Full disclosure:

My current project takes a bit longer than I thought. So have this.

I've written myself into a corner with this one. I'm usually good at digging myself out but I wasn't feeling it this chapter. But I put too much effort into this to stop it right now. I considered uploading this with the notes/rambles I usually make to cobble together a story you guys like. And this is the most shippy I got so far, and I know statically at the very least one of you likes that.

I cut a lot of story out to make wiggle room for it to make a little sense. I did my best salvage it. I figured it's okay doing this, since this chapter is non-canon. It's not actually okay, I know…

Onto the thing!

What if Sig found the mirror first:

There it was. Sig found the clothed rectangle in this dark and ominous place. "Yay."

"Don't celebrate so soon, meow." Sig turned around to see a pair of sharp looking yellow eyes.

"If myew wanna cross this meowtaphorical bridge, you'd have to answer my riddle, and beat me at Puyo Puyo."

"Okay, but can you help me carry this back to school?"

The room lit up. "You dare ask the Prince of Darkness? Either you're dumb or purrhaps don't know any better to recognize danger?" The black cat-like shadow creature purred.

"But I'm doing this for teach. Isn't Prof Accord your owner, Popoi? Shouldn't you help her out? You've gotten big enough for it."

A gulp echoed through the crypt.

"I-I-I'm not Popoi."
"Are you? You look like him."
"Pure coincidence, meow!"
"You talk like him."
"I'm the Prince of Darkness!"
"Isn't that a tall horned, green haired guy?"

The shadow got aggravated. "Scratch the riddle! I'll to prove I'm not Popoi." It pulled out a purple glowing orb out of its body. "Myeeh. Here, have this Amethyst Pearl. Has Popoi ever giving you something?"

"Uh… no?"
"Purrgo, I'm not Popoi."
"I guess? But I feel like I'm missing something…"
"You're not, truuuust me."
"Are you Uncle Stan trying to prank me again?"
"What?"

Sig nonchalantly tugged at the shadow's tail. "It wasn't funny the last you came to visit, isn't funny now." Totally-not-Popoi swatted him away from him. "Puyo Puyo me mortal!"

Alternate 17: Counterfeit Red Arm
What if: There's a Duplicate Sig instead of a Copy Amitie?

"…and that concludes the lessons on this mirror and it's dangers. Any questions, kuma!?" Sig didn't have any. Not to Akuma at anyway. He's a bit concerned about Silvana. Akuma did not mince words. He couldn't blame the teddy, he probably didn't know what actual Doppelgangers were like.

Sig knew one, and she was a good person and a good friend. If a bit frustrated that she was a clone. So Doppelgangers can't be all bad, can they?

"Does that answer your question, Lidelle, KUMA KUUMA?!"

"Eep! Yes, Mr. Akuma."

"Glad to hear it." Akuma glanced at the time. "Class dismissed, kuma!" *Clears teddy throat* "That was hasty of me. Give me a few more moments of your time."

"I want to once again stress that these mirrors are rare, the chance of being replaced is, thankfully, very slim. So don't live your life worrying that it will happen to you or a loved one…" The bear sighed. "I shall soon enough permanently strip this mirror of its powers so Accord can hang it in her office. Class dismissed."

*Outside…*

"Sil."

"Uh… Hi Sig." Silvana felt herself to be a bit shaken at Akuma's lecture. And we're not talking about HIS CASES OF SUDDENLY SHOUTING HERE! She felt like dirt.

"You okay?"

"I-I'll be fine. I-I'll be fine. It was nothing I didn't already know. Still kinda hurts."

While Sig was still sure that not everything Akuma taught them was right, because of Silvana. He still had to ask: "How true was that?"

The clown took a big breath in. "Very." She managed to whimper out. "He was dead on with how true it was to me at one point… The truth always hurts." She clenched her fists.

"Sorry for bringing it up. Need a hug?"

Sil chuckled as put on her brave face. "Thanks, but not now or in public without my suit on."

"Wanna catch some bugs later?"

"Aw… I'm sadly busy today. I gotta see Amitie, Akuma and oversee our practice day. I still need to work on my cartwheels, and trapeze acts. After that, I have had enough for the day."

