["A long time ago, in an era where dragons lived freely and the great deities of legend lived among people; There came a day where the ten suns of the skies had risen together into the skies, scorching the Earth and causing much hardship for the people who lived there.

To save them, the divine archer Hou Yi shot down nine of them, leaving just one Sun. But even though he saved the people, he and his wife were punished and stripped of their place in the heavens. Longing to return to their home, Hou Yi searched for a way to return and journeyed to the West to meet the Queen mother.

Sympathetic to the blight of he and his wife, the Queen-mother bestowed upon them an elixir of life for them to share; but warned the archer that if one person were to drink all of the potion then they alone would rise to the heavens and be blessed with divinity.

Hou Yi then returned to his wife, explaining the warning that the Queen mother told him and the two agreed to hide the elixir, not wanting to be apart. However, while Hou Yi was out hunting, he returned to see that Chang'e had taken all the elixir for herself, regaining the divinity she had lost. Her husband in turn, was heartbroken at her betrayal and full of resentment he turned her back to her and the two never were to be reunited."]

["WHAT?! THAT'S HORRIBLE!"] A young girl wearing a bright red dress adorned with golden trim exclaimed to her father who chuckled in amusement. In an outside seating area situated around a round table, was an elder man, his daughter, and the nephew of his best friend. All were dressed accordingly for the mid-autumn festival, sharing stories as the food was being prepared. "Hou Yi should be really mad! The elixir was stolen from him!" Fei exclaimed as she stood up. ["Stealing is wrong! It's an injustice!"]

["That is true. But can you tell me what injustice is Feifei?"] The master asked his only student who looked at him with bright eyes.

["Injustice is evil!"] She said proudly, placing her hands on her hips, her eyes sparkling with eagerness. ["When I'm the guardian, I'll protect everyone and the temple against evil!"]

As the Master looked at his daughter and student with affection his gaze turned to the younger boy sitting beside her, hugging a large grey parrot that was sitting on his lap who was more focused on petting the bird.

["A-Xiang?"] The Master asked as he looked at the slightly younger boy who didn't meet his gaze.["What do you think?"]

The young boy was the grand-nephew of his longtime friend; he was timid and hardly ever spoke to any adult. The only two he appeared to get along with were the bird and Fei. As the sound of his name, he became startled, turning his expression away.

["A-Xiang!"] Fei exclaimed, turning to her friend. ["Don't you think that Chang'e was the worst?!"]

Xiang shrugged his shoulders, murmuring quietly under his breath, only loud enough for Fei to hear since she was sitting right next to him.

["What are you saying?! Of course, she was the worst! Stealing is an injustice, and Master Baba always says we have to uphold justice!"] Fei exclaimed as Xiang only frowned, not wanting to be spoken to.

["You know, there is another side to this tale as well."] Master Wu said, noticing how he garnered the attention of both children. ["From the perspective of Change'e."]

["But she's evil, and a thief, and mean!"] Fei retorted, certain of her stance.

["It may seem like that, but there are always two sides to every story. Feifei, to uphold justice and honor you must try to understand the values that other people hold, even if they are dissimilar to yours."] The Master said much to his daughter's confusion.

["Why?"]

Master Wu stood up from the table as he walked over to a scroll on the wall, decorated with the symbols of the temple. ["Honor to all life; Discipline of oneself; Compassion towards those who are outcast; Serenity of the mind; Patience of the body; Confidence in one's skill; and Courage embedded in the soul, are all values that are meant to uphold justice. To have one without the others would cause imbalance not only in the mind, but body and soul as well. When you are ready Fei, you will understand what each of these values means to you."] He said, as there was a knocking at the door. ["Run along now, and remember to come back when you're called."] The master said, dismissing the two.

Fei's eyes brightened at her Master's words as she nodded eagerly and then turned towards her friend.

["A-Xiang! Come on, let's go play!"] She said, immediately grabbing his arm and dragging him to the courtyard as the bird followed closely behind- keeping watch on both children.

["Don't be too long!"] Wu called out as he turned towards his longtime friend who entered the room holding a plate of treats in his hand. "I fear they may have become too close Wang."

["It's good for him."] Wang remarked as the two friends looked at the children in the courtyard. ["It's the first time he's ever opened up this much to anyone."] He remarked, despite Xiang not saying anything aloud to either of them.

The sight of the two children playing together caused Wu to smile, feeling a warm feeling in his chest. However, amidst this bliss, his smile faded as he looked down to the bracelet around his wrist as a feeling of foreboding surfaced. He then turned towards his longtime friend with a serious expression on his face.

