"Have you been well, Sakura?" Eriol asked Sakura as they left the Couffaine boat residence.

Sakura nodded, beaming. "Yeah! Although it's been pretty quiet in Tomoeda since you left."

Eriol chuckled. "But since I'm not causing trouble for you anymore, you're able to live life normally, right?"

"Now that you mention it," Sakura placed a finger to her chin, "it's been a long time since opening the Clow Book that I was able to live life normally without some magical occurrence happening."

"Yo, long time no see!" Kero exclaimed as he popped his head out from Sakura's mini backpack.

"It's good to see you again, too, Keroberos," Eriol greeted the Sun Guardian with a smile.

"Did Suppi come with you, too?"

"He's back in England with Ruby while I came here by myself."

"Aww, dangit!"

"You should say hi to Yue before you go back," Sakura suggested. "I think he'll be really happy to see you. We're all staying at Le Grand Paris hotel."

"I'll do my best," Eriol replied. "Oh yes, please give Miss Daidouji my apologies for taking you and Syaoran away. You had plans, right?"

Sakura nodded. "Yeah, her mom expects us to be back in time for dinner since she made reservations for us at a restaurant. But there's still a lot of time left before then. Also, Tomoyo said Alya invited her to hang out so she won't be lonely so I think she'll be alright."

Meanwhile, Marinette and Syaoran walked alongside each other behind Eriol and Sakura in silence. Marinette couldn't help but feel awkward-here she was, surrounded by those with innate magical abilities without the need of a magical being to lend their powers, and then there was her who, if she hadn't been chosen to wield Ladybug Miraculous, would've been any other normal girl in Paris. Noticing her body language, Syaoran turned his head in her direction. "Uh, you okay, Dupain-Cheng?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry, my mind was off somewhere," Marinette lied. "By the way, is your friend over there...?"

"Hiiragizawa? Yeah, he's another magician like me and Sakura," Syaoran replied. "Though I'm not sure what he's up to or why he's here." There was no way that Eriol randomly decided to hop on a train over to France just to see them. Syaoran knew him enough to know that he probably had some underlying reasons for coming here in the first place. "But he's actually a good guy, though, in case you're suspicious about him."

"Oh, not at all," Marinette fibbed again.

Syaoran raised an eyebrow. "Hmm..."

"By the way, if I remember correctly, you were said to come from a clan descended from one of Clow Reed's bloodlines, right?" Marinette asked him.

Syaoran nodded. "Yeah."

"Is everyone in your family able to use magic like you?"

"Well apart from my mother and I, no. I don't know much about my father to know if he could use magic or not since he passed when I was really young, but none of my four older sisters can use magic."

"That's so weird," Marinette commented.

"It does sound strange that my mother and I are the only ones who can use magic, doesn't it?" Syaoran mused. "It's a little funny how things work out like that, I guess."

"So, how long have you and Sakura been together?" Marinette suddenly asked.

"Eh? Mm, well, a little over a year, I guess?"

"Really? You two seem like you've been together for longer."

"Well, we started off as rivals, and then things just sort of happened from there," Syaoran replied. "I wasn't nice to her at all in the beginning and I tried to take the Clow Cards from her by force when we first met, but despite our rocky relationship at the beginning, she taught me kindness and compassion."

"Haha, I heard about that from Tomoyo. In a way, I'm kind of a little jealous of Sakura."

"Huh?"

"The fact that Sakura is still able to befriend even those who have hurt or wronged her before, I couldn't even do that," Marinette answered, thinking of Chloe and Lila. If Sakura, Syaoran, and Tomoyo had come to Paris and her school as study abroad students instead of as tourists, she wondered if Sakura would've also tried to befriend them, even though she couldn't stand those two girls. After all, Sakura had befriended her, Alya, Nino, Kagami, Adrien, and her Kitty Section friends quite fast in the two short weeks that she, Tomoyo, and Syaoran had been there.

Upon reaching a quiet and secluded area, Eriol used his magic to create a magical barrier around them to prevent any outsider from seeing or hearing them.

"Your kwami can come out, Miss Ladybug, it's alright. I used my magic to create a magical barrier around us so no one can hear or see us," he assured Marinette.

"Oi, Hiiragizawa, I know you didn't just come here on a whim just to visit us so what's your real reason for being here?" Syaoran demanded.

"My visit was sure unexpected, wasn't it?" Eriol smiled. "But it's a shame that you're not happy to see me like Sakura."

