Scene 7
The CPC has Assembled:
Are You In?
Jake wake up in the principal's office.
Jake: Why am I here?
He remembers Soo Jin's last words and gets freaked out. He turns around to see Crystal standing by the door. Jake gulps.
Jake: Principal Jordan, I didn't mean to cause trouble. Please don't tell my dad.
The chair turns slowly. Sitting quite comfortably is Soo Jin.
Soo Jin: Why would I want to contact the King of Vampires? Do I look like an idiot?
Jake: Definitely not. Wait, where's Principal Jordan?
Soo Jin: Principal Jordan.
Principal Jordan: Yes?
Jake: Principal...
Soo Jin: Principal Jordan, my coffee.
Principal Jordan: Yes, my Queen.
He leaves.
Jake: What's going on?
Soo Jin: Jake Aaron Anderson, one of the twin brothers (younger, fraternal), Prince of Vampires. Did I miss anything?
Jake: N...N...N...N...No!
The door opens. In walks the principal with a Starbucks cup. It's black.
Soo Jin: Perfect. You're dismissed.
Principal Jordan bows and leaves. Soo Jin takes a sip.
Soo Jin: Ah, that's good. Well then, welcome to my domain.
Jake: What do you mean?
Soo Jin: I mean I'm not only the Queen of Ocean Bay All Grade School but also of Los Angeles.
Jake: How's that possible when you're not strong at all?
Soo Jin: You're right. I'm not strong. Chris!
Chris opens the door and comes in.
Chris: Yes, my Queen.
Soo Jin: The announcements.
Chris: You already approved them, my Queen.
Soo Jin: I know. Close the door.
Chris does.
Chris: What's this about, my Queen?
Soo Jin: I want you to add this into the announcements.
Chris bows and takes the papers from Soo Jin. He looks at them and lets out a big sigh.
Chris: Another non-human? Not like I'm not used to it by now but the son of the King of Vampires... Are you sure you want me to, my Queen?
Jake: To what?
Chris: I do the announcements for the whole school. She wants me to add this to them.
He throws the papers in front of Jake. They tell everything about him that he wouldn't want people to know. Jake jumps up.
Jake: What? Why?
Soo Jin: Why? Maybe because you were spying last week.
Jake gulps.
Jake: How do you know that?
Soo Jin: Chris, my answer is a definite yes. You are...
Jake: No! Please, no.
Soo Jin: Are you willing to listen?
Bang, bang
Soo Jin: Who is it?
Rick: Rick. Who else?
Soo Jin: Come in.
Rick stares at Jake as he closes the door then bursts out laughing.
Chris: Uh, Rick... what's so funny?
Rick wipes away his tears and spreads his wings.
Rick: Soo Jin, this loser is the one? You've got to be kidding.
This pushes Jake over the edge and he shows his true form.
Jake: Who are you calling a loser, bud?
Rick doesn't even blink an eye.
Jake: That's not the reaction I was hoping for.
Soo Jin: Chris, I may call you again. But for now my answer is no. You are dismissed.
Chris nods and leaves.
Rick: That's better.
Jake: Huh?
Rick sticks out his hand.
Jake: Who are you?
Rick: I'm Rick Don Willow. Fairy, fifteen-years-old, younger brother to Diamond and Crystal Willow. Pleased to meet you, Prince Jake.
Jake shakes Rick's hand in confusion.
Soo Jin: Chop, chop. Everyone back to normal.
Rick, Crystal, and Jake resume human form. Soo Jin pulls out a drawer. There are three buttons labeled Release the Demons, Release the Dogs, and CPC. She presses the CPC button. The room transforms in a sense. A half inch in four new walls come out of the ceiling. The walls are blue with a big screen TV on the right wall (from Jake's perspective). CPC is graffiti-ed on the wall behind Soo Jin and photos of clothes on the left wall (from Jake's perspective). Rick and Diamond sit down. Jake's shocked. Soo Jin picks up the TV remote.
Soo Jin: Please sit down, Jake.
Jake sits. After a minute...
Diamond: Let's start the CPC meeting.
Jake: Um... What's CPC stand for?
Soo Jin turns the chair to face the TV.
Click
The TV turns on. On the screen is Crystal. Her tail is black. She's swimming aimlessly.
Soo Jin: It stands for Crystal Protection Committee. The mermaid is Crystal.
Jake: What? Wasn't her tail yellow?
Rick: Merpeople's tails change with their mood.
Jake: You're kidding.
Diamond: Nope. Right now she's sad. You can also tell by looking at her nails.
Jake: Uh... I'm lost.
Soo Jin: Yeah.
Rick: We see that. Are you ready to see it happen?
Jake: Uh, sure.
Soo Jin: Oh, that's good. Crystal, can you hear me?
Crystal stops swimming aimlessly.
Crystal: Yeah. I hear you.
Soo Jin: Great! Guess what?
Crystal: What?
Soo Jin: Everyone's fine. No one's hurt.
Crystal: Really? Oh, thank heavens.
Her tail turns yellow again.
Soo Jin: Want to meet in the lagoon after school... which is soon?
Crystal: Yes. Want to race?
Soo Jin: Nah. Not today. We need you to practice technique three, got it?
Crystal: Yep. See ya later.
Soo Jin turns off the TV.
Diamond: What'd you think, Jake?
Jake: That's stunning. What's yellow mean?
Rick: Yellow means happy.
Jake: Oh. By the way, what just happened? She seemed to be deep in conversation with someone...
Soo Jin: I was "talking" with her.
Jake stands up.
Jake: That's not possible.
Rick and Diamond look at Jake with a where'd that come from look on their faces.
Diamond: Um, Jake. You asked a question and no one answered.
Jake: No, Soo Jin did. She said she was talking with Crystal.
