Chapter 10: Alter Egos
“You two are what?” Jen and Miriam shrieked.
“A couple,” Jake, Griffin’s father, said calmly, sipping his coffee.
Jacey looked down at her hands. “Are you upset?” she said. “We didn’t want to upset you. We thought you guys would be happy for us!”
“We are, we are!” Miriam said, reaching across the table and taking Jacey’s hands.
“Honestly,” Jen said, leaning back in her chair. “Miriam and I always kidded about the two of you getting together. But we’re just kinda shocked that it actually happened!”
Jacey’s face lit up. “So you’re happy?”
“If you are,” Jen smiled. “We couldn’t be happier.”
Griffin laughed. “I’m surprised you’re taking this so well, Dad,” he said. “I thought you’d be through the roof at the notion of me having a girlfriend!”
Jake looked at his son over his coffee cup. “You’re mother and I are really happy that you and Jacey got together on your own. We never told you, but we’ve had an arranged marriage between you two for ten years now.”
Jacey and Griffin just stared at the adults, calmly sitting across from them. “Wha. . . wha. . . what?” Jacey choked out.
“An arranged marriage,” Jen said. “Oh come on, you have to know what that is! You’re parents had one for you in Japan too, but that obviously wouldn’t work now, so we figured it would be all right to make one for the two of you!”
Jacey and Griffin just looked at each other. “Well,” Griffin said. “I’m glad this all worked out for our parents’ best. They would have been devastated if we didn’t get married.”
“You have wedding plans already?” Jacey asked, raising an eyebrow. “Hmm, you’ve had way too much time on your hands.”
Griffin just rolled his eyes. Jacey shivered and closed her eyes. “Brrr, its cold in here,” she lied. “I’m gonna go get a sweater, please excuse me.” She got up and ran up the stairs.
“That girl,” Jen said.
***
“I feel the next attack,” Jacey said as she walked into her bedroom. Apollo and Athena looked up from their newspaper. “It’s gonna be near the pier, now.”
“Well, get a move on!!!!” Athena pressed, jumping out the window. Apollo followed, and Jacey stealthily climbed down the gutter.
She jumped to the ground from about halfway down the gutter and landed with a thud. “Well, here we go again,” she said and threw her hand in the air. “Earth Scout Power!” The key inside of her body began to glow and a blue and green ball of ribbons came from the key into Jacey’s waiting hand. She spun around slowly, then threw the ball up in the air, and let it follow her hand around from her feet to her head. Jacey opened her eyes and the ball disappeared, turning the ribbons that encased her body into her Sailor uniform. She landed with her feet apart and her hands clasped down at her right hip.
Jacey instantly took off for the docks with Apollo and Athena at her heals. Griffin saw a wisp of red hair vanish off the property and he abruptly stood up. “If you’d excuse me for a minute, I have something to take care of at home,” he said.
“What?” Miriam said.
“I forgot to tape the Yankee’s game,” he lied. “I’ll be right back.” He put on his coat and walked out the door.
“Peculiar children,” Miriam said. “Awfully peculiar.”
Griffin ran down the street, but he knew he could never keep up with Sailor Earth. He took an aquamarine rose out of his jacket and held it up. “Guardian Power!” he shouted. The rose disappeared and Griffin’s outfit turned into a white suit with a cape and mask. “I feel the attack now. It’s down by the pier!” he thought and he ran off.
“How dare you attack these innocent fishermen and steal their energy! I, Sailor Earth will not allow it!” Sailor Earth shouted at the hideous monster facing her. “On behalf of this planet, I’m turning you to dust!”
“Oh I’m shaking in my boots!” the monster said. “You annoying little Sailor twit!” the monster screamed and lunged at her.
Sailor Earth was able to dodge it with ease and then kneed it in the stomach. The monster fell to the ground. “Ha ha,” Sailor Earth said. “Who’s the twit now?” She closed her eyes and the key inside her started glowing. Then, she began spinning in the air and her left hand went up and her right hand went down, stopping right above and below the key, and she said, “Molten. . .” She moved her hands so the heals were touching and a small red ball went into them and she continued, “Lava. . .” Finally she moved her right hand, now containing the red ball, down with her left hand clasping her right wrist and she jerked to a halt facing the monster and opened her eyes and screamed, “FLOW!” The lava shot from her hands in a spiraling motion and fried the monster.
