My Sister, My Fake Sister, And Me

Daisy Park examines the inconspicuous building in front of her. The location of the Big Team’s base is one of the worst kept secrets in the city. Hell, it took about five minutes for that former big team member at her uni to blab about the greenhouse that supposedly housed Halcyon’s largest teenage superhero team. Of course, figuring out that her sister- alleged sister- was on the team was a bit harder. She’d seen her in costume of course. A couple of news reports and B-tube videos confirmed that “Weaver'' was in fact the taller and stronger version of her sister that told her the one at home was a fake. But how was she going to get inside? I mean, there appeared to be a doorbell on the greenhouse door, but it can’t be that easy… right?

She presses the button.

A synthetic voice reverberates from seemingly nowhere. “Hello? Please identify yourself so I may be of assistance!”

Daisy looks around for a microphone, not finding one she raises her voice and tentatively calls out “uh, Daisy Park?”

There’s a beat.

“You wouldn’t happen to be Violet’s sister would you?”

“The very same… So uh… can I come in and talk to her?”

There’s a relieved sigh. “I think that would be a good idea. Yes. She should be in the gymnasium!... Try not to startle her.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, thank you.”

Daisy enters the greenhouse and looks around to see only plants. She looks around looking for signs of the base entrance for a moment before the ground shifts and a staircase is revealed. She cautiously descends and finds a map of the base. After a moment a look of satisfaction crosses her face and she sets off down the hall. It’s quiet in the base as she passes the common area, a silence not unusual for a school day, but as she approaches the gym she can hear the muffled noises of a young training superhero. Bracing herself, she opens the door.

Violet froze, her heart pounding in her chest.

 She saw it coming before it happened, of course; she reacted preemptively. For what little good it would do.

***She*** *shouldn’t be **here**.*

Violet’s eyes darted about the Big Gym. It was surrounded by a regulation track, no cover. Yoga balls. Ellipticals. Exercycle? No cover. The human scale weights? Too many holes. Her options were thin. The only feasible cover was the electromagnet weights, with its cute little chibi-face sticker settings. As if under fire, Violet reflexively dived and rolled-- for all the good it would do-- while calling out to the room’s sensors.

“GAIA! Scan for unauthorized presence on the base!”

GAIA’s voice chimes in over the intercom. “If you are referring to the presence of one Daisy Park I can assure you her presence is not only authorized, but encouraged. My sensors do however indicate the presence of a family of wild feral raccoons, thank you for your assistance Violet.” GAIA’s synthetic monotone fails to betray the attempt at a joke.

Violet shot GAIA a dirty look through the base secure camera, but it would have to wait for later.

 As Daisy enters the gym she looks around for her sister. Not immediately seeing her she calls out to the room. “You’re seriously just gonna hide from me? I know you’re in here.” She stands firmly in the doorway, arms folded.

 “Fine.”

She took a breath and stepped from behind the machine, neatening the scarf that had come undone while exercising.

“You found me.”

A brief memory played out in her head, the two of them playing hide-and-go-seek as children in that too-small townhouse on Sycamore Lane.

Violet held her arm self-consciously, and didn’t meet her sister’s gaze.

“What now?”

Despite Violet’s avoidance of eye contact Daisy’s gaze could burn a hole through Violet. “Now. You explain what the fuck is going on? Seriously you can’t expect to just show up and tell me that my sister is an imposter and then just not follow up on that! How long has this been a thing? Where have you been? Why are you- why are you tall?” Daisy stands firm as she presses Violet for answers, but a keen eye could tell that she’s holding back a well of emotions.

“I didn’t ‘just show up’!” Violet protested. “You were kidnapped! I didn’t want to say anything, I just-- I couldn’t let anything happen to you! Especially not--” Violet’s looking-away goes from passively-not-meeting-her-gaze to actively-turning away. She adds a little more softly: “Especially not because of me.”

