Guest - Right now!
Underworld Angel - So due to spoilers I can't directly answer your burning questions but I can tell you some of them will be answered towards the end of season 2 and a large chunk will be revealed the beginning few chapters of season 3. But there is a connection to Marcia and the part mentioned by the MHC.
Natalie - I've got ideas. Marcia is gonna have a bigger impact on the plot than the original storyline. But I'm gonna stay in the realm of canon.
Naysaya - Naysay-What?!"
"I think a streak of red would look awesome!"
"Don't you think that'd be a little too bold?"
"That's the whole point! Sometimes you gotta be a little bold."
"I don't know…."
Star walked over to her locker, Jackie-Lynn and Marcia were standing there having a conversation.
"Hey, whatcha girls talking about?" Star asked
"I'm trying to convince Marcia here to dye her hair," Jackie-Lynn said
"And I don't know if that would be a good idea," Marcia countered
"Oh come on Marcia. It's not permanent or anything and if you don't like it you could always dye it back," Jackie-Lynn said
"Oooo I think Marcia would like great with some red hair," Star stated
"See I told you," Jackie-Lynn said
"Nope not gonna happen," Marcia said
Jackie-Lynn opened her mouth-
"And I'm definitely not gonna get my ears pierced again." Marcia quickly shot the idea down before Jackie-Lynn could suggest it.
Marcia turned from her friends putting some books in her locker.
Jackie-Lynn gave an exasperated sigh leaning against a locker. "Come on Marcia. Where's your sense of adventure."
"Its-!"
Marcia paused as her gem flashed red. Her eyes twinkled as a red sparkle shimmered in them.
"Adventure…." She whispered
Marcia stood frozen for a second, in a trance state, before she shook her head going back to normal.
"Marcia isn't into change. You should just give up on her." Janna spoke coming seemingly out of nowhere.
"Heeey!" Marcia expressed in an offended tone.
Later that day Marcia and Star were walking to class. As the girls passed by a set of lockers they spotted a dismal Justin. He was leaning against the lockers face pressed against the cold metal.
The girls gave each other a "what's going on?" look. Marcia walked over tapping Justin's shoulder.
"Hey, Justin you okay?" Marcia asked
Justin spoke but his voice was muffled by the locker.
"Huh?" Marcia questioned
Justin spoke again with his muffled voice but this time he held up a piece of paper. It was a science test with a not so good score on the top.
Marcia hissed at the grade on the paper. "Let me guess you're not doing so well in science and one more bad test your gonna get in trouble."
Justin nodded his head.
"How about I tutor you for the next test?" Marcia offered
Justin gasped pulling away from the locker. "Really Marcia?!"
"Yeah, met me after school and-!" Marcia stopped mid-sentence letting out a faint grunt grabbing the side of her neck.
There was a strange burning sensation coming from there.
"You okay there Marcia?" Justin asked
"Yeah, just my neck feels weird all of a sudden. So anyway after-Marcia secretly has an irrational fear of packing peanuts!"
Marcia gasped covering her mouth.
"Wha?" Justin questioned
"Nothing!" Marcia ran off. "I'll get back to you on that studying!"
Marcia sat in art class working with a large lump of clay on a turntable. Her foot moved up and down on a pedal controlling the idle speed of the rotating table. Next to her was Oskar, the boy not paying any attention to the assignment given to him as he messed with his keytar.
"Okay, Maraca what do you think of this one?" Oskar played a scant tune on his keytar.
"Yeah, yeah, sounds good," Marcia replied not looking up from her clay.
Marcia's neck was tingling again, but she disregarded the feeling to concentrate on her work.
"Hmmm? I'm not really digging that one but what about this one?" Oskar asked playing some more notes.
"Oskar, not to be rude but is this something we can do at another time?" Marcia asked "My concentration is kinda somewhere else right now," She added
"Great idea let's have a jam sesh after school," Oskar grinned
"No, that's not what I-Marcia can't fall asleep unless her feet are covered because she's scared the monster under her bed will eat her toes." Marcia blurted out
Marcia panicked as the words left her mouth. Startled by her own words she accidentally put too much pressure on the petal causing her the table to spin rapidly. The clay Marcia had been working with flung off slapping her in the face. Marcia groaned standing up walking out the room.
"Monster under the bed?" Oskar questioned. "That would make a great song."
The bathroom had been occupied so Marcia was currently using the large school fountain to rinse the clay out her hair before it dried in.
Star walked over followed by Janna.
"What happened to you?" Star questioned
"Got clay in my hair. I don't know what's gotten into me. I've just started blurting out these random things for no reason," Marcia said
Marcia was wringing out her hair when two guys walked by.
