Here it is, the eighty-fourth full chapter of Miraculous Quirks released on the set day that I promised each week. The School Festival is approaching but there is still plenty of things to sort out and practice beforehand and one more thing to add to everything so it is time for a few outstanding cliffhangers to be answered. 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 84th full chapter of Miraculous Quirks.
Disclaimer: I do not own either of these great works of fiction.
Chapter 84: The Final Piece
"What is Dupain-Cheng doing here?" Bakugo growled as the band team for the School Festival finished up their practice for the night as Marinette walked into the area they were practicing in. "If she's here for Agreste couldn't she have waited until we were all done so we don't have to see it."
It was a few days after Eri's visit when everything was finally ready for Jiro's secondary part to their project that she and Marinette had sorted out. The days had been busy as normal classes and hero training still took place during the week but once that and homework was done the members of Class 1-A would get together to work on their respective parts for the upcoming School Festival. It was the only time during the day that they had to work on it, and they certainly had a lot of work to do so they took whatever time they could to do that work.
Depending on the team you would meet in certain areas. The backstage team would either meet in one of their rooms to discuss the technical aspects of their role or they'd just stay in the gym after training to practice how the effects would go and make notes on what worked and what didn't work.
Thankfully, between their Quirks the cleanup of the mess they made was easy as Todoroki melted the ice and burned the tape, Koda could easily get the birds to leave though they would have to also burn away any droppings as well, and Kirishima would deal with the heavy lifting. Midoriya, when he was sent to that group, often with Aoyama and the rig they were using to hoist Aoyama into the air as that was his main role when he joined the backstage crew, helped out as well. When not he was with the dance team.
The dance team would usually meet outside the dorm to practice as that was the best space for it. When the stage was built, which the class had to do themselves, they'd move there for practice on the actual thing but by that point they'd know the music so things would be really taking shape. They could also use the school grounds during the weekends which would give them more space to work with but as it was a weeknight they couldn't right now.
They had wrapped up for the night now, a little earlier than usual so that Mina could begin personalizing it to the various members and working on Mineta's harem. The others were grateful as between their normal hero training and the intense training that Mina was putting them through they were exhausted and almost all of them turned in early for the night.
The only one not going to bed was Marinette. She had instead headed to the special area that had been set up for the band to practice without interruption or distraction and waited until Kyoka texted her to tell her that they were done with their practice for the evening. So far it was going well with most of the band understanding their roles and getting timing down, only Kaminari needed more lessons that Jiro was giving him in private, but he was a fast learner and had the easier of the two main guitar roles in the song.
As such, today was the day that Jiro revealed to the band only her other plan which involved Marinette hence why she was here today much to almost the entire band's surprise. They'd finished perfecting it the night before when they recorded the music needed so it was time to present it to the band so that they understood even if only two of them besides Jiro would be needed to play during the song. Jiro still couldn't believe that her idea worked but she had gone to see Marinette and been surprised by the result to her question regarding Marinette's singing skills.
Flashback
"Can you sing?" Jiro asked Marinette.
Marinette was certainly surprised by the question that was suddenly posed to her. Kyoka had come to see her for advice and support in taking charge of the band, and Marinette had helped her of course, but she'd also had a question to ask her. It just wasn't the question that Marinette had expected.
"Well, I didn't volunteer earlier when we were looking for singers." Marinette pointed out. "So that should answer your question, Kyoka."
"Marinette, I know you well enough by now to know that you suck at modesty after all you've shown the class this year." Jiro said with a smile at her friend. "Hell, I was one of the first to realize that after you destroyed me in that battle trial so spare me the excuses and after not revealing the whole being a master baker and fashion designer silence isn't going to fly with you. We both know that you're much more than you let on, which is a good thing, but right now I need the truth. Can you sing?"
"I guess I probably should have been more explicit." Marinette said with a sigh, she didn't know where her friend was going with this but clearly Kyoka had an idea and was pursuing it, plus the girl was taking on her own insecurities leading the band and singing herself so Marinette could be honest with the other girl on this front. "I didn't volunteer because while I can sing, not as good as you can mind you, um, I can only really sing in French."
