Here it is, the sixty-seventh full chapter of Miraculous Quirks released at the set time I promised each week. Not much to really say here as this is another one of those chapters that is based on anime exclusive content and is more a filler/break chapter that transitions us into the next arc which will contain a lot of new, original, content and plenty of excitement as the work studies begin and all of that is tied together. Anyway, that is all the administrative stuff I have for now though and as there are no review questions to answer or guest reviews to respond to I will end this note here. Do keep the reviews coming as I enjoy hearing from y'all. Now, though, it is time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the 67th full chapter of Miraculous Quirks.

Disclaimer: I do not own either of these great works of fiction

Chapter 67: Reporter in the Shadows

When Class 1-A came down for breakfast on the first Monday of the second week of the second semester they were surprised to be greeted by their homeroom teacher who was standing in the main foyer area waiting for them with his usual bored expression on his face. After a busy and interesting week for the class what with Midoriya and Bakugo starting the semester off with a fight and house arrest, learning of work studies, intense training resuming, the fight with Togata of the Big 3 and all that entailed, and for Marinette at least her 5 days of detention, they were all ready for a normal week.

Well, normal by Class 1-A's standard at least, that was the hope. Sure, they knew that they'd learn more about work studies as the final decision on whether the first years with provisional licenses could partake as well was going to come that week, but other than that it should be normal for them. Of course, the moment they Mr. Aizawa standing there waiting for them rather than just collecting the breakfast supplied by the school they knew that they were in for something though what they didn't know. None of them could predict what came next.

"Good you're all here." Mr. Aizawa said to his gathered class, all but Tsu and Aoyama were wearing either full PE kit or a mix of casual and the kit with the frog-like girl and flamboyant half-French boy the only ones in full casual clothes. "I am sure you are wondering why I'm here and are eager for breakfast, but I must first inform you of what is going on today. That is because there is going to be a reporter from a newspaper here today to shadow the class."

"A newspaper?" Several of the class asked in surprise at this.

"Yeah they want to do a feature on your class for some reason." Mr. Aizawa said in a bored tone and paused to let it sink in for the class. "I don't think it's necessary, but the higher ups agreed so it's happening."

"Isn't that amazing Deku." Ochaco said once she processed it and turning to Deku who was naturally next to her, smiling at him and getting a little closer than was properly necessary for friends though of course Ochaco didn't notice it or that her subconscious feelings for the boy were causing it. "This is going to be so cool that we'll be in a paper. Right?"

Izuku did notice how close Uraraka was to him and blushed and nodded his agreement to her. No other girl could get this kind of reaction out of him, well maybe Hatsume but that was also mixed with discomfort and expected given her personality, and Izuku wasn't sure why Uraraka caused him to act like this. All he knew was that his heart beat faster whenever she got like this and as uncomfortable as he was he didn't want her to leave because he always enjoyed her presence near him. Regardless, he couldn't speak so all he did was continue to nod at her words.

"This is nothing new for you kitty." Marinette said to Adrien quietly in French and smiling at Midoriya's reaction to Ochaco invading his personal space, there was no way in her mind that he didn't return her love for him with his own for her, he just didn't know it yet. "Just like back home."

"Yeah, I did enjoy the lack of it however, that has been nice." Adrien admitted sticking to French. "Still, I know how to handle a reporter doing a story like this and you do too, it's not like it hasn't happened around you as well whenever one got permission to follow our class back home."

"More often than you would know." Marinette said given the number of times she'd covertly admired Adrien from afar, aka stalked him in a way that would be extremely creepy and possibly illegal, especially if their genders were reversed. "But this will be a change of pace seeing as we won't be the main focus but the class in general."

"Speak for yourself." Adrien said with a grin. "You're the one who shines brightest right now between us when we are out of costume, not to mention that you shine as much in the class in general."

"I try not to." Marinette said with a sigh. "But you're right and after how Togata targeted me specifically it has gotten even brighter for me. Still, I don't think I'll be the focus either. Something tells me there is a different angle here and as we aren't Japanese we won't be the focus."

