62. Animaestro

Scene: Marinette's room. Marinette is watching a movie trailer on her tablet with Tikki.

Trailer: (dramatic music in background) She's scared of cats, but powerless without this feline.

Marinette: Huh? (annoyed) That is so not true. I'm not scared of cats.

"Yeah, I mean, seriously?! What bozo gave the makers of this movie that idea?!" Marinette asked in exasperation while everyone else chuckled at her outburst.

Trailer: Cat Noir and Ladybug: two heroes facing their destiny. Coming soon to theaters. (Thomas Astruc appears on the tablet)

Thomas: The real Cat Noir and Ladybug won't be able to make it to tonight's premiere, but I hope that they'll love my movie as much as we love them.

Marinette: Meh, I'll be the judge of that.

Tikki: You turned down an invitation to the premiere?

Marinette: I'm a superhero, Tikki, not a star. It's my job to protect the city, not sit around at a movie premiere.

Tikki: Well said, Marinette (Nadja Chamack appears on the tablet)

Nadja: The premiere will be attended by many illustrious guests including the rockstar Jagged Stone, the famous fashion designer Gabriel Agreste, and his teen idol son who voiced Cat Noir, Adrien Agreste.

"Your father's idea again?" Marinette asked her boyfriend in curiosity about him voicing Cat Noir for the animated movie.

"Yeah, but at least it's not as bad as playing Cat Noir live like I almost did in Clara Nightingale's video. Some people can have the same voice that one of them can actually be Cat Noir instead of me," Adrien pointed out and Marinette nodded as she couldn't really argue with that.

Marinette: (gasps) Adrien?! Adrien's gonna be there? Oh no! Ladybug so should have said yes. (Tikki giggles)

"Marinette's mind going all flip-flop when it comes to Adrien must be a 24/7 comedy show for you, Tikki!" Alya said as she hi-fived with the kwami and laughed along with everyone else except for Lila (who is still frozen from Pollen's sting) and Marinette who blushed furiously in embarrassment.

Scene: Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie, bakery

Tom: So we've got six hundred macarons plus eight hundred petit fours not to mention the Ladybug and Cat Noir tiered cakes.

Sabine: We should have hired someone to help us serve all these guests at the premiere.

Marinette: Do you mean the premiere for the Ladybug and Cat noir animated movie?

Tom: Yes.

Marinette: (gasps) Me, me, me! I can totally help you out with that. (drops plates in excitement)

Tom: (catches plates) You mean, as a server?

Marinette: Yes. I'll hand the macarons out to Adrien. I mean... (drops plates and knocks over the fruit bowl before managing to balance the bowl on top of the plates with a banana and two oranges.) ...to everybody, of course. Not just Adrien 'cause Adrien's not the only one who likes macarons.

"Real smooth, dudette!" Nino teased his childhood friend with a laugh along with everyone else while Marinette continued to blush furiously in embarrassment.

Sabine: (teasingly) And the fact that Adrien is going to be there has nothing to do with it, of course.

"Your mom knows you so well!" Chloe teased with a chuckle (along with everybody else) until her expression turned sour. "Unlike mine!" Sabrina then put her hand on her best friend's shoulder in comfort as the latter once again thought of her mother.

Marinette: Not a thing. Like, not in the slightest. I just want to help out my wonderful sweet parents who I love so much.(drops the balanced bowl and the fruit. Tom and Sabine look at each other warily)

Marinette: (dejectedly) You guys don't trust me. Then again, I'm such a klutz. Even I wouldn't trust me. (picks up oranges)

Tom: Of course you're not a klutz, my darling. You're hired. We'll just—

"You emotionally manipulated both of us, didn't you?" Tom asked his daughter while he and Sabine shared knowing looks.

"Maybe," Marinette answered quietly, still blushing in embarrassment.

Marinette: (hugs Tom) Oh, thank you! You're the best parents in the world! (dances out of the room while singing, and crashes into something)

Sabine: We'll just make twice the number of macarons. Just in case.

"Good call, Mrs. Cheng!" Alix teasingly but genuinely called over to Sabine and everyone else laughed harder in agreement about Marinette's extreme clumsiness.

Scene: Marinette's room. Marinette, in her chair, spins towards her sewing machine.

Marinette: This is going to be such an amazing night! I need something amazing to wear. And last, but definitely not least, the amazing macaron. (pulls out a macaron from her drawer) Ta Da!

Tikki: Er, don't you think your father's 800 macarons will be plenty?