"Really?" Jiro asked her smile broadening as that was just what she wanted to hear.
"Yes really." Marinette said. "I'm not trained or anything mind you, and as I said I'm nowhere near as good as you are, but I can sing well enough in my native language. Unlike you, I can't sing well in English as my accent is way too thick and as a French girl I struggle with some of the changes in how certain letters sound, nor can I sing in Japanese though I haven't really tried to sing in your native tongue."
"I actually prefer English myself, it's what I was taught for singing and the song I have in mind will be sung in English." Jiro said surprising Marinette. "But I actually was hoping that you could sing in French, same with Agreste by the way, but, well, I can't go ask him so hopefully you know if he can or not."
"Adrien knows music and can certainly read it, that much I know, but I can't vouch for his singing talents." Marinette admitted. "But he would be better in French as well I would guess though his English is near flawless. Why though? Why do you want to know if I can sing?"
"Um, well, I had an idea of something to add to the concert that's all." Jiro admitted her nerves coming back as this was a big ask of hers, but she pushed through them. "It came to me shortly after I agreed to the idea because of our class discussion on what to do as our program for it. The School Festival is about showing off the class and school, but our class is different, we have you and Agreste in it as part of the special transfer program so I think Ida was right, we should try to incorporate you and Agreste's French side into everything. It's harder with a concert but I had the idea that you and Agreste could sing a duet that the band plays after the main song. It would show you off and extend the concert a bit as well."
"We are doing this for the rest of the school though." Marinette pointed out. "How would a French duet between me and Adrien help them relieve stress? Might come off as a bit selfish on our part especially ask, well, there are certain connotations with such a singing style and in our case those connotations would be accurate."
"I thought about that, but I think I can swing it with the right introduction and if the song is right then they wouldn't care, the music alone will be able to move them." Jiro said. "Plus, while I don't understand the language, it is a rather beautiful one when spoken by a native speaker."
"True, French is considered the language of love." Marinette admitted thinking on Kyoka's words. "And a moving, emotional song could uplift people especially after you've got them really going. First though shouldn't you hear me sing? If I can't sing to your standards then we shouldn't do this, there's no time for me to improve with everything else."
"Oh, right, yeah I probably should." Jiro said. "Can you show me?"
"You came here for that so one sec let me find the right song." Marinette said as she reached for her phone.
It took her a moment of scrolling; she couldn't use a Clara Nightingale or Jagged Stone song after all as both were long lost artists that could arise suspicion if she sang one of them, and Jagged's style wouldn't fit what Kyoka wanted, but she could just use one of the current French artists out there. Marinette did like music, so she had plenty of the current stuff that was within her tastes, it wasn't as good as the stuff she'd loved before the incident in her opinion, but it was good enough and she quickly found a song that she liked. She then found a music only version of it but one with the lyrics and played it.
Jiro just sat there listening to the song, it was by one of the more popular French pop stars at the moment that Jiro had heard a few songs from after listening to some French songs after getting to know Marinette so she could identify the artist though as it was in French she didn't know the words. Overall, it was a bit too pop for what she wanted Marinette and Agreste to sing but as a baseline for assessing Marinette's skills it would do.
Those skills were certainly there as Marinette began to sing in French. She was good, better than she probably knew and with Jiro's help Marinette would take it to a point that would move the school though the pop song didn't really suit Marinette's vocal range in Jiro's mind which was good as she felt Marinette would be able to sing the genre Jiro had in mind well. That said, it would still come down to the song itself, and what Jiro had in mind was one that would have to be personal for the French couple. She also enjoyed hearing Marinette speak her native language and it was even better in song.
"That was good Marinette." Jiro said when Marinette was done, and Jiro waited a moment to make sure. "A little off here and there but we can easily work on that. Also, the genre is too pop for what I want to do."
"I like pop and rock, a strange mix I know." Marinette admitted, flushing a little at Kyoka's praise. "Thank you though. So, what did you have in mind. Adrien and I will help the class anyway we can."
