Here it is, the eightieth full chapter of Miraculous Quirks released on the set day that I promised each week. This is the standard transition chapter between arcs though with a bit more of a twist than usual as it furthers a side concept that was suggested by a reviewer a while back but all I will say is spoiler warning as this chapter does contain spoilers for one of the two canons in this series. 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 80th full chapter of Miraculous Quirks.

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

Chapter 80: Early Preparations

"I'm glad to hear that you lot are doing alright." Mage said as Marinette, Adrien and Momo finished recapping what had happened since he'd been knocked out of the raid and the aftermath of it both at the hospital and with their classmates back in the dorm. "It was a tough mission in which a hero paid the ultimate price, but you've come out stronger for it and made sure that your friends did as well."

It was a few days after the raid had ended and classes had just resumed, though the trio were done for the day with both classes and hero training, so they were in Mage's office for a little catchup at Mage's request. They were all sitting on the couch sipping tea Mage had created as he sat opposite them in his wheelchair with a single armchair next to him and another at the head of the table as if expecting people. That would come later though as first he had wanted to make sure they were ok.

The main reason was because the day before had been Nighteye's funeral which they'd all be at, even Mage as he'd been discharged by then. No words had been said between them at it as they, along with the other students from the raid and many pros who'd known Nighteye over his long career, mourned his passing and laid him to rest.

After that they'd returned to school and had another nightly chat with the others from the raid, same split naturally, and everyone was doing better in the wake of everything. It would still take time for the trauma to heal and leave a scar, but it was one that they would use to fuel their training to be even stronger so that they were better the next time they had a mission. The raid on the Hassaikai had taught them valuable lessons about the life they were about to enter, lessons they soon wouldn't forget.

Now, though, it was back to what passed for relative normalcy for them as work studies were suspended so it was normal school stuff plus extra nightly lessons for the members of the raid and Tokoyami which they were about to go to after they were done with Mage. They had to catch up on all that they'd missed due to their work studies after all so that and any other school related things would be the focus.

This was just the last meeting of this kind for a while as Mage wanted to make sure they were ok going forward. With that all but assured he then had something else to discuss with them that was finally about to enter its next phase though none of the three were yet aware of that part.

Mage himself was confined to his wheelchair for a bit as it would be expected for a normal human who'd suffered the wound he'd suffered in the raid. He'd be on a medical leave of absence for at least 3 months as he recovered and Sanguina monitored him while temporarily running the agency in his stead. Of course, this was all a cover as he was fine due to being immortal, but he had to keep up appearances after all hence why Marinette asked about it as they were done with their own recap, so they had to ask Mage about his current situation.

"And you, you're doing well?" Marinette asked.

"As well as I can with this damn cover story." Mage said with a slight wince to his voice at that as the twinge from his gut hit him. "The Guardian of Pain, who's also a qualified doctor just like Sanguina, has ensured that at least in this manifestation I have the joys of feeling everything that a normal human who'd survived my injury would feel. My recovery therefore will be very believable."

"I guess that is for the best." Adrien said. "It would raise too many questions if you were suddenly up and about after being run through with a sword."

"It is and now this allows me to take some time and actually teach more than I have so far." Mage said. "Part of my cover is that I am a teacher here at U.A. so my Pre-Quirk World History elective is now open for students in the other courses here and I get to prepare my training schedule for you lot."

"Right, next semester you're training us in Quirkless combat." Momo recalled. "That should be interesting given how some of the class are a bit too reliant on their Quirks to fight."

"Correct, as all Guardians are required to be masters of a non-Quirk based form of combat and proficient in many others I am the perfect choice to train students in that area." Mage said with a nod. "Quirks are useful but there will be times when they can't be used for various reasons and as such being able to fight without them is essential. That and some Quirks aren't combat orientated, or have the potential to be so, so I help there as well. That will be part of your training next semester but for now you are still focused on standard training to continue to improve your Quirks."

"Naturally." Marinette said. "Well, it is good that all is back to normal. It feels a little strange after the raid, but I guess this is just part of the life we chose to live."

"Being able to go from active to inactive or on hold is a useful skill to master as a hero." Mage said with a nod. "So, use this as a learning experience but that is enough of that, it's time for why I called this meeting as we have one more thing to discuss and someone Marinette at least needs to meet."

"We do?" Adrien asked confused.

"And me specifically?" Marinette added just as confused.

"Of course, this is about opening a branch of the Dupain family bakery here in Musutafu after all." Mage said sipping his tea. "We haven't forgotten about it despite everything that's been going on though we are still in the infancy of it as of right now."

"Oh right." Marinette said, she had forgotten about it because of all the work that she'd been doing since proposing the idea after Momo found out the truth about her what felt like a lifetime ago but was actually at most a month back. "With all that's being going on it slipped my mind that that was being sorted out."

"That is natural and expected, you had the provisional license exam, work studies, and the raid to deal with, all of which were much more important." Mage said. "I did say not to focus on it and leave it to me, we've opened many branches for your family as part of your prepared cover over the years and some have served this dual purpose of being a cover for covert Sub-Guardian operations, though not for a while as the last time we did that was when we set up the Miami one as a cover to keep an eye on drug and people smuggling down there. This time it is to add an extra layer of security for the school that only we and the Principal knows about and to have a team to gather off the books information."

"Right, I remember that that was part of the cover." Marinette said recalling the discussion well now. "I'm just glad to have it here, it will be a bit like home, and I can share it with the class more."

"Within reason of course, there are restrictions on the Hero Course students due to the attacks, but we will allow time for you to be there and as it is protected it will be on the approved off campus visit list." Mage said with a nod. "It's still a fair ways from being finished, we only recently secured the land on which to build it, but as that is starting as soon as you approve the design you should meet the candidate I've selected to serve as the manager."

"I take it this person is a Sub-Guardian." Marinette said, Momo and Adrien just sipped their tea and followed the conversation as while both knew about the bakery either from being present at the idea's conception or being told about it later, this was about Marinette, so it was her show. "And based off what you've told us, the manager will be part of the 5th branch, the clandestine one that is outside the normal structure you lot have."

"Correct, she's been a member of it for almost 200 years now so on the newer side but more than capable in my opinion." Mage said though the concept of something being almost 200 years old and still new wasn't one any of the three students could grasp at the moment. "She's also Chinese so fits the need for an east Asian in charge of the branch and has spent time in many countries around the world, including over 20 years in Japan, in her service to the Guardians and me in particular as I personally recruited her. I will let her explain her history more but there was more than just her heritage and personal connection to me that led me to choose her as the manager, pending your approval that is."

"There was?" Marinette asked confused.

"Yup, she's tied to your world, the world of the Miraculouses." Mage said surprising all of them. "Well not exactly the Miraculouses but something even older that was kinda my rough draft for the Miraculouses though at the time it wasn't supposed to be."

