Chapter Text
“I’m bored,” Madeline sighed, flopping back onto the couch.
“Me too,” Badeline sighed, dropping next to her “sister”.
“What happened to the game you’ve been grinding for the past month and a half?” Theo asked, without even looking up from his laptop.
“I got my any% run down to sub-hour a couple days ago,” Madeline explained, pulling out her phone. She still had the screencap of her final runtime somewhere. “My therapist suggested I take a break from it though, since apparently it was ‘starting to get unhealthy’, and this felt like a good stopping point. But I think I’m going through withdrawal, I keep seeing wavedashes and hyperjumps in my dreams and stuff. And my fingers keep naturally doing the inputs, even in other games.”
“Mhm…,” Theo grunted non-committedly. “And if you were to keep playing, what’s your next goal?” Madeline thought for a moment.
“I… don’t know,” she finally answered. “I could try to go for a sub-45 in any%, but that could take a while, considering I only just got down to sub-60. I could try to run all berries, or 100%, or even full-clear%, which isn’t even on the fucking leaderboard. If I get like sub-1 or sub-90 in any of those, I could probably get sub-45 in any% through that. But those would require learning new routes, and that takes time. I could maybe do True Ending, though, that’s just any% with two levels afterward. Badeline, what do you think?”
“I’m gonna be honest, I understood maybe half of what you said there,” her purple-haired twin answered. “But True Ending would mean running that really sad level, right? I don’t wanna go through that over and over again, so don’t run that one, please?”
“Don’t worry, I’d be skipping over all the dialogue,” Madeline reassured her.
“Well, instead of moping around,” Theo began, finally looking up. “How about you two be productive and help me design my website?” Both girls groaned, but got up anyway. Madeline had helped with the website many times before, Badeline less so, but neither of them found it a particularly enjoyable experience. Theo was too much of a perfectionist, and Madeline (and therefore Badeline) didn’t have the best eye for styling, or what looked good.
“Look, just because I’m trans doesn’t mean I’m good at programming,” Madeline pointed out as she came to stand behind Theo’s recliner. “I mean, I am, but it’s not because I’m trans.”
“No, don’t worry, it’s nothing like that,” he reassured her, “I think I’ve got the actual structure nailed down for now, I just need help choosing a header photo. So which do you think? 1?” He brought up a panoramic shot from the top of the mountain. “Or 2?” He brought up another panorama from the summit, but in this one, everything had a sort of yellowish-tinge, like an old-fashioned photograph.
“What does it look like with the rest of the site?” Badeline asked. Theo showed her, but neither girl thought it made a significant difference.
“Does it really matter which one you pick?” Madeline asked, leaning back. “It’s not gonna be a persistent image on other parts of the site, it’s just on the homepage, right? And it’s not even going to be that prominent, if you scroll down even a little bit it totally disappears, see?”
“Yeah, but the homepage is the landing area for the entire site!” Theo pointed out. “If it doesn’t look good, people aren’t gonna stay on the site at all. I gotta make a good impression, and photography’s like my whole thing, so having a good photo right on top is a good sign.”
“But it’s the same photo!” Badeline said. “You’re just asking us if it looks better normal or filtered!”
“Actually they’re both filtered,” Theo said sheepishly. “Number 1 just makes the colors a little brighter and slightly increases contrast in specific areas, and then Number 2 is plain old Sepia.”
“Well, what do the rest of the photos on there look like? What filters do they use?” Madeline asked.
“They’re all either Ruper, the first filter, or unfiltered.”
“Then go with the Ruper one,” Madeline decided. “Make it consistent across the whole site.”
“Oh, that’s a good idea,” Theo said, “That makes sense, I should do that. Thanks, guys!”
“You’re welcome,” both girls responded in unison, only for Madeline to sigh immediately afterward, “I need a drink.”
“No! Bad Maddy!” Badeline yelled, smacking her “sister” upside the head. “It’s not even…” she checked the time on Theo’s computer “3pm yet! At least wait until dinner.”
“Ow!” Madeline cried, rubbing the back of her head. When had her purple-haired twin gotten so strong? “First of all, that hurt,” she said, glaring at Badeline. “B, I meant some juice! I’m thirsty, not an alcoholic. Theo, back me up here.”
“Nah, I’m with her on this one,” Theo responded, pointing to Badeline. “You do kinda tend to drink a lot. I wouldn’t put it past you to start drinking because you’re bored, in the middle of the day no less.”
“That only happens on special occasions!” Madeline tried to defend herself. “Like St. Patty’s day. Or the anniversary of Granny’s death. Or–”
“That still doesn’t sound healthy…” Badeline pointed out, “but fine, I’m sorry I assumed the worst. Hug?” She spread her arms, but received only a raised eyebrow from Madeline. “...and I’m sorry I slapped you. There, happy?”