"I want you two to write and sing a duet about, well, your own history I guess." Jiro said trying to explain what she had in mind. "Show your side of the hero world, how it was done back in France in a way, and your own love plays a part in it all. We all know how cute you two are as a couple, so an emotional ballad like that in French that really tells your story and right after everyone is rocking could really work. Can you do it? I know you're busy, but this wouldn't take as much practice, and I can record it for you and Agreste to practice on your own when you have the time."
"I'll be busy for sure, but I'm used to that." Marinette said recalling how busy she'd been back in Paris before the incident so this wasn't much to her even if her time management skills could still use a little work. "And it will take a week at least as while Adrien and I can write it together, we can tell our tale I guess, he will have to be the one to write the music as he understands that. He might even have an idea which instruments are best for it."
"Of course, and then when it's done you and I can use my instruments to record a demo of the music." Jiro said. "I can also help with determining what instruments will be needed and see what fits best. If it is more than one, as I expect, we can record each part individually and then put it together for the demo. It won't be good, but it will at least give you something before the whole band works on it."
"Yes though given that Adrien will be in charge of the music, piano will almost certainly be the main instrument as he knows it best." Marinette admitted. "Not the only one though I think, and we'll try to keep it to what you and the band can do but we should be able to manage it."
"Good thing we have Yao-Momo on keys then." Jiro said. "She can take over after Agreste leaves for his part and I can play pretty much anything that is known so if we need something not in the band I'll play it. Thank you Marinette, this is a lot I know but it will really add to our concert, I'm certain of that."
"How can I say no." Marinette said with a smile. "You're doing so much for this that we can repay you, though I'll design proper outfits to us. I'll have to choreograph my freestyle part at the end of the song, Mina wants something like that, and my yo-yo will be useful there, but it will work I think. That said, I do think we should keep this to just the band as a way to surprise the class as well."
"You're the best Marinette." Jiro said rising. "And I agree, only the band will know to keep it simple. Anyway, I need to get working as well, I have the song for the band but not the music for it just yet."
"And I have a lot to do." Marinette said gesturing to her book of designs. "Good thing I have many unused designs to look through and work off, I'm sure something here will catch Mina's eye."
Jiro just nodded at that, if anyone could do all this it was Marinette and she turned and left her friend to get back to her work while sorting out her own stuff as well. Regardless, Jiro went to bed that night knowing things would work out on this front.
End of Flashback
It had taken Marinette until the weekend to get the song ready, and confirm that Adrien was a good singer, but when she presented it to Jiro it looked really good, especially after Marinette translated it into Japanese for her on a separate page as the music was written to the French lyrics. The music Jiro could read with ease and agreed that the main bulk of it was suited to the piano, but a piano alone couldn't carry the song. That was why they had to work to find the right instruments for the right bits, which turned out to be just drums for a beat at times and a violin for emphasis.
Thankfully, Jiro understood how to play the violin, not as well as more modern instruments, but her natural talent and the fact that she was good with string-based instruments thanks to her guitar work, meant that with a little practice she could get the small violin parts in the song down pat. Momo would carry most of it, it was very piano heavy, but she was close with Marinette and Agreste, so she wasn't an issue.
No, the issue was getting Bakugo on board but at least he seemed to have some respect for the French pair so there was a chance he'd agree to help out. First, though, they had to present it which was what they were doing here right now.
"Because I asked her to come here when she was done and before we packed up." Jiro said as she pulled out a speaker from the back she brought to connect her phone to play the recording and then handed the sheet music to the band members. "I wanted to show that we aren't just Japanese in our class, that we should show off the French transfers and, well, French is a great language to move people."
"That is true." Momo said a little confused by this, but she trust Kyoka had a plan. "So, what is your idea?"
"It's a pretty simple one, though for obvious reasons on the band will know as otherwise it might distract the rest of the class." Jiro said as she explained her idea. "Marinette and Agreste have agreed to help out by singing a duet in their native language that tells more of their own journey to U.A. in a sense. Only Yao-Momo, Bakugo, and I will be needed for the music, but you all deserve to be in thee know as we will be practicing this after main practice as well to get it right. This way Marinette can join us when she's done with dance practice. Kaminari and Tokoyami, you two can go if you want."
