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The Doppelganger

You'd never think something like Doppelganger could exist let alone be so malicious. I thought they were just bad omens but them seem to be evil, murderous spirits. At least my doppelganger killed me. I can't speak for every doppelganger out there, so let's hope I just got unlucky. I don't seem to be in Heaven which is expected, and I don't seem to be in Hell which is expected? Of course it's expected, but if I didn't think I was going to Heaven than where would I have gone? Questions for other dead people I suppose. But many people here seem to be alive. It was up to me to find out just where here is. Strange stands lined the path I woke up on, all bringing some twisted version of original fair favorites to the table. Such as dead gold fish catching, and crystallized soul candy, and many more all of which seemed to be a bit to genuine for their own good.

"Young man tell me what you need and I won't fail to deliver!", was suddenly screamed into my ear by a gruff looking man working at one of the stalls.

"May you tell me where I am?", I said as politely as I could muster.

"Why you're at the Road of Liminality. More importantly you're at my wish granting stand!", That only brought up more questions like what in the world is the Road of Liminality?! He didn't even specify a country or town or anything like that. "Come on now any wish will do, I don't want you holding up the line!", I suppose he was right, it's not like I wanted trouble. So I got out of the way as soon as possible.

"Um, no thanks on the wish all I needed was the name of where I am, So I'll be on my way.". I never expected anything like that to push the stall owner into fight or flight mode. Before I knew it he jumped over his stall counter and pulled me in.

"Now listen to me young man and listen well. An opportunity like this comes up but just once in a life time. Now do you have a wish or not?", for the first time after meeting this man he wasn't shouting, and it was strangely intimidating. In situations like this it's best to respond with even more aggression.

"Now listen to me you old fuck! I don't want any gift from you!". That is about as far as false courage would go. My only option was to push with all my might and run into the woods. Turns out I must be stronger than I thought because I pushed him through the counter of his stall. After standing still for a moment and marveling at what I just did, I remembered my plan and bolted into the woods.

So now I'm lost, I suppose it's better than what ever that creepy guy had in plan for me. I've been trying to find a town but I can't hear any car, trains, or planes nor have I heard anything like that. I'm probably in some kind of back water area, the people running those stands looked pretty old fashion. There's also no light pollution the sky's lit up with all kinds of stars. It'd be really wonderful if the air wasn't humid, dying in Colorado I'm used to nice, cold, dry air. Unfortunately the area I'm in right now is quite humid, not only do I feel 5 pounds heavier I can also feel the mildew gathering in my lungs. Even with all that's happening I feel fine I'm not very hungry or tired even. I am lost though , the bamboo all around me shoots high into the sky and the only thing I catch a glimpse of is the moon every now and then. I feel like I'm going in circles, I've only been flowing animal paths. I'm still full of hope and ambition.

I'm still lost! God's sake this is a true nightmare. Not only has the Moon set but the star light is completely blocked by the bamboo, speaking of bamboo there is too much of it and it all looks the same. Maybe if I scream someone or some thing will come to me and then I'll cross that bridge. "I'm Lost!", ...it really is hopeless isn't it? Even though I'm still not hungry or tired for some reason. I'll take a little rest before I die for the second time.

"Do you need help mister?", wait a minute I really have been saved. I guess I should count my lucky stars. I'll start with a, thank you, and, yes of course.

"Why than-", CLOCK. Oh my god I've never been in more pain than right now it's like I just got hit by a frying pan that was ripped off of the stove. Just play it cool this person is dangerous go with what they say and be submissive and I'll be fine.

"What in the fuck is wrong with you!?", well I fucked that up right away.

"Listen to me, I know you're a spirit, so quit trying to pull a fast one on me.". I have no idea what this person is talking about, so I'll move on like all this never happened.

"First off, excuse me? Second off, I'm sorry?", oh yeah now that's real slick just won this delinquent over like that. In fact now that I get a look at her she's kind of weird. A white button up with red overalls both of which are covered in little slips of paper. She also has super long, completely white hair and red eyes but it could just be a costume. "What's with the getup?".

"What's with your getup? An all Grey track suit, how could such an old creature be so boring?", old? I'm like eighteen, it's not like I sprouted any grays, or do I just look old? " Tell me your name, spirit.", such a cold command.

"Well, if you must know it's Weber Fuchs.". After that the girl in front of me was quite surprised. Almost like she expected something more mystifying, she must have hoped for someone who is more of a big name.

"Pretty simplistic name for a doppelganger." now what madness is she spewing?

