Reinvention of the soul
Prelude to Reinvention, part two
by Shakar, published from August 4, 2003 to August 24, 2003
Two weeks had past since their engagement. They celebrated with Gerde and Mosely, whom both were happy for them. They already set the date in June. Mosely was obviously chosen to be the best man, and Gerde was chosen to be the matron of honor. But there was one big problem... Grace's parents! Gabriel and Grace were sitting at the kitchen table and discussing the inevitable.
Grace: How are we going to tell them?
Gabriel: We'll figure out something. Don't worry.
Grace: That's impossible Gabriel. They've accepted the fact that I'm with you. But marriage? I bet they've been praying that one of these days our relationship will end. They're not like your Gran, who was so delirious at the thought.
Gabriel: So? That's what they want, but they're not going to get it.
Grace: So what's the strategy?
Gabriel: (thinking) Why don't we invite them here? We'll tell them in person.
Grace: No way! I can handle my mother screaming on the phone. I could just hang up!
Gabriel: Gracie.
Grace: (sighs) Why don't we just elope? Then when they call, we'll say "Oh by the way, we're married!"
Gabriel: Grace, are you serious? Do you actually want to miss out on a real wedding? Don't you want your father to give you away? You're telling me you want to miss all of that?
Grace: How come you know me so well?
Gabriel: I don't know. It's kind of a shock that I can understand a woman like you!
Grace: (laughs) Likewise. (pauses) Oh alright. I'll call them, but it's not going to be easy.
Gabriel: We'll deal with it.together. Whether they like it or not, we're getting married.
Grace: Yeah. (smiles) I still can't believe it. I'll go and make the call.
Grace leaves the kitchen. 'Oh Gracie. It will be easier than you think. I know it.'
A few days later.
Grace's parents are about to arrive to Rittersberg. It's funny how Gabriel is cool all about it, but Grace can't stand still at the thought of her parents' reaction to their engagement. She had to do something!
Gabriel: Grace?
Grace: Yeah.
Gabriel: Calm down. You're moving like the Energizer Bunny. You just keep going and going.
Grace: (sighs) I can't help it. I'm so nervous.
Gabriel: I know a way to get them out of your mind.
Grace: How?
Gabriel: Like this.
He kissed her. It got more passionate. Grace held him tighter and started to caress his hair. Huh.he actually let her touch his hair!
Gabriel: Now.did that work?
Grace: Hmm.yeah (smiles).
They continued kissing. Gradually they got closer to the couch. Grace laid down and they continued making out. They were in their own world.until they heard a knock on the door. Grace woke up. She got up quickly, making Gabriel fall since he was on top of her!
Gabriel: Ow! Grace?
Grace: I'm sorry. But they're here.
Grace fixed her hair because it was a mess. She goes toward the door. 'Ok. You have to be calm. Everything will be fine. Hakuna matata!' Gabriel was right behind her. It took her a matter of seconds to open the door.
Grace: Hi Mom. Hi Dad.
Both: Hey sweetie!
They embrace her. After that they look at Gabriel.
Both: (semi-smile) Mr. Knight.
Gabriel: Good to see you Mr. and Mrs. Nakimura.
They go in. Grace does the cross on her chest.
Gabriel: (whispers) Grace, you're a Buddhist.
Grace: (whispers) I know. But we need all the help we can get.
Grace goes in. Gabriel rolls his eyes. 'May God help us.'
They have their dinner, not saying much to each other. Then Mrs. Nakimura broke the silence.
Mrs. Nakimura: So what's new?
Grace: Oh nothing.
Mrs. Nakimura: Oh, interesting.
Gabriel gave Grace a look. Grace then knew she just missed the perfect moment to tell them. She was about to say it when.
Mrs. Nakimura: There's something I've wanted to ask for a long time. What exactly do you do Mr. Knight?
Grace: Mom!
Mrs. Nakimura: I mean, what we've been told is that you're a writer. Well, what I don't get is why a man like you had to drag my daughter all the way over here, for what, to do research for your books? I think a man your age is perfectly capable to do that yourself!
Mr. Nakimura: Not this again Tara!
Grace: I-
Gabriel: No Grace. Let me talk. She deserves to know.
Grace: Gabriel-
Gabriel: Shh, trust me. I can handle this. (pauses) Well, Tara. Do you mind if I call you Tara?
She gives a look that has a license to kill!
Grace: (whispering) God, don't anger it!
Gabriel: Ok. My family has this legacy that I had no idea about. Your daughter got involved just when I figured it out. See, my ancestors were private investigators. They helped people that couldn't turn to the police. I never forced your daughter to do anything and you know that. She came willingly.
Mr. Nakimura: And now both of you are involved. We know it. I'm sorry if she can't accept it.
