Chapter 5: USA vs. France

It was quidditch as Marinette had never seen it before. The speed at which the players moved and passed was incredible. The bludgers quickly joined the teams in the air, looking to wreak havoc. The team chemistry and raw talent was amazing. She was slightly disgruntled that the USA had won the quaffle first, but she was still entranced by the battle in the air. Grimault began to announce the match.

"Rios! Drops it to Frazier! Up to Graham! Rios! Great bludger from Ingram! Rios is clear!" The USA crowd rose in anticipation.

"Shot from Rioooos SCORES! TEN NIL TO USA!" The Americans roared their approval as Rios took a celebratory lap around the field, receiving applause from the Americans and boos from the French.

"And now here come the French!" Grimault continued as play resumed. "It's Acardi! Oh what a flier he is! I say what a move! It's still Acardi! Pass to Rosaria Vang! She fakes! Passes to her brother! Shot!" The shot whizzed past the keeper and clanged off the left goal and was no good. The French groaned in disappointment. The Americans then went on a vicious counter attack and scored mere seconds later.

But the French broke through two minutes later, during a long drawn out possession in which the Vang twins flew in and out of the scoring area, distracting Day, the American keeper, who was livid and shouting at the referee after the French scored. Unfortunately for her, Davis was having none of it, and she was forced to go back to her goalposts.

"It's Graham in possession!" Grimault announced. "He's moving quickly now! Passes to Rios! Back to Graham! Frazier! Bludger gets hit from Arrighi! Fantastic dodge! Oh what a pass to Rios! Shot! WHAT A SAVE!"

The three teenagers oohed with the rest of the French as Naldi made an incredible save with her foot. Despite that, Marinette couldn't help but feel the French chasers were outmatched. The USA had moved virtually unhindered towards the goalposts on all of their possessions thus far, and she couldn't help but feel that Nino had been right about the French needing to get the snitch fairly quickly. The American side chasers putting heaps of pressure on the French side. Despite some spectacular saves from Naldi, the Americans opened up a 120-50 lead in the first twenty-five minutes.

The American fan base could practically smell the trophy, and they were constantly loud, even when France managed to sneak their sixth goal into the right hoop. That was when Harper dove. The entire crowd rose to their feet as the American seeker plunged. Marinette whipped up the binoculars scanning desperately for the snitch but saw no sign of it. To her horror, there was also no sign of Adrien. She scanned the sky and spotted him about another 50 feet above the action.

She pulled up the binoculars and gazed at him in confusion. Adrien did not look ok. His face was ashen white and he was staring at the back of his left hand in a mixture of horror and disbelief. She whipped her gaze back to Harper who glanced back, looked visibly disappointed that nobody was behind him, and pulled up.

Grimault began laughing at what had happened. "Oh dear, looks like Harper thought he could dupe Agreste. Good show by the French seeker!"

"He was feinting!" Nino shouted gleefully. Harper was sulking on his broom, returning to his place above the action. Marinette grinned back but focused the binoculars back on Adrien, who looked a little better and had started flying again, but still seemed rattled. Suddenly Harper began accelerating upwards, and the crowd gasped again, all turning to watch the seekers progress. Adrien, who was looking the other way never saw the seeker coming from him.

"FOUL!" Roared the French, rising as one. Adrien had been blindsided by Harper, and almost been knocked off his broom, but he managed to recover. Davis blew his whistle and flew up towards Harper who appeared to be pleading his case. After a few seconds of arguing, Davis blew his whistle again.

"Double Foul!" Grimault roared, and the French supporters screamed their approval. Harper flew back down, to the regular level, still looking mad. "Looks like he was trying to say he saw the snitch by Agreste."

Acardi proceeded to hit both penalties, which made the score 120-80. Unfortunately, from that point on the Americans went on a long run. Over the next twenty minutes they put up ten unanswered goals, putting themselves up by 140. The French had nothing going for them. The Vang Twins kept having their shots saved, and Acardi kept getting attacked by Bludgers. Nothing was going France's way. That was until Harper dove again. And this time, Adrien followed.

"And they've really seen it this time!" Grimault roared excitedly. "This is for the game!"

The crowd rose and began to scream as the American Chasers stopped paying attention which led to an easy French goal, making it 220-90. The two seekers raced down into the stadium, and Marinette caught a glimpse of the snitch as it whizzed past their section. Adrien and Harper were not far behind. The crowd began to scream as Adrien pulled even with his counterpart. The French beater Geissler belted a bludger at Harper, but ended up making both seekers dodge, keeping them even.