["My friend, I have a favor to ask of you."]

Fei placed a dragon mask over her face as she picked up the emperor's mask, both were plastic and hand-painted, adorned with yarn and rhinestones. She ran out onto the courtyard and spotted her best friend hiding behind a stone.

["A-Xiang!"] She exclaimed, running over to him but then her excitement left as she saw him hugging the bird. She sighed and then sat down next to him, taking off her mask. ["Why are you crying? Do you want to play the dragon this time?"]

["You never let me play dragon."] He said in a muffled voice.

["Yeah- because dragons aren't crybabies,"] Fei remarked, trying to get him to open up more. ["Come one, you're going to France after all, that'll be so much fun!"] She said, trying to comfort him but only made him sadder.

["I don't want to live in France! I want to stay here with you and Bast!"] Xiang exclaimed, hiding his face in the bird's feathers once more.

Fei bit her bottom lip, she didn't like to see her younger brother crying like this. Xiang was always crying or afraid about something, but he was family.

["Take this."] Fei said, as she placed a jade bracelet in his hand. ["My dad made me this bracelet, it's supposed to provide boundless courage. Now when you're in France I'll be there with you little brother."] Fei said, pulling him into a tight hug- knowing that it would probably be their last for a while. ["I promise, we'll meet again soon."]

It all took place on the day of the Magical Eclipse, the one day of the year where the two deities were supposedly meant to be reunited. Wu Shifu was desperate: the secret he guarded was in danger. His students had abandoned him, the person he had called a friend who had betrayed him. What had become of the ancestral values? Courage, honesty, loyalty? A mysterious stranger was doing all he could to force the master to sell his school. Someone clearly wanted to take over the land upon which it was built.

The greed of the world was destroying everything. His school was his life, and his students were like his children. Without a family of his own, he would have no one to pass on his legacy and all the responsibilities that came with it. To whom would entrust his heavy secret? What if no one was there to protect the Sacred Cave during the next Magical Eclipse? Now alone, he had lost all hope.

And that was when he met... He gave me my name, which means "to fly in the sky".

My adoptive father Wu Shifu would go on to teach me the values of Kung Fu, and make me the new guardian. But they were still trying to chase us away. And when they took away my adoptive father, they destroyed the school.

In the end, they even got the bracelet. Now I was the only one left to protect the secret of the cave during the next Magic Eclipse.

The sun blazed over the sky as Ladybug sat with his back to a chimney, crossing his legs as he focused on his breathing. His concentration dulled the sounds of the city around him, allowing him to have a clear head.

Focus...

"...Think you may want to call it quits Bugaboo?" Chat Noir asked as he was stretched out on a rooftop, laying in a sunbeam as his tail flicked back and forth. "You've been at this for hours now. It's basically supper time."

Ladybug opened his eyes at the sound of his partner's voice with a frown. Ever since his trip to New York he had tried to re-create that same phenomenon that had occurred before- believing that it was a new power to be unlocked. However, nothing he did manage to trigger the same event. "I don't understand. I've meditated, honed my breathing, practiced yoga and Tai Chi, but nothing is helping." Ladybug sighed heavily in exhaustion. "Is there some other kind of mental training I'm nothing thinking of? Maybe fasting?" He said aloud as Chat Noir lazily yawned.

"You want it too much." Chat Noir remarked, perking Ladybug's interest. "You gotta relax, take some time off or something. Sleep on a leaf, or whatever Ladybug's do- it's summer don't you just want to laze around? Even Hawkmoth's taking a break." He said, as there hadn't been a single akumatization since the season began. Even so, Ladybug couldn't find it in himself to sit around and not do anything.

"How can you so easily take a nap in the sun like this? We don't know what Hawkmoth is planning, not to mention-"

"You're being too high-strung again." Chat Noir interrupted. "You're going to get nowhere if you keep fixating on this one thing. Get some perspective, take a nap, get some ice cream, relax for once. I think we've both earned it-" Chat Noir was explaining as Ladybug then poked his head. "...My Lady? What are you doing?" He asked, turning his head towards his partner who had partially blocked the sun's rays, casting a shadow over him.

Ladybug narrowed his eyes as he thought back to the New York trip, it was when he fet something for Chat Noir that the power surfaced, but he couldn't figure out what exactly it was that triggered it. "Would you mind if I held your hand for a second?" He asked bluntly as Chat Noir's eyes widened.

"Uh- okay?" The hero said lifting his hand.

Ladybug held on with both hands, closing his eyes as he tried to focus again, as Chat Noir felt helpless. "...May I please ask what you're trying to do?"