"Hold up, she's aware of the Miraculouses?" Adrien asked. "And all that?"

"She's been briefed on them but only because of what she faced that led to her recruitment trial in the first place." Mage said. "Though she does know of you two's history, as a clandestine Sub-Guardian she was instrumental in your cover, so she was fully briefed on her role there which is another reason why she was chosen for this post as she's familiar with your histories."

"That is a plus." Marinette said. "Though I still don't get how she's connected. I know that the Miraculouses we use are from Tibet but how does mainland China play into this?"

"Again, she'll explain it more in a moment, but as I said she's tied to something even older than the Miraculouses which I made while in what is nowadays China." Mage said. "To be specific it is a singular item of pure magic that I created but which was abandoned in favor of the Miraculouses. It was too powerful an item to be allowed into mortal hands unless the wielder was deemed worthy, which the first wasn't as it corrupted him, so I sealed it away and assigned a protector to it along with a magical guardian and key of sorts to eventual find a true wielder of it one day."

"What did you make?" Momo asked curiously, she'd seen the Miraculouses and even seen one in use once, so she didn't doubt Mage's claim. "Abd why is it so strong that you had to seal it away?"

"It is called the Prodigious." Mage explained. "It was my first really attempt to make something like for the sake of humanity. It was sometime after my ascension that I made it when I was traveling the world to fully understand my element. Magic is a concept that exists all over the world and has many forms hence why I see it as almost alive in a way."

"That is true." Momo said with a nod. "I've read up on the mythologies that survive not just in Japan and the rest of east Asia but also in Europe and north Africa and I know that the ancients there all believed in it."

"In a way all cultures have believed in magic or supernatural phenomenon ascribed to it which is why there was a need for a Guardian of it." Mage said not doubting for a moment that Momo learning the truth was what caused her to read up on more western myths. "I was just created by forces within the western canon, Egypt counts with that in my opinion, but I needed to learn all the others be they eastern, southern, pacific, or what would become the Americas and my first trip took me to what a European would call the far east. There, in what would become Shanghai, I found a cave with a deep connection to magic protected by an ancient order of martial artists who revered 8 values of humanity."

"So, you went there and introduced yourself?" Adrien asked starting to understand what Mage was saying. "You were after all the Guardian of Magic now, so you had to meet those who had ties to it."

"Pretty much." Mage said. "They understood magic though they could not use it in a way I would understand at the time but came to understand and after a bit they understood the nature of who I was. I ensured that a good amount of my consciousness was there and would spend many years there learning of what I was protecting and the humans who revered my element. It was there that I had the idea to forge an item that encapsulated the 8 values for I felt that there was a magical connection to them at that place and as such decided to enter my element to find and make its earthly vessel."

"8 values in one item?" Marinette asked surprised. "The Miraculouses are one concept each so I can see why that would be considered powerful."

"They are but kwamis are different from the representations of the 8 values, those are represented by magical creatures called renlings." Mage said. "Similar though for sure, they manifest in animalistic representations, but they are at the same time distinctly different, the biggest being that only the holder of the Prodigious and myself can see them whereas kwamis received a physical body when I forged their Miraculous. It was my contact with the renlings that allowed me to understand and eventually find the kwamis and my mistake with the Prodigious that showed me how the Miraculouses should be forged when it came time to make them."

"That mistake being one not eight." Adrien said getting what was going on. "8 in one, that is a lot of power. From what I understand, the fusion can only really work with two Miraculouses and never with mine and Marinette's because of how powerful they are."

"All correct and it is why, after forging it and realizing how powerful it was when it was abused by the first holder, especially the Renling of Justice, which is the Dragon Renling, that I knew that it couldn't be allowed out unless one who truly exemplified the 8 values came to claim it." Mage said. "So, I sealed it away in a sacred cave that was where I'd made it. The cave was part of the martial arts school and so I charged the master of the school with guarding it and passing on the key to the Prodigious for they'd shown me that they were noble and good when they helped take down the first holder."

"So, a lit like how the Miraculouses were guarded by an ancient order." Marinette said. "The one Master Fu was a part of."

"Correct but it was only one item and I added other defenses to it that I didn't with the Miraculouses and those who guarded them." Mage said. "In the case of the Prodigious, I created a magical lion statue called Mei Shi to protect it and judge those who wished to wear the Prodigious so that one worthy could one day wear it. Tied to Mei Shi was a bracelet, the base for what would become Miraculouses. In addition, thanks to the nature of the cave, the Prodigious could only be accessed once every 15 years during a specific magical eclipse which was an added security measure. After that, while I checked in from time to time, I left it alone until 230 years ago as I felt the Prodigious was safe where it was."

"And that is where this person comes in." Momo said. "Meaning that something had to have happened to cause it to be used, right?"

"True, the nature of human greed and corruption eventually caught up to it and the Prodigious almost fell into the hands of evil." Mage said. "But I will allow the holder to explain her history with it, but she would become the first, and now only, person to truly master the Prodigious, after some issues at the start, for in the end she managed to exemplify the 8 values."

"These values, what are they?" Marinette asked.

"8 values important to mankind; Justice, Calmness, Compassion, Confidence, Honor, Patience, Courage, and Discipline." Mage explained. "Represented by the 8 renlings for each and they are, in the order I just said, the Dragon, Bear, Monkey, Eagle, Horse, Mantis, Snake, and Tiger, respectively. They are also aligned with the eight elements of Bagua, a concept that was held at the time hence the use of 8. When active, and to activate it a certain state the martial arts school teaches is needed, the wielder can transform into any of those animals by saying that renling's name so long as the posses that value and are showing that value at that moment. There are also no tools or whatnot and no time restraints to it."

"And these animals, do they have powers?" Adrien asked startled by the nature of the Prodigious though the name certainly appeared apt. "Like how Plagg gave me the power of destruction before it became my Quirk."

"Only the dragon has power for it can control the weather by manipulating water, creating wind and lightning just as the Dragon Miraculous can." Mage said. "For that it is the strongest of the 8 and the center of the Prodigious, only one who exemplifies all 8 can wield it or else Mei Shi will take it back. The dragon is the hardest to exemplify and the challenge of the Prodigious."

"Woah." Marinette said her eyes wide as she processed what Mage was telling them. "You made an item that powerful? I mean I know the Miraculouses are immensely powerful, some more than other, but that seems a bit much."

"Yeah it was." Mage said with a sigh. "Hence why it was abused at first causing me to seal it away and changed tactics with the Miraculouses that would ultimately became part of circulation more so, with their own ups and downs of course. Even then I went too far a few times, and more mistakes were made. My element is an esoteric for sure, but its power is undeniable and through it I've made mistakes as its Guardian."