Mrs. Nakimura: What do you mean Hiro? You don't like it either!
Mr. Nakimura: At least I'm trying Tara!
They started quarrelling but now in Japanese! Grace couldn't take it anymore!
Grace: Stop it! I can't believe how childish you both are!
She got up from her seat and walked to the living room. Gabriel followed shortly. She was walking back and forth. 'They're impossible!'
Gabriel: Grace, are you ok?
Grace: This is just too hard Gabriel! I can't take it!
Gabriel: Hey, it will be ok.
At that moment, her parents came in.
Mrs. Nakimura: Grace, I'm so sorry. I was out of line.
Grace: Damn right you were out of line! How dare you come to our home and insult the man that I love? Oh yeah I love him, whether you like it or not! And now I really don't care what you think anymore!
Mrs. Nakimura: Grace. Your father and I have something to tell you.
Grace: No, actually I have something to tell you. (pauses and goes toward Gabriel) Gabriel and I are engaged to be married.
She was waiting for them to explode, when.
Both: Congratulations!
They embrace Grace and then Gabriel.
Grace: What?
Mrs. Nakimura: I'm so sorry honey. I think this act went too far.
Grace: What do you mean.what act?
Mr. Nakimura: Gabriel came to us a few months ago. He told us everything about his work. And I mean everything. Then he asked for your hand in marriage.
Grace: (amazed) You did what? Is that where you were when you said you went to New Orleans?
Gabriel: Yup.
Mrs. Nakimura: After that, we couldn't say no.
Grace: I... I... I don't know what to say. I'm still trying to process what happened here.
Gabriel: Thank you for coming Mr. and Mrs. Nakimura. I have to say, both of you acted very well. You even fooled me!
Mrs. Nakimura: It was nothing. Anything for the both of you. Oh and you can call me Mom.
Grace tripped.
Grace: What?
Mr. Nakimura: And you can call me Dad.
Grace: What?
Mrs. Nakimura: Oh stop whining Grace. He has no parents, so I thought-
Gabriel: (smiles) You know what, I like the idea, Mom.
Grace: I think I'm going to faint.
Mr. Nakimura: We'll leave both of you alone. We have to go anyway.
Gabriel: No. Why don't you stay here? There's lots of room!
Mr. Nakimura: No, we already have a room at the gastof. There are some really down to earth people here. You don't see that in New York everyday!
Gabriel: Ok. Then we'll see you soon.
They hug Gabriel and then a shocked Grace. Then they leave both of them alone. Grace gives Gabriel a look that also has a license to kill!
Gabriel: Surprise.
Grace: A part of me wants to kill you right now for putting me through this!
Gabriel: And the other part of you.
Grace: (smiles) Wants to kiss you like crazy. I can't believe you did that. (she went toward Gabriel) You got my parents' permission to marry me! How did you pull that off, I still don't know!
Gabriel: Me neither.
Grace: Thank you.
They were about to kiss, when Grace hit him.
Gabriel: Ah! What was that for?
Grace: That was the part of me that wanted to kill you.
They both started laughing.
June 2002
Three weeks away from their wedding. Everything was going smoothly. No pre-wedding jitters yet. Grace was in the Schattenjäger library organizing some folders on the computer. Gabriel comes in.
Gabriel: Good morning Grace.
Grace: Good morning.
Gabriel: What are you up to?
Grace: I'm just nervous with all of this planning of the wedding that I had to do something. So, I'm defragging the comp and also backing up some files.
Gabriel: Yeah.that should take your mind off of it!
Grace: Shut up. After all this time, we found some information about the Schattenjägers before Martin Ritter. It dates back from 900 A.D, but it's not much. I actually found some info from the archives online.
Gabriel: When did you get it?
Grace: Just now. I was bored. (opened folder) Ok, let's see what we have here.
Grace skims through most of it.
Grace: Wow! This is from the first Schattenjäger. It dates back 2000 years ago.
Gabriel: The guy that looks like me right?
Grace: Yeah. His name was Gabriel Militis. Huh that's Latin for Knight.
Gabriel: Very original.
Grace: (smiles) Born 40 B.C. and died 2 A.D. He died so young!
Gabriel: Huh.
Grace: I think this is part of his journal entry!
Gabriel: (curiosity peeking out) Well what does is it say?
Grace: Gabriel, I can't figure it out that fast. I'm still translating. It's all in Latin.
After all of it was translated, Grace started reading through it.
Grace: Oh my God.
Gabriel: What? What is it?
Grace was so shocked it seemed like she wasn't breathing.
Gabriel: (saying it louder) Grace? What is it?
Grace woke up.
Grace: Uh... I... this can't be.
Gabriel: (losing his patience) What can't be Gracie?
Grace: This!
