Chapter 3

*DEE DEE DEE DEE* *DEE DEE DEE DEE* *DEE DEE DEE DEE* *THWUMP* My alarm is shut off with a slam of my fist. The Blue Neon light from the alarm illuminates the room. It's soft glow makes me feel comfortable and at home. *DEE DEE DEE DEE* *DEE DEE DEE DEE* *DEE DEE DEE DEE* *DEE DEE DEE DEE* "ARRRRRRGH" *THWUMP* The alarm goes off again and I sit up. My head bashes against the top bunk of the bunk bed and I fall back. "Ahhhhh!" I roll over and land on the floor on my hands and knees. I crawl up and look around my room. My clock reads 6:00 am. I get up and start to search my room.

I find all my counter aliases yearbooks, photographs, letters, books, and notes. Notes from Sandra. My mind returns to the previous day. What should I have done? What should I do? I decide to get dressed and make my way out to the kitchen. It is now seven, and breakfast is starting to sound pretty good. I grab a pot out from under one of the many cabinets I had to look through and start to heat up some water. 2 cups of oatmeal into it and some salt. I let that cook and put some sliced apple into it just before it is ready. My mother walks in with a bewildered look on her face.

"Breakfast is ready." I say.

"But it is 7:30. You should get some sleep." She answers.

I raise an eyebrow and say, "Me? Sleep past 8?"

"You usually try to." She answers. "And when did you learn to cook?"

'This person that I am now is nothing like me.' I think to myself. "I always have cooked. It is one of my hobbies."

"Hey, the only hobby I have ever seen you interested in is Sandra. You have your breakfast and then get back to bed. You need rest. I hope your memory is better now." She says.

"A little. I'll be fine. Don't worry." I answer.

"Worry? That's my job as a mother. Listen. I want you to go to a doctor. I am sure that Sandra would want you to go also. We do worry about you." My mother says.

"Alright mom. I'll set up an appointment."

"Good. Now get back to bed."

"Um, mom, how much running do I do?" I ask.

"When you are late? When you are chasing after someone? Stuff like that?" She asks.

"Never mind. Go to bed. I'll finish up here."

I do, but I don't go back to bed. I search my room again and find the loosest, skimpiest, lightweight pair of shorts I have. Plus a tank top that matches. I admit, they aren't your usual running getups but it will have to do. I pull on my runners and head out the door.

An hour later, I am back home, sweating, in pain, and tired. God I love being a runner. I walk up the walkway and find the girl I made cry in the park on the steps, looking very nervous. Sandra hasn't seen me even though she is looking this way. I walk up and she starts to walk towards me.

"Sandra?" I say just as she is about to pass me.

She turns to me, "Jay? You're up? I mean you're out of bed. I mean you're well, what are you doing?" She looks me up and down in my skimpy outfit.

"I just thought I would go out for a run. Clear my head and try to figure out what is going on." I say.

"Umm, Ya. We need to talk about that. I want to know what that was all about in the park. Why did you act like you didn't know me?" She asks me.

"I know" I swallow the lump in my throat and wipe the sweat from my brow. "Do you want to go inside? Umm, maybe out back. Don't want to disturb my mother."

We start to walk back to the backyard. I let Sandra lead the way. "Do you want to hear the long story or the short one?" I ask as we walk.

Sandra turns around and looks me in the eyes. "You have changed since yesterday. I want to know why? You use to be..."

"Sandra, let me explain. It may be hard, but you have to understand." I say

"Jeez, you are making it sound so tragic. Do I really want to hear it?" She tries to say in a lightened voice.

"No but, I am going to tell you. And you are going to tell me what I need to know."

I tell her all about my past as I remember it. She thinks that I am being a goof and kidding around like my old self. But after going over it again, she starts to under stand. I don't tell here about the fact that I know who the Sailor Scouts are, and that Seki is one too. Just that she is a character in one of the stories. The thing that really gets her believing, is the fact that I was up at 6, cooking and running.

She tells me that I am actually one of the most popular people in the school and that many people look up to me. I am just an average student and I don't have any real hobbies except Mall Ratting. We have been going out for a year and a half, and we are going to the grad together in a week. We have known each other for years. So we have a strong relationship.

"So, what do you think?" I ask her with my arms crossed.

She reaches her hands out for me to take them. I hesitate, but then put my hands in hers. "You are a different person aren't you. Sure you look the same, but you are a different person. I don't know what to say."