"I'm trying to think only of you, then maybe I can get some idea of the trigger." Ladybug said in a serious tone, his eyes still closed. However, the explanation only left Chat Noir feeling flustered. The hero had dreams similar to this, but experiencing it in reality was a different story altogether. He was certain that his face was beet red at this point, but couldn't bring himself to pull his hand away. Rather, he memoried the feeling of his partner holding his hand, engraving it into his memory until Ladybug sighed again.

"Nothing." The hero grimaced, standing up as he crossed his arms. "Maybe you're right, maybe I do need some perspective." Ladybug said as they looked out over the river.

"Or maybe you could try again?" Chat Noir offered as his ears twitched. "I'm just trying to be as helpful as I can with the process."

"Thanks Chat Noir, but I shouldn't trouble you any further unless I actually know what I'm dealing with." Ladybug said taking out his yo-yo. "I'll talk to the Kwami's and text you later."

"How is Wayzz doing by the way?" Chat Noir asked as Ladybug felt a pang of sadness.

"There's...no improvement just yet." Ladybug informed. "He still needs time." The hero said as he jumped out into the city and returning back home.

Marin de-transformed just as his feet his the roof and he was left with a hollow feeling since there was no progress made over the course of the few weeks. Tikki hovered nearby as he jumped down into his bedroom. In the corner of his bed- filled with pillows was the Miracle Box, temporarily placed there until he could build a proper place to hide it away. As he looked towards the box, thinking about the Kwami's inside, he was disheartened at how he had regressed in his training. In the past, he was able to sense any Akuma or Amok's in the area, but after losing Master Fu...

He sighed heavily after taking a deep breath as he looked up towards the sky as he conceded. If there was a way to regain his ability, then he didn't know how to go about it. But then, his stomach rumbling drew his attention away while Tikki giggled, lighting up his mood a little. But he didn't immediately run into the kitchen as he normally would. Marin instead jumped off his bed and walked towards his trunk. After opening it up and taking out all the prewrapped gifts within it, Marin reached for an old tin that was decorated with golden dragons. It was previous used to hold mooncakes but now it held various mementos from a time long past. But then, he picked up a recipe card that was worn down, but still had legible writing on it, looking it over once a smile drew on his lips.

"Tikki, would you want a special treat?" Marin asked as Tikki immediately nodded.

Though Marin had experience with many styles of the culinary arts and had a fully stocked kitchen at his disposal, he scowled in frustration at the dough sitting before him. He then raced down towards the bakery where his parents were still working and called out to his mother at the cashier's desk.

["Mama, do we have any mooncake molds? Or Lotus seeds?"] He called out as his mother whipped her head around in surprise, despite already being with a customer.

["Mooncake molds?! Why are you asking?!"] She exclaimed as her eyes began to sparkly and Marin immediately regretted asking her.

["Ah- nevermind, I'll make do!"] Marin informed as he raced back up the stairs and into the kitchen where Tikki was sitting atop the fridge.

"What did she say?" She asked as Marin sighed heavily, wondering if he was putting in too much effort for what was probably going to turn out to be a subpar creation.

By the time the pseudo mooncakes came out of the oven, Marin couldn't help but frown as he saw them. Without a mold, he just drew some decorations on using a chopstick, and without lotus seeds, he used red beans. They smelled right, but didn't look the part at all, almost making him want to toss them in the trash.

"I can't even do this right." He said to himself as Tikki helped herself to one of the still-hot treats.

"It's good!" She exclaimed as she had bitten part of the egg yolk that was inside. Marin followed her example, taking a bite of the baked treat as well, feeling a rush of nostalgia but still felt unsatisfied.

"There's still something off." Marin said aloud as he placed a hand on his hip, feeling some frustration building up. "I can't put my finger on it but I know that something is definitely missing. It's not as good as I remember."

"It has been a long time since you've had one right? Maybe you're just remembering with rose-tinted glasses? Or maybe you could ask your parents?" The Kwami suggested.

Marin shrugged his shoulders in defeat, taking off his apron and placing it to the side just as he sat at the table, resting his head on his arms. "Maybe I've just lost my touch with everything..."

Tikki looked at her partner sadly, knowing all too well about how much he was struggling to make progress but appeared to be in a rut of sorts. Then, an idea perked her up as she flew over to her partner.

"I know! You could call Adrien!" Tikki exclaimed excitedly.

"WHA-" Marin recoiled back, falling out of his chair as Tikki winced. "W-Why would, why him?! He's not even here!" Marin exclaimed in disbelief. Adrien was out of the country, traveling with his father for an opening of a new boutique, as the son of the owner and a model his attendance was mandatory. "I don't even know where he is!"