"That's a non-answer!" Daisy protests at Violet's non-answer. She pinches the bridge of her nose. “Look if you want me to be safe you should tell me what’s going on!” Daisy’s anger visibly gives way to a mix of concern and…  sadness?

“I don’t even know where to begin,” Violet said.

It was the truth. The things that had happened to her were baroque, bizarre-- trying to put them in context for someone whose life didn’t involve …. The kind of nonsense superheroes go through? A big part of putting this off had always been: *what would you even **say!?***

But there was always: start at the beginning.

“About two years ago-- February-- did I-- did I go missing or a while? Run away, get lost in the woods, something like that?” Violet asked as if she wasn’t acutely aware of the specifics--two years, five weeks and six days ago. It had been a Tuesday.

Daisy stops to ponder this for a moment, trying her best to recollect what happened that February. “You… no- someone messaged us, we assumed it was you. Saying you were staying at a friend’s house for the weekend. Caroline? No- Catherine. It doesn’t matter. You hadn’t brought a lot of your belongings with you which was weird, but it was only for a few days, so nobody ever thought anything of it.” She pauses. “But you came back. I mean, it looked like you, it felt like you. It was you, how could it not have been?” She looks solemn “But seeing you now, I mean, you look *different*. And not even just ‘I haven’t seen you in two years different’ you look almost like a different person. But the Violet at home- she hasn’t changed. She’s gotten a little older sure but her mannerisms, her personality, her build, her hair, her voice… it’s been exactly the same for two years. I don’t think I really even noticed it until I saw you… but *this* you?” She gestures at Violet “This is my little sister… I know because you’ve grown up. You’ve changed. You’re… I mean. It’s definitely weird, but the more I look at you the more the other you feels… uncanny.”

“I don’t understand how you can say that.” Violet gestures skeptically at herself. ”---From my height to my build to my bone structure to my brain. Even before I knew there was someone walking around with my face, I wasn’t sure you’d recognize me at all. I don’t even recognize myself when I look in the mirror most days.I think… maybe you’re rationalizing? Trying to force it to make sense?”

Reflexively her left hand clawed at her scarf. The hand-woven fabric had a visceral, tactile quality. Like certainty. Like fate. A nervous tic, a way of holding on, trying to steady herself in a universe that often seemed to buffet her about in ways beyond her control.

She wanted badly to believe that she was so much herself it shined from every fiber of her being, that her family would instantly know her as their own on a near metaphysical level. But she didn’t trust it; wanting something that badly clouds your judgment. Makes you vulnerable.

“Don’t tell me that I’m rationalizing.” Daisy snaps. “That isn’t your call to make.” She looks Violet up and down, taking in the differences in her sister’s appearance. Her expression softens.

Tears welled in Violet’s eyes.

“‘ ‘m not--I-- ” she shook her head. “‘They *changed* me, Daisy. I’m *different*. I-- in ways I can’t even describe to you, they-- “ She shakes her head more violently. “I’m not. I’m not who I was and I can’t ever pretend I am. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

She tries to emote what she can’t quite bring herself to say: that she can’t ever be Violet Park again. Not the way she used to be. Not really.

“Look, Violet. People are more than their bodies. They’re not just a walking collection of interests. And the fact is- you recognized me as *your* sister. You’re so convinced that you’re a different person and yet you still use the name Violet Park… You remember me. If you’re going to claim that you’re Violet Park, then I believe you. Hell, the other one doesn’t even need to be fake for that to be true. We all change Violet, and none of us have just one self.”

“I call myself Violet because--”

Because why?

Because I share continuity of experience?  Well, mostly-- there are bits that are… fuzzy.

Because they didn’t change it? Except they did, Atropos.

*Because Lachesis, my other sister--  told me to?*

“Because I don’t know what else to call myself,” Violet says, keeping her examinations internal. “ ‘m not--” She flexes and unflexes her fingers, looking at them because she needs to look at something. Tries to focus on her breathing the way Doctor Harrison taught her.