Marinette: No, Tikki. Adrien deserves a special macaron to show him just how special he is. To me. Just picture it! He's expecting a regular macaron, but I give him this macaroon. He takes one bite and says... (Marinette imitates Adrien's voice) ...oh, Marinette. It's passionfruit, my favorite! How do you know me this well when I'm so secretive? So then I answer, it's because you're so special to me, Adrien. I feel like I've known you forever! So then he says to me—

Tikki: Wait! Is this why you bake a single macaron every Sunday?

"Really?" Adrien and some others asked Tikki with teasing smirks, unaware about this side of Marinette. The kwami nodded with a giggle and everybody else laughed except for Marinette who continued to blush.

Marinette: Who knows when the perfect opportunity is going to come up? And Adrien cannot have a stale macaron.

Tikki: Of course not.

Scene: Outside movie cinema. Nadja Chamack is reporting the premiere on the news to the camera

Nadja: Don't be bemused, it's just the news. Nadja Chamack coming to you live from the premiere we've all been waiting for: the brand new animated movie of the adventures of Cat Noir and Ladybug. The gorgeous Clara Nightingale, who sang all the songs in the movie, has just arrived! (Clara Nightingale walks up to the man who is letting people into the event) (AN: I know Nadja says Laura, but I feel like it should be fixed, so that's why I changed it to Clara)

Doorman: Good evening, Clara! I'm your biggest fan. (Clara enters the theater. Thomas Astruc walks up to the door whistling but is stopped by the doorman)

Doorman: This is a private event, sir.

Thomas: Huh? Excuse me? I'm Thomas Astruc, the movie director. (shows him his ID)

Doorman: You filmed Cat Noir and Ladybug? What are they like in real life?

Thomas: Er, it's an animated movie. It's all cartoon characters. We don't actually film anyone. See, there's this whole team that draw the chara—

Doorman: Whatever. Who would want to see Ladybug and Cat Noir as cartoon characters? (Doorman waves Thomas into the event)

"Although I agree with that guy, he didn't have to be so harsh about it!" Marinette said as she frowned at the doorman being rude with the movie's director.

"And besides, the movie didn't turn out so bad!" Adrien said as he agreed with his girlfriend along with everyone else.

Scene: Inside event. Marinette is getting ready to serve the macaroons.

"By the way, I made that waitress outfit," Marinette pointed out about the catering outfit she was wearing to the movie's premiere.

"You know, if Lie-la was unfrozen, she would actually say that you look good in this outfit because at least you are realistic about your future," Angel pointed out while pointing to the still-frozen Lila, and everyone else nodded in agreement.

"Well, you look great, m'lady," Adrien said, complimenting his girlfriend's waitress outfit. "I hear this kind of outfit on girls is an exciting fantasy?" Adrien then asked over to the others who after catching his drift, chuckled in agreement (especially the other boys) while Marinette blushed a heavy shade of red.

Tom: So put your thumbs here and look straight ahead.

Marinette: Uh, shouldn't there be macarons on the tray?

Sabine: Yes, yes. We'll put them on as soon as you're ready.

Marinette: Dad, Mom! I am totally ready. Trust me, I'll be super-duper careful. (Tom and Sabine look at each other and sigh before swapping out the trays)

Tom: (when Marinette walks off) Oh, our little girl's spreading her wings. (Marinette trips near where Jagged is talking to Thomas)

Jagged: Ladybug is one of my best buds! I can't wait to see her movie!

Thomas: Well I'm— I'm the director, so actually it's more my movie, so to speak.

Jagged: Oh, so you're the one who created the story?

Thomas: Well, technically the screen writers wrote the story, inspired by Ladybug's exploits.

Jagged: Oh, ok. So you did all the drawings?

Thomas: No, no. The animators do all the drawings.

Jagged: So what do you do then?

Thomas: Well I— (Marinette nearly falls but is caught by Jagged)

Jagged: Woah. Hey Marinette! Now she can draw! She does it all herself. Just check out these groovy sunglasses here she made!

Thomas: Well, that's impressive.

Jagged: She even designed my album cover!

Marinette: (giggles awkwardly) Er, thanks. Er, macarons? (Thomas goes to take a macaron but hands from offscreen take them before he gets a chance. Marinette exchanges the empty tray for another)

"Marinette, you are so lucky that you still get praise from Jagged Stone! Does he still use you as a designer?" Rose gushed then asked her friend, curious as well as everybody else.

"Yeah. In fact, Jagged's one of my highest-paying clients for my commissions," Marinette said proudly and everyone else gave impressed murmurs.

"Girl, you should've totally rubbed that in Lie-la's face more often!" Alya said excitedly, pointing to the still-frozen Lila.

Tom: Phew. So far so good. (Sabine gasps when she spots Adrien. Marinette gasps as well.)

Sabine: Uh-oh. She's seen him.

