Hikari's POV

"Adrien; will you start us off?"

Said blond stood up, giving a welcoming, model smile. "My name is Adrien and a fun fact about me is that I enjoy fencing. I suppose my question for you would be where in Japan you come from since I noticed you don't have the typical Japanese features or accent."

I laughed a little. "I had a feeling that would be asked," I replied. "From what I've been told, I was born in Japan, but I don't know my biological parents. I was raised in a quiet town out in the countryside by my grandmother until I was about 6, after which she sadly passed away and I was taken in by my current family: The Kurais. My adoptive father is adopted himself in America and my adoptive mother is from Canada. They moved to Japan after my father's parents passed and eventually started a family of their own."

Quite a few of the students got sad looks on their faces, so I quickly added: "But don't feel bad; my family truly loves and cares for me, and I also have two brothers and a sister who I cherish dearly, even if we aren't related by blood."

This seemed to lighten the mood and we continued with the game.

Chloe didn't stand up like her friend and instead looked at me with a haughty expression that screamed: "I'm better than you and don't you forget it."

"I'm Chloe Bourgeois. My daddy is the mayor of Paris and owns Le Grand Paris hotel, while my mother is a world-famous fashion designer in New York. I also happen to be the superhero, Queen Bee." Honestly, the girl kept going on and on about how amazing her life was that I sorta zoned out for a bit. I was kind of relieved that Lila wasn't in class that day because I don't think I could have stood another round of someone painting themselves to be perfect and above everyone else.

Eventually, it got to a point where Miss Bustier had to intervene. "Chloe, don't you have a question for Hikari?"

The diva seemed irritated, but decided not to push her luck with the teacher and, tossing her hair over her shoulder, asked with a sly smirk: "So, what do your parents do?"

Having planned that I would have more than likely interact to some degree with the hoity-toity girl, I had prepared myself to deal with her attitude and remained calm. She certainly wasn't the first bully I had come across, so dealing with her arrogant behavior was nothing new to me.

"Well," I began, "both of my parents are retired military."

This was probably something the pompous blonde hadn't expected, for her smug expression dropped, probably having lost the use of a snarky comment she had ready to unload. It seemed that even she knew talking negatively of anyone who served their country would certainly only result in ridicule from the rest of the class.

Having gained at least a little respect from her, I continued. "My father was a Marine in The United States Navy, while my mother was a combat nurse for The Army. A training accident injured my father and ended his time in The Core and my mother had just finished her final deployment, so they decided to move to Japan where my father's parents were originally from. Now, he owns a boat repair shop and she stays at home to take care of my little sister."

The class began to voice their shock and amazement, while Chloe simply pouted and looked away.

Next was a larger student who at first seemed intimidating until he began to speak and quickly showed how shy he was. "I'm Ivan. I guess my fun fact is that I'm in a band called Kitty Section and play the drums. Um, do you play any instruments I suppose would be my question for you?"

"A couple actually," I replied, intriguing him and his other bandmates, Rose and Juleka. "My grandmother taught me how to play the ocarina, and I taught myself the piano and violin, the latter of which is my favorite. I just really like the way it sounds, almost as if I'm transported to another world whenever I play."

Ivan nodded, seeming quite happy with my answer, before sitting back down.

"It's very nice to meet you; my name is Alya and I'm pretty new to the city as well," the energetic journalist introduced, seeming to fight the urge to pull out her phone and record the interaction. "I'm a blogger and one of my most popular blogs is The Ladyblog which follows up on the latest scoops of Paris's heroes: Ladybug and Chat Noir. My question to you is if Japan has any heroes like ours?"

I held an elbow with one hand while holding my chin with the other, pretending to think. I had expected the teen to ask a question like this but wanted to pause and make it look as though I hadn't already prepared an answer. "To be honest, the town I'm from is very rural, far from any major cities, so my initial response would be no. However-" I drew this last word out, seeming to perk everyone's interest, "-there is a legend my hometown holds. It tells of a time long ago when Darkness had control over the hearts of man, threatening to wipe out the Light. One day, a hero appeared and shared his power with the children, who were somehow unaffected by the Darkness. With this new strength, the children managed to drive out the evil and once more bring Light to their home. The hero vanished soon after and is believed to have traveled to other lands that needed his help."

By the time I finished my tale, Alya looked ready to burst. "Would you mind telling me the story again after school!?" She asked giddily. "I'd love to record it and share on my blog."

I giggled, as did a few others, before nodding. "I'd be happy to."

With a giant grin still present, the brunette sat back down and began to scribble in a notebook, probably what I could only assume were questions she would ask in the interview.

A girl with pitch-black hair and purple streaks was up next. She nervously brushed the hair covering her left eye behind her ear, only for it to fall right back into place as soon as she stood up. "My name is Juleka. I'm also a member of Kitty Section, as well as my brother, Luka, who doesn't attend here. W-What can you tell us about your siblings?"

