*crawls out from the primordial Sea* I LIVE, COLLEGE HURTS, HOW DO I END THE MADNESS?

By updating seventeen years later! Don't you just LOVE an author breakdown? :DDD

Anyway, on with the show! Last time all of the Vanellopes were plotting, so hopefully I can add in some more action.

TRIGGER WARNING: We see Oreanne in action. And we all know how Oreanne gets, so if that's not your style, I HIGHLY recommend not reading the third part of the story. On a minor note, the Other Vanellope is also in action, and she fights dirty, so if injuries to hands freak you out, try and avoid the Other when she pops up.

Disclaimer: We've been over this for nearly 2 years now, I don't own diddly squat

Vanellope rocked on her heels, watching Mirror Vanellope and Nell craft a map for Operation Flying Tiger Kick. Between Mirror Vanna being the queen of mirror programs and Nell being chased around the entire game by Oreanne, they knew where all the nooks and crannies and hidden mirror portals were. The main hub was too obvious of a choice to lure the Other back through with, but the mirror in the Japanese Circuit was prime for operation. "Mirror portals often crop up where future expansion circuits are to be installed," Mirror Vanna explained, "and we're expecting a Japanese Expansion next year."

"I don't suppose Choko would be averse to helping, Vanellope?" Nell's voice was meringue, placid even as she plotted cold stone revenge on the Other.

"She'd prolly enjoy it, all Codebusters have a thing about danger and conspiracies." Vanellope sat down next to them, squashing her leg shakes into the glossy earth. "So how do we get the Other to come up close to the mirror?"

"By being so reckless," Nell shot Mirror Vanna a look, "that it's do or die—you're going to go to that mirror and bang against it for all its worth."

"What?! I spent all day avoiding people, now you want me to attract them?"

"Yes," Mirror Vanna nodded. "You bang on that mirror for all its worth—it's one way except for the split second that someone gets pushed in, so you can't get out that way. But if you hit it hard enough, people will notice, and hopefully Miss Choko's the one who comes to check it out but any NPC or racer will do."

"While that is happening," Nell drew swirls on the ground with an elegant fingertip, "I will be distracting Oreanne. She's been craving my blood for 17 upgrades, she'll snap at the chance to finally devour me."

Mirror Vanna reached over to squeeze Nell's shoulder until Nell flashed her a smile. Grinning, Mirror Vanna turned to Vanellope, "Choko will know right away, but even minor characters will know something's sour. The Other can't handle anyone knowing the truth, she'd make a big production of being horrified and concerned."

Vanellope narrowed her eyes, "And she's playing Queen, so she'll come down to the mirror and give whatever explanation needed to make sure her subjects aren't ready to riot."

"Make sure to make a lot of noise so a lot of people notice. If it's just one, she'll push them in and while you'll be able to break out if you're lucky, we don't want anyone else getting trapped where they don't belong." Mirror Vanna's grin softened into one of quiet confidence, "You're going to get out, we're going to take the Other and throw her into the Sea for all she's done."

Vanellope shuddered, her breath catching solid in her lungs. The Other wanted her hunted down by Oreanne and she was stealing her life...and Vanellope didn't want her thrown in the Sea. She'd seen how final fate was when dropped into the waves, and the idea of snuffing out the Other like that unsettled her stomach; Vanellope wasn't the Other, she wasn't in the business of playing murder simulators.

Mirror Vanna patted Vanellope's shoulder, "It'll all frost over fine, we just have to strike when the butter is melted. And that means back up from our side of the playing field." She stood up and squeezed her pendant, and Vanellope groaned as a wave of cold of sharp it warmed her bones radiated outwards. The sound of cart engines hummed in the still air and she jolted—was it Oreanne?—but from the darkness came a group of mirror programs. One was Mirror Choko, looking absolutely terrifying as she was made of glowing blue glass, and the others were a blank.

Nell introduced, "Mirror Choko Pockystix, Mirror Pommy Smootherlain, Mirror Reina Scattercup, Mirror Mish-Mish Jellorock from the Special Zone Circuit." The four mirrors waved at Vanellope and Nell smoothed out her waistcoat dress, "Mirror Choko is influencing Choko to return to the Japanese circuit as we speak, and the other three are going to spread the word to far flung circuits."

"The Other can't throw everyone in this end," Mirror Reina smirked and crossed her arms, "but I'd damn well like to see her try."