Daisy sighs. “Look it- it doesn’t matter who you are. You’re my sister, and I’m worried about you, because I love you. And you being neurotic about your identity isn’t going to change that. I just- I want you to know that I’m here for you, whether you’re the real Violet Park or not.”

Violet gives her a look, like *come over here and hug me you idiot*.

“I wanted to tell you. You know that, right? I just--  it’s hard. Didn’t want you to see what I’d become.”

Daisy looks at the floor with a bit of a guilty expression. “I… I get that, yeah. And I’m sorry for forcing your hand by showing up here unannounced. I just- I wanted answers, and I was scared and-” she takes the hint and approaches Violet wrapping her in a firm hug “I love you sis, whoever you are.”

Violet hugs back tightly, somewhat disoriented by being taller than her big sister, the tears flowing freely now. “You don’t-- you don’t know. They made me *bad*. The things I did---”

As she protested, a detached part of Violet’s brain meditated on the theme of grace-- of forgiveness that could never be merited, only granted unearned out of love. She didn’t feel she deserved this hug, but she couldn’t be more grateful for it.

As if sensing her distress Daisy begins to hush softly. “It’s okay, you don’t need to think about that right now. Let’s just focus on the here and now, okay?”

“No, you need to know. I couldn’t let-- the man who kidnapped you, he was trying to get to me. He wanted to lure me in, so he could turn me back into a puppet. You’re not safe-- Prometheus said as much, I just didn’t know what he meant. If that even was what he meant. I don’t know what they’re going to do, or why Lachesis said she thought I was supposed to have gone home if there’s a fake me there, or if the other me is reporting to them or if she expects me to do something or if they’ll strike at me through you again and even with all the things I can do, I don’t know if I can protect you, and are Mom and Dad safe and--”

Violet *babbled* into the hug. Usually when she was overwhelmed, sentences broke down half way through, in stifled utterances as the words escaped her reach-- inadequate to the immensity of what she needed to express. At the moment, it was the reverse-- words flooded out in an unguided torrent, like a river overflowing its banks, as she tried to say too many things at once.

“Heyheyhey… one thing at a time. This is a lot to take in, and it’s really scary. But even in the face of that it’s okay to let yourself relax. Let your guard down Go-eun, just for a little bit.” She gives Violet a squeeze.

“Shouldn’t I be the one telling you things are all going to be OK? They tell me I’m supposed to be a superhero, now.” Violet laughs at herself a little. “There’s *so much* I want to say to you.”

Daisy stifles a giggle. “No, because I’m still your older sister. And uh- well, it seems like you need it more.” She pulls out of the hug, holding Violet by the shoulders. “And I’d love to hear all about what you’ve been up to. Even if it’s just the good parts” She smiles.

“The… short version is: a group called the Crimson Circle kidnapped me. They… gave me…. Powers? And a lot of not-quite powers. They turned me into a weapon. I did… things I can’t ever make right. The Big Team rescued me and took me back… well, here,” Violet gestures around her at the Big Base complex. “What about you? Did you make it to Tokyo?”

Daisy looks devastated. “I’m so, so sorry Violet. Sorry I didn’t notice you were missing. Nobody deserves any of what you went through. I’m beyond happy you’re out now though, even if they’re looking for you- you’re out. Your teammates are good people.” Daisy grins “And as for Tokyo, well, let’s just say you’re looking at a future 100 meter hurdles medalist.” She declares confidently.

“I’m glad,” Violet smiles just a little. “I think about you every time I run, you know? I work out a lot these days just because there’s not much to do around the base during the day,” Violet said, as the camera pans slowly across the science-fiction state of the art entertainment systems, from the danger room to the computer facilities.

“I can see that!” Daisy says looking at Violet’s arms. “You’re really giving me a run for my money as the athletic one right now.”

Violet gave a snorty little laugh and flexed her arm. “Yeah, well. It’s not…. It’s not the same, you know? I’m like this because they wanted me to be like this, it’s not the same as earning it. But they adjusted my neurotransmitter response, I get grumpy if I don’t do *something*. Which I guess isn’t too atypical?” And training for an actual fight makes me feel uncomfortable.