"We know." Adrien said. "And we've forgiven you for that mistake so let's move on. This person who may manage the bakery, she's the holder of the Prodigious."

"More accurately she was but like you she still has the item on her though she no longer needs it." Mage said. "So, I guess she's still the holder just as you two are still technically Miraculous holders, but you could consider her a template for you two in a way that goes beyond the Prodigious being a template for the Miraculouses. On that note, it may be time to meet her. She's meeting with Nezu at the moment, her martial arts prowess will actually allow her to deepen her cover as a teaching assistant to me next semester so they're setting that up regardless of if she handles the bakery as well and it gives her an excuse to be on campus at times so she can give Nezu her reports."

"Then by all means, summon her." Marinette said still processing everything, she'd need to discuss this with Tikki and the other kwamis more later but for now she'd go with it. "I'm more than willing to meet her and with your recommendation and her similarities to Adrien and myself she's already got a good start at getting the position. I'll reserve final judgement until I meet her and hear her plans for the bakery, after her story as I do want to know more about her personally first."

"Well then, I'll rearrange the room a bit as we wait." Mage said the wheelchair rolling back as he pulled out a phone to send a quick message to Nezu that it was time and the chairs rearranged so that there were now two facing the trio on the sofa and Mage moved to be between them at the far end while more tea appeared on the table. "Shouldn't be long now."

Mage was right because almost as soon as he was done the door opened and in walked two people, the door closing and locking behind them. The first was recognizable as it was Principal Nezu who just walked to the chair nearest Mage and settled himself down on it, accepting the latest tea concoction from his friend to enjoy during this meeting. The other, a woman in her mid to late 20s by the looks of it, just stood there for a moment as she looked over the trio who rose to politely greet her. Even at a glance, they could all tell that the woman was Chinese.

Marinette was studying the woman closely and knew at once that she was highly trained and experience in fighting. It wasn't that she was clearly in shape, though she was with a slender build showing it though her clothes hid the extent of it. No, it was in her posture and poise. She held herself with the confidence of a seasoned warrior who'd been through many battles and knew her own strength and power well. Her dark eyes swept showed that she was constantly aware. It was all a little bit of a contrast to her more relaxed clothing and the small smile on her face as she looked them over.

The woman wore a graphic tee that looked to have a white base with a pink dragon in a Chinese style and black stitching on it under a tight leather jacket that didn't close but fit her well. She kept the more tight style with a pair of simple blue jeans that showed her long legs and were tucked into a pair of silver boots with black laces and soles.

To accessorize she had a pair of white sunglasses on her head and oddly one black fingerless glove on her left hand, which held a folder in it, as well as a black belt with a small chain on it and a leather bracelet with what looked like a jade charm of sorts on her right wrist. It certainly all worked with her ink black hair that was held in a high ponytail with choppy bangs and a streak of pink in it on the left side.

Overall, it was a good look for her but there was one thing on her that drew Adrien and Marinette's attention because they could sense the power and magic coming from it, after all they'd been through and their time with Mage they could just feel it. That thing was the pendant the girl wore on a simply black string with a teal or jade bead connecting it string.

The pendant itself was unassuming as it was just a simple disk of dark red with a noticeable black circle in the center and 7 black circles equidistant around it that were smaller and a band of green around it. Instantly the French pair knew that the item had to be the Prodigious.

"Ah good as fast as I was expecting, I apologize for not getting up, but I believe introductions are in order." Mage said in English gesturing to the woman and then to the trio. "Let me introduce the Prodigious Holder and 5th Branch Sub-Guardian, Fei Wu. Fei, these are the three I've told you about, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Adrien Agreste, and Momo Yaoyorozu. All are first years in U.A.'s Hero Course, Class 1-A."

"Mage, I was saddened to hear of your wounds so no need to rise for me." Fei said in perfect English with a slight bow to the Guardian before turning to the trio, switching to Japanese with ease. "Marinette, Adrien, I have heard a lot about you, many great things, it is an honor to finally meet you in person and I know that in your culture first names are used so please call me Fei. Miss Yaoyorozu, I am aware of how you learned the truth thanks to Mage's oversight and are fully briefed on the nature of the Guardians and the Sub-Guardians so don't worry about holding back. My family name is Wu, but you can call me Fei as well if you like."

"Thank you, if the others are going to then I will as well." Momo said with a slight bow to Fei that she returned. "I have learned from Marinette and my friend Tsu to be more comfortable with given names for those who wish to use them so if you are extending me this courtesy then allow me to do the same. You can call me Momo if you'd like."

"As formal as I expected based on your file, Momo will do nicely as it will help us relax a bit around each other and given the select fraternity we are part of we should be relaxed." Fei said referencing the fact that they all knew the truth of the Guardians which was far from common knowledge. "Please, be seated so that we can discuss this. I hope to work with you Marinette, so allow me to show you what work I've done for the bakery already that you may keep even if you don't opt to work with me but first, I will answer any questions you may have for me. It is only fair as I've suddenly appeared and have some connections to you through our mutual acquaintances with Mage."

"Um, thank you." Marinette said sitting down, she was in the middle as always and the other two followed her lead as Fei went to take her seat opposite them in the seat next to Nezu who was still enjoying his tea. "I guess I do want to know more about you personally, your history, how you came to be in service to the Guardians, the Prodigious, all that."

"Of course, it is only fair, and we have a little time, so I have no problems telling you my tale." Fei said accepting some tea as she put the folder on the table and taking a sip of it, Mage always knew her favorite blend, so she never refused an offer from him. "We share a lot of similarities so hopefully this helps us get to know each other better. I know I appear older, but we are technically around the same age, I've just had pseudo immortality while you and Adrien were stuck outside the timeline."

"Ah so you were born around 2004 then." Marinette said.

"Around then, I was abandoned at the school my father ran as a baby but that was the year, so I presume I was born in that year." Fei admitted. "Fate brought me to him when he needed a child the most and he raised me as his own, giving me the name Fei, which means to fly in the sky in Mandarin. He trained me in the martial arts that had been passed down for generation so that I could take over and protect the bracelet and cave. Alas forces were working against us and had for 15 years. In the end they burned the school down and my father passed away because of it. Then they stole the bracelet to use at the magic eclipse, the one time the Prodigious can be accessed and that's every 15 years."

"Ah that explains the bracelet." Marinette said, she'd wondered if it was just a piece of jewelry or something more and it turned out to be the latter. "You went through a lot then."

"I did and I lost my way for a bit as I was clouded by revenge against those who took my father and the school from me." Fei admitted. "I became the opposite of what my father instilled in me as I went down that path though I continued to help people as well whenever I could which was a slight contradiction I know. He was the last of the guardians of the Prodigious and he instilled those values into me. Thankfully, I rediscovered them in time, but it was close and that is where our biggest connection comes in and why Mage feels like I am best for this for you see, the person responsible for my father's destruction was Hawk Moth."

