste in music, but Marinette's cover is really pretty."
"Yeah, the new album is really good." Adrien smiled, as Ella's gaze moved to him, her own smile appearing on her lips. The pair zoned out, lost in their own world, ignoring everything around them. Butterflies danced in stomachs and blushes worked ways into cheeks.
"Dudes- our turn." Nino nudged Adrien, who in turn got Ella's attention, and led the way to the benches.
"It's no big deal Chloé! As long as we're all in the same photo, right?" Adrien commented, moving to his spot beside Nino.
"Sir? Where do you want me?" Ella asked, stopping just before entering the photo area. Vincent the photographer glanced at her, the rows, then back.
"Between the boy in black and the blond, thank you!"
Nodding and keeping her head down to avoid both glares from Chloé and Marinette, Ella squeezed past Ivan to stand next to Adrien.
"Perfect! You guys are awesome! Now stop squirming and let's get this photo shot!"
"Uh, excuse me sir, you forgot Juleka." Marinette raised her hand, drawing attention to her shy classmate.
"Huh? Ah sorry, my bad! Go stand in the middle row, next to that blonde haired boy."
"Come on, Juleka." Ella waved her over, scooting for her to get past. Ella didn't mind the girl, with them both being shy- but neither really sought out a friendship.
"And you're gonna be right in the center! All eyes will be on you! No more jinxed class photos!" Marinette smiled at the tall girl, watching her position herself between Nino and Adrien.
"No, this isn't right! Something's not working here!"
"Uhh, course it's not working! I'm in the wrong spot!" Chloé harped but everyone ignored her. Instead, the photographer pointed at Ivan. He tried the large boy in various spots but none worked.
"Excuse me, but do we have a problem?" Mr. Damocles asked after the fourth spot.
"It doesn't matter where I put him, it throws the whole picture out of whack!"
"My spot is unacceptable!" Chloé shrieked, pushing past Ella in an attempt to elbow Juleka out of the way. Ella moved away from the blonde crazy girl, rolling her eyes. She ignored the rest of the conversation as her phone buzzed in her pocket. Pulling it out, she saw the unknown number, and her heart dropped to her shoes. Quickly, Ella darted over to Ms. Bustier and asked to be excused to answer her father.
"Alright but hurry back."
Adrien heard Ms. Bustier speak again after scolding Chloé, and it took him a second after that to realize Ella was no longer beside him. His green eyes found his crush quick, seeing the panic in her eyes and the shaking of her hands as she disappeared into the locker room, her phone already at her ear.
"You, over here, you here, and you there." Vincent moved a few people, finally finding a spot for Ivan, but Adrien noticed there was no longer a space for Ella beside him.
"There, perfect!"
"Uh, no! It isn't! It's not perfect at all! I'm totally not next to Adrien!"
"Please Chloé, we still have sixteen classes to photograph! Go ahead Vincent." Mr. Damocles pleaded.
"Wait- Ella's not back yet!" Adrien raised his hand. Luckily, Vincent looked at his camera and noticed the 'low battery' icon flashing.
"Oh, I don't believe this! I'm sorry, I have to go and fetch another battery. Nobody move!"
"I almost thought you weren't going to answer."
"No, sir. I had to excuse myself from class."
"I received an interesting phone call last night, from one Gabriel Agreste."
Ella's blood ran cold, her heart ceasing its beat almost.
"He proposed a business deal, after a meeting with you."
"I'm so-"
"Do not speak, child." Ella froze, all her attention on the phone call- not hearing Juleka and Sabrina enter the room.
"He, for some reason, approves of the relationship you have with his son, and would like to use you to model jewelry pieces he orders from my company. Why, I will not understand- you are such an ugly child- but I am not one to turn down a lucrative deal with the Agreste brand. But know this, child, if you do anything to ruin this agreement, you will not live to see what happens to your little boyfriend."
"Father!" Ella seethed, consequences be damned, at the man's threat one again against the blond teen.
"Then you best behave. And be prepared to pay for raising your voice against me when I return home. If you do not appear, it will be your fault what happens to not only the Agreste boy, but those other friends you cling to."