Mirror Mish-Mish gave Vanellope a thumbs up, "Now everyone in the mirror world knows about what happened too, so we got this." And despite Mirror Mish-Mish looking like an alien—what kind of circuit was she from again?—Vanellope ducked her head, blushing and overwhelmed at all the support.

Mirror Pommy fixed her afro and motioned at the looming domes around them, "Come on ladies, the Queens are counting on us." She rolled her shoulders as her two companions went back to their carts, "And spread the world that the Other is a rotten Cadbury egg and needs to get creamed."

The three hollered and drove off, and Nell smiled behind her palm, "Knowing them the secret will be spread to every mirror program in ten minutes. Shame, I rather liked my anonymity...oh well, it's for the best."

Mirror Vanna helped Vanellope to her feet, "Now just time to get you into position. Any word on Miss Choko?"

Mirror Choko checked her translucent nails, "She's on her way with her niisan and neesan, Vanna-heika." She tilted her head, "Elsie-san and C. Sonic-san appear to be with them; this will only further ruin the Other's reputation." While Mirror Vanna and Nell discussed how they can use this in their plan, Vanellope shuddered at Mirror Choko's empty blue eyes. That was right, the Action Replay must have copied over into this half, but Vanellope didn't expect that little cheat console to look so horrific in humanoid form. Mirror Choko caught Vanellope's gaze and smiled, and Vanellope looked away.

Nell spoke up, "We proceed as planned?" When the others nodded, she shuddered, "Oreanne must be looking for us as we speak, I'll off then."

Vanellope caught her ally's hand, "Be careful, please. You know how sharp her teeth are."

Nell look as if she had swallowed a giant pill, but her voice was resolute, "I've been dodging her for eras, I'll be alright." She squeezed Vanellope's hand, kissed Mirror Vanna hard, and ran away into the dark.

"It's gonna be fine," Mirror Vanna soothed Vanellope's shaking shoulders, "and now we have to play our parts. Mirror Choko, where is the mirror portal again?"

Mirror Choko illuminated the way through the Japanese circuit to the little sliver hidden within Shirabuya Station, and Vanellope remained fixated on Nell's disappearing back, on the hollers of her new allies echoing in stagnant air. The Sea called to her hip and the mirrors were smudged with ghost fingerprints, and Vanellope placed her faith in all the reflections of herself.

Shirabuya Station was distinctly ramune flavored in the outskirts of Downtown Dango City, giant skyscrapers of thick glass filled with marble-headed NPCs rushing around on foot or by bottle busses. "Definitely the area of an upgrade," Mirror Choko illuminated, "although I wonder if it will be moved to the expansion circuit or if we will get a conjoined pair."

Vanellope felt odd, walking firmly through the crowd after a day of hiding behind scenery, and she saw Mirror Mitsumi Gelazuki double take before running off to ask her friends about the odd sight. That was good, more and more allies in a game where losing meant cannibalism, and Vanellope took comfort in Mirror Vanna's arm around her shoulders.

The mirror portal was part of the background, hidden behind alleyways and blinding skyscrapers and fountains of soda. Vanellope touched the thick gray pane and swore she could see out the other side, but the doppelganger landscapes were a mind trip. "So I just bang on this like an idiot and hope that Choko hears me?"

"It's not glamorous, but it should get the job done." Mirror Vanna turned to Mirror Choko, "Is she here?"

Mirror Choko pointed to the left, "They are coming down that side. I recommend we begin."

Mirror Vanna hugged Vanellope, "I'm going to go help Nell distract Oreanne and try to mess up the Other's walk cycles to give us more time. Let 'em have it, president-princess."

And then she was gone, lost to the crowd and leaving Vanellope behind with a glowing glass imitation of her good friend. The people swarmed outside of their little cranny and her coding rebelled against the sounds and the claustrophobia and the lure of the mirror world. Mirror Choko didn't even blink, just standing there with cheat console plating replacing what should have been flesh and blood filling, and Vanellope did this, Vanellope did all of this. She wasn't even sure which Vanellope to blame because there were 17 before her and only so many left now, and Ralph would understand the world tumbling around in her throat but he was on the other side with the Other.

Vanellope let out a deep sigh, pressing her palms flat against the mirror, then slammed her fists against the gray and screamed, "LET ME OUT!"

She whaled on the mirror, her fingerprints stark white against the dim light of the other side, and her voice cracked. She needed out and back home, she needed to get Oreanne help and Nell to see the world and Choko to fix herself so that her mirror reflection wasn't just her Action Replay.