"Wait really?" Marinette said her eyes wide, Adrien mirroring her as it had been a long time since they'd heard about their old nemesis and the fact that Fei had dealt with him was beyond coincidental to them and further showed the connections between the Prodigious and the Miraculouses. "Hawk Moth did that to you? I knew he was bad but that's a lot."

"He had a patsy, a greedy man who loved money more than anything else who went by the moniker Cash and who made me steal for him to try and find out who had paid him to destroy my father." Fei said sadness in her voice. "It was a plan 15 years in the making to get the Prodigious because of its powers though given the nature of it I am sure Hawk Moth would never have been able to use the Dragon and I don't think he fully grasped what it could do anyway."

"M'lady, this had to have happened after our disappearance." Adrien said turning to Marinette. "He never seemed to take a break while we were in Paris."

"It did." Mage said simply. "About 6 months or so afterwards. It was also the last sighting of Hawk Moth. After his failure to claim the Prodigious he returned to Paris and secretly surrendered the Moth and Peacock Miraculouses, allowing the kwamis to return with their Miraculouses to Fu. He was never seen again and as Nooroo and Duusu are magically unable to mention the names of their past holders to those who don't know them we never learned his identity."

"I was unaware of this for a bit as I was adjusting to the new life I had with the Prodigious." Fei said. "But yes, Hawk Moth was there the day the eclipse came to claim the Prodigious for he felt with its power he could gain what he needed to correct everything that was wrong in his life. He honestly seemed a little broken and deranged to me, but I was able to get the Prodigious from him, beat the akuma that he'd made out of the greedy man, and eventually beat a second akuma made from the Lion Guardian. At first I couldn't, the revenge in my heart clouded me and it looked like Shanghai would be destroyed as Hawk Moth had lost control of the second akuma. I was crying and despairing when Mage appeared to me."

"It wasn't a full manifestation; I was still recovering from creating a pair of fake miraculouses that could mimic yours while you were gone." Mage said. "But with the Prodigious once again active I could manifest a bit in its presence because of the magic being active again and spoke to Fei. I saw her memories and those of her father and helped her when she needed it because I saw her potential. The renlings did as well and she was able to manifest the dragon to win the fight. I did, um, have to create a fake Ladybug creation out of magic to purify the akuma and set things right when Fei won, that cost me a fair bit as it was a slight violation of the rules around us Guardians, but it was for the best."

"Shanghai needed it and it would be the last time that ever happened as Hawk Moth stopped after his failure." Fei said. "I think that broke what little of his conviction he had left. I was able to reclaim the bracelet and Mei Shi formed a kwami like creature to be by my side at all times, he's actually with your kwamis now elsewhere catching up, and from there I was recognized as the holder of the Prodigious. Mage still had enough energy to form one last time before me after I'd delivered Cash to the authorities, tell me of the history of the Guardians, and that if I used it wisely for the good of mankind and to protect the world for chaos then he'd return one day to offer me a reward."

"I had to wait a while, I was basically out of power after all I'd done and needed to reform which took a while." Mage said. "And I used that time to begin planning your back stories until, well, everything was thrown into chaos a decade later."

"The Advent of Quirks." Momo said and the others nodded. "And it occurred in China so what did that mean for you Fei?"

"Not as much as I was initially fearing." Fei admitted. "You see, when I became the holder of the Prodigious, I knew that I had to use it to exemplify the values that comprise it but at the same time it was kept hidden and secret for a reason, so I did so as well, though Cash knew my identity, but the authorities didn't believe his crazy explanation which helped. He was also facing the Chinese justice system; he would be locked away for a long time, so he wasn't a concern. Sure, the animals I can turn into are rather distinct, as is the outfit I have when it is active but with the quick changes I was able to avoid people noticing too much. The mantis transformation is really useful for getting away unseen."

"Outfit, so like the Miraculouses?" Adrien asked.

"In a way though it is different at the same time, Mage explained to me how your transformations worked and there are differences between the changes." Fei said. "And this is all before the gift which changed things for me but back when I was starting out it would create a yellow and red skin tight outfit with black markings on it, same with my mask, and the same color scheme was part of the animals. My hair also lengthened and turned pinkish red. That was the similarity to yours as I know you gain a skin tight suit and depending on the Miraculous your hair can change as well."

"The big difference is that there was no tool, but as the Prodigious is a prototype for the Miraculouses the costume it made, which like the Miraculouses reflects the holder's style, does grant similar abilities." Mage said. "Not to the same extent as a Miraculous would but it does heighten one's constitution and is hard to damage though the main constitutional changes are in the animal forms."

"Ah that makes sense." Adrien said deciding to just go with it, he was sure Plagg and the other kwamis could clear things up later if he asked. "Sorry, go on."

"It's ok, there's going to be a lot to take in, so I don't mind." Fei said with a smile. "Basically, I acted in the shadows, using the powers granted me for the betterment of Shanghai without people knowing, or if they did they didn't say anything because who'd believe they were saved by a giant red, yellow, and white bear that spoke English and Mandarin."

"True, most in our day wouldn't unless they were well aware of the Miraculouses like the French were." Marinette said. "These days though that is believable, almost normal."

"Yeah so now I can transform without an issue, I just have to remember which animal I'm supposed to be at the moment." Fei said which confused them a bit, but she continued before they could question it. "My decision to avoid being publicly known was a decision that would be beneficial in the long run. I figured that the whole secrecy thing was for the best and it did. I'd heard of the French heroes and other similar heroes that had existed in the States before the advent, but I didn't want that attention. It's not what my father would have wanted for me. Help people of course but I should do so because it was the right thing to do, not for fame."

"And then the advent happened, and things changed." Momo said. "And you'd have been around in the country that it occurred in, so you'd know more than most the effects of what it meant for the world."

"I do but those effects took decades to properly manifest." Fei said. "That glowing baby was the first to hold a Meta Ability as it was initially known as, later to be renamed Quirks due to some Japanese extremist around 150 years ago or so who had a Meta Ability back when it was still rare to have one and those with them were persecuted for being different unless they suppressed them. The power of Quirks was one that was feared and revered in equal measures, such is the nature of humanity. It would take a generation before they began to be any real changes but those began when the first generation reached their early 20s, about 30 years after I took charge of the Prodigious."

"That would make sense." Adrien said. "Quirks were initially not to strong from what I understand so it would have taken a while for them to evolve and manifest over the years, and it takes at least 15 years to get to a point where they can really be used as weapons as well. Weren't the Quirk Wars not initiated until several decades after the advent?"