"Marcia cried the first time she went fishing!"
The guys give Marcia odd looks as she covers her mouth, that wouldn't stop divulging her secrets. The guys walk away and Marcia drops to her knees groaning. She's grabbing at her neck scratching furiously at it.
"Marcia, what's happening?" Star questioned
"Wait. Let's see where this goes," Janna said
Marcia's groaning turns into screaming as she pulls at the collar of her poncho. There was an extremely sharp pain as the skin on the side of her neck bubbled. The skin rose taking form and a head developed on the side of Marcia's neck.
"Hello," The Tiny Head greeted
"Ahhhhhh...Oh, you made a little Marcia Junior," Star said
"Sup, Marcia Junior," Janna said
"Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh. Marcia Diaz covers the mirror when she showers because...because, because Marcia is ashamed of her own body!"
"Oh, it's so adorable," Star said
"Are you crazy?! How can I ever show my face anywhere with this on my neck?!" Marcia shouted
"Hey, guys," Jackie-Lynn greeted walking up. "Whoa, Marcia what's that?"
"I don't know," Marcia groaned
"Marcia thinks…"
Marcia pulled up the hood of her poncho muffling the tiny head's voice.
Janna snapped her fingers having an "Aha" moment. "That's it. I remember where I've seen you before."
Janna led the girls to Marcia's locker and started opening it.
"Hey, where'd you get my combination?" Marcia asked
"From your diary," Janna stated
Marcia narrows her eyes crossing her arms.
Janna reaches to the back of the locker pushing the back panel revealing it to be a false back. There was a secret compartment concealed behind the secret panel with a lit candle inside illuminating the hidden space, allowing the girls to see the other items that had been stowed away.
"What the? How? Janna! What is that stuff? How do you keep doing these things and that candle is a serious fire hazard," Marcia exclaims
"It's just some of my personal things. Plus the candles have been there a while." Janna pulled out a book titled, "Paranormal Folklore and Witchcraft, 5th Edition".
Janna started flipping through the book, "I've seen Marcia Junior somewhere before."
"Stop calling it that!" Marcia yelled
"Here." Janna found the page she was looking for, "The Naysaya. The Naysaya grows out of the neck of its victim." She held up the book showing an illustration of a man being plagued by the same thing growing on the side of Marcia's neck.
"Yes, that is Naysaya when Naysaya was younger," Naysaya said
"It reveals itself when the afflicted attempts to woo their true love, exposing the victim's deepest, darkest secrets for all to hear," Janna read
"That's ridiculous I didn't try to woo anyone," Marcia threw her hands up distraught.
"Oh, there's a sidenote. It says here that the Naysaya curse can also be altered so that the afflicted when approached by a potential romantic interest they will expose their secrets as well."
"Well, this is just great!" Marcia sarcastically stated
She looked at the book spotting something in the picture.
"What the heck is that thing?" Marcia questioned pointing at the picture.
"Oh, that's a demon. The Naysaya is a total demon curse," Janna said
Marcia took a better look at the picture the demon appearing rather familiar. She groaned, "A demon."
Tom was concentrating as he played a video game. A portal opened behind him and Marcia stepped out.
"Marcia!" Tom beamed looking over his shoulder at the girl. "Glad you're here. I got a new game." Tom held up a second controller waving it around. "Wanna join? I could use a player 2."
Marcia didn't answer but frowned at Tom crossing her arms. Tom's smile dropped when Marcia's frown got deeper, and she started tapping her foot.
"Something wrong?" Tom asked confused
Marcia still doesn't speak and reached up pulling her hood off.
"Hello!" Naysaya greeted
"Oh….." Tom hissed wincing, quickly put two and two together, it wasn't difficult to figure out why Marcia was so angry.
"I'm gonna give you 3 seconds to start explaining or you're going to be met with a karate chop to which the likes you've never seen," Marcia said
Tom put his hands up in a surrender position. "I'm so sorry. I totally put that curse on you to prevent other guys from asking you out."
"Why would you do something like that?" Marcia said
"It was just an extra precaution just in case a guy decided to ask you out, or if you asked out any other guy," Tom explained
Marcia's eyes narrowed. "You know this whole let's start over as friends thing isn't working out well for you."
"Whoa, whoa!" Tom stood up. "I put that curse on you beforehand."
"Yeah, and you didn't think to take it off me?" Marcia questioned quirking a brow. "How do you get rid of it?"