We hadn't even gotten through half the students and I was already thoroughly enjoying this Q&A session. It was nice to relax and be more open about myself, especially with those in my age group. "Well, my youngest sibling is my little sister, Chise. She's the spitting image of our mom and your typical 9-year old. She likes fairytales and anything cute, plus has a soft spot for baby animals. Then there's my youngest brother- Arashi- who is 12. He likes being outdoors and trying to learn how everything mechanical works, which ranges anywhere between the lawnmower and our air condition unit." This got them to laugh a little. "Summer in Japan with no AC sucks let me tell you."

I paused for a moment, feeling somewhat somber as I realized who the only sibling I hadn't mentioned was. It wasn't until later I realized I might have said more than I should have when it was his turn. "Genji is my oldest brother and the same age as me, 17. When we were younger, he would come to my rescue whenever I was getting picked on by the local kids. He loves adventure books and is a pretty good writer himself. He dotes on Chise and spoils her rotten with the stories he comes up with about princesses and magical creatures." Another pause. "We haven't exactly been getting along lately; we actually had a fight a few weeks ago, but when I tried to remember what it was about and attempted to talk to him, it didn't go well. I haven't seen him since." When I looked up at the student and saw the concerned and depressed looks on their faces, it hit me what I had just done and I mentally cursed for having not caught myself sooner. I embarrassingly rubbed the back of my head, trying to once again lighten the mood. "I-I'm sorry, everyone. I guess I've been under so much stress lately that I ended up rambling. I can assure you that I love my brother just as much now as I did before our fight. I'm sure that we'll soon make up and forget all about this."

They didn't seem quite convinced but thankfully made no comment, a few nodding their heads in acceptance.

"I guess that it's my turn." The secret heroine stood up. "It's very nice to meet you, Hikari. My name is Marinette and my fun fact is that my parents own and run a bakery here in Paris. Keeping with the theme, my question is what your favorite sweet or pastry is."

My smile returned, happy to get back on track. "It would probably have to be sugar cookies, since my sister and I love baking them, though pocky comes pretty close in the sweets department, and red velvet is my favorite cake flavor." I chuckle sheepishly before adding: "I kinda have a bit of a sweet tooth and try to have some sweet that's unique to every place I travel to."

Marinette's eyes seemed to shine. "In that case, I'll bring some macaroons," she stated excitedly.

"I look forward to it," I replied.

As Marinette sat down, another student rose. "My name is Mylene and my fun fact is that I'm really passionate about the environment and want to ensure it stays healthy for future generations to enjoy. As for my questions: What made you want to become a teacher, or at least look into pursuing that career?"

I hummed as I searched for an answer. I had known for quite a while I wanted to help or work with kids, perhaps because of Chise, but education... "I guess I wanted to change people's general perspective," I answered.

"Perspective?" Mylene echoed.

I nodded. "You see, back home, I'm sort of treated like an outcast, never quite fitting in. Maybe it's because of my unknown heritage or even the way I look, I'll probably never know for certain. The point is that I wanted to change how people think of others so perhaps no one else would go through what I have, and what better way to do so than through the younger generations? I've traveled to so many places, some where people are oppressed by things out of their control; their race, their religion, their social status, even the color of their eyes. I've learned that you're not born intolerant, you're taught it and by being someone that leaves a strong impression on young minds, teachers can help curb that lack of understanding. Perhaps that's why I love Paris; there's such a diverse group of people living here in relative peace. I may not be able to change the whole world, but perhaps changing the world of a few can help steer everyone else in the right direction. Maybe that's why I came here, to experience such open-mindedness."

"How inspirational," Miss Bustier stated, clasping her hands together, while some of the students voiced their agreement.

"I'm up next." A darker-skinned boy with short, curly brown hair and square glasses took the stage. "I'm Max and my passion is technology, like computers and video-games. Are there any types of games you like?"

"Well, video-games were never my strong suit, but my younger brother, Arashi, is really gifted in that department. As I had said earlier, he isn't really one for sitting around doing nothing and is always looking for something to fight boredom, whether it be through strategy games or even tinkering with machinery in our father's shop. Although, if I had to pick a type of game I like, I do enjoy a good puzzle, or perhaps crime-solving scenarios."

Max nodded, seeming happy with my answer before the next student started.

A spunky girl stood and gave a confident smile. "I'm Alix and my hobbies include roller-blading and racing friends. Any recreational sports you like in particular?"

I had to think about that for a moment, for I usually wasn't too much of an outdoors person until I realized one activity I particularly enjoyed. "Well, there's a small barn not too far from my home and I horseback-ride there every now and then."

Alix's eyes grew wide with excitement. "You ride horses!? That's so cool? Does the horse you ride have a name, or do you ride different horses every time?"

I smiled as my thoughts went to the place I could be myself and not worry about being judged. "I ride just one horse, a black gelding named Asterisk. He's the kind of horse that won't listen to you unless you respect him as an equal, so not a lot of people have the patience to understand him and get to know him better in order to ride him. I guess we have that in common; we don't like to be judged by those who don't bother to take a moment to learn who we truly are."

Alix smiled as well, seeming to understand what I was implying based on previous questions I had answered.

Next up was a very shy boy in the back that had orange hair. "I-I'm Nathaniel. My fun fact about me I guess is that I like drawing. D-Do you have any favorite mangakas or general comic artists?"