"It's the media, there always is." Adrien said. "It's never just what they say they are here for so be careful."

"Right." Marinette said with a nod.

"It's kinda surprising, huh?" Kaminari asked silencing the French pair inadvertently as the rest of the class began to process it all while Koda just nodded behind him. "It feels a bit early to have all this attention on us seeing as we are still just first years."

"Not really." Kirishima said. "Not when you think about all we've been through in just one semester at U.A."

"Yeah and the Sports Festival was on TV." Ojiro added. "Where we upstaged even the third years and our class did dominate it."

"We've got to look super cute in case they want to take our pictures." Hagakure said bouncing up and down in excitement and completely oblivious to how for her cuteness was in her outfits not her looks seeing as no one actually knew what she looked like. "After breakfast let's get together to make sure we all look our best."

"For sure." Mina said smiling and already planning on dashing back for a light application of makeup to accentuate her pink skin in a natural way. "We all gotta be camera ready."

"I think you'll be just fine Toru." Jiro said pointing out said obvious with their invisible classmate and not at all getting in on what Mina wanted to do seeing as she just wasn't that kind of girl.

"That's enough." Mr. Aizawa snapped finally fed up with their chatter.

"Yes sir." The whole class said with all but Bakugo snapping to attention at their teacher's words.

"It's nothing too exciting." Mr. Aizawa continued returning to his normal bored tone. "The article is about how you are settling in, adjusting to dorm life, that kinda thing. Principal Nezu thought that it would be a good idea as it would show your parents and guardians that you are happy here maybe say a few lines about the whole transition process and what not."

"Newscasters are usually hot, this is awesome." Mineta whispered to Sero who was next to him as he thought back to the news sights he watched not realizing that his own lecherous, lustful ways skewed him towards the sites and stations that went for sex appeal to sell ratings. "I hope we get one of the best ones out there, this us U.A. after all. I'm going to go Plus Ultra for her."

"They said it was for a paper so I don't think it will be what you are hoping for." Sero said trying to bring the gremlin back to the ground but that failed spectacularly.

"If she wants to write an article about my sticky balls I'll give her and all access pass and a private close-up view of them." Mineta said drooling and making hand gestures to show what he was really referring to. "I'll let her…"

Before Mineta could finish, Mr. Aizawa's binding cloth shot through the group and grabbed Mineta, wrapping him up and hoisting him off the floor with only his arms, feet, and head from the nose up visible. How their teacher managed it was unknown to them and showed the level of skill that Mr. Aizawa had with his support item.

"I expect you all to be on your best behavior today." Mr. Aizawa said darkly as he glared at Mineta who was frantically nodding and struggling against the bindings but to no avail as the special alloy they were made of was way too strong for him. "Got it?"

"Don't worry yourself on my account Mr. Aizawa." A new voice none of them had ever heard before said and their teacher turned to the side to look at the very reporter who'd been given this level of access to his students. "I want to get a feel of how dorm life is like for them so there is no need to act any differently than normal or else it won't be natural."

"I didn't say that you could come in yet." Mr. Aizawa said the annoyance clear in his voice.

The person he was speaking to was an unassuming man with black hair styled to look messy and falling to just above his shoulders though with the sweep of it making his receding hairline clear for them all to see and prominent sideburns. He wore a simple light brown jacket over a charcoal gray button down shirt and dark pants. He also had a pair of cheap looking, round, glasses on his face that added to his unassuming look. The only thing that marked him out as a reporter was the camera slung around his neck.

"I was told that I had from 8am to 6pm." The man said holding up his arm and pointing to a rather large watch he had on his left wrist that showed that it was now 8am meaning that he had a right to be here. "So, unless my watch is wrong…"

Mr. Aizawa didn't say anything at that, he couldn't as it was 8am so the man was now allowed to be here but trust a reporter to press his luck even when he had this kind of access. All the homeroom teacher did was grunt and release his binding cloth so that Mineta could be put down at last before he nodded and let the reporter come forward.

