#brackets which is the part I slacked off on my last tournament. actually I still haven't posted the final brackets I'm gonna do that now.
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You know what I'm just gonna link the bracket too. It's not very easy to read bc most of the titles are too long, which is why I'll make an actual nice looking bracket later, but it does tell you what the matchups are
Round 1 is over!
Iâve been kind of slacking off on the spreadsheetâ but here it is ready for round 2!
They are listed alphabetically by show title and will tell you which group of voting they are in. Episodes that are still in the running are in bold. There is also a second sheet listing only those that made it to round 2.
Edit: the round 2 sheet is organized by group bc I thought having that also alphabetical might be a little redundant
Edit 2: oops forgot to link to Round 2
#man on some of these it doesnât even get to the episode number.#also if the seed number is above like. 100. then its seed was completely randomized.#. i said i'd do the bracket at 32. but now I'm thinking maybe it goes up next round at 64. the only thing is that I am very bad at updating#brackets which is the part I slacked off on my last tournament. actually I still haven't posted the final brackets I'm gonna do that now.#that had five separate brackets tho so this should be fine#hm I'm just gonna keep tweaking my bracket template until it looks good.#the main problem is that I have to fit the entire show and episode title into the slot. It'll be two lines but that might not be enough.
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AU August - Day 31 - Fencing AU
I finally finished the story I started back when the incredible @megs-ilsâ did a few fencing AU pieces. Here and Here. This is the origin story I thought up for them.
âKnock it off, you two,â Mr. Dargencourt warned. âMore sparing, less flirting.â
Marinette could feel her cheeks burn at that. Was it that obvious? And here she thought she had her crush under control.
âFlirting?â Adrien jested. âMarinette doesnât know the meaning of the word.â
âSays the boy who tried a pick-up line from an anime on some poor damsel.â
âAt least I can string a sentence together. But then again, Iâm certain a blush and stutter does wonders for stealing a boyâs heart.â
She lashed out.
He tapped her.
She inwardly cursed.
He flicked up his mask, revealing that infernal, handsome, cheeky, dazzling grin. She lived for that grin, even at the cost of a loss.
âTouchĂŠ,â she admitted, lifting her own mask.
âControl your temper, Miss Dupain-Cheng,â Mr. Dargencourt warned. âYou could have easily beat him with his sloppy footwork.â
Adrien shrugged, smile still on his face.
Mr. Dargencourt shook his head. âWhat am I going to do with the two of you. Both immensely talented yet refuse to focus.â
âSend us home because itâs the end of fencing club?â
Mr. Dargencourt looked at the clock. âAye. That it is. Disband.â
So, they headed to the locker rooms, changing out of their fencing attire and collecting their things. Marinette was the only girl in the female locker room. Sure, it was a shame that not more women were in the club, but it gave her pride knowing that she could beat the boys.
As she exited, Adrien was there waiting for her. As always. âWalk you home?â
She grinned. âThanks.â
They walked side by side out of the school and towards Marinetteâs house. âAre you going to the fencing tournament this weekend?â Adrien asked.
Marinette sighed. Yes, she heard about it. Sheâd signed upânot that Adrien knew about itâand won the local sparing competition to see if she could have a spot. But⌠âMy parents wonât let me go.â
Adrien looked at her, wide-eyed. âWhy not? It would be a blast to watch.â
âItâs too far away, on the other side of Paris. Theyâd have to drive me and theyâre too busy.â
âOh,â Adrien said with a sigh.
âWhat about you? Thatâs sounds like fun.â
Adrien shook his head. âGrounded.â
âOh! What for this time!â Marinette cried, exasperated.
âI bombed that testââ
âOkay, you did not âbomb that test��. No one did well on that test, and you got the second highest grade behind Max.â
âMy dad wasnât happy since it took my grade down.â
âBy what?â Marinette exasperatedly challenged.