"All the more reason to called him! Here, I'll help!" Tikki said as she quickly flew over to Marin's cell phone sitting on the counter and then calling up his friend.

"TIKKI NO-" Marin called out trying to reach the phone before her, but was too late as he saw his best friend's face on the other end.

"Hey!" Adrien said with a bright smile, just as Marin tripped over his own feet, landing on the ground as he had to pick himself up to quickly respond.

"Uh- hey Adrien." Marin greeted, rubbing his now sore nose as Adrien chuckled.

"You okay there?"

"Yeah, yeah. All's good- everything's okay." Marin said as his cheeks heated with embarrassment. "So, how are you? It's been a while since we caught each other like this- time difference and all." He added hastily as Adrien nodded.

"My father keeps taking us everywhere, it's kind of hard to keep up. But I'll definitely be back in time for the next semester to start!"

Marin's heart swelled up at the prospect. He was allowed to go back to school just in time for the summer break to start but wasn't able to spend any time with Adrien as of yet.

"What's in your hair?" Adrien then asked as Marin touched his head, feeling that some of the fillings had made it onto him somehow.

"Huh?" Marin looked at his face in the camera, and saw some red bean in his hair. "Oh that," Marin said as he wiped it away. "Just something for a recipe. I'm missing some ingredients and I'm just trying to make do."

"Oooo- making something tasty to send to me?" Adrien asked, rubbing his hands in anticipation.

"I don't even know where you are!" Marin pointed out in amusement as both of them laughed.

"Yeah- my father's schedule has been pretty hectic, right now we're in Los Angles in the states, but who knows where we'll end up next week. Hopefully, we'll be back in Paris soon so I can eat whatever you're baking."

Marin's expression fell as he could see how eager Adrien was. Usually, he was happy to make anything for his friends, but right now Marin didn't feel so optimistic. "I don't know- I think I'm just in some kind of creative limbo right now. Maybe it's homesickness..."

"Huh?"

"What?"

"You just said-"

"NOTHING! NOTHING! I'LL CALL YOU LATE BYE-BYE!" Marin immediately said as he hung up.

"I think that went well." Tikki said supportively while Marin glared at his Kwami in turn.

"Is anything else going to go wrong today?!" Marin exclaimed in exasperation as he heard a rush of footsteps, and his parents immediately entering the living room just as Tikki phased back into his room.

"ARE YOU MAKING MOON CAKES?!" They exclaimed in excitement as Marin immediately felt all the more tired.

Adrien was looking at the black screen on his phone as he wondered if he should call Marin back. He missed all of his friends and was exhausted from traveling so much. Right now he was simply sitting in the penthouse in a lavish hotel as his father was away on business and his bodyguard was passed out on the bed as he had the worst jet lag.

"Hear that? Looks like the baker boy is itching to bake something. Go home and take advantage of that for me!" Plagg demanded as he poked his head out of Adrien's shirt pocket.

"Don't be ridiculous Plagg." Adrien scolded lightly. "We're not going back to Paris anytime soon."

"We're not- but Chat Noir could." Plagg pointed out. "You've been going back and forth as Chat Noir for weeks now, why not take some time and retrieve some of that freshly baked camembert bread for your favorite Kwami?" Over the course of their travels, Plagg had been feeling homesick the most, though he was constantly being fed camembert all he desired were the freshly baked goods from the Dupain-Chengue bakery.

"But Plagg, my favorite Kwami is Tikki." Adrien said innocently as Plagg immediately became infuriated at him- much to Adrien's amusement.

"Come on, you go back and forth all the time why can't I just have this one thing?" Plagg pleaded. "

"That's different Plagg." Adrien said. "I only go back when Chat Noir is needed so Ladybug doesn't get suspicious. It would look weird if Chat Noir was missing for as long as when I was traveling with my father. Plus, I can't exactly transform back to normal when I'm in Paris."

"Oh please!" Plagg scoffed. "Chat Noir and the baker boy are buddy-buddy! If you just asked-" Plagg promoted but could see he wasn't making any leeway. "Come on Adrien! The second you turn your back the baker boy is going to find someone who will eat all his creations!"

"Plagg, that's every one of our friends." Adrien pointed out, as their entire class were privy to getting treats now and again.

"Oh yeah? Well what happened if the baker boy finds himself a sweetheart huh? All that is just gonna go!" Plagg exclaimed, now ranting like a madman.

"Okay okay," Adrien said, "How about we find you some treats to eat when we go out today huh? Would you like that?"