Marinette: (to herself while putting the special macaron on the tray) Adrien, you're so normal to me. No, special to me. Oh, I'll never get it right. (Adrien waves to Marinette. Marinette waves back, causing the platter to tip) No! (The special macaron falls off the platter.) No! (She runs after the macaron and goes near Chloé Bourgeois and Thomas Astruc)

Chloé: (to Thomas) You! Go fetch me a chocolate macaron, but make sure it's dark chocolate, not milk chocolate. Got that?

Thomas: But I'm not a waiter. I'm the movie director.

Chloé: Oh, really? So you're the one responsible for this movie?

Thomas: Yes, yes! Exactly! That's me!

Chloé: Then you were the one who left Queen Bee out of the trailer. You're lame, utterly lame. (Marinette bumps into her) And what were you thinking hiring Dupain-Cheng as a waitress?

Everyone rolled their eyes in response to more of Chloe's bratty behavior on-screen while Chloe just facepalmed in embarrassment.

Thomas: I didn't hire her! (Marinette crawls away looking for the special macaron)

Chloé: (to Marinette) Actually, it's a really good thing you're doing the serving, Dupain-Cheng, because that means while I'm watching the movie with Adrien, you'll be washing dishes! (laughs)

Marinette: Excuse me. Sorry! Excuse me. Sorry! Excuse me. (crawls after the macaron while going near Adrien. Adrien goes to help her when Nathalie Sancoeur interrupts)

Nathalie: Adrien, you're expected to welcome the Tsurugis. (Nathalie gestures to the door where Kagami Tsurugi and her mother are entering)

Marinette: (catches her special macaron) Ah! (holds up the special macaron while Chloé walks beside her)

Chloé and Marinette in unison: (when they spot Kagami) Oh no! Not her! Huh? Stop it! You're copying me! Quit it! No, you quit it! (Marinette sticks a macaron in Chloé's mouth)

Everybody burst into raucous laughter at the screen when the two girls said the same thing simultaneously until Marinette shut Chloe up with a macaroon.

"Wow! You two are more alike than we all thought," Adrien noted in-between laughs and everybody else can't help but agree with that statement.

"Well, that's one way to shut that brat up! No offense, Chloe," Alix said in-between laughs about Marinette shoving the macaroon in Chloe's mouth.

Marinette: Do you know her?

Chloé: (spits out macaron) I don't just know her, I despise her.

Scene: Flashback in the Hôtel de Ville. Kagami and Adrien are sitting in some chairs next to each other when Chloé spots them.

Chloé: (pokes Kagami) What do you think you're doing sitting next to my Adrikins? (pokes again) That's my seat. (pokes again)

Kagami: (glares at Chloé) Don't ever touch me again. Don't ever speak to me again. Don't ever look at me again. (Chloé looks startled and backs away from her)

"Wow, Kagami! You sure can be scary!" Kim noted in shock of Kagami on-screen. "If I was in Chloe's place, I'd wet my pants!"

"Dude, TMI!" Alix said as she groaned in disgust at the image of Kim wetting himself.

"You should've definitely threatened Lila like that after she got you akumatized!" Marinette pointed out and both the Japanese girl and Adrien nodded in agreement while the audience was confused, previously unaware of that akuma attack.

"You'll see. It's an episode," Angel said to the confused audience.

Scene: Inside event. Adrien is greeting the Tsurugis while Gabriel Agreste is seen on a tablet held by Nathalie.

Adrien: Kon ban wa Tsurugi-san (Good evening Mrs. Tsurugi) (Adrien bows to the Tsurugis) Dozo yoroshiku onegaishimasu (Nice to meet you) (Mrs. Tsurugi and Kagami both bow back at Adrien)

"Dude, you speak Japanese too?! Where do you find time to do everything else?!" Nino asked his best friend in shock as well as everyone else besides Kagami.

"My whole life is pretty much tightly scheduled as well as you all know. Plus my father has basically cut all the fun activities out!" Adrien said as he once again frowned at his crazy schedule and everybody else nodded in understanding.

Mrs. Tsurugi: Gabriel-san. Per our discussion at our last meeting, I've brought these documents.

Gabriel: Domo arigato, Tsurugi-san. (Thank you very much, Mrs. Tsurugi)

Nathalie: Please follow me. (exits with Mrs. Tsurugi, leaving Adrien with Kagami)

Adrien: I'm glad to see you again, Kagami!

Kagami: Me too, Adrien. (spots Marinette and Chloé looking at her with crossed arms and intentionally takes Adrien's arm)

Chloé: (yells and tries to go after Kagami and Adrien while Marinette holds the back of her jacket, pulling her back.) Okay. We need a plan.