"Nah I'm curious to see how well Dupain-Cheng and Agreste can sing." Kaminari said with a grin.
"And I shall support my classmates in this even if I'm not needed to play." Tokoyami said. "I know that they would do the same for me."
"And you think I'll help out." Bakugo growled glancing over the music and the lyrics, not that he knew most of it as he knew very little French, and they hadn't bothered to provide a Japanese or even an English translation of it. "Why should I?"
"Marinette and I have recorded the music already and they will now sing it to show it off." Jiro said. "And then you can make up your mind, Bakugo. This will be the killer blow to the school, I know it."
Bakugo just huffed. This wasn't as bad as the original idea, he had to give earphones that much, and if it was any of the actual extras he'd have said no outright but the two French kids were a bit more than extras in the class. He could acknowledge their skills in battle, he was sure Agreste was better than when they'd met in Sports Festival so a rematch would be interesting, and he really wanted to test himself against Dupain-Cheng to prove he was the best, so he'd give them the moment now to see what earphones had come up with.
"Ok, well when you're ready." Jiro said as the others put down the music, Momo really ready as she understood the words she'd read and was already starting to get emotional at them so she was really eager to see how the pair would sing them. "Begin."
With that Jiro hit the play button on the speaker and the music she'd recorded with Marinette and then spliced together as best she could, thankfully her parents had taught her enough about editing to understand the basics, began. It started with a few bars to lead into the song and set the tone, all piano before the song began and it was Adrien who started singing in his native tongue.
He was indeed better than Marinette without training because he understood the nuances of music and as he'd set the song mainly to piano it was easy for him to follow the rhythm and flow of it, but Marinette wasn't bad herself when she took up her part in the song as Adrien finished his opening verse. Both of them were just looking at each other as they sang, putting their emotions into the song so that it was conveyed to the others even if only Momo knew what they were singing. If they actually did this on the day they'd have a few moves and other things but for now it was just the song.
They needed some training from Jiro to be performable as both were off at times but that would come as they went back and forth to the music, which itself would be better when it was a proper band and continued the back and forth until the end of the song. It was mainly solos as if Adrien and Marinette were talking to each other but at the same time not if you knew what the words meant, but did have two duets, one in the first half of the song after Adrien's third sole, and one at the end which was the climax of the song.
Jiro just smiled as she listened to it. She'd read it and learned what it all meant, it was certainly moving and fit the pair well, but to actually hear both French kids sing it together was something else. She'd only really heard Marinette singing it, and she sang all of it to Jiro so that Jiro got the gist of the song, but with both of them she could really feel the emotions the two had for each other in it. Of course, if the band approved and this was done on the day there'd be more to it but that was to come, for now it was just pitching it to the rest of the band.
The others were all listening with a mix of slack jawed surprise at the emotions that the pair were putting into the song even if they couldn't understand it. Well, Kaminari and Tokoyami were like that, Bakugo was indifferent to it as he didn't care for this kinda stuff, but he at least saw that it could work, while Momo was teary eyed as she fully understood what they were saying and what it all meant.
The fact that it would rely entirely on her piano skills only added to her emotions, especially the one bit just over halfway through when Marinette had a longer solo than her other ones where she got deep, and it was entirely carried by the piano. It was perfect for the pair and because Momo actually knew the truth behind the pair she got the deeper meanings behind it all though only she'd get that much.
"Well, what do you…" Jiro began when they were done and had left a long enough pause to be respectful to the French pair as it was clear they put a lot into their singing, but she didn't finish speaking before Momo had reacted.
"C'était incroyable!" Momo suddenly yelled, tears flowing down her cheeks as she leapt on a startled Marinette to embraced her and completely forgetting that she was suddenly speaking French and not Japanese. "C'était magnifique, Marinette, tellement émouvant. C'était votre historie, à vous deux, votre amour l'un pour l'autre et tout ce que vous avez traverse. Je serais honoré de le jour pour vous deux."