"Oh."

"How about tomorrow?"

She put her hand the boy's shoulder. "Okay." She winked and waved bye along with Arms.

The boy from a figurative other world was glad to know that the girl from a literal other world warmed up to the doll.

But when his mind stumbled back to the topic they were on, he began to ponder about Akuma's and Sil's words on Doppelgangers.

Sig snuck back into class. Face to face with the mirror… Yup. 'Even if he replaces me, there won't be much of a difference, right? He's me. It's worth a try.' Without hesitation nor really looking for toward it, he pulled out the Pearl from his bag.

The mirror absorbed the Pearls' energy and the Duplicate Sig fell out from it like expected. Sig caught him, saving himself from a date with wooden floor. He seemed a bit sleepy. Looking over him Sig saw there were no obvious differences him and him.

Unlike Sil, his hair and eyes were the same colour were the same. His Arm, Single red eye, and bag were on the wrong side. But he looked like a perfect copy.

"Hmm… Which one of is the dulpi… duplik… kit?" The Duplicate asked, not sure why he tried to use a twenty dollar word like that.

"Dupli… Sig? I saw you fall out of the mirror."

"Ah." There was some awkward silence between them as they stood on their own legs. Both of them are very hazy, but even they both knew they might have done something stupid.

Sig felt bad saying that the mirror guy was a Doppelganger. Akuma did tell them the Doppelganger would be convinced he was Sig himself.

DupliSig knew what was going on. Sig activated the mirror so DupliSig could be his guinea pig to see if he can make lightning strike twice. He didn't think of it that way before he did it. It was more like a 'Let's try it again.'

DupliSig spoke up. "Whadda we do now? I can't be a Doppelganger buddy to Sil if she's busy. And there's me killing you thing… I know we don't mind-"

"-but others do…" Real Sig scratched his head. He may would've made a huge mistake.

"Wanna catch bugs?"
"Yay~"

* One musical duet number about the joys of catching bugs with a friend who shares that love. Sung in Monotone Sig IN STEREO! , later…*

"That was fun~"
"Yeah it was~"

They didn't catch many bugs. They caught each other in their nets every so often. Their other friends usually don't have this much fun with him.

DupliSig looked at the sky. "It's getting dark. We should go home. Umm…"

"You're thinking what I'm thinking?"

"That one of us can't go home…"

"Maybe we can ask Sil to crash on her soft couch?"

"Who should go?" Dupli asked. It took Sig a little to think of what's the best course of action.

"You can sleep at her's, I'll ask another time… Sig… Are you okay with a new name?"

*Still practice hours, Puyo Puyo Circus…*

Pierrot had her hands firmly on the trapeze and had Vento's arms tightly around her neck. "Uuuurrgh… A bit looser… Vennnnkh-t-to." The clown garbled.

"Eh, oops. Sorry, P." Vento did have a little playfulness in his voice.

"That was intentional, wasn't it?"

"A little." Vento sheepishly admitted. "I didn't mean strangling that hard."

"Jerk." Half-jested. Vento took pride in it.

"Sil!"

Pierrot looked down to see Sig.

"Hi, Sig. Whaddya want?"
"Can I crash on your couch?"
"What's that?!"
"Can I-"
"Can't hear you, Sig! Wait down there."

"Hope you're ready, Vent." The clown said to the… whatever role in circus Vento has (Magic Stuntman?).

"I was born ready for this stunt!" The trenchcoat thing said with maximum confidence.

"You sure?"

"Why do always ask that? Just go go go gogogogogo!"

"Okay okay! Just make sure we don't drop each other. I'm still not convinced this a good idea…" The boss muttered. "Let's do the short version first."

"'K, P"

Pierrot jumped. A with two back and forwards they jumped. Gravity demands its Masked Clown and Masked Pilot(?) pancake, but it was denied. Pierrot's feet were tied to Vento's by rope. And the same of their wrists.

Vento's wind kept them airborne, using his coat's new wings as a hang glider. It was a neat sight from below, watching them go up and down. The crash was also neat to watch. "Safetynet! SAFETYNET!" "I'm trying, P! TRYI-" They hit the net.