Adrien remained silent, which was all Marinette needed to know.â
âI think he needs a sabre to the chest,â she grumbled. âOr hilt to the head.â
Adrien chuckled. âI would pay to see that.â
When they arrived at the bakery, they paused at the door. âDo you want to come in for a treat?â
âIâd love to,â Adrien ruefully said. âBut I canât. Father wants me home immediately.â
âCan I send you home with a macron or two, at least?â
He hesitated. âSure, Iâd love that.â
âGive me a second.â Marinette hustled inside, dropping her gym bag behind the counter and earning a warning look from her mother. Quickly, Marinette grabbed small box of pre-boxed macrons from behind the counter and ran back outside to Adrien.
He gave her the softest look. âYou spoil me.â
âAnything for my best friend, right?â
It was barely noticeable, but his posture deflated. âRight. Best friends.â He took the box. âIâll see you at school?â
âY-yeah,â Marinette said, waving to him as he slowly backed away. âSee ya.â
He waved good-bye, but his smile didnât reach those stunningly green eyes of his.
Once he was out of sight, Marinette retreated back into the bakery, marching past the counter up to her room.
âAhem.â
Oh⌠her bag. Right. âSorry, Maman.â
âAnd this is why I tell you to take it up to your room.â
She flashed her maman a sheepish grin. Her mother returned the gesture with a fond smile and shake of her head. âWhat am I going to do with you?â she teased.
âLove me because Iâm your daughter?â
Her mother broke out into a full, wide grin at that. âThatâs true.â
With one last smile, Marinette took off to her room, dumping her bag on the ground and collapsing on her chaise. âBest friends,â she grumbled. âYup. Thatâs all we are.â
âŚ
âBest friends,â he said, dropping his bag on the ground before falling onto his couch. âThatâs all.â
He let his eyes drift shut, only to immediately conjure up the most beautiful set of eyes, ones that hardened competitively when faced with a challenge yet could melt a man with the softest and most gentle of looks. Paired with a smile that was dangerous for his heartbeat, he was sure sheâd be the death of him.
But they were friends. Best friends. Clearly, that was all she wanted to be.
He sighed and turned on his tv for a distraction. The news was on, reporting on the large fencing tournament that was being set up across Paris. Not only did he want to go just because he loved a good challenge, but he wanted to find a teacher. All the best were going to be there. Heâd signed up already and earned his spot in the prestigious competition.
Too bad he was grounded.
Unless he snuck out.
It was really risky. Borderline stupid. There was no way his father wouldnât notice.
⌠Then again, this was his father they were talking about.
The only problem was the fact the whole thing would be broadcast. It was quite the prestigious event, after all. The news would be all over it. And if fashion model Adrien Agreste showed up, the news would zero in on him and he would be pulled from school faster than he could blink.
Too bad he couldnât cover his face.
It took a moment, but a slow smile crept across his face. Well⌠why not?
âŚ
âAlya, this is a bad idea.â
Alya waved a hand dismissively at Marinette and started the car. âItâs a great idea. Your parents donât need you and the only thing you need is a ride. How is it not perfect?â
âMy parents will catch me.â
âNo, they wonât. No way theyâll watch the tourney.â
âBut what if someone else sees me then rats me out to my parents and Iâll be grounded for breaking their trust andââ
âOkay, okay,â Alya interrupted, âCalm down. Just wear your mask the whole time. No one will know.â
âBut my name will still be displayed.â
Alya frowned, pacing back and forth in Marinetteâs room. Suddenly, she gasped. âIâve got it!â She ran to her backpack, falling to her knees and pulling out a comic book. âTa-da! New identity.â
Marinette stared at the comic book dubiously. âThatâs the best you can come up with?â
âThink about it. Don a mask, a costume, and new name and boom! Instant cover.â
âYouâre nuts.â
âVisionary.â
Marinette snorted. âAlya. If you come up with a half-decent idea, Iâll do it.â
Suddenly, Marinette was not liking that smirk on Alyaâs face. âYouâre on.â
âŚ
Adrien was accustomed to sneaking out to the point he was scarily good at it. He knew how to get all the way across Paris on his own.
With help from Nino.
