With all the clones running around it was perhaps inevitable that Falias run into his own, perhaps the only surprising thing was that it had taken so long.

Then again in between helping his Dad prepare Fancy a Change for Halloween, trying to be there for Steve and finding updates about Chloe who was still in hospital, something had to give and that something had mostly ended up being his patrols as Falias.

They’d heard good news on the Chloe front though, her father had rung Steve while Marlin was over to let him know that she was going to be okay. Marlin had ended up staying over at Steve’s place a little longer than he’d been planning, but his friend had looked a lot happier than he had been in a while when he had finally got up to leave and the two of them had made plans to visit Chloe over at hospital on either the coming Saturday and Sunday.

It had been the lateness of the hour that had had Marlin decide to power up as Falias, the first time he’d done so since helping out that mint-haired teen he’d stumbled across with her clone. It was the fact that he’d visited Steve on foot and therefore was sans the car that decided him, knowing that he’d get across town faster as his Page counterpart. He told himself that it was chance for him to get some much neglected patrolling in too, although he wasn't planning for anything big - more a keep half an eye out for any trouble while simultaneously hoping that his route home was quiet.

It had been a quiet walk home and Falias had found himself relaxing as the night seemed to pass without incident, no nearby powered auras around either for Chaos or like his for Order. The attack came without warning as he was passing an alley, Falias sensing a blip of something just before something crashed into him sending him stumbling.

No make that someone his mind corrected just as a figure lunged at him, he kicked out as hard as he could managing to buy himself enough time to scramble to his feet before he was again rushed. He tried to swing out at the other calling out "Hey back off," but it dodged and counter swung, causing Falias to dodge back in an attempt to avoid being clobbered.

And then he hit the light of a street lamp and his jaw swung open as the light revealed his assailant to him for the first time.

"s**t!" A chill ran down his spine as he realised that the assailant he was facing was well him - at least a him that had had some sort of grey filter applied.

The fake smiled at him, "Hello" the voice was creepy in how much it sounded like him, right down to the familiar cheerfulness. The smile widened as it lunged at him yet again "Now die!"

Despite his best attempts, this time round his double managed to catch him squarely and Falias found himself inelegantly falling against a nearby trash can, both he and the bin tumbling, with the metal bin hitting the ground with a clatter.

For his part Falias hit the ground with a whoosh, the impact knocking the breath from him as the fake him approached repeating the word 'die' over and over like some sort of creepy mantra. His hands scrabbled frantically, his left landing on something metal - the bin lid his mind supplied dimly – he’d landed near the bin lid.

His heart pounded as his fake stalked closer, the fingers of his left hand feeling clammy as it gripped the bin lid. Then as his greyed-out double started to lean over him, Falias swung the bin lid at it, fear lending him a kind of desperate strength as he managed to knock the thing back.

Scrabbling to his feet Falias didn’t stick around to wait but instead took off as fast as he could. He got about a block or so and powered down. There was a main road nearby and some late night shops - he was hoping that he’d be safe enough by them, was planning to take the opportunity to call a cab back home from one.

He froze face paling as he became aware of running footsteps and then tried desperately to find some place to hide - after given the problems he’d had facing the thing as Falias he had no doubt that he would have no chance now that he was back to being Marlin.

His double appeared before he could find anywhere and Marlin tried to brace himself, but the thing just ran past with nary a glance at him.

Shaken Marlin stared after it waited until he thought the thing was long gone before making his way towards the shops so he could call for a taxi to get him home. He had no idea of what had just happened, but no way was he chancing his luck again tonight.

-- 844 words --