Daisy laughs. “Eh, don’t worry about how you got there, it’s not like you had a choice. I can appreciate feeling restless though, why do you think I run so much?” Daisy grins, a mischievous look filling her yes. “Hey you know, being a jock was always my thing. I’m gonna have to pick up an instrument to keep up if you’re strong now..”

Violet recoiled as if struck, looking away in shame and pulling a little out of the hug. “I… can’t. Anymore. They…” she breathes for a second. “They took that from me.”

Daisy looks guilty. “Oh. I’m sorry. I- I didn’t know… Like your ability to play? Or- or your desire?”

“Everything I ever learned or practiced. Any talent I had to relearn it. I don’t even *hear* the same way. I don’t know if they were using it to break me, or punish me, or if they just wanted more room to stuff my brain full of ways to kill people, or if they just wanted to be cruel because they could. Either way, I can’t play a note.” Violet looks ashamed, like she’s *disappointing* her sister by not being able to do the thing she used to use to define herself.

Daisy looks on the verge of tears and pulls Violet in for a hug once again. “It’s like I said Vi- you’re more than a collection of interests. There’s more to you than your ability to play violin… But if you want to put the workin to start from scratch I can find you a tutor? I know how important violin was to you.”

“I tried!” Violet snaps a little, catching herself because she’s not being fair. “It’s not-- it’s not like it was before. The thing I had that made me *good* at it isn’t there anymore. It’s like waking up in the morning and all of a sudden I’m the kind of person who geeks out over ammunition grades and martial arts styles and can’t tell Tchaikovsky from -- ” *Fuck. Who was the one that did that ninth symphony? Fuck, just name another classical composer! Somebody, just say something!* “From anybody else.”

Violet felt gross.

The things she liked now were *bad* and made her feel guilty for liking them.

“That isn’t fair.” Daisy asserts. “They took something important from you. We’ve gotta- we need to get your super friends together and make them give it back!”

Violet’s laugh was bitter. “We do a pretty decent job of protecting the city and the planet from direct threats, but we’re not AEGIS. We’re just not set up to investigate and uproot conspiracies and cults or nefarious secret organizations. It’s probably why we fight so many of them-- whether it’s Helix or The Syndicate or Bishop.” She sighed, just casually mentioning that Bishop Technologies was evil, as one does. “I’ve been trying for months. I’ve scratched a couple peripheral operations the Circle was involved in. Captured three field operatives, including the one that kidnapped you. Reclaimed data from an abandoned base. But nothing like a direct hit.”

Daisy looks disappointed. “Well, I mean- I guess there’s not really much else to do but be patient and keep hitting them as best as you can. But I hope one day you can make them pay. But until then… I’m here for you.”

Violet nodded, accepting the support but still smarting from having to reveal that part of herself. It was only the first layer of a deep trench of things she didn’t like about the ‘new her’, but it was one people usually noticed. “What about the… other me? What do you intend to do about her, now that you know?”

Daisy looks conflicted. “I’m not sure, I mean I’ve lived with her for two years, and she has no reason to believe I suspect her… I mean ideally you and I would tell mom and dad… right? And we should probably figure out who… or what she is, who if anyone put her there, and why. I mean, the obvious answer is the circle, but when you’re dealing with fake people it’s anyone’s guess.”

“But if you tell Mom and Dad, that means telling them about... me,” Violet states the obvious, walking through this.

Daisy raises an eyebrow. “I mean… yeah?”

“Oh.” Violet winced.

“I mean. I can’t make you do anything. But… you should? And I’ll help you, but… well, were you really planning on keeping them in the dark indefinitely?”

“I-- I don’t know?” she hesitated. “I kept telling myself-- maybe once I take down the Crimson Circle for good, and you’re not in any danger… but that isn’t really true, either.” Another downward look. “At first I didn’t know the other me was out there. I… wanted you to think of me like I used to be. A sweet nerd who made music and loved showtunes and had those goofy little streaks in her hair. Not...” she gestures up and down, indicating herself as she was now.

