Alternate Alternate Alternate 17
What if: Lidelle found the mirror first and somehow made it past the scary beast in the crypt…
"How c-come it doesn't work right now? It's standing in front of me, so shouldn't there be a cuh-cuh-creepy cuh-clone of me?"
"Because, Lidelle." Mister Know-It-All answered before Akuma could. "It needs energy from Amethyst Pearls to function, it fuels it. Mr. Akuma said it was safe, didn't he? He must've drained it of its power."
Akuma tried to correct Klug. "It was already drained, I can't drain Amethyst Pear-"
"Amethyst Pearl? I-Isn't this a pearl like that?" Lidelle pulled the shadow beast's treasure, it was directly in the mirror's light.
Silvana, without missing a beat, jumped at Lidelle to cover her up. "Lidelle!"
"Huh?" Lidelle looked at Silvana missed her, falling flat on her face. As did her clone that just emerged from the mirror. Akuma wasted no time lifting up the barely conscious new demon with magic.
Sil after readjusted her mask she stood beside the Teddy Bear Curator. Looking on. Feeling a bit relieved that this Doppelganger will get her death as she deserved. 'Shame it has to be poor Lidelle. But it's better this way.' She took it the best.
"LIDDY!" Amitie threw over her table to protect her friend. Both of them. The others got in front their Lidelle too.
"I-I'm sorry, everyone."
"Don't feel sorry, Liddy." Amitie tried to calm her down.
"Amitie would've done the same thing." Klug got a nasty glare from Amitie for saying what Raffine was thinking.
"Silvana." Akuma addressed to clown in an authoritative tone. "A spell. Quick and deadly."
"D-Deadly?"
"D-Deadly!?"
"D-Deadly!?"
"Dead…ly?"
Lidelle, Amitie, Klug and the slowly awakening Lidelle Clone said. Raffine's eyes widened. Sil did not like the faces she got. She charged the spell anyway.
"NOOO!" Amitie could not take it. She jumped and kidnapped the Lidelle Clone away.
"Ammy?" Lidelle was confused, didn't know what to think and felt a bit heartbroken.
"After them!" Akuma shouted.
"Lidelle, come with me." Silvana demanded. "I'll keep you safe."
Lidelle's mind stopped being cloudy. All her senses she started working to question things.
"Ammy?"
"Oh, you're awake."
"What's happening? Aren't we supposed to be at school?"
"Tell ya later… I gotta outrun them!"
"Come back here, you idiot!" Raffine yelled, still chasing them while the other's couldn't keep up. Being the only one, besides Silvana, maybe, who has more stamina to outlast Amitie.
"Why's everything looking so funny?"
"I'll tell ya when I outrun Raffine. Just a li-"
Raffine tackled them into the ground. She angrily grabbed the two by the collar. "Are you proud of yourself, Amitie! You helped a doppelganger live. And now Lidelle's has an evil clone."
"I-I made a doppelganger?" Lidelle mind rushed back to the pearl she was holding. She checked herself for pearls. It wasn't on her.
"Pah! You did nothing. You ARE the Doppelganger!"
"D-Do I have to live with you, Miss Silvana?" The real Lidelle asked the jester as she safely stored Lidelle's pearl away. "Maybe she's just misunderstood and lost."
Silvana groaned as she as she locked her pearl chest. "No, Lidelle. Your innocent nature… Ventonotwithstanding… Urmgah… If she's not already there, will eventually be intent on killing you."
"Eep! Why? Why would someone create something like that? My copy must feel so scared. Ammy must've taken away for some reason."
"There's nothing we can do about it… It's best you stay here until we get this all sorted out." She told eyehole to eye, as serious as she's ever been. "My home's yours until then. Close all the curtains. Don't look outside, her Vento can still arrive. Don't go searching my office and study room. Stay here if she's not been stopped until then. Understood?"
"B-But Vento really wanted to perform…"
'You're seriously still convinced you two are separate, huh.' "To hell with your routine. Your mask is at home. Don't leave the caravan!"
Lidelle found herself quivering at Silvana's screaming. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have done that! It's all my fault, I-I can't do anything right."
The harlequin decided she needed to play the adult. She wrapped her arms around the imp. "Look, I dealt with Doppelgangers before. The emotions involved are never easy. Trust me, it's better to just kill your Doppelganger." Sil choked up.
"Poor thing. You sure? There's no way to rehabilitate… I guess habilitate(?) her in this case? Make her life as her own person instead?"