“Marginally.”
By the time Madeline returned from the kitchen with a bottle of apple juice, Theo had put his laptop away and was slumped in his recliner. Badeline copied his position at one end of the couch, though she half-heartedly reached for Madeline’s juice as she passed (she didn’t get it).
“Well now I’m bored too,” Theo complained.
“Join the fucking club,” Madeline said, raising her drink.
“Why don’t we watch something then?” Badeline asked, gesturing to the inactive TV. “I know Maddy wanted to see that terrible movie they made off her favorite video game.”
“Yeah, but I don’t wanna watch it on like a streaming service or anything,” her twin piped up. “That would just vindicate the assholes who made it. I wanna pirate it.”
“Wow, and here I thought she was the evil one,” Theo remarked, seconds before narrowly avoiding the two throw pillows aimed at his head.
“It’s always morally correct to pirate big studio movies; but I guess we could watch some other shitty movie or something,” Madeline sighed, deflating back onto the couch. “Baddy, you’re closest to the remote, can you pull up Netflix or whatever?”
“Fiiiiine. And don’t call me that!”
Eventually the trio settled on a mafia movie from five decades prior, one that managed to hold all their attentions, even if they put it on just for background noise.
“Wow,” Theo said once the credits started rolling, “that was… surprisingly good, especially for something from 1973.”
“Of course it was good, Marty Scorse makes some top-tier shit!” Badeline fired back. “He’s the best there ever wa– Maddy are you crying?”
“No! …maybe…” Madeline admitted, “The homoeroticism got to me, okay?!” During the movie she and her “sister” had drifted closer together on the couch until they were a purple and orange pile of blankets and hair by the end. There was a slight rustling as Badeline pulled her head away to properly look at the human girl, who brought an arm up to wipe a few tears from her eyes. “You know I’m sensitive when it comes to that stuff!”
“Speaking of homoerotic…” Theo said, pulling out his phone.
“Always a good way to start a conversation,” Badeline added, snickering when she got an elbow to her ribs for it.
“I was thinking about this the other day, and I want to get your opinions on it; would you fuck your clone? I don’t think I would, but–”
“Dude!” Both girls were staring at him when he looked back up, matching horrified expressions on their faces.
“What the fuck?” Madeline cried, “She’s right here!” She jerked her head toward Badeline.
“Yeah, you can’t just ask that!” the girl in question added. “At least buy a girl dinner first!” She received another elbow for that comment, though didn’t react to it.
“But you two aren’t clones,” said Theo, “yeah the two of you are the same like, general shape, but you’re not identical. Badeline is you with a different color scheme, like a shiny Pokemon. I’m talking exactly. The same. ”
“But we still have the same features!” Madeline argued. “Same nose, same brow, same face shape, the same everything, regardless of the color. That’s still close enough to ‘clone’ in my mind to make things uncomfortable, at least in the context of ‘fuck? yes/no’.”
“No but consider; you two are like identical twin sisters,” Theo returned, “which yes, makes it an uncomfortable question, but for a different reason. I’m purely asking, hypothetically, about someone who looks like you, personality and things notwithstanding. Just off looks, nothing more.”
“Waitwaitwait, let’s think of it this way,” Madeline said as she waved her hands in front of her face, “let’s say we have a file, that’s just a picture of me. Call it Madeline.jpg or whatever. You’re saying a ‘clone’ would just be taking Madeline.jpg and copy/pasting it as Madeline2.jpg, and then the question would be ‘Would Madeline.jpg fuck Madeline2.jpg?’ Is that right??”
“Yeah, something like that!” Theo exclaimed, happy she finally understood. “And compared to Madeline2.jpg, we could ‘create’ Badeline by taking Madeline.jpg, throwing a purple filter over it, and then Save As Badeline.jpg or something like that. So Badeline is similar to both Madeline and Madeline2, but not the same, and Madeline and Madeline2 are the same. Down to every pixel. Does that make sense?”
“Oh it makes sense, I just think it’s stupid,” Badeline said, adjusting herself on the couch. “Like I’m not related to Maddy, I am her. My memories are her memories, at least up to a point.”
“Actually…” Theo began, “can you even fuck? I know I shouldn’t ask this, but what’s in your pants? Are you pre-op like Maddy or–”
“Can I just say I hate where this conversation is going?” Madeline interrupted, but neither Theo nor her “sister” acknowledged her.
“–or is it a Barbie-doll style lack of genitalia?” Theo finished. “I mean I could see it either way honestly, like if you’re part of her subconscious it would make sense that you have the ‘same’ body as her, but also you Came Out of a Mirror so are you even really human?”
