"Hello?"

"Hey Elle!"

"Adrien! What's up?" Ella smiled, stepping off to the side of the avenue so she wouldn't get in peoples way.

"So I finished my interview and it took some convincing, but my dad said if you were free, we could go see a movie later."

"That sounds great! I'd love to!"

"Great! Where are you now?"

"Umm..." Ella glanced around, taking in wherever she had been walking aimlessly.

"I'm around the Trocadéro on the Passy line. I could meet you on the train or something?"

"Sure! I'll shake off the Gorilla and I'll meet you!"

"Why do you have- Adrien? Adrien!" Ella sighed as the dial tone echoed in her ear.

"It's a date~ It's a date~" Kiismet cheered from her master's shoulder, poking Ella's neck.

"Shut up, Kiisy! And no it's not a date! Just two friends going to see a movie!"

"You have your way of defining it, I have mine." The kwami teased, going back to her walnut bread. Ella groaned in embarrassment, moving back onto the avenue and making her way to the metro station. She ignored Kiismet's other teasing comments as she purchased a ticket and waited on the platform, hushing the kwami once the train arrived and Ella stepped on.

'I'm on the train headed your way. Let me know when you get there so I can stay on the train or get off and wait for you'

The teen sent the text and only had to wait a moment for a reply- a simple 'I'll be there waiting for you!'

"Aaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwweeeeeee~" Ella blushed furiously, pulling Kiismet from her her shoulder and shoving the kwami gently into her skirt pocket, as onlookers glanced at the teen with curious eyes. Ella didn't acknowledge them- just kept her head down with her eyes on her phone, her cheeks aflame.

A few minutes later, the train was on its way to the Passy station stop. Adrien was waiting already; he had sent a selfie of him sitting on one of the station benches. Ella responded with a picture of the nearly empty train car, sending the picture off just as a text came through- from Alya.

'Hey girl! Marinette and I are headed to a movie! Wanna come?'

'Umm I'm headed to a movie too...'

'By yourself?'

'No...'

'Girl- are you on a date with Adrien?!'

'IT'S NOT A DATE!'

'Girl!'

'Don't tell Mari please! She'll be furious!'

'I won't tell her anything, Ella, no worries. The pair of you really need to talk this thing out before you both get hurt'

Ella didn't know how to respond to that one. She knew Marinette had a huge crush on the blond model... and Ella really liked him too- and he was her fated partner. But it was still hard for her to admit these things, especially with her father's most recent threats...

"Now approaching: Passy."

The train announcement got Ella's attention. Glancing up, she scanned the platform and spotted the blond hair she loved. Standing and moving to the door, she waited as the train came to a stop and waited for Adrien to board.

"Adrien!"

"Elle!" The pair hugged, moving to the end of the car. Ella took a seat while Adrien stood, holding the center pole, standing close enough for Ella's knees to touch his own legs.

"How was your interview?"

"It was good, just stuff for the winter line coming out next week."

"Anything good? I really need some new winter clothes." Ella giggled, sliding her phone into her purse. Adrien nodded, smiling and pulling out his own phone. He pulled up the exclusive website and handed the device to the noirette, smiling softly as the girl scrolled through the items. He watched her, just taking her all in... her beauty almost made him forget the secrets he wanted to find out.

Movement in the next car over got his attention, pulling his gaze up to the window. Alya was there, and Marinette was there too- hiding behind the girl. Alya waved, sending him a knowing smirk. Adrien blushed, waving back.

"Who's there?" Ella's voice drew his attention back just as Marinette popped up and started to wave.

"Alya and Marinette are in the next car."

"Ah..." Ella nodded, her gaze moving back to the phone. Adrien cocked his head at the noise, confused at the tame reaction to the girls best friends. But he filed the information away for later, moving closer to see which set of clothes Ella was looking at.

"See this one? This is my favorite."

"I like that one too- huh?"

Ella's face changed from one of amusement to one of bewilderment, her eyes moving to the window. Adrien's eyes followed hers to see Alya change into Lady Wifi, screaming about dolls and being the Puppeteer.

