17. Fight

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Learn how to fight alone.

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2 weeks later_

Marinette's POV<

I was sitting down in my locker room as I stretch my legs and arm for my competition today.

"Hey there babe!," I look up seeing Alya and Chloe standing there with bouquets and candy bags.

"Awe you guys," I pout and smile happily as they hand me my gifts.

"Anthony almost made it past that person in front of the girls locker room, but of course got caught and was sent back into his seat," Alya laughed.

"Damn I really need his daily pep talk before the match starts," I sighed.

"We got you girl, let's go distract that old lady," Alya nodded to Chloe before walking out the room, I laugh laugh and follow behind them.

As they leave from my sight I hear someone calling my name.

"Marinette!," I look up only to see Adrien with a large bouquet, smiling brightly at me.

"Adrian," I smiled and waved at him.

"These are for you, I got here earlier then last time," he said proudly.

"Great, let me just drop these off inside," I mumbled and walked away before walking back up to him.

"I just came down here to wish you good luck! You're going to do great," he smiled down at me.

"Thanks," I mumbled and looked down at the floor expecting him to leave.

"Aren't you going back in?," Adrien asked.

"Oh, I'm waiting for Anthony," I mumbled.

"Oh, Anthony," he mumbled and stayed quiet or a minute "can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"How did you and Anthony become so close?"

Taken back by his sudden question I laugh lightly "as I said before we were on the same martial arts team and he was the first person to befriend me. He made me feel welcomed and accepted me, and after that we were always put together as opponents since we are very strong in martial arts. One thing led to another and boom we are now best friends," I smiled.

Adrien hummed and sighs.

"Can I be honest with you?"

"Sure," I mumbled.

"What exactly happened to us? I mean- you know-," Adrien stuttered.

"We were super close freshman and beginning of sophomore year but-but when you left, I never heard from you," Adrien looks down at me.

I can feel my chest tighten as his green eyes beg for a truthful answer.

"I mean, you talked to Alya all the time and even became friend with Chloe so I was just wondering if I did anything wrong?"

You did. You hurt me without knowing.

"I-I Adrien-," suddenly I felt someone's arms rap around my neck and pull me into their chest, I look up to see Anthony with paint on his face.

"So you needed my daily pep talk now?," Anthony laughed lightly.

"Anthony-," I groaned.

"It's fine, I'll see you at school Marinette, goodbye," Adrien quickly walks off.

I turn to Anthony and hit him on his arm.

"God couldn't you read the mood," I rolled my eyes annoyed.

"Exactly and by the time you knew it, you would've fell for him all over again," Tikki pops up from Anthony's jacket.

"What she said," Anthony snapped his finger at the same time as Tikki.

"What your closer to him now?," I look at Tikki.

"Well at least he knows when you're going to get heart broken," Tikki said sarcastically.

"You guys are rude," I mumbled.

"No we are just brutally honest," Anthony sighed.

"I know," I chuckled.

Anthony hugs me from behind and looks down at me "what?," I groaned.

"Do you still like that kid? I mean yeah he's a pretty guy and he is really nice, it's just what Tikki told me it sounds like he was being inconsiderate of your feelings," he rubbed my head softly and grabbed my hands as he plays with my fingers.

"He didn't know-," I began till Tikki groaned in frustration.

"He was being inconsiderate, for Christ sake he danced with you in the moonlight and made you believe he probably might've had the same feelings back, if I was put in your position I would feel heartbroken that he even did that knowing he was already with Kagami," Tikki sighed.

"Yeah that's a little messed up bub," Anthony looked down at me as I take a deep breath.

"I don't like him as much as before, but you know," I look at him as I feel my eyes water "it still pains me to think of everything that I went through while having feelings for him," I take a deep breath "maybe it's because he was very close to me at one point and I had mistaken that for affection."

Anthony stands in front of me and puts a strand of hair behind my ear and rubs my cheek softly "you are strong and a powerful person bub, you truly amaze me with everything you've gone through. You have genuine feelings for him and he didn't show it back, but don't doubt your emotions for a second. Adrien could be the one for you but maybe it's not time yet," Anthony sighed as he pulled me into his chest and rubs my back softly.

"Or maybe in a different lifetime," he whispered.

—

After our moment Anthony left me alone to let myself cool off before the match began, I was playing against a older fighter today and I really needed to focus before I went up. Knowing they might have more experience I can feel my stomach start to do flips.

"Marinette?," I look up to see one of the workers pointing at me confused.

"Oh uhm yeah," I stood up quickly fixing my attire.

"You're up, where's your team?," unfortunately Master and Sabom couldn't attend today's match since they had to monitor my groups competition this week in Shanghai.