Marinette: What do you mean, a plan?

Chloé: (Runs to a door and gets a seating plan) A plan! You know, a seat chart of the theater! (studies the seating plan) I don't believe this! Adrien and Kagami are going to be sitting next to each other while I'm two rows behind!? Utterly ridiculous!

Marinette: Yeah, well, I don't even have a seat so—

Chloé: If we get rid of Kagami before the movie starts, there'll be an extra seat for you.

Marinette: We can't do that!

Chloé: Remember what you said to me once, Marinette? All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good people do nothing. (Marinette gasps) Well today, the evil is her and the good people are us!

"I can't believe you actually remembered those words!" Alya said in shock to Chloe remembering the words she and Marinette said to her back on the first days of school.

"Of course I remember those words! That was the first time Dupain-Cheng actually stood up to me!" Chloe pointed out and everyone else nodded in understanding.

Marinette: I'm not too sure about this.

Chloé: Fine! Keep on not being sure about it and tomorrow, Adrien and Kagami will be on a plane headed for Japan!

"You two girls were really threatened by me?" Kagami asked both Marinette and Chloe, shocked and somewhat flattered.

"Of course, Kagami! The fact you're both rich plus your parents becoming business partners had pretty much increased your chances with Adrien than the both of us," Marinette pointed out and Chloe nodded in agreement. After some thought, Kagami saw their point and nodded in understanding.

"OK, but me moving to Japan with Kagami?! Isn't that too much of an overreaction?" Adrien asked the two girls who sheepishly shrugged while everybody else chuckled at them.

Marinette: Adrien? Japan? There's no way!

Chloé: You think? They're already going to the movies together, their parents are signing papers together. (camera zooms in on Mrs. Tsurugi in the background, stamping a document with her signature)

Marinette: (imagines Adrien and Kagami on a plane and dancing with kimonos on) We can't let her do that!

"Yeah, I can't really see myself dancing in a kimono," Adrien noted in-between laughs as everybody else once again laughed at the little cartoons in Marinette's head.

"Girl, I think you really should see a therapist about those little cartoons!" Alya said in-between laughs and the audience laughed harder in agreement while Marinette blushed furiously at the sight.

Scene: Under the serving table. Marinette is gathering items needed for their plan.

Tikki: Marinette! Surely you're not gonna team up with Chloé?!

Marinette: I'm just stopping Kagami from kidnapping Adrien and taking him off to Japan. He's too nice to see what she's really up to! (Tikki looks at her judgingly and sighs)

"Wait, did you two girls have anything to do with the gum that stuck to my shoe that belonged to my grandmother?" Kagami asked curiously and judgingly.

"Yeah, sorry about that!" Both Marinette and Chloe unexpectedly said simultaneously as they both did on-screen earlier.

Scene: Kagami and Adrien are talking.

Adrien: Well I'm more of a dog person... (camera zooms further out to show Chloé and Marinette)

Chloé: Alright. (she looks at what Marinette has gathered) Garbage bag, ladle and what? (she holds up a spool of string) I asked you to get some rope!

Marinette: All I could find was this cooking string. You know, for tying up roasts.

Chloé: Do I look like someone who knows anything about cooking roasts? (she grabs Marinette's arm and starts pulling her along)

Marinette: Hey, wait! (Chloé finds a plate of macarons and pours them into the garbage bag. She ties up the bag and begins smashing it with the ladle.)

Marinette: Chloé! We can't do this!

Chloé: Listen, Marinette! If we don't sacrifice a few macarons now Adrien is going to be eating sushi for the rest of his life! (Chloé blows a bubble with her gum before spitting the gum into the ladle.) You better not screw this up, Dupain-Cheng.

Marinette: (picks up the gum warily) I'm doing this for you, Adrien.

"You seriously teamed up with Chloe?! I can't believe my own eyes!" Alya commented in shock as well as everyone else at the two girls working together against Kagami.

"In hindsight, you two really should have teamed up with Kagami against Lila the next time she tries to get her gold-digging claws into Adrien. Because two of you are rich and influential while all three of you combined have celebrity connections that can easily break apart her lies," Angel pointed out and the three girls all nodded in agreement after some serious thought.

Scene: Another part of the event. Thomas Astruc is standing by himself minding his own business. Children come running on-screen yelling Ladybug and bowl Thomas over.

Thomas: Woah!

Children: Ladybug! Where's Ladybug?

Thomas: Hey, kids!

Teacher: Ladybug isn't here children. We came here to meet the director of the movie.

Children: Aw. (Thomas looks disappointed)

"Poor guy!" Ivan said about the director and everyone else murmured in agreement, feeling sorry for the poor man.

