Roselle gazed across the arena at her doppelganger. "Rosebelle, let's do this with honor and respect. The winner will be the real Roselle, but no one has to die for it."

  Rosebelle raised one hand to her side. “Like, seriously, Roselle? This is like, totally not a board game night at your place. It's a fight to the death, and the winner gets to, like, totally be the real deal. Like, that's just how it works, you know?"

  The battle between Roselle and Rosebelle commenced. Rosebelle, taller and seemingly faster, made the first move, darting forward with a quick, precise strike. Roselle, however, displayed surprising agility, managing to evade the attack just in time.

  Roselle quickly recognized that she had to use her slightly shorter stature to her advantage. She stayed low and nimble, ducking under Rosebelle's sweeping kicks and agile leaps. Her movements were fluid and calculated, aiming to wear down her doppelganger.

  Rosebelle, recognizing her advantage in height and strength, decided to employ a punch-down strategy. She aimed to use her superior force to bring Roselle to the ground and then pounce on her, attempting to overpower her.

  With calculated blows and swift movements, Rosebelle managed to land a solid hit on Roselle, knocking her to the ground. Roselle struggled to evade her doppelganger's relentless assault, but it seemed like Rosebelle had the upper hand.

  The crowd roared with excitement, clearly enjoying the intensity of the battle, and Rosebelle's cheerleading squad cheered her on with enthusiasm.

  Roselle, though battered and bruised, refused to give up.

  Saddie and Angie, slowly regaining consciousness, found themselves in an empty section of the arena. They were groggy but managed to sit up, looking around in confusion. It was clear that something significant had transpired while they were unconscious.

  Michigo and Sarah, who had been untied earlier by Roselle, approached Saddie and Angie. Michigo. "Guys, you need to know what's happening. Roselle challenged her doppelganger and Rosebelle made this to a fight to the death! We…We need to find a way to stop this!”

  Saddie firmly responded, "No, Michigo. This fight has to happen. Roselle has to defeat her doppelganger here and now. It's the only way for us to win this battle, to put an end to the impersonations and the danger they pose. This is Roselle's fight, and no one else can do it for her."

  Angie, though still recovering, nodded in agreement. "Saddie's right. We have to trust in Roselle's strength. She's got this.”

  Michigo and Sarah exchanged worried glances but understood.

  As Sarah looked to the side and noticed the cheerleading outfits left on the stands, an idea began to form in her mind. She turned to the group and suggested, "Guys, we should change into those cheerleading outfits."

  Michigo's face immediately scrunched up. "No way, Sarah! I'm not wearing one of those skimpy outfits. It's not my style."

  Angie sighed deeply. "I'm not Roselle's friend or anything. Why should I wear one of those?"

  Sarah took a deep breath and, with an enthusiastic gleam in her eye, began speaking at a higher pitch. “Okay, team, listen up! Roselle needs our support right now more than ever. We’ve seen how intense this fight is. We won’t be wearing these cheerleading outfits just to look cute. We need to get out there and be her cheerleaders—literally and figuratively. We need to remind her that we’re with her, that we believe in her!”

  Michigo and Angie exchanged skeptical glances. Michigo frowned slightly but then scratched the back of her head and said, “Fine, Sarah. You make a point. If this helps, then I guess I’m in.”

  Angie, still looking unenthusiastic, nodded reluctantly. “Alright, I suppose we can give it a shot.”

  Sarah beamed and quickly started distributing the cheerleading outfits to Michigo, Angie and Sadie. Sarah, now fully embracing her cheerleader role, rallied the group together.

  “Let’s do this, team! We need to get out there, make some noise, and show Roselle that we’re rooting for her! It’s time to bring the energy and help her push through this fight. Go Roselle!”

  Michigo, despite her initial reluctance, found herself caught up in Sarah’s enthusiasm. “Alright, let’s make this count. For Roselle!”

  Angie, now in the cheerleading outfit, gave a small, begrudging smile. “Guess I’m in this too.”

  Saddie quickly changed into the cheerleading outfit, but her usual gloomy look remained unchanged. Sarah looked at her and sighed, "Saddie, cheerleaders are supposed to smile and cheer. Can you at least try to put on a happy face for Roselle's sake?"

  Saddie attempted a small, forced smile. "Happy now?"

  Sarah grinned and nodded. "That's the spirit! Let's go out there and support Roselle!"

  The battle between Roselle and Rosebelle had been intense. Rosebelle dominated with her height and agility. Roselle had been knocked down several times. Rosebelle lunged at her again, Roselle rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack. She quickly scrambled to her feet.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  The crowd, including Shadowcroft's grunts, and the cheerleaders watched in anticipation. Rosebelle's supporters cheered for their doppelganger, while Sarah, Michigo, and Saddie, in their cheerleading outfits, clapped and chanted for Roselle, trying to boost her morale.

  Rosebelle, with a wicked grin, taunted, "Like, you can't keep this up, Roselle. I'm, like, totally going to win."

  Rosebelle she took a step back and chuckled. “You know, like, I’m actually surprised you haven’t started running away yet. Props to you for sticking around and taking those hits like a champ.”

  Roselle, panting heavily and exhaustion settle on her shoulders, glanced around at the crowd and the cheering squad. The lights, the noise, the intensity—it all seemed overwhelming. She thought to herself, ‘What was I thinking? Why did I agree to this?’

  She saw the faces of her friends, Michigo, Sarah, and even Saddie’s forced smile. Their presence gave her a momentary sense of comfort, but the physical and emotional toll of the fight was already beginning to wear her down.

