FCGS - Doppelganger Arc - Chapter 9

Syaoran, Tadakono and Phenomenon awoke in a dark room filled with light from hundreds of fireflies. The room appeared to stretch on forever in every direction.

"So you're woken up?" a soft almost alluring disembodied voice sounded through the room. "Welcome to the labyrinth of Yggdrasil. You'll learn the price for entering Velvet Touch of Enishi headquarters with a cat and disrupting our precious plans."

"Jemini!" Syaoran roared in anger. "Let us out of here!" He stared up towards the light covered ceiling. Phenomenon helped Tadakono up and the three stood staring at each other waiting for her reply. Only silence filled the room and the three wondered what they were going to do.

~~~

"Where are we going Syao?" illusions asked. Minna and brighteyes looked worriedly at each other. Syaoran's behavior was different from normal. Syao's sense of direction was much more better than this. "Syao! Do you hear me?" Minna took illusions arm and the three stopped walking.

Syaoran turned around and looked wonderingly at the three. "Want to rest? Though we're almost there." Minna shook her head and looked at Syaoran's eyes again. She gave illusions and brighteyes a small pinch and blinked at both of them.

"You're not Syao are you?" brighteyes said angrily. Her jurs flashed in front of her. Syaoran smiled and a line appeared down his face revealing glowing blue skin. "What are you?" illusions and Minna prepared to fight .

"Me?" The line on Syaoran's face split, increasing in size until the image of Syaoran fell on either side of the creature within. Minna gasped in fright. Illusions and brighteyes shook slightly as they stood their ground. "I'm a doppelganger. Not your usual run-of-the-mill doppelganger either. If you defeat me, I'll tell you more." An evil smile played on the doppelganger's face.

~~~

A shining orb appeared suddenly in front of Syaoran, Tadakono and Phenomenon. "You can watch as your guild dies slowly. Member by member." the voice sounded through the room once more. The orb expanded into the shape of a mirror. A scream sounded from the mirror. The mirror's image slowly revealed brighteyes being thrown a great distance.

The three watched on as the scene unfolded in front of their eyes. Tadakono fell to his knees feeling helpless. Syaoran gripped his sword, his spirit within burned angrily. Phenomenon covered his eyes fearing the worst.

~~~

"Where are we going now?" Lack asked Blackrose. Mt Mjolnir grew closer and closer. Blackrose shook her head and set him down near a large sunflower. Screams could be heard from a distance. "What's going on?"

"Chibi," Blackrose said softly. "You'll need these." Chibi transformed back to her Creator self and took the pouch from Blackrose, almost dropping them on the ground. "Potions. You'll need them. And Yggdrasil leaves too." Turning to Lack, she added "Loki has declared war on the Gods and those who side with them. Because of your guild's victory over Contra, he's decided to wipe Fight Club off the face of the earth first. Myself, Balos and Shadow have been given permission by Forseti to search Yggdrasil for your members who were with you at Velvet Touch of Enishi. You need to help the three here then go back to Headquarters before those who are there are lost too."

Lack closed his eyes. "Right… Ready Chibs?" Chibi nodded and attached the pouch to her belt. "Anything else I need to know, Blackrose?"

"Don't under estimate you're enemy. They aren't who they appear to be." Blackrose said flapping her wings. "Over estimate their power. Fight on instinct not strategy." She flew off into the distance.

Lack grabbed Chibi's arm. "Get ready to fly." Chibi shrieked as Lack snapped towards the screams. Chibi's eyes darkened. In her mind's eye, she saw Lack walking alone through an island. Silence was heavy in the air. Something steps out of the shadows and brandishes its sword at him. Coming to her senses, she could feel his aura changing. "I'm going to be a Stalker for this. I need you to revive and heal whoever is there and tell them to fight by instinct, and fall back to you before they die. I want you to take the stance of a priest in this battle."

"Lack," Chibi said her voice shaking. "Why don't you let me fight?" Lack looked back at her. "Is it because I am a Creator? Or some other reason?"

"Because you're at you're strongest as support." Lack replied suddenly stopping. Light surrounded him and his clothing changed to Stalker-class. "And because you're not physically strong enough yet. I like when you're supporting me and the other in the guildsmen like it also. You're stronger than a priest in some ways."

"Sorry...," Chibi replied softly. "I didn't mean…" Lack ruffled her hair.

"Ready to go?" Lack said with a smile. "I won't go easy on you if you die." Chibi smiled back and nodded.

~~~

"There's no way they can win against that!" Syaoran cried punching the ground hard. "Not even Lack would have enough strength to defeat it." Tadakono watched in horror as brighteyes fell into a crumpled heap.