"Hello everyone, my name is Taneo Tokuda, I'm looking forward to learning more about you all." He said before bowing his head slightly to which the whole class bowed back only slight deeper given the man was older and with Adrien and Marinette a fraction slower as this was very different to the cultural greeting in France.

"Nice to meet you." The class said as they bowed.

"Now." Tokuda said as he straightened up though the class remained in their bows for a few seconds longer before rising as he was speaking. "As I said, you don't need to do anything special for me. Just go about your day as you normally would, and the camera will do most of the work for me. I might ask an occasional question or two and I hope you'll answer me."

With that he smiled showing off a set of clearly falsely white teeth though he closed his eyes as he did no doubt because it didn't match them. Still, it was a good smile and it at least got Mina and Toru though Marinette, mainly from observing Adrien and hearing his stories, didn't trust it at all. This guy screamed both hidden agenda and expert investigative reporter.

As such, the French pair knew they'd have to be slightly on guard all day around him given the secrets they were hiding. This was easy for Adrien given his experience with reporters but harder for Marinette, but she could manage thanks to her hiding her secret identity from Alya for so long and that girl was an expert investigative reporter.

"He's got such a nice smile." Mina gushed.

"That is so not a woman." Mineta complained meanwhile as he lay on the ground resting against a window and tried to get some feeling back into his extremities after the binding had been released.

"Huh, what to do, my sparkling personality will undoubtedly draw the camera like a moth to a flame." Aoyama said striking a pose and actually sparkling slightly though no one knew how he managed that. "I'll outshine all of you."

"Yeah undoubtedly." Sato said a little concerned for his classmate.

"Just please don't give our homeland a bad name." Marinette said though she said it Japanese not French so that all could hear it. "We aren't all like that even if French vanity is an earned stereotype for us."

"Yeah, I had no really choice with the camera." Adrien said. "But it was to help dad and the brand, so I did it and it wasn't too bad really."

"True but you look amazing in all your pictures no matter if they're professional or amateur." Marinette said in a dream voice unable to contain herself and getting a swoon from Mina for her brief release of the depth of her love for Adrien in public that the pink skinned girl practically lived for at times. "It's no wonder the camera just loved you, you are always flawless my love."

"Dupain-Cheng, you just got out of detention." Mr. Aizawa said with a slight ominous undertone to his voice causing her to come crashing down to reality again, and to the floor as well. "Please contain your teenage emotions in front of the staff, that is what landed you there in the first place I recall, and especially do so in front of a guest reporter seeing as you are currently representing U.A. Do you want another week of detention? Because if so this time it will be with me."

"Yes sir, sorry sir, I'll try to be better." Marinette said from the floor with a bow of her head.

"If I didn't know her skills and abilities already, I'd say it would be hard to see Marinette as the top of the class combat wise when she's like that." Jiro noted while Bakugo just growled at that assertion, he'd heard about how Dupain-Cheng had been targeted in that fight with the top student in the school first because of her power and threat level to him thus marking her as the best in the class and fueling his desire to face her and beat her even more. "Really does a lot to remind us she's just like us, especially when it comes to her boyfriend."

"I don't try to do what I do." Marinette mumbled as she got to her feet though her words fell on deaf ears as they all knew how strong she was.

"Principal Nezu has probably already spoken to you about this." Tokuda said to Aizawa while this was going on, a hard look in his blue eyes. "But I want to make sure that you don't interfere with my work today in any way, no offense."

"I understand." Mr. Aizawa said raising his hand, he knew that his own relationship with the media was not a good one, but this man had the Principal's permission, so he was at least trusted enough by Nezu to be here. "If you need anything just let me know."

"I am sure that I am in very capable hands." Tokuda said with another one of his smiles. "This is Class 1-A after all, every student here is a promising hero candidate."

"Ida, if there's a problem let me know immediately, got it?" Aizawa said not liking the reporter's words and turning to look at the class rep for his class.

"Of course, sir." Ida said snapping to attention. "As class representative I'll carry out my duty to all my fellow students no matter what…"

"That's great, thanks." Tokuda said interrupting Ida to calm him down as the class just looked at their rigid class rep with a mix of worry and indifference at his behavior though they were pretty used to it by now. "So, what would you normally be doing this time of day?"

