A Miraculous Tale: Les Poissons

Prologue

Heroes never choose to be heroes. It is just the harsh, cruel, sinful way of the world. Though, somehow, whether by some unknown conviction, or raw determination, or just a simple feeling of duty, they go ahead and save the world anyway. Everyday they risk their lives to make the world a better place. For no other reason than to help others, and maybe the occasional girl.

Master Fu contemplated this as he transferred two of the miraculouses into two of the smaller ancient jewelry boxes he had. The time had come for superheroes to enter the world again. Whether the world was ready or not... well, that'd have to be a problem to solve later.

He packed the jewelry boxes in his satchel and prepared to head out.

"Are you sure this is the right choice, Master?" Wayzz asked as he worriedly hovered in the air, his large eyes on Master Fu.

"It has to be, Wayzz. No one will be able to stop the holder of the butterfly miraculous, and like you said earlier: I am too old. We will have to call on others to help us."

"But what if they're not ready?"

"They'll never be ready." Master Fu replied. Wayzz consented and flew into the satchel. Master Fu headed out, locking the door behind him. It was ironic, that while he had so hated this responsibility being shoved upon him, a hundred and seventy four years later he was shoving it upon some other young, oblivious soul.

He sighed as he moved down the street. It was his duty to choose the heroes, to guard their secrets. Now, after years of silence, it was time to make himself known again.

"Choose wisely, Master." Wayzz reminded him from his hiding place in the satchel.

"I won't make the same mistake twice." Master Fu promised. He wouldn't... he couldn't afford to this time. Not when the world needed him the most. He would choose responsible, caring, creative, and intelligent people to hold the ladybug and cat miraculous, but most of all he planned to choose those who went out of their way to help others. He'd choose those who were heroes before they themselves even knew it.

He turned the corner and saw the perfect chance. He walked the crosswalk slowly, holding his back. He heard a car coming, but didn't speed up. If worse came to worse he would run. He was still in pretty good shape after all.

He felt a hand wrap around his wrist and drag him onto the sidewalk. Exactly what a hero would do: risk their life to help someone they didn't even know. He heard a yell and looked down to see his savior. She was a skinny girl of about 14, with dark hair pulled back into pigtails.

"Thank you, Miss." He said. She had dropped a box of macaroons, and now she hurried to pick them up. He felt a twinge of guilt. "What a disaster."

She gasped as one of them was stepped on by a careless passerby. While she was distracted, he slipped the ladybug miraculous into her bag. She picked up the box and turned to him. "Don't worry, I'm no stranger to disasters." She smiled reassuringly. "Besides, there are still a few left." She offered him a macaroon, and he gladly took it.

"Delicious!" He hummed in delight after he took a bite. She smiled widely and closed the box. He shoved the rest in his mouth as the school bell rang.

"Oh no, I'm gonna be late! Uh, have a nice day, sir!" She quickly bowed and ran off to school.

He chuckled to himself as she ran off. "Thank you very much, young lady." He turned and walked down the street. Yes, she will be a great superhero.

He walked for a while (and tried a few more times to find a holder for the cat miraculous, all of which were a fail) before circling back to the school.

He saw a kid talking to some adults, and thought he'd try once again. He groaned and fell to the ground, placing his cane just out of reach. The boy saw him and ran over. He handed Master Fu the cane, and helped the older man to his feet.

"Thank you, young man."

The boy smiled, then turned to go to school, but the adults looked unhappy. Master Fu slipped the cat miraculous into the boy's bag before the boy trudged over to get whatever lecture was coming to him. After a few words the adults escorted him to a car, and they drove off. Master Fu nodded matter of factly. He had a feeling Plagg would be good for the boy.

He turned and walked off, whistling a jolly tune as he rested the cane over one shoulder. They will do perfectly. He could feel it. They'd be the next superheroes of the world, always helping, always learning, always striving to do better and to make the world a better place.

Yes. He thought to himself. They'll be perfect.