The train pulled into the next station, Lady Wifi yelling something about Ladybug and Cat Noir's miraculous' to win before zooming off out to street level. Adrien watched Marinette run off after her, Ella following him.

"Um... That's new."

Adrien blanched, scrambling to find an excuse to go transform, when Ella's phone rang. The look on her face told him everything.

"I- I um... I gotta go." The girl barely stuttered out, darting for the exit opposite of the villain.

"Elle!" Adrien reached out, to stop her from going to that man but she moved too quick... and she was gone.

"Now what're you gonna do? Help Ladybug or go save your girl?" Plagg popped out.

"I can do both- I'm Cat Noir!"

"That was a low blow." Kiismet frowned, floating in front of Ella's face. The girl groaned, running her hands down her face.

"I panicked, okay?! What was I supposed to say? 'Sorry Adrien, I gotta go transform into Raven and stop a supervillain'? He'd think I was crazy!"

"But faking a phone call from your father? You saw the look on his face- you'd think his whole world was crashing in flames!"

"I know! And I'm sorry!"

"I think he's catching on, Ella. I can see the wheels in his head turning when he sees you. You know he leads to the end of the abuse. You can't keep him in the dark-"

"I know but what choice do I have, Kiismet?!" Ella cried, tears pouring down her cheeks.

"He is my fated partner- the love of my life! But how can I tell him when my father's threatening him too?! And my others friends, Mari and Alya?! What am I to do!? All I want is to protect them until this all goes away but- but-!"

Ella wailed, sinking to her knees and burying her face into her hands. She was becoming overwhelmed with everything now- the abuse, the threats, her feelings, hiding it all... Ella didn't know how much longer she could make this facade work.

"Beany..." The kwami wanted to cry, floating forlorn above her holder. It didn't help the girl was becoming stressed over it all, and it was even worse when Kiismet couldn't help...

"*sigh* Just say the words, Ella... please..."

Between the sobs, those three words came out.

"Touch the sky..."

The purple and blue light flashed and faded, Ella gone and Raven in her wake.

"You know letting me run from all my problems like this is becoming a bad habit. Especially when I still gotta deal." The heroine spoke to the air, standing tall.

"This is gonna come back to bite me, isn't it..." She sighed, running her fingers through her feathers. With grumbles and worried thoughts, Raven slapped her cheeks.

"No- you got a job to do right now. Freak out and worry about how you're gonna apologize to Adrien later. Now it's time to find Ladybug and Cat."

It took a few minutes but Raven located her partner's at Marinette's house. They were on the sidewalk in the middle of a conversation when Raven touched down.

"Please tell me you got the Cat Noir doll!"

"Dolls? Aren't we a little old for that?"

Ladybug turned to their partner, Cat's face lighting up and plastering himself to her side.

"The villain is a little girl Marinette babysits. They usually play with these handmade dolls of us and some of the villains. I was telling Cat Noir I only managed to get the Ladybug doll, which means Puppeteer has the Cat Noir and Raven's Wing dolls."

"I'm gonna ignore how creepy this situation can turn..." Raven grimaced as Cat's ring beeped.

"Cat Noir, you ring! You're about to transform back!"

"Don't let her turn me into a puppet! You know I like to be in command~"

"Ooh that sounds like something that could be fun later, pretty kitty~" Raven purred, poking a finger at Cat's chest. Both he and Ladybug blushed scarlet, stuttering and wide-eyed, causing their feathered partner to burst out laughing.

"Oh-my-god, Raven- you did not just-"

"Yes I did, bugaboo~"

"My little angel's not really an angel, is she?" Cat smirked, wrapping his arms around Raven, pulling her flush against him. Raven couldn't help her own little blush at the contact (;D) but mirrored Cat's smirk.

"I wouldn't say so, kitten~"

"FOCUS YOU TWO! FLIRT LATER AND KEEP IT 'G'!" Ladybug screeched, smacking her hands over her eyes and spinning away from the ungodly sight. The pair chuckled but separated just enough to let some light between them for Ladybug's sake. The girl finally turned back, her cheeks still matching her suit.

"Raven- with me. Cat Noir, go recharge and call one of us when you're back in business. I've got a call to make."