"Y-Yeah. Bu-But I don't recommend this… It hurts. Here's a key, it unlocks a bedroom with the same symbol on it. You get paid leave. Here's a feather duster. There's food in the fridge. Don't touch the leftover Chinese or the cheesecake. I'll make sure she won't replace you. See ya."
Lidelle was left alone in this overwhelmingly big caravan. With someone, herself, who wants to kill her. It's scary. Silvana's words of being safe did not help her calm down.
'Stop being useless.'
'But Sil's-'
'No, Lid, we gotta stop our phonies.'
'Not sure I agree, Vento… You know awful I am at Puyo Puyo.'
'Speak for yourself, L.'
'How about we put our heads together. Maybe we can think of something.'
'I don't wanna die. If only I wasn't a part of you…'
"Stop being foolish! KUMA!"
"Not gonna moving." Amitie said stretched out backed into a corner of the class, protecting the scared doppelganger. She's held it out for a while. All the while the mirror was shaking for the death she's about to get.
"I'M BACK!" Silvana panted, running from her home to school.
Everyone but the other doppelganger gave their own flavor of hello.
"Before you ask…" *Catches breath* "Lidelle's safe."
"N-No I'm not!"
"I keep telling you, fake Liddy. You're not Liddy."
"No, I'm under a spell that makes everything look mirrored!"
"Don't cry, fake Liddy. I'll try to make everything right."
This riled up Silvana up. Amite played a really good meat shield for the copied imp.
"Are you out of yo-!"
"Mr. Akuma, may I?" Silvana asked nicely. Akuma sensing her emotions granted her permission. "Thanks." She brushed away the classmates. So she has plenty of room to confront Amitie eye-to-eye.
"Are you out of your mind!" Amitie saw the shouting coming a mile away and did nothing to prepare. "Amitie! You are an idiot! You put Lidelle in great danger and you are protecting said danger by the way. Protecting her will only make made a confused homicidal soul, it's burned deep in her head to replace her by the way!"
The class looked on how passionately angry she is.
"Gimme. If we let her live we'll either doom this one, and we suffer some uncomfortable memories of this! OOOOOORR the real one! Ya hear that, Doppelganger?"
Doppelganger Lidelle's blue eyes became glassier. Silvana continued. "If we let her carry out her purpose it will be permanently awkward interacting with her. Put aside she's not Lidelle. She killed somebody! She'll crave everyone's affection here, which she won't get."
Amitie started shaking. Perhaps realizing the pickle she caused.
"Think it through, for once. Or AT LEAST HAVE LISTENED TO AKUMA!" Sil took. The thing she planned to say will drain her. "I was gonna apologize and make up to you for being an inconsiderate jerk, whether you threw that party for me or not. Whether I'm worthy to have one or not… But now I feel I should fire you from my circus, AT LEAST! AMITIE, YOU DON'T JOKE AROUND WITH DOPPELGANGERS! BECAUSE DOPPELGANGERS DON'T JOKE AROUND! THEY ARE SOULLESS KILLERS WITH THE ORIGINAL'S THOUGHTS ABSOLUTELY BEING MANGLED ON THE INSIDE! THEY WILL STOP AT NOTHING! NO SYMPATHY IS ALL THEY DESERVE! IT'S THE BEST KINDNESS THEY CAN HAVE! SO JUST BE KIND AND HAND HER OVER WILL YA, YOU DUMB DITZ!" Doppel folded her arms, closed her eyes and faced away.
"Sil…?" Sig muttered, slightly reaching out his arm.
Amitie and Doppelganger Lidelle felt like they've been stabbed several times over. They starting bawling. The former losing the will to stand fell on her knees, but still made the effort to embrace the evil copy and the copy hugged back.
"Okay, what's your damage, Amitie?" Klug asked in frustration. "Why do you protect her that much despite Mr. Akuma teachings and Silvana's rant?"
*Breathless* *Wheeze* "Y-You can't do this to Liddyyyyy! I can't stand the thought of her dying. I can't stand the thought of… Of… Weeeeeaaaaaah!" Amitie bawled harder. "Sh-She's the first friend I ever made…" Her breathing became erratic. "I still haven't made up for being terrible to her when I was young-houng-houngeeeeeeeer!"
Sil raised eyebrow. "How?" Everyone ignored her question.
"Pretty please? Isn't there a way she can live too?"
"Pl-Please listen to Miss Ammy. I'm sc-scared of… of…"
Sil groaned. Akuma floated to her. He escorted her out of the room, under the pretense of teaching Sil as spell.
"What do you think of this situation?"
"It's screwed up. From personal experience, I'm barely holding out myself and I have existed for a decade. I'd think she shouldn't live as her own person for everyone's sake."