"About 40 to 50 years depending on the nation." Mage said. "Earlier in the case of the US but there other factors that led to that, the US had been deeply divided before the advent and the advent made things a whole lot worse there, especially when you mix in the American ethos of freedom with the emergence of Quirks. It was the first major country to break out into civil war but also the first to stabilize for various reasons. China held on longer due to the government but in the end they too descended into war just as many other nations did."

"Yes it really wasn't until the rise of All Might that Japan began to stabilize but his sheer power helped us become the beacon for all other nations." Nezu said speaking for the first time. "But as Mage and Fei know firsthand, it took a few decades for the wars to begin in many places for various reasons. The US starting and ending early was what allowed for the Providence Accords to occur and determine the first Pro Hero Code well over 100 years ago. From there things got better all over the world and the wars for the most part began to stabilize thanks to the ethics of the early heroes. The Guardians and the creation of their international agency certainly helped as well though only for international disputes at the time."

"And that led to the creation of Hero Schools and Courses to license individuals." Mage said. "But all that will be covered in your hero training over your time here as you do need to know hero history as much as hero law to be a hero."

"I am already well versed in this, my parents made sure I knew, but it is a distraction from the current discussion." Momo agreed looking back to Fei to move the conversation along. "So, you basically continued unabated after the advent then?"

"Pretty much." Fei said. "The US had issues and of course France is no stranger to revolution the moment there's a chance of rising up to what they see as a tyrannical government, whether or not it actually is."

"It's basically a national pastime that we don't like." Adrien admitted to which Marinette nodded.

"Unfortunately, but in a way the western nations and places like Japan that devolved into civil war were in a sense better in the long run, as depressing as that is to say even if humanity was set back a century by the wars." Fei said with a sigh. "The more authoritarian nations used Quirks and those with them to further oppress their nations and even try to attack others or instigate atrocities that I will not get into. It was a whole mess but back in my days as a mere mortal it was just beginning to become like that. It was around the time the second generation was born, around 30 years after the advent and 40 after my own beginnings, that Mage returned right when things were beginning to devolve."

"By that point I'd fully regained my strength and France was already in yet another revolution." Mage said. "So, we had already begun the work with your family covers and the purging of Ladybug and Cat Noir, along with basically all French culture in the years prior to the advent for those were what suffered the most, had been underway for a while. We knew that you two were still lost but things were beginning to shift, and the rise of vigilantes in America would set the tone for the Providence Accords. The fixer of the Guardians had already helped set up plans for various schemes and the concept of heroes worked for us, but we needed allies and that was when I decided to return to Shanghai."

"Why do I get the feeling that you lot do more behind the scenes than we know." Adrien said looking from Mage to Fei. "Sounds like something the clandestine branch would do after all."

"I cannot confirm or deny the activities of the clandestine branch." Fei said with a grin. "At least not the ones you are not cleared to know and anything outside your own covers you don't need to know, not at the moment that is."

"The Guardians themselves can't do much but we have assets who can, and the hero system allowed even Guardians to partake in some capacity when it came into being." Mage said simply. "Before then though I needed to get a few more assets with the skills to help us. There were some promising candidates in France at the time, but they were still a generation or two away from being perfect, but I knew of one who would serve us well in the new era."

"Already being an established hero helped." Fei admitted. "If done right I would be useful in helping shape the new hero society in my own small way."

Precisely which is why I went to Fei." Mage said. "I may not have made my presence known in Shanghai since Fei too over the Prodigious, but I had kept an eye on her in my own way through the magic of the item itself and I knew she'd been true to its values. She'd proved herself worthy so with the climate shifting and needing someone from the start I returned to grant her the gift I'd promised her if she held true to her values and make her an offer."

"A gift." Marinette said understanding as she looked to Fei feeling a strange connection to the girl that ran deeper than their statuses as holders of magical items made by Mage. "You're like us then, your DNA was recoded to grant you your power as your Quirk but for the Prodigious not Miraculous."

"Bingo." Fei said with a nod. "I was the first, the patient zero so to speak, for this and in part why Mage waited so long after the advent I think as he needed to get it right. With 40 years of use I was more than saturated with magic, and he'd already understood how Quirk genetics worked and believed he could do it if his magic was already in a body. When he made the offer to grant me the powers of the Prodigious permanently without the need for the item, well I couldn't say no."

"It was easy due to the time period and allowed me to understand the art so that I could use it on others, which I did over the years with those Miraculous Heroes that have existed since the advent, but they aren't relevant to this discussion." Mage said. "And it ensured that the Prodigious effectively became part of Fei the way your Miraculouses are now part of you. As you can tell she still wears it and the renlings still exist in her presence alone, I can only see them due to my position as the Guardian of Magic, but now it can be permanently guarded by the one with the ability to wield it."

"I would have liked to pass on the guardianship of it to my children, but I never had any." Fei said sadly, the renlings around her reacting the same way, they were thankfully being quiet for this important discussion, but she'd have a nice chat with them later about all this. "I did rebuild and reopen the school my father ran and raised me in with the money I got in restitution for Cash's crimes. Thus, I was able to bring back the teachings that I was the last to hold at the time. It still exists to this day, but there is nothing to protect anymore and the don't know my identity. I felt like I was the last of the line and when I become the holder of the Prodigious I realized its power, it is too great to risk an unworthy holder."

"It did help prevent that if Fei just kept hold of it after I recoded her DNA to make its powers her Quirk." Mage said. "When it was used by an unworthy holder it almost cause ruin but with a worthy holder it is safe and as Fei's Quirk is now the power of the Prodigious, well its power can never be abused again."

"And that was all tied to the offer that was made to me." Fei said. "I'd get the gift because I was worthy of it but the ability to keep the pendant was tied to accepting Mage's offer."

"The Sub-Guardians." Adrien said. "You were offered the chance to join them and serve the Guardians."

"Yup, I'd been fully briefed on the structure of the organization and given time to think on it, but the offer was there." Fei said. "Due to my service as a hero and the holder of the Prodigious I was selected for the 5th branch, it was the only place for me to go really, and this way I could still serve the world forever, provided I don't die in battle, only now it would be global and with more direction. The fact that this was proposed by Mage, the very being who'd made the Prodigious, helped."

"She was using my creation thus she was considered my recruit." Mage said. "As such only I could recruit her."

"It helped because I wouldn't have listened to anyone else." Fei admitted. "Still, I took a bit of time to properly think on the offer but agreed in the end as it was a good offer, and I had no family or friends other than my students who were all younger than me anyway to leave behind so there weren't any issues there. To facilitate it my civilian identity retired from the school and revealed that I had terminal cancer and wished to live out my last days in peace and solitude to prepare to meet my father again, the whole faking my death and what not."