"Just me today," I smiled and began to walk away.

Before I step on the gym floor I look up at the bleachers to see all my friends cheering for me like before, fortunately Adrien was still here and waved at me happily. Quickly Anthony notices and steps in front of Adrien to bloke his view and takes off his sweater, I gasp loudly as I see Anthony's shirt written on saying "GO BUB!"

(Go show love to the tiktok and hype up our boy Anthony if you like!!!) :)))))

Anthony slowly started to flex off his shirt proudly as Alya and Chloe begin to take off their sweaters revealing the same words, all of sudden my dad walks in the gym with the exact same shirt on with my mom.

"I didn't get a shirt!," I heard Nino yell.

Without thinking I began to laugh as I reached the mat to only be faced by a woman that seemed to be 2 years older than me on the other side.

Her name was Nanami Monet, she was currently in high since but recently graduated due to missing a few years due to competitions, she was very skilled in the art of jiu jitsu but switched to taekwondo because of an arm injury 1 and half years ago. I know she isn't the best person to compete with since she uses cheat tactics in many of her matches and never got caught.

The announcer calls us on stage and we meet in the middle "what's a lil chick doing out here with the big dogs?," Nanami also loves to taunt her competitors with small talk during combat, once again this is forbidden.

I take a deep breathe and smile at her "let's have a fair fight," and backed away.

"We'll see about that chick," she chuckled.

I can't really say she was cheating the entire time since she does have some powerful blocks, and before she started taekwondo she was excellent at jiu jitsu, I respected her for trying to find a way to stay in martial arts after the serious injury she went through.

Before I knew it I began walking on the mat to begin.

"You can do this Marinette!," I heard Chloe yell.

"Kick her butt!," Alya yelled louder.

"Stop trying to out do me! OMG!," Chloe yelled even louder.

I roll my eyes at my friend and without noticing Nanami's first move was a roundhouse which unfortunately I caught at the very last second but blocked it. I feel the world spinning and look at Nanami who had a large smirk on her lips "gotcha," I read her lips as I see her get in form for another kick attack, quickly I step back and she misses.

"You're dead meat lil chick," she laughed and landed a side kick on me.

"Marinette!," I heard Adrien yell out.

"You got it bub shake it off!," Anthony yelled.

"But-," Adrien began.

"Literally shut up she needs to concentrate," Chloe grumbled.

Annoyed and angry I see my opening as she looks at my head happy that I was pain, I take this to my advantage and quickly land in a roundhouse kick. Nanami stumbles at the power of my kick and tries to land another roundhouse kick on me before I moved and landed an axe kick which made me win round one.

I sat down on my side and rubbed my head, I sighed before looking at my water bottle and look away.

I missed Master and Sabom, I guess I thought I can do it without them, but now that I'm down here alone I feel like I have no one there to to yell at me or get angry at everything I do. My eyes water as I look up at my friends to only see them looking at me worried, Anthony gave me a soft smile as well as Adrien. My dad and mom give me a thumbs up, feeling a bit better I turn to Chloe who was glaring at me.

"Focus," she mouthed, she then points at me and threatens to kill me "fight."

Suddenly I feel fear and shivers coursing through my body.

Why does Chloe have to be so scary sometimes.

"Round 2!," I stand up slowly trying to regain my strength and shake off the nerves.

But as soon as I stepped on the mat for the second time I again felt anxious.

"Get ready because I'm not going easy anymore lil chick," Nanami mumbled, by how I won the first round I can tell she was pretty ticked off and was seeking revenge.

As soon at the match began she landed a side kick to my left ribs and fortunately I blocked the other and try to land a front kick but missed which led to her copying my move and successfully made me lose balance.

"Shit," I whispered to myself knowing my body was shutting down with her kicks and blocks.

"You're going down," Nanami laughed and soon landed another successful kick to my chest.

I stand my ground as I continue to miss my attacks and block hers.

"Just give up," Nanami mumbled annoyed.

Ignoring her comments I start my form to land a reverse side kick when my leg twitched and made lose balance and catching myself before I fell.

Before I can even think another move Nanami's foot was only a centimeter away from my face when everything went dark.

"Mari!"

"Marinette!," I heard Adrien yell.

"Bub!"

"Get up!"

"Get up!"

I try to open my eyes to only see Anthony running down the stairs with Adrien behind him.

I felt someone lift my body slowly to only be met with Anthony's brown eyes.

"Marinette, you're going to be okay- the competition isn't over- come on bub."

I can't pass out now.

If I do I lose.

I can't lose.

I can't.

If I do I disappoint my team.

Master.

Sabom.

My friends.

Mom and dad.

Adrien.

Anthony.

I can't.