Chapter 3
Coming Friday Adrien and Kagami had got up early to get ready for leaving the hotel to head to the fencing tournament. The two stood out in front of the hotel on the sidewalk waiting for Mrs. Tsurugi and Mr. D'Argencourt to leave the hotel.
The two wore their day outfit and carried their barrel bag over the shoulder watching vehicles passing by on the streets.
"Are you excited for today's tournament?" Questioned the blue-haired girl looking up at the blonde Frenchman.
"Yeah" Responded Adrien. "It's been eight years since the last time I won at the international tournament"
"Have you attended all of them?"
"I missed the last two tournaments because I had other things to do for my father and all" Explained Adrien. "What about you? I don't remember having seen you in any of the others?"
"It's my first international tournament"
"Oh that sounds great, didn't your mother allow you the last times?"
"She wanted me to practice more and told Mr. D'Argencourt that she agreed of me going to represent the academy along with you"
"That's great," Adrien said with a smile looking down at the short girl, then leaned his head down next to her face to sniff. "Hey is that the new Gabriel fragrance for women?" Questioned the blonde earning a nod from the girl. "Cool"
"How did you recognize the scent?"
"My mother uses it too" Responded the blonde. "I like the scent"
"That's great to know," The Japanese said pecking the boy on the lips. "How do you feel about today's tournament?" Questioned the blue-haired girlfriend. "Do you think you will reach the final and become champion?"
"This year for sure, mostly since I got your koi lucky charm," Adrien said holding up at Kagami his left arm to show her a bracelet with red pearls and a koi fish around with his mouth and tail stuck on the pearl from each side.
"I'm glad you liked my present" Kagami said earning a nod from the blonde.
"Second thing is you're my inspiration for it," The Frenchman said with a smirk making Kagami chuckle and beside the two stopped a yellow bus, waiting behind a few cars for the traffic light, which was another tall building away from, where Adrien and Kagami were. Adrien rolled his eyes at the yellow vehicle seeing several adults and at the back of the bus sat various teens with sports bags on their lap and one of them was a black-haired boy, which gazed with a smile at Kagami, making Adrien frown and look at the raven-haired boy. The boy noted Adrien and furrowed his eyebrows glaring serious at the blonde. Kagami noted Adrien feeling a little awkward, then rolled her eyes at the bus to see the boy and the bus rolled forwards leaving the two back and the two kept looking at the bus leaving.
"What did you see?" Questioned Kagami her boyfriend, which shrugged his shoulder.
"I don't know, one of the guys behind the bus looked like he was checking you out and he sort of looked at me like he had a problem with me"
"You mean Raiden?"
"Ye….whos' Raiden?" Asked Adrien raising his left eyebrow while tilting his head a bit.
"The guy, that you said was looking at me. I was in the same academy back when I lived in Japan"
"Really? Oh…." Adrien said a little embarrassed. "Sorry,"
"It's alright"
"Is he nice?"
"I remember him as very competitive, aggressive and a little bighead" Explained Kagami. "I remember when I started with fencing and joined the academy I was the only girl and he was very obsessed in trying to make my life a hell, but in the end, I was the one, who always kicked his ass"
"He didn't seem to like that," Adrien said watching the girlfriend shrug her shoulders.
"You don't need to worry about him. You're a great fighter, you always gave your best, even when you're dueling me"
"I'm not worried at all as long as I can make my girlfriend happy," Adrien said grabbing her hands.
"That's a good thing," Kagami said getting on her tiptoes to kiss Adrien on the lips.
In Paris, Marinette sat inside her room in front of her sewing machine fixing the band of an apron from her father. Someone opened the bottom door of her room up and the person, that appeared was Juleka's older brother Luka, then he dropped the door carefully down, watching the girl work on the cloth.
"Good morning Ma….Marinette" Luka said shrieking Marinette, which looked back and saw the raven-haired boy leaning on the floor with his arms looking at her.