I paused for a moment, trying to think whether artists in my world would exist in this one. Well, worst-case scenario, they don't and I can just brush it off as little-known artists. "If there is one mangaka whose artwork I enjoy most, it would have to be Yuu Watase."

I was shocked when Nathaniel's turquoise eyes lit up. "Her work is amazing. I'm usually more of a fast-paced action fan, but her unique take on romance between people of different worlds is truly unique. Her work is a bit on the older side, so not many younger manga readers know her, but all her pieces seem timeless, no matter how many times I read them. It's nice to meet someone else who enjoys her style."

Interesting. Perhaps mirror images of those who exist in my world also exist in other worlds. This could prove useful later on.

"Alright; guess I'm up then." The boy sitting next to Adrien smiled as he stood, adjusting his cap as he did so. "My name's Nino. I also happen to have a little bro and enjoy music and hanging with my friends. My question for you is what you like about Paris so far."

"Hmm, probably the people is what I like most so far," I answered after pondering the thought for a moment. "Everyone I've met thus far has been very warm and welcoming. It might change when I get a chance to see the city a little more though, since I've been pretty busy."

"Well, if you ever need a guide, I'd be more than happy to give a tour of the best spots to visit," he offered.

I nodded. "I might take you up on that. Thank you."

"Ooh ooh, my turn." A blonde-haired girl with big blue eyes and a bright glow in her smile excitedly got up. "I'm Rose and I'm also a part of Kitty Section. For my question: Is there anyone special in your life?"

An image of Riku flashed through my mind and I felt my face redden. "W-Well, there is this one person," I mumbled, turning my head to the side and scratching my cheek nervously. "We haven't known each other very long, but he's been nothing but supportive these past few weeks, and traveling with him has certainly been an adventure. But, I'm not sure he has any feelings for me other than that of a friend." I paused, before suddenly realizing I had once again let my mouth run, which only made my cheeks flush even more from embarrassment.

This seemed to make the girls giddy with excitement as they began to talk amongst one another.

"Unspoken love, how romantic," Mylene cooed.

"No better place to find the truth than The City of Love," Alya chimed, then turned to her best friend next to her. "Right, Marinette?" She added with a knowing look.

Marinette turned beet red as well and only managed to nod nervously, trying her best to not turn to look at Adrien.

By that point, my face was no doubt tomato red and I wanted to fade away.

Thankfully, Miss Bustier came to my rescue and called the student to order. "Alright now, class. Let's not tease poor Hikari." Once everyone had settled, she continued. "Now then, I believe we still have a few more students, so let us continue."

"Alright then; I'm up!" A well-toned boy with Asian features got to his feet. "The name's Kim and my favorite thing to do is swim, though other competitive sports pique my interest from time to time as well. You said you ride horses, but do you compete on them as well like they do in The Olympics?"

I chuckled. "No, nothing spectacular like eventing, but I will ride on the shore of the lake from time to time, especially in warmer weather so Asterisk can cool down. It also feels refreshing when his hooves kick up and spray me with water."

"If I ever get a chance to ride, I'll be sure to try that out," he exclaimed, seemed hyped about the idea as if he was gonna do it there and then.

Last was a red-head who sat in the front row. Her eyes were downcast, seeming somewhat nervous, as she stood up at her desk. "I-I'm Sabrina and I guess something about me is that my Dad is a police officer." She looked down, fiddling with her hands before she inquired: "If it's okay with you, could my question instead be asking for your advice?"

This certainly wasn't something I had expected. I knew the girl was shy and had self-esteem issues due to Chloe's bossy attitude, but her wanting advice from someone she only just met was definitely something I hadn't anticipated. Still, I gave a kind smile and replied: "I can certainly try my best."

"O-Okay. Umm, well, I was wondering if you have any advice on how to connect with my dad. You see, he's really stingy about rules since he's a police officer and sometimes I have a hard time being open around him. I figured you may know how to go about talking to him since your parents are former military and may have a similar mindset."

That's some pretty solid reasoning. "My dad was a Lieutenant, so rules are also important to him, but I think my mom's influence made him aware of the difference between The Core and his family. Basically, he'll be a bit stern at times and certainly won't condone bad behavior, but he knows where that fine line is and not to cross it. In your case, the best advice I can offer you is to be honest with him. For a time after I was adopted, I often kept things to myself and not tell my parents, mostly out of fear of being brushed off like the other adults in our town had done. It eventually came to a point my dad approached me, wanting to know what was wrong, and I pretty much broke down. It turned out he was a real good listener and just wanted me to feel safe and happy with him and his family.

"After that, I worked hard to try and not keep things bottled up. It's like, not being honest with others makes it that you're also not honest with yourself. If your dad loves you like I'm sure he does, he'll listen to you."

End Note: And with that, we have come to the end of the bonus Q&A chapter. What did you guys think? Learn anything about Hikari and/or her family you weren't expecting? Let me know if I should do another Q&A with any of Hikari's siblings. The next chapter is nearly complete and will hopefully be out within the next week. Until next time~