Plagg scowled at his partner, crossing his arms as his tantrum was quelled. "...Maybe."

"Marinus, what if you went to visit your great uncle for the rest of the summer?" Tom asked, abruptly.

"Huh?" Marin looked at his father in surprise as he asked him, all of them were sitting around the table with the pseudo mooncakes placed between them.

"Your father and I both can see that, you've been missing your first home lately." His mother said as she held his hand. "With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching perhaps, it's as good a time as any to go visit." She offered as Marin immediately felt nervous.

"I can't just go so suddenly, what about the bakery and school and responsibility-"

"Don't worry about a thing, mio piccolo principle! You'll be back in time for school plus- you can arrive in Shanghai just in time for your great Uncle's birthday!" His father remarked, unintentionally playing the guilt trip card. But while his father was ranting on about how excited he was, unable to be stopped his mother grasped his hands with a somber expression.

"It'll also be good for you to pay your respects." She said as Marin's expression immediately fell.

As he walked back into his room, Marin looked up at his bed aware that he would have to find an ideal hiding place for it- where his parents wouldn't think to look or clean. But more importantly, the growing pit in his stomach only worsened as he picked up the tin again. This time as he opened it he reached for a notebook that had a photo inside.

"Huh, I forgot this was here." Marin said to himself as he took out a torn photo with a young girl with messy hair, a crooked grin, and a familiar jade bracelet around her wrist. She was sitting in the lap of his great uncle Wang who was younger in the photo, and it appeared that she was holding onto someone else's arm, but the photo was torn.

"Who is that?" Tikki asked as she hovered over his shoulder.

["...Feifei."] Marin said as he was filled with nostalgia. "My jiějie."

"YOU HAVE A SISTER?!" Tikki exclaimed in surprise as Marin almost dropped the tin.

"Not by blood, Sugarcube. Also- lower your voice" Marin clarified."When I lived in Shanghai with my mother she was the daughter of my great-uncle's best friend. We used to play together all the time. But when I moved away to France with dad we lost touch." He said, feeling a pang of nostalgia for his old home as he recalled all the fun times they had together. "I hope they're living well at least."

The plane ride was horrible but not as horrible as it could been. Marin took a huge breath of relief as he removed his headphone and the hood off of his comfort hoodie, turning off the podcast that was recommended to him by Adrien's bodyguard. As he stepped outside of the airport and into the city, he felt a rush of excitement as he felt like he had come home.

["What a joy to see you again, I'm so happy you've finally made the trip to visit!"] Marin's uncle said gleefully as they drove through the city in his car. Marin was always looking out the window, taking in how different the city was. Everything was more modern, with skyscrapers dominating over the skyline.

["Yes, it's a good thing, and this way you'll get to open your present on time."] Marin responded respectfully. ["I hope I'm not taking you away from your work uncle."]

[Your visit is my present, Marin and that's the best gift I could ever receive. The restaurant had a lot of guests planned for this week, but I canceled everything! I took a vacation for the first time since...] Wang's expression fell suddenly as Marin took notice of how sad his uncle was. "Since you and your mother left..."

Marin glanced at his uncle sympathetically, wondering if that was the entire story. ["You didn't have to do that for me uncle."]

Wang then turned to him with a bright smile. "Of course I did, family is sacred!" He said in french, much to his nephew's surprise.

"Your French has improved a lot since you last came to Paris."

"I have worked hard so it will be easier to communicate with you in the language you're most comfortable in!" Wang said as Marin received a notification on his phone, but quickly turned off his device in order to pay better attention to his uncle. "And now I can tell you all about your ancestors, and show you every family photo! Next time, I'll take you to visit the wonders of Shanghai, and teach you all the Chengs' traditional songs!"

Marin couldn't help but smile eagerly at how excited his uncle was, hoping that this trip would be beneficial for both of them.

As Marin and his uncle walked into his restaurant together, carrying his luggage Marin took out his phone to see what notification he'd received but then his attention was taken as he heard the sound of feathers.

"A-XIANG! A-XIANG!"

Marin immediately froze in place as he heard his first name being spoken aloud. Reflexively he hid behind his much larger uncle as a bird came flying towards him. "W-What is-" He rasped out fearfully until his eyes rested on the bird sitting on his uncle's shoulder.

"Don't tell me you don't recall Bastille." Wang remarked with a hearty chuckle. "Once you held him in your arms you wouldn't let go of him once." He chuckled as the parrot squawked again.