"Oh it's you, Luka," Marinette said. "Come up, I'm nearly finished with fixing this apron" Marinette explained turning back to the sewing machine to finish her job, then the tall boy walked to her watching her work.
"You heard about, what happened with Nathaniel and Rose last time they worked together," Luka asked earning a nod.
"Yes, this is all my fault I should have given Alix another miraculous or give her two instead. If she had used the snake miraculous combined with the ox or fox miraculous this all could have gone differently" Marinette said stopping with the sewing and drop her head on the top of the machine.
"That was not your mistake, it just happened now, you or Nathaniel don't need to blame yourselves for it" The boy comforted the girl placing his hand on her shoulder. "After all, I believe it's very difficult, if almost everyone is away in the summer holidays and an emergency enters, that needs more than two superheroes to fix it"
"How are you feeling now Luka?" Questioned Marinette looking up at her boyfriend. "You know after the problems you had with the peacock miraculous?"
"Much better" Responded Luka sitting down on the chair, that stood in front of Marinette's computer. On Marinette's screen, she had her agenda open and Luka noted, that one of the days was tagged red and it was a few days after the first school day.
"Is there something going on at the school coming Thursday?" Questioned Luka seeing Marinette turn around with the chair to fold the apron on her legs.
"There's gonna be a prom at the school" Marinette explained placing the apron on her table. "Almost everyone there has a date, but me. You're out of school now" Marinette said sad, then Luka placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Maybe I'll be able to be there with you"
"That would be great Luka," Marinette said leaning her head on Luka's shoulder, making him smile and pet her back.
"I promise you, I'll be there" The boy said making Marinette smile amorously then leaning her head closer to her boyfriend's, then wide her eyes and got down on the floor under the table, then opened a box from the side and pushed out a black octagonal box and opened the box, then watched the box open all drawers with the various miraculouses, that were not being used.
Luka observed Marinette fumble around under the table, then he chuckled as he looked at Marinette moving her rear while she was trying to push the miraculous box back. Marinette crawled away from under the table, then before she got up she hit her head on the table and looked up at Luka, then started to laugh with him.
"You're alright?" Asked Luka watching Marinette get up by herself, then she grabbed Luka's arm and put the snake miraculous bracelet behind his hand over his leather bracelets, afterward as she had placed it the snake kwami Sass appeared over the two.
"Good morning" Greeted Sass waving at the couple. "Glad to see you again Luka"
"Same little dude," Luka said holding his flat hand up for Sass to high five it.
"Now you're prepared in case Paris needs you"
"I hope it won't be so early, cause I want to spend quite an amount of time with my girlfriend"
"I just need to take my purse, then we can leave" Marinette said earning a nod from the boyfriend, who waited for the half-French girl to take her purse from her couch, then she walked at the open attic door and walked the stairs down followed by Luka, which took the door by its handle to close it behind him leaving it closed.
Inside a gym of a high school, the hall was split in two halves, where two duels occurred of the fencing tournament.
At the side of the boys, a white-dressed boy with the French flag on his chest and the name A. Agreste fought another white dressed fencer with the Swedish flag on his chest and behind his back he the name P. Larsson.
Both fencing students were fighting against each other, then the Swedish participant tried to encircle the Frenchman near at the exit of the playfield, then Adrien moved to the side, while riposting the attacks of the Swedish boy, then as he kept moving on the side of the field he watched his opponent swing his saber back and smash it hard on it, then Adrien had nearly lost his equilibrium, but luckily he managed to stand on both of his feet avoiding to fall down. He deflected the attack and jumped to the side and got followed by the opponent, therefore as the boy tried to attack Adrien, he deftly swung his sword down hitting on the opponents then touched him with the point of his sword on his taille, making the scoring machine next to their playfield make a noise and change the blue number from 4 to 5, while on the other side the number 3 stayed.
„Adrien Agreste moved into the finals and Parker Larsson moves to the match for the third place"
Adrien took off his helmet along with his opponent, who was revealed to be a raven-haired boy with his hair nearly full shaved and blue eyes.
