7. Moments

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"We exist in moments, nothing more."

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Today was the big day of the competition, I ignored Adrian these past 4 days to try to focus on myself and spent my time to practice my moves before the big fight this afternoon.

"Are you ready sweetie?," my mom patted me on my back.

"Yeah, I studied on my opponent and every other just in case I win this round and I realized they are all very well trained in Taekwondo," I said.

Thankfully I studied and learned this style of art a few months back from one of Masters Hui Yen close friend from Korea Ryeom Daeshim who of course I called Sabom Ryeom. He was very experienced and he taught me well, I went to a few competitions with this fighting style and got second place once, which lead me to take another class with Sabom Ryeom to be the best in Taekwondo.

"But you only studied for jujitsu, kung fu, karate, and aikido didn't you?," my dad asked.

"I did study those but I also did hapkido, Judo, and Taekwondo," I patted my back.

"Yeah Marinette signed up for more classes to become more stronger," Tikki smiled up at me.

"So don't worry," I knew what Tikki meant by saying this. She wanted my parents to know that I'll be safe if I have to become Ladybug again, which calmed them a bit, but I knew my parents were still scared for me.

"We know Marinette can handle herself," my dad smiled at Tikki.

After our breakfast I headed to the restroom and got myself ready for my competition.

At the competition

I got inside the large stadium where I will be competing I look around and see my friends on the stadium bleachers looking around. Alya makes eye contact with me and yells my name loudly, I see Chloe from beside her cover her ears in annoyance and looks down at where Alya was pointing.

"Oh Dupain-Cheng!," Chloe yelled happily.

I smile happily and wave at my friends.

"Good luck Marinette!," they cheered.

I laughed and waved them off before heading to the locker room to stretch and get changed.

As I'm stretching I feel a presence behind and I quickly duck down.

(Note: the instructors/Masters would be speaking Mandarin, but I put it in English)

"Amazing," I turn around to see my instructor from China, Master Hui Yen.

"Master!," I run up and hug her.

"Dupain-Cheng, how have you been?," she asked.

"I've been good, I miss the gym and my teammates, you as well," I laughed.

"We miss you all to, actually the team has something for you," she takes out her phone and pulls up a video of my team wishing me good luck on my matches.

"We miss you Marinette!," they yelled.

I felt my heart slowly break seeing my friends that I consider my family cheering for me from far away.

"They are really excited for you so let's not let them down, Now get changed and meet me on the floor to watch your moves in person," she said before walking out.

I put on my Dobok and black belt before walking out.

Master Hui Yen was next to Sabom Ryeom speaking to one another and I skip happily to them.

"Marinette remember this is a official competition act mature," Master Hui Yen grumbled.

I nod shyly and laugh lightly.

"Hehe oops my bad."

They both look at me a nudge me to start practicing.

After they corrected my moves and positioning, the match finally began.

Due to not that many people in the art of Taekwondo there were only 2 other females participating and 3 men. When I trained in China I won the female category multiple times and soon I was put in the mix of men and women and once again won that category. Today since there is only a few members we will be playing mix meaning this will be a competition that will take only a day long. I will be fighting with 3 people, my first opponent which must be a girl and who ever when's the matches with the others I'll see who I'll go up against next. If I lose then I can't compete in the next tournament and I won't make it to nationals like last year. I can feel my nerves start to take over me and I rub my chest.

"Don't you dare start getting nervous," Sabom Ryeom mumbled.

"You know you can beat her, I know you can," he rubbed my shoulder softly as I look at my opponent who was twice my size.

"You've trained day and night for matches like this! You told me you came to China to learn how to fight like a warrior! Are you backing out on me?," Master Hui grumbled in my ear.

"No Master," I said proudly.

"Then good luck out there my child," she brought her head to mine and held my hands before I hear the referee announce my opponent and I. I turn to see 4 judges sitting on the bleachers looking down at the mat to see who will make the first move.

I focus on my attention to the young girl in front of me, I have studied her moves over and over again and remembered she always liked starting off with kick attacks. I noticed how she was pretty far away and I quickly get in formation seeing how she was going to start off with an Axe Kick, I block the kick with a rising block and shake my head lightly before regaining focus. I was good at hand and kick attacks I also start off with a reverse turning kick and make it look like I was doing a hook kick, fortunately she blocks me; However the impact of the kick slowly made her lose focus. With that I use a simple hand attack called an elbow strike to her stomach and a hook kick before the round ended.

I know it seemed like a bit of work but having only 2 minutes to bring someone down that is larger and a bit faster to you can be really tiring. I stand next to my instructors as they stay quiet, I look at the female as she holds her nose from my kick to her face, they gave her some water and cleaned her face quickly before the next round began.

Round 2- done

I knocked her down with the same kick she used on me the first round.

I watched she chugged down her water for the second time and I mentally frown knowing I want some water at this moment.

"Don't falter Dupain-Cheng," Ryeom Sabom mumbled to me.

Round 3- done

I finish her with a quick hand attack before helping her up and thanking her for this match.

