There are many myths and stories in Mobius, both based on truth and others entirely fictional. But there is one interesting idea that has made for many a story: the idea of a reverse world, a world opposite our own, where that which is evil is considered good, and darkness overpowers the light. The two worlds are connected, but most of the time crossing between them is impossible, and even seeing into them is beyond most mortals.  

In this reverse world, it is said that all people have a twin that is similar in appearance, but wildly different in personality and conscience. Since the predominating force in this world is light and peace, thus this reverse world strives to make war and to cover all in darkness. It is thus the moral duty of every resident of the reverse world to break through the barrier and do their part to take over by hunting down and destroying their counterpart. And if either side is destroyed, the winner will absorb the loser’s essence, enhancing their abilities tenfold.

In this night, one such clash was about to take place.

-- --

Passing through the park in near total darkness was not exactly the best decision for Faux. Only the lampposts lit the path that ran parallel to the city lake. Faux, a gazelle Mobian in the midst of high school life, was not exactly in the best position to be out in the dark, alone.

Faux, like most gazelle Mobians, had very large ears with thick tufts of fur along the edge, and a pair of horns. Being female, hers were much shorter, and mostly decorative. On the back of her head were two yellow pigtails held by red scrunchies that bounced as she walked. Her forehead and scalp were adorned by a single, thick streak with four hemispherical growths. These growths were a typical sign of a gazelle Mobian coming of age. Her wide, innocent eyes were a vivid light green, and a short tail stuck out from her rear. Her body was colored like a beautiful summer sunset: dark brown, a darker and lighter orange, and yellow, though she had a white muzzle with two brown streaks just below her eyes.

Her outfit was eccentric to say the least. She wore a one-piece leotard striped like a peppermint candy cane or barbershop pole. It was held up by a white, red and black part sewn onto the garment. Her boots were also white, red and black, and had a tiny pair of wings on the heels. Underneath the garment would be her most striking feature: a pair of artificial knees that replaced her originals after an accident that destroyed them. These were mostly disguised by her knee-length boots.

As Faux walked by the lake, she paused and gazed at herself in the lake’s water, checking for any stains that might get her parents suspicious. She knew of the stories, the tales of the reverse world. But she viewed them as mere scary stories to frighten small children.

As she checked her face, she saw her reflection change for a split second, her colors inverting for the briefest of moments.  Faux shook her head, trying to shake off the illusion. She looked again, and everything was as it was supposed to be.

“Wow, I must have partied harder than I thought,” the gazelle thought out loud. “Oh well, it’s nothing a good night’s sleep can’t fix.” But as she looked a third time, she saw the changed reflection again. As she stared, baffled by this occurrence, she saw her reflection start to act on its own, and not as she did. It reached a black and dark purple gloved hand out, and amazingly, it stuck itself out of the water. Faux took a few steps back as the hand groped for something to hold. It found a secure rock on shore, and the reflection pulled itself out of the lake. To Faux’s amazement, there was not a single drop of water adhering to the individual who had appeared.

The one who came out of the lake looked very much like Faux, except her colors were inverted, mostly icy blues and whites. The stripes on her outfit were blue and black, and vertical as well. The black streaks under her eyes were jagged, similar to flames. But without a doubt her most striking features were her eyes. The “white” part was dark blue, but her pupils and irises were shaped like targeting crosshairs. Staring into them made a chill go down Faux’s spine.
She was face to face with her reverse world counterpart.

“Um…hi,” Faux said nervously. “N-nice night, isn’t it?” The reverse world Faux continued gazing coldly at her counterpart, as if getting a sense on what she was dealing with.

“My name’s Faux…what’s yours?” the warm-colored gazelle asked, trying to stay cheerful. She didn’t fully grasp who she was dealing at this point.

“I am Faux as well,” her counterpart replied coldly. “But I can tell even from here that we are very different.”

“Uh…that’s going to make things awfully complicated. I mean, if you’re Faux and I’m Faux, then that means everyone will get us confused, and that’s not good. I hate it when I have to deal with two people of the same name. I can never remember which one of them is which…and that reminds me of…”

“Don’t strain your brain thinking too hard,” the reverse world Faux replied with a smirk that revealed short fangs. “It won’t matter once I’ve taken care of you once and for all!”

