Unrecognizable

“So! That about satisfy you for today, sir?”

Marco was transfixed. He was hoping to at least look a little better, but what this woman had done to him was nothing short of magic.

“I… I look great! Wow, and my hair… it’s perfect! Thank you ma’am.”

“It’s Penny. Can I see some payment now, please?”

“Backstage-“ Cinema City’s one stop all-in-one barber, makeup salon, and center of beauty. The tall red-haired lass trying to keep the place afloat today was still tired from the work she’d done on making Mira as marketable as possible not long ago. She took the check with a smile.

“Hm.” She eyed its colorful construction- a themed novelty note, showcasing a drawing of a masked hero. “Die Rangers? Really?”

“Sorry! Oh, I did not take into account how embarrassing these things would be to use when I bought them…”

Somewhat forwardly, she seized his hands.

“Are you for real? I’m a huge fan! All the Rouge stuff is great, really… hey- are you busy today? Can you stay for a minute? Maybe we could just talk, or-“

“I uh… I’m a tourist, actually… so I’ve kinda got stuff I wanna see while I’m here…”

Penny slowly let go of Marco’s fingers, freeing the customer.

“Er- my apologies. On your way, then. Next!”

She couldn’t watch as he left for too long before the next customer stepped out from behind the curtain her boss set up to keep the experience a mystery to all but those who paid.

“Uh… hello? Is it okay if my sister watches?”

She brought with her another, darker-haired girl, seemingly for emotional support.

“I… don’t see why not. Just- sit down, would you? What’s your name?”

“Um…” The customer looked to her partner, who shot her a glance. She remembered what happened the last time she tried hiding her identity. “…Frankie. Frankie Pop.”

The woman placed a blanket over her.

“Well Frankie Pop, I’m Penny. I know the line behind the curtain was long, but I’m the only one on staff today. I hope you understand.”

“Why’s everywhere so short-staffed…?” The blonde wondered aloud.

“My coworkers all left to play Kidney’s game.” The artist examined her hair from behind before moving to her face, poking at her jaw to lift her chin. “Can’t speak for everyone else. Whaddya want done today?”

“I need to be… unrecognizable for a while.”

“How exciting. Anything on your mind in particular? I could give you a buzzcut, or stitch a mustache to your face…”

“Please don’t.”

“I’m just screwin’ with ya.” The young stylist cackled. “Girls your age are into the goth look, right?”

“What’s that?”

“Oh, you’ve never heard of it?” She began to prepare her arsenal- a cavalcade of products, enough to stock a store shelf. “Well, I’m into it.” She began to lay down the groundwork for her grand design atop Frankie’s face.

“This… seems unnecessary.”

The subject wanted to glare back at her big sister, but it wasn’t possible with Penny holding the canvas that was her shy head firmly in place.

“Aren’t you the one that wants to see everything? Now you can cross this shop off the list.”

“I guess… it’s just that we only have so much time, Frankie. He’s never seen you without a mask. I think your blonde hair is enough to throw him off.”

“Oh no, we’re losing the hair.” Penny interjected. 

“I thought you said you wouldn’t-!” Frankie jumped.

“The blonde hair, silly. Stuff’s gotta be pitch black, alright? I’ll give you a highlight if you like.”

“This is definitely… somewhat unnecessary.” Katie couldn’t help but giggle despite her anxiety.

“What are kids like you into these days, if not goth girls?”

“Uhmm…” As flauntingly embarrassing as her stylist was, Frankie feared to match her openness. All she really liked was Percy Phytoplankton, and she sure as hell didn’t wanna explain that. Her only interest was those old obscure books, and…

 “…Oh! I like… I do like anime, I guess. I’m… somewhat knowledgeable.”

“Aw, no shit!” Penny dropped her professional manners on the ground with all the fallen snips of hair she’d forgotten to clean up today. “Two in a freaking row! Life is good.”

“You uh, like anime…?”

“I’m a veritable historian on the subject. Only reason I came to work here out of all the places in this park was ‘cause it at least had something to do with animation, even if it is the American kind. You should see the museums around here sometime! It’s pretty interesting, even if it’s all black-and-white raccoons with a distinct lack of waifus.”

“That’s fine… we’re kinda on a tight schedule here.”

“Sorry, my bad. I’ll hurry this up.” Frankie hadn’t realized it yet, but the woman’s hands were moving at least ten times the speed she was talking. The image in the mirror behind her was something she couldn’t even imagine. “Imma give you a highlight. Can I give you a highlight?”

“…That’s fine.”

Penny’s skill laid itself out on the girl as she casually exhaled.

“If you watch anime, you’ve gotta be a Studio Rouge fan, right?”

“Love ‘em.”

“Good answer. Just for that, I’m gonna take a hundred off your bill.

A few minutes and a gallon of products later, Frankie had become someone else- without even a bit of trickery to assist Penny’s inhuman skill.

“Aaaand finished-!”

Katie laughed at her. Frankie couldn’t tell of that was good or bad.

“Should I be scared?”

“Nonsense! Ready to take a look?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be…”

Penny spun her around to see, a trademark of the establishment.

Frankie blinked hard.

The girl in the mirror was certainly pretty, at least. But she had to do at least a triple or quadruple take to even realize the black-haired young lady was her. Her dark lips and eyeshadow, heavy lashes and glowing cheeks- she couldn't believe the image was moving in response to her actions. All that was even slightly reminiscent of a version of herself she’d once known was a newly-dyed strand of green hair.

“How is it?”

“Just what I needed.”

Penny smugly stuck her hands to her hips, grinning at a job well done.