"It was one of the easier ways to do it and we forged all the necessary paperwork to prove that Fei was in fact dying." Mage said. "Once Fei said her goodbyes, chose her successor as head of the school, and got her affairs in order she retired to the countryside. There, in our compound in China, she swore her vows to me, and I accepted them thus making her a Sub-Guardian and her vows were the ones specific to the 5th branch."

"From there began my work with Mage though at first I'd not be in China for obvious reasons." Fei said. "Technically the head of the 5th branch is some strange dude named Demos and I did have to listen to him when he needed my talents, I am also a master of disguise by the way so that played a lot into helping smooth my recruitment, but for the most part I was to work with Mage. You see he briefed me on his colossal mistake with the Miraculouses when the time came for the school part of the plan as I was to be part of the team that worked on your cover for that was the role I was to play."

"Role?" Marinette asked. "You were active in our covers."

"She was on the school side." Nezu said piping up for the first time in a while but as he was an educator that made sense. "Miss Wu here was rather instrumental in forging the whole international exchange program."

"I had to wait a few decades, during which I served the Guardians in various ways, mainly in Europe and America, and learned to master the Prodigious as a Quirk, but when they were ready I was put in place for it." Fei said. "In fact, I was perfect. You see, in addition to my master of disguise, the nature of my Quirk is that I can turn into 8 different animals so long as I am in that state of value at the time. As such, I effectively have 8 different identities I could use which I did. Once the school systems began and the exchange programs set up, I'd serve as one of the candidates for it every other generation or so."

"Huh I know of the exchange programs, my dad looked into it just in case I should start early in a British or American school as a potential Japanese exchange student but ultimately I needed those years to perfect Creation so U.A. was still best for me." Momo said. "I never really understood how it came to be though. I always thought that it was part of the whole global hero code thing in the wake of the many Quirk Wars. A way to heal and exchange heroes and teachers."

"That was how it was billed, and it was it's primary purpose in fact." Mage said. "But we saw its use in helping Adrien and Marinette because this way we could make sure that if they appeared in a country other than France, we could act there if they were needed which was the case when they reappeared in Japan at a time when they'd be needed here."

"Yes, and as I was in the know about the Guardians I was able to help." Nezu said. "And with the exchange system in place we had a ready backstory and with how Europe started at 13, earlier than most, they were usually the base with exchanges to America, the middle east and far east in exchange for those who could start earlier. America starts at 14 so they accepted and sent out while Japan which is 15 was more receiving but some from middle schools here do go to Europe and America."

"For me, I was mainly focused on starting in Europe and going out to other countries to further the popularity and acceptance of the exchange program, always with a different name and appearance." Fei said. "I have done it 7 times now. 4 of those were from France and yes I was enrolled in Francois Dupont for them to help establish its reputation. In fact, I was always enrolled there with another Sub-Guardian candidate as my partner who'd transfer with me. All 4 would prove worthy and have since joined though none of them have been recruited for this assignment as it's not in line with their skills. The other three times I was began in the UK, Germany, and Russia respectively before transferring to another school."

"Wait so you've graduated high school 7 times?" Marinette asked. "Just to help out cover?"

"Pretty much, I've graduated 7 times and each time in a different country to the one I started in where I'd serve as a hero for ten to twenty years before faking my own death or retiring so that I could starting over." Fei said. "I'd slightly change my appearance, name, and use a different animal as my base Quirk, and as a Sub-Guardian I have control over my age so I could make myself younger for the schools. That's how I did it. It was not just for you two, I did do a lot of good helping the exchange system be established and I did do a lot of good as a hero in many countries. Now that I am here, though, I will use all 8 of my animals should the need arise but the Dragon is only for dire emergencies."

"Fei was just one of a few who did this but the only who knew of the ulterior motive we had for ensuring the system was established and accepted." Mage said. "Due to her experiences with Hawk Moth and the Prodigious I deemed it necessary that she be informed of it all just in case, when you two reappeared, she was needed again."

"Well thank you." Adrien said with a bow of his head to Fei. "You helped us a lot."

"It was my duty as a hero to help and a pleasure after all I'd heard you'd been through." Fei said with a smile. "I know what it's like to lose everything, I was more than happy to help out in my own way to make your transition smoother. It is an honor to meet you two and know that you are doing well together."

"Yes, thank you." Marinette said with a smile, so long as Fei's bakery plans worked then she'd be chosen for this, she seemed sincere and like someone Marinette could work well with and become good friends with in time. "Out of curiosity, where did you end up on your exchanges? I presume one was to Japan, right?"

"It was, hence, why I can speak Japanese." Fei said with a grin and a glance at Nezu. "Though I'm a Shiketsu alum not a U.A. one and I am loyal to all my alma maters. I was in Japan for my third go around and using the horse transformation for honor. Shiketsu was the better place for me, and it helped get U.A. more on board with the program."

"That was before my time, but we couldn't let Shiketsu get all the good exchanges, so we got in on it as well." Nezu said with a sip of tea. "Over time Mage became more familiar with me than the Shiketsu principal to the point that he trusted me with his true identity so when Miss Dupain-Cheng and Mr. Agreste arrived here I was the first port of call. I will not hold it against Miss Wu."

"Thank you, I am well versed in your history and greatly admire all the work you have done Nezu." Fei said with a bow of her head to the Principal before looking back to the others. "As for the other 6 times, it was varied but I went to America, Canada, Australia, Egypt, India, and finally back to China for the most recent one. For the first time since joining the Sub-Guardians I was back in my homeland as enough time had passed since I'd 'died' there. When I graduated 7 years ago I began to work at the Guardian Agency in Shanghai, I always work at a Guardian Agency, so that was where I was when Mage approached me for this mission. My ties to you two through similar powers and the pre-Quirk era, along with my Chinese roots like Marinette made me the best candidate, if you accept me that is."

"I am ashamed to admit it, but I have not been very good at connecting to my Chinese side." Marinette said flushing a little. "I was always more French because that was where I was born and raised and, well, my mother moved to Paris before she met my father, so she never really addressed her Chinese side that much other than in her fashion sense and some décor items we had. Her uncle came one time though and that was fun, it helped me a bit to connect with that side and I got to spend time with Adrien because he served as a translator, but I was never as good at that half of my family. I, um, don't even speak Mandarin."

"Really?" Fei asked surprised her eyebrow raising at that. "And yet you speak Japanese, how?"

"That would be my doing." Mage said. "A requirement needed for them as there wasn't time for them to master the language after they arrived. Marinette and Adrien's Japanese is not as organic as yours."

"Yes, I learned the languages of all the places I went." Fei said glaring at Mage before it softened. "Though I was already fluent in French and English before I became the Prodigious Holder. I don't mind though, now I can speak German, Russian, Arabic, and Japanese so it's come in handy."