"This is going to be hard. I know. But I can be just as fun as your old Jay. I might not share the same memories, but we probably had similar experiences. My best friend use to be my girlfriend so I know what it is like. I know what no to do because I have lived it." I say

"You had a relationship with your best friend? What happened?" She asks

"Well, truthfully? I tried too hard. I would have given her heaven and earth. But the only thing she wanted was a friend. I forgot that there is a friend in boyfriend." I explain.

"Are you two still friends?" She asks.

"Thankfully, yes. We a sort of relationship that is more that friends or boyfriend and girlfriend. I almost see her and a sister now. She is like my little sister that can get anything out of me with that puppy dog stare."

"That sounds like a true friendship." She says gleefully.

"Ya."

We continue to talk until my mother comes out and reminds us about our test. English. Gee, That should be easy.

As we walk I tell Sandra not to tell anybody about this. "I don't need to be locked up with an 'I love me Jacket.'"

"A what?" She giggles.

"Straight Jacket."

She laughs again and hits me on the shoulder. "Don't worry. Your secrets safe with me. Oh! Speaking of secrets. I'd better tell you something." She leans into me and puts her lips right on my ear. "I am Sailor Moon" She whispers.

I choke on a burst of laughter and then whisper to her, "And I am Tuxedo Mask."

She laughs out load and we continue down the street. I flick my foot up and hit her in the butt. She does like wise. We get to school and a group of people starts to join us. All looking to me for options and opinions. I have no idea on what to do. Hey, I have always been shy. Well sort of. When I need to be, I can be a leader.

I look around to see a way out and see it walking down the other side of the street. Seki is almost at the school entrance. I excuse myself and run to catch her. The group just seams to fall apart when I leave.

"Seki!!" I call out. "Wait up"

Seki turns and waves. "You have a test today? Are you ready?"

"I should. It is only English. Um, do you know where Serena is? Wait. Let me guess. Running to school right now." I say, know Serena's habits.

"Why do you want to know where Serena is?" Seki asks.

"Oh nothing. Did you read the story last night?" I ask.

"Most of it. I don't know how any of it is possible. It is really far fetched." Seki explains.

"I'll show you. Don't worry about that. All I need is to know if the Sailor scouts have been out fighting monsters. Is there a newspaper around?" I ask Seki.

"No idea. Hey, Lita might have one. LITA!!" Seki says and points to the person in the distance.

"How can you tell that's Lita? I have 20 20 and she is still unrecognizable." I ask to set her up.

"I have always been able to see far away."

"Are you sure it isn't the Contacts that shield your eyes? Albino's have pink eye's not ice blue ones." I say.

"Ya, I always thought about that. But no doctors have ever figured out why my eyes are blue. Could the contacts you wrote about actually be permanent?" Seki asks

"Hey there Seki! Who's your friend? He sort of looks like..." Lita says but stops.

I bit my lip and look at her. A. From keeping from asking if I look like Freddie, and B. Because if I try to say anything it would come out like some incontinent duck. Here she is. SAILOR JUPITER! In the flesh. My God! Or should I make that Goddess. Her two strands of hair flow down around her face and onto her shoulders. This is the most awesome site I have ever seen.

A tap on my shoulder breaks my stare and I look over to see who it is. "Oh, Hi Sandra! Um, I would like you to meet Ikeya-Seki, and Lita. A couple of people I know."

"Really? From they way you were starring I would think you knew her for much longer." Sandra says.

"You know Lita?" Seki asks?

"Um, sort of. I know OF her." What a save!

Suddenly, A scream rips through the air. In the distance, a large monster can be seen lumbering up to the side of the school. I turn to Lita but find that she is gone.

I grab Seki by the hand and run for the school.

"JAY!" Sandra calls.

"Jay, What are you doing? Seki asks.

"Do you have your necklace?" I ask.

"Ya. I brought it today for some reason. Why?" She asks

"Get it out and Transform. I'll coach you through it." I say.

"Transform? But that means you want me to fight." Seki says as she pulls back.

I stop and look to her. "It is your destiny to by Sailor Cometes. No matter what you do, you can't stop that. There will be no trouble taking this guy on. You have Sailor Jupiter fighting. She is probably already fighting. You have to help her."

"But..."

"Just do it" 'Nike' Why does that always come to my mind.