âBro, I owe you.â
Nino yawned. âYeah, you do. Youâre paying gas money, lunch, and a new set of headphones.â
When Nino stopped at a light, Adrien pulled out the pair heâd already bought. âSomething like this?â
Nino stopped to stare wide eyed at the top-of-the-line pair of studio-quality headphones. âBro, I love you.â
âYouâre welcome.â
When they arrived, Adrien slipped on his mask.
No, not his fencing mask. His black face mask.
Nino stared at him dubiously. âAnd whyâd you think this was a good idea?â
âWhen donât I have good ideas?â
âYou really want me to answer that?â
Adrien snorted. âTrust me. This is one of my best plans yet.â
Nino stuck with Adrien up to the sign-up table, where Adrien scribbled in his pseudonym Chat Noir.
The sign-up lady looked at him oddly, giving his black fencerâs suit and mask a once over. Adrien shrugged and gave her a charming smile. âItâs my nickname. Most donât want to cross me.â
She stared at him a while longer before her expression fell back into one of boredom. âBuilding 1 to the left. Bracket C, number 13.â
âThank you,â AdÂ-Chat said before stepping off to the side. âThis,â he said, resting a hand on Ninoâs shoulder, âis where we part ways.â
Nino held up a fist. âGood luck, bro.â
Adrien pounded it. âThanks.â
With one last salute, Adrien wandered off to his section. He wondered inside, searching for anything that said Bracket C. Instead, he found a map with several brackets underneath.
He suddenly was no longer surprised the tournament spanned over the three-day weekend. Sure, there had been many long tournaments heâd had to compete in beforehand to secure this spot, but he didnât realize this one would be the biggest of them all. There were brackets A-P, each consisting of 16 contestants. Today was basically the preliminaries to decide who actually was worthy enough to stay. He doubted any teachers would be here today, but that didnât mean he could slack. He had a bracket to win.
âŚ
âI canât believe this was your brilliant idea,â Marinette whined.
âIt will work perfectly.â
âItâs nuts.â
âItâs perfect. Iâm a genius.â
Marinette sighed, feeling the face mask underneath her fingers.
âSo you decide that I, the clumsiest person alive, should be named after the luckiest animal ever?â
Alya tapped the steering wheel of her van. âWell, it matched that red suit you had in your closet. Besides, you need a little ladybug luck.â
âIâm strangling you for this.â
âWhen you win the tourney and score an awesome teacher, Iâll make you eat those words.â
When they arrived, Alya waited in line with Marinette at the sign-up table. When they arrived, the lady looked her over. âDid I miss the memo? What is it, Halloween?â
Before Marinette could ask what she meant, the lady pushed a sign-up sheet towards her. Marinette signed her name. WellâŚnickname. Ladybug.
âBuilding 3 to your right. Bracket L number 7.â
âThank you.â
âNow, go win, girl.â
âThanks, Alya. I have the feeling Iâll need it.â
âŚ
Day two, and Marinette felt twice as confident donning the mask. Sheâd garnered a bit of a reputation of having lady luck on her side and people did not like facing off with her. She was quick, agile, efficient. Matches were over in the blink of an eye and all they would see is a flurry of red.
It gave Marinette a deep sense of pride, and soon she found she didnât want to lose such a reputation. She couldnât disgrace the ladybug, after all.
By the end of the day, she couldnât help but notice a crowd gathering in her corner of the building. Likely to watch her, the Lucky Lady in Red. Alya filmed her success throughout the day. By the end, she was crowned the winner of her bracket.
âCongratulations on your win, Miss Ladybugâ a game manager said, shaking her hand.
âThank you, sir,â
âTomorrow, youâll be heading to building B, where youâll face off with the 15 winners of the other brackets. Best of luck.â
With that, she retreated up to Alya.
âGirl, you were amazing!â she cried, giving Ladybug a hug.
âThanks,â she said, returning it. âIâm so excited.â
âYou should be!â Alya said, âPlay like that and youâll win the whole thing.â
âFingers crossed.â
They started down the bleachers, setting their sights on the door when they were stopped by a lady in a simple red dress. âI have to admit,â she said. âYour skills should be what Iâm looking for, but Iâve always admired a woman in red.â
Marinette stared at the woman for a moment, and once her brain registered who she was talking to, her jaw hit the floor. âY-y-youâreâŚâ
The woman smiled. âIâve got my eye on you, Miss Ladybug. Maybe my lucky bet will be on you. Iâd say best of luck, but looks like youâve already got that.â
With that, the lady walked off towards another match.