Scene: Another part of the event. Chloé is handing a cake to Jagged.

Chloé: (to Jagged) Hold this for me. (Marinette is being helped up by Adrien)

Marinette: Thank you, Adrien! (The gum sits on the ground next to Kagami's foot. Marinette takes the special macaron out of her pocket.) Here, Adrien. This is, uh, your favorite flavored macaron. Er, of course I'm just guessing. I mean, how would I know, right? (nervous giggle) But people do sometimes prefer some things to other things so... Here!

Adrien: Uh… thanks, Marinette! (Marinette smiles at Adrien briefly before Chloé whisks her away)

Chloé: What were you doing with that macaron? That was not part of the plan!

Adrien: Kagami is something wrong? (Chloé and Marinette peek over a counter to see what Adrien is talking about. Kagami is holding up her shoe with gum on it.)

Kagami: These shoes belonged to my grandmother.

Chloé: Hah! This is a part of the plan. (Adrien puts down the special macaron and goes to get a chair)

"This is one of those many times where I consider my model good looks a curse. Seriously, I'm not worthy of you girls to kill each other over!" Adrien groaned in frustration and everybody else murmured in agreement, feeling sorry for the young model. Meanwhile, Marinette, Chloe and Kagami had guilty looks on their faces for their out-of-control competition over the blond boy.

Adrien: Sit down. I'll help you. (Kagami and Adrien spot the crushed macarons that Chloé had put on the seat)

Chloé: Phase two, Dupain-Cheng. (Chloé crawls across the floor and pulls out the spool of string and Marinette grabs a poster of Jagged Stone. Adrien looks all over the event for another chair but all the chairs have crushed macarons on them.)

Marinette: Can you please autograph this for me, Jagged? (Marinette holds up the poster of Jagged Stone. Jagged gets a pen out and puts the cake on a chair. Adrien finally finds a chair that doesn't have macarons on it. Just before Kagami sits down Chloé pulls the string which is attached to the cake chair. The video goes into slow motion as Kagami goes to sit down.)

Mrs. Tsurugi: Kagami! (Kagami straightens up and doesn't sit on the cake. Adrien helps Kagami hop towards Mrs. Tsurugi as the children and Thomas go near the cake chair)

Child: But if you didn't make the story or the drawings, then you didn't do anything. (Thomas sits down and sighs. He spots the special macaron on the table where Adrien left it. He takes it out and eats it. His face becomes worried as red boils pop up all over it.)

"EW!" Everyone reacted in disgust to the red boils appearing on the director's face.

Thomas: What's happening?

Children: Eww! (Thomas takes out his phone and looks at himself in the camera before sniffing the macaron packet.)

Thomas: This macaron contains almonds! (runs over to Tom and Sabine) I specifically told you that I'm allergic to almonds!

Tom: We were so careful about that. All the macarons are made from coconut.

"Let me guess, young lady: your special Adrien macaroon caused that guy's allergic reaction?" Sabine asked her daughter in a stern manner.

"Well, I am a klutz," Marinette said as she nervously and sheepishly giggled before burying her face in embarrassment while everyone laughs at her. "The things I do for you!" She then said in frustration to her boyfriend who was half-amused and half-scared of her sour mood.

Marinette: Uh, oh. All but one! (The children laugh at Thomas)

Thomas: What? What in the- Who put this cake on this seat!? (The children run away from the angry Thomas)

Marinette: I should have known! How could one of Chloé's plans end in anything but disaster?

Thomas: I spent three years of my life working day in day out for this! What was meant to be my night is ruined! (looks sadly at the floor)

Sabine: I'll take those, Tom. (everyone else resumes their conversations)

Thomas: Oh, nobody could care less about me. (walks dejectedly out of the event)

"I do feel sorry for him. Anyone who has ever done any work on a huge project must be praised and rewarded just as much as everyone else," Marinette said and everybody else nodded in agreement as they can only imagine the bad day the man on-screen was having.

Scene: Hawk Moth's lair.

Hawk Moth: Ah! The behind-the-scenes creator who never gets any of the credit. The perfect type of injustice for my akumas. (a butterfly lands in his open hand and is filled with energy before taking flight) Fly away, creature of the dark and evilize his broken heart!

Scene: Event's bathroom. The akuma flies towards the stall where Thomas is and enters his ID.

Hawk Moth: (from his lair) Animaestro. You're going to show everyone who you really are with a power as limitless as your imagination. All I ask in return are Cat Noir and Ladybug's Miraculous.

Thomas: I want them all to see what a director is capable of! (he transforms into Animaestro)

Scene: Event. Adrien is peeling gum off Kagami's shoe.