„Good match man," The Swedish boy said holding his hand out at Adrien to shake.
„You did well too, Parker," Adrien said, then rolled his eyes up as he heard another announcement of the moderator.
„Bianca Neuenburger moved to the finals and is going to fight Kagami Tsurugi for the first place and Lauren DeGeneres moves to the match for the third place together with Ayesha Al-dhubi,"
„Isn't Kagami Tsurugi your girlfriend?" The raven-haired Swede asked earning a nod from the blonde.
„How do you know?"
„I've seen someone reading a magazine, where you and a blue-haired girl were on the front of the cover"
„Oh yes, that's her," Adrien said watching a girl with the same patterned fencing suit as him walking with the head covered followed by another girl with a Canadian themed suit. The two watched Kagami stop by Mr. D'Argencourt on the bench, then she removed her helmet shaking her hair off before she took from the bench a red thermos bottle filled with water.
Adrien had turned a little pink on his cheeks, which his previous opponent Parker had noted and smirked about it.
„She's really gorgeous dude" Complimented the Swedish boy, then the moderator announced the last finalists.
„Ulrich Star lost this round and is going to join Parker Larsson for the match for the third place and Raiden Soto is going to duel Adrien Agreste for the first place!"
„Oh…." Parker said warping his face as he heard the announcement of the moderator. „I hope you manage to win the last match"
„Am I going to fight someone very skilled?" Questioned Adrien looking at the raven-haired boy.
„Raiden Soto won the last two championships during the space of time you were out. Ulrich Star was the last one to have dueled with him in the finals and lost."
„Two years was a long time ago, we all got better in fencing, also Ulrich"
„I know, but I'm talking about Raiden, he is way more skilled than you think. He's very cunning and can outsmart you better than anyone else"
„Okay I held a better eye out on his movements," The Frenchman said holding his hand to the Swede, which smiled and gave his own hand for the blonde to shake it.
„I wish you good luck," The black-haired boy said then walked away to a row with benches of the various academies, that attended the tournament and sat down next to another blonde guy and an older man, which patted Parker on the back to comfort him.
Adrien walked at the bench, where Monsieur D'Argencourt stood in front together with Kagami, which held a silver-colored thermos bottle with a G in the middle of it, then Adrien grabbed it exchanging looks with the girlfriend. „Thank you"
„Did you hear, who you're going to duel with?"
„Is it that Raiden you talked about before?" Questioned the boyfriend. „Parker told me, that he's really good"
„He is, but you don't have to worry about it. You're going to defeat him, you're as good as him, Adrien." Kagami assured followed by their fencing teacher walk beside them and place on the shoulders of the two students.
„Listen you two, I hope you two win the tournament. This would be very important for the D'Argencourt academy"
„You can count on us Monsieur D'Argencourt" Kagami promised while Adrien nodded in agreement.
„You're going to make your mother proud after you win" Adrien added approaching the blue-haired girl, which smirked and pulled the mask of Adrien down, shrieking. „Hey!"
„Focus on the match, Adri" Adrien moved his mask up again earning a smile of the Japanese girl, then before she walked up, she wished him good luck and walked off.
„Good luck for you too Kagami," Adrien said smiling a little amorously as he watched her walking at the playfield, where an Austrian descendant girl walked up at the field too.
„Come Adrien, they're calling you to present yourself at the playfield" Armand D'Argencourt mentioned to Adrien, which nodded then made his way to the other side, where the playfield for the boys were and encountered that boy he saw in the yellow bus before in the morning wearing a white fencing suit with the Japanese flag on his chest and two red lines on the side of both of his shoulders also a smaller Japanese flag sewed two fingers under the top of the two lines.
Adrien and Raiden stood across from each other, then the referee appeared and ducked his head a little down to see the eyes of the two boys.
„The first to score three points will be considered the new champion." Told the referee. „Any questions?"