“I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED!” it screamed. A huge glass disc shot out of its stomach at Sailor Earth. It stopped over her head and walls shot down from it, encasing Sailor Earth.
“HELP!” she shouted, banging on the glass. “SOMEBODY HELP ME!” But no one could hear her.
Just then, an aquamarine rose shot through the air and hit Sailor Earth’s glass prison. Both the monster and Sailor Earth looked at the rose, sticking out of the glass, before looking up in the direction it came from. Then, the glass shattered, freeing Sailor Earth. “You evil monster, how dare you imprison this girl and try to take innocent people’s energy. I, the Midnight Façade, will not let you do it.”
Sailor Earth shook the glass out of her hair. “Good, she’s distracted,” she thought. “Now’s my chance!” She pinched the blue button on her bow and the green bow came off with ease. It glowed aquamarine and turned into a deadly disk. Sailor Earth spun around and shouted, “Razor Bow Action!” and threw it at the monster.
“NOOOOOO!!” it shouted as it turned to dust. Sailor Earth kneeled down next to the pile of dust and looked at it. The Midnight Façade walked over next to her.
Jacey just stared at the pile. “Will it get easier?” she asked no one in particular.
“I don’t know,” the Midnight Façade said. “I guess we’ll just have to wait and find out.” He extended a hand out to her, which she took, and she stood up. “It’s been sweet, but I gotta go,” he said, bowing to her. “You take care.”
“I will,” she whispered. “As long as you’re here to protect me.”
***
“Where is that girl?” Griffin said as he sat back down at Jen’s dinning room table. “Does it really take that long to pick out a sweater?"
“Of course,” Jacey said, coming down the stairs. “We girls take absolutely forever picking out clothes. I can’t believe you’ve spent ten years with me and haven’t figured it out yet.” Everyone around the table laughed at the comment.
Griffin smiled, “With you, there’s something new to learn everyday.”
Jacey smirked back. “You don’t even know the half of it.”
***
“I’m so sorry I almost ruined the chance for you and Grif!” Liz apologized profusely the next morning. “I was so stupid to have not told you what was going on earlier!”
Jacey laughed. “It’s no biggy. I’m not mad or anything.” She and Liz just walked down the hall for a minute. “But Griffin never did tell me what was going on.”
Liz looked at her surprisedly. “Really? I thought for sure he would have told you, you know, to get you back,” she said. Liz looked down and blushed.
“Well. . .” Jacey pressed.
“He was covering up for me,” Liz gushed. “Oh it was so romantic, like in the old movies. A Romeo and Juliet story!”
Jacey gasped. “You and Grif?”
“NO!” Liz gasped. “Of course not! Any fool could see that the two of you were meant to be. So even if there was even the most remote possibility of that happening, I wouldn’t have done it,” she said assuredly.
Jacey smiled. “Well, thanks, I think. But who is it? Who’s the mystery man?”
Liz blushed again. “This is why I couldn’t tell you. I thought it would kill you to know that I love the person you hate the most,” she almost sobbed.
“Mrs. Appleby, the gym teacher?” Jacey questioned.
“NO!!!” Liz replied. “Max Froid! You hate him!” Jacey just stopped and stood there, stunned. “Well, are you gonna say something?”
“How did it all happen?” Jacey choked out.
“Well,” Liz started. “Max showed me a side of him that no one else knows, besides Griffin, that is. We just fit so perfectly, but our parents hate each other, so we knew that telling them was out of the question. Grif and Max knew each other from band, and I knew Grif was good friends with you, so we trusted him to let us use his house for our rendezvous. I was surprised he said yes, but he did and we swore him to secrecy. I’m sure you see why we didn’t tell you.”
Jacey just looked at her. “Yeah, I see,” she said. “But you should realize that no matter how much I don’t like you’re boyfriend that I trust your judgment and he must be as great as you say he is.”
Liz’s eyes got misty. “Thanks, Jace! You’re the greatest!” she said, throwing her arms around Jacey’s neck. Just then the bell rang. “Well, lets go to gym,” she said.
“Ewwwww,” Jacey moaned. Liz just rolled her eyes and dragged her down the hallway.
***
“Are you happy?” Griffin asked, kissing Jacey on the top of her head.