"I do want to learn Mandarin, I neglected it when I was younger and my mother never really tried to teach me it because I didn't want to learn, but between time and the fact that it should be more natural I haven't had the chance." Marinette admitted. "It's just, well, I have no excuse."

"I can teach you m'lady." Adrien said with a smile.

"And I'm also fluent in it." Momo said. "So, you can practice with me as well. You helped me perfect my French so allow me this return Marinette."

"Ok, when we have time." Marinette said grateful for the help though learning from Adrien would probably be very distracting. "I think it is high time I connect with my Chinese side more, especially as I am in Japan now and there's a chance I could see Shanghai someday given my family's history there."

"And the Dupain Bakery there." Fei said. "It's actually right next to your great uncle's restaurant as he had no kids so left it to your mother. When the Guardians took over the whole estate in preparation for your return they maintained the restaurant and its traditions and recipes though some may be lost but with you back they could be restored I think."

"It is part of your family, so it had to stay." Mage said as Marinette looked at them in surprise. "But it never became a chain, too independent for that. When we branched out to Shanghai, Adrien's father had already opened an Agreste store there in the pre-Quirk era, around the time of the Prodigious incident actually, and with your family ties we felt that it was for the best to have a branch there. It was our first expansion into the east Asian market, this one will be the second, so we made sure put it next to the restaurant to show both sides though few know the connections. One day, when there is time or if a mission needs it, I will personally bring you to Shanghai to see it."

"I'd like that." Marinette said with a smile not realizing how much she'd neglected that half of her identity until now. "But that is for the future, for now let's move onto the bakery that we are setting up here. Fei, thank you for your tale and help, it means a lot to us that you were willing to help us despite not knowing us. Please, show me what you have prepared for the bakery and if I like it I will approve of you as the manager and leave it in your hands as I am a little busy with school. I understand that it is still a ways away from being ready."

"Correct and we are aiming for a Chinese new year opening to tie into that side of your family." Fei said as she suddenly got business like and opened the folder which had several sheets of paper in it and handed a few over to Marinette. "First off, this is the design and plan we have for it. Each branch is modeled after the Paris on in terms of the bakery part as much as possible but also incorporates local tastes and styles into other aspects of it, both in the menu and in the rest of its functions. Some serve as cafes as well as bakeries or offer other items and services depending on the location."

"Makes sense." Adrien said as Marinette began to look over the papers Fei had handed her. "Easier to break into the market if you show respect for the location and it broadens the appeal a bit."

"Correct though that is more for non-western or former French colonial markets." Fei said. "So, for Japan, well they are famous for their maid cafes that employ French maid attire, so we decided to incorporate that into aesthetic. After all, what is more authentic than a maid café over a French bakery."

Marinette had to admit, that was a good idea even if she wasn't the biggest fan of the whole maid café thing, but it had its appeal in this circumstance. It would certainly work well and get more customers in so it might be a good idea, she'd have to look over the design for the bakery first and so took a moment to look through the pages.

They were a mix of maps, blueprints, and concept drawings for her to look through showing her where the bakery would be and how it would look. It looked like the land they'd bought was on a street at the bottom of the hill that had U.A. on, a nice peaceful neighborhood that the students could go to as there was a useful hardware store nearby, along with the park, and there was a lot of construction so another new building wouldn't look out of place.

The only downside was the lack of hero agencies near it as there weren't as many as other places in Musutafu. That wouldn't matter though as Marinette was sure that a staff of Sub-Guardians would be fine. Hell, it was basically an offshoot of the Guardian Agency in its own right even if only the people in the room knew it to be the case so it could help protect the neighborhood from the shadows as much as it did that for the school itself.

As for the building that was being proposed, it was to be built on a corner lot where a street led deeper into the city and facing the hill. The corner was deliberate to allow for it to form the rounded front just like the bakery in Paris that Marinette knew so well and this one would be modeled after it though the back was larger as it would have an office for Fei or the manager as well as a larger baking area to facilitate the café part.

From there it would have 4 floors going up with the second floor being the café part and including a wrap around balcony for people to stand on, smoke, and chat who weren't interest in sitting. As for the top two floors…

"Only the first and second floors are for the public without a special reservation." Fei said as Marinette studied the drawings and blueprints. "The third floor is the communal area for the five Sub-Guardians stationed there as well as their bedrooms while the top floor is for the manager and will include a secure conference room for meetings and what not. The top will be a small garden that can fit a good number of people. We plan for that to have a separate access elevator and be rentable to the public or for your own private use should you desire. Officially this is your family's place, so I would have to check in with them for anything major but as you are them there's no need."

"Consider this in part your first real experience in running your family's business." Mage said. "The other bakeries will still be managed by us but this one you'll have more hands-on control though with your hero duties delegation is key."

"No, I understand, that is why I need a manager to run it." Marinette said as she looked over the proposal. "But as I am nearby I will do my best to swing by whenever I can, timing permitting."

Marinette had to admit, she liked it. The bakery aspect was of course familiar to her and what she wanted, this way she could share it more with her friends and have some tie to home nearby while out in Japan. The café played into Japanese tastes making it more welcoming to locals and added a new, interesting element to it, but she of course had a few questions.

"Staff." Marinette said putting the papers down. "I know that they will be Sub-Guardians, but do you have candidates for it?"

"Four who I know and have worked with in the past, all have helped with the exchange program but are unaware of its assistance in your cover stories, or your past for that matter." Mage said. "Fei knows them as well though not as well as they've been based in France for the most part while she's been all over the world. Their French nationality will be key to making the bakery feel authentic and I'll provide you with their profiles nearer the time. They're currently taking Japanese classes in Paris and working in the mother branch to perfect the art but that is for their cover. Like Fei, they are Sub-Guardians and hold international hero permits so can act like that."

"However, as we aren't reporting this to avoid the red tape and prevent information from leaking, they are acting outside the scope of the Guardians' mandate in both protecting the school and running intel ops here regarding the League we're keeping their hero credentials a secret." Nezu said. "Fei will be registered under her current alias from China as a hero for the Guardian Agency but officially undercover to monitor a trafficking ring coming from China so her identity will be classified. That's how she was able to transfer to the Japanese branch but not stay there. The clandestine branch does this to stuff from time to time to get around the red tape and help out when needed."

"Correct." Mage said with a nod. "There's one asset in the country already, a special one who's mainly worked with Technus but for a specific reason he's worked with me in the past and currently runs the Agreste store in Tokyo as Technus's representative here, part of that whole partnership Technus has with the Agreste family. All part of the cover of course."

"I take it that it's who I think it is." Fei said looking over to Mage. "I should see him at some point for an update on the current situation."

"It is though he's going to be independent of the bakery team." Mage said.