"Ow! My back!"

"Sil!" Sig yelped, concerning the Sig outside.

"S-Sorry, P. I didn't to slam so hard into you."

"It's not your fault, Vent. Owowowow!"

"Did I break it?"

"Nooo… I think your mask's horn scraped my back-ck. Get me out of this net, lemme talk to Sig. Maybe bring me to my van."

"Okay. I also accidentally ripped your costume, by the way."

"I'll have Oshare fix it."

Sig walked up. "Lemme help."

Sil grinned, thanks to the pain and Sig being helpful. "Thanks. Vent?"

"Yeah, P."

"New plan. Clean up shop." "Aw man, guess I deserve that one. Pierrot and Sig sitting in a tree~ " Vento skipped off.

"That boy is hopeless… Fufufhuhahahaaayouch…" Silvana inappropriately laughed, not at Vento, well partially, but the pain. Pierrot threw her left arm over her buddy's shoulders. "Take me to bed, Sig." She Schezo'd in an innocent tone. "ImeanI'mhurt! And I wanna lie down."

"Gotcha, Sil."

"Siiiiiii-hiiiiiiig~" She jokingly fake punched her best friend. "Yowch. What did tell you? I have trouble staying in character you call me Sil in my business suit."

"Sorry. Pierrot."

"Whatever, my day is done…" Silvana sighed.

Once outside Sig asked for assistance. "Help, she's hurt."

"Of course." DupliSig replied without hesitation.

"Huh?" Sig was next was to the left of her… But she heard Sig to her right too. She turned her head as DupliSig put her right arm over his shoulder.

"Two Sigs?" It was a light underreaction, not worthy of the Primp's Space-y Boy himself, or themselves(?). But a good attempt.

"Uh…/Oops…"

"Do I have a hole in my back?" She tried to look at her backside.

"Wha?"

"Did Vento's mask horn stab me in the back? And these are my dying visions?"

"It looks fine."
"It tore your clothes."
"I can see your back."
"It's just a harmless long, thin scratch."

"Good, that explains why I'm feeling cold. Good to know it just shredded through my clown suit, my jacket and, my polo straight to my back. Glad it's not me slowly becoming numb…" Sil was relieved to know that at least. But something didn't add up. She hoped her senses deceived her.

"Are you sure that I'm not hallucinating? I do feel a bit dizzy. Have I cracked?"

"Whaddya mean by that?"

"I mean, what if I repressed my Doppelgangeryness this much that I'm hallucinating two of you so I don't have to face my grim reality?"

"I don't follow."

"Me neither, but it doesn't seem very nice to think about."

"Is it something we should worry about?"

"No, not as far, as I know, I should stop saying my fears out loud."

'Well, my third option is that I'm lovesick… Like lovey-dovey lovesick, like Rulue.' Sil shuddered, the Sigs brushed it up as her being cold. 'Not gonna happen anytime soon. Still, it can't be two Sigs, right? Did my mask blur my sight and echo?' "Just bring me home."

*Home*

The duo threw their friend on her bed next to Arms. She threw her mask aside and got under her covers. "Thanks Sig…s?"

"It was nothing." The stereo replied.

"Oh no. Don't tell me, that there are really two of you?"

"Yep." Sil put her palms up to her eyes. "Uh-huh."

"SIG!" Silvana bursted with concern. Making the Sigs winch a bit. "DO REALIZE THE DANGER YOU'VE BROUGHT ON YOURSELF!? I KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT THE SMAR!… You're… How do I put this gently?…"

"?"
"?"

"Okay let's make it short: WHY!?"

"We were confused at the lessons."
"They didn't seem to match up with how you are."

"Siiiiiig. No offense Doppelganger Sig, but-"

"Gis."

"'Scuse me?"

"Call me Gis."

"Eeeeeeh?…"

"After the Giselle Beetle." Gis smiled like a dope.

Sil's mind froze. 'How could this? But does that? Is it his? Does that mean?' "You're a Doppelganger and you've already accepted your place?"

"Guess so?" Gis confirmed.

"And just saying that doesn't make overwhelmingly and irrationally jealous?"

"Guess so?"