"That I can't do, I have no idea how. From what I know about the curse you gotta, just let it run its course. Once it's shouted all your worst, most shameful secrets, it'll wear off," Tom said
"All of my secrets?! That terrible, my secrets are secrets for a reason!" Marcia exclaimed
"It can't be that bad Marcia," Tom said
"Oh and you don't have any deep secrets that you'd rather have no one ever find out about," Marcia quipped
"Huh? Fair point," Tom said
Marcia groaned using the dimensional scissors to open a portal.
"So are we still on for Taco Tuesday night?" Tom questions
Marcia gives Tom a "What do you think?" look before entering the portal.
Marcia had returned home and sought comfort in her bed. She was buried under the covers a pillow over her head to muffle out Naysaya. The large feline that Marcia had conjured, which she dubbed simply Liger, calmly trotted over to the distraught girl taking a seat right next to her bed.
Liger nudged the girl with his large paw but Marcia did not budge. So Liger took it upon himself to get on top of Marcia's bed and drape his large body across her like a real life fur blanket, trying to give the girl some form of comfort. Even with the extra added weight plopped on her back, Marcia still didn't shift from her dejected position.
A knocked sounded from Marcia's door and Star entered.
"Marcia? What did Tom say?" Star questioned
Marcia reported her findings of the curse to Star.
"Tom said he didn't know how to remove it and the only way was for it to run its course."
"Marcia believes she will have Naysaya for the rest of her life because Marcia is so insecure!" Naysaya spoke
Marcia moaned into her pillow. "You should get back to school. You're missing class." She told Star.
"Well, aren't you coming to?" Star queried
"I won't be going to school like this. In fact, I don't see myself going out in public for a while. I'm going to stay here and maybe build a fort of shame out of my pillows. Besides, I got Liger to keep me company. Isn't that right Liger?" Marcia said
Liger raised its head giving a yawn before going back in his previous position.
"What? Marcia, it's just a demon curse. Don't let Naysaya keep you from what you want. I'm sure we'll figure something out. Oh, I'll check out my spellbook maybe there's a reverse curse in there somewhere."
Star gave Marcia a reassuring pat on the back before exiting the room.
"She's a good friend," Naysaya said
"Yeaaahhh. Alright, dude. What do you want to keep your mouth shut?" Marcia asked
"What?" Naysaya questioned
"What do you want?" Marcia repeated.
Naysaya was stunned at Marcia's words. "M-Marcia wants to know what Naysaya wants? But no one has ever asked what Naysaya wants."
Marcia sat up, Liger rolling off her back. "Well, dude, it's your lucky day. What do you want?"
"May Naysaya have whatever he pleases?" Naysaya asked
"As long as you let me live normally until I figure out a way to end the curse, you can have whatever you want," Marcia said
"Then Naysaya would like...cereal."
Marcia quirked a brow, "Seriously? You can have cereal."
"But... b-b-but...Naysaya would like to enjoy cereal in Naysaya's own mouth." He spoke before sticking his tongue out.
Marcia, still a bit confused about Naysaya's request ventured to the kitchen. She poured a bowl of cereal then held a spoonful up to Naysaya.
Naysaya flinched frightened not taking a bite. "Wi-will-will it hurt?"
"Just make sure you chew with your teeth and avoid biting your tongue," Marcia advised
Naysaya hesitantly ate the spoonful of cereal.
"Some more," Naysaya requested enjoying the food.
Marcia complied feeding Naysaya another bite.
"Some more. Some more!"
Marcia fed Naysaya the entire bowl. After that was done she cleaned off his mouth, which was covered in milk and cereal crumbs.
"Okay, so you promise to keep your mouth shut, right?" Marcia said
"Naysaya is in your corner."
Even though Naysaya promised to keep his mouth close Marcia still needed to cover him up somehow. So grabbing a fashionable scarf Marcia wrapped her neck and made her way back to school.
"*GASP* Marcia your back!" Star cheered running over to her friend. "What about you know…" Star gestured to her neck and made a talking motion with her hand.
"I found a temporary solution. At least now I can go out in public without embarrassing myself," Marcia said
"Hey, Marcia!"
"Oh hey Justin," Marcia greeted
"I wanted to ask if after school we can go over English too?" Justin asked
"Sure I-"
"Oh-oh-oh, this is the Justin, Marcia was in a love triangle with. She was so abashed and distressed that she hadn't realized that Justin liked her," Naysaya said
"Naysaya, you promised you wouldn't do that!" Marcia cried
"What's a promise?" Naysaya questioned
"Marcia are you okay there?" Justin asked
"No, I'm not okay! I've got a thorn in my side or rather in my neck!"
Marcia pulled away her scarf revealing Naysaya.
"Whoa!" Justin gasped jumping back.