"A-XIANG! A-XIANG!" The bird greeted as flew on Marin's shoulder, nuzzling him affectionately. A few memories surfaced about such a bird, but Marin thought that he was always a stuffed animal of sorts rather than an actual bird. Still-

["Nice to meet you again Bast."] Marin said, scratching Bastille's chest, much to his enjoyment. ["But please call me Marin."]

"A-MAR! A-MAR!" The bird squawked as Marin stared at the bird with a deadpanned expression.

"Close enough I guess."

"Bastille has always been in the family, look. He was already there with grandpa Yan and granny Mei Chei, and with Xia Bing, your mother, and then with you when you were born." Wang explained as he pointed out several framed photos, specifically pointing out one where Marin was a young child, wearing traditional garb and hiding his face behind the bird- much to his embarrassment. But then he remembered something as he took out his journal and showed his uncle the photo.

"Uncle do you remember Feifei?" Marin asked holding up the photo, but as soon as he did Wang's immediately became saddened as he gently took the torn photo from Marin's hand.

["...Little Feifei."] He murmured as his eyes started to tear up.

"I'm sorry uncle, I shouldn't have brought her up-" Marin immediately said, feeling guilt as he tried to take the photo back but Wang shook his head.

"No no, it's alright. It's just...been a long time since I saw a photo of her." He sighed heavily, sitting down on a chair nearby as Bastille flew on his shoulder to keep him company. "I didn't realize how much I missed her and my dear friend."

Marin bit his lip for a moment before asking. "What exactly happened to them? If you don't mind me asking."

"Of course not Marin, my friend Wu looked after you like his own. Had you and your mother remained I'm sure you would have become a full time student of his." Wang chuckled to himself. "His school was well respected in the community for many years, but over the years it began to lose students- supposedly because not many were looking to follow in the old ways anymore. A few years ago there was a fire, and it took your uncle's life and burned down his school. I tried to search for Fei, but I was informed that she had been sent away to live elsewhere since her father was her only family." He explained sighing heavily. "I can only hope that she's living a happy life."

Wang handed Marin's photo back as he pointed out Fei in the picture. "This was taken on the last Mid-Autumn Festival before you left. You wouldn't stop crying, not until Fei comforted you. The two of you and Bast were very close."

"Yeah...I remember that." Marin said lamely, as he placed the photo back into his journal so he wouldn't lose it.

"But enough sadness!" Wang immediately exclaimed. "You're here to spend time with family but you can't do that on an empty stomach. Come, I'll feed you well."

"Ah- that's okay uncle I don't really have an appetite!"

"Nonsense, I can prepare soup dumplings for you very quickly!" Wang said happily as he pushed Marin into the kitchen while Bastille followed them.

In Shanghai in a high-rise hotel room, Adrien looked out over the city as morning came. "The Bund district is so impressive, father! Have you ever spent time in Shanghai outside of work?" Adrien asked as he looked out of the window of their high-rise hotel room while his father continued to work.

"Of course I have." His father said briefly, never taking his eyes away from his work at hand.

"Then there must be some places you could show me. It would be great to see them together!" Adrien offered, trying to lift his father's spirits. It appeared to work slightly as his father turned his gaze slightly towards him.

" I... suppose. But before we do, I have some details to work out for tomorrow's opening night. The cateror is being fickle."

Adrien's expression fell as he heard how busy his father was going to be. "I guess I'll just stay at the hotel and wait for you..." He said but then was surprised as his father patted his shoulder.

"On the contrary, take advantage of this beautiful day to walk around. I'll join you in the early afternoon after I check up on a few things." He said as Adrien smiled brightly at the prospect of spending time with his father.

Marin yawned as Bastille landed on his shoulder, walking into the kitchen he saw his uncle already cooking what appeared to be a feast just for breakfast, humming to himself happily. "Uncle, are there people coming over?" Marin asked as he looked out over the spread of luxurious meals.

"No no, I'm just so happy I couldn't help myself. Your mother did say to keep you well fed." Wang remarked as he placed a plate of potstickers before his nephew.

"Magic ingredient! Magic ingredient!" Bastille squawked as he flew over to Wang's shoulder.

"Yes, Bastille, I haven't forgotten," Wang said, petting his stomach. "Do you remember my style of cooking, Marinus?"

"Huh? Uh... Oh, right," Marin stammered as he was still off-put by the prospect of eating so much food. "you always improvise around something that fate brings you."

Wang nodded as he placed a hand on his nephew's head. "And today, fate has brought you, Marin."

Marin looked at his uncle in surprise. "Are you going to cook me into a soup?" He asked as his uncle laughed.

"Not today."

