Adrien

Adrien tugged nervously at his fencing uniform, watching as the students trying out for the fencing team were led in by Mr. D'Argencourt. With Alya's help, he had managed to convince Marinette to try out for the fencing team earlier that week, figuring nothing could wrong when trying to fence while your crush that makes you freeze up just by looking at you is there as well. Now he was searching for her among the new students as they lined up to face the experienced students. There she is, on the end with her mask up and hair braided. Marinette was looking around anxiously as if looking for someone. Adrien felt his heart beat faster as the notion that she was looking for him came to mind. Then he realized she stopped, standing across from him.

"Recruits, I only have room for one new student on the team. So in order to gauge your skill with the saber, you will face off against the experienced student across from you. Get into position." Mr. D'Argencourt signaled the experienced students to approach the recruits.

Adrien felt his heart beat faster still as he realized Marinette would be his opponent, trying to keep himself from shaking. Marinette was still looking around, "Some-someone you-you looking for?"

She gave him a sweet smile that melted his heart, not at all affected by his stuttering. "Yeah, my friend Adrien, he was the one who invited me to try out today. He's this tall, blonde, kinda cute." She gestured with her hand the height, unaware that he was Adrien.

Adrien lifted his mask, his face hot enough to start a fire. "Th-thank you!" Marinette blushed slightly, then quickly recovered as she smiled brightly. "So you ready are? I-I mean ar-are you ready?"

She nodded, opening her mouth to say something when Mr. D'Argencourt called out again, "Prepare for combat!"

Marinette looked uncertain, so Adrien walked over next to her, "Bend your knees and stretch your left foot back." He felt his face burn as he helped her move into position.

"Greet each other! Begin!" Mr. D'Argencourt called out again. Adrien took his position across from her, swinging his saber in salute. Marinette hesitated for a moment, then swung her saber in a mirrored salute, still a bit awkward. They both lowered their masks, standing in the ready position, waiting for the other to strike. After playing the RPG game with Marinette, Adrien learned she liked to stay defensive to gauge her opponent's strengths and weaknesses before committing herself to a plan of attack. So when she lunged first, Adrien was so caught off guard that he barely had a chance at dodging and parrying her attack. Marinette dropped back, carefully blocking his counter. She attacked again, this time quickly adding in a second hit he didn't expect, breaking though his guard and winning the round.

"Nice a-attack Marinette! I didn't see that coming. I ne-never knew y-you fenced be-before."

She smiled, "I actually never tried fencing before, but I have seen you fence a couple of times when I stay after school." Adrien flushed at the revelation that Marinette had been watching him fence, glad his mask was still down to hide his embarrassment from her. "I have seen a few of your moves then, your attacks, counters. You are actually pretty amazing at this."

Adrien swore everyone could hear his heart pounding, Marinette just called him amazing. "Than-thank you! Shall we go again?" Marinette nodded, shifting into the ready position again. Adrien shifted into the ready position, this time preparing to lunge first when an unfamiliar voice called out from the school entrance.

"Hey, you!" Everyone's attention shifted to a red-clad fencer standing on the steps, a saber with a red hilt in their hands. "Are you Mr. D'Argencourt, the fencing master? I want to join your team."

"If you know who I am, then you would know only the best get accepted here, you naive child!" the fencing teacher exclaimed.

"And I was the best everywhere I went," the mysterious fencer countered.

"Ah, so this young whippersnapper has some nerve, don't you. Perhaps you could join my team if you best one of my students in combat first."

The fencer strode forward confidently, looking over the group, "Who is the best among you?"

The experienced fencers moved out of Adrien's way, who raised his mask as he eyed the newcomer. Mr. D'Argencourt smiled, "Excellent! Adrien, please teach this naive fool a lesson in manners."

Adrien nodded as he approached, "Of course, master." As he approached the newcomer, he saw Marinette lift her mask in the corner of his eye, a look of concern on her face. He gave her a reassuring smile before lowering his mask again. Facing an unknown opponent while your crush was watching? What's the worst that could happen? The mysterious fencer suddenly performed several complex moves, doing a backflip in the process. Yep, he was going to die.

Nino

"Cut!" Everyone groaned as Nino walked up to Chloe for the fourteenth time that morning. "Chloe, you need to follow the script and pay attention to when it's your cue."

The blonde flicked her ponytail over, not affected at all by everyone's annoyance. Despite her change of heart and being kinder to everyone, Chloe was still Chloe. "But I am perfect the way I am!"

Nino took a deep breath while Alya got everyone back into positions. "The point of this is you are pretending to be another character. That's what acting is all about." He gestured to the script he was holding, "If we can make this work, we will have a shot at winning the short film contest."

Chloe sighed, "Fine, I will be the shy artist girl, but do you really expect Nathaniel to pull off the handsome musician who steals the artist's heart?" Nino opened his mouth to deny the accusation but shut it as he realized she may be onto something. Nathaniel was yet to be shot on camera and had been stumbling over his lines.

He gestured for everyone to take a break and went to talk to Nathaniel with Alix, hoping that he improved his confidence. Meanwhile, a handsome musician with a guitar slung around his back happened to walk in. "Hey guys," Luka greeted.

Alya gave him a welcoming smile, "Hey Luka, what brings you here?"

"Juleka told me that you guys were shooting a film here at the museum and I figured I stop by," he said, looking around for someone.

Alya frowned, whoever he was looking for, it wasn't Juleka because she was right in front of him giving Chloe's makeup and costume a check over. "Who are you looking for?"

