They go back to defence because it's the only thing they can think to do. Alya had been kidnapped and so had Nino. It happened just the same as the others. Marinette knew already but it was still a shock to see.

When they get there the defence team is out on patrol but someone is waiting for them.

"Marinette, Adrien," said Fu, his arms wide. Next to him was Gina, looking at them expectantly.

"What's going on, Uncle? Nonna?"

"Are you waiting for us?"

"We thought you might come in for some training. Your uncle Fu and I were having some tea and discussing your situation and we were thinking there may be more we can do to help."

She took her bag off her shoulder and pulled out something small, round and spotty.

"Is that a yo-yo?" Marinette asked, cocking her head to the side.

Gina reached her arm out towards Marinette, urging her to take it.

"For a while now a team have been working on new weapons and communication devices and we had them make this for you. Go ahead, give it a go."

Marinette looked at them uncertainly, looped her finger in and let the yo-yo fall. To her surprise it didn't spring back into her hand but stayed spinning, vibrating with energy.

"Try aiming at something," Gina said, smiling gleefully. So Marinette did, choosing a dumbbell which had been left on the floor. The string wrapped around it and brought it flying back to her. She ducked and the dumbbell crashed into the wall behind her.

"You can also use it to climb or swing, as long as you have something to wrap around. Why don't you press this button." She tapped her fingernail just above the centre of the yo-yo. Marinette did and it opened up.

"With this you can call people. It's also a GPS and tracker and gives you internet access."

Marinette turned it over in her hands, impressed.

"And for you, Adrien." She reached into her bag again, pulling out a short, metallic rod, only about thirty centimetres in length.

"Do I throw this, too?" he asked, taking it from her and inspecting it. There was a small pawprint decorating it.

She chuckled. "No. Yours is a little different. I know that you are an excellent fencer, Adrien but a foil would not have been quite so useful, I don't think, and Sabine did mention that you were quite adept with the Bo."

Adrien nodded slowly, still looking at the object in his hands.

"This is a little small for that, though," he said, turning it this way and that. There was a button, not unlike the one on the yo-yo and he pressed it. Immediately it extended to the length of a staff. He weighed it in his hands then gave it a practice twirl.

"Very good, young Adrien. But that is not all it does," Fu explained now with a cheerful smile. "It will extend much further and will support your weight many times over. It has perfect balance and is almost unbreakable. And much like with Marinette's, it is a communication device and is also equipped with other technological abilities."

He shrank it back down and clipped it to his waistband.

"Thank you for this," Marinette said, stowing away her yo-yo. "We came to find Maman. We think we know how to find the Krampus. He's been... I don't know, hypnotising? the elves with magical butterflies and kidnapping them. Alya said to follow the butterflies and that's how we'll find him."

Fu and Gina looked at each other and smiled. It wasn't mean but they looked sympathetically back and Marinette and Adrien.

"I think, perhaps, that Miss Cesaire was just positing theories. I don't think you will be able to find him that way. However, before your mother went on patrol they got a lead on his location. The exact address is still uncertain however they have narrowed it down to somewhere in Paris, France."

Outside, already transformed into Ladybug and Chat Noir, they climbed onto the motorbike. Adrien gripped the handlebars and Marinette wrapped her hands around his waist.

He was thinner than she expected him to be, but then he was a model. When this was all over she would get him a whole box of macarons.

He sat stiffly, the muscles in his back tense. Pressed up against him it was impossible not to notice.

He coughed once and she saw the back of his neck and the tips of his ears were red.

"Um... shall we get going then?" he asked, looking straight ahead. She pulled out her yo-yo, bringing up the GPS coordinates for Paris.

"Ready when you are, mon Chaton," she said, putting on her helmet. He did the same.

"R-right," he said, gripping the handles tighter. He turned the key in the ignition. He held in the clutch and after a couple of attempts, kick-started the engine. It roared to life.

Letting go of the clutch it jumped forward, nearly throwing them off, and the engine stalled.

"I thought you said you knew how to ride a motorbike!" she shouted. Between their helmets and the wind starting to pick up it was hard to hear. Luckily, despite the skin tight quality of their hero suits, they were actually quite warm to wear.

"Well, you know," he called back, his words almost lost, "I've played a lot of GP500 and I pretty much know the theory so... how hard could it be?"

"What?!" she practically screeched, hitting his arm. "What are we gonna do now?"

He reset the motorbike and kick-started the engine again. This time it caught straight away.

"I've definitely got it this time."

He released the clutch and brake slowly, easing them forwards. After a bunny hop or two they were away.

Marinette screwed her eyes shut. If they were going to just crash anyway she didn't want to see it coming,.

But they didn't crash. All she could feel was the wind rushing past her and a coil of excitement tightening in her stomach. She was plastered to Adrien's back, her arms tight around him but now she opened one eye, pulling back.

They weren't flying but it sure felt like it.

"Time to get in the air. How do we – oh,I guess this." And Adrien slammed a hand down on a big, blue button.

Immediately they were airborne and quickly the compound - so large and imposing – became a small and distant speck behind them.

Marinette navigated and the whole world sprawled out at their feet. Nothing could have prepared her for the wonder of countries outlined with shining lights against the dark and vast canopy of the ocean. Snow gave way to greener scenes the further south they headed.

If this was what it felt like to be Santa then maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing.

On they went until the yo-yo beeped, the GPS letting them know they were in France.

Adrien pressed the blue button again, gently applying the brakes and they lowered gradually to the ground.

Taking off her helmet she looked around. There was the Eiffel Tower. She had seen it before in books but she wasn't prepared for how big it was and how beautiful it would be all lit up.

Adrien got off the bike, his movements stiff. It wasn't until he took off his helmet that she realised it wasn't just from the long ride. Tension showed in the lines of his face and she followed his gaze across the Trocadero.

Whatever he was looking at she didn't see it.

But a flutter of movement did catch her eye.

"Butterfly."

A/N I know nothing about motorbikes so I had to do a little research. I didn't have much time, writing a chapter a day is taking up most of it so sorry for any inaccuracies.