Marcia sighed covering her eyes. "There's nothing I can do with this curse thing on my neck."
"Marcia hasn't taken a bath since she saw that shark movie!" Naysaya shouted
"Ugh. He's right. I haven't taken a bath since I saw that shark movie. But don't get any weird ideas I still take showers. I'm just...afraid of the tub," Marcia said
"Oh, oh, oh! And Marcia wears-"
"I wear a Go-Go Space Unicorn Onesie around the house," Marcia spoke
As Marcia talked giving away her secrets, she didn't take notice of her necklace giving off a faint glow. The more she revealed the more confident and less embarrassed she felt, even with the gathering crowd.
"And she's like to read-"
"I like to read those sappy romance novels together with my Mom."
"And, and, and-"
"I once ran outside in the rain naked and if any of you try to picture me without my clothes on I'll smack you good. I used to think milk was made from chalk. I still got my wubbie, and his name is Esteban. Until last week, I thought that the state of mind was between Nebraska and Kansas. I'm a straight-A student, and I've still got no idea how to do long division. Go ahead! Someone yell out a division!"
"Uh, 724 divided by 37?" Someone called out.
"I got no idea. Get a calculator!" Marcia shouted back.
Naysaya seemed conflicted and at a loss as Marcia spills her secrets all on her own.
"Yes, but-but Marcia also-"
"Almost burnt my house down because I forgot to take my spoon out of my bowl when I put it in the microwave," Marcia said
"Oh, oh!" Naysaya chanted
"Oh, yeah, my biggest fear of all: that we're all alone on this tiny blue marble, floating in the infinite expanse of the universe, ripped from the center, and ejected out into a black void for no reason at all. Players on the stage of the absurd," Marcia finished
"Wow, that was really...deep," Someone said
Marcia let out a huff as if a large weight was lifted off her shoulders.
"There we go all my secrets and insecurities out in the open. Or am I forgetting something?" She questioned Naysaya
"No, Marcia, that's...everything," Naysaya said
"Alright everyone shows over! I don't have any more embarrassing stuff for you!" Marcia said
The crowd dispersed and Star ran over to her friend.
"Wow Marcia I can't believe you said all that," Star said amazed
"Are you okay though?" Jackie-Lynn asked
"Surprisingly yeah. In fact, I've never felt this confident before. I like it!" Marcia proudly stated.
"Well since you have no more secrets to blurt out does that mean the curse is over?" Star questioned
"That's a good point. So, curse fulfilled right? How's this work? You just kinda dry up, flake off?" Marcia asked Naysaya.
"You know, Naysaya has never been to the movies," Naysaya said
A pair of dimensional scissors cut through the air creating a portal. From the portal, Marcia emerges.
"Marcia hey! We-!"
Tom was cut off as Marcia grabbed the front of his shirt.
"Curse! Remove! Now!" Marcia demanded
"I already told you I don't know how," Tom said
"Well, I'm not leaving until you figure out how. I mean I don't even understand how he's still here, I literally told my entire school everything that I found embarrassing about myself," Marcia said
"Really? Everything? That's pretty impressive Marcia," Tom said
"Yeah yeah whatever but I assumed once I spilled everything then this curse would end," Marcia said
"But Marcia hasn't revealed all of her secrets," Naysaya said
"What? But you said earlier that I did," Marcia said
"This secret is so secret that Marcia herself doesn't even know it," Naysaya explained
"How can I keep a secret about myself from myself?" Marcia questions
"Yeah that makes like no sense," Tom stated agreeing with Marcia.
"But it does! It does! And Naysaya will now tell you this secret. Marcia is secretly-!"
Naysaya froze as a red glow overtook him.
"Wha-What is happening?" Marcia questioned
"Not sure, this wasn't something I was told about with this curse," Tom said
That's when a bright flash came from Marcia's gem necklace. Naysaya began to glow brighter then shrink.
"W-w-w-w-Whoa waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa….."
In a manner of seconds, Naysaya was completely gone and Marcia's neck was back to normal.
"Whoa," Marcia touched her neck feeling nothing but smooth skin. "Hey, he's gone."
"How'd you do that?" Tom asked
"Oh," Marcia pointed to her necklace, "I think it was this necklace. It's got like crazy whiz magic. It was given to me by a mummy who tried to feed me to another mummy."
"I….okay I gotta hear that story," Tom said
"I'll tell it to you over Tacos," Marcia said using the dimensional scissors, opening up a portal.
"Wait we're still on for Taco Tuesday?" Tom questioned
"Yup, but you're buying though," Marcia smirked before stepping into the portal.
Tom smiled following after the girl.