“What?!” the light world’s Faux exclaimed.

“But for the remainder of your life,” the reverse world gazelle chuckled, “you can call me Nega Faux.”

Before any more words were exchanged, Nega Faux sprang at Faux, a fist ready to smash her face. But in terms of ability, Faux was every bit of Nega Faux’s equal. The warm-colored gazelle sprang out of the way, deftly avoiding her counterpart’s attack.

“Oh, great…now I’ll never get home before 2 AM,” Faux thought as she skidded to a stop. Nega Faux bounded toward Faux and again attacked, lashing out with a clenched fist, and Faux again dodging. Both of them were excellent leapers and dodgers, but Faux was puzzled as to why her opposite was attacking with her hands, when the feet of a gazelle were superior as a method of defense.

Figuring that a good kick to the face would get this doppelganger out of her hair, Faux decided to try that. As Nega Faux bounded again with fist outstretched, Faux leaned back, just avoiding the strike and made it look like she was stumbling backwards.  But as she fell, she kicked up with both feet, connecting solidly with her doppelganger’s gut and head simultaneously. Nega Faux staggered backwards, unbalanced by the force of the strike. Faux, now on the offensive, bounded forward and tried to strike Nega Faux again. But she wasn’t quite fast enough, and she found herself grabbed by her right foot. She saw her doppelganger grinning evilly.

“I thought for a second I might actually lose,” she replied with an unnerving chuckle. “But I guess I overestimated you. Oh, well.”

Faux struggled, but found that her counterpart had an iron grip on her. There was no way she was going to escape now. She thought of all the friends she would leave behind when she was gone, and of her parents. Slowly, Nega Faux started to spin her light world self round and round like an Olympic hammer thrower. As Faux’s mind raced, she suddenly had an idea. It was a long shot, but if it worked, she would win for sure.

After about fifteen seconds of spinning, Nega Faux tossed Faux straight for a nearby wall, headfirst. With nimbleness never before possible in her experience, the warm-colored gazelle quickly grabbed a nearby sapling and used her momentum to catapult herself right back at her attacker.

“Hiyaaaaaaaaaaaa!” Faux cried out at the top of her lungs as she sprang back, her foot extended. Nega Faux instinctively guarded against another blow to her head and torso, but instead was struck directly in the knees. Like her light world counterpart, Nega Faux had artificial knees, and the force of Faux’s kick was enough to damage them. Faux rolled to a stop, and got up to see if her plan was a success. Normally both would have had their knees shattered if one of them did, but during such conflicts, each was their own person. Now Nega Faux lay on the ground, defeated and unable to move.  Faux walked up to her negative self and smirked smugly.

“Looks like I won after all,” Faux giggled mockingly. “I’m better than you are!” Nega Faux looked up, and her cold demeanor was replaced with an expression of pure sadness.

“Yes…I have lost,” the icy-colored gazelle replied. “My essence is yours.”

“…Essence?” Faux asked quizzically. “I…don’t follow.”

“Since I am your negative self, and you defeated me, you can absorb my essence, and become a being of unrivalled ability. You will become more than mortal, but less than a god.” Faux’s eyes widened at the thought, but then shook it off.

“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll pass. I like being just regular me.”

Faux was completely off guard at this point, and Nega Faux suddenly perceived her chance. She reached out and grabbed hold of Faux’s left knee, and started to pull on it with all her might. Annoyed by this turn of events, Faux lashed out with her other foot.

This blow, delivered at point blank range, was devastating to Nega Faux. The force was enough to snap her neck, and she suddenly fell over dead. Faux yelped with surprise and backed away. She was distraught at what she had done.

“Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods…I killed her…oh gods, I killed her…”

But she then saw an icy blue gas pour out of Nega Faux’s corpse, and sped right toward Faux, enveloping her completely and rushing into her lungs.

The laws of nature would not be denied.