Today was the day. The day this class has been waiting for. The epic showdown. Gym class had been switched with English Literature to last period because of this day ( after gaining approval from both Ms.Bustier and their gym coach ofcourse) but now both teams stood ready. Today was the Dodgeball match.
A little insight on how this came to be if you haven't guessed, this is another one of Kim and Alix competitive fits going out of control. Kim adamantly believes that he would be a better captain and Alix is willing to do everything in her power to prove him wrong. So today - today she stands with her team consisting of Marinette, Alya, Juleka, Ivan and Mylene. All donned black spandex shorts (except Ivan) and white jerseys with pink embroidering spelling 'Ballers' and other artistic embellishments by their resident designer marinette.
Said designer was not in such high spirits. Nope. Today she was agitated. You see our little Marinette was a little behind in school work as that got interrupted by the last minute "Jersey Project" (as she likes to call it), and that inturn got interrupted by her little side gig as the super heroine of all of paris leaving her up at the ungodly hours to complete it all. So today she is expected to perform in a highstakes game while running on a croissant and a salted caramel iced latte provided to her by none other than Adrien Agreste. The gesture and the knowledge that he knew her favorite coffee drink was enough to keep her going. For the morning. Need she remind you its almost three and she had to skip lunch inorder to copy Alya's homework.
"Cute outfits!" teased Kim. Behind him stood his teammates Nino, Nathaniel, Rose, Max and Adrien each dressed in a different assortment of gym clothing. Chloe, Lila and Sabrina chose to stay out of the game each for a different reason. Chloe inorder to protect her freshly done nails and because "I wouldn't be caught dead wearing anything designed by Maritrash." Sabrina being a part of Chloe's one man entourage decided not to aswell.
Lastly Lila and her self diagnosed arthritis selflessly chose not to participate as she was 'scared to let anyone down' when she doesn't perform as excellently as she is used to from her time training with a great martial artist back in singapore. Shall I say more?
Alix scoffed, "Atleast I know that a good captain should have her team up to code with uniforms." She looked at his team in a dramatic fashion "and by the looks of it you don't seen to know that."
"Bleh uniform - Smuniforms, doesn't matter cause we're still going to whoop your butts." He raised an eyebrow, "besides I don't see Ivan wearing matching shorts."
"Hey!" she protests "he's wearing black pants that works, plus do you wanna see Ivan in spandex short?" Looking at Kim and a few others lightly green faces she smirks "I rest my case."
"The rules of this games is simple" explain Markov as he hovered between Alix's team and Kim's team.
"Firstly you can't run across the halfline or go out of bounds. Secondly if the ball is caught the player can choose to revive an eliminated player, but in the event there are no more players to revive, the person who sent the ball is then eliminated. Headshots are illegal," he sent a meaningful glance in Alix's direction. "And finally please refrain from kicking the ball" this time the look was directed at Kim. "Now if both teams are rea-"
"Wait!" All eyes turned to the blonde. "I actually just wanted to ask one more question before we started" he explained.
"What do you get when you mix a porcupine and a dodgeball?" He grinned and looked around expectantly. "A painful game."
Marinette on just about her wits ends groaned loudly. "Just for that Agreste your out first."
A snort. "You?...I'm sorry but your not the most coordinated person here."
"He's right" Max supplied, "It is too my belief that 65% of the classroom including myself calls you bambi on several occasions." Several classmates agreed resulting in Marinette being red in the face.
"Hey, come on guys, this is nothing to trip all over." He laughed while everybody else groaned.
"O.K listen hear Agreste" Mari marched up to the line eyes blazing, " Your are so gonna get it" she was in his face now, "and when you get it I am going to make you eat" poke. "Your" poke "Words" poke. "And that God awful pun"
"Oh I look forward to it, it's going to be a ball." Wink*
"Well then" markov continued slightly confused -he wasn't used to seeing the shy sweet girl who vouched for him against her own principle to come of so aggressively- "The game may begin!"
It was a warzone. Everyone rushed to the line of balls in the center. Even Juleka and Rose. Marinette was pleased with their interest in the game only for them to immediately eliminate each other with two hits that seemed as if planned (it was as that was the first thing Rose admitted when everyone got of the court), Rose getting hit lightly on the shoulder and Juleka on her thigh.
The game carried on, the sounds of panting, shoes thudding against the court and the occasional shouting the only thing being heard. Fortunately for the Ballers Nathaniel was the next to be knocked out, although he tried his best to dodge, he was no match for Alix's throwing arm.