"Having breakfast." Ida said snapping to attention again.

"No need to be so formal." Tokuda said as he recovered from his shock and smiled at the class before continuing with how they should just go about their day as normal while Aizawa gave him a hard look knowing that he was up to something, reporters always were, but it didn't feel criminal, so he decided to leave him to it for now.

With that Aizawa left the dorm and the food for breakfast, made by Lunch Rush for each dorm with a selection of options, mainly Japanese or other east Asian cuisines, but with some western choices as well for those who preferred it. Adrien and Marinette were two such people, their preferences still well engrained in European cuisine and as unimportant as breakfast was to the French they still preferred the more traditional style for it while most of the rest of the class went with traditional Japanese dishes.

Tokuda stood back for the moment while breakfast was served, and the class sat at the tables in the common area to enjoy it in various groups, or in Bakugo's case on his own, and tried to act natural. That was easier said than done however as Tokuda began to take pictures of the class while eating and, well, that had some interesting results.

Some were nervous or a little wary around him, some like Adrien and Todoroki were very indifferent to the whole thing and actually did act natural even managing to have a brief conversation about the latest homework assignment for Present Mic in English as both boys were in the top of the class for the subject, while Mineta sulked at the reporter being male and some played to the camera itself. Mostly it was just fun like Ochaco smiling, Ida looking at it seriously and Mina and Toru really getting into it as Jiro tried to avoid it in the background. Then Aoyama found it.

True to his word, Aoyama barged into the phot and posed for it as he sparkled slightly and playing to the camera like a professional. All that was to be expected but he'd upped it with a gods damned red rose in his mouth so that a few petals fell as he posed to add to it.

How he had a perfect red rose, where he'd gotten it from, and why he decided to use it was beyond anyone and even Todoroki broke his usual stoicism to look at it in confusion. That and it had been the shot of him drinking his morning tea that had been interrupted by Aoyama, so he was in the background of the shot. He asked Adrien about it, but Adrien didn't understand and disavowed Aoyama's actions.

The last photos of breakfast were of Bakugo. That had been brave on Tokuda's part to begin with and quickly it devolved into Bakugo getting into the camera's lens for a great angry photo as he yelled at the reporter before hurriedly finishing his breakfast where he was eating alone and leaving to get changed for school. That was to be expected with Bakugo though and the rest took it as a sign that they too should get ready for another day of classes.

Tokuda didn't take any photos outside the common area and waited for the class to return before taking more photos as some of the girls met up in the common area to walk to school together and in Mina's case make last minute adjustments to her hair to make sure that it was just right. Still, they all waited before going off as a class to the main school building for their standard day as Tokuda shadowed them taking pictures of them walking to school, Tsu finding and staring at a stray white cat, and other mundane school activities that one would do. That included taking photos of the classes in action.

As the day went on Tokuda kept taking pictures of the school in class doing their school work, learning from the pros who doubled as standard teachers, training in their PE Kit or on the roof in Todoroki's case or training their ultimate moves in one of the gyms, eating lunch, goofing around as friends, and everything else that a Hero Course Class at U.A. did. As the day went on, Tokuda made mental notes to himself about everyone in the class and their powers going in seating order as it was easiest. That meant that the last two for his analysis were the French transfer students.

The first of them and in seat 21 was Marinette Dupain-Cheng who's Quirk allowed her to create a singular item, though singular was an operative word as it could technically be multiple items working in tandem to create a singular item, to complete a goal she had set in her mind. It was different to Momo Yaoyorozu's Creation Quirk in a lot of ways as the item was created out of thin air, temporary for a set time limit, and while changeable during that time, it was still limited in scope.

Tokuda noted this during the afternoon while Dupain-Cheng was going through a punishing workout in the gym and bench-pressing way more than her small lithe frame would imply possible as it was more than a normal human male in the peak of fitness should be able to do so. It was strange to Tokuda as he knew that her Quirk didn't give her enhanced strength so he asked one of his rare questions because he wanted to know how she could do it and why she was working out so hard.