"Then do you want me to pick up something at the market? There's an open market nearby here isn't there?"

"There is but I have to make some preparations for an upcoming celebration."

"You mean the Mid-Autumn festival?" Marin asked curiously, knowing that his uncle's restaurant was known to cater extravagant parties.

"Something like that. I'll be done by night, and then we can take a walk through the city together." Wang promised with a smile.

"It's alright uncle if the market is still in the same place it was then I can just go by myself."

"By yourself? Aren't you afraid of getting lost? It's been a long time since you were last in the city. This place has changed a lot."

"I won't get lost. I'm partially a native after all, plus I have my phone with me." Marin said with a hint of confidence as he walked towards the door.

"Very well, but don't go too far. You can find everything you need in the neighborhood. I'm sure our meal tonight will be very special indeed!" Wang called out as Marin went out the door. But as soon as Marin was out of sight Bastille squawked as he flew after him, only to be captured by his current owner.

"No no, Bast- Marin wants to do this alone." Wang said much the parrot's chagrin.

"What are you going to get?" Tikki asked, poking her head out of the messenger bag as she looked up towards him, but saw that Marin had already bought something from a nearby vendor, but wasn't immediately going back to the restaurant. "Where are you going? The restaurant is back there."

"We're not going back just yet Tikki." Marin informed while Tikki began to feel nervous. "We're going to pay respects to Uncle Wu first, then the market." He informed as he then turned into an alleyway.

"If you wanted to go there why didn't you tell your uncle?"

"I couldn't tell him Tikki, don't you remember last night? I've never seen uncle Wang so upset before. I don't want to bring it up again if I can."

"If you think that's best, but do you even remember where it is?" Tikki said, trying to be supportive but still felt uneasy.

"Mildly, but I'm sure it'll all come back once I get going!" Marin responded with a smile. "Come on Tikki trust me, I've at least grown up a little bit since I've met you. I think I can handle a walk in the neighborhood." He said trying to reassure her, but to little avail.

Gabriel walked around the burned remains of the temple that badly scorched. Reports had shown that the school had been dwindling in students, and was on the brink of closing resulting in only one casualty of the fire. However- it was the only man who knew the location of the item he was searching for.

This was the first time that he had this place, and from what Nathalie had told him, there was no place where the hidden chamber could be accessed, meaning that there had to be a secret place only known to the Masters of this school.

"Nathalie." Gabriel said as he spoke into his phone. "It's just as you said, I don't believe that there is an entrance in the temple, but perhaps if it's on the grounds-"

Just as Gabriel stepped out onto the street someone had almost bumped into him, but instead, they tripped over their own feet. Gabriel paid them no mind until-

"M-M-M-Mr. Agreste?!"

Surprised for a second he looked down to see Adrien's suppose friend, now quickly picking up white peaches that had fallen onto the sidewalk. To see a familiar face here of all places was going to be a hindrance, unless...

"Marinus Dupain-Chengue was it?" Gabriel asked as he picked up a peach that was near his feet, handing it to the young man who was flustered. From the background report, Nathalie had done on all of Adrien's classmates Gabriel knew that Marin was previously a resident of Shanghai before moving to France.

"Y-yes sir." Marin said he hung his head nervously. "I-If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here- in Shanghai sir."

Gabriel held his tongue for a moment as he looked at the younger man suspiciously, wondering if their goals were aligned. "Business. However, I was acquainted with the man who ran this place." He remarked as he looked at the scorched building. "But it appears that he no longer resides here." The older man noticed how Marin's expression immediately fell at the mention at the former master.

"Oh, small world I guess. I just came by to pay respects to my uncle as well." Marin said with a nervous chuckle, holding up his bag of peaches.

"Then you are familiar with this place." Gabriel inquired as he watched Adrien's classmate placing the peaches at the foot of the temple- in lieu of a gravesite.

"A little, I was young the master watched over me, he was a close friend of my uncle." Marin informed.

"I see, being here must be quite, emotional for you." Gabriel said, sounding sympathetic as an idea began to form.

"I guess...but how exactly did you know uncle Wu?"

"...We were briefly acquainted on a trip. I was interested in purchasing his amulet, an old relic for my collection. Perhaps you know of it." Gabriel asked.

"Amulet? Are you talking about the Prodigious?" Marin asked curiously as Gabriel immediately became interested, not expecting the young man to name the exact artifact he was certain that no one else had any knowledge about.

"So you are familiar with it?" Gabriel asked as Marin shrugged his shoulders.

"It's just a story my uncle used to tell anyone who would listen. It was about how the temple used to protect the amulet, and how the guardians would protect it, but eventually, its whereabouts were lost over time."