Mrs. Tsurugi: Now I understand why Kagami speaks so much about you. Your father has raised you to be a refined young man! (Adrien blushes at the comment and puts the shoe back onto Kagami)

Marinette: The plan is a total disaster! Adrien and Kagami are even closer now than they were before.

Chloé: You ruined EVERYTHING, Dupain-Cheng. What was it with that macaron, anyway?

Marinette: Er. It was a special passion fruit macaron.

Chloé: But that's the favorite of... No. Don't tell me that! (laughs and points finger at Marinette) You've got a crush on ADRIEN! (laughs and wipes eyes) That is ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. You're a nobody in his eyes and you'll always be a nobody. Watch, I'll prove it. (walks over to Adrien) Adrikins!

"You didn't know, Chloe?!" Alya asked the blonde girl in total shock as well as everybody else that the blonde girl didn't have any idea about Marinette's crush on Adrien. "I thought Adrien was the whole reason why you picked on Marinette more than the rest of us?!"

"I really didn't know. The reason I have picked on Marinette Dupain-Cheng more than the rest of you is because I was...jealous of her," Chloe reluctantly admitted to everybody else but swallowed her pride. "I mean she's almost as beautiful as I am, she actually has talent, and has a nice family. I put her down so I didn't have to feel so inferior to her." Everyone then began giving her sad and sorry looks as they finally understand her animosity towards Marinette.

Doorman: (offscreen) Who are you? You can't come- wah! (the doorman is thrown from the door and Animaestro is there instead)

Animaestro: So you really think a director does nothing? Let me show you exactly what I'm capable of.

"Well, he sure looks... bizarre," Angel said about Animaestro and everyone else's faces were stunned in agreement.

Chloé: Come on! Get a grip! Hey, Adrikins. You'll never guess- (She sees Adrien gone. Civilians start screaming and running away)

"Sorry, Chlo! Duty calls!" Adrien teasingly said to his childhood friend and everyone else including Chloe herself chuckled in agreement.

Animaestro: Oh, come on! Don't leave! The show's just getting started! (Animaestro transforms into a large green cartoon dinosaur in a puff of pink smoke) Roar! (spits a lasers out of his mouth that hit buildings)

"I cannot believe the city was attacked by actual cartoons!" Luka said in shock at Animaestro's attack towards Paris and everyone else murmured in agreement.

Marinette: I promise I'll never take Chloé's advice again!

[Transformation Sequence]

Marinette: Tikki, spots on! Yeah! (Marinette transforms into Ladybug)

"Wow! Even when your hair is styled differently as Marinette, it still remains the same pigtails for Ladybug," Angel commented about the transformation sequence and even everyone was shocked to see that is true including Marinette herself.

Cat Noir: We'd have come to your movie premiere if we'd have known how upset you were gonna get.

Animaestro: Cat Noir and Ladybug.

Ladybug: What's with that trailer too? I am not scared of cats, at all.

Animaestro: You haven't even seen the movie and you're already slamming it?

Cat Noir: He does have a point, you know. (Animaestro spits a laser at them and they jump out of the way)

Ladybug: I wasn't slamming it. It's called constructive criticism! (Ladybug throws her yo-yo and it wraps around Animaestro. Civilians cheer at the potential defeat of Animaestro)

Cat Noir: Nice work, M'lady.

Animaestro: So it's always about you, isn't it? From now on, everybody will be looking at me! (Animaestro transforms into a cartoon robot) Let's see how much you enjoy the true power of animation. (Animaestro shoots a laser out of the crescent moon on his head. Cat Noir throws himself and Ladybug out of the way. Animaestro transforms into a cartoon dog) I am the only true hero.

"OK, transforming into cartoons is ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!" Chloe said in exasperation at Animaestro and everyone else once again murmured in agreement.

Cat Noir: Stay behind me M'lady (Cat Noir runs towards Animaestro who throws a cartoon hole on the ground. Cat noir falls into the hole and is pulled out by Ladybug's yoyo.)

Ladybug: Are you okay, Cat Noir?

Cat Noir: Watch out! (Large red boxing gloves come flying towards them and they jump out of the way.) How do you beat a 2D character?

Ladybug: The only thing that doesn't change when he transforms is his mask.

Cat Noir: The akuma must be in it. (Animaestro transforms into a cartoon version of Majestia)

Animaestro: Fear the power of cartoons!

"OK, now that's just insulting Majestia!" Alya exclaimed loudly as an exasperated fan of the female superhero.

Ladybug: How about you fear the power of the Lucky Charm! (Lucky Charm gives Ladybug a camera) A camera?

Cat Noir: Of course! Who better to make a movie about Cat Noir and Ladybug, than Ladybug and Cat Noir?