"LIKEWISE!"
"Ehm. But like, like. I'd be a… No. Lidelle's safe with me."
"What are you insinuating, kumakuma?!"
"That we should keep a strong eye on her, keep them away from each other. And see how she acts living Lidelle's life. At least she'll get a day or to come to terms."
"Lidelle!? I'm home. Bad news and worse news. Pick."
Lidelle feared for her life. "Worse… Ne-?"
"You have Amitie to thank."
"Okaay? And the-the bad news?"
"We're testing the shark-infested waters."
"Meaning?"
"We're gonna try and make you two co-exist."
Lidelle did not find any comfort in Sil's unconvinced tone. Sil expanded upon it by giving Amitie's motivation.
"Miss Ammy… I don't deserve a friend if you do things like that for me. But you said…"
"Let's not talk about Doppelgangers, please. You'll be under my protection." Sil was prepared to expose her secret if needed to her.
"Vento and I thought of something that would let the most bodies live." The long-eared creature proposal was confused Sil for a sec. Then she looked at her like she's crazy.
"Explain."
She did. Sil didn't know what to say. In fact, she can't even comprehend it. "Miss Silvana?" She snapped her fingers a few times.
"Huh?"
"Will you please do it for me?"
"Ah… Uhhhm. Only if we first prove your theory right…"
"Alright… My copy has the mask. That Vento should come to work tomorrow."
"Okay, got it. Okay, I don't my head hurts thinking about it."
"Maybe you should lie down then.
"I'm fine, Lidelle. Worry about yourself."
…
"Say… What's your favorite food? I'll make anything you want and as much as you want tonight… You deserve it… You're brave." Sil choked on suppressed frustration.
"That would require me showing my face and just don't feel turning people to stone today, I'm sorry, Raffine."
"Hmph."
The two were bickering over something trivial. Don't care who provoked it, but it's usually Sil.
Akuma was still filling in as the teacher. He was waiting for the new student before he would let the other students work. "What is taking Amitie so long?" Akuma, checking exams, muttered loud enough for the students to hear and respond if they so wished.
…
Some noise outside in the hall tickled the student's ears. It was clearly Amitie's voice and the copy fighting not to go in.
The door finally opened. Amitie was carrying the doppelganger over her shoulder. She hid her face. She was wearing something different. Out of her mouth she mumbled a mantra everyone but Sil and Akuma recognize from kindergarten. She was put in front of the class.
"…"
"C'mon Elly. Introduce yourself." Amitie lightly nudged her.
"Uhm. Uh. E-eh-eh." Etc. Sig started doodling. Raffine made a to-do list. "I-I'm Lidel-"
*Elbow poke*
"Eee. D-Do I have to, Miss Ammy? I haven't seen a-any evidence I'm the copy."
*Elbow poke*
"EH. They know me, I know them. It's silly."
*Elbow poke*
"…'m Elledil…"
"A BIT LOUDER, KUMAMAMA!"
"Ee. Elledil! Elledil… It's my name backwards…"
Amitie patted Elledil on the back to comfort her. She did smile a little.
Sil looked the Doppelganger. It's clear she doesn't want this. At least she was more relatable than the old Lidelle was.
Amitie, Sig, and Raffine treated her no different. Klug was scared of Elledil. Elledil was scared of Silvana. Besides needing to help her read and some extra tension in the air, it was a normal day.
During break time Silvana walked up to Amitie and Elledil. "Hey, Elledil. I won't kill, like promised." 'Unless I have to.' Elledil kept quiet as she froze. "Do you have the mask?"
"Wh-What mask?" Elledil and Silvana ignored Amitie.
"I got it. B-But he's not gonna like this."
"I got you covered. I don't want you working for me with your eyesight being the way it is."
Sil's delivery is a bit cold. Annoyed she has to go through with this.
"Wait, Lidd- Elly works for you? Since when?"
"Pl-Please stop listening, Ammy."
"SHUT UP AM, OR I'LL FIRE YOU!"
"Eh, yes sir!" She ran over to Sig.
"I'm not in support of you living. But I'll do my best to protect you. But I do want your Vento mask, for the time being. Okay?"
Elledil gave her mask. "Good idea. I don't anybody to find out in the hospital."
"But I still want you to come to my caravan later today. Alright? I wanna make up to you." She lied.
"C-Can I bring Ammy?"
"You can…"
…
"Have you found yourself single minded at one point?
"Yeeeeees…?"
"Good to know."