"No you see I was killed by a doppelganger, but I myself am not a doppelganger. How did you come to doppelganger anyway?", I feel like this answer isn't going to be good.

"Your eyes are like big round mirrors; I remember reading that doppelgangers without a disguise reflect everything around them which is why the forest has been tricky tonight. You've been reflecting my normal path and setting it backwards.", man this girl really knows how to confuse me.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Even if you are right I'm not doing anything on purpose.", maybe going a long with what this girl says isn't the best idea. She really could have sent me flying with her original attack. Even if I am a deadly spirit that can't be trusted it's not like I even know how to retaliate.

"Now I'll introduce myself and you'll do everything I tell you to. I am Fujiwara no Mokou, I am the one who is going to lead you out of this forest. I'm leading you out of here because you're a pain and you'll just make this place more dangerous to humans.", she says that as if she isn't a human. I would bring that up to her but a searing beam of light has just pierced her chest.

"Christ sake! Are you all right?!", for how strong she seemed she just collapsed like a bag of bricks. Suddenly deciding to care about someone never goes well. As I closed in to see if she was okay I felt another sudden beam of light destroy the back of my leg and the tendon that connected my knee with the rest of my leg was ruined. If Fujiwara's fist felt like a frying pan than I felt like fire had gained a body and struck me like a whip. Now that both of us have fallen the thing that has done this is surely coming towards the both of us. I'm still crawling towards Fujiwara even thought the beams of light going past us even now are the size of propane canisters. Her wound isn't nearly that big though it's almost as if she has started healing. "Fujiwara are you alive?", I wish I could have said that louder; My wound has really knocked the air out of me but she should have heard me.

"Why of course she is, the Hourai elixir is still resting calmly in her liver. You on the other hand seem to be a tight spot. This tight spot is my fault but I'll bring you to the best doctor I know.", well that's nice of her I think.

"What about Fujiwara? Will she be brought as well?, again I should just stop caring about this person.

"Oh she'll be fine trust me she's taken even worse injuries.", whether or not that's calming to hear is impossible to find out, just who is this Fujiwara? Also being taken to the best doctor she knows also includes being dragged through the dirt like some fire wood. I'm just going to keep my mouth shut. Hopefully this girl does the same.

Finally, after who know how long We arrived at some strange secluded building some where is this bamboo forest. I was brought to a room where some strange girls in bunny ears took my blood pressure and all that. It's a very unnerving experience I felt like I was in some bizarre massage parlor. But that's over now and the doctor is here. Lucky me, The doctor is perfectly normal, in fact, almost overly kind to fault. I told many of her attendants that I had no money on me they said that the doctor rarely cares about payments.

"Ah I understand now.", I looked up in a daze at the doctor what ever pain killers they jammed into me were working their magic.

"What is it?", again I feel like I won't get on good answer today.

"Magic can do this type of damage if you don't have you're guard up. For a spirit like your self to get so damaged I'm surprised.", once again I guess I really am some ghost but Fujiwara called me a doppelganger. So maybe I was the doppelganger all along the only one who has been tricked was me. "It makes sense you're just the shell of a doppelganger.".

"Wait a minute what?", so I'm not even good enough to be the real thing? This day is terrible for my self esteem.

"You see, when a doppelganger is beaten it sheds its' disguise. Much like when a snake sheds its' skin. It's the best way to increase their numbers after all it's not like a human can kill a doppelganger so easily. Anyway I'll be keeping you here for about a week and with some basic treatment you'll be good enough to walk, I'll have Mokou lead you out of the woods also. It's up to you on how to find my payment of course.", man this is a lot to suddenly drop on someone or maybe this world is a lot different than I thought. This might be similar to being told you have a cold. " Now please go with my student, Reisen, here she'll get you to your room and put you to sleep for the operation. Don't look her in the eyes please you will reflect her ability back at her and she can't get you ready when she's like that.".

"So how much will this cost me?", I feel like Reisen will give a good answer.

"Doctor Yagokoro normally just makes spirit patients do something for her a a human couldn't so she'll probably just send you to get some dangerous ingredient for her medicines.", well that's calming. "Count backwards from ten to zero for me, won't you?".

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, thre-.".

"Doctor he is ready for you!"

"Thank you, Udongein, I'm going to need a lot of disinfectant, if you could grab some it would be wonderful."

AN: I just wanted write some thing on Touhou. In all honesty I have no idea where this is going or, like how to add chapters. It's a real mess but, I going to keep going until I feel like shouldn't anymore.