The anger was doused, as raw fear for her friends safety clenched her heart in its icy grip.
"No! I- I'm sorry, father... I apologize for speaking out of turn..."
Out in the courtyard, the photo was taken minus Ella and Juleka. Adrien was angry at Chloé for her actions and at the adults for not waiting for either girl.
"Chloé!" He heard Sabrina whisper-yell to the girl behind him.
"What."
"You won't believe what I heard in the locker room! Maunt was on the phone with her father and boy did he sound mad-"
Adrien felt his chest tighten. That's the phone call that had the love of his life so panicked?
"Do you think something's going on between Ella and her dad?" The teen asked as he moved to the locker room himself to find Ella.
"You're the genius- you put the pieces together! I'm too hungry to think!" Plagg whined from the boy's jacket.
"You're no help." The teen shook his head, pushing the door open.
"Ella?"
But she wasn't in there. Had he missed her leave? Maybe... the teen couldn't squash the worry he had, but decided to go find her- after he took care of his own business.
"In, hold, out... in, hold, out..." Raven slowly repeated, laying flat on her back on the school roof. The teen had made her escape into the feathered heroine as soon as the phone call ended, detesting the panic and fear sitting like pounds of rocks in her chest. Luckily becoming Raven alleviated those feelings a bit, though she knew eventually Ella would have to return and face the demons.
"Will the rain falling down ever find an ending, all this time I've been waiting in the freezing cold. Will the rain ever leave me alone, I wonder why it chose... to follow me when, there's no where else I can go..." Raven sang softly, her eyes glued to the Paris sky, as her mind danced to a memory... to the first time she transformed into Raven.
- Ella was fascinated. The body suit hugged her little form and the feathers adorning her made it even cuter. But what fascinated the girl the most, was the pair of wings on her back, that stretched and beat the air with a single thought. The ten year-old smiled wide, so excited.
"Touch the ground?"
In a flash of blue light, the transformation ended and Kiismet was floating back in front of the girl.
"That was so cool, Kiisy! And so pretty!"
"The suit is what you really want deep down- it becomes whatever you need it to be."
"...is that why it had wings?"
Kiismet sighed but nodded.
"The wings are only there because you wish to be able to fly away from all this. There may be a day when you transform, and the wings are no longer there."
"That'll never happen, Kiisy... cause I'll never be free of this place..." Ella flinched as a shout echoed through her bedroom door, forcing the kwami to hide as the wood slammed open...-
"One day my wings may be gone..." The teen whispered, the very thought made tears well up in the corners of her eyes. Wiping them away furiously, Raven sat up and glared at the Eiffel Tower.
"Well. Even if my wings vanish, nothing is gonna stop this bird from taking flight! Not Father, not Hawkmoth, nobody!"
The shouting of that last sentence was drowned out by screams below, drawing Raven's now confused gaze down.
"Oh god what is THAT fashion faux-pas?"
Down below in the court, multiple students and faculty were freaking out and crying as they were changed into this pink and white doll looking... thing.
"Another akuma? Geez Hawkmoth, you'd think you'd take a day for yourself." With a sigh, Raven stood and hopped down to the open hall of the second floor.
Adrien sighed, exiting the bathroom into the locker room, his mind still going over everything he knew about Ella and what would be reason behind her actions.
"I mean- could it be her father? I know mine's probably one of the worst out there, but would a parent really hurt their own kid like that?" The teen mumbled to Plagg, drying his hands off. Plagg just shrugged, stuffing a piece of camembert into his mouth. With a sigh, Adrien looked up and was shocked to see a good chunk of the students in the room somehow transformed into replicas of a pink doll? Darting back into the room, Adrien opened his jacket and let his kwami fly out.
"Time to transform! Plagg, claws out!"
Out of the green light came Cat Noir. Exiting the bathroom without anyone seeing him, Cat moved under the stairs for a view of the door.
"It's blocked!"
"Think so, kitty?" Cat looked over his shoulder, as Raven touched down at his side.
"Afternoon, mon merle~"
"Yo! Check it out! Cat Noir and Raven are totally gonna save us!"
