Song- Doppelganger (Doubleganger, Spoofing Gengar)

Characters- Courtney and Tabitha. Maxie gets mentioned quite a bit

Interaction- Implied Magmaadminshipping

Warning- None

This song's name always confused me in the English version of f2nd. Gengar more or less means ghost or shadow or similar, and a 'spoofing' or impersonating ghost would be the definition of a Doppelganger (in other words, someone who looks or acts like another)... Which is a German word (missing the umlaut), but it's the word we use in English. Although 'doubleganger' is the translation, it's literally not one we ever use. So i'm not sure why they called it that overall.

Anyway, I like how this one turned out. It's not exactly what I originally planned for this one, but it probably fits more closely to my interpretation of the song than my original idea anyway, and I overall think it's a better idea.


She tried to think back to when this had all first started. But it was clear from the very beginning. For as long as she could remember, even in their most distant childhoods, it had always been this way.

She'd forever been standing in his shadow.

The first time it had come to a head significantly was when they had been about to graduate high school. Tabitha had always had an ability to gain people's confidence and trust that she'd lacked her entire life. This meant that despite being no more popular among their peers than she was, Tabitha was held up by teachers and others in their community as an example of how to behave, while she, along with everyone else, was derided as another of those 'young people'. It wasn't like she could ever deny it though. Courtney did struggle to relate to adults. Or to anyone.

Truth was, people were a terrifying mystery to her. She couldn't maintain relationships easily, and she had a tendency to annoy people without meaning to with her bluntness. She was sure that almost everyone her age thought nothing of her. She thought nothing of them; merely drifted by them, each living parallel lives without even truly seeing the other.

Soon, the time came for exams, and results. Courtney was confident she'd do well. She hadn't been expecting to come second in their entire year. He had beaten her. Of course he had.

Like always, she was standing in his shadow.

Yet she had watched as others in their class had celebrated with him, had offered him kindness and friendship. Tabitha had avoided becoming a social outcast, despite his successes. And when he spoke, others listened. It was as if people actually cared about what he had to say. And it was something Courtney felt she'd never know.

"I can't be like you." She'd told him when he'd tried to congratulate her with a smile.

She knew not of the mysteries of the heart, but she was certain she could feel a rift between them grow ever wider that day.

They had carried on in the same fashion after that; proceeding through college, jobs, the team. Wherever she went, it seemed as though he was already one step ahead of her, casting long shadows that she always fell into.

It had become most acute after Team Magma had been formed. She'd watch Maxie and Tabitha in their discussions; note how easily ideas flowed between them. She contributed as well, of course, but there was something about the two of them that she could never emulate. She supposed Tabitha was just that much easier to understand.

For the first time, she felt as though somebody cared about what she did and what she said. But still, it was always being overshadowed. Mt Chimney, the shipyard, the Seafloor Cavern itself… It appeared as though he was always the closest, the one with the more important tasks.

She was always hidden out of the way.

In the end, he rose in rank above her, as if to make it clear that the difference between them was tangible. Proof of her status, one step behind as always.

She was sure that she'd never catch up.

Despite this, she always kept moving. In a way, she was able to thrive simply because she was there, standing in the shadow of someone so much greater. The idea of being seen as an equal was so close, yet so out of reach. But it was something to strive towards, to push her forwards.

Courtney was of such a sharp mind that anyone else would have made poor competition; in this way he kept her on her toes, which was at least one thing to thank him for.

She had been alone, musing over pointless things to herself once again. Perhaps, if she truly thought it through, she could admit that she was jealous of the bond that the other two held. The way in which they understood each other, while she remained indecipherable.

It was in such a state of mind that Tabitha found her that day, appearing long after work hours and fully deserving whatever came his way, as far as she was concerned. He'd tried to speak to her, to reach out in that way he always had done. As always, she had pushed back.

"I can't be like you." She'd stated. "Or Maxie. I can't..."

"My dear… Why would we want you to be? What makes you different, well, that's just what makes you special." He had replied, looking towards her quizzically. "What good would it be if we were all the same?"

"I can't… Have friends like you." She'd tried to clarify.

"Right. But that doesn't mean you can't have friends." He'd argued back. "People socialise in different ways too. That doesn't matter. Maxie and I are your friends, aren't we? We certainly care about you." He lowered his face right down to her level, and she tried not to scoff. "Everyone here accepts you as you are. Don't feel like you have to change. Why would you want to be something other than yourself anyway?"

"I don't… But they don't understand." She'd sighed.

"I understand. And Maxie will in time. I'm sure of it." He'd assured her.

His words shouldn't have counted for much. But from then on, Courtney felt a lot more at peace. Free of any kind of turmoil, she found herself and others getting on a lot easier. Tabitha had been right. Within the team, people did accept her. And he'd been right about Maxie as well, as the man increasingly took steps to make up for any previous misunderstandings, and she found herself growing closer to him day by day.

Overall, little changed in practice. She was still left walking in the shadow Tabitha cast. But Courtney didn't mind anymore. There wasn't a place in the world she'd rather be.

She knew that he cared about her. She knew that he was always going to be checking that she was happy where she was. He understood, and he was there, and that was good enough for her.

Walking in his shadow was okay when she knew he was looking over his shoulder at her.