"Don't call me that," Syaoran grumbled. "And it's not that, but the fact that you just showed up unannounced like this and pulling those of us who can use magic or some form of supernatural power out here and being all cryptic like the cryptic weirdo you are."

"Who are you, really?" Marinette asked Eriol. "I mean, I already learned from Syaoran that you can use magic like him and Sakura, but how did you know about my secret identity when I've never met you before?"

Eriol chuckled. "How disappointing that my cute little descendant only told you that much about me. As it was mentioned when I was introduced to you all earlier, my name is Eriol Hiiragizawa. And in my past life, I was Clow Reed."

Marinette let out a surprised gasp. No way, this guy is actually the reincarnation of a powerful sorcerer, the one who created the Clow Cards?! "You mean you're-I-I-I mean your past self, was the creator of the Clow Cards that's now the Sakura Cards?"

"That's correct."

"It was a surprise for us when we found out, too," Sakura spoke.

"But how did you know or find out about me?" Marinette asked. "And how do you know Master Fu?"

"Who's this Master Fu?" Syaoran asked.

"He's the last remaining Guardian of the Miraculous," Eriol answered.

"Hey, how come Yue and I never heard about these Miraculouses?!" Kero shouted as he flew up to Eriol's face.

"You and Yue were asleep inside the Clow Book at the time I met the current Guardian in England where he previously resided, Keroberos," Eriol explained.

"But then what about when you were Clow Reed? You never mentioned anything about them to us," Kero countered.

"Yeah, if you know of the Guardians and the Miraculous in both your past and current life, how come none of us kwamis have ever heard of Clow Reed, either?" inquired Tikki. "According to what Kero here said last time, your past self lived for several centuries until your death, and kwamis such as myself and Plagg have been around since the beginning of time."

"That's a good question," Eriol replied. "To put it simply, I had heard stories from within certain magical circles about your existences before I created the Clow Cards and Keroberos and Yue, but as you already know yourself, your existence is to kept secret from anyone who is not your master or a Guardian, right?"

"That's right," Tikki confirmed. "It's to prevent us from falling into the wrong hands and getting used for evil."

"You mean like with that so-called Hawkmoth bad guy?" Kero asked.

Tikki nodded. "Yes."

"And that's why Clow decided it would be better to not pursue the existence of the Miraculous," Eriol continued. "Well, you could also say that such objects would've been useless to me, anyway, since I already had my own magic. However, I did happen to cross paths with one of the past Guardians once when I was Clow, however, and with Master Fu when he previously lived in England for a short period."

"So Clow knew or heard about the Miraculouses but never made mentions of it to anyone including Kero and Yue?" Sakura asked.

"Precisely," Eriol affirmed.

"Wait wait wait, so let me try to make sense of all of this. You met one of the previous Guardians when you were Clow Reed, and you met Master Fu as your current self when he was in England, but you look to be our age about our age...?" Marinette interrupted with a quizzical expression.

"Despite my appearance, I am not as young as you think I am," Eriol smiled.

Marinette stared at him flabbergasted. So, did that mean Eriol could be about Master Fu's age for all she knew?

As if he read her mind, Eriol specified, "However, I can assure you that I am not as old as Master Fu."

As if that helps! Marinette yelled in her head. "So um, aside from your past self making the Clow Cards, what else kind of magic were/are you able to do?"

"This, for example," Eriol replied as he held out his hand in an outstretched position, then curled his fingers into a fist. When he opened them, the Ladybug Miraculous earrings had magically transported into the palm of his hands.

"No way!" Marinette gasped as she touched her earlobes where the earrings used to be. She didn't even feel them leave her ears! It was then that she realized just how easy it was for a sorcerer like Eriol to be able to summon the Miraculouses to themselves without ever having to touch the jewels themselves, unlike any of the Akumatized villains she and Chat Noir had fought against. Further, the fact that Eriol even knew that she was Ladybug even though this was their first time meeting was impressive, if not terrifying. Sorcerers are surely on another level from Miraculous users. "So if you know who I am, then do you know who Hawkmoth is?"

"That is for me to keep a secret and for you to discover in due time," Eriol replied as he returned the earrings back to Marinette, who put them back on. "But the revelation may shock you when you find out, or rather someone dear to you, the most."

Marinette and Tikki glanced at each other. Who on earth could he be talking about?

""That said, I believe your partner may be joining us shortly so it would be best for you to transform now if you don't wish for him to find out your identity," Eriol suggested.

"Oh, right," Marinette nodded. "Tikki, transform me!"