âWho wasââ
âALYA!â Marinette squeaked, grabbing her best friend by the shoulders and shaking her. âThat was Tikki Fu. The Tikki Fu!â
âIâm so lost.â
âSheâs a legend!â Marinette squeaked, looking back over to where the woman disappeared. âShe was in the world series and won for France in the femaleâs division.â
Alyaâs jaw was now appropriately on the floor with Marinetteâs. âNo. Way.â
âYesWay!â
The girls squealed. Any jabber that continued between them was now completely undecipherable and pitched at uncomfortably high levels, but neither girl really cared. Not with the high Marinette was riding on. Now, she was determined not to mess this up. After all, a chance to work with Tikki was on the line.
âŚ
At first, he questioned his idea to wear a mask, black suit, and nickname. The looks he had received were mocking and degrading. One gutsy competitor dared call him a pussy.
But that was before Adrien shredded him.
After that, no one mocked Chat Noir.
He grinned like a cat that got the cream every time he landed a hit. He was good; he knew it. And people were quickly growing afraid of his reputation.
âKid, if youâre gonna be cocky, better not be afraid to land on your ass.â
Adrien turned around to see a man in a black leather jacket standing nonchalantly against one of the arena dividers.
âNot that the little outfit isnât amusing,â the man said, slowly standing straight and sauntering towards him. âAnd the name certainly throws people off, but you better have the skill and focus to back it up.â
Adrien lifted his head shield and watched as the manâs eyes crinkled with amusement. âQuite an act.â
âLetâs just say that I donât want my face anywhere.â
âBeen there,â the man said. âBut I also learned real quick where to draw the line.â
And thatâs when Adrienâs eyes widened with realization of just who he was talking to. âYouâre Paul Fu.â
The man snorted, his lips twisting into a smirk. âNice to know someone knows my actual name. Iâm pretty sure that even Wikipedia thinks my name is Plagg, now. That being said, if youâre gonna have a nickname, better make sure your skills are backing it up, not your mouth. Clear?â
Adrien nodded.
âGood. If you want a teacher at all, youâre going to have to prove that. A lot of them wonât take a smart mouth.â
Adrien knew he was talking from experience, so he nodded. âYes, sir.â
With an amused smirk and tilt of his chin, Plagg walked passed him by.
Leaving Chat Noir with a warning he wasnât soon going to forget.
âŚ
The final bracket was organized by bracket letters. A against B, C against D, etc. The competition was fierce, and it was made twice as challenging by the fact trainers were there, ready to pick up new students.
If any competitor wasnât on edge, then they had no idea the stakes.
Marinette was positively buzzing. All the tea in the world wouldnât touch her anxiety. Alya revoked her privileges to liquids after a while. âYouâre gonna end up having to pee in the middle of a match. Youâll thank me later.â
But she was still sweating. After all, winning the competition would be great, but there was nothing more important than impressing Tikki.
She nearly lost her first dual. It was the closest call sheâd had. Thankfully, she came out on top. The second was very similar, but once again, she just eked into the lead.
âGirl,â Alya said, patting Marinetteâs shoulder when she was on break. âYou need to focus. Youâre really off your game.â
âIâm nervous,â she admitted.
âIs this because you want to work with Tikki?â
âYes!â she hissed. âI donât want to let her down.â
âIf you donât calm down, youâre going to. Come on, girl. Youâre better than this.â
âKnowing and doing are two different things.â
Alya hummed. âThen kick back and watch the competition. You still have to face off a couple more, and you need to learn how to shred them.â
Marinette knew she was right. That was probably her greatest strength, after all. She needed to use it.
