Green With Envy-6 by Lynceus In which our heroine wakes up and finds herself with questions on her mind. The most important of which turns out to be, "Who is Alena Scott?" The first part of Chapter 6!

NOTE: Enter the Copycat-1 is the companion piece to this update, so if you're interested in getting the whole story, makes sure to read that story as well. Thanks!

Chapter 6: A Case of Identity

I woke up and immediately knew something was wrong. I sat up and looked around. I checked the bathroom to be sure, but I didn't have to. Alison was gone. Seeing as how it was light outside, I was immediately worried.

Wait, morning? “Why did I sleep for so long?”

WHEN YOU ANIMATED THAT CONSTRUCT, YOU GAVE IT A GREAT DEAL OF POWER. THAT CAN TAKE A TOLL ON BOTH OF US.

“It can? I thought you were, well...limitless.”

MY POWER RECOVERS QUICKLY, TRUE, BUT I CAN TEMPORARILY LOSE STRENGTH.

“Oh man, I hadn't realized. What if I pushed you too far and I was in space or something?”

I WOULD NOT ALLOW YOU TO COME TO HARM.

Was it me, or did I sense some emotion there? “Thanks for that. I mean, I know, if something happens to me, it's bad for you. But I still appreciate it.”

YOU ARE WELCOME.

“Heh. So what are the dangers...oh man, what am I doing? Ali is gone, I don't have time for this!”

SHE IS NOT IN DANGER.

I blinked. “Huh? How can you be sure?”

YOU FORGET, THERE IS A STRONG LINK BETWEEN YOU BOTH. ON SOME LEVEL, YOU KNOW SHE IS ALRIGHT, THUS, SO DO I.

I frowned. “I guess. I wish I knew...wait, don't do anything!”

WE DO HAVE AN AGREEMENT, ALENA.

I wasn't imagining it! I got the sense of amusement from the Star Heart; was it learning how to express emotion? “Ok, well, I guess I'll give her time to call. So yeah, um...what are the dangers to myself?”

WHENEVER YOU DRAW ON MY POWER, YOU TIRE SOMEWHAT.

I frowned. “But you said you can keep me going for a week without rest?”

YES. EXACTLY.

“Uh..wait, what?”

IF YOU DID NOT EXERT YOURSELF SO MUCH, YOU COULD REMAIN AWAKE THAT LONG.

I blinked, realizing what the Star Heart was saying. “Woah, you mean, I've been pushing myself so much that it's like going for days without sleep?”

YOU ARE CORRECT.

I put a hand to my forehead. “Oh man. I had no idea. Hey, why didn't you tell me?”

THIS IS YOUR WISH. I AM PART OF YOU, ALENA SCOTT. EVEN IF YOU KNEW, YOU WOULD NOT STOP WHEN OTHERS ARE IN DANGER.

“Heh. I guess you know me pretty well. Still, if I burn myself out, Mom and Sis...I don't want to hurt them like that.”

I WILL ATTEMPT TO WARN YOU WHEN THE SITUATION BECOMES DIRE. FOR NOW, YOUR BODY IS YOUNG AND RESILIENT.

“So what happens when I get older?”

There was a long pause. Oh man, now what?

WHILE I AM WITHIN YOUR BODY, YOU WILL NOT AGE.

“Holy shit. You mean...I'm immortal?”

NOTHING IS ETERNAL. WITH GREAT STRIFE, EVEN MY POWER TO GRANT YOU LIFE CAN FAIL. BUT YOU WILL NOT DIE OF OLD AGE.

“...and I'm not going to ever look any older than I do now.” I thought about that. Sure, I could hide what I really looked like from others. So it wasn't that bad. But...this meant that if I ever found someone else, they would have to be able to love the real me. Fifteen forever. And I'd outlive them...

I wrapped my arms around my body, trying to overcome the sudden feeling of emptiness.

ALENA...I HAVE HURT YOU.

I shook my head, forcing the tears back. “No. No, you didn't do this. I did this. I chose this path. Maybe I didn't read the fine print, but I have to live with that choice. I wanted to be a hero. Heroes don't always get the girl.”

I felt a warmth well up inside me. I AM WITH YOU.

I nodded. “I know. I'm not alone.”

My phone rang then.

-

I got off the phone with Alison. She'd asked me to trust her. “What is she up to?!”

ALENA, I DO NOT KNOW IF YOU ARE READY TO HEAR THIS, BUT I FEEL YOUR SISTER HAS HER OWN PATH TO FOLLOW.

“You feel, huh? Well. Yeah. I feel it to. It scares me though. We'd gotten so close. It feels good to share my life with her. But we're going to grow apart now. She'll get older, and I won't. It will be just like before. We won't be twins anymore.”

YOU WERE ALWAYS TWINS. THAT IS A FACT OF BIRTH THAT CANNOT CHANGE.

“Maybe. But I lost that connection to her once before. I don't know that I want to lose it again, Star.”

STAR?

“I have to call you something. I know it's a lame name, but...”

STAR WILL DO.

I smiled. “Star it is, then.”

I got up and went to the bathroom, I needed a shower.

-

I got out of the shower, feeling kind of introspective. I reached for the mirror with one finger, and wrote on the glass. Who is Alena Scott?

I frowned. “Damn good question. I wish I knew.” But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I really wasn't my own person! Ever since I'd changed, I'd just gone with the flow. I tried to be like Jade, I let Mom and Sis dress me...who the hell was I?