"Yes ma'am!" Raven saluted as Cat pounced away, leaving her waiting for Ladybug to finish.

"Alright- we gotta get to the TV station! Let's go!"

Adrien poked his head out around the pole, watching Ladybug and Raven head off. Plagg was eating his cheese, still chuckling.

"Will you stop that?"

"What? I'm just savoring my cheese!... And laughing at you flirting with Raven!"

Adrien groaned, slapping his hand to his face. Sometimes he wished he could forget what happened as Cat Noir, like... right now.

"Stop laughing and would you mind savoring it a little faster? Plagg, claws out!"

Ladybug and Raven landed outside the studio, rushing in and moving to the security desk. Ignoring the questions directed at her, Ladybug clicked through the cameras and found Puppeteer still in the studio.

"She's still here in the building! We need you all outside!"

"NO! I want to find my daughter!" Nadja exclaimed, panicking.

"We'll bring your daughter back, Mrs Chamack. It'll help me more to know you're safe."

Once the adults left, Raven continued watching the screen, her eyes trained on her little doll lookalike.

~ "Now, Puppeteer- before you bring your winning hand to life, you must change the Raven's Wing and bring her to me! I want her Miraculous more than the other two!" Hawkmoth spoke, his lips forming an evil smirk.~

The purple butterfly vanished from Puppeteer's face, and the villain moved. She pointed her wand at the Raven's Wing doll...

"Oh crap- LADYBUG!"

"Raven's Wing! Come to life!"

"Raven! NOOO!" Ladybug screamed as the heroine froze, before not even glancing at her leader and running off for the studio. Ladybug took off after her, dialing Cat Noir on her yo-yo.

~ "Excellent job, Puppeteer! The moment she arrives, take her miraculous! Her choker!"~

Puppeteer began calling the other dolls, starting with Evillustrator and Rogercop.

Cat followed his tracker, Raven's little icon blinking purple on the screen. He hopped over another building when the map vanished and Ladybug's face appeared.

"Have you located her?"

"Inside the KIDZ+ TV building! But we've got a bigger problem! Raven's been turned into a puppet!"

Cat growled- a vicious sound compared to his usual demeanor- and accelerated towards the studio.

Ladybug followed Raven all the way up to the studio, stopping outside the door. She pressed her ear to the metal, hoping to hear anything, but a grip on her shoulder startles her.

"Where is she. We gotta find her before Hawkmoth gets her Miraculous."

"She's in here- just went in a few seconds ago. On three, One...two...three!" The pair burst through the door, just in time to see Puppeteer pointing her wand at the Cat Noir doll.

"Cat Noir! Come to Life!"

"No!" The feline hero jumped for the doll but the spell took effect, placing him under Puppeteer's control.

"Cat Noir! No!"

~"Use Cat Noir to seize Ladybug's doll! When you control that one, you'll have won everything, and Ladybug will be defeated! Keep Raven's Wing beside you- I do not want to lose that Miraculous!"~

"Gimme that Ladybug doll! I'm gonna get your Miraculous!" Puppeteer yelled through Cat Noir.

"Not so fast, rugrat!" The spotted heroine used her yo-yo and swung over the puppets, aiming for the wand in Puppeteer's hand. Puppeteer however, blocked the attack using Cat Noir. The yo-yo hit him square in the chest, knocking him back to the doors.

"Sorry Cat Noir! One against five!? That's not very fair and square!" Ladybug frowned, as Evillustrator and Rogercop entered the studio.

"The Ladybug doll, get it!" Puppeteer shrieked, pointing her wand at Ladybug. Evillustrator drew a phone for Lady Wifi, making Ladybug groan.

"Thanks Evillustrator! Now the doll!"

"Is this what you want? Say pretty please!" Ladybug taunted, flinging her yo-yo up to the lightbar and allowing her to swing over the puppets. She grabbed a tape gun off a roadie box and sprinted out, heading to the roof.

"The doll! She got away with it! Get her!" Puppeteer sent all but Raven's Wing after Ladybug, as Hawkmoth spoke once again.

~"Send the Raven's Wing to this address. There, have her remove her Miraculous and leave it at the door! I must have that Miraculous!"~

Puppeteer smirked and turned to the bird heroine.