The answer that he got, in her noticeably French accented but fluent and understandable Japanese, was that she had an enhanced constitution from a few generations of Quirk Marriages in her family tree. Well, that was the reason for the strength she had, as for the reason she was working out so hard that was because she needed to increase her stamina so as to increase the time her Quirk could be active.

That satisfied the reporter who then moved onto her boyfriend, he could tell that much even without hearing it earlier, and the last of the class who was also in the gym working out with a focus on general endurance. His name was Adrien Agreste and he sat in seat 22.

Agreste's Quirk allowed him to create a black energy anywhere on his body that could destroy inorganic material on a molecular level thus turning it to dust or weakening it enough to damage and break it depending on certain factors. Like Dupain-Cheng, Agreste seemed to have similar time restrictions on his Quirk and an enhanced constitution but given his family this time Tokuda wasn't surprised.

Of course, all this was in the furtherance of the real goal of the piece, to find All Might's successor. Tokuda had been convinced of this following All Might's own words after his final battle with All for One and had used that and his deductions that the successor was in Class 1-A at U.A. through his own deductions and reporter's instincts.

The paper he was selling this piece too had gotten him this access, but he'd already narrowed it down to the 8 students who had made it to the quarterfinals or further in the Sports Festival before even going to the paper with his theory. Still, even with this narrowing down, Tokuda had a feeling he already knew who it was.

Going from the top down, Tokuda began to eliminate the main contenders. Katsuki Bakugo was the winner of the Sports Festival with a powerful Quirk and abilities that were already on par with the average pro, but Tokuda's work prior to the piece had revealed that in middle school Bakugo had vowed to surpass All Might so not really successor material right there. Then when you factored in his personality and attitude it just didn't make sense for it to be him.

The next on the list was Shoto Todoroki who was the runner up in the Sports Festival, though when Tokuda reviewed the footage of the boy's progress to the final it was clear that he'd fought the hardest to get there and had caught a lucky break in the semifinal that had won it for him, which was ironic given the Quirk he faced there. Tokuda did remove him quickly from his assessment however due to Todoroki's father being Endeavor who was the new number one hero and unlike to let his son surpass him. That meant that it was onto the semifinalists who'd shared 3rd place.

Fumikage Tokoyami was a potential one but all of Tokuda's instincts ruled him out as well though he couldn't say why. The other third place winner was Marinette Dupain-Cheng who probably should have been in the final had she not spat in Todoroki's face during the semis.

Of the top candidates, she would have been a serious contender to Tokuda given her strong Quirk, battle senses, skills, natural leadership, and the ability to inspire others that she clearly was doing for at least the other girls in her class who Tokuda noted deferred to her when they were a group. However, her status as a French transfer student ruled her out almost right away. All Might wouldn't name a foreigner his successor simply because the country wouldn't accept it, and she was bound to return to France one day where she could become their symbol, so she wasn't it.

That same logic held sway for Adrien Agreste one of the quarterfinalists. There were the potential choices of Eijiro Kirishima and Mina Ashido but neither fit as a potential successor for various reasons. No all his instincts were screaming that it was Izuku Midoriya, and it was almost time to confirm it.

Of course, just because he had deduced that it was likely Izuku Midoriya didn't mean that Tokuda would tell the paper. He already had a plan for dealing with that when he lied to them about failing to get the scope, but it was all for the right reasons. He wanted to know who the next Symbol of Peace was like as a person and make sure that he had what it takes.

Tokuda's reasons for this were personal, and he'd tell Izuku Midoriya them once he confirmed it and got what he wanted from the boy. Then it would be just a matter of watching him grow into that symbol and writing the first of what would likely be many books on the hero known as Deku.

Tokuda waited until the right time, right as his time on campus was coming to an end and Izuku Midoriya was alone on the front porch of the dorm having been training there even this late in the day, an impressive level of drive for sure, to approach the boy. He had to wait until after All Might had stopped by for a word and to give Midoriya something, which further confirmed it for Tokuda, and then went out to talk with the boy.