"Very good, now go get some rest for the next round with your next opponent," I nod and bow before walking to the female locker room before stretching again and taking off the bandages on my feet and hand before cleaning myself and adding another clean pair of bandages.

Tikki was currently in my moms hand bag watching me, instead of being stuck in my locker, so I tried my best to rap up my hands like I did before but failed miserably.

The next round was with a male from a prestigious academy here in Paris, I didn't know him but I knew he didn't hold back. I studied his moves and noticed he liked hand attacks meaning he liked to be up and personal in his opponents face.

I make my way back outside hearing my name be called, without looking at the people in the stands I just wave and bow before heading back to my mat where Sabom was glaring at me.

"Childish," he grumbled.

I knew my Masters may look a bit harsh but they are truly loving people towards me, they can be a little strict like not letting me have water during my breaks but it was only for me to scare my opponents. They may call me childish and such but they never truly got upset at me skipping on the floor or smiling and waving.

Sabom turns to me slowly "the next opponent is larger than me and he is very well trained in this art, he likes hand attacks-."

"I know I know, so I have to use hand attacks and one kick attack to knock him down," I mumbled before scratching my nose and looking up at my instructor smiling.

"Just make sure to be ready for his powerful force," I nod.

"Honestly this is Taekwondo not karate why use so much hand attacks?," Sabom sighed.

"Can you help me master?," I sighed and handed them my bandages to help me rap of my hands for the next match.

"You did it the last match why was it so difficult now?," Master Hui asked.

"I honestly don't know," she quickly ties the bondages down firmly before patting my back as the referee comes back on the mat introducing us to one another.

"Well hello there sweet cheeks," the guy whispered as he bowed to me.

"Ugh," I groan and turn away to get back on my side.

"I'll go soft on you baby," he mouthed to me.

I roll my eyes and get in my stance as the match began.

Like Sabom and I predicted he start using hand attacks that I blocked quickly as he tried to stay closer to me. I block another hand attack and before I can land one on him he does a power side kick that I managed to block but still felt the power. Round one finished.

I hold in my tears from annoyance and slowly walk to my side of the mat.

"We told you to be careful!," Sabom grumbled.

"I know I'm sorry."

"Just get back in there and show that disgusting little boy who's boss!," he ordered.

I walk back on the mat a bit better than before and quickly use all my perfected kick attacks to throw him off his game, which did at my sudden Axe kick.

After round three I successfully defeated my opponent with kick attacks and a few blocks.

Without really needing their permission I head into the locker room before grabbing a pack of ice from inside a refrigerator and slowly put it on my head where that jerked kicked.

Before I knew it, it was my last match with a opponent I have already met in a match that I lost to when I started Taekwondo. His name is Anthony Yuan, from Beijing china, he is very involved in himself and a total jerk if I say so myself.

We bow to one another.

"Good luck Marinette," he mumbled before looking up at me with nervous eyes.

Okay fine Anthony is not a jerk whatsoever he's actually a really sweet kid that helped me a lot in Sabom's class when I needed it, but right now we are competing and I need to see him in a bad light.

But I can't because he's my friend.

"You to Anthony," I whispered.

Anthony starts with a simple side kick that I blocked, I do a quick back kick and he blocked it without a thought, he quickly lands another strong kick to my rib cage and another to my shoulder. The round ended and I walk to my side as I try to catch my breath.

"Focus Marinette," Ryeom whispers to me.

I get back on the mat and in just a second he knocked me on the floor with a regular axe kick, I quickly get up and finally while he thinks I'm down I do a jumping roundhouse. He falls on the ground for a few seconds, my first instinct was to wait to see if he was okay. Forgetting that I was literally in a a match I see Anthony standing up and doing my exact attack and I thankfully blocked it right when the round ended.

"You had it in bag you should've just ended it there!," Sabom groaned.

"I thought he was hurt-."

"Sure hell he was, you landed a perfect attack on him that made him lose focus for a bit! You could've taken advantage of that to win this entire match! Remember this isn't a playground to be nice to your friends, this is a serious art-."

"Anthony is a good friend to me Sabom," I sighed.

"A good friend? Kid look at how he just knocked you out! In competitions there is no friends, he's moping the floor with you, get it together and beat that weasel. This is a competition."

I nod looking down.

"He's not holding himself back just because you guys are friends Marinette," Master Hui mumbled down at me "he's using full force to beat you, I suggest you do the same."

I look up seeing Anthony smiling at me, I get up and get in my stance. I was back in game after that argument with Ryeom, I knew the perfect move for him to stop doubting me, for everyone to stop doubting me, so they can see I'm not such a weak little girl.

Anthony quickly started attacking with many different kicks, I knew he was just trying to pass time so the match will have him as the winner. I looked at his attacks and finally saw an opening before landing a decent kick on his head to make him lose focus. I can feel myself stepping a foot back and launching all my power forward in an 540 kick to his face that knocked him out with the impact.

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(A higher ranked teacher in Chinese martial arts is called a Shifu which means master.

Sabom is Korean for instructor highest rank.

Sensei is Japanese but that would be later.)