Animaestro: YEAH! (shoots a laser out of his eyes which opens a hole below the heroes. Ladybug and Cat Noir fall through the hole into the subway below.)

Cat Noir: He really doesn't take kindly to competition.

Hawk Moth: (from his lair) Take their Miraculous! They're at your mercy! (Animaestro transforms into a cartoon ninja and does a series of hand movements before summoning pink smoke that fills the subway. Cat Noir and Ladybug start to cough.)

Cat Noir: I can't see anything. (Animaestro transforms into his original form.)

Ladybug: Protect your Miraculous. He could be anywhere! (covers earrings and closes eyes. Animaestro starts to run towards them but stops when Cat Noir closes his eyes. Cat Noir opens his eyes a little and sees Animaestro coming towards them.)

"What just happened? Why did he freeze like that?" Kim asked, very confused as well as everyone else except for the two heroes.

"Let's just say we found his weakness. You'll see," Adrien explained and everyone had their eyes glued to the screen, intrigued.

Cat Noir: Move! (He pushes Ladybug out of the way. Ladybug and Cat Noir are consumed by smoke again and close their eyes. A civilian looks into the hole)

Civilian: Is everything okay down there? (Ladybug and Cat Noir try to throw their staff and yoyo at Animaestro but he transforms into a bird and flies out of the hole as the smoke clears. When retrieving his staff Cat Noir drops the staff on his head.)

Cat Noir: He's gone. Why didn't he attack us while we were blinded?

Ladybug: I don't know. It doesn't make any sense. Something must have happened that we didn't see which explains why the Lucky Charm was a camera.

Ladybug: (on the screen) Protect your Miraculous. He could be anywhere! (Animaestro starts running towards them but suddenly stops)

Cat Noir: Did you just pause the image?

Ladybug: No, did you see him freeze?

Cat Noir: No. I had my eyes closed because of the smoke.

Ladybug: Me too.

Cat Noir: Okay, so that's why he didn't take our Miraculous.

Ladybug: Nobody's watching him…

Cat Noir: …he stops moving!

Ladybug: Just like a movie. If nobody watches it, it's as if it didn't exist!

"Ohhhh!" Everyone else murmured as they now understand what happened just then on-screen.

"That's why you told all of us to close our eyes!" Alya said in realization.

Cat Noir: Now we know how to defeat him. (They both exit the hole. Animaestro has transformed into a unicorn that spits out rainbows at buildings. The rainbows are destroying well known places such as the Louvre.)

"Thank goodness you two eventually defeated him! That could have totally ruined my love for unicorns!" Rose said in shock to an animated unicorn destroying buildings.

Civilian: Woah. This is the craziest show I've ever seen. (starts recording on his phone)

Cat Noir: Uh oh. It won't be easy getting people to stop watching him now. Looks like this show is a sellout!

Ladybug: (Earrings beep) Time for the end credits, Cat Noir. (Ladybug and Cat Noir jump towards some civilians watching the villain.) Close your eyes! Everybody stop watching him.

Cat Noir: Just because it's colorful and shiny doesn't mean it's not extremely dangerous. (The civilians close their eyes, yet Animaestro can still move)

Ladybug: TV! Of course! Cat Noir, keep him busy.

Cat Noir: (to Animaestro) So... you jealous of our success, huh?

Animaestro: You can play the smart alec cat but once I have your Miraculous everyone will forget about you soon enough. (Animaestro transforms into a character that resembles the main character from Dragon Ball Z. He starts shooting lasers at Cat Noir who dodges them.)

"Hey! That's from Dragon Ball Z, dudes! My favorite anime!" Nino exclaimed in excitement much to everyone else's amusement especially Alya's.

Ladybug: (in front of the TV camera.) You. (knocks on camera lens) Yes, you who are watching from the other side of the screen. Close your eyes, do not look at Animaestro. Turn off your screen. Come on, we need each and every one of you. It's the only way to stop him.

Animaestro: Ha! You can tell everyone to close their eyes and switch off their TVs, but there will always be at least one person watching me.

Scene: Hawk Moth's lair.

Hawk Moth: (watching the live coverage on his tablet) I wouldn't miss this show for anything.

"Right. Hawk Moth would be watching," Alix deadpanned as well as everyone else in exasperation.

"Which is exactly why I had a back-up plan," Marinette said proudly, knowing what's about to happen next.

Scene: Parisian streets.

Ladybug: I'm sorry Nadja, but this time there will be no live coverage. (smashes TV camera with yo-yo. People look confused at their blank screens)

"Ooh, smart!" Juleka complimented Ladybug's quick thinking and everyone else gave impressed murmurs in agreement.