I realized I needed to find out. I cleared away the rest of the condensation and used my ring to get dressed. Even though I hadn't packed it, I imagined the first real female clothing I'd ever worn; my sister's green summer dress. Just a touch of eyeshadow. Lipstick that didn't stand out. Low-heeled green pumps. I played with my hairstyle a bit, before settling on the bob with bangs look. Yes, just like Una Thurman in Pulp Fiction. It looked really good with the dark green hair color I use as Green Lantern Girl (Zwei?), but it wasn't bad with my natural blonde either.

I used my ring to veil my eyes slightly. I don't mind green eyes, but the glow and the flame dancing in my pupils? Awesome, but not practical for a secret identity. I'd figured out a new trick last night; I could use my Ring to keep myself from sweating, and to change my scent. I went with something faint and floral.

I turned to the side, one heel rising as I got a good look at myself. Whoever Alena Scott was, she was very different from her sister. Where Alison was very unsubtle about her femininity, I was understated, demure. But there was a sort of strength about me. I was starting to see what Ali had been trying to say. I looked...I don't know, elegant. Graceful. And to my surprise, confident.

Who was Alena Scott? She was gentle, soft-spoken. And someone you did not want to fuck with! I smiled at my reflection. “I think I'm ready.”

BUT IS THE WORLD READY FOR YOU?

I chuckled. “No. Not it's not.”

-

Alison was late, of course. So it wasn't hard to fix her with my darkest glare as she walked up, with three girls in tow.

I SENSE POWERFUL MAGIC, ESPECIALLY FROM THE YOUNG ONE. SHE IS NOT AS SHE APPEARS.

I had gotten that as well. It wasn't the headache that The Spectre had given me, but I could sense the power hidden inside the girl. It mirrored my own. I somehow knew that the two younger girls were twins, even without being told.

You'd think that would seem odd, given that one looks half the age of the other, but I accepted it at once. Ever since I'd become a girl, my empathy had grown by leaps and bounds. But this was new to me, simply trusting my feelings at face value, without doubt. I had taken the first steps on a new journey, and that made me feel a lot better about myself.

It was a lot easier to let Sis off the hook. After I made her squirm a little. It felt good to turn the tables on her, at least for a little bit. But I love her too much to be cruel. I prayed we'd never grow too far apart.

Although I knew she was keeping something from me about Johanna. I wondered what it could be. Johanna was incredibly difficult to read. You could tell from her eyes that she'd seen a lot more of this world than her lack of years would otherwise suggest. In addition to the brief lessons I was getting about magic during the meeting, I took another lesson away as well.

You can't judge a magician by their appearance. Physical strength and size had very little to do with it. Illyana was a young girl, but I knew that, potentially, she was as dangerous as myself. Maybe more.

But Sis? Her I can read. She's a damn good actress, but we did more than share a womb. On some level, we were two halves of the same person. It's almost like, if I reached out far enough, I could feel what she was feeling. Know what she was thinking.

A lot of people talk about the 'mysterious bond' twins have. I used to laugh, because for a long time, I hadn't felt that close to Sis. She'd tried her hardest to be anything but like me. Now? I knew it was true. Maybe not all twins, but some, like myself and Ali, or Illyana and Hunter...are very strongly connected to one another.

After we parted ways, I confronted her.

-

“By the way Sis, you look really good this morning.” Alison smiled.

I preened a little at her comment. If she approved, that meant something to me. “Thanks, Alison. I know it's not as bold as what you'd choose.”

She nodded. “True, but as much as we look alike, you're not me. I can't just dress you up like me and expect you to have the same, I don't know...poise. Bearing. I'm shocked you still wear the costume we made for you.”

I smiled. “I got used to it. Zwei is a little more like you, she's brave and doesn't mind showing off her legs. They're very nice legs, after all.”

“Zwei, huh?”

I shrugged in a way I hoped was demure and feminine. It was hard without a mirror, and I hadn't really practiced moving in this body. “I have to call her something other than 'The Other Lantern'.”

Alison put her arm around me. “Sis, I know I upset you...I'm sorry, but...”

I cut her off. “Ali, I know. I mean, I don't know exactly what you're up to, but I understand you're trying to find your own path. You're not a hero like me. Not that I don't think you could be...look, all I'm trying to say is, I know this is something you have to do. I'll try to support you, I really will. But I'm worried, and it's not just because I think you might get into trouble.”

“I...what's bothering you, Al?”

I felt my eyes moisten a little. It's still hard for me, dealing with these strong emotions. But I had to be strong. “We hadn't been close for a very long time. I didn't realize it at first, but the best thing that this change did for me isn't the power. It isn't being able to help people. It's you, Alison. It's feeling like we're connected again. I love being so close to you. I don't want to lose that, ever.”

She started crying then, and we held each other tightly. “Al..Alena...you'll always be my twin. Always. Even if you don't understand what I'm doing...or why...I'd do anything for you. Anything!”

“I feel the same way.” I reached for her hand and we twined our fingers together. “Sisters?”

She nodded. “Yes. Sisters. Now and forever.”

Hand-in-hand, we went to the convention.

-

Security was tighter, of course. Whatever that 'Spectre' had been, it had spooked a lot of people. Unlike before, where we'd split to see our own things, we stayed together the rest of the day. It was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed Alison's company.

If only I could shake the feeling that this was a moment in time that would soon pass.

Eventually, it was time for the Zatanna/Miss Miracle show, where we'd meet with our strange new friends, and learn more about the power that slept within my body. And where I could go to learn even more.

To be continued...