The talk went exactly as the reporter had expected it to go. While he didn't have the proof that All Might was grooming Izuku Midoriya to succeed him as the Symbol of Peace, and the boy didn't confirm it, everything pointed to it. Tokuda did apologize for his deception and explained his reasons which Midoriya accepted as it had involved All Might saving his father from an industrial fire when he was a boy thus leading to Tokuda's lifelong support and admiration for All Might.

Of course, he wanted one reminder of their chat for the future for when Izuku Midoriya became the Symbol of Peace. As such, when Tokuda offered his hand to Midoriya to shake before he left campus he pulled the boy in and used his Whole-Body Lens Quirk to create a camera in the palm of his left hand and snap a selfie of them so that he had it for when Midoriya succeeded in following All Might as the Symbol of Peace.

Tokuda had no idea that one of the class, the one who was most interested in Izuku Midoriya on many levels that were all positive, was watching all this from one of the ground floor windows and really confused by what had just happened. Ochaco had been in the common room when Momo and Marinette had come up to her to tell her that dinner was almost ready and as she knew that Deku was training on the porch, not that she was in anyway watching her crush train she just knew him so well that she knew what he was up to at that moment, she volunteered to go and get him.

That had been when she'd seen the conversation and in confusion watched it. It all seemed normal enough until the end with the selfie and that caused her to blush and get all flustered, her seal on her feelings failing spectacularly for the first time since she'd acknowledge then, and she was instantly pressed up right against the window wanting to know more about what was going on.

It wasn't jealousy, well she was jealous of the picture as she'd love to have one like that with Deku where she was the one pressed against his chest, just confusion and worry so she pressed her face to the glass to try and learn more not that it would work. Alas she couldn't given that they were outside, and she was inside, and she vented as much to no one in particular.

"That's weird." Ochaco said aloud as Momo and Marinette looked at her. "I wonder what they're talking about?"

"Um…" Momo said looking at her friend with a little worry in her eyes. "Should we…"

"Nah, leave her be." Marinette said softly in French. "I have a feeling I know at least partially what is going on and this is something we need to let Ochaco deal with alone."

"Oh ok." Momo said trusting Marinette's judgement in this and, well, when Marinette dictated a course of action the girls at least would usually follow that lead. "So, what do we do?"

"Leave her as she'll get Midoriya and bring him to dinner as soon as she can." Marinette continued smiling knowing that something had happened to trigger Ochaco's feelings and deciding to let her deal with it on her own as she had to learn that the heart was not so easy to control as she'd hoped it would be. "Come on, let's find the others and tell them about dinner."

"Right." Momo said as they began to gather the class for dinner and then homework, baths, and sleep.

They did just that as Tokuda left and Ochaco finally opened the door to get Deku for dinner and ask what was going on. However, as Deku was trying to answer her she smelt something delicious on him and Deku revealed that All Might had brought them some meat buns he'd been give.

That was enough to distract Ochaco from what she was going to ask, and they went in telling the class about it as they got ready for another standard night at U.A. Tomorrow would be a big day however because they would learn the fate of the work study programs but that was tomorrow's problem, tonight it was time for dinner and a taste treat courtesy of All Might.

I think I'll leave this chapter here as it's a good place to end it. I know that this is shorter than usual, and I was planning on including at least the start of the work study programs with their confirmation, but I decided to roll that into the next chapter which will also serve as the start of the Overhaul arc from MHA, naturally tailored to fit this story and focused on Marinette, Adrien and Momo's work study and from that perspective. That means that next week we return to the Guardian agency and a bit of OC lore coming in so for those who like that it's something to look forward to and if not, well I promise it will still be good with an interesting ending. That is all I have for y'all however so I will end this chapter off here. As always, if you like it or have any questions please let me know in reviews or PMs, I will try to answer them as best I could and post any questions asked between uploads at the start of the next chapter and do follow and favorite this, so you are alerted to future uploads. Do keep the reviews coming as I like hearing from y'all as you enjoy my work, it motivates me to keep producing the best work I can for y'all to enjoy. Until next time.

Stringdog