2. H O L Y W A R : Peacekeepers

CHAPTER XVI

"Holy macaroni!" Damain cried.

D'kala had to agree, for the sight before him was not one he'd ever thought he'd see.

Walking down the academy hallway was MacKenzie Payoray, dressed not in a cat costume or sweater but in a black t-shirt with a sabertooth skull on it and regular jeans. She also wore a pair of black wireless headphones with the same logo around her neck.

But more startling than any of that was the shocking revelation of MacKenzie's scars. They covered both arms, causing every student watching to pale significantly. However, they had also been overlaid with black body paint, causing them to resemble tiger stripes.

To top it all off, MacKenzie wasn't walking by herself for very long; as soon as she was spotted by Camilla and her gang, the girls hurried over to her and started chatting excitedly.

"What the heck?" Sahara exclaimed. "MacKenzie's—she's not—and Camilla's—and her—HUH?!"

Kia whistled, impressed. "Points for creativity," she commented.

"Indeed," D'kala agreed.

"This is so not what I meant when I told her to be bolder," Addison moaned in a voice that broke even more sporadically than it had over the past few weeks.

"What, you don't like 'er new look?" Kayla asked. "Come on! I think it's rippah!"

"Hi, guys!" MacKenzie called to her friends as she and the rest of Camilla's gang approached. "What do you think?" She twirled around, gesturing to herself.

"You look absolutely stunning, dah-ling!" Kia purred, clasping her hands together. "From one feline to another."

MacKenzie laughed. "Thanks, Kia."

"I dig the skull," Damian commented, flying around MacKenzie in a circle. "Cool fit."

"Destiny picked it out," MacKenzie confessed, gesturing to the Tasmanian tiger. "She thought it was true to my original style but with a little extra kick."

"H---uvan upgrade, if you ask me," Krisstina stated, dapping up Destiny.

"Are these all tattoos?" Autumn asked in wonder, poking one of the "stripes" on MacKenzie's arm.

"...Do you think they're tattoos?" MacKenzie asked back.

"...Uh... yes...?"

"Then they're tattoos."

"Yeah! We match now, see?" Destiny flexed her striped arm next to MacKenzie's as the latter did the same.

Autumn raised his eyebrows, impressed. "Huh."

MacKenzie looked at Addison expectantly. "So, Addi? What're your thoughts?"

Addison gave her a half-grin. "Well, at first glance, I was skeptical—but the new look's starting to grow on me. It's really good, actually."

"Yes, yes, shower her with praise! Let's all ignore the true fashion guru over here." Camilla gave a sarcastic scoff and tossed her hair.

The group turned to Camilla and gave her a hilariously flat round of applause.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you!" Camilla gushed exaggeratedly, curtsying repeatedly. "I offer consultations on weeknights! The first one's always free." She pointed at D'kala and added, "You definitely need to give me a call. Your fashion sense is so mid-2000s."