The Matters of Power

Chapter 7- A(n) (Un)Clean System

Business, business, business. That's all I get bombarded with under my teacher and her constant ramblings, even though we seem to grasp the basic concept that our first unit is taught with. She automatically assumes that us Freshmen have had rich parents or relatives teach us the ways of their assumed family business even though I am, realistically, the ONLY ONE to not have such a luxury. I concluded so with all the complaining thoughts other students in my class at one point or another have about their family members arranging some form of family business practice that they recollect from our teacher. I think I would rather deal with Swift Cross's leader, Quarter, from a while ago than be fed such opinionated nonsense.

Luckily, the bell finally rings to release us all for this miserable day that plagues us students. I think about the amount of homework that I can so easily finish if the teachers didn't discourage that I do them in class, and hear a commotion on the foyer near the announcements board. Quite a crowd forms up to be looking at a single set of papers stuck on the board that it makes me curious of what makes me want to view them. Students already notice my presence and seem rather excited to see me, making room for me to see what's on there. I feel someone grab onto my left arm and turn to find Alicia (the one who seems disliked by the others) there, getting my attention. "Marcus, hi there!" she exclaims, "How good of you to be here! We just got our starting results from our student "Honor System" that the Student Council does! You should see your place!" An Honor System? I barely have time to register what that means when she drags me forward and acting tough to push through the placed crowd. "(So is the list.... time?)", "(Did the.... new placement?)", too many thoughts clog my thinking process that I don't know what I should think to begin with.

Finally reaching the announcements board, I'm in the front row of what seems a very complex list of names and fonts that makes it seem like a government order was placed. This Honor System has three sheets separated by years: "Freshman", "Sophomore", and "Juniors", giving a numerical list going down all the way to 50 names. It didn't occur to me that almost all the names in the 40 places and above are the very people I hear often in the gossip articles and the very rich auras given in the classroom (well, only in the Freshmen sheet anyway). "Look Marcus! (Alicia points to the top of the Freshman sheet to the top 10s portion) You are tied in number 1 with Zeke Vern!" Most of the crowd quiets down by her sentence and appear shocked to hear such a revelation from her, murmuring to each other just about as fast as they crowded. "No way, the new kid tied with the most prospective freshmen?" "Is a same-place placement legal? Did Student Council screw up?"

This whispering and murmuring is getting out of hand, I got to get out of here and let this cool off a bit. Surely they did a mistake, I just got here and tried to stay in the sidelines since I started school, how could I have gained recognition in such a short amount of time? I quickly try to move through the crowd without causing harm, and just almost make it to the school entrance, until I sense a murderous aura from the crowd. "WHAT?!" I hear them scream, "That's impossible! You better not be joking with me, bubby!" Turning around, I see Zeke shoving through the crowd and approaching ridiculously to the board, looking at the sheet for a few seconds, and look in surprise at what we witnessed. One of his minions point towards me and whispers to Zeke, finding eye exchange to him that seem to represent a clear intent to murder. Suddenly, I sense someone pulling me outside of the school and running away from the crowd, finding Fernando the one that saved my skin from a confrontation that I didn't want to face.

We both leave the street where San Anton High resides and rush in any direction we can catch on, heading towards the city center where I assume that he wants to lead me to. Yet a few seconds later he struggles to compete and run as fast as me, his athletic ability clearly not as good as my new body with him nearly collapsing on the sidewalk in exhaustion. "Please..." I hear him say, "Get as far and lost Zeke's goons before they catch up to me. I'll be a distraction for you." I can hear a commotion from the other end of the street that sounds awfully familiar to the gang chases I endured, closing in on our area. I don't want to leave Fernando here to the mercy of Zeke, not after he saved my skin that I don't otherwise would be able to. I really hope that he isn't too heavy, so I rush to him on the ground while facing back to carry him, surprisingly being able to do so with ease. I waste no time trying to run across the parts that I know somewhat well, and a short while later stop to sense that no one has followed us or is looking in our area.

That was amazing. I ran that much without breaking much of a sweat while having a "passenger" to not feel any after pain or sore muscles. This body did really well to improve practically everything I only dreamed of being able to do! I set Fernando down to sit up, clearly impressed of what I just did. "I uh... thanks, Marcus. I didn't think a weak link like myself could be carried by you and not be left to a beating." I sigh and wipe a bit of sweat from my eyebrows, "Yeah, your welcome. I didn't know what happened back there, but I didn't want you to be beat up on the sidewalk." "Funny (he chuckles), but it seems that you didn't know the ways of the Honor System that them students put up for their own amusement." I'm slightly confused, "What? What do you mean, could you please explain to me what this was all about?" "Sure," Fernando replies, "but we are going to The Mara's Place to talk about this and you are paying for food." Good thing I saved up a good amount of money for a surprise spending, but I fear what he knows about this system that made these turn of events happen.

*A While Later*

I reach home just before sunset starts starts to find my parents being home early and preparing a small meal for dinner. "Hey son," my dad calls out, "How did school go today? Why were you out late?" If I told them about the crazy events, they would surely throw a fit to the school and would make my case worse to have a hostile environment. So I just reply with, "I was preoccupied with tutoring for a subject and spent a little time at the park, don't worry." He seems more than convinced of my answer and doesn't question further, leaving me to go to my room and ponder of the information I had just received. Fernando had explained the Honor System, saying it was little more than a "formalized popularity contest of assumed elitism", giving high self-esteem and popularity to those who are highly placed versus those who aren't mentioned at all on the sheets that can be targeted by the clear winners. If one tries to resist or avoid such a thing it becomes a worse situation for themselves with an increase of severity. Since I was tied for 1st place with Zeke, I'm considered the most popular and not one to mess with while Fernando, who was many of those who wasn't on the list, now is at the mercy of people like me because of it.

Apparently more things go around the area of San Anton such as competing school gangs in the varied schools, rumored dealings within the different years that occur outside of San Anton High, and the recent developments of a major company settling in progress. This all seems very intricate for me to deal with, let alone try to solve, so I can't bother to worry such things as I have to focus on school and support my parents. Even try to solve the mystery of my supernatural powers that allowed me to so far assist me in life that I thought couldn't happen. I should just meditate to try to increase the power of my abilities since that's all I can do for right now.

Oh, sounds like dinner is ready. I should eat first or else I'll be starving in the morning.