Over at the Agreste mansion, Adrien entered his room after returning home from fencing practice the Couffaines to find a medium-sized box waiting for him on the table. Was this what that Eriol Hiiragizawa guy was talking about when he said that he sent him something earlier?

"Ooh, what could it be?" Plagg asked excitedly as he hovered around the box. "I smell something good coming from there!"

"I don't know, but let's see what's inside," Adrien replied as he opened the box.

To Plagg's delight, the package contained none other than a month's worth of packaged Camembert cheese. "Adrien, this is the best thing you've ever received!" he exclaimed excitedly as he dive bombed into the box. "Who's it from? You should thank them for me!"

"Some guy I met earlier named Eriol Hiiragizawa," Adrien replied. "Apparently, he's a good friend of Sakura, Syaoran, and Tomoyo."

"Oh, you mean those magicians?" Plagg asked in reference to Sakura and Syaoran. "You know, it's funny how Sugarcube and I have been around since forever but haven't heard of this Clow Reed until now despite having traveled across the world in our lifetime."

"Perhaps Clow was just a secretive guy," Adrien suggested. Seeing a note in midst of all the packaged Camembert cheeses, he pointed out, "Hey look, there's a note." Picking up the note, he opened it and read it. "Chat Noir, I hope these are to your kwami's delight. Signed, Hiiragizawa Eriol. Be wary of those closest to you who may betray your trust."

"What?! How'd he find out about your secret identity?!" Plagg cried. "And what's with that cryptic message at the end?"

"I don't know but I think it'd be a good time for us to go and find out," Adrien said. Punching his fist forward, he shouted, "Plagg, transform me!"

After transforming into Chat Noir, he leaped out from the large open window in his room to go find Eriol. Eventually, he found the dark-haired and blue-eyed sorcerer with Ladybug, Sakura, Syaoran, and Kero at a park, thanks to Eriol lifting up the magical barrier he had placed around them earlier so Chat could find them. As if he had expected his arrival, the Clow reincarnate looked expectantly up at Chat Noir and made eye contact with him as the latter joined in on their meeting.

"Glad to have you here with us, Chat Noir," Eriol greeted. "Did your kwami like the gift I sent?"

"Yeah, he requested that I thank you for him," Chat Noir grinned as he landed and approached them. "But anyway, who are you?"

"Chat Noir, meet the reincarnation of Clow Reed, Eriol Hiiragizawa," Ladybug introduced.

Upon hearing those words, Chat Noir stared at Eriol in disbelief. "Wait, what did you say?"

"It is just as Miss Ladybug said, I was formerly Clow Reed in my past life," Eriol affirmed.

"Don't worry, I was just as surprised as you," Ladybug said to Chat Noir. "And that's not all, he can use magic to take our Miraculouses without ever having to touch them."

"WHAT?!"

"Don't worry, I don't want or need your Miraculouses since I already have my own magic," Eriol reassured Chat Noir.

"But if you can do that, surely you can get back Hawkmoth and Mayura's Miraculouses, right?" Chat Noir inquired.

"Technically, yes, but I believe it would be best that I leave that up to you since that is why Master Fu chose you as Ladybug and Chat Noir," Eriol said. "But anyway, I didn't expect that my successor and cute little descendant would end up crossing paths with you Miraculous holders."

"Again, stop calling me that," Syaoran grumbled.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Sakura asked.

"It depends on how you look at it," Eriol responded. "I'm sure each of you are aware of the cost of knowing each other's identities."

"Wait but they don't know about our identities," Chat Noir pointed out.

"Perhaps not yours yet, but they have discovered Ladybug's identity," Eriol said.

"You know Ladybug's real identity?" Chat Noir asked Sakura and Syaoran incredulously.

"Ehehehe..." Sakura let out a small laugh.

"So as I said earlier, I'm sure you didn't come here just to pop in and say hi to us while we're here, so could you tell us why you came here on a whim?" Syaoran frowned, crossing his arms. "And why you chose to come here two days before we return to Japan?"

Eriol smiled. "Well, when I heard the Startrain had been completed and that you were here in Paris with Ms. Daidouji, I thought it'd be a good time to try out riding the train. As I said before, it really is fascinating how a train can take you from one country to another in a matter of hours. However, you are correct in that I didn't just come here to say hello."

"Then what else are you here for?" asked Kero.

Eriol's face turned from lighthearted to serious as he spoke. "I also came here because..."

"Yes?" Sakura and Syaoran asked in unison.