Rick: The first one to talk was you after you asked your question.
Jake: What?
Soo Jin: I told you that I did and I'm showing you how. Do you not believe me now?
Jake falls into his seat in surprise.
Jake: How? How is she doing that?
Soo Jin: You only have to say it once, you know.
Jake: AHHHHHHHH! You read my mind?
Soo Jin sighs.
Rick: Oh, she's doing it again. Although, I wouldn't really know.
Jake and Diamond look at him then at Soo Jin.
Diamond: What do you mean, Rick? Soo Jin knows everything everyone's ever thought.
Rick: Like I said sis, I wouldn't know. Soo Jin can't get inside my head. You mean, you didn't tell that to your best friends, Soo Jin?
Soo Jin blushes.
Soo Jin: Of... Of course not! How am I supposed to say that?
Jake: Uh...
Soo Jin: Never mind. I'll tell you later when we're with Crystal. Back to what we are really here for.
Jake: Yeah. Why am I here?
Diamond: Oh, he he. We of the CPC want to know what you think of Crystal?
Jake: Huh? Don't you already know?
Soo Jin: I know how Crystal feels towards you...
Jake: Really?
Soo Jin: It's the first time she's distanced herself from a guy.
Jake thinks of all the things Crystal had done that were seductive.
Jake: If you call that distanced then I'd hate to see what close is... That's a lie. I do...
Soo Jin: Stop, you perverted idiot.
Jake gulps.
Jake: Yes, my Queen.
Soo Jin: It's yes ma'am. Your Queen is Crystal.
Jake blushes. He looks down to hide it.
Jake: Yes... Yes, ma'am.
Soo Jin: Anyway, I meant emotionally distanced. Whenever you were around her nails were clear, meaning no emotion. She was sad earlier not just because she hates violence but also because she was afraid you'd be hurt.
Jake: That's irrational.
Soo Jin: Not if you go against Diamond. You can't beat her and she can't beat you meaning both of you would be hurt. Look.
Click
Everyone but Soo Jin stand up. Diamond and Rick gasp. Crystal's tail is pink.
Rick: No...
Diamond: Way!
Jake is confused.
Jake: Uh, what's going on?
Soo Jin: Since you don't know, it can't be helped... pink, especially if the color is as bright as this one is, means being in love. Get it?
Jake: What? Me?
Soo Jin presses the CPC button again and the principal's office is normal again. The three are frozen. Shock has a big affect it seems. Soo Jin lets out a sigh.
knock, knock
Soo Jin: Who is it?
Clover Jordan: It's Clover Jordan. I've got a special delivery, my Queen. Jason.
Soo Jin: Bring him in.
Jake: Him?
Rick opens the door for her. In her arms is a sedated Jason. Jake's startled by this strong woman. Jason wakes up. He starts hitting Clover.
Jason: Put me down. This is not right. I'm the guy. I carry you! This is wrong! Embarrassing. Put me down now.
Clover: Yes, sir.
She drops him.
Jason: Ah. What the heck is wrong with you, woman?
Soo Jin: Thank you, Clover. You didn't do anything to him, did you?
Clover: No, my Queen. The one who really wants Jason is not me... I don't actually know that girl. I can't be distracted by men.
Soo Jin: Good. You're dismissed, Clover.
Clover does a curtsy and exits, while closing the door. Jason groans and turns over onto his back. He realizes that he's not alone. His reaction is crawling back against the wall. He rubs his eyes.
Jason: Jake? Diamond? Soo Jin? And who are you?
Points at Rick.
Rick: Me? I'm Rick Don Willow. Nice to meet you, Prince Jason.
Jason: Um... okay. Hey, bro. Why are you here?
Jake: Does he know about Crystal?
Soo Jin: No. He doesn't know about any of us. You wouldn't have known either if you hadn't caught us.
Jake: You're right.
Jason: Somebody answer me. Jake, why are you here?
Jake: I was called by... uh, now what?
Soo Jin: He means all of us were called by PRINCIPAL JORDAN...
Principal Jordan opens the door.
Principal Jordan: Sorry it took so long. Ah, Jason just in time. Here are the papers you are going to grade. You want me to take him?
Soo Jin: No. I'll have Jake call their caretaker.
Principal Jordan: Alright. Now then, I'll go home. School's over anyway.
He leaves two stacks of papers on the desk and leaves.
Jason: Why do we have to do this?
Jake: Do I tell him?
Soo Jin: No, let him find out for himself.
Jake: How are we supposed to finish our conversation?
Soo Jin: Just call your caretaker and have him take us to your house.
Jake: Sure, but the papers...
Jason: Why do we have to do this?
Diamond: Extra credit.
Jason: Oh.
Jake takes out his cellphone and dials Gregory's cell.
Gregory: Yes, young master Jake.
Jake: Can I bring over some friends?
Gregory: Of course, young master Jake.
Jake: How soon will you be here?
Gregory: In seven minutes.
Jake: Good.
Click
Jason: Who was it?
Jake: Gregory. Why don't you go wait for him for us?
Jason: Okay. So much better than correcting papers anyway.
Jason leaves.
Soo Jin: So continuing where we left off... you know that Crystal is a mermaid. Do you except her for who she is?
Jake: Um... what?
Soo Jin: What I'm asking is do you like Crystal?
Jake: I...it's not th... that I... I don't like her, I just haven't fallen in l... love with her after only one week o...of knowing her.
Everyone smiles.
Rick: Great! No need to worry then.
Jake: What?
Diamond: It means you can actually fall in love with the real Crystal.
Jake: Oh.
Rick fae: Tcerroc lla fo eseht srepap.
A pen appears and starts correcting. Everyone leaves and Soo Jin locks up. They meet with Jason.