Seki grabs her necklace, holds it in the air and shouts "Celestial Comet" The Two comets race around her, wrapping her in a shroud of light. The light fades and Sailor Cometes costume appears.

"Now get over to the other side of the school and stop that monster."

"But I can't. I don't know how to fight." Sailor Cometes says.

"Fine. I'll come with you." I grab her hand and start to run. Even with my superior running ability over Seki, Sailor Cometes is starting to pull me along. Wow, these Scouts can move. We get to where Sailor Jupiter is fighting the monster to find that she is at a stand off with it.

"Where could Mercury be?" I ask to no one.

Cometes turns to me and asks, "What now?"

"Um, How could this be done safely? Get over to the other side of the monster and shout, "Coma Mist" That should be good." I explain. "Right! But since it is a poisonous mist, we don't need people getting hurt." Cometes says being concerned.

"Your mist only last for a few moments. Just make sure that Jupiter is out of the area of the mist. It should defuse into the air and become harmless." I explain.

"Are you sure?" She asks.

"Ya. Now go. This stand off won't last long."

Cometes jumps up and disappears behind the some of the trees. After a few moments, a cloud of mist covers the monster and it starts to cough and choke.

"All right Mercury." Jupiter says and starts to head into the mist.

"Sailor Jupiter, Wait!" I shout as I run up to her.

She looks and shouts, "Get out of here! You could get hurt."

A sudden blast of light fills the mist and a screech fills the air. The mist slowly lifts and the monster can be seen turning into dust. A white figure slowly walks out of the lifting mist and towards us.

"I don't know about that Jupiter." I say to her.

Sailors Mercury and Moon jump down beside us and look to the new Sailor Scout. "Jupiter? Who is that?" Moon asks

As Cometes walks up I introduce them. "Sailor Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, I would like you to meet Sailor Cometes. Sailor Cometes, this is Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Jupiter. May I suggest meeting at a different time? There is going to be a crowd of fans here in moments. Is there a meeting at the Cherry Hill Temple today?"

"Yeeees..." Moon slowly says

"Good. Let's book it Sailor Cometes." I say and head off to the school with Cometes in hot pursuit. We find a private place for Sailor Cometes to transform back and talk.

"Why couldn't we stay and talk with them? I would like to have at least said hi." Seki says.

"I'm sorry. I just was too excited. I was actually standing beside Sailor Moon. More importantly, Jupiter. Oh, Brian would be just so jealous." I explain.

"Brian? Friend from your other life?" Seki asks as we walk out of the empty room that we found.

"Ya. He would probably be more jealous if I met Sailor Pluto though. He has a cyber girlfriend that has the handle Sailor Pluto Star. He is just dippy over her." I tell her.

"Dippy over who?" Sandra asks as she walks up with an unimpressed look on her face.

"Um, just a girl that my friend knows. You have met Seki right? So what are you doing here?" I ask my so-called girl friend.

"Looking for you. You got a test in 5 minutes. Are you going to just skip it to be with this Ghost?" Sandra says with a voice full of contemned.

"Umm, I'll see you later Seki. 3:00 at the flag pole." I say to her as I start to walk with Sandra.

Once we are out of earshot of Seki, I ask Sandra, "What was that about? She is some one that is very... important that I talk to. I know some thing about her that she doesn't even know."

"And is it really so important to miss a test and not graduate?" Sandra scolds.

"No, but I meant you calling Seki a Ghost. She has had a bad time trying to incorporate into this school." I tell Sandra.

"Don't tell me how I should act. I am just trying to help you. If you don't want help, I'll just leave." Sandra says and starts to walk further ahead.

I jog up and grab Sandra's shoulder. She turns around and looks at me with hurt eyes. "I'm sorry. I just have a mutual connection with her. I know what it is like to be different. I know you want to help me and I really appreciate it. I don't want to upset anyone, so I would like you to know that I am only doing this to help Seki with her situation. Now let's get to that test."

We rush over to the gym and start to take the test. At the end of it, Sandra and I clean out her locker and I help her carry the stuff home for her. We then walk back to the school so that I can meet Seki at the flag poll. It is 1/4 to 3 when we get there so we talk more about each other. We start to share little secrets. Like ones you tell only your friends or total strangers that you will never see again.

When Seki does arrive, Sandra apologizes out of her own will for the comment she made earlier. Then she makes her way home and lets Seki and I go our way.