"Shh!" Raven quickly shushed Nino but a pink ray hit the ground next to her, Cat pulling her out of the way.
"Okay- change of plans! Raven- start getting that door unblocked! I'll try and slow her down enough to get everyone out!"
"Got it, kitty!"
The pair split, Raven unclipping her hook and tossing it around the lockers to dislodge them. Cat dodged pink rays, unhooking the basketball hoop and maneuvered it around the villains arm, hindering her movement. Cat smirked and moved to the door, landing beside Raven as she launched another locker out of the way... but there were still too many.
"Cat Noir, Raven- help us! I don't know how much longer I can stand being in this body!"
"Move, angel. Cataclysm!"
"Wait!"
Cat felt a hand push his arm but it was too late: the pink ray hit him... and Raven a second after.
"Much better! I hate cats and birds!" Reflekta cackled behind the heroes, her hand still raised from the shot. Cat growled, raising his own arm.
"Cataclysm!"
But nothing happened.
"Raven's Flight!"
Nothing again.
Cat looked at his hand, realizing his ring was gone.
"What? My ring! My Miraculous! It's gone!"
At his words, Raven's hand flew to her neck, finding her own choker had vanished as well. Cat saw the instant panic in her eyes, as Reflekta spoke to Hawkmoth before shouting for Chloé.
"CHLOE! Where are you!?"
The villain walked away, hearing noise come from the second floor, leaving the heroes (or rather Raven) to panic.
"Angel, it's okay- breathe, you've got this. Your choker just isn't showing right now- it hasn't been taken or anything. Breathe- there you go..."
Raven took a deep breath, held it in before exhaling slow, loosening her grip on Cat's hand.
"I'm good now... We've gotta help Ladybug!"
"We will. Our powers might be gone but we won't just stand by and do nothing!" Cat started forward, but not used to the wedge heels, immediately tripped and landed flat on his face.
"Who invented these things?"
"Clearly not a guy." Raven giggled, holding a hand out to her partner and pulling him up.
"You mean you can walk in them?"
"Of course! It's just about a requirement for girls." Raven smirked, leading the way and running over to the locker rooms.
"So my little angel's a show off..." Cat smirked before following, albeit a lot slower. He got to the locker room, Raven already in there calming students down.
"If you want your faces back then listen up, have you ever heard of safety in numbers?" Cat spoke, getting everyone's attention.
"Soon, like everyone else, you will look just like me!"
Ladybug swung her yo-yo multiple times, trying to hit Reflekta, but each time, the akumatized Juleka knocked the yo-yo back with a pink ray. Finally, the girl got too close and managed to grab Ladybug's arm.
"But first, I'm gonna take your earrings as a trophy!"
"Time to face off!" Ladybug's head swiveled to the transformed students surrounding her and Reflekta. "Catch her!"
They all run toward her but Reflekta jumped on top of them to escape.
"You're no match for me Ladybug, this will all be over soon for you!" The villain cackled before jumping away.
"How are you going to help us, Ladybug?" A Reflekta with Rose's voice asked.
"We want our faces back!" There's Nino.
"Don't worry, I'll figure it out!"
"Yeah, these shoes are killer on the feet, LB!"
"Tell me about it. Got any ideas, bugaboo?"
"Cat Noir? Raven?"
Cat nodded and grabbed both Ladybug's and Raven's hands, pulling them out of the crowd and up to the second floor.
"Cat Noir, Raven, is it - is it really you?"
"Course it is! Can't you tell by my swagger! Am I still the cat's meow or what?"
"Oh my god, stop. Neither of us can take you seriously when you look like this!"
"I-uh... I don't know what to say! You're not looking much better, Raven."
"How about a thank you for getting you out of that tight spot!" Cat mused while Raven rolled her eyes at the comment. Ladybug scrunched her face up, holding it for a moment... then burst out laughing.
"Sorry, Cat Noir, but you - you just... you just don't look like yourself! But uh... thank you!"
"You're welcome. And in case you've forgotten, we've got to de-akumatize Reflekta!"
"We? Both your powers are gone, what are you gonna do? Throw your shoes at her?"
