Arietta and Zelina Innevar

The Early Years

Arietta and Zelina have never had an easy life. Their father had abandoned their mother as soon as he learned of the pregnancy, or so their mother says. She never really talked about their father much, but supposedly the twins took after him in their looks.
Their mom worked hard to bring in what little they had. It hadn’t been easy for her to find work, take care of two growing babes, and feed all three mouths. They managed to make the most of it and led a fairly happy childhood.
It wasn't until they hit adolescence that they discovered what horrors the world really held for them. It had been their 13th birthday and their mother had gotten each of them a new winter coat…well new to them anyways. The air had begun to turn chilly and it was one of the best presents they could’ve received. The girls decided to take a walk that evening, trying out their new coats, when they began to feel strange.
Arietta, being the firstborn, felt the strange sensation roll through her body first. She stopped to lean against a wall as the sensation took hold. Zelina trying to comfort her twin, also experienced the sensation a few minutes later. Once the sensation passed, the girls stared at one another in shock and horror!
Was this some ailment or curse? What had happened to them? Oh gods, the girls thought in unison, hearing each other’s thoughts. They “knew” what had happened. They’d heard stories and tales of boogeymen who’d take another’s shape. They were doppelgängers. This was the reason their father didn’t stick around. He’d lured their mother into reproducing more monsters like him.
The girls made a pact that they’d try to be normal, hiding what they truly were. They didn’t want to be monsters. They didn’t want to be anyone but who they always were, who they always thought they were. They just wanted a normal quiet life. They managed to maintain the charade for quite a while. They’d hold their forms during the daytime hours, and slip away in the evenings to let their other side out for a bit. They did this for almost two years.

The Discovery

Unbeknownst to the girls, their mother had noticed their evening adventures and decided to follow them. As soon as Arietta and Zelina shifted forms, their mother began shrieking and wailing. These were not the girls she’d raised from babes. These were horrible monsters come to steal her children from her. She cursed at them, and then begged them to return her daughters. She would not, could not believe that these figures before her were born of her womb.
There was nothing they could do to convince her otherwise, so they ran. They ran as fast and as far as they could with only the clothes they wore. It was a large city with plenty of places to hide. They could blend in, be someone else, maybe find their father. First thing they had to do was find shelter though.
They’d always been good girls, so the thought of doing something insidious didn’t sit well with either of them. But as days passed and the weather began to turn towards winter, they had to do something. They started searching for others like them, others who could teach them the ways of their father.
After about a week, they managed to find another doppelgänger. Ophrie took the girls under her charge and started teaching them how to be grifters.

Life of a Doppelgänger

Arietta and Zelina spent a few years running cons with Ophrie and learning the ways of the streets. It wasn’t an easy life for them. They’d always been honest kids. Once they’d made the shift, the world viewed them differently...blamed them, cursed them, and even accused them just because they were doppelgängers. They learned how cruel and mistrustful the world could be.