  Rosebelle noticed Roselle’s hesitation and placed her hands on her sides. “Aw, look at you, Roselle. Getting all weak-kneed. If you really wanted this, you’d be fighting harder. But I guess you’re not cut out for it after all.”

  Roselle began to falter, her body sinking slowly to the ground, the roar of the crowd and the clamor of the arena seemed to fade into the background. Her vision blurred, and for a moment, she was lost in her own thoughts. Rosebelle’s taunts echoed in her ears, amplifying her sense of defeat.

  But through the haze of her exhaustion and doubt, a familiar voice cut through the noise. Michigo’s voice, clear and unwavering, pierced through the fog. “Roselle, don’t run! Give her hell! A right hook for me!”

  Roselle's eyes refocused, and she turned her gaze toward Michigo. There she was, clad in a cheerleading outfit. The sight of Michigo in such an unusual outfit was unexpected, but the girl’s fiery spirit was unmistakable.

  With a sudden surge of energy fueled by Michigo’s encouragement, Roselle’s resolve hardened. She pushed through the pain and fatigue, finding the strength to rise back up.

  Roselle glanced around at her friends. Sarah, shouted, “Don’t hold back, Roselle! You can do it!” She was a beacon of support. Even Angie, despite their rocky relationship, held up a two with a hint of a supportive smirk. Then, Roselle’s eyes settled on Sadie. She could see through Sadie’s forced smile. Sadie’s effort to be supportive, despite her own struggles, made Roselle’s heart swell with gratitude.

  In that moment, Roselle envisioned her friends standing behind her. Each one contributed their own strength to lift her up. The mental image of them collectively supporting her ignited a bright yellow aura around her.

  The crowd gasped in amazement as Roselle’s aura flared brightly. Roselle’s faced her doppelganger with unwavering conviction. “You say run, Rosebelle? I would never dream of running from you. Even if I were outmatched, I’d never run, because what I’m fighting for is the most important thing to me.”

  She took a deep breath and then continued, “You’re right, Rosebelle. I’m not cut out for this—at least, not on my own. But that’s why I’m not alone. I have my friends. They believe in me, and if they can believe in me, then I can believe in myself. And you know what? I’m going to beat you here and now.”

  Rosebelle’s smirk faltered for a moment. She saw Roselle’s newfound strength.

  Roselle launched herself into a rapid series of punches and kicks. Rosebelle was taken by surprise, but she retaliated with a rapid series of kicks and punches. Roselle's movements were fluid enough to deflect Rosebelle's attacks and land a few strikes of her own.

  In the midst of their intense exchange of blows, Roselle's vision suddenly shifted, showing her a glimpse of the immediate future. She saw Rosebelle closing in to grapple her and gain the upper hand.

  Roselle reacted swiftly, dodging to the side just as Rosebelle attempted to grab her. Roselle's hand reached out and gripped Rosebelle's arm, allowing her to twist and maneuver her doppelganger to a dominant position.

  Rosellee pinned Rosebelle to the ground. The crowd gasped, witnessing the sudden shift in the battle's momentum.

  Roselle's eyes locked onto Rosebelle's. "This doesn't have to end in death, Rosebelle! We can find a way to both exist as different people."

  With a pained face, Rosebelle struggled against Roselle's hold. She managed to break free with a surge of strength and scrambled back to her feet.

  In a fit of frustration, Rosebelle shouted. "Like, seriously, Roselle? You think we can, like, coexist as different people? Are you, like, totally delusional? You're such a goody-two-shoes, and I'm, like, the life of the party. There's no way we can share the same space without, like, me totes owning it."

  Roselle, despite the insults, remained resolute. She extended a hand toward Rosebelle. "I'm not giving up on you, Rosebelle. Inside of you, I see a different person other than me. You are someone who likes the life you are living right now... you don't have to be me, or try to be something you are not. And the truth is...”

  Rosebelle's face contorted from frustration to deadly seriousness. She warned Roselle with a cold, steely tone, "Remove your hand unless you want to lose it."

  Roselle began to pull her hand back; however, Rosebelle swiftly lunged forward and delivered a powerful blow to Roselle's stomach. The force of the hit sent Roselle flying backward, crashing into a wall with a resounding impact.

  The crowd fell into a stunned silence, witnessing the sudden turn of events. Roselle, weakened and battered, struggled to stay conscious, her vision blurred.

  Roselle lay against the wall, gasping for breath, her vision blurry and her body wracked with pain from the powerful blow. She was conscious but severely weakened, unable to move or defend herself.

  Saddie, Angie, Sarah, and Michigo, who had been watching the battle with bated breath, reacted with shock and concern. Saddie's gloomy face turned even darker. She clenched her fists. Angie's face registered worry and frustration. Sarah's eyes welled up with tears. Michigo looked on with an unchanging look of seriousness.

  Rosebelle approached the weakened and gasping Roselle. She lifted Roselle by the neck. "Miss Goody two shoes' wish is totally denied," Rosebelle sneered. Her fingers pressed into Roselle's throat, causing her to gasp for air. "You don't, get it, Roselle. You don't know what it's like, having no purpose in life other than being the Doppelganger of a girl named Roselle, a girl I never even knew until I met Sarah."

  Roselle reached out toward Rosebelle and managed to utter a few words while straining to speak. "Rosebelle, you don't…have to be me. You have the right to be your own person, to choose your own path…."

  Rosebelle's grip tightened further around Roselle's neck. "Just shut up and die, kay?"

  Roselle's vision blurred and her life force slowly ebbed away, Roselle thought to herself, ‘Why, Rosebelle? Why do you want to be me so badly? What has Shadowcroft done to you, to all of you?’

  Roselle grew weaker with each passing moment. She could feel the life slipping away from her.

  ‘Is this where... I die..?’