A/N: Sorry I was planning on releasing this earlier, but I got stuck on writing the fifth chapter. I still haven't written it, but might as well put chapter 2 out there and hope i figure things out in the meantime.
I also wrote this chapter because I was interested in how Kagami's mom reacted to her loss in Riposte. Tomoe Tsurugi is probably alot softer here then she would be in the show, but I didn't want to make her totally cold.
The fallout of losing to Adrien is hardly easy. Her mother never yells at her but her disappointment is made clear anyways. Kagami goes to bed feeling great shame.
The next day, her mother calls Gabriel Agreste.
"Hello", she says, "this is Tomoe Tsurugi"
"Ah madam Tsurugi, what can I do for you?"
"I have a request. For the meeting we are going to have to hammer out the details of the business we were discussing earlier, could you bring your son to the meeting?" Tomoe Tsurugi phrases this like a request, but her tone suggests there is no possibility it can be rejected. To Tomoe Tsurugi, others fall over themselves to make her wishes occur, for much the same reason that rain happens, or that balls fall of cliffs - because it's just the way the universe works.
"I will have to make arrangements to his schedule to make it happen. Is there any particular reason for this?" he asks.
"My daughter crossed blades with your son at D'Argencourt academy, and has nothing but praise for his skill. I wish to assess him for myself."
"Ah yes, I heard about the results of the fencing match."
He pauses for a moment before saying, "Why don't you bring your daughter to the meeting as well? We'll be working very closely together anyways, and it's a good opportunity for us to meet."
"Very well then"
Her mother turns to Kagami and says, "I will be meeting Gabriel Agreste in a week to finalize a business arrangement. You will be coming with me."
She does not bother framing it as a request.
"Agreste? Aren't they a fashion company? What do they have to do with fencing?" Kagami asks feeling confused.
"He contacted me as soon as he heard we were coming to France. He is an avid fan and offered us a sponsorship if we agreed to wear an Agreste designed uniform" her mother explained.
Kagami could feel the tension underneath those words. It must really chafe a proud woman like her mother to be reliant on someone else for money but it couldn't be helped. The Tsurugi's have an ancient name but not the finances to match. Kagami heard vague rumors of perhaps her father being careless with money, but she couldn't be sure of what had caused the Tsurugi's decline in fortunes.
Her mother never shows it, but Adrien Agreste impresses her. He does not gawk at her blindness upon meeting her, nor does he insult her pride by asking her if she needs help. Adrien's kindness is of a thoughtful quiet nature, and he pulls out chairs, and removes obstacles from Tomoe Tsurugi's path without comment. Kagami wonders if Adrien is an especially tactful person, or if this is just how he is.
Madam Tsurugi and Gabriel Agreste discuss acceptable levels of branding (no logos on the uniform, everything else is fair game) televised advertising opportunities (Madam Tsurugi was not convinced but agreed to consider appearances for Kagami on a case by case basis) and social media marketing (a difficult sell but Gabriel Agreste was charming enough to get the madam to agree) for the next half an hour. After the discussion is over, Madam Tsurugi gets up and thanks Gabriel for his hospitality and says, "Before we leave, I would like to challenge Adrien to a fencing match. I hear he beat my Kagami and I would like to test his skill for myself."
Gabriel Agreste nearly clapped his hands with glee at this. While the man was colder than an iceberg to his son often, nothing made him happier than the chance to show off his son, the product of the finest facilities and strictest instruction. He almost seemed to view Adrien as a possession or a shiny bauble proving Gabriel's own superiority. It rubbed Kagami the wrong way.
"Of course" was his reply, "Adrien would you do the honors?"
"I would be honored to accept your challenge" Adrien said without any false modesty or bragging which Madam Tsurugi appreciated.
And with that she launched herself at him. Fighting Kagami's mother was a much different experience to fighting Kagami herself. The madam was not as agile as her daughter but she made up for that by reading him like a book, reacting just as he committed to a strike. However Adrien managed to land one blow on her. He surprised her by throwing his saber at her and then using his enhanced speed to catch it and change the trajectory of the blow at the last second. That was the last time in the match Adrien managed to score a point. After the bout Tomoe Tsurugi and Adrien bowed to each other.
"It is a shame you were born an Agreste" she commented, "had you been a Tsurugi I could have made you into a great fencer"
"You are too kind madam" Adrien replies.
After that Kagami and her mother go home. On the ride home Tomoe turns to Kagami and says "I approve of Adrien Agreste"
"What?" Kagami says startled.
"It is a shame that your weakness cost you a chance at entering D'Argerncourt's, but it is understandable that you would lose to Adrien Agreste. We will simply have to make other arrangements. Just do not fail me again Kagami."
"Thank you mother, it will not."
"And Kagami, I am happy you have found a worthy rival. Such a thing is rare but it really helps accelerate one's development" Tomoe Tsurugi says warmly.