Unfortunately for Marinette, she'd not expected the much taller girl to suddenly leap onto her and so she was bowled over rather comically by Momo's body hitting her and flattening her to the ground in a sight that was comical to all given Marinette's known battle prowess. What was more though was that between their height difference and the leap, Marinette only had enough time to go wide eyed before Momo's seriously impressive assets took her full in the face with a distinctive bong that made everyone glad Mineta wasn't there to hear it.
To make matters worse, Momo was now sobbing and speaking French to Marinette while on top of her and suffocating her between the floor and her large breasts not that she'd realized she was doing that. Marinette was struggling to breath, and she had no plans on dying in the way only Mineta would want to go out, though even as a straight girl she could understand his admiration for Momo's bust, and as such had to do something.
That something was to grab Momo's waist, despite the girl's fuller frame there was still clear muscle under the slight layer of fat Momo basically had to keep on her at all times because of her Quirk, and then lift a still balling Momo clean off her as if doing a bench press. It wasn't too hard for Marinette; she could easily lift more than twice Momo's weight at least thanks to her enhanced constitution and that was before she'd increased her strength with her workout regime at U.A. As such she just held a slightly shocked Momo there before rolling onto her side to place Momo on the ground next to her.
Marinette then rolled back onto her back before using her arms to push off the ground and into a handstand that she then pushed off and into a flip before landing on her feet as everyone, but Bakugo blinked at the whole scene that had suddenly unfolded before them. All he did was mutter 'showoff' under his breath.
"Woah." Jiro said her eyes wide as Marinette bent down to lift a now startled but still crying Momo up and place her on her feet and created a handkerchief with her Quirk to wipe Momo's face clean. "That was all unexpected. Um, Yao-Momo, you can speak French?"
"Oh, er, yeah I learned it between the USJ and the Sports Festival as a way to honor our French classmates' learning of our language, I felt it was the least I could do as a representative of Japan who had the talent to do so." Momo said as if it was nothing recovering now that it was all over, and Marinette finished cleaning her up before dismissing the handkerchief. "I already spoke 5 languages at the time, so a 6th wasn't too hard with my memory. My pronunciation was terrible at the start as I based it off my English but with Marinette and Adrien's help I mastered it and during the break before the training camp I passed the proficiency test for it. I've since added Russian as a 7th language from my work study."
"Somehow this doesn't surprise me." Kaminari said recovering from it all faster than most. "Yao-Momo is brilliant and the top of our class academically after all."
"True she did manage to tutor you to a passing grade." Jiro said. "That alone shows her brilliance."
"Way to cut me deep Jiro." Kaminari said with feigned hurt in his voice. "Still, all that was impressive but, um, can someone explain to me what that song was about. It was moving and beautiful from what I gathered, but I don't understand French, so the words were lost on me."
"It was their story." Momo said quickly taking over and explaining it in a way to keep their cover. "Basically, about how they were in love with each other but couldn't see it because of the whole secret nature of Francois Dupont's hero system, through metaphors and hidden meanings of course but that really translated well into their singing. We'd have to provide subtitles and context at some point though, outside probably the more internationally focused Business Course students and any General Studies students looking to go into international diplomacy I doubt many will understand it."
"That is already sorted, I just wanted you to hear the song in its purest form before seeing the Japanese version though I didn't expect Yao-Momo to understand it." Jiro said pulling out the translations, the French written out with the Japanese under it, and handing it to the three guys. "And there will be an official video of the full concert, neither Mina nor Aoyama would forgive me if there wasn't, so we can add the subtitles to both songs when it's all said and done. Most should know the first one but just in case we should."
"I don't get this." Kaminari said as he looked over the translation his brain hurting from it. "Why do they reference…"
"It's a metaphor, I'll explain it later." Jiro said interrupting Kaminari so that they didn't get bogged down with trying to explain it to him. "So, are you in? This will require mainly the piano but also drums and a violin. I can play the latter but Bakugo, can you keep the beat for it?"