"If it'll get them off my feet." Raven mused this time as Ladybug started laughing again.
"Remind me who just saved you a minute ago?"
"I have to find Reflekta fast! You two'd slow me down!"
"Maybe, but you know, we can still help." Raven chimed in.
"And sometimes I do have ideas." Cat added, smirking.
"Ok, yeah, sorry, and?"
"I don't think taking on Reflekta face to face is the best idea unless you want a facelift too."
"You're right and that gives me an idea!" Ladybug wrapped her arm around Raven's waist, who in turn grabbed Cat in a similar fashion.
"Where are we headed?"
"To the TV station! You got him?" Ladybug glanced at Raven, who nodded. The spotted heroine mirrored the nod and whipped her yo-yo up to the roof.
"Here goes, watch your nails!"
"Your jokes are so lame!" Cat complained once the trio landed on the rooftop.
"You haven't just lost your body, Cat Noir. I think you've lost your sense of humor too!"
"Well it's hard to come up with puns when the entire look is a joke."
"Hey!"
Once the trio got to the station, Ladybug immediately got the camera to broadcast a live feed.
"People of Paris! Reflekta is not invincible! You can help, all you have to do is put on a disguise! Then I'll be able to spot the real Reflekta and bring her down! Remember, put on a disguise! I'm relying on you all!"
"And cut! Got it." Cat high-fived Ladybug, one arm back in its permanent spot around Raven's waist.
"Isn't this plan a bit complicated? I mean, she knows where we are now." Raven asked, raising her eyebrows.
"This isn't my real plan. But that's the point- she knows we're here."
"So this building in a way is our trap!"
"And she'll fall right into our claws!" Cat purred, kissing Raven's cheek, making the girl blush.
"Don't you mean, into your nails?"
"Still not funny." Cat pouted, frowning at Ladybug and Raven's giggles.
"Come on, we'd better get ready for her to show up. Raven, you hide behind the door to make sure she can't escape. Cat Noir- you head to the staircase on that side and I'll be opposite you."
Not five minutes later, the doors bang open and Reflekta walks in. Ladybug waited till the villain was in the center of the room before ensnaring her with her yo-yo.
"Gotcha!"
"The akuma has to be in her bracelet!" Cat popped his head up, eyes moving to Raven who was shutting the doors and locking them.
"Checkmate, Reflekta!" Ladybug snatched the jewel on the back of Reflekta's hand and smashed it on the ground... but no akuma flies out.
"Huh? This isn't the real one!"
Reflekta's cackle echoed off the studio walls, making the heroes move back to back in defense.
"I'm sorry, she promised that she'd changed me back if I tricked you."
"Mayor Bourgeois?"
"Our Mayor really does have jelly for a spine..." Raven mumbled, eyes peeled for the villain. A pink beam came from the ceiling, getting the feathered teen's attention.
"There! Look out!" She yelled, jumping in front of Ladybug to keep her safe.
"Angel- don't do that!" Cat hissed, grabbing the girl's hand.
"I've already been changed so I'm safe, kitty."
"Thanks, Raven!"
"I think it's time to use that charm of yours!"
"Lucky Charm! A camera? Okay..." Glancing around, her Lucky Vision shows her the lights, Reflekta's eyes and the bracelet charm.
"Cat Noir! Turn off the lights, quickly! Raven, cover me!"
Cat shut the lights off quick, giving Ladybug a thumbs up. With Raven acting as a shadow for protection, Ladybug began taking pictures of Reflekta, blinding her with the flash.
"Over here Reflekta!" Ladybug catcalled, making the villain stumble around in the dark. Finally, Ladybug lets Reflekta get close enough... but switched places with Raven, letting her partner grab onto the villain. "Grab it!" Raven called, keeping the villain tight in her grasp.
"Got it! Cat Noir, the lights!" The lights flicked back on. Once again, Ladybug dropped the charm and crushed it with her foot. This time, that telltale black and purple butterfly fluttered out.
"No more evil doing for you little akuma! Time to de-evilize! Gotcha. Bye-bye little butterfly. Miraculous Ladybug!" Ladybug threw the camera in the air and everything and everyone is restored, including Cat and Raven.