Luka blushed as he stuffed his hands in his pockets nervously. "I was hoping to see Marinette again," he confessed, glancing around for the young designer. Alya narrowed her eyes at him, considering his intentions. Luka was expressing interest in Marinette just like Adrien, but his reasons weren't as known as Adrien's. Marinette was already with Adrien at fencing tryouts thanks to Alya's input and she wasn't just going to let Luka barge in and steal her away from Adrien.

"She said she was busy today, but didn't tell us what."

Chloe opened her mouth to correct her but shut it as she realized Alya's intentions. Then she had a sinister smirk on her face, "Hey you! Guitar boy!" Luka turned to face her, unsure how to respond. "You ever act? We need a musician to make me fall madly in love with him for our movie."

Luka tried to open his mouth to state that he rather find the girl that he really wanted to fall for him, but Alya jumped aboard Chloe's train of thought, "OOOHHHH, I like this idea. Here take this script, you are 'Jake', the guitarist who fell for 'Mary' the cute art girl played by Chloe. I'll go tell Nino!" She rushed over to the next exhibit, where Alix and Nino were doing their best to calm Nathaniel from his nervous breakdown.

Luka groaned, looking at the script, "I really have something else I need to do."

Chloe snorted while Juleka gave him a sympathetic smile, "But if you do this, you will save the movie!" Luka groaned, looking at the script. He had spent the past week writing a song just for Marinette and wanted to sing it to her, but now he was stuck with this. A perfect waste of a Saturday.

Adrien

He stood across from his opponent, ready for the next round. After two rounds ending in a tie, the challenger requested they unhook from the machine so they would have greater freedom of movement. Adrien agreed, eager to see what this fencer was really capable of. In the corner of his eye, Adrien saw Marinette looking at him with concern as she bit her lower lip. His opponent lunged, making him step back as they swung aggressively at him. They launched a series of lightning-fast attacks, keeping him on the defense as he was driven back.

Suddenly, his opponent dashed forward, shoulder checking him back. Adrien hit the light post, barely able to sidestep out of the way of their follow up lunge. He backed up the staircase, staying on the defensive as they went up the steps. Adrien attempted to get the high ground, but the fencer noted this and used the railing to launch herself over and behind him. She clashed her saber against his, pinning him against the railing, "Is that the best you can do?" Adrien shoved her back, retreating up the next set of stairs leading to the library.

Marinette glanced nervously at Mr. D'Argencourt, "Is this what fencing really is?"

He grinned, caught up in the thrill of such a tight match, "Yes, my dear. This is truly what fencing is all about! We must observe the fateful moment!" He attempted to follow the duelists up the stairs, only to be trampled by the students eager to keep watching the fight. Marinette dashed up the other stairs, worried for Adrien's safety.

The dueling fencers clashed sabers in front of the library doors, Marinette watching with concern from the other staircase. Adrien saw her and froze at the sight of her concerned blue eyes. So blue. The distraction cost him, the fencer shoulder checking him through the library doors. Adrien struggled to get some space, kicking a book cart at the fencer. The fencer simply jumped over the cart, lunging at Adrien again.

Mr. D'Argencourt had managed to get to the doors, only to be hit by the heavy cart. Marinette peered into the room, just in time to see the mysterious fencer kick another cart over, pinning Adrien underneath it. The fencer tapped him with their saber, ending the match. "You fought well Agreste, I hope we can duel again." They left to approach the still stunned fencing teacher, while Marinette rushed in to help Adrien.

She helped him push the heavy cart off, looking him over for injuries. "Adrien, are you okay? Does it hurt anywhere?"

Adrien was too surprised by her concern to feel the pain in his right foot or the sting of defeat, only able to stare into her wide blue eyes. She started to freak out, shaking him gently to get him out of any shock he was feeling. Adrien shook himself out of his daze, "I'm okay, I think." Marinette bit her lip again as she helped him try to stand up. She looks so cute when she is worried, Adrien thought to himself. That is when a sharp pain cut through his right ankle, causing him to yelp in pain.

Marinette's eyes widened in fear as she helped him sit down again, "Give me a minute to grab the first aid kit." She rushed off to the librarian's desk, leaving Adrien in a dreamy gaze as he watched her run off.

Mr. D'Argencourt faced off the fencer, "Those were some serious moves back there, though if you are going to join this team, you can't cause any more injuries like this." The fencer nodded their acceptance. "Well then, welcome to the team. What is your name?"

"Tsurugi, Kagami Tsurugi." The fencer removed their mask, revealing her true identity. "I am honored to join your team." She looked back at Adrien, "And I will do my best to avoid hurting others in the future." She left to join the other students below while the instructor went to check on Adrien.

Marinette had retrieved the first aid kit and was wrapping up Adrien's foot with care, stopping every time he winced to make sure he was okay. Her concern was going to kill him at this rate, his face red with embarrassment. Finishing, she helped him up, "Come on. I'll help you get to your car and your driver can take you to the hospital." Adrien silently nodded, not trusting himself to speak coherently around her. The instructor nodded his approval, instructing a student to take their fencing gear for them and helped Marinette get Adrien to his car.

Once he was in the car, the instructor left to dismiss the students trying out and start the practice. As Adrien settled into the car, he looked back at Marinette, "Could you maybe come with me please?" He panicked as he realized his request, blushing harder somehow as he sputtered out, "I-I mean i-if you want to-oo?"

Marinette gave him a kind understanding smile, "Sure Adrien, if you need a friend to be there with you, I'll be there for you." As she went around to the other side where the Gorilla was opening the door for her, Adrien groaned. He didn't want to be just friends.