Mylene shortly followed getting hit by Max's calculations on the perfect curveball. Perfect enough to get around her wall of stone and admiration Ivan.
Mylene's departure allowed for Ivan to now move about freely, his first accomplishment in his new found freedom being getting revenge on the one who wronged him - Max.
Further through the game attention was diverted to rambunctious laughter from Alya who had managed to hit Nino. What she found so funny was the hit managed to leave his glasses lopsided and his headphones (which he seemingly never takes out) to be dangling haphazardly.
Her momentary vulnerability got her offed by Adrien who stared at her with a betrayed look. "I can't believe you killed my bestfriend and in front of me nonetheless." "He was the only friend I had" -multiple throats gets cleared- "Almost the only friend I had" he amends.
Alya rolled her eyes still laughing, "I would worry less about Nino amd more about the girl who is murdering you with her eyes in the back." She jerked a finger at Marinette, who true to her words was glaring.
"Hey wanna end the dramatics and continue I have places to be when this is done." 'Like my bedroom' she continued in her head.
All the active members retook the court and she surveyed the battle field. They had then three player to two. Seems like they could win this and she could make Adrien eat those words and those awful puns. A sudden look of mischief takes over Alix's face and before Marinette could even think to stop her she pelts the ball hitting kim right in the head and nearly topples him over. Unbothered she walks out the court in bouts of laughter. "That's for all those captain comments looser."
'Two versus Two' Marinette corrects. We can still win. As if to make her eat her words Ivan gets hits by Adrien. "Hey Marinette" he taunts "Get ready for this combo attack." Both he and Kim stood with a ball in each hand.
"Bring it on sunshine boy!" Adrien sent the first ball. She ducked out of the way. The next three came in succession. Marinette flipped over the first one landing on the ground into a roll then got up and dived to the side catching the last ball. She cheered as she called Alix back onto the court ignoring the shocked faces of the rest of the class.
"Girl you gotta tell me where you learnt that," that was a demand from Alya.
"Yh Nettie!"
"Honestly coolest thing I've ever seen!"
"Can some tell me when is it Marinette learnt how to do flips?"
Now flushed from all the attention Marinette turned to the small crowd. "Oh you know, practice with my uncle Chien when he visits from ughh-I don't have an uncle Chien... umm...you know my mom ... she can do martial arts and uhmm...I inherited it I guess. "
Ignoring the classic Marinette antics everyone turned back to the game silently amused by Marinette's tendency to stutter when given to much attention.
The next series of events to happen reminded Marinette of a dog with a slippers. No matter how it gets whacked with a rolled up magazine for chewing them the moment you let your guard down they go right back to chewing. Yes the moment Marinette let her guard down Alix hits Kim in the head once again, this time with vehemence in her throw. This causes both Kim and Alix to walk down. Alix for her illegal play and Kim for the bleeding nose he was now nursing.
Now it was one to one. Mano e Mano. The class new that both Marinette and Adrien had emotional attachment to this game. What they didn't know was that they both trained to be parkour masters in their spare times. The amount in flips, barrel rolls and cartwheels were ridiculous. What that was also ridiculous was Adriens ability to pun while in the middle of somersaults and other athletic feats.
At one point it looked like they forgot about the dodgeball game and was only trying to upstage each other in the tricks in which they could do. I mean a back hand twist into a split courtesy of Marinette, had no business in a dodgeball match.
During the match most of the balls went out of the court and the spectators being to enraptured by the match, returning none it was no surprise when both Marinette and Adrien was rushing towards the same ball in the center of the court.
With the rush of adrenaline mixed with the cheers from their respective teammates they both raced towards the ball at top speed.
Rrriiiiinnnnggggg!!!! the sound of the bell signalling the end of the day and the end of the match. Still in the race for victory they didn't expect the sudden interruption and both crashed into each other landing in a tangle of limbs on the court, the ball idly rolling away.
"You okay Mari?" concern laced in each word.
"Yeah, everything's fine."
Secure with the knowledge that she was okay Adrien now decided to get under her skin. "Hmm I didn't expect to fall, guess I caught a case of the clumsies" he inspected himself carefully "I didn't know it was contagious."
Thoroughly over today Marinette rolled her eyes "Shove it Agreste."
"Just teasing." He got up and offered her a hand. "Truce?"
A soft smile accompanied with her small hand "Truce."