âBut because Iâm curious, what do you think about Mr. Chat Noir?â
Marinette really stared at him. He was⌠ a ball of pure instinct. From the few matches sheâd seen him in, it was clear his fighting style differed between competitors. He was always stronger in the offensive than defensive, but that was the only similarity between his matches. The only downfall she could see was he was cocky. He subtly taunted his competitors, but it was a tactic that always worked well in his favor. This was a sport of class, usually full of stuck up, over-rich pricks, and having someone taunt them during a match was a great way to throw them off. They werenât used to such behavior.
âI think heâs going to the final round.â
âI think so, too,â Alya said, continuing to film him. âHeâs good.â
âHeâs something.â
âJust make sure you beat his little tail, got it.â
âIâll try.â
âSee, itâs that sort of attitude that isnât going to bode well for you.â
Marinette froze. Because that wasnât Alya.
One again, Tikki was wearing red. âCome now, have some confidence,â she said, taking a seat beside Marinette. âYou notice his faults. You plan ahead. Then you go in there and beat him.â
âBut what if I donât?â
âOh well,â Tikki said with a shrug. âAs long as you give all youâve got, youâve got nothing to be ashamed of. The best will lose battles. No oneâs perfect.â
Marinette listened, but her nerves didnât calm.
And Tikki took notice. âThis wouldnât be because youâre nervous about snagging a teacher, would it?â
Marinette whipped around to face Tikki and turned into a sputtering, incoherent mess.
Thank goodness for Alya. âPartly,â she said, wrapping an arm over Marinetteâs shoulders. âYou see, sheâs this really talented and really sweet person who deserves to have a female instructor instead of being the only female in her schoolâs fencing club.â
Tikki giggled. âThen I guess itâs a good thing that Iâve already decided I want to take you on as a student.â
Marinette turned silent.
Tikki nodded. âYouâre very goodâobviously, for you to have gotten hereâbut I have the feeling youâll be teachable. And Iâm not going to waste my time with someone who may be the best fencer here yet wonât listen to my instruction. That, and Iâve always found luck in red.â
Marinetteâs heart pounded. âR-really?â
Tikki grinned. âWhat do you say?â
âYes!â Marinette cried. âYes. Please. Really. Thank you. Yes.â
The red-head giggled again. âI knew I liked you. Now, do me a favor?â
âAnything.â
âBe sure to beat Mr. Cocky in the black, there,â she said. âI have the feeling I know exactly whoâs going to pick him up and Iâd love to shove it to the man.â
Marinette stared at Chat Noir, watching the lazy way he loped back to his seat then looked over the competition with an arrogant air about him.
Sheâd take him down. He needed a good lesson. âDeal.â
âŚ
It was times like this that he wished his father would be here. He was doing very well in the tournament, beating competitors left and right. He knew he caught the eye of a handful of teachers. Heâd love to be chosen by one of them to continue practicing his craft. One in particular had caught his attention, and if the master Paul Fu picked him up, then that would be the best thing ever.
However, Plagg never approached him. Nor did any other teachers. And it was the last round.
âLadybug, is it?â Chat said, lazy smile on his face. âI was hoping to get the chance to spar with you. Youâve caused quite a racket.â
âSame as you, Chat Noir,â she said, sticking a hand out to shake. âIt will be an honor to spar against you.â
He shook her hand. âIt will be an honor to beat you, milady.â
She frowned, then turned and headed towards the arena.
The curt dismissal caught him off guard. Seemed she was the serious type, one focused on the match and movements.
He smirked. He knew exactly how to deal with that.
Throughout the match, he kept fishing for just the right comment that would overthrow her. Teases to playful insults to constantly complimenting her style.
But it didnât help him win.
She was good, and he was a graceful loser.
Even though it stung a bit.
Or a lot.
He stuck out his hand at the end. âGood round.â
She frowned at him but still shook his hand. âMaybe, if you were a little more serious, things could have gone differently.â
With that, she walked off through the crowd of people wanting her attention.
He was bombarded with people, too. After all, he was second place winner. Not too bad in a competition of this size.
However, when he was never approached by a teacher, he was more than just a little salty. And unfortunately, he knew why.
