Grey suit hasn't been showing up to the Circus Dinners, which have become less frequent as the circus grows.
It's been a year since Marco has seen his emotionless teacher, and his residence is a mystery. So what does he do? He writes symbols in the frost on his window, symbols that come together to form an A.
Because, for whatever reason, this is enough for Mr. A. H-, he shows up the next morning to spout some more crypticness at his student.
"'What is it you want?' he asks.
'I would like to know if I am doing well,' Marco says.
His instructor looks at him for a moment, his expression as inscrutable as ever.
'Your work has been sufficient,' he says.
'Is this how the challenge is going to proceed?' Marco asks. 'Each one of us manipulating the circus? How long will it go on?'
'You have been given a venue to work within,' his instructor says. 'You present your skills to the best of your ability and your opponent does the same. You do not interfere with each other's work. It shall continue in this manner until there is a victor. It is not that complex.'"
We aren't done with this block of text, but I have to stop here because this is complete and utter bullshit. There is so much interference between Marco and Celia, and the winner of these competitions isn't decided when one 'proves their superior skill' or something. It ends much worse than that. This is why Hector and Grey Suit are the worst characters: not only do they enter children in a dangerous and permanent game, over and over, just for the sake of entertainment, but they also lie about it.
"'I'm not sure I understand the rules,' Marco says.
'You don't need to understand the rules. You just need to follow them. As I said, your work has been sufficient.'"
He then leaves, telling Marco not to pull that trick again. I can't say I'm sorry he won't be in the story for a while. Hopefully it's a very long while.
And then we come to Celia, who is standing in front of the Carousel, which the useless second-person bits haven't introduced yet, when-
What are you doing here? You abusive, transparent (literally), spherical bastard!! I'm talking about Hector, in case you couldn't tell.
(*takes deep breath) Ah, well. I suppose it was inevitable.
He says he dislikes the Carousel, something Celia asked Mr. Barris to make for her.
He blames his transparency for her recklessness. Oh, how daring! She asked an architect to build something!
The scandal!
Celia still doesn't know that Marco is her opponent/is obsessed with her, and asks if Mr. Barris is her opponent. Hector says no while refusing to say who it is, and goes on to babble about how working with others is bad, that it'll drag her down.
From what? You certainly haven't told her what to do.
He confirms that Celia's opponent is aware of her, and tells her to stop "collaborating".
The rules are brought up again, and it appears that Celia is just as in the dark as Marco.
He denies it just as Grey Suit does, telling her that she knows all the rules she needs to.
He does tell her one thing Mr. A. H- doesn't tell to Marco, however.
"'You push the boundaries of what your skills can do using this circus as a showplace. You prove yourself better and stronger. You do everything to outshine your opponent.'
'And when do you determine which of us is shinier?'
'I do not determine anything.' Hector says."
This is true. Neither he nor Grey Suit can decide that; nor do Celia and Marco. No one does.
He then fully vanishes.
We return to Marco, who is eagerly waiting on Isobel's letters, but not for the reasons she hopes. He is desperate to hear about the circus, because he is not currently traveling with it.
He is disappointed by how little Isobel is writing about Celia. Sorry your girlfriend isn't writing about the girl you're obsessed with; I can't imagine why that would be...
And then in comes his streak of creepy adorableness.
"He wants to know everything about her
How she spends her time when not performing.
How she interacts with her audience.
How she takes her tea."
Oh Isobel, just leave while you still can. What I don't understand is how this goes over her head when she's performing as a fortune-teller.
We leave him making paper birds out of her letters.
Then, we are returned to Celia, who is about to become just as obsessed with Marco as he is her. She just doesn't know who he is.
She comes across a new tent called the Ice Garden, and immediately falls in love.
Trees and roses and fountains and trellises, all made of ice. This skill this requires amazes her, as the garden automatically fixes any changes made. She stays there for hours, without knowing (and she won't for a while) that it is Marco's creation.
We return again to Marco as Le Cirque des Reves arrives near London. Isobel knocks on his door, as he has changed the locks. He doesn't invite her in, but they go for a walk.
This chapter ends with a bracelet she wears, composed of a strand of her hair interwoven with his (don't know how she got it), disappearing from her wrist. I'm fairly certain it was removed by Marco, but I'm not sure.
Shatter Me Chapter Seven will be up shortly and next chapters of both will be out tomorrow.
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