Monday March 6th...
Finally.
Seemingly for the first time in history.
Marco had made it to school on time-- early, actually. The beautiful yellow sun still fresh in the sky. The rich night winds hadn't fully left the air, making each deep inhale course through his lungs with a clarity and freshness that made him dread having to enter the nauseatingly packed High-school.
But, he would enter the giant red-bricked collection of gazebo's and squared buildings all the same. He had even more reason to now.
Research.
Research on Gerard and the Argents association with The Warlocks. Speaking of research, he'd gained another informant. Something he thought over as he hopped the stairs leading towards the school's entry doors and dug through his pocket. It didn't take much digging to find the paper he'd come across on his run to school-- taking note of the familiar scent of blood smeared across it's crinkled white surface so strongly it almost blotted out the message and phone number.
"Get a phone.....and don't tell Scott we're doing this."
Another avenue of information opened. By the end of the month, he wanted to be connected to the entire town of Beacon Hills. He wanted to know everything coming in and out, he wanted to know every underground dealing, every newly turned WereWolf walking Derek's shadow. He wanted everything.
For now, he had the superficial drama's and rumors from his neighbor, Kat, info on the Warlocks from Alison and his own findings from stalking whoever he'd chosen for the day. Not enough. He stifled a yawn as he pulled open the school doors and headed inside. Apparently not enough sleep either...
Before the loudly creaking metal doors could even come to a close, the faint ruffle of leathers and clinking metal rang out from behind him as something fell from above.
A familiar feline smell combined with far too much perfume and animal blood fluttered into his nose. He sighed and turned around to face the doors that were now being held open by the blonde-haired female who stepped inside briskly.
Her walk was smooth-- lined with an undertone of physicality. Like a stalking predator....a predator in leather jeans that hugged her hips and a tanktop that was far too revealing.
She didn't stop until her chin was almost touching his chest. As she looked up at him, her eyes glowed faintly, "I never noticed how good we smell...."
"We don't smell good.....just familiar, Erica." Marco huffed.
Erica's eyebrow arched devilishly, "Are you sure? I think I smell pretty good."
Marco growled faintly, "You smell like dead rabbit doused in victoria secret perfume."
Erica hissed faintly and the glow in her eyes faded as she walked away from him, "You're no fun...just muscle and grump."
Silence followed for a matter of seconds before Marco spoke finally.
"Erica...." He started, keeping his eyes neutral as she slowly walked in circles around him in the empty hallway. "I told you to stay out of my way-- I told you who to go to for answers. There is a chain of command.....even if there's barely enough of us to count on one hand."
Erica threw her head back and groaned, "Ugh! You make it sound so easy..."
Marco simply looked at her.
"He doesn't speak-- not entirely....all he does is grunt and say single word commands-- and when he's not doing that, he's making me spar with him...or hunt animals in the forest....I had to take down a Deer with cracked ribs!" Erica whined.
Marco nodded in understanding, "Speaking when you're fully transformed....it's hard. And sparring is important....you know who our enemies are. They've trained to kill those like us for decades. You've trained for a week. For that same reason, you need to hunt-- you need to connect with your beast. You need to continue to feed and embrace that side until you're a team instead of two halves fighting over one body. That's something the Shifters here seem to fail to understand."
".....Like Scott." Erica muttered.
"He still rejects what he is....he wants to suppress it. He wants to be soft-- human. Stiles, I think Stiles is ashamed of being open about his interest." Marco replied as she continued to circle him in thought.
"Why are they like that...?" Erica asked, suddenly sounding genuinely curious.
Marco shrugged, "Misinformation, maybe. Not my problem."
With that being said, he adjusted the guitar case on his back and began walking down the hall to his class. With every step he made further from where he once was, he felt his mind slowly get back on track, just as it sh--
"Speaking of misinformation....." The flirty feminine voice followed him like a ghost with unfinished business.
"Erica.....I'm going to skin you myself if you don't go find a squeamish american boy to play with in the next five minutes."
"I thought you didn't associate with The Blue-Eyed Beast...." Erica said with a playful smile as if he hadn't just said what he said.
"I don't. But I know it.....sometimes. Other times I can't even recognize it." Marco said, the last half a whisper to himself more than anyone else.
"Where is he from? Is he from Africa too? Did he lead you here? Did h--"
"Stop." Marco said, cutting her off immediately, "Stop thinking of it that way. Don't try to humanize it."
"What?" Erica said in confusion.
"Think of it as a product of an unjust environment. A deterrent born from strife. A guided weapon. That's it. It has no name-- even if the news says otherwise. All it has is a goal and every factor that plays a role in it's success. Don't get in the way of that by trying to know it. You stay quiet, you listen, and you learn. Or you will die. Do this, and you may be rewarded. As you know, it sees something special in you....Now stay out of my way, you've already made me go back on my word once."
This time Erica stayed, watching him as he walked down the hallway in silence, his silver and gold ringed dreads clicking along with his large steps like a lumbering ominous beat. She found her eyes continuing to glance at the guitar case on his back in memory of what she'd seen within by pure coincidence. Along with that, her hand continued to shake-- just like that day in the hospital. Only then she was horrified. Right now she was simply curious.
".....How do you know what The Blue-Eyed Beast see's in me?"
Suddenly the doors into the school behind her burst open, loud enough to shock her out of her deep thoughts. Slowly, the students poured into the hallways like a tidal wave, swallowing up the tension that once rode the air along with Marco who had seemingly disappeared in a flash, leaving her to her own devices as the clueless students rushed by her in pursuit of their classes.