She pulled his arms tighter around her and buried her head in his chest. “Of course,” she said sleepily. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Griffin shrugged. “I don’t know. Sometimes you just seem, well, distant,” he said turning on the light on the table next to them and turning off the TV.
Jacey sat up on the couch. “Distant?” she said. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t know, I guess it would be that way with anyone sometimes. Like if school was bothering you,” he said, taking her hand.
Jacey looked down, feeling guilty. “Yeah it gets tough sometimes, but I don’t like to talk about it,” she lied. “Sorry I get that way.”
“No, no! Don’t apologize,” Griffin said. “I shouldn’t have pried. But I just wish you could talk to me about it. You were always able to before.”
Jacey looked up and smiled. “I never told you everything before. I was just better at hiding it then.”
Griffin just laughed. It hadn’t been what he wanted her to tell him, but at least she was being open. “Why can’t she tell me?” he thought. “This is so big and important. I wish she trusted me like she trusts the Midnight Façade.”
“JACE!” Jen called from upstairs. “It’s time for bed, it’s really late.”
Jacey looked at the clock over the fireplace. “Wow, it’s almost midnight,” Jacey said, yawning. “No wonder I’m so tired.” She stood up and took Griffin by the arm. “Come on, get up. Time to go back to your casa.”
Griffin smiled and rolled his eyes. “You’re getting better at this Spanish thing,” he said sarcastically. He stood up and hugged Jacey. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said kissing her.
“Yeah, I guess so,” she said kissing him back.
“Bye Jen!” Griffin called up the stairs.
“See ya Grif!” she called back.
Griffin walked towards the door, holding Jacey’s hand. “I had fun watching TV with you tonight. We should go out to a movie or dinner or something next weekend.”
“Definitely,” she nodded. “Well, I’ll see you bright and early for school tomorrow.” She kissed him on the cheek and waved goodbye as he walked towards his house.
***
“What’s wrong, Jace?” Athena asked as Jacey trudged up the stairs and into her bedroom. Jacey just glared. “If looks could kill!” Athena said, taken aback.
“What’s got you in such a funk?” Apollo asked.
Jacey’s eyes began to tear. “Why?” she asked. “Why won’t you just let me tell him?”
Apollo and Athena just looked at each other and sighed. “Do we really have to go through this again?” Apollo said.
“Yes!” Jacey cried. “We do! We’re going to go through it until I understand why!” Jacey wiped her eyes, trying to control herself. “Why can’t I tell Griffin?”
Athena jumped onto Jacey’s shoulder. “He might tell someone. You know that!” she said. She put her paw up to Jacey’s face, but Jacey just turned away.
“What would he say, Jacey? Huh?” Apollo said. “What would you say to him? ‘Hi I’m a Superhero!’ then go back to making out on the couch? It won’t work!”
“No!” Jacey said. “I have it all planned out. I’ll say, ‘Grif, do you remember when you asked me if I saw Sailor Earth when she saved everyone?’ And he’d say, ‘Yeah, did you see her?’ Then I’ll say ‘No I didn’t see her then. I only saw her once before. And that was in the mirror.’ And he’d say, ‘What are you talking about?’ Then I’d say, ‘Grif, I’m Sailor Earth,’ Then he’d say, ‘Really? You put your life on the line everyday to save the world? That explains so much! But why didn’t you tell me sooner?’ Then we’d hug and everything would be all right.”
Apollo and Athena just looked at her skeptically. “Do you really think that’s what’s going to happen?” Apollo asked.
Jacey’s eyes overflowed with tears. “No! Of course not! Because you two know best and blah blah blah!” she yelled. Jacey threw herself onto her bed and just cried her eyes out.
***
“Jacey, I know you’re Sailor Earth,” Griffin said. He shook his head. “No, no, no!” he said. He closed his eyes and took a breath. “Jacey, I’m the Midnight Façade, and I know you’re Sailor Earth.”
Griffin felt like pulling his hair out. “Why can’t I get this right?!?!” his head screamed as he paced around his room.
He calmed himself down and lay down on his bed. “Why can’t she tell me?” he thought. “Does she not trust me? I just wish I could figure it out.”
A tear formed in his eye. “I only wish I could talk to Jacey! She would have been the one I turned to.” Griffin turned his light out and closed his eyes. “Why did things have to change?”