Chapter 22: Invisible Sister
In the real world, Jake lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
As he continued entering movie worlds, he'd discovered that things weren't as simple as he'd initially imagined, and he couldn't act as casually as he'd first thought.
Mia, and now Mathilda, and perhaps many more in the future—a web of relationships was forming around him, and he couldn't simply come and go as he pleased anymore.
He touched his wounds; they were just bullet grazes, already scabbed over, but the injuries were a reminder that he must be more careful in the future, and not treat the people in movie worlds as mere NPCs—none of them should be underestimated.
This also reflected the danger level of the second tier. Moving from peaceful worlds to ones with active combat significantly increased the risk, to the point that he'd been injured on his first entry into a Level 2 world.
However, there was good news: he wouldn't need to return to Léon: The Professional world for a while. If the young girl Mathilda could develop feelings for Léon instead, it would be an ideal outcome for Jake, but that seemed unlikely. In the original story, Mathilda lived with Léon because she had nowhere else to go, while Léon, though a professional, had a kind heart. A series of circumstances led them to live together.
Now, with Jake in the picture, everything was different.
Mathilda had a safe place to go, her enemies were eliminated, and she was focused on staying with Jake, who'd saved her life.
Léon, on the other hand, was only involved because of Jake. Even strangers develop bonds if they live together long enough. Léon and Jake had become something like friends, yet also like mentor and student, able to discuss anything with mutual respect.
In Léon's eyes, Mathilda was just an assignment, like when he'd been training Jake. A professional suddenly stops working to become a teacher? That's because Léon understood the magnitude of Jake's actions in taking down law enforcement. If Jake didn't disappear now, he'd face a citywide manhunt.
He'd taken Mathilda in to help Jake, so he wouldn't have to worry about that situation.
After reflecting on everything, although he'd gained scars, he'd also gained a lot.
Two handguns and several hundred rounds of ammunition. Actually, Jake's initial plan had been to take all the training equipment that Old Tony had provided, with no intention of returning it. However, considering he'd have to return to that world, and especially since Mathilda also needed to learn skills, he'd left most of it behind to avoid complications for Léon, only taking the two handguns and necessary ammunition.
His biggest gain this time was professional skills.
He could move quietly, handle weapons effectively, and had excellent marksmanship. He wasn't as good as Léon, but he was competent.
However, being injured always put him in a foul mood. "If Stansfield and the others hadn't seen me..."
He made a hypothetical assumption. If someone overheard this, they'd probably laugh it off as fantasy, but Jake, with his experience across multiple movie worlds, wouldn't dismiss it as impossible.
Thinking about invisibility, many worlds could fulfill Jake's requirements, but those in Level 2 were filled with gunfights, intense combat, and all sorts of violence, with very few that transcended realistic limitations.
The movies in this tier adhered to real-world physics, lacking advanced technology.
However, a movie he'd seen before caught Jake's attention.
It was a typical Disney Channel movie, a high school-themed teen film, or more accurately, a family movie.
The plot was simple, the characters archetypal, and there were elements that only younger viewers would find amazing, but adults could easily predict, especially the inevitable happy ending.
The Princess Diaries was far superior, because every character in that film was well-developed.
Invisible Sister was the world Jake was about to enter.
Although the plot was somewhat formulaic, it was still entertaining, especially since it contained what Jake needed: invisibility formula!
For his future safety, the invisibility formula was essential.
However, before heading to this world, Jake had to make some preparations.
There are advantages to a formulaic world, especially in a high school where attractive, well-dressed people are more easily accepted.
So Jake left home, called an Uber, and headed downtown.
Spending so much time with the solitary Léon had made him look rather unkempt, leading him to consider whether he should hire a professional stylist for different occasions. After all, different worlds required different personas, and only a more fitting appearance would allow for seamless integration.
Life is all about presentation, isn't it?
Stopping in front of an upscale salon, after a complete wash, cut, and style, Jake's image was totally transformed.
He looked significantly sharper.
Wearing a new outfit—khakis and a fitted button-down—even walking through downtown streets, he'd still turn heads.
The casual preppy look also helped make him appear slightly younger; after all, he was entering a high school movie, and looking too mature wouldn't work.
With everything ready, Jake, with a piece of gum in his mouth, embarked on his world-traveling journey.
With a familiar sensation, one moment he was in a downtown hotel, the next he was in the movie world of Invisible Sister. The slight dizziness from traveling didn't cause much discomfort; a couple of head shakes and he was fine.
He was used to it...
Invisible people are actually found everywhere. Of course, everyone only focuses on what they can see, what's tangible and obvious. But our perception isn't omnipotent. You can't see radio waves or gases, nor can you notice tiny details right next to you. That's right, invisibility is all around us, even in the most familiar places...
Looking around, Jake found himself standing at the entrance of a high school. Students came and went, but no one paid attention to his sudden appearance.
"This must be where the main character goes to school." Chewing his gum, looking at the sprawling campus—to be honest, this was the first time Jake had really taken in an American high school like this. Mia's school in San Francisco, although also a high school, was obviously much smaller.
This school even had its own athletic complex; it was comparable to a small college, despite being a high school.
The plot of the film was straightforward. The protagonist, Cloe, was an academic achiever, but she lived in the shadow of her older sister, Molly, who was popular and socially successful, while Cloe was practically invisible.
While completing a science project, she accidentally creates an invisibility formula, making her sister disappear.
Thus, a lighthearted Disney high school movie unfolds...
This seemed to be a standard formula for American teen films. Whether it was Mia from The Princess Diaries or Cloe from Invisible Sister, their characters always started out overlooked, but later found their confidence.
However, the difference with this film was that Invisible Sister also incorporated science fiction elements.
This was just one movie where someone could become invisible. Jake knew a few other invisibility-themed movies, but he'd avoided most of them since they tended to be creepy...
A red convertible VW Beetle slowly drove past Jake, pulling him back from his thoughts.
It was the main character and her sister.
As soon as the car stopped, Jake went up to greet them. For girls like Mia and Cloe, who were insecure and lacked confidence, you had to take the initiative to connect with them.
He positioned himself where the two girls would see him as they got out. Honestly, the older sister, Molly, wasn't conventionally gorgeous, but she had a very energetic and confident vibe that made her magnetic. The younger sister, Cloe, was more Jake's type aesthetically.
"Hey there," he said with a friendly wave, though because the two girls were standing together, it wasn't clear who he was addressing.
"Hey!" Molly waved back enthusiastically, always responsive to everyone.
Cloe, seeing a good-looking guy dressed nicely, lowered her head shyly, not thinking he could possibly be greeting her.
"Are you new here? I don't think I've seen you around before," Molly said, approaching Jake to chat. Just as Jake had anticipated, appearance and presentation had the same effect across different worlds. If it had been Léon, wearing sunglasses and all black, walking by right now, the two girls would be lucky not to call security.
"That's right. Actually, I just moved to the area recently. I happened to be checking out the school and wanted to meet some people... Could you tell me who that girl is standing next to you?"
Molly smiled slightly, a bit sheepishly. So he wasn't trying to talk to her after all. Nevertheless, she introduced herself. "That's my sister, Cloe. My name is Molly." Then she turned to her sister and said, "Come here, Cloe. Looks like you might make a new friend today."
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