*With the real Lidelle in Silvana's caravan*
"Are you sure you wanna go through with this, Lidelle?" Sil's mind is still bent from it all.
"Yes. I am sure, Miss Silvana. It's our best chance." Lidelle was never so sure of anything. The usually shy girl stood her ground.
"I… I… It's been nice knowing you. Sit down."
"Okay, Elledil. Sit down. I cooked up a spell to let you at but I want ya deep under okay?" Sil said nonchalantly one-handedly juggling two pocket watches.
Elledil nodded. A couple of minutes of trance has proven to rid her of worries before.
"Out the room, Amitie." Sil said in an exasperated manner. "Not because you annoy me." She rolled her eyes. "In order for this to work I need silence."
"Okay, can you hypnotize me sometime? I heard it's fun."
"…We'll discuss when you collect your salary."
Amitie bit her nails waiting. If whatever plan Sil had in mind didn't work it would decide if one or both of them live. Death scares her a lot. Both her worry was put on hold. Sil opening had her in anticipation.
"Ammy!" The just hypnotized girl hurtled for the unconditional support she had. *Sniff* "I had a terrible dream. Everyone told me I wasn't real."
"Huh?" Amitie looked up at Silvana, who made an aggressive "Zip it" motion. "Uh. It's all over, Liddy?"
"And that's not all." The harlequin said not theatrically at all. "Vento!"
"Yo." The other imp waved as he slid down the stairs.
Lidelle(?) gasped. "So me being you was a dream too…"
"Sure was." Vento retorted.
"I'm so pathetic… I wished to be someone else so bad, I thought I was someone else…"
"Hey, no. Don't cry, L. I'd be in the same shoes. Wanting to be me. Actually, you're a lot like me actually."
"R-Really? H-How so?"
"Pull off my mask."
Lidelle was hesitant. But Vento non-verbally encouraged her. Lidelle and Amitie had the shock of their lives.
Vento had Lidelle's face. But was way more confident, had a nice smirk and his hair down all. "Y-You're me."
"Nah, we just look alike, is all." Vento brushed off.
Both were happy to know someone of their own species now.
Silvana sighed at the sight. 'She replaced her anyway… Lid… Why did you have to sacrifice yourself? You had the perfect chance to keep being the real one. At least they're both alive? Oh, shoot. He's gonna become my classmate isn't he?'
She was tapped on the shoulder. "Sil. What just happened? Why does Vento have Lidelle's face?"
"I made that Lidelle think that being Vento was a dream, and Vento was always Lidelle, should've been obvious, Am." Sil whispered. "And made Vento the dominant personality in the other."
"Why?"
"Lidelle, always saw her personalities as separate people. This was her idea. It's her idea of coexisting and the sacrifice of two personalities."
"Sooo… Problem solved?"
"No, for their safety they're still gonna separate and keep a close eye them." 'Shoot. He's gonna become my housemate, isn't he?'
The two looked onward at the other two. Lidelle was infatuated her doppelgänger, and Vento's ego soaked it up.
Everyone at school knew what was going on, and they learned to live with it. Even if Vento caused some trouble during school. But considerably less so, since he goes maskless now outside of work.
The story the public were told Vento was Lidelle's long lost twin.
When Lemres came by he casted a mirrored sight spell. POOF! Just like that. That made them happy.
As time went on, Lidelle learned once again she couldn't relate too well to Vento to her chagrin. Vento did have a cowardly side, and liked the same foods she did. But that's about it. They basically acted like brother and sister, which helped to sell the lie.
The Doppelganger showed no signs of the nature that comes with being such besides the occasional personality defect. Sil was depressed she was not in those shoes.
On the positive side, Vento was no longer shared her home and didn't have to clean up after him.
"Wait a sec, Sil. Isn't Vento a girl too? I thought he's a boy. But he's… she's."
"Stop asking, Am. I don't care. Candy?"
Author's Notes:
I lied. One more retelling, but it's down the pipeline.
So I've been suffering from both stress build up in my jaw, and an infection in my wisdom tooth that's 2 weeks removed from being pulled… I'm taking it easy with writing if I do it at all.
Next thing I'm working on is another chapter of SFCtC, and then I'm gonna take a break from this story to narrow down my focus to "Amitie's Journey From off Top of her Head" and "Madou Monogatari: The Tricky Pirate Tower".
Next up: My stress levels have been building up and my stress has been hurting. So I'm gonna derail this story with an on the spot chapter planned chapter while being seamlessly integrated. I'm giving Sil my pain too is what I'm saying. It's better than it sounds. If maybe a bit questionable.