„No" Both boys replied in chorus, then the referee walked back then watched Mr. D'Argencourt attach on Adrien's back a hook, while Raiden's coach did the same to him, then the two teachers left the playfield and Adrien put his mask down along with the Japanese boy and Adrien used his saber to touch Raiden on his shoulder, then the scoring machine, that was on their side blinked on Adrien's side a green light, afterward Raiden touched Adrien's shoulder to check, if on his side the machine would turn a red light, which it did in fact. Both bowed down to each other respectfully and walked back to the end of the playfield, then got ready for the match to begin, when the referee announces it.
„Ready?" Questioned the referee watching the two do short movements with their feet up and down, before they could start their match. „Go!"
The two boys ran at each other then clashed their sabers on each others starting their fencing duel together, shortly Adrien managed to sting with his saber on Raiden's arm, making on Adrien's side the buzzer turn on and light up a green light, showing him that he had just scored a point.
„1-0 to Adrien!" The brunette referee said, then the two boys walked back to their place getting ready for the kick-off.
„Ready? Go!" Yelled the referee watching the two ran at each other again, this time Raiden fought deftly, making it harder for Adrien to try to score for another point. Adrien parried the many ripostes the Japan descendant boy did, then he was closer to the end of the playfield and Adrien kept deflecting Raiden's attacks avoiding to step out of the field. Adrien thrusts with his sword Raiden away from him, then Adrien ran at Raiden, which rolled forwards on the ground, jumping up and hitting Adrien with the saber on his chest causing the fencing score machine to buzz and light up the red light on Raiden's side.
„1-1 for Raiden!"
Adrien growled walking away from the raven-haired boy, then prepared himself again for the next round.
„Ready? Go!" The referee shouted and the two boys launched from their position at each other knocking their sabers together and as before Raiden tried to dominate Adrien by guiding him the playfield along stepping with his feet closer to Adrien's, which perturbed him and due to his hectic pace he had his legs very close to each other and got himself to trip over them and as he fell down on the ground Raiden had tipped his saber on Adrien's shoulder.
"Is that all you got?" Questioned Raiden making Adrien angry.
"2-1 for Raiden" Announced the referee watching Adrien get up and wipe off the dust of his suit.
"Oh don't worry, I got more than you think," The Frenchman said walking back to his spot turning around to look at Raiden, which did the same.
"Ladies and gentlemen we got a new champion this year at the female part and her name is Kagami Tsurugi!" Announced the moderator making Adrien smile at hearing the great news.
"Go!" The referee yelled and Raiden raced towards Adrien, which still stood there listening to the announcement, then heard Monsieur D'Argencourt yell at Adrien, bringing him back to the reality, then the blonde saw Raiden racing with his sword pointed at him. Adrien got ready to parry the attack of the raven-haired boy and as Raiden had approached him, Adrien spun around stopping Raiden, which observed Adrien do that, then Raiden swung his sword behind his back waiting for Adrien to stop, but to Raiden's dismay Adrien had stabbed the black-haired boy with the sword on the side of his body shrieking him. The buzzer on Adrien's side went up again blinking the green light on, followed by Armand applauding at Adrien's success in making it tie.
"2-2 for Adrien," The referee told watching the two boys walk back again to their place.
"Only one point Adrien and the D'Argencourt academy will be seen by everyone as the best fencing school in Europe….no in the world!" The coach cried at Adrien, which waved with his hand down at the coach asking him to keep it quiet.
"Ready?" Asked the referee changing looks with the two fencing students. "Go!" Shouted the man watching the two stand there on their spots, which pranced instead of running at each other. Soon the two ran at each other attacking each other with the swords. By Mr. D'Argencourt appeared Ulrich Star, Parker Larsson to support him, which motivated Adrien then the blonde smirked and tried to dominate Raiden the same way he experienced from the Japanese boy guiding him to the end of the playfield. Raiden got closer to the end of the playfield, then he pushed harsh with his saber Adrien on his sword away. Adrien had managed to stay balanced on the field instead of falling down, then watched Raiden go in his direction, then Adrien moonwalked away from Raiden while preventing him to hit him with his saber. Ulrich and Parker laughed at Adrien copying the King of Pop reference, then Adrien spun around and hit Raiden on his sword causing him to step behind due to the impact of Adrien's strength with the saber.
