Doppelgänger
Vapor Trail zipped her skintight jumpsuit and stretched her slender body, standing on her toes and using her full weight to tug the highest prop and spin up the engine of her S1 Hurricane.
She swung into the cockpit and equipped her goggles and headset as the bi-plane crawled out of the hanger. “Short-Range Zero One to Control Tower. You up there, Sky?”
The response was almost immediate. “I’m here, Vapor. Zero One is cleared for takeoff.”
Vapor smiled. Sky Stinger had been her best friend since before the Academy, and managed to land himself a position as Radio-Officer at the same posting as she.
She checked the magazine of the Hurricane’s synchronized machine-gun, making sure it contained the experimental ammunition that was recently supplied to all EDF contractees.
Informally called ‘Perfume Rounds,’ the non-lethal ammo was designed to incapacitate the colossal, anthropomorphic equine doppelgängers emerging from subaquatic portals outside the city.
As she neared the end of the runway, Vapor pulled the control stick between her thighs and brought the modified light reconnoissance craft into the air above the valley.
“Looking good, Zero One. Another flawless takeoff.” said Sky over the radio.
Vapor blushed. Below, the sunlight twisted in the river that flowed South from the lake where the monitor beacon had suddenly stopped broadcasting. Though hopefully a mere malfunction, after what happened to Camp Everfree they had to assume the worst.
She passed a number of marker balloons tethered at equidistant intervals along the valley floor, and was pleased to see that her fuel usage was at peak efficiency.
Before midday she came upon the lake, which was in the throes of a vortex. “Short Range to Control, there’s an anomaly at the lake. I don’t see the beacon.”
“Copy, Zero One. What sort of anomaly?”
Before she could elaborate a massive, braceleted hand rose from the vortex, crashing down into the shallows.
Vapor pulled hard on the stick and veered out of the way of another hand, which sent a flood of water into the river when it fell. By the time Vapor had turned completely around she could see the giant’s head as it pulled itself into the world.
“Control to Short Range, do you read?” Sky’s voice sounded worried.
Vapor watched in horror as the giant rose to its full height, thousands of gallons of water cascading from its naked form.
“Sweet sunlight! Sky it’s… It’s Angel! It looks just like Angel Wings!”
Angel was their former schoolmate and a fellow pilot. This thing—tall and lithe with a sizable bust and long hair streaked with red—was like some hybridization of their world’s Angel Wings and her Equestrian counterpart. The only thing missing was her favorite bow… and her clothes.
“Short Range, please confirm. Are you saying you’ve encountered a doppelgänger?”
Vapor paused briefly before answering to gather her thoughts. A doppelgänger—one resembling someone they know, no less—had emerged from the lake. So, not a malfunction after all.
“Affirmative, Sky.” she said at last.
In the silence that followed Sky Stinger scrambled to find the documents sent by the EDF regarding the procedure for an encounter with a doppelgänger.
“Vapor, we can’t let that thing reach the airfield.” he said as he opened the folder.
“I know that!” shouted Vapor, banking slightly to sharpen her turn. “Where do I shoot it again?”
Sky Stinger relayed the information regarding the ‘hot spots’ as professionally as he could. It was, nevertheless, rather uncomfortable for them both.
I’m so sorry, Angel.
Vapor was now on approach, closing the distance to the giant, its gaze eerily fixed on some far-away point on the Southern horizon.
Just as it was about to take its first step from the edge of the portal Vapor opened fire. There was some delay between shots, but each one packed a punch.
The first few struck the left breast, thudding into the flesh around the nipple and stopping the giant in its tracks. One round punched straight into the bullseye and caused its knees to wobble, its blank expression softening a little, eyes blinking, only for the gun to jam. Vapor was forced to abort the run and veer off to fix her weapon.
“Dammit!” she spat, putting some distance between her and the giant again while she unjammed the gun. “Gonna try for another pass.”
Sky wished there was more he could do to help, but Vapor was on her own. He just had to trust that she could do it. She was, after all, a better flyer than he ever would be.
Vapor swung back around and saw that the doppelgänger was about to attempt another step. She lowered the nose and angled the craft for a strafing run.
The giantess seemed more alert, her eyes flitting to the tiny plane. She raised her arms to shield her breasts, but to no avail as round after round thundered into her vulva and thighs, a few impacts briefly snapping back the lips as they hit from the side.
A round struck the back of the doppelgänger’s knee and dropped her, only for her to catch herself with her arm, sending up a spray of water.
Vapor probably had only one more chance and would need to strike dead on to topple her backward.
While Vapor came about for one last attempt, the giant’s innocent gaze was finally pulled from the horizon to fix completely on the little craft, and Vapor thought she could see fear in her eyes—Angel’s eyes.
I really hope this doesn’t make things awkward between us.
She loosed another volley, the doppelgänger trying to shield her breasts and crotch as though suddenly bashful about her nakedness.
Vapor pulled up, tracing a line of fire from the pubic mound towards the stomach, and despaired when she heard the telltale sound of the weapon jamming.
Yet, it was enough, the last shot slamming into the navel and toppling the giant like a felled tree.
Vapor braced herself as the doppelgänger hit the water.
“Gotcha.”