"Go here and remove your choker! It belongs to Hawkmoth now!"

With a nod, Raven ran from the building- heading on foot to Hawkmoth.

Ladybug, after dealing with the puppets on the roof, ran back to the studio... but Puppeteer wasn't there anymore. Cursing, she ran back downstairs to the studio lobby. In the studio lobby, Lady Wifi hands Puppeteer the Ladybug doll.

"Now I'm the winner! Haha!"

"Drop that doll, Manon!" Ladybug yelled, her eyes scanning and realizing Raven was no longer there. Hawkmoth must have told Puppeteer to send Raven to him- to get her Miraculous!

'Crap! Cat Noir's gonna kill me!'

"I'm not Manon, I'm Puppeteer!" Lady Wifi attacks Ladybug with pause symbols, but the heroine dodged, hiding behind a wall.

"Lucky Charm! A power strip?"

"You've lost, Ladybug!" Ladybug ignored Puppeteer's taunts, her Lucky Vision showing her Lady Wifi's phone, one of Cat Noir's ankles, Rogercop's and Evillustrator's arms. Realizing the play, Ladybug spun both her yo-yo and the power strip as Evillustrator erases the wall in front of her.

"There may be four of you but I'm twice as dangerous!"

Ladybug dodged all the attacks thrown at her, catching Cat Noir around the ankle as he attacked. Pulling the yo-yo, Ladybug pulled Cat Noir down (inwardly apologizing as the teen hit the ground face first), and tossed Cat Noir onto Lady Wifi. Behind the puppets, Puppeteer lifted the Ladybug doll into the air to change the heroine. As she kept up her attack, Ladybug managed to get Lady Wifi to pause Evillustrator and Rogercop by throwing them at her. LadyWifi paused the oncoming villains, but Ladybug used the power strip cord to gain control of Lady Wifi's arm and redirect the pause icon at Puppeteer.

"Ladybug, come to lif-"

Lady Wifi's attack paused Puppeteer, cutting off the spell. All the puppets froze (even Raven as she approaches Hawkmoth's location). Ladybug smirked, whistling as she strolled over to the wand. Grabbing it, she snapped it in half and grinned at the akuma's appearance.

"No more evildoing for you, little akuma. Time to de-evilize! Gotcha! Bye bye, little butterfly. Miraculous Ladybug!" Throwing the Lucky Charm into the air, the ladybugs fly around and fix everything. All the puppets but Cat Noir return to their civilian forms, and Puppeteer morphed back into Manon. Cat Noir blinked, walking over to the team leader. "What happened?"

"You were a puppet! But don't worry, you didn't do anything foolish! But you might wanna go find Raven, she was on her way to Hawkmoth!"

Cat frowned but nodded, running out of the building. Pulling his staff from his back, he pushed a button and Raven's location blinked into existence. Hitting another button, the map turned into the phone, ringing once before Raven picked up.

"Kitty?"

"Angel- don't move! I'm coming to you!"

Raven nodded before ending the call. Cat pounced and pole-vaulted all the way to the Eiffel Tower, seeing his beautiful lady on the top deck.

"Mon merle- thank god!" Cat touched down, not even slowing as he and Raven collided, arms wrapped tight around one another.

"I've never been so scared in my life..." Raven whispered, her voice shaking into Cat's shoulder. Cat frowned, his grip tightening around her waist.

"Ladybug said you were going to Hawkmoth!"

"I guess so... he wants my Miraculous more than anything... he could change his fate if he got his hands on it."

"You know I'll never let that happen!" Cat growled, entwining a gloved hand in Raven's hair, gently caressing the feathers.

"I know... I'll be more careful too..."

"I'll always protect you no matter what, beautiful. I won't let Hawkmoth get his hands on you or your Miraculous. I'd rather die than let that happen."

"Don't say that, Cat. You have to stay safe, no matter what."

Cat and Raven met eyes, staring hard- neither one wanted to back down. But after a minute, Raven sighed and her gaze fell back to Cat's shoulder, her forehead meeting the leather suit.

"Promise me you'll be safe though, Cat... I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything happened to you..."

"I promise, angel..."