âThey think youâre too cocky,â Nino confirmed. âI overheard a handful of them talking. They think youâre good but arrogant and they arenât going to take you for it.â
âYeah, figures,â Adrien mumbled. âLetâs just go home.â
âYou did well, bro,â Nino said, slapping a hand on his shoulder. âYou should be proud. Youâre literally the second-best fencer in all of Paris. And technically, the best guy fencer in all Paris.â
Adrienâs smile was small, but still there. âThanks bro.â
They navigated the parking lot to Ninoâs ride, only to stop when they saw a figure sitting on the hood.
âThere you are,â he said, sliding off the car and standing to full height. âWondering when youâd make it out. Quite a match, there.â
Adrien shrugged. âShe was good. I lost fairly,â he answered, doing everything he could to hold back his bitterness. Because it was true; she was good. Heck, everyone he sparred with was good.
He just kinda hoped he was the best.
âNo teacher?â Plagg asked with a smirk.
âThey all think Iâm arrogant, apparently.â
âAnd you want to correct them?â
Adrien opened his mouth to speak, only to pause. âMaybe a little,â he said. âI justâŚâ
âYou just, what?â Plagg challenged.
âIâm not a pussy,â he said. âAnd I am good and I want to show them they canât mess with me like that.â
Plagg stared down at him.
Adrien didnât waver under the pressure.
âWhatâs your name, kid?â Plagg asked. âIf Iâm going to train you, Iâm gonna need a name.â
Adrien froze, staring wide eyed at Plagg.
He just quirked a brow. âWell?â
âAdrien,â he said. âAdrien Agreste.â
It was Plaggâs turn to quirk a curious brow, but his expression turned into a smug one. âWell, if that donât explain all,â he commented. He handed him a small card with a number and address. âCall me when you have a schedule, kid. And if daddy refuses, well⌠youâre what? Nearly eighteen. Daddy canât control you forever.â
With that, he walked off.
âDude,â Nino said, breaking Adrien from his trance. âThat. Is awesome.â
âYou wouldnât mind giving me rides, would you?â
Nino smirked. âI could use some more DJ equipment.â
Adrien grinned and grabbed Ninoâs shoulder. âYou are the best friend ever.â
âŚ
âCongratulations!â Alya said, tackling Marinette in a hug once she escaped the swarm of reporters as well as teachers all wanting to take her on. She had to turn all them down and did her best to be as polite as possible.
âThanks, Alya,â she said, returning the hug. âI canât believe I won!â
âYou should!â Tikki chimed in. âYou were fantastic. I knew you were my lucky bet.â
Marinette giggled.
âSo,â Tikki said. âIâd like to set up a training schedule as soon as possible. However, Iâm going to have to know the girl underneath the mask for that.â
Quickly scanning the room for any reporters or other nosy people yet finding no one, she took of her mask. âMarinette Dupain-Cheng,â she said, sticking out her hand.
âShe may or may not have sneaked out in order to be here,â Alya cheekily added. âItâs not a normal thing, though. Just on this one occasion.â
âI hope that doesnât mean youâre going to abandon Ladybug completely,â Tikki said, shaking Marinetteâs hand. âI kinda like it.â
Marinetteâs eyes widened. âReally?â
Tikki nodded. âI think it would be fun to have such an alias, and it certainly creates a buzz, donât you think?â
Marinette shrugged. âI guess so.â
Tikki grinned. âSo, should I give you my number to call when you have a schedule worked out?â
âHow about,â Alya said, pitching in. âYou visit the Dupain-Cheng bakery for lunch.â
Tikki gasped. âOh, I knew your name sounded familiar. I love the cookies there. I have such a bad sweet tooth.â
Marinette giggled. âThen can you come over after lunch sometime this week so I can tell my parents everything and get their okay.â
âThat sounds perfect,â Tikki agreed. âMonday?â
âMonday.â
âWonderful. I will see you tomorrow. Until then, congratulations on the win.â
âThank you.â
With a smile and a wave, Tikki headed out
Leaving Alya and Marinette screaming in giddy, girly excitement.
#mlauyeahaugust#ml au yeah august#au yeah august#miraculous ladybug#fanfiction#marinette dupain cheng#adrien agreste#alya cesaire#Nino lahiffe#Tikki#plagg#fencing AU#origin story
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