"There is more to you than it appears to be, it would seem. Just as well, the item appears to simply be a fable, just as you said Now then- I will take my leave." Gabriel said curtly but stopped as Marin spoke up again.

"Ah- sir? Is Adrien here as well?"

Gabriel didn't turn back towards the child."Presently, he is in the Bund district, perhaps you may be able to catch up if you leave now."

"T-thank you sir! Have a nice trip!" Marin said, bowing his head to the elder man as he ran past and onto the street, leaving behind the offerings. Gabriel narrowed his eyes as he turned back to the temple, taking out his phone.

"Nathalie, it appears that I have found a possible target. All the conditions necessary for the Magical Eclipse will be met tomorrow as planned." He informed as he then took out a bracelet from his pocket, looking down at it eagerly.

"Please, master, think!" Nooroo warned as he flew out. "It is for good reason that the Prodigious was abandoned in favor of the Miraculous! It was secured in that cave because it is too powerful, too dangerous!

"Precisely, Nooroo. Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous have been holding me in check for too long. I won't pass on an opportunity to destroy them with this higher power. What I started 15 years ago I will finish tomorrow." Gabriel said with a foreboding grin, while his Kwami could only hang his head fearfully.

"What a coincidence that Adrien is in Shanghai as well!" Tikki said, hiding in his collar as Marin walked down the street with his eyes glued to his phone. He could feel his cheeks heat up at the thought of seeing Adrien again after so long. He was using his phone to track down where he was, in hopes of surprising him.

"Yeah." Marin said in acknowledgment as he looked on the map but took an alleyway.

"Aren't you going in the wrong direction?" Tikki asked as she looked down at his phone.

"The alleyways are the best for shortcuts sugarcube." Marin informed as they ended up on the main street. "There!" He pointed out in excitement as he saw his best friend standing across the street with his bodyguard- taking photos with some of the locals.

I'd like to see people as people, think of them as stories: their smallest pleasures, their greatest joys, their disappointments, their successes. That's how my adoptive father would have wanted me to see them. To be the guardian he wanted me to be, I must forget who I really am. I must get the key back at all costs! And for that, I need money. There was someone who could tell me the truth about what happened to my adoptive father, but I have to pay him.

Fei walked through the crowded streets with her backpack shouldered over, her eyes darting around for a target. Over the years she had learned the value the jewelry held, the older the better- especially if they had jewels. She zeroed in on a familiar-looking blonde-haired boy, a model who was in multiple advertisements throughout the city. The ring he wore on his finger looked especially valuable.

She evaded his sightline by stepping behind an advertisement, quickly placing on a wig and sunglasses that partially hid her face, and then moved in, intending to bump into him to grab the ring off of his hand. However, as she drew closer, the much larger man nearby stepped in front of her, catching a glance of her face and scaring her off. Fei knew better than to engage in someone who was especially cautious.

The former Guardian evaded the bodyguard's gaze as she changed out of her disguise in favor of another one. "No sweat, just need a..." She murmured under her breath as she eyed another target. This one appeared to be a resident, as evident by how relaxed he was in a crowd of people. Her eyes trained on the earrings he wore as well as the messenger bag he had on his shoulder- the ideal target.

Marin's eyes were trained on his friend as Tikki flew into his bag to hide properly, but as he walked to the crosswalk he bumped into someone wearing sunglasses and a hat obscuring most of their face.

"Sorry!" He said reflexively as they nodded their head, walking away.

Marin didn't think twice as he walked away, seeing that Adrien was getting into a cab but then as he placed his hands at his side he didn't feel his messenger bag anymore. Immediately a chill started to creep up his spine as he tried not to panic, he looked out onto the street not seeing it anywhere. He then ran back into the alley he was before not seeing it there either.

"Tikki? Tikki?!" He asked, called out trying to summon her, but nothing happened. As Marin then placed his hands on his ears his entire body went into shock as he didn't feel his Miraculous. Immediately his breathing became hitched and he heard his heart beating in his ears, threatening to burst as his head started to spin.

"This is fine." He said breathily to himself as he tried not to have a panic attack near a crowded street filled with people.

Notes:

-Fei: I'm about to reset this soft boy's entire character arc

- Originally, I was going to come up with a fabled folk tale about an emperor and a dragon, but using the traditional one was more relevant to the theming, and characterization of Fei and Marinus.

-Marin actually going to Shanghai to reconnect with his roots, instead of stalking Adrien there.

-Getting this story out before the actual Mid-Autumn festival