Bakugo grunted as he looked over the translation of the song. He got it though it was way too sappy for his tastes, he wasn't one for this kind of thing as it was a distraction to him becoming the number 1 hero, but the extras would clearly like it as they had the time for it, and he could tell that the French pair had the emotions needed to carry it. Still, there was the whole situation they were in, so he put it down and glared at the French pair.
"This could come off the wrong way if it's not done right, which would ruin our efforts to kill them with music in the first song." Bakugo said seriously. "So, you'd better be ready to give it your all like we are with the band. Agreste gets that, he's good with the band and clearly ponytail could carry this song if she had such a sappy reaction to it."
"My name is Yaoyorozu." Momo said but Bakugo ignored that as she was no more than an extra to him even if she'd gotten in as a recommended student. "And of course, I can carry it but as you heard there is a need for percussion in the song."
"If this goes wrong it will be on you two and earphones, not me." Bakugo growled not bothering to respond to ponytail. "So, I want something in return if I am to help you with this, beyond a promise from you two that you will kill them with your sappy love in this damned song."
"What?" Marinette asked coolly meeting Bakugo's eyes as she spoke, she rarely spoke to the angry boy but there was a clear combatants respect between the pair even if she really didn't like his overall attitude and personality. "Of course, we'll give it our all, this is our love story, and we are sharing it with the school right after you lot bring the house down, so we have to go Plus Ultra for it to make sure it goes over well."
"Show me in practice that you can do it, actions always speak louder than words." Bakugo growled. "As for my price, it's a simple one. I want a fully sanctioned, no holds barred, fight with you Dupain-Cheng the moment we can have one. You're the only one who could possibly challenge me that I haven't faced yet, I want to change that."
"That all?" Marinette said though it was what she expected given Bakugo's personality. "Sure, I'll give you that."
"You'd better not hold back like icy-hot did." Bakugo said his eyes narrowing though he doubted the French girl would hold back, she hadn't against Todoroki so she wouldn't against him. "I want to face you the way he did, you would have been a worthy final. I want to prove to all the extras here that I am the strongest in the class so they can stop doubting me."
"Bring it Bakugo, I agree that we can't assess the strongest until you and me fight each other." Marinette said. "I'll admit, I'm curious to see how my Lucky Charm would stack up against you plus you bested Adrien, which isn't easy, so how can I not test my skills against you."
"Good then let's get this shit right." Bakugo said as he looked over the music. "Ponytail, stop blubbering and get on the keys, earphones, get that violin that you clearly have and let's practice. We have to work twice as hard now because of you so you'd better show it."
Jiro just smiled and nodded, ignoring the lack of Bakugo using her name for the moment and went to violin case she'd brought just in case she needed it today. It had all hinged-on Bakugo the moment they realized that they needed drums but thankfully Marinette was one of the few people in the class who Bakugo saw as an equal, albeit only because of her clear skill and the fact that most of the class accepted her and not Bakugo as the strongest in battle at the moment.
That was a blow to Bakugo's giant ego, and he had to find a way to rectify it. This was how he ensured that they settled the debate as to who was the strongest in the class and Jiro knew that a battle between Marinette and Bakugo would be epic for sure.
That would come of course, first they had to prepare for the School Festival and that meant practicing twice as hard as they now had two songs to work on. With a nod, Momo began to play the piano part of the second song, and they began to practice it in earnest. They had a few weeks left and they were all determined to get it right. None of them could let the school or Eri down so it was time to really knuckle down and go Plus Ultra as the U.A. School Festival neared.
Well, there it is, part of the answer to the question asked a few chapters back and the developments from it. Naturally, I won't say anything about the song, though I'm sure people will figure it out, y'all will just have to wait until the time comes to see what it is. That is a few weeks away as we have plenty more to get through before the School Festival and next chapter will be the first in a while to be drawn entirely from one of the School Brief books, the fourth one in this case. Lastly, to anyone wondering, the French that Momo said, and to any native speakers I apologize for mistakes as I used google translate for it, roughly translates to 'that was incredible. That was beautiful, Marinette, so emotional. It was your story, both of yours, your love for each other and all that you went through. I'd be honored to play it for your two.' Anyway, that is all I have for y'all so I will 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
