"…Home once again."

Felix rubbed the wrinkles out of his grey vest and sleeves, made sure there was no clinging dust to his dress pants or mud on his shoes, and took a deep breath. What came next was going to be his least favourite part of the trip.

Time to greet father. In person. For the first time in nearly a year.

"Hey, Felix, you nervous?"

Felix glanced down at his luggage, where his small Quantic companion Cheep ruffled his tiny brown feathers and cleaned them with his small beak. "You seem so tense. Aren't you happy to be seeing your family again?"

"You know how my father and I get along – far apart."

"Come on, Felix, he must miss you. Of course, you can't greet him if we can't get to your house."

"I understand that. Father's driver is busy on the other side of town, so I'm waiting for Natalie here."

"…Where exactly is here?"

Despite being gone a year, Felix found that nothing had changed in Paris. He stood waiting outside a small park (having accidentally missed the ride to the larger park right beside his house) where the bus had dropped him off, gazing around at the vaguely familiar faces. The sun was beating down on the city, not a cloud in the sky, as children run around the large fountain and took turns riding the merry-go-round.

"It shouldn't be much longer."

Cheep nestled under the luggage handle. "Even if we're only here for a few weeks of your summer vacation, Felix, I really miss the others."

"We couldn't leave our home without its heroes, Cheep. The others are going to take care of things while I'm away."

"Heh," Cheep giggled, "you just called it home."

It practically was Felix's home. While he had grown up in Paris, he had never been the social type or made any friends. When he became a transfer student, he finally began to talk to others, but aside from his brother, there wasn't really anyone he knew in Paris.

It's fine. So long as the others are back home, the city will be safe. Now that I've renewed my transfer time, I'll be back soon, and can continue about with my responsibilities without worrying about my father's constant watchful eyes.

"…Hey, Felix?"

"Yes?"

"You said that the others were staying home, right?"

"Yes."

Cheep flew into the air and made happy little circles around his head. "You liar, you liar! I sense Mello!"

"Mello? Wha…" Felix looked around, and to his surprise caught sight of a very familiar face amongst the crowd, wandering about with a large map in her hands.

"…Lyra?"

His musically inclined friend heard him, and turned in his direction. She smiled over the edge of the map and waved. "Oh, Felix Agreste! Thank goodness!"

"Please, Lyra," he sighed as she came over and folded up her map, "you don't have to use my full name here."

"Really? But your family is so well respected here, right?"

"Exactly. I don't need that kind of attention…and what exactly are you doing here?"

Her attire was far more casual than her regular clothes. She wore her long blonde hair in a tight braid as usual, but the combination of her violet spaghetti strap, white polka-dot pattern blaring, cream coprees and matching white sneakers took him back.

Not in a bad way, though…

"What are you staring at?" Lyra fiddled with her musical note pendant before tightening the over the shoulder strap of her new violin case, resting on her back. "Don't you like my outfit? You father did design it."

"Yes, well…it suits you."

"Where's Mello?" Cheep landed on Lyra's outstretched hand. "She's here, right?"

"Right here, Cheep!" Lyra's case unzipped slightly behind her neck, and out popped Mello, her note-shaped pigtail antennas bobbing. "I missed you!"

"I missed you, too!" Cheep gave her as best a hug as he could with his wings. "The Quantic have never been separated by this much land!"

He could have told me that before we left.

"I'm here for a musical competition," Lyra explained as the Quantic chatted behind her ear, "my manager flew me over just yesterday, and I haven't had the time to get acquainted with the place. Good thing I ran into you, or I'd have been lost for hours."

"Does this mean that Victor and Benjamin are home, on their own, protecting it from villainous scum? Without you?"

"They'll be fine. They have Bridgette!"

"She doesn't have powers!"

"I consider being able to type a hundred and forty-five words a minutes a superpower."

It had been over six months, and the idea of being part of a superhero team still seemed so new to Felix. After his friend Benjamin had found the Quantic in their alien orb, and the four of them had become partnered with the small mystical creatures, the Quantic Squad was created. Not nearly as well-known as Ladybug or Chat Noir, but they took their job quite seriously.

"Lyra, you're the leader. Your guidance is mandatory."

"Bridgette can handle it. After all," She winked, "now that she and Benjamin are an official couple, there's no way she isn't doing the best she can to keep them on track."

She may have learned our identities from Benjamin on accident, and may be dating him, typing skills can only go so far against criminals.

"Rest easy, Felix," Mello chimed, "with those two on the job, and Bridgette coordinating them-"

"She has a hard enough time coordinating herself!"

"She'll do great, I just know it! Nothing can go wrong!"

Just as Felix thought he might actually begin to believe them, the sound running from behind got his attention and, turning around, a sinking feeling took over his stomach.

"…Victor?!"

Sure enough, there was their speedster of the group, his dark skin and short hair contrast to his bright green cap, jacket and beige cargos. He jogged up to them and slapped Felix on the back, nearly knocking him over. "Sup, dudes?"

"Victor?" Lyra gave him a curious look over. "How on earth did you get here?"

"Didn't you get Bridgette's text?"

"No," Lyra pulled it out from her coprees pocket, "I've been so busy not getting lost that I…uh…Felix?"

"What?"

She handed him the phone, and as he read the text, he felt a headache coming on.

HEY, LYRA. VICTOR ON HIS WAY, AND ME AND BEN ARE FOLLOWING. WEIRD COINCIDENCE, RIGHT? MEET UP AT THE BIG PARK IN THE AREA, K?

…All four of us are here, in Paris, while our home is unguarded…

"…Felix?" Victor snapped his fingers next to his ears. "Earth to Felix. Lighten up! The police can handle things until we all get back."

"You mean the same police who managed to let Beast Boss go, and become so tangled up in Cirque Du Freak's ribbons that it took at least three hours to save them from their station?"

"It's cool, man. They bought new scissors."

Somehow I get the feeling my relaxing vacation here isn't going to be as nearly relaxing as I had hoped…