Check Mate

Chapter 20

The week was practically flying by in a blur of activities.

She talked to Chat Noir on the phone after she'd told her friends about her alter ego, and by some strange coincidence she had called exactly as he was explaining things to his friends.

Friends that she may or may not have threatened, should they be unable to keep their mouths shut about Chat's identity.

Chat had given her quite the scolding for that one, but it had all but gone in one ear and out the other. Not because she didn't care what her partner had to say, but because she was trying to make sure that they knew the consequences of revealing his identity were way more important than bragging rights.

"Ow!" Claude yelped a few feet away from her on the sparring mat, rubbing his arm through the gear they had borrowed throughout the week during their nightly training sessions. A rare scowl was on his face as he shot Felix a dirty look, "That hurt dammit!"

Felix responded by rolling his eyes, folding his arms over his own padded chest. "It wouldn't have hurt if you had blocked it." He pointed out dryly, his own expression mildly irritated.

"I am ever so sorry that not everyone takes self defense lessons." Claude snapped back, still scowling.

"Is that not why we're here? So you can learn how to defend yourself from an attack?" Felix had one eyebrow raised in inquiry, which didn't seem to help Claude's mood. He had his mouth opened to retort, but before he could Marinette spoke up from where she was watching Allan and Allegra to cut him off.

"Guys, enough! Felix, Claude is right. He's not a natural fighter, so take it easy on him okay?" She kept her gaze firmly on him until he nodded his assent. When he did, she turned her glare on Claude. "This goes both ways so don't think I'm letting you off the hook. We are down here to train, fighting isn't easy and you're going to take hits. All you can do is try to do better the next time."

Claude looked a bit sheepish, but he also nodded his understanding. Even if he wasn't particularly thrilled about it.

"Good. Now try again, and I swear if I hear you guys bickering one more time, I'll knock your heads together. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes Ma'am." Claude joked, giving her a sarcastic salute although the did seem a bit wary of her threat. The two of her friends faced each other, squared off before they went at it again. Both kept true to their words, as they stayed mostly silent aside from occasional constructive criticism.

"Thank the Kwamis. I thought those two would never stop bickering." Allegra remarked, ducking to avoid the punch Allan threw at her.

"Shouldn't you be thanking Marinette? She's the one who resolved the issue." Allan backed up a few steps to determine his next move, stopping for only a moment to shoot her a glare, "Even if her method is a bit unorthodox."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Allan, we've been living in the same dorm for months. I thought you'd learned by now that everything I do is more than just a little bit unorthodox."

Allegra laughed at that, stumbling a bit as she tried to control her giggles while sparring. She narrowly missed Allan's face with her fist, which was honestly a relief because that would've been a good hit.

A really good hit.

"You're a natural Allegra. I think tomorrow night we can bring Pollen with us and start to get you two accustomed to working together." She mused, already knowing the two of them would be a force to be reckoned with.

Allegra and Allan took that at permission to take a break from sparring, the former wagging her finger and clicking her tongue in disapproval.

"We came early tonight because we aren't training tomorrow, remember? You and Felix have your big date at the gala." She chided in her playful singsong voice.