She needed her friends, it was cold in the mirror, and she shrieked for all her worth, "I DON'T BELONG IN HERE!"

"Vanellope-heika?!"

Vanellope wiped her stinging eyes and pressed her face against the mirror. Through the murky portal she saw Choko staring back with wide brown-blue eyes, hands pressed against the mirror pane and completely horrified. Vanellope could barely make out non-Sugar Rush people behind her, shocked still and bringing attention to the mirror sliver, and Vanellope broke down with relief.

"HELP ME! Help me! Choko it's me, the Other locked me in here and please get me out!"

"H-Hai!" Mirror Choko began to speak for her other self, "Just let me think, how to get you out—wait, who put you in here?"

"The Other! She's a liar and a thief and she's going to kill us if you don't get me out now!" Vanellope banged over and over on the mirror, her energy sapping away to the other side but she didn't care. Her sweat smelled too creamy and did they make cookie flavored ramune? "There's a dummied out racer named Oreanne, she's going to eat me alive!"

"What is all this about?"

Vanellope could see the Other just fine through the mirror, the perfect picture of concern even as Nilla shifted uneasily behind her back. "You little rat," Vanellope raged, "you did this!"

"Are you...my mirror?" Her voice was so awed that Vanellope bought it for half a second. "You helped me back in the old game, why would I put you through the mirror when you're already there? And how?"

A scream echoed from behind Vanellope, and she turned to see the crowd parting for a black-haired psychopath. Mirror Choko fell to her knees and Vanellope whipped back around to see a bunch of bodies on the ground, the Other standing tall with her hands wrapped around Nilla's neck.

"Such a shame," she crooned as she strangled Vanellope's secretary, "they could've lived a normal life had you not made such a fuss."

"What did you DO?!"

"I'm the Queen of Sugar Rush, you don't expect me to be disarmed, do you?" The Other shoved Nilla through the mirror and Vanellope thrusted her hand through. She felt rich, sugary air buffer against her glove and make her sick with desire. But then the Other pressed her royal scepter to her palm and Vanellope shrieked, glitching to her knees as electricity fried her circuits.

"Now what to do with these few...I suppose I can modify their memories and wipe the slates clean. The Action Replays on these two will be tricky, but if Turbo can do it, so can I." The Other grinned and held Vanellope's hand gently, "Nilla is a waste, but there are others to take her place." She snapped Vanellope's pinky and giggled past Vanellope's howls, "A horrible accident, the mirror world decided to upend itself and fill our minds with false fantasies of crossing over to save a little princess." The ring finger splintered, "But no matter," the middle finger cracked, "we'll lock away all the portals and never again feel it's burn." The index was harder to shatter but it gave way and Vanellope was left a sobbing mess against the concrete.

"And with that beta-class reject Nell out of the way, my arrogant little mirror will be easier to bend to my rightful will." The Other gripped Vanellope's wrist, "Would you like to watch her die?"

"L-Liar!" Vanellope pulled against the Other's iron grip, "Nell is a far better Vanellope than you could ever dream to be! You'll never catch her!"

"Oh sweet nothing," The Other kissed Vanellope's palm, "I already have."

She then crushed Vanellope's hand into the ground with her lightning baton, mutilating Vanellope and making the world nothing but pain until she blacked out.

Vanellope woke up with her bad hand, right leg and face through the mirror, and the rest of her trapped back on the other side. She couldn't breathe with the thick pane compressing her halfway through the portal, much less try and escape, and the Other laughed at her agony. "Delicate little glitch, you took forever to wake up."

"W..." Vanellope gasped for air, "w...what..."

"Well, I suppose I'm being a bad hostess, keeping you in such suspense." The Other patted her cheek with the scepter, "But listen up, I dislike repeating myself."

She turned and showed Vanellope that she was in her private quarters in Sugar Bean Castle, various mirrors set up around them like a fashion closet. "These were hard to move around under my own power, but I have the skills necessary, and today is a special occasion."

The Other pointed at a pile of bodies tumbled in a corner, "Little Miss Codebuster will wake up with her brother and sister with a massive headache, but all of their memories have been altered so that they are none the wiser of your little stunt today. We'll have tea and cupcakes while everyone's memory in Shirabuya Station is reformatted to my liking.

