Doppelganger Dilemma (4)

Now I get it. Neither he nor I. There was no fake anywhere. He's the same but different 'real' as me.

While I was trapped in the tower for 10 years, betting my life in fights. He too, over the 5 years the league ran, stood at the peak against countless gamers, battling all kinds of pressure.

The showdown between the one who lost the name Mixer, and the one who elevated the name Mixer. Their fight won't end after hundreds or thousands of sleepless nights. They never wanted it to end in the first place. Both are humans too strong, left alone, desperately seeking friends to play with.

But still. Right and wrong in thinking must be clearly decided. Unless it's a fair fight in completely equal conditions, this match means nothing—I'll stick to that conviction to the end.

My heart races. My body heats up. Even the lingering shoulder pain fades away.

I slam two keyboard keys down hard enough to break them. I'll do it my way. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I absolutely won't accept this match.

#

"...This isn't the recording of set 3 playing right now, is it?"

A roundhouse kick and uppercut cross paths. Exactly 45 seconds prior. The scene was identical to right after set 3 began.

Ren launches into the sky and crashes to the ground, while Replican clutches his stomach and topples forward. And the remaining 10 seconds. No movement between them at all.

"No, they both froze, so I thought they were fighting again. Is this... a relief at least...?"

It was an inspiring set 3 where the flow had shifted dramatically. But Ppase, who had to commentate, was lost in confusion. He couldn't understand why they repeated their actions from the start of the set at the end.

But he couldn't stop talking. He had a duty to spice up the match.

"Anyway, this is bad. At this rate, Renmom hyung's gonna lose?"

Ppase tossed out words after quickly checking the chat vibe. They'd barely scraped a win by a sliver of health, but everyone was hyped, calling it the start of a 2:3 comeback Mixernario.

"But hey? Don't think it'll end that easy. How the hell does it make sense that the character you all trash as trash pushed it to 2:0?"

"Yeah. You brats. See? Mixer hyung doesn't drag out scouting that long unless he acknowledges them. What'd I say? Renmom's 100% King-tier."

His hypotheses, repeated ad nauseam, were proving spot-on, so viewers were starting to buy in.

"These fuckers would send bomb packages home if predictions were wrong?"

"Anyway, focus. Set 4. This set decides the game's fate."

If it followed Mixernario, Mixer wins here, takes set 5, ends 2:3. If Renmom goes all-in, maybe 3:1 historic win over Mixer in set 4.

"Set 4 starts! They've sorted their thoughts, so naturally early game probing and movement priority—."

They held back in sets 1 and 2, and set 3 had a sudden halt. So set 4 would be cautious early tension, no one committing. Everyone thought so.

No.

"What the fuuuuuck!!"

Ren uses Siege Chase, the 17-frame mid kick. Replican uses Comet Upper, the 14-frame aerial combo starter.

Again. They use them again.

"These crazy people for real!"

Ren gets caught by the fist and floats into the sky. Replican gets tripped by the foot and flies far away.

"What the hell are they doing? Fighting with ki in Tuhon or what?!"

Both characters rise, charge at each other madly, stop just as distance closes, then reset stances.

They stop. Then at 50 seconds, like they promised, they see the counter and use the same moves again.

"Hey. Hey. Hey. Calm down, guys."

At 40s. At 30s. At 20s. No changes in action. Charge, face off and stop, then same moves again.

"...Wait. I just realized what this is."

With 10 seconds left in their final clash. Ppase finally got what they were saying.

"No way Renmom hyung's pissed off...? Protesting by refusing anything else. Ping difference at start, wanted restart, but Mixer hyung didn't allow it."

"But Mixer hyung too... Knew Renmom would do this, so he's sticking to same moves. Game can't progress like this. The issue is..."

Ppase fired up Paint, ignoring the screen. Explained frame and ping differences. Why stick to Comet Upper and Siege Chase. Finally, Siege Chase does 21 damage. Comet Upper 17 but +5 fall damage from height. So repeating same actions, Mixer inevitably wins.

"Renmom's throwing it on purpose... Saying wins like this mean nothing."

"These crazy people. No way they'll pull this shit in set 5 too?"

"Ah. Argh. No, but! Can't contact either right now! Fuck. What do I do? Wow! Wow!"

Laughter at flailing Ppase cut short.

Mixer and Renmom launch the same moves again, blasting each other. An inexplicable massive explosion in every viewer's heart.

Confrontation. This is the tremor from fists of perfectly matching nature colliding. Opposites clashing—you're right, no I'm right—refusing to yield until convictions are upheld, fists locked and pushing.

"Fuuuuuuck noooo! Please stop already!"

No matter how Ppase begs. Mixer and Renmom repeat the same.

Identical grunts at 50s, 40s, 30s, 20s.

"You really gonna end it like this? Renmom hyung really throwing? Then you'll have to change your nick!!"

50 seconds pass. Just as everyone thinks the game ends like this.

"...Ah!"

Ren varies her movement. Light step in place, then neutral. Does nothing.

".........For real."

Mixer does the same.

"I can't Tuhon with these people. Not human."

Replican doesn't fire Comet Upper. Just sits, looking up at Ren.

"Renmom hyung thought Mixer would definitely Comet Upper at end, so baited to take hit and lose!"

"But? Mixer also wants to lose, sat down on purpose. Mid can't guard, empty leg sends flying. Health reverses, Renmom wins."

"So. Fuck... Both trying to lose is weird but anyway..."

"They're both refusing to accept this game. Fuck, they just flipped the chessboard!"

"Why? How should I know? Winning ain't the goal!! Damn humans!!"

The game ends. Result says Mixer wins. But no one watching could definitively call winner or loser.

Even childish chat spat continues. Ppase can't intervene. Between world #1 he trusts and his solid business partner. Butt in wrong, beef with both.

Mixer, who lit the arena with him, leaves—fire dies down a bit, but.

Flames engulf Ppase fully.

"Uh. Uh... Um. Well... you know."