The next morning, the school was buzzing like a disturbed beehive. Every conversation I passed was about the same thing: the silver-and-grey hero who had roared at the Eiffel Tower.
I walked into the courtyard, taking in the fresh morning air. It was a beautiful day in Paris, and honestly, I felt great. My new body felt light, and the Immortal Pulse had me feeling more awake than I ever had in my old life. I didn't need to hide in a hoodie; I just needed to make sure I didn't accidentally jump over a fence or crush a soda can with two fingers.
"Did you see him? He caught a car! A whole car with his bare hands!"
"Alya says he's called White Fang! She got a blurry photo for him!"
I walked over to where Nino and Adrien were standing. I had to admit, being near the "main characters" was still a interesting , but I wasn't going to let it get to me. My Apex Instinct picked up the faint scent of leather and Camembert cheese from Adrien, but I just gave him a friendly nod.
"Hey, guys," I said, leaning against the railing. "What's happening? Everyone seems more hyped than usual."
"Man, where were you?" Nino asked, holding up his phone. "Paris has a third hero! Ladybug, Cat Noir, and now this guy, White Fang. He looks like a total beast!"
Adrien nodded, looking at the grainy photo on the screen. "He's definitely got some power. That thing he did at the Tower? That was something else. It helped Ladybug and cat noir finish the job."
"He's okay, I guess," I said with a small smirk. "A bit of a show-off, don't you think?"
"Show-off?" Alya jumped into the conversation, showing me her phone screen. "He's a mystery! No one knows where he came from. I'm going to be the first one to get a real interview with him. The Ladyblog needs those wolf-stats!"
Suddenly, the school bell rang. To everyone else, it was just a bell. To me, it was a vibration that rattled my teeth. I felt my eyes flash silver for a split second, and I had to blink hard to focus.
"You okay, Finn?" Adrien asked. "You look like you just got hit by a bus."
"Just the bell," I said, rubbing the back of my neck. "My hearing is a little sensitive today. Too much coffee, maybe."
As we headed into class, I sat at my desk and practiced what Axel told me. I didn't hide I just relaxed. I turned the "volume" down on the hallway noise and focused on the sound of the teacher's chalk hitting the board. It was like tuning a guitar eventually, you find the right note.
"Finn," Axel's voice whispered from my pocket, muffled by the fabric. "You're getting the hang of it. You're not vibrating like a tuning fork anymore."
"I told you I'd figure it out," I whispered back.
The door swung open, and Chloe Bourgeois marched in like she owned the air itself. "Everyone! Look!" she shouted, waving her tablet. "My father is throwing a 'Hero's Celebration' at City Hall tonight! He's invited Ladybug and Cat Noir. And he's demanding that this 'White Fang' show up too.
The class erupted into chatter.
"You going, Finn?" Nino asked. "Free food and a chance to see the heroes?"
"Why not?" I said, leaning back in my chair. "Sounds like it could be fun. Besides, someone's gotta make sure Chloe doesn't hog all the credit."
I looked out the window, watching the clouds over Paris. I was dead, reborn, and now I was going to a gala. It wasn't the life I planned, but it was definitely the most interesting one I'd ever had. The hunt was just starting to get fun.