She shows him the entry she just read. It said:
I've met the most extraordinary woman. She's a vision of wisdom and beauty. Her charcoal hair and ivory skin made her glow like the moon that shines above us. Her eyes were pools of dark brown that opened the door to her beautiful soul. At one glance both our hearts wanted more. It was love at first sight. She made me see things that my naked eye had not noticed. I want to be with her from dusk till dawn. My heart beats for that woman only and will not live without her.
But she has family that does not allow our love. My beloved has a gentleman caller waiting for her hand in marriage. Whatever power God has given me, it won't be enough to change their minds. The Mazaki family will not let me be with my soul mate.
God has given me a duty that I shall not disobey. My destiny has been set as the One who rids evil. But part of my destiny is she. I cannot let go. The time has come to take matters into my own hands. My beloved and I shall be together once and for all. Love shall conquer, just like my people.
Gabriel read all of it, but doesn't get Grace's reaction.
Gabriel: So? He was in love.
Grace: Yeah, but look who he was in love with. Gabriel... Mazaki is one of my ancestors. Look at the description of the woman. (pauses) Doesn't she remind you of someone?
Gabriel: (mouth open) No.you're not telling me that-
Grace: We met in another lifetime.
There was a long period of silence until Gabriel broke the ice.
Gabriel: How can this be?
Grace: I don't know. This is just too freaky.
Gabriel: Just the thought of it brings shivers down my spine.
Grace: When I first met you, I had this weird feeling about you that I couldn't shake off. Now I know why.
Gabriel: You felt it too? I swear it was like Twilight Zone for me.
Grace: But I just thought it was anxiety from the interview.
Gabriel: Well it wasn't. No the cards were dealt out from the beginning.
Grace: Don't say that! That just makes me feel more spooked than I already am.
Gabriel: Grace, is there more? Maybe things will get clearer.
Grace: That's not a bad idea.
Grace scrolls down, but has mixed feelings about reading it. 'Who's next? Mosely?'
She started reading it out loud.
Grace: I have succeeded. Grace's parents didn't allow, but we fled to the Western World, the island.
Gabriel: Western world and the island? Could that mean Western Europe and the United Kingdom?
Grace: I guess so. We were finally content with our lives. We lived like kings. But as we make a new life together, evil has come once again. I have no choice but to help those, who can't defeat such terror. Is he talking about a case?
Gabriel: I think so. This was the first case.
Gabriel and Grace look at each other.
Gabriel: Go on!
Grace: Ok. Ok. This case has been torturous! My love has died during the process. The pain that I bear cannot be put into words! My life has no meaning without her in it. I must relieve the pain at once before my wife becomes lonely in the afterlife. Perhaps my other lifetime can bring a much better outcome. May God forgive me and hope my family will follow the responsibility that I had been given.
Gabriel: That's it! There's nothing on what the case was?
Grace: I guess it was lost or destroyed over the years. (pauses) She died.
Gabriel: And he killed himself.
Grace: Gabriel, they got married. And right after that they had a case that cost their lives. 2000 years later, we're getting married. He died at the age of 42. You're 42.
Gabriel: (freaked out) What are you saying Gracie?
Grace: I'm saying that this is more than just a coincidence! After we get married, we're going to have a case that can end our lives!
Gabriel couldn't say anything. He knew she was right. After thinking for a while.
Gabriel: Let's not jump to any conclusions. Yeah, everything connects except one thing. The love at first sight. I certainly didn't fall in love with you the first time we met.
Grace: Me neither. I was more disgusted than anything else!
Gabriel: See? It took us a long time to admit how we feel about each other.
Grace: But, I think what he said was right. He hoped that in his other lifetime things would turn out for the better. I think that's what happened. Instead of love at first sight, we got to know each other. Friendship came first and then love.
Gabriel: So basically history is repeating itself, but only for it to make things right.
Grace: Yeah, but I'm just afraid that everything will turn out to be the same.
Gabriel: Hey I don't want to hear you say that. I know all of this seems so weird, but I know that whatever comes in our way, we'll get through it. We always have.
Grace: But this case could be big. I mean huge! It could be something that can ruin everything for us and I can't help but think-
Gabriel: Don't! Don't you ever think of that. This was his first case. How could he know what to do? We have more resources and a team like no other.
Grace: (smiles) We're quite a team are we?
Gabriel: Yes. So can we not talk about this? Why don't we talk about the wedding and see if everything is going according to plan.
Grace: You're right. We've got more important things to think about.
Gabriel: Ok. I'll meet you downstairs.
Gabriel leaves. 'You should take your own advice. Stop thinking about it.'
Grace was still sitting there. She looked at the computer screen. 'No! I won't let that happen to us.' She shut it down and went downstairs.
Last update: October 24, 2007
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