Between Realities

Who- what- is she...?!

(M) Shadow Sabre/Dark Elite POV:

"Dopple!!" Gänger yelled, running to the non-Steve in green and kneeling at her side.

So Dopple saved me... I thought to myself. But- but why? I've never seen her before, and I definitely haven't done anything worthy of being protected. So then why? Why me? Why throw away your life- your safety- to protect a total stranger? And seriously, me of all people?

Gänger held Dopple's limp body in her arms, clearly trying to see if she was okay. Her expression paled more than it had been earlier, and she said something in a small, horrified voice. "...What... What did you do..."

Sabre seemed as shocked as the rest of us, which I quickly realized seemed strange. He's a monster- so why does he look so horrified by what he's done? He was ready to end me, so why be conflicted by ending someone else? None of his emotions made sense. But I suppose it was because I didn't truly understand him that well. Only M seemed to understand his conflictions, though it made me curious to why. After all, he didn't know Sabre very well either.

"I- I..." Sabre stammered, a strange nervousness to his voice.

Gänger's grief turned quickly to a fiery rage, and she screamed, "WHAT DID YOU DO?! HOW COULD YOU?! YOU- YOU KILLED HER!!!"

She stood up and glared Sabre down. I couldn't see her gaze, but I could tell that they had a bitter darkness to their look. And not the darkness I'm familiar with. This one was natural and unforced, a pure and enraged emotion with nothing added. And with that emotion came a surge of power from her. Gänger's appearance suddenly changed to someone I didn't recognize, but one I could tell was an enemy of the darkness. "She was innocent!! All she ever wanted was to help people!!"

I felt a tug on my sleeve, and I looked to find it was M. His gaze was unreadable, but I could tell what he wanted. We both quickly went to Dopple's side, hoping to not confirm what we'd feared. Our feeling of hope was quickly pierced, however. There was no pulse or breath coming from her. Dopple was gone. I felt an unusual pang of sadness in my heart as I looked at her limp body. This is your fault, after all, a voice inside me whispered. This happened because she protected you. A cold feeling of horror flooded through me. No! I- I can't control what she did! I argued with the voice. Excuses, excuses.

"And you didn't even give her a chance!! All you did was provoke her, hurt her, and now you've ended her!!" I heard Gänger yell, and I noticed that her appearance had changed once again. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that she flickered between many different people- only one of which I recognized.

"What- what are you...?" Sabre asked in a small voice. At this point, M and I had backed up from Dopple's body, and Sabre and Gänger were a few blocks away, one stepping back while the other closed in slowly.

"You're about to find out," she said with a voice so menacing that it'd sent chills down my spine. It felt deeper and more bitter than the Darkness itself. Almost like the oldest of all enemies.

And then there was a movement. One that made my heart jump in fear, confusion, and, maybe, just maybe, a little bit of relief and joy. A hand reached out to stop Gänger in her tracks, and it worked. Then the softest, most innocent of voices whispered, "Stop..."