"There's nothing we can do," Tadakono said, his voice shaking. Tears came to his eyes and he shook all over. "Why is this happening? Why!" A feral roar sounded though the mirror. Phenomenon uncovered his eyes.

"What was that?" Phenomenon asked, his hands shaking. His shaking turned into surprise as a dark figure jumped into view landing in front of the doppelganger. A blue figure separated from the dark figure in mid-flight and landed near brighteyes. "It's Lack!"

"And Chibi!" Syaoran cried. "They'll be alright now won't they?" Syaoran turned to face Phenomenon and Tadakono. "They'll be alright… Won't they?"

~~~

"Lack," Minna breathed heavily. "Thank god!" She fell backwards into a crumpled heap. Illusions gratefully sat down hard, her heart pounding in her chest from over exertion. Lack looked at the two quickly, then at Chibi and brighteyes before launching an attack on the doppelganger.

"Chi… bi…" brighteyes murmured slightly mesmerized by the white light coming from what Chibi was holding. "What… are… you… doing?"

"Don't talk," Chibi said quickly. She shut her eyes and murmured to herself. "Under the light of Yggdrasil, restore this soldier's strength and life. Link this person's life thread with mine and we shall walk the path of this battle together." White light surrounded brighteyes restoring her life power. Brighteyes sat up and looked at Chibi in surprise. "That was a fabled Yggdrasil leaf and I've made it so I can see your life thread. I'll explain where I got it later. Lack said to fight by instinct and I will pitch you a potion if your life goes into the red." brighteyes nodded. "Go help Lack. I'll attend to illu and Minna."

"So the Leader of Fight Club shows himself at last," the Doppelganger hissed. "I knew you would come. Did your poor guild members summon you?" Lack didn't reply. He focused his power and cast Sightless Raid multiple times before disappearing into Chasewalk allowing brighteyes to leap in and Meteor Strike. "What's this!" The Doppelganger cried. "How are you able to move again?" Looking around, he saw Chibi with Minna. "The creator…" Lack leaped out and swiped at the Doppelganger with his twin blades. "Your second in command is here too…" The doppelganger darted away from brighteyes' Grimtooth and ran towards Chibi.

"Chibi!" Lack called out. Chibi looked up and cast a circle of flames around herself then an Alchemical coating on both Minna and herself. Minna changed to a Stalker and blocked the Doppelganger's attack. A loud cracking sounded, the sword and armor of the doppelganger fell to the ground in pieces. Minna leapt over the fire and swiped at the Doppelganger with her blades forcing it back. Chibi waited in the ring of fire to make sure the doppelganger wasn't going to come after her again before running over to illusions.

On her way, she brought out her embryo. "Grant me my homunculus for this battle!" Her Lif appeared and bowed to her. "Flyte I need you to monitor the life status of Lack, brighteyes and Minna. Keep out of the Doppelganger's way. I allow you to use your heal on them until I get there." The Lif nodded and flew off towards Lack. Chibi ran to illusions side, rummaging through the pouch for another Yggdrasil leaf.

Lack noticed a spiral of white light encircle him spinning from his feet to his head and then disappear. Glancing around quickly, he saw Chibi's Lif floating nearby. Good thinking Chibi. He slashed quickly at the Doppelganger and jumped backwards as brighteyes Meteor Striked. It doesn't look like it's dying even after it's lost it's armor. In the corner of his eye, he saw Chibi and illusions running towards the Doppelganger. What Is Chibi doing? Getting that close could kill her.

Illusions leapt and brought her jurs down hard onto the doppelganger forcing it down onto it's knees. "Now Chibs!" Chibi drew her sword and smashed the blue gem on it's forehead. The doppelganger screamed and threw illusions at brighteyes sending them both flying. Chibi jumped backwards and landed in a crouching position near Lack.

"Are you insane?" he asked. "You could of gotten killed!" Chibi looked up innocently and flicked a blue potion at him.

"Not insane," she replied standing up. "I just realized this Doppelganger's weakness. This Doppelganger was created with an Yggdrasil Berry. The blue gems on his body connect him to his creator. It's just like the blue ribbon my Lif wears connects it to me. As long as the gems are there, it won't die."

"I see," Lack replied watching Minna, brighteyes and illusions swiping at the blue gems. "But why so many?"

"Blue gems are used by Mage classes for spells correct? Acolyte classes use them too." Lack nodded. "The person who created this Doppelganger wanted it to be strong against those classes. Thus, using blue gems makes it immune to the spells used by blue gems. The number of blue gems relates to what number Doppelganger this is. Since it has three, it means there are two others somewhere else. That's probably what Blackrose meant. The two others must be in Headquarters."

"Then let's defeat this one and get there," Lack roared and ran towards the Doppelganger. "Chibi… Don't scare me like that again."