[b]Sunday 26th April 2015: Time Unknown [/b] [b]Leiko Hamada: [URL=https://youtu.be/P2laobokEA0] Enchanted Woodlands [/URL] [/b] [b]"Are you quite done snivelling, little girl?"[/b] The forest creature sneered, watching Leiko's quivering form with a note of disgust. [b]"Come on now, there's no need to cry. I thought you were supposed to be stronger than that."[/b] [Color=yellow]"H-How..."[/color]The whole situation beggared belief. Everything about that...[i]thing[/i] before her mirrored her own features, from her facial expressions to the subtle tones in her voice. And yet there was something so [i]wrong[/i] with her that it made Leiko sick merely to look at her. Her cold, yellow-gold eyes, the cynical smile that pressed her full lips... This was some kind of cruel joke, it had to be. There was no other way, the very thought of considering her as anything but an impersonator was insane. And yet... [Color=yellow]"What...do you want?"[/color] Leiko managed to muster all her confidence into that one sentence, her eyes looking up to meet the imposter's unwillingly. [Color=yellow]"Who put you up to this? Was it them? The cult?"[/color] Just the thought of her kidnappers made her blood boil. [Color=yellow]"If it is, I swear..."[/color] [b]"Ooh, the big bad men must be so scared of brave little Leiko!"[/b] The creature suddenly broke into a peal of laughter, causing Leiko to gape her mouth open like a fish. [b]"Surely you must be kidding? What good are you on your own? You can't survive a day by yourself, let alone take them on. Face the truth, little girl."[/b] [Color=yellow]"How...how dare you!"[/color] Leiko cried, her face twisted in outrage as something within her started to break. [Color=yellow]"You don't even know me!"[/color] "[b]Oh heavens me, aren't we listening? You [i]are[/i] me."[/b] The faerie-like being gave a condescending tut and a waggle of her finger. [b]" I know everything that goes through that vapid head of yours. The fantasies you dream, the people you care about, your [i]true[/i] passion..."[/b] [Color=yellow]"W-What? Shut up! Shut [i]up!"[/i][/color] Leiko screamed, shaking her head as she tried to disentangle herself from the venomous words that crept into her mind. [b]"Oh my, stop being so dramatic!"[/b] The other Leiko grinned, a theatrical gasp quickly following suit as Rui and the others finally arrived on the scene. [b]"Oh look! We finally have an audience! Now this can be called a [i]true[/i] performance!"[/b] [color=slategray]"It's okay Leiko we're here..."[/color] [Color=yellow]"Shinichi...?"[/color] Leiko peered out through her fingers as Rui, Noboru and an unfamiliar boy arrived before them, relief and terror flooding through her every being. [Color=yellow]"Wait, don't-"[/color] [b]"So nice to see you accepted our invitation, boys!"[/b] Other Leiko turned her head and beamed before them. [b]"And we were just starting the performance too!"[/b] With a wink, the forest dweller turned back to focus on the cowering Leiko. [b]"We always loved a good standing ovation. All that praise and attention we [i]craved.."[/i][/b] [Color=yellow]"N-No..."[/color] [b]"After that first taste of appreciation, popularity...we needed more. We needed to [i]control[/i] the people that cared about us. If we held all the power, then they would always need us..."[/b] The other Leiko started to frown. [B]"Of course, putting on airs was part of the role. And oh, how much of a [i]chore[/i] it feels sometimes. Like that silly girl that always follows us around. She's like a fly we can't squash."[/b] Surely, she didn't mean...[color=yellow]"She's my best friend! Don't talk about her like that!"[/color] Leiko trembled, her eyes flitting nervously at Rui and the other and then back to her imposter. She couldn't just let her spout these poisonous lies... [B]Oh my...was that genuine pain I heard just now? Oooh, see, that's why we're the greatest actress in Warakuma!" [/b] The second Leiko applauded raucously. [b]"Such an elaborate fantasy... a loyal to the end best friend, a doting fiancé, crowds of appreciative fans..."[/b] She sighed dreamily. [B]"It's like the perfect fantasy made reality, don't you think? It's all we ever wanted...without them, we're nothing..."[/b] She made Leiko sound so weak, so [i]needy[/i] that it made her stomach churn. She was more than that. She was the President, the most popular girl in school, she didn't [i]need[/i] fantasies... [B]"It's the perfect scenario right now, isn't it? Strong, brave males coming to rescue you from deep in the woods..."[/b], Other Leiko sighed loftily, glancing over at the others. [B]" Drama, suspense, that thrill of being saved...It's just like a fairytale. But now we get to actually live in one..."[/b] Her nails slowly raked against the bark of a nearby tree wistfully. [B]"But I don't want to pretend any longer. Were the world mine, I would make them all grovel before me, like the rest. They wouldn't be able to [I]breathe[/I] without my existence..." [/b] [Color=yellow]"No!"[/color] Leiko yelled, her thoughts in pieces as she crumpled to her knees. [Color=yellow]"Stop it! Stop lying!"[/color] [B]"You're the one lying to yourself, Leiko!"[/b] The other Leiko's voice started to crackle in anger. [B]"Why are you still pretending? Wake up and take responsibility for once! You're a weak, selfish, insecure little girl who craves to be acknowledged. It's pathetic."[/b] Her head tilted to the side in a condescending manner. [B]"But that makes two of us, I suppose. I mean, after all you [I]are[/I] me.[/b]" [Color=yellow]"NO!"[/color] Leiko was lost to all thought and reason, her insecurities dragged out to the fore as a vicious wind started to bluster through the dead, barren trees that encircled them. [Color=yellow]"You're wrong! Everything you're saying is a lie! You...are not me!"[/color] A strange glint appeared in the eyes of her doppelganger, and not long after, Leiko felt her arms and legs bind together with thick, ropey vines that ensnared her body and pulled her away from the others. Totally bound, the high school girl watched helplessly at what would unfold next.