"Um should I know about him?" Adrien asked a little surprised he'd not heard of this yet though he did know of the family store in Tokyo, so it was safe to presume it was run by a Sub-Guardian.

"In time, he's going to be at U.A. for something in a few weeks, when that's over I'll introduce you." Mage said. "He's busy at the moment but he's been deeply involved in your cover Adrien, so you do have a right to know."

"Alright, I'll wait, it's not of importance to me." Adrien admitted, he was focused on his hero duties after all and enjoying his freedom from the family business, so he was more than willing to leave that as it was for a bit.

"Ok that does explain the staff." Marinette said. "I take it that it's gender balanced, or majority female given the café concept."

"Two guys and two girls." Fei said with a nod. "The plan is to have one in the kitchen at all times, one manning the bakery section, and two in the café, always one of each gender in the café part. It's not just maid but a maid and butler café so as to appeal to both genders, at least that's how I'd plan on running it."

"That makes sense." Marinette said liking the idea of it being a maid and butler café over just maids, if it was just maids then Mineta might be an issue. "Alright and lastly the menu, what is the plan for that? That is the most important thing after all."

"The café part still needs work so if you know your uncle's famous soup recipe, we'd like to use that, but other than that the café menu will be a mix of traditional French dishes and maid café items." Fei said taking out a few more papers and passing them over to Marinette. "These are the preliminary menus and suggestions. As for the bakery, all Dupain family bakeries make the same standard French pastries that they are known for at the mother bakery along with a selection of local ones and hybrid creations given the family's skills. I would like the latter to come from you as you are the only true family member left. The only ones set in stone are the traditional French pastries."

"I would like you to hold off on my great uncle's Celestial Soup or as it was renamed Marinette Soup." Marinette said. "It's a family recipe like my own personal macaroon recipe and I want to keep it as such. Plus, I, um, have to perfect it first."

"Of course, I understand." Fei said. "I've had it at the restaurant back when your great uncle was still alive, it was phenomenal, but if it is a family secret then I won't ask for it."

Marinette just nodded at that and then took the menus to look them over. They were as she'd expected. For the bakery it was exactly what they made back in her day. The suggestion list was traditional Japanese baked goods though there were no hybrid ideas on it as those would be for her to create.

As for the café part, it was a bit more varied with a mix of French, Chinese, and Japanese dishes, along with maid café staples and of course a large selection of classic French desserts. It all looked pretty good, and Fei had shown how organized she was to have all this ready.

"I'll take these and look over them to give you some suggestions about what to include, what should be seasonal or special occasions, and what won't work." Marinette said making sure that the papers were in order. "And I'll work on developing some hybrid items, those are just a matter of trial and error. One of my classmates is a talented baker, not at my level but easily professional grade, and he's Japanese naturally so I'll work with him on some hybrids and ask about the Japanese stuff to get back to you with. Otherwise, this all looks good, and you are clearly well prepared and professional, so the job is yours if you want it. I look forward to working with you Fei."

With that Marinette rose and held out her hand across the table. Fei smiled at her and did the same to grasp it as they shook to formally seal the deal of her hiring.

"I wouldn't have put in all this effort if I didn't want this job so thank you for trusting me, I look forward to working with you as well Marinette." Fei said as they broke apart and she pulled out her phone. "If you give me your number I can give you updates on my progress and you can send me what you decide as well as anything else you wish to discuss with me. I've run covert ops before, even been a manager of a store or restaurant a few times and I did run a martial arts school for many decades, so I'm well trained and experienced in stuff like this. I won't let you down or dishonor your family while also doing my best to help Nezu protect the school."

"I trust Mage after all he's done for me and he clearly trusts you, you were able to wield one of his creations, so I know you will do a good job." Marinette said as she pulled out her own phone to exchange information with Fei and noting the time. "But, um, we should get going. It's almost time for our extra lessons to catch up on what we missed recently, and our teacher is notoriously strict."

"Of course, don't let me hold you." Fei said. "I have a few things more things to discuss with Mage and Nezu anyway. It was a pleasure to meet you lot and here's to a good relationship going forward."

"And to you." Marinette said as Adrien and Momo rose, bowed to Fei and their teachers, Fei returned the bow, before they turned to leave. "We will speak more of this in time but for now I will leave it in your hands Fei."

"That is for the best as soon you three will be very busy." Nezu said. "But you will learn of that in a day or two. For now, I agree it is best to not keep Aizawa waiting."

The three students nodded in agreement at that and left to go to their lesson and continue their catching up of school work. They'd discuss all they'd learned today and what it meant in time but for now it was time to focus on school and let the adults deal with it. Soon they'd not even have time to think on this stuff because of what was on the horizon for U.A. as the second semester brought new excitements to Class 1-A and a whole new challenge for the Miraculous duo to rise to.

So, surprise, there is one more Miraculous character who will appear in this story who isn't Marinette, Adrien, or the kwamis though as I am unclear on the canonical nature of the world specials (Miraculous is an anime inspired show and in anime for the most part films/specials are not canon) I can't say that Fei is canon. There have been some questions about bringing in other characters or at least having them appear for closure and I am still trying to work on the latter part, I can't do the former as that would retcon the story so far, but Fei was able to be brought in for various reasons. The main one is the questionable canonical nature of the specials so it could be theorized that she'd not part of the main canon but that was just the first stage to allowing her. The rest was down to her backstory. She's an orphan with no family and the last to protect a powerful magical object, her whole backstory fits what I like best in the Sub-Guardians and as the Prodigious is a template for the Miraculouses I could easily fit it in with the story I've created so far and allow Fei to serve as the patient zero so to speak for Mage's magical Quirk thing. Of course, with the specials occurring after season 3 (another factor in Fei's favor as she would have never met Marinette and Adrien) and thus never occurring in the Miraculous Quirks timeline it was also easier to work with her. All I had to do was tailer the tale from the Shanghai special into Fei's backstory, tie it in as the kinda breaking point for Hawk Moth, and then have Mage subtly recruit her and she could be made a Sub-Guardian who helped with the cover and thus appear in this limited context later on. The whole bakery is a side plot that helps for breaks and slice of life chapters but does have other roles and Fei can run it as the manager, which is also why she's been aged up and is more mature now as well as being tailored a little more to fit this story and over 200 years of life experiences. She won't appear again for a while, but she'll occasionally show up and if the need arises she may step in as a hero, but I have yet to find a place for that that fits naturally. At this point she will be the only character from any Miraculous materials brought in and I have no plans to use any characters from the New York special. Fei worked because of a multitude of factors creating a near perfect storm for her inclusion but as I said she won't appear that often so don't expect much from her, this is still about Marinette and Adrien and how they work with this world and will remain as such through the end of the MHA canon which itself is in what I believe is the final major manga arc. Anyway, that is all I have for this longer than usual note and will thus leave 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