"Because Ruby wanted me to get Ladybug and Chat Noir's autographs."

"EHHHH?!" Sakura, Syaoran, and Kero screamed as Eriol held out a pen and paper to the two superheroes while casually smiling like the complete mischievous troll that he is from ear to ear. Chat Noir and Ladybug looked at each other with bewildered expressions on their faces, but signed their autographs for Eriol anyway.

"SO WHY DIDN'T SHE COME HERE WITH YOU TO GET THEM HERSELF?!" Kero yelled.

Eriol chuckled. "She's having a night out with Kaho, that's why. But she asked me to say hi to you two for her and to get her the alleged famed Ladybug and Chat Noir's autographs. Also, I thought I'd drop in on a visit with Master Fu before I leave. It would be nice if you two could meet him, Sakura, Syaoran."

"You could've just said that instead," Syaoran grumbled.

"Well then, how about we end it here? I don't want to keep you two out here for too long," Eriol suggested.

"Then, I'll call Tomoyo and let her know we'll meet up with her wherever she is," Sakura said as she took out her phone and dialed her friend's number. After speaking with her, she said, "She said she's at the Palais de Tokyo with Alya and um, I think it was Alix?"

"Chat and I can take you there! It's probably best that you don't use your magic since you don't have a way of concealing your identities like us," Ladybug offered.

"Thanks, Ladybug," said Sakura. She turned to Eriol. "You should come hang out with us a little longer while you're still here. You don't go back until tonight, right? I'm sure Sonomi will let you join us for dinner."

Eriol smiled at her. "Since you requested it, I suppose I could stay a little longer."

"All right!" Sakura cheered.

"But before that, I plan to say hello to Master Fu and to Yue. You said you were staying at Le Grand Paris, right?"

"Yeah, but brother and Yukito are probably somewhere around Paris right now," Sakura replied.

"Oh yeah, what did you mean in that note that you left in the gift you sent to me?" Chat Noir asked.

"I meant what I meant," Eriol said. "Don't think too much of it and just be yourself. Now then, you should probably get going."

"See you again later, Eriol!" Sakura waved goodbye as Ladybug transported her to the Palais de Tokyo while Chat Noir took Syaoran.

"Sooo can you give hints on who Ladybug is?" Chat Noir asked Syaoran.

"Pfft. You can find out yourself, Adrien Agreste," Syaoran retorted.

Chat Noir nearly dropped Syaoran in shock. "HUH?!"

"Sakura and I couldn't really say it before since it was hard to speak with you in private, but we were aware that you, Adrien Agreste, are Chat Noir since we could sense your kwami's presence whenever you were around," Syaoran stated nonchalantly. "That was also how we figured out Ladybug's identity, though we won't tell you who she really is."

When they reached the museum, Tomoyo was there waiting for them with Alya and Alix.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting long," Sakura apologized.

Tomoyo shook her head. "Not at all. You must have had lots to talk about with Hiiragizawa, right?" She winked to indicate that she knew that they probably had something magically-related to talk about that they couldn't involve her in. "In the meantime I had a pleasant time with Alya and Alix."

"It's a shame Marinette isn't here to see Ladybug and Chat Noir," Alya spoke as she held up her phone with the camera app on to snap a picture of Ladybug and Chat Noir. Suddenly remembering something, she asked, "Speaking of which, didn't she leave with you two and your friend from England earlier?"

"O-Oh yeah, she was with us, but then she went home," Sakura lied before casting a secretive wink at Ladybug.

Phew, thanks, Sakura, Ladybug thought. "Well, Chat and I should get going now. See you guys around!"

And with that, Ladybug used her yoyo to leave the premise. Chat Noir followed after her after giving a goodbye salute to the group.

"De-transform me," Ladybug whispered once she was inside a secluded alleyway, returning to her civilian self.

"De-transform me," uttered Chat Noir once he was back home inside his room.

"Man, those kids are full of surprises!" Plagg cried.

"Yeah, I know, right?" Adrien said. "I can't believe Eriol is the reincarnation of Clow Reed, the sorcerer who created those magical cards that Sakura used to help us defeat akumas."

Meanwhile, at Fu's Massage Shop, Fu heard a knock coming from the door. He frowned as he looked at his turtle-like kwami, Wayzz. Who on earth could it be? "Come in!" he called while signalling Wayzz to go hide somewhere in case the visitor was not Marinette or Adrien.

"It's been a while, Master Fu," Eriol greeted cordially as he stepped inside the shop.