“Well, for better or worse. That Violet exists in the past, and even though there’s someone pretending to be her.” She mimics Violet's gesture, “this is you now.”

“I know,” she says, adding: “I’m sorry.”

“Even if it makes you happy to see me no matter what, can you really picture Mom and Dad would think?”

“Don’t apologise for existing.” Daisy suggests “And they’ll be confused. And it will be difficult. But it’s nothing we can’t handle.” She smiles warmly. “We Park sisters are strong.”

“They won’t approve,” Violet scowled a little, even as she acquiesced.

“I’ll make them approve if they don’t”

“They’ve *got* the daughter they wanted, and I’m supposed to tell them it’s all a lie and the genuine article is some kind of... a delinquent fighting machine who’s on file with AEGIS as a national intelligence hazard?” She laughs a little at the situation. “Good luck with that.”

“I mean I didn’t say it was going to be easy! But, you know. Sometimes the truth *isn't* easy.”

“It’ll be great. They’ll disown me. I’ll be crushed. I’ll go work for Yamato in despair.“  Violet forces a grin.

“That lady that threatened to blow up the city a year ago? Not if I have anything to say about it.” Daisy smiles smugly.

“Seems nicer in person. That’s pretty much my life now. Jogging, punching things and getting job offers from supervillains.”

“Well, that super villain has good taste.”

“She really does! *Surprisingly* snappy dresser.”

Daisy can’t help but laugh. After a moment of laughter she stays quiet for a moment. “Thanks for talking to me Violet. I was worried you’d try to shut me out. Or- well, I guess you did try huh.” She says gesturing at the gym equipment Violet had tried to hide behind earlier. “But I’m glad we got to talk. I would say I missed you but- well, I guess I  didn’t realize that I missed you until finding out you’d been gone.”

“I… didn’t feel like I had much choice. I feel like that a lot these days.” Violet frowns briefly. “I did miss you, Daisy. Mom and Dad too. Every day. I don’t want you to think that just because I didn’t want to… expose you to all of this-- please don’t think I didn’t care about you?” She exchanges a plaintive look with her sister.

Daisy smiles with a hint of sadness. “Of course Violet. I understand. This is all really complicated. I’m not gonna pretend to know what I’d do in your situation.”

“Honestly, you’re taking it better than I expected, all things considered?” Violet examined her sister quizzically. A sinister thought: what if she was replaced, too!? Can you ever really trust anyone anymore?

“Oh believe me, I’m freaking out on the inside right now. But- I’m your big sister, and that’s not what you need right now. I can process this on my own time, no sense putting that on you.”

Violet wanted to object; she didn’t need to be protected, she didn’t need people to guard their emotional reactions, to treat her like she was made of glass. But Daisy wasn’t *wrong*, much as it might frustrate her. She relented with a nod.

“So… then… what do we do now?”

Daisy smiles. “Now. We order takeout and play video games. I’ve got about two years of hanging out with my sister to get caught up on so we better get started ASAP.”

“I, uh… I have super-powers now. It wouldn’t be very fair.” Humblebragging is a thing; what do you call it when you cringe and brag at the same time?

Daisy grins “Clearly you’ve never seen me play Smash. I’ve been described as super human at it myself… but if that doesn’t work we can always watch a movie. But good luck convincing me to back out of a friendly competition.”

Violet could explain.

Explain that it wasn’t just heightened reflexes, it was seeing Fate, sensing her opponent’s moves before she even thought to make them.

But just for a moment, Violet didn’t want to keep trying to *explain* every facet of her new, weird existence-- as if it would do anyone any good.

Just at this second, she badly wanted to pretend to be normal.

“Wait, just how long do you think I’ve been gone? We had Smash in 2019. I *know* you’re just going to use Ness to spam PK-Fire. Like always.”

"People at uni take Smash *very* seriously Violet. Don't underestimate me," she winks.