"No even a little bit? No need to laugh evilly, thinking about how you're gonna replace him?"

"No."

"We had fun catching bugs together."

"And you guys get along too? How do you- Owowow. Headache."

"Sorry, Sil."
"Are you mad?"

"A little! Any idea how jealous I am. I feel so sad…"

"Sorry/Sorry."

"Don't be. I just…" Sil choked. She took that time to reconsider what to say. "Gis?"

"Yeah, Sil?"

"I want you to stay with me until we know for sure you're harmless. But even then, after that rough lecture Akuma gave… Why did you this again?"

"We also wanted to give you another Doppelganger to talk to."

"That's very thoughtful of you two. But it'll turn sour once one of you is gone." She clutched Arms.

"We're prepared for it."

"Aaah! I've heard enough! Gis… Feels weird calling you that. You can live with me until we know he's safe or maybe even after that. I've met some late bloomers before. They're kinda rare."

"Okay. We were gonna ask if I could stay here anyway."

"I'm off to bed. Later, Sil. Take care, Gis."

"Take care of yourself, if I come after you."

Sil kept looking at Gis. His existence felt wrong to her. And if she was feeling this inherently bigoted towards him, who knows how he'll fare with the rest? Not to mention she feels a bit unsafe herself. 'This is how people feel about Doppelganger Arle, don't they?'

She should give him a chance, at the moment he's still that dopey kind-hearted, spacey, bug-loving, weird armed kid who wouldn't hurt a fly or anyone not named Sig at heart.

He's just another one of him. She isn't for this in the slightest. But it be a shame if he gave in… Like every other Doppelganger she knew…

"Um… You can sleep on my bed if you like…" Silvana would've blushed if it was the real Sig. Okay, no fooling anyone, she's blushing. But it felt wrong because Gis is not the real Sig. Even if Sig and Sil weren't a couple in any sense. Awkward and wrong.

Still. It be beneficial to have him near the dreamcatcher that keeps Sil calm at night.

"Is it okay to lie on your couch?"

"You, Amitie, Vento, Hohow and Mr. Amitie's Dad absolutely adore that couch, and I don't get."

"Please? It's so comfy." Gis pleaded.

"Okay, okaaay. Here's a blanket. Be careful when going outside, it's best to that no one knows you exist for now. Your arm may look like it's normal to you. But it's actually one the opposite side. Anyone's probably on edge about you right now."

"I figured already. So I can't do anything for a while?"

"'Fraid not." Sil sympathetically replied. "I'll see what I can do for you. Because you might need a new identity… This is too heavy. Let's just go to sleep."

"'Kay…" Gis went to the Valhalla that is Silvana's couch.

"Wait! I remembered something I wanted to ask."
"What's up?"
"How did you get your hands on an Amethyst Pearl? You didn't break into the museum, did you?"
"No, in the crypt a big shadow thing that kinda looks like my uncle Stan or Popoi gave me it, and then it threatened my life I told anybody."
"Sig! He better not have all hearing ears."
"I figured that since I'm Gis, that I'm good saying it. Good night."
"Good night, Si- Gis." 'Tonight better be the best sleep I've ever had. I've had more than enough shocks for forever.'

Sil looked up at her dreamcatcher. 'Guess I'll hafta buy another one. But let's see how he sleeps without a dreamcatcher first.'

*The Next Morning, Later…*

Sneaking past the still sleeping Gis in the living to the Caravan's kitchen to prepare breakfast, it was hard not to notice her new kin rolling around in his sleep. It was surprising he wasn't on the floor like his blanket is.

"Breakfast's ready, Gis." No reaction. Sil shook him awake lightly to no avail. "Still dead asleep, huh?" She shook him harder. "Gis! Wake up, Gis!"

"Hrmmrgmgh. Who's Gis?"

"You are. Remember? You were duplicated yesterday."

"Oh yeah. Now, I remember…" He rubbed his eyes.

Sil detected sadness in his voice. Can't blame him. "You just have to remember who you are every morning. You'll get used to it. Or is it remembering who you're not… I never think about this stuff out loud."

"I'll remember who I'm not next time."

