Disclaimer: All KOF characters owned by SNK thanks though I wish I owned Ash heh (sick mind I have yeah) He's the darling don't you think?
This chapter is basically dialogue based.(HINT: Something 'interesting' finally happens) Different style of writing from the 1st two, hope you guys dont mind. And please enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it for you
Chap 3. Doppelganger?
We walked on, each wrapped in our own thoughts.
"Hey, Ash?" Shen was the first to break the silence.
"Ummm yeah?"
"I know you may have good valid reasons but could you at least share something about your family, or about your past? You are so mysterious you know? I mean, you know all about me, yet I know next to nothing about you?" He tried to reason with me.
"Well I never asked. And it was you who kept going on and on about yourself, remember?" I frowned as I recalled the endless hours of enduring his prattles.
"Owww man now that hurts," Shen said in a small voice. "I just thought you might like to know what's going on in my life what with us being friends and all. Besides..." His voice trailed off, as if unsure to continue.
"What? Come clean with it," I snapped. Shen was acting real weird; he normally was not one at a loss for words.
"Say Ash..." He fiddled with the opening of his shirt. "Would you happen to umm, have a twin sister or cousin or something like that?"
What? Had I heard wrong? I stared at him in disbelief. Shen shifted uneasily under my glare.
"Ummm relax, dude. It's just that, I thought I saw a chick who looked very much like you but she vanished before I could even say Hi... so I was thinkin' that mebbe... you mighta know something about it? Your relative, mebbe?" he suggested
I stopped dead in my tracks. No way but could it be? I composed myself. "Oh really? Do tell me more." I said in yet another of my 'disinterested' tone.
"Hmmn, she was two roads down from here at Baker's Lane. Checking out the confectionaries and bakeries. Seemed to have a sweet tooth or something. And oh yeh that was a few days before you appeared."
He looked at me. I said nothing.
"She had lovely platinum blonde hair, just like yours except longer. Long slim legs in leg warmers. She was also wearing this checkered coachman coat with fur trimmings. And her face..." I could sense Shen's eyes resting on me. I turned away, somehow feeling uncomfortable under his scrutiny. He was giving me goosebumps.
"Yeh what about the face?" I demanded. The nerve of him! He had no right to look at me like that... as if I was his amor or something!
He blinked. Once, Twice. "Oh about the face... nothing. Just that it looked pretty much like yours now, come to think of it. And yeah, one more thing."
"What?" I said not daring to meet his eyes
"She was taller than you, that's for sure." He smiled triumphantly while relief flooded me. Though I could have sworn he gave me one final lookover when he thought I wasn't looking...
"Ummm Shen?"
"Yeah?" He looked at me with bright expectant eyes.
"I have been thinking. I do not have any female relatives that meet your description. Nope, none that I know of." I shook my head for emphasis. "You sure you ain't making this all up?" I had to make sure.
He looked hurt. "No of course not! She was real I swear it! Man, you should have seen her! She looked exactly like you, umm it's as if she was the feminized you. I know this sounds incredible but its true. Saw it with mine own eyes!"
I felt pretty uncomfortable. All this talk about the 'feminized' me. It seemed to me that Shen was suggesting something albeit discreetly. Time for a change of topic.
"Hey, don't tell me the mighty Shen has finally fallen for someone? Hah, I must tell Duo Lon this!" I said teasingly.
He reddened significantly. "Of course not! Never! The Almighty Shen Woo has better things to do than fall in love. Hmmph and don't you go round spreading rumours, you imp or I'll... OMG that's it!" he exclaimed.
Huh? Did I miss anything?
"It was you! Your the spy. Your Duo Lon's spy. Then you go back and gossip with him don't you? I always wondered how Duo Lon knew what went on, even without being there. But now I know. He's got an informant. Your his spy!" he cried passionately.
I rolled my eyes. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. "Listen, it's not what you think. No one's spying on you, it's just that you talk too loud and everyone hears you whether they want to or not."
And indeed it was true. Everyone in the streets were staring at us as if we were 2 loonies.
"Why didn't you tell me. Any of you?" Shen spoke in a barely audible whisper as we moved on.
"We tried to but you just wouldn't listen," I replied in a whisper of my own. It was true. Duo Lon and I had tried to tell him before, but he wouldn't or maybe couldn't listen below his own loud voice.
A/N: For all Duo Lon fans, dont worry! I didn't forget him. Just waiting for the 'perfect' moment for him to make his grand entrance. Remember he isn't a free man - he's always out chasing after Ron or Lin smiles So just stay tuned!