"I didn't know the match would be this good" Ulrich said looking at Parker, which nodded at the German fencing student and both observed Adrien fence with Raiden in the middle of the playfield.
"Go Adrien, you can do it!" Shouted Parker watching Adrien managing to dominate the other fencing student, which walked backward at his spot again. Raiden bounced his saber harder on Adrien making him slip back but still managing to keep his feet on the ground, then Adrien again did the moonwalk to get away from Raiden irritating the Japanese descendant boy.
"I never have seen such a well-performed moonwalk. This boy hides more talent than anyone else I saw today."
"Boys please stay away from the playfield" Ordered the referee placing his arm in front of Parker and Ulrich. The referee watched the two fencing, then Adrien watched Raiden jump back and holding his sword up at Adrien, while the blonde stood on the other side holding his arms up, standing like the letter T.
Kagami Tsurugi had appeared behind the two boys Parker and Ulrich to observe Adrien's match. Kagami looked from beside Parker, which was the tallest of the three and smiled at watching Adrien doing the maneuver that she learned from him and Monsieur D'Argencourt.
Raiden stood there observing Adrien, then ran with his sword pointed at the blonde afterward as he got closer to Adrien the blonde penetrated with the saber into the handle of the saber of the raven-haired boy, then Adrien used his force to thrust the opponent away from him, but before he successfully thrusts his opponent away Adrien saw Kagami there for him observing his match with Adrien with an excited smile, which made Adrien happy, then as Adrien was going to thrust the boy away from him, the boy grabbed Adrien on the sword with the same hand he used to hold his own avoiding Adrien to do his maneuver, then Adrien tried to push his hand out and got thrust away from the Japanese boy, then as Adrien had landed on the ground Raiden immediately took the chance to stab Adrien on the chest, which then made the scoring machine buzz to count the point.
"Hey, that's cheating!" Shouted Parker after Raiden's mean strike.
"3-2 for Raiden!" Announced the referee, then Parker got up on the field at the referee.
"Raiden had grabbed Adrien's hand to avoid him to do his maneuver. That's against the rules"
"He used his sword to deflect the attack. That is not against the rules, boy"
"But he didn't use the sword he used his hand. I saw. He just used the sword to cover his trick"
"I'm sorry, but I didn't see it and I can't help you with it," The referee said watching Adrien shake Raiden's hand, then Adrien stopped by the two boys and took off his helmet looking disappointed. Monsieur D'Argencourt followed the referee to speak to him, then stood with the man there for a few seconds, then the referee left the fencing master back, which felt annoyed with the referee's choice.
"Raiden didn't deserve to win. He cheated" Ulrich said looking at Adrien, which frowned his eyebrow agitated.
"I know! It was going to work out, but I didn't pay attention to him doing that" Adrien complained earning a nod from the brown-haired boy.
"Well, next year we will be joining the tournament again. That sure will go out better for us all." Ulrich assured. "Or we will take out Raiden of our way, which would be also good"
"Yeah" Agreed Parker. "Hey you two should head to the podium to receive the prizes"
"Yeah are you coming, Adrien?" Questioned the German boy earning a nod from the blonde, then as they walked away Adrien saw Kagami, then felt disappointed as she glanced neutrally at him.
"I'm sorry I let you down Kagami" The blonde apologized with his head lowered down. Kagami placed her hand on Adrien's cheek to caress it, then looked up into the green eyes of the boyfriend.
"You didn't let me down Adrien," Kagami said as she was comforting the blonde. "I saw what Raiden did. It sort of was to be expected"
"You know, that he cheats?"
"No, only that he would do anything to win"
"Oh yes, of course," Adrien said watching his girlfriend remove her from his face. "I think we should be there to receive the prizes"
"That's a great idea," Kagami said walking away together with Adrien behind the two other fencing combatants.