"You were awesome, Cat Noir, Raven!"
"And with those shoes on too! By the way, those things should be illegal!" Raven burst out laughing at Cat's disgruntlement, holding up her fist. The other two smile and hold out their own.
"Pound it!"
"Mon merle? Can I get your advice on something?" Cat asked, as he and Raven watched Ladybug help Juleka up.
"Sure, kitty. What's up?"
"Before this fight, that kid Adrien I mentioned before... he texted me asking for advice with this girl he knows." Raven raised her eyebrows, her heartbeat picking up speed as she nodded for him to continue.
"He thinks there's something going on- like, something not good. You know her maybe- Ella?"
Inside, Raven's heart dropped but she kept her face neutral.
"Yeah. Met her once or twice. Kinda closed-off but nice enough."
"That's the thing. He thinks that she's... that she's getting hurt at home."
...
On the outside, she was composed, maybe portraying a bit of shock.
Inside? Holy crap was Raven panicking. This was not happening... no, no, no!
"Angel?"
"Yeah... um... wow that's a lot to take in. Why does he think that?"
"He's been friends with her since the beginning of the school year. He's noticed how... fearful she is of crowds and of people touching her. She has panic attacks and... he saw bruises on her a few months ago."
'Son of a-!' Raven wanted to cry. This was NOT a conversation she wanted to be having!
"He just doesn't know how to bring it up, he's getting worried..." Cat finished, his gaze moving to the feathered heroine. The girl was silent a moment...
"See you later Cat Noir, Raven! Bug out!"
"Bye LB!/Bye bugaboo!" The pair called out as their leader swung away.
"...Personally, I think he should stay out of it."
"What? Why?"
"There may be something that she's hiding, but she obviously doesn't want anyone to know if she hasn't said anything and the two of them are supposed to be close, by the sound of it. There may be something holding her back from telling him: fear of being treated different, or if she is being hurt, the abuser's threatening her or Adrien... Cat," Raven held up a hand as the teen opened his mouth, "I'm sure Ella will come forward with it in time. Adrien can't force her to tell him, lest he chase her away. I can't promise that my theory is right, but we both know force won't help."
Cat watched her face, his eyes betraying his thoughts; it almost made Raven break... almost made her tell him everything...
"I guess that makes sense... Alright, I'll tell him what you said. Thanks, angel, you're the best." Cat pulled her close in a tight hug, nuzzling his nose in her neck. Raven wrapped her arms around his neck, taking a deep breath.
"No problem, kitty..."
By the time Raven got back to the school, de-transformed and exited the bathroom, Marinette was already running towards her with news about re-taking the class photo after school in the park.
"Promise you'll be there this time?"
"I promise, Mari. I have to answer when my father calls, he's overprotective like that." Ella lied through her teeth, smiling at the blunette.
"Ella! Ready for music?" Adrien's voice called from the second floor, waving to the noirette.
"I'll see you later, Mari." Ella waved to her friend, trying to ignore the flash of jealousy in Marinette's eyes, as she turned and headed up the stairs to join the blond.
Adrien smiled as Ella approached, his mind thinking of all the advice Raven told him as Cat Noir. He couldn't force Ella to tell him what was going on, he could only watch over her and make sure nothing happens to her. If he sees anything, he resolves as the girl smiled shyly and tucked her hair behind her ear, he's going to say something. He's not stupid- he's not gonna stand by and let Ella get hurt if there's something he can do about it.
After music ended, Adrien led the way to the park. Everyone in the homeroom class had gathered to take another picture and this time, Ella and Juleka included.
"Okay, we're all good here, ready?"
"This photo was a good idea, Marinette!" Adrien smiled at the blunette from his spot between her and Ella.
"Thanks Adrien!"
"You ready?" The blond turned to Ella, smiling. The girl nodded, before her cheeks flushed red as Adrien snuck his hand into hers. The picture is taken, Vincent immediately went through the images, smiling over at the blond boy he often photographs, when he sees the adorable smile and light pink blush on his cheeks... and his green eyes trained on the noirette beside him instead of looking down the lens.