“I dunno, probably not,” Badeline said simply, “to the human thing at least. I don’t… actually… know what I have… down there, y’know?” She added the last part so quietly, it took both Madeline and Theo a minute to process what she’d just said. Theo was the first to understand, but it wasn’t long before Badeline had two people staring at her with some mix of bewilderment, confusion, and concern.
“Baddy, how do you–”
“–just not know??”
“I dunno, it’s not really relevant, I guess?” Badeline shrugged. “I zap back into Maddy whenever she or I try to leave the Mountain, and it’s not like there are a lot of girls for me to fuck out here, so I don’t really have any use for it and the whole downstairs situation just kinda gets ignored, y’know?”
“No, when I don’t use my dick I’m still aware of its existence!” Theo shot back. “Surely you must at least notice something when you change clothes or go to the bathroom or something!”
“Nope! To change I just merge with Maddy and come out again with a Purple version of whatever she’s wearing.”
“It’s true,” Madeline confirmed, “and it’s very annoying whenever she does that.”
“And I don’t need to go to the bathroom, I’m not that human!” Badeline proudly exclaimed, and Theo shook his head in disbelief.
“That’s… in-sane ,” he said, “I know I shouldn’t be, given the whole transgender thing, but now I’m honestly really curious about what’s in your pants.”
“And you’ll never know!” Madeline interrupted, “because I’m changing the conversation right now. Haha, wasn’t that a great movie? Weren’t de Niro and Pacino great together??”
“No, you’re fine, I get it,” Badeline assured Theo, “I never really thought about it, but now that you mention it, I’m kinda curious too. C’mon Maddy.” Without removing her blanket cocoon, Badeline levitated off the couch and drifted backward over the back before dropping a bit as she stood up, her feet reaching the ground. It was clear she wanted Madeline to follow her, but she didn’t wait to see if the other girl did so before walking toward the cabin’s bathroom.
“I hate you,” Madeline glared at Theo before reluctantly getting up and following her counterpart. By the time she reached the bathroom, Badeline had shut herself in and a quick jiggle of the handle revealed the door was locked. Understandable she might want some privacy to… explore her own body, for lack of a better term, but she’d told Madeline to follow her! Why would she lock the door before letting her in? Hesitantly, Madeline raised a hand to knock on the door.
“Baddy? You okay in there?” she called. “Why’d you want me–waaaaahhh!” Of all the responses she expected, the door cracking open so a giant tendril of purple hair could emerge, wrap around her waist, and pull her into the bathroom wasn’t one of them. The lock on the door click ed shut behind her as she took in her surroundings.
Everything in the normally-baby-blue room was now the deep purple of Badeline’s supernatural hair, almost reminding Madeline of that mirror dimension she’d been pulled into during that first climb. The culprit was sitting on the closed toilet (thankfully still fully clothed), with her face in her hands. Before Madeline could step toward her, she looked up at the redhead with wide eyes.
“We’ve got a problem,” she practically whispered, barely moving.
“What do you mean ‘we’ve got a problem’?” Madeline asked, rushing toward her twin. “What’s wrong??”
“Theo was wrong, that’s what!I mean, what do I do? I don’t know how to live with one of these!”
“What, a dick?” Madeline asked. “I mean, I’d rather not have one, but I don’t think they’re that bad. That’s just my personal opinion.”
“No, not that!” Badeline retorted. “I’d be fine with one, I can just pull from your knowledge and shit. No, instead I’ve got a fucking pussy!”
“YOU’VE GOT A WHAT??” Madeline cried before a hand clamped over her mouth. “Sorry,” she whispered when it was removed. “You’ve got a what??”
“A vagina, apparently!” Badeline hissed. “What the fuck do I do???”
“…can I see it?” Madeline hesitantly asked before furiously shaking her own head. “Actually no, never mind, forget I said anything. I mean, how does this even happen? You’re me! And I don’t have one of those!”
“Fuck if I know! Shit, can I get pregnant? Oh god am I going to start having periods???”
“Slow down, calm down,” Madeline said, wrapping the other girl in a hug, “everything’s gonna be okay. You said it yourself, there’s very little opportunity for you to have sex on the Mountain, so even if you can get pregnant, it’s very unlikely you’ll even have the chance. And if it makes you feel any better, I don’t think you’ll have periods. I mean, if you haven’t already, I think it’s very unlikely that you’ll start now.”
“I suppose that makes sense…” Badeline sniffed. She wiped hints of tears from her eyes as Madeline loosened her hug and both girls stood. “C’mon, let’s get out of here. I need some comfort; food, a movie, ice cream, anything.”
“That sounds good. What’re we gonna tell Theo?”
“Nothing. It’s not his business,” Badeline stated simply, before opening the door and walking out. The room started to lighten back to its usual state around Madeline, but she quickly followed her “twin” out to the living room. God knows she’d been in Badeline’s shoes enough to realize she probably shouldn’t be alone right now.
“So who wants pie?”