Scene: Hawk Moth's lair.

Hawk Moth: What? No! (throws tablet on the floor) Animaestro. Hurry up and bring me their Miraculous.

Scene: Parisian streets. Animaestro turns into an anime-style girl who summons an explosion, sending Ladybug flying.

Ladybug: Wah!

"OK, now this is getting weird!" Luka commented on Animaestro's latest transformation and everyone else nodded in agreement, shocked as well.

Scene: Agreste mansion. Hawk Moth runs out of his secret elevator and sees the live footage on his computer is off too. He detransforms and runs outside.

"IS MY FATHER SERIOUS?!" Adrien asked in complete shock as well as everyone else that Hawk Moth would detransform himself back into Gabriel Agreste and tried to stop them in his regular identity.

Scene: Parisian streets.

Cat Noir: Cataclysm!

Animaestro: Everybody must watch ANIMATION! (fires an explosion at Ladybug and Cat Noir)

Cat Noir: Funny, cause I think we're the last ones.

Ladybug: And once we close our eyes. It's time for the end credits, Animaestro!

Animaestro: No! (transforms back into original form)

Scene: Parisian road. Gabriel is driving to the battle scene when he sees a traffic jam, stops his car, and runs out.

Gabriel: No. No!

"What's the old man gonna do? Run towards the villain and watch him, and pretend it's some big accident?!" Alix asked in exasperation at what Adrien's father was doing and everyone shrugged while frowning at the scene.

Scene: Parisian streets. Animaestro runs towards Ladybug and Cat Noir.

Ladybug: Shut your eyes tight, Cat Noir.

Cat Noir: You know I trust you blindly. (Ladybug and Cat Noir close their eyes at the same time stopping Animaestro just before he reaches them. Cat Noir reaches up and touches his mask with his Cataclysm, causing it to fall to the ground and the akuma to fly out.)

Ladybug: (opens her eyes) No more evildoing for you, little akuma! Time to de-evilize! (she captures the akuma in her yo-yo) Gotcha! (she presses the button at the top of her yo-yo and releases the purified akuma) Bye-bye, little butterfly. (she throws the camera in the air) Miraculous Ladybug! (grabs the ID as Animaestro is consumed by energy and turned back into Thomas)

Thomas: Huh? What am I doing here? Cat Noir and Ladybug?

Ladybug: (hands over ID) In the flesh.

Cat Noir: You're about to transform back, M'lady.

Ladybug: Bug out!

Gabriel: Ladybug, Cat Noir. Enjoy your apparent victory, because as in all the best tragedies, triumph always comes before failure.

Scene: Event. Marinette is standing outside the movie theatre handing out macarons.

Marinette: Chloé! Please don't tell Adrien I have a crush on him!

Chloé: (takes a macaron) In this world, there are those who work and those who shine. Forever there will be this division between us, Dupain-Cheng. (pokes Marinette on the nose) Which is why you and I will never be a team. I'm not going to tell him. You're not worth the extra attention. (enters the theater)

"Thanks, Chloe. I think!" Marinette said with a cringed face towards her former arch-rival and everyone else chuckled at the sight.

Thomas: (after seeing the conversation) You know what. Take my seat and enjoy the movie. I've seen it ten times or more. What matters the most for the movie is to be seen by people who really want to see it right?

Marinette: I-I but..

Thomas: Sorry, I guess you don't know who I am either

Marinette: Of course do. You're Thomas Astruc the movie director! (hugs him) Oh thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Thomas: She recognized me. Somebody actually recognized me! (wipes away tears) This is the best day of my life! (eats a macaron)

"I guess he'd take any recognition he can get. Even from a waitress," Marinette said, happy that she made the director man happy.

Scene: Movie theater. Marinette is sitting in her seat. Camera pans to show Adrien sitting next to her.

Adrien: Awesome you could get in, Marinette. And I'm really sorry I didn't get to taste your macaron. It looked delicious.

Marinette: It's no biggie. There will be tons of other macarons, I mean, occasions.

"I really shouldn't be deserving of that seat after what I did. Sorry that Chloe and I tried to make a fool out of you, Kagami," Marinette profusely apologized to the Japanese girl.

"I accept your apology, Marinette. I admit that I also do act a little out-of-control when it comes to Adrien as well as you remember," Kagami said, referring to her akumatization as Oni-Chan and Marinette nodded in understanding.

"Anyway, the next episode is Bakerix," Angel announced to her guests.

"Is that one of you two?" Mylene asked the Dupain-Cheng parents based on the akuma name and the two shook their heads in response.

"It's neither of them. Bakerix was my grandfather," Marinette clarified just as the episode started to play.