The Matters of Power

Chapter 52- The Crimson Group [4]

The Crimson Group, that's all I can think about when I go about my school day. That... 'gang', if they can be considered that, is the last and biggest obstacle Quarter and I face before the final boss himself, and I have to assume the worst in every situation. By Lunch, our table is eerily quiet with Carl and Payton occasionally looking at each other awkwardly and Fernando mostly being on his phone. I guess I must have held a scowl on my face, because Carl tried to talk to me. "Hey man, you doing ok? Does something hurt? I don't want to drag him into this, so all I can do is smile meekly. "Oh, well, nothing hurts man. Don't worry about me, but thanks for asking." For some reason Fernando is all of a sudden interested in my case and suspects something is wrong, but his thoughts say that he can't say much without concrete suspicion. Great, another person I have to keep in the dark yet again.

Time goes by in a blur to the point that I realize that it's the end of the school day and I got Quarter's text message to a barber shop nearby that he says Hugo's family owns. If this is the point of no return, I decided that I should visit Sentinel one more time before I go all-in. Grabbing some dog food that he likes on the way to where he lives, I still spot him in his exact same spot, still as watchful as ever. The allure of the dog food instantly alerts him to my presence and happily wag his tail as I give him bits and bits while also making small talk with him. Was he always this friendly towards me this way? Wait a minute, I don't think I ever showed up as Perfect Marcus, only as Original Marcus, so he must still figure out that I'm one in the same. Good dog, I guess. As I give him the final chunks of dog food left in the bag, I suddenly hear footsteps approaching my side and I quickly turn to face, to my complete surprise and horror, Julieta of all people.

"You. What are you doing?" "Me? Just giving Sentinel some dog food here." "Not that! I mean what are you doing, just casually feeding him and him not trying to bite your damn hand off!" Yikes, I think I caught her on a bad day. "Why the hostilities? I thought we were square when I helped you that one time..." "That's not it! How would you of all people know about Sentinel when neither I nor Marcus told anyone about him? Don't tell me, you did something to him, didn't you?!" This girl is reeaaallly starting to piss me off with her attitude and accusations. I think I just about had it with her split personalities. "Julieta. Do you realize how absurd you sound right now?" She flinches at the change in my tone. "I'm tired, Julieta. I'm tired of you always assuming that I'm like those... other guys who have bad personalities with good looks. It's obvious that I'm not like them, so why do you always seek to antagonize me?" "What, you just expect me to assume that you're naturally a kind person? With all the people I've met and dealt with, I cannot just expect you to not have any secrets underneath that face." "Yeah!? What about you then, Ms. Rich-Daddy's-Girl?! All that talk about secrets, and yet you won't even tell ME about that crystal that you have on the back of your neck!" The words just blurt out of my own mouth without thinking, and I realize far too late on what I just said. "You... know? You can see it?" She looks absolutely spooked; I need to clear this quickly before she gets any ideas. "Look at this! Look at my arm." I clearly show the crystal that has been on my left wrist for so long, "How have you not been able to see it since it's right there? Face it, Julieta, you and I both have supernatural powers, and it's because of your damn father that I've have to play his stupid game while you live all high and mighty with him without a care in the world! What do you say to that?!" She still has yet to recover from the shock of my statements, so I wait for her to finish. Finally, she says something. "I'm not the only one with powers?" I nod. "Does anyone else have them, no, know about them? What about the other Marcus?"

Hoo-boy, how am I gonna tell her? I'm in deep already, so I can't just ignore it anymore. "About 'the other Marcus'. You'll be surprised about it. But uh... close your eyes first." Julieta is at first reluctant, but sighs and does so anyway, and I take the opportunity to change body forms while making sure nobody else is around. I tell her to open her eyes and the facial reaction she makes is nothing I would've thought any other person would make. She's so stunned that she can't say anything. "Surprised? Tah-da, it's me, Marcus Fernandino in my original body before I got psychic powers to change it to a perfect body. It's one of many abilities I have, but I never really thought that you couldn't have known about it until now." For some reason, I decide to tell everything about what has happened this school year to Julieta, aware of the fact that she is the daughter of the man that pulled me into his scheme. Every single fact, event, and consequence was not left out as I almost finished retelling past events, and all she does is stand there taking it all in. By the end, I feel like I got a heavy weight off my back, shoulders, and chest, but all I get from her is silence, and at what cost? "...Are you telling the truth? About all of it?" I nod again. She chuckles, "This almost sounds like a fever dream. To think that there were others that had unique supernatural powers other than me, and my father being the mastermind behind all this. But why? Why would he do this? To me as well?" She mutters for a bit until realizing that I'm still standing here in front of her. "Oh. Right. Well... Marcus. I... don't know what to say, honestly. Look, just give me some time to think. Please." She doesn't even wait for my response, as she immediately turns around and leaves the area and even ignores Sentinel's whimpers. So much for her support, if there was even a fraction of a chance that I could get it. Whatever, I just hope she doesn't immediately rat me out to her father and do something drastic before tomorrow night. I say goodbye to Sentinel and also give him a good belly rubbing before I leave for Hugo and his family's barber shop.

*Current Perspective: Hugo Couture*

There have been more people visiting the shop today than before, probably because they don't want long hair for the upcoming summer heat. Even though my sister is taking her break by working on that script for a theatre play in the summer, I find myself fairly occupied on cleaning the shop as business starts to slow down for the day. I think about taking a break myself and work on that clothes lineup I thought I could develop until I hear the door's bell ringing. "Hello? Are you still open?" I recognize that voice. I turn around to see Marcus of all people here in the barber shop, his bright presence blinding me to no end. "Marcus!" I call out to him and start to talk to him. "Marcus Fernandino, how are ya? It's been far too long since we've seen each other, much less talk like this. Tell me, what brings you here?" He pulls up two fingers from his hand, "Two things: I'm here to fulfill a promise to you by getting my hair cut and ask for some advice regarding choices for fashion." I can't help but feel ecstatic and overjoyed to hear that from him, my year-long objective of wanting to stylize his hair. To think that a unique person such as him would finally be able to let me realize my desire, ever since we met at the beginning of the school year. "Of course, of course! I'll gladly help a fellow student and friend. Come, sit down in any seat so we can start on cutting your hair."

As he sits and we discuss his desired style and fashion advice, I can't help but feel that Marcus is facing a great obstacle that is weighing on his mind. He acts a lot more serious than I ever saw him act where he would usually be relaxed and kindhearted. As much as my curiosity wants me to pry, I have my pride as a friend to trust him and my artistic intuition to conclude that this is something that should be concluded without me. By the time we finish, Marcus looks like a different person, a refined and outstanding person. I'm almost amazed at the results of my own abilities, and to think I had to wait all this time to display. "...Thanks, Hugo." He looks at the mirror and examines his hair and clothes. "You did good. You've sure earned your place in the Fashion Club, and I'm amazed you did all this to me, someone who was never interested in fashion to begin with." His words lift my spirit more than I ever thought. "So," he pulls out his wallet and rummaged through it, "how much do I owe you for all this? Not too much, right?"

"Nothing! Marcus, you don't owe me a cent! I'm just happy that my friend likes me work, no need to worry about the cost." How would I live with myself if I had charged him for such works that were meant for him of all people?! He puts his wallet away and gives me a small smile. "Thanks. You're a good friend. I'll be sure to take care of all this. See ya." I say goodbye to him as he leaves the barber shop, but not before dropping a $5 bill in the 'tips' jar.

Whatever it is that he has to overcome, I'll be sure to support him as a friend along with his other friends.