~One Week Later~

The evening had a delicate chill that was drawn in by the light breezes that gave his spine a quick shudder. He flipped the collar of his dark grey sweater up and crossed his leg. "Perhaps I should have had my drink inside…hm…déjà vu."

"Ah, the popular sickly sweet pink lemonade."

Felix took a sip from his cold glass as Lyra took a seat beside him at the table, the crowds dwindling. "Not in the mood for tea?"

"I do know how to break out of routine, Lyra."

"Really now? Never would have guessed with the whole superhero thing."

"You two," Mello peeked out from Lyra's collar, hiding behind her braid, "don't go arguing on such a nice day."

"We're not arguing, we're sharing our sarcastic wit."

"Yeah, what birdbrain said."

"…"

"Look what I found!" Cheep fluttered down onto the table and dropped a seed. "I used to love eating these things. They have a gritty, manly taste!"

Part of any nutritious alien diet.

"Guys!"

The group turned their attention to Victor, who jogged up to the table carrying a newspaper under his arm. He slapped it down on the surface and jabbed his finger onto the front page. "Check it out. I almost screamed."

A QUANTIC FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH

HEROES EMERGE FROM VICTORY TO PROTECT FAIR PEOPLE

"Honestly," Felix mumbled as he eyed the photo taken soon after the police had interviewed them, "must you three have been so chatty?"

After sending off the amnesiac Cirque Du Freak and Beast Boss with the police, journalists and photographers had arrived on the double to get as much information as they could.

It's a miracle we aren't blind now.

"Come on, don't lie." Victor flipped his chair around and relaxed. "You were just as excited as we were."

"Excited is not the word. "Nettled" is a more becoming term for the moment."

"Don't go all French on me."

"…Let's just make sure we keep our identities a secret. I know how tempting it will be for us to share with someone close, but you need to understand the dangers."

"We know, Felix," Whipp lifted Victor's cap slightly and peered out, "but on the other hand, close friends and trusted relatives are alright. Trust me, going it alone is tough."

"None of us are alone." Lyra rubbed Mello's head and smiled. "We have each other. The Quantic Squad is a team, and as leader, I'm going to make sure we stay that way."

"Oh, good! So, are we gonna build a clubhouse?"

"This ain't a kiddie club, Whipp! If we're going to have a hangout, it's got to be modern, mature…like a club-mansion!" Victor pointed to Felix. "What do you say, Sparrow? Take one for the team?"

"You can't be serious."

"Why not? Mr. Cashmere could be our Alfred, like in Batman!"

"I just said our identities-uh, never mind."

Lyra giggled, then waved to someone nearby. "Hey, Benjamin! Bridgette!"

Felix watched the two walk up, noticing Ben's averted gaze as the Quantic hid themselves. "…Is he in some kind of trouble?"

"Well, sort of," Bridgette tugged at one of her ponytails as her cheeks seemed to flush scarlet, "we were, uh, working on that project last night at his house? You know the one, and, well…I went into his closet to get one of his jackets to wear, since his house was pretty cold."

Victor made a mock whistle sound and nudged Ben's stomach, but gained no smile. "You don't skip a beat, dude."

Felix felt a rising suspicion that something was wrong, and he didn't like where it was going. "Bridgette…what exactly did you find in the closet?"

Bridgette looked up at him, and for the first time he realized that he had never really gotten to know her very well. She was always around, in the crowd or nearby, stuttering and giving him quick glances.

She couldn't have…liked…no, not me.

If she had, she had gotten over it pretty quickly, and was keen to shuffle behind Benjamin, though he was almost as flustered. "W-well, I, uh…I found…the thing."

"The what?"

"The…the…Hushh."

"…Did you just hush me?"

"Hushh!" She nearly blurted out loud enough to catch stares from the passing pedestrians. "I found…I found Hushh, nestled in one of the hoods. When I showed Benjamin…well…it's not like he could hide him anymore, anyway, so…he…told me…everything…"

Felix gave an exasperated groan and dropped his head onto the table. "You know what, who needs a secret identity, when you can just share our secrets with the head photographer of the Yearbook club."

Sorry, guys, Benjamin signed as Hushh poked out from Bridgette's satchel, but I swore I didn't know Hushh was in there.

"Okay," Lyra stood up and pointed to two empty chairs at the next table, "sit."

She quickly had the four sit across from her, and, making sure no one was around, crossed her arms, Mello copying her movements from her collar. "From here on out, no one is to learn of our identities." She began to pace back and forth, wagging her finger for emphasis. "This is a serious commitment. It isn't the Yearbook club, or the Track team, or a vital father-son phone conversation-"

"Not so vital, Lyra."

"Vital father-son phone conversation. We are tasked with protecting this city from any villain who dares to cross our paths. The Quantic chose us-"

"Actually, Benjamin chose us."

"Felix!" Lyra slammed her palm down on the table. "Please, I…this is serious."

Felix noted the worry on her brow, and fell silent. "…"

"Thank you. Look, I've never really been the leader type, so this is going to be a new experience, for all of us. Mello, Whipp, Cheep, Hushh…we're here for you guys, so please be here for us."

"Aww, you guys," Whipp sniffled under Victor's cap, "you're too much."

"Bridgette," Lyra gave her a soft gaze, "I know this is a lot to ask, but…"

Bridgette sat up straight and winked. "Don't worry. I may be clumsy, and photogenic, and, you know, not the hero type, but I won't tell a soul what I've learned today-er, last night."

"Hey," Victor snapped his fingers, "you could run a blog for us. Ladybug and Chat Noir have a blog. My cousin's crush runs it, and it keeps tab on what they're doing for the public."

"A blog…"

Felix could practically here the cogs rolling in Bridgette's head as she took the idea to heart. "Fine, just don't go overboard."

"Promise." She gave him a satisfying smile before leaning inches closer to Benjamin.

…Funny...she used to do the same thing to me when I first arrived...not that I gave it a second thought.

"Then it's settled." Lyra held her hand out into the middle of the table, over their photo. "Melodie."

So many things could go wrong, Felix thoughts turned to a sudden surge of panic as Benjamin signed out Kid Mime and put his hand in, what with me and Ben being only transfer students.

Victor beamed he stuck his hand in. "Mercury."

What about my father, and Adrien, and Ben's parents, and Paris, and school, and-

"Uh," Bridgette nervously put her hand beside Benjamin's, "erm…just Bridgette. Nice to finally know what you guys were doing running around with those criminals on the loose last Sunday, too."

"Hush, Bridgette."

"Right, ah, sorry."

What about Ladybug and Chat Noir? What will they think? And that Hawkmoth villain, and our villains, and-

The four Quantic popped into view and placed their tiny fins in. "Mello!"

"Whipp!"

"Cheep!"

"Hushh!"

This is happening. I…I'm finally going to do something…unique. I finally have something of my own, something father and Adrien won't ever understand.

Slowly he let his hand fall in with the rest of the group. "Sparrow."

I am inventive. And I'm going to stay that way.

"We are," Lyra grinned, "the Quantic Squad!"

No matter what comes our way, we are a team.

~The End~

STAY TUNED FOR THE ULTIMATE TEAMUP BETWEEN THE LUCKY DUO AND OUR QUANTIC FRIENDS IN MIRACULOUS QUANTIC SQUAD, COMING SOON!