Mari followed with her binoculars as the pair came within fifteen feet of the ground and leveled off, both with their arms outstretched, reaching for the snitch, which was when Harper decided he didn't want to risk it, and punched Adrien in the face. Marinette screamed, as did many others, as she watched Adrien fall forward off his broom and plummet towards the ground, landing flat on his back, before bouncing and tumbling several feet, coming to a rest on his back, where he lay ominously still.

The French crowd was livid, screaming in fury, while the American crowd had the sense to stay quiet and look ashamed. Davis had blown his whistle and was screaming at Harper in fury, while Harper was pretending that nothing had happened. Marinette glanced at the large screen again where they were replaying the last several seconds, and it was blatantly obvious what Harper had done.

She refocused her attention back on Adrien who was finally starting to move again, while med-teams began sprinting out towards him. Adrien put himself in a sitting position, and thrust his left hand up in the air, grinning. Marinette fumbled with the binoculars as the crowd also began to notice Adrien's odd behavior. She focused on his hand and saw a glint of gold. Her breath caught, and the entire stadium fell silent for almost five seconds, as everyone stared at Adrien in complete disbelief.

Then Davis, who seemed to collect his thoughts first blew his whistle for two long blasts, and the French supporters exploded in celebration. The noise was deafening. Marinette jumped up and down while hugging Alya, as the French team mobbed Adrien. Marinette couldn't help but grin as one of the big screens showed Harper's look of shock. The French continued screaming themselves hoarse, and Marinette took great pleasure in joining in, reading the scoreboard to make sure she could truly celebrate. She didn't have to worry as the scoreboard now read USA:220 FRANCE:240 FINAL

The medical personnel had managed to clear out a space around Adrien, and were working on him. After a few minutes, they backed off and Adrien got up on his feet cautiously. The French team quickly swarmed him again, and Marinette could still see the snitch clutched in his hand.

The American team looked distraught as they lined up for their second place medals. Harper looked livid even still, shooting furious glances at the French team who were also beginning to line up, ready to receive their medals and get the cup. As the Americans shook hands with the head of the IQA (International Quidditch Association), Marinette couldn't help but feel that the smile he gave Harper looked forced. Then it was France's turn.

The French supporters began their cheering yet again. Marinette turned the binoculars to Adrien again. She couldn't help but feel like he looked more relieved than anything else. He also kept glancing across the stadium towards the Minister's Box, though as to why, Marinette could not fathom. All trace of that disappeared however when he was given the medal. He smiled genuinely and gave a warm handshake to the IQA head.

Suddenly all of the lights in the stadium turned out, before several powerful beams of light focused on the middle of the pitch, where, about thirty feet off the ground, floated a large platform, where the Quidditch World Cup sat with Simon Grimault and the minister, who were both grinning widely. Simon Grimault began speaking again as the French players flew down to the platform and landed.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have been honored to watch perhaps one of the most incredible World Cup Finals in known history." Marinette grinned as the French crowd cheered, while the remaining American supporters grumbled. "And let me be the first to congratulate France on this incredible win. Minister?"

The Minister stepped forward with the cup and held it before him. "Mr. Agreste, please step forward." Adrien did so and Mari could see the grin on his face. "Mr. Agreste. You have played a phenomenal world cup run. I think it's only fitting that you… Should be the first to hold the cup." The entire French side and crowd screamed their support of this decision, and Adrien slowly grasped the cup and hoisted it into the air, and the French roared their support yet again, which turned into an "Agreste" chant, that the players also began to shout, though Mari couldn't help but notice some seemed reluctant.

The group of four stayed for every possible second, long after Adrien had handed off the cup to his captain, who was in tears. Long after they had taken the cup in front of the French minister who had been bouncing up and down like a little boy with a huge smile on his face, up until the French team took one final lap of honor, and flew back down into their locker room. The lights became normal again and Marinette turned to her two best friends, at a loss for words.

"That was amazing." Nino said, his eyes shining.

A/N: So... What do you think is up with Adrien? Let me know in the comments.

Yes I know the result is a bit too cliche but yawl can deal with it. (I tried to write ya'll but it corrected and I find yawl to be much better.) :D

Hope you enjoyed! I'll see you in two weeks. Love you all!

Until Next Time!

~Nebilas~