"I didn't think of you as a glass half empty kinda guy. Here." Sil handed the breakfast over.

"Ah, thanks. It feels wrong thinking of the other way, with two of me walking about."

"I envy you."

"Why?"

"Oops, didn't mean to say that out loud! Just enjoy your eggs."

"Okay." Gis seemed to enjoy it.

'That distraction was way too easy… Or is he? Hmm…'

"Sorry for this rhetorical question, but did you sleep well?" Sil did not take any pleasure in asking that. But it had to be known. "I didn't." … "Any, dreams?" "Just some flashbacks and new dreams playing Puyo-ing. Ammy was there, Wuffine was- I mean Raffine was there." "Pfffrtt. Wuffine. Gotta remember that one." Sil laughed, the more ammo against her the better, Gis didn't laugh with her. "She doesn't like it, so I stopped calling her that." "But seriously I have a remedy for those dreams." The circus boss held the boy's hand. "Otherwise they will drive you crazy and occasionally bend the truth."

"Can I have that remedy?"

"Sure. But you have to sleep on my bed…" Sil blushed again.

"I don't have any other dreamcatchers."

"But can find one, please?"

"Are you sure? They're pretty rare. It's a better option if we share my bed."

"But this couch is so comfy~"

Sil rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll try to find one for you. But listen up! Lemme know if the dreams become too much and I can't find it. We have to share my bed. I feel so icky for saying that. Got it?"

"Yeah. I'll shower when it comes to that."

"That's not what I meant Gis."

"I know."

Two weeks passed… Silvana couldn't find a second dreamcatcher, Gis never let her catch on that his dreams got worse. He accidentally got himself exposed despite the disguise Sil cobbled together, all who he thought were his friends hated him.

He snapped the very next day. He got Sig committed to the hospital and felt nothing about it, no remorse, no sympathy, no empathy, it was all gone. Sig felt betrayed by a friend. Half of the school worked together to subdue him. Despite the unfair numbers against him, it wasn't easy. The majority still won by a landslide, but it was emotionally draining.

Sil got a lot scolding for housing Gis, knowing what he is. It made her feel super welcome herself.

Nobody had the guts to make a corpse out of the unconscious body. But Klug, being the smarty he is, had a solution. But he instructed everybody to leave.

The next time they saw Gis he had his hair different wore glasses, wore a nifty cloak, had two red eyes now had a subtle red tint about him. It was strange. Gis looked a lot more attentive than he usually did. He had a big grin on his face. Even if his blue spirit didn't look so pleased.

"King Stanley Hihat Trinidad I has returned to his body at last. Now to get used to reading backwards."

Author's Notes:

I'm glad to know that I was right about picking Copy Amitie to make the canon chapter long in advance.

I was under the impression that Gazelle was spelled Giselle. OOPS! It would've made sense in a deleted if it was spelled Giselle.

Some subbed 20th anniversary cutscenes were uploaded. So my grasp on the characters should be higher. Also some small changes like Ami now is Ammy, unless written down on paper or something.

Please allow to indulge in writing some non-canon scenarios, drama or comedy. Afterwards the tone of the story goes back to how it was before Chapter 14. And trust me, I'll finish the next one.

Even though he's named after the very real Giselle Beetle (have fun looking it up), Gis is pronounced with a Guh, not with a Juh. But not like quite like Gus.

Rejected name: CounterSig

Also celebrate! I got an Archive of Our Own account now. And this story is already ported over. So feel free to read it there if you prefer. I won't stop posting to this site. Don't worry. Sorry for a truly half-hearted chapter.

Ao3: Also celebrate! The first new chapter to be released on Archive of Our Own! Feel free to share the story if you like. Sorry for a truly half-hearted chapter for the first new new.

I got one question for you. Again I prefer it if you answer it if you were gonna review it anyways. If you weren't but still wanna answer it PM me: Until now I've done my best to tell the nature of doppelgangers (most of which I made up) mostly through implication in the past. Not always directly telling you how they work. Not counting Gis' immediate acceptance at first, 'cus he's special, did I paint a clear picture of how they function?

Maybe I should've written Gis as an instantly evil doppelganger?

Next up: Another retelling…