"What else, what else...oh yes, Nilla is the first confirmed victim of these dangerous mirror portals. I will have Choko seal off the rest and make sure that no unfortunate soul will ever be lost to the gray. That, of course, dooms you to be eaten by darling Oreanne in the other side with no escape, but that's no concern of my people."

Vanellope spat at the Other because how dare she claim those people through murdering her succession line. The Other rolled her eyes and wiped Vanellope's face with a handkerchief, "You poor child, this is all as it should be. You were going to murder me, you and the rest of the false Vanellopes, and I have every right to make sure that someone delusional fragment of myself doesn't take over this game."

She turned towards the mirrors, "I understand that you're afraid, and I'm sorry for that pain. But you must understand, I refuse to die when I have yet to live. It would be so much easier if you just laid down and let Oreanne eat her fill, or throw yourself into the Data Sea if that is your calling. No fuss, no muss."

She tapped on a mirror, and it glowed until Vanellope could see through the other side. Oreanne was standing with Mirror Vanna eagle spread on the ground, chunks torn out of her stomach and neck to let minty fresh blood soak the unyielding earth. She was awake though, eyes fixed on Oreanne with such hatred and despair that Vanellope burst into tears, because that was her mirror on the ground, the mirror queen who defeated an even worse version of Virus-Van with little effort.

Then she saw why, and Vanellope choked out a scream. Oreanne had Nell in a bear hug, Nell shaking as her legs had been eaten up to her hips. The Other smiled at Vanellope, "She fought well, but she is obsolete, and it's been long overdue that Oreanne is fed."

Vanellope couldn't move, only blink and gasp for air as Oreanne giggled and pressed her blood smeared face to Nell's shoulder. Her jaw ripped open, Mirror Vanna screamed, and Vanellope closed her eyes.

Her ears showed her what happened, though. Every sick, wet crunch of bone and flesh rendered to food for Oreanne, every hysterical scream torn from Mirror Vanna's throat, every satisfied sigh of the Other. She couldn't hear Nell over the sounds of Oreanne devouring a living creature, and the silence made Vanellope beg and plead whoever was playing her life to let it have been quick, a sudden game over flaring up quiet and gentle.

Then it was just the slopping of Oreanne sucking up the remnants, of Mirror Vanna crying with a broken heart, and of the Other nodding, "It is done."

She turned to Vanellope and asked, "Tell me, do you think Nilla will be as composed when Oreanne eats her too?"

Vanellope cried even harder and the Other shut down the mirror showing Oreanne licking Nell's blood off of Mirror Vanna. She went up to Vanellope and wiped her prisoner's face clean, patting her cheek like an older sister to a demented singling. "It was for the best," she explained gently, "she was a threat to myself and the safety of this game. Mirror Vanellope will heal up soon, you and Nilla will be long forgotten, and we will be at peace. Don't you know that the well being of this game s more important than all of us?"

Vanellope squeezed her eyes shut, suffocating on her tears and hoping to die so that she could beg Nell for forgiveness. She regretted ever getting Nell wrapped up in her chaos, it was her own stupid fault for being trapped in here and maybe that's why they always said that teenagers ruined everything. The other pushed Vanellope's mirror trap into a hidden closet and tapped her chest, "You're still a game character, so if you die now you'll probably come back here since Oreanne didn't eat you. Hmm, I wonder if I should direct her to you now or after she's taken care of Nilla...no matter."

She smiled like a saintly queen, then stabbed Vanellope's bad hand with her lightning scepter again. Vanellope's face twisted into a silent scream and the Other laughed, "You're going to die here alone in my closet with no one to hear you. What does it feel like, to be abandoned and forgotten and nothing more than a figment of my coding, a glitch pruned from Sugar Rush's lifeblood?"

Vanellope's hand gave way and she passed out from the agony, and was left alone in the closet as the Other comforted a very confused Choko and took her guests out for tea.

Mirror Mish-Mish, Mirror Reina and Mirror Pommy dragged Vanellope out of the mirror trap and away from the memory of Nell's demise. They hid her in Mish-Mish's garage, literally a galaxy away from the Other's twisted quarters, and Mirror Reina whispered, "What do we do now?"

"Everyone in the Asian Circuits knows about Vanny here being trapped," Mirror Pommy bit down on a smoothie straw, "and everyone from the mirror NPCs of Sweden to South Africa knows about what that cannibal did to poor Nell."

"Speaking of which," Mirror Mish-Mish tried to patch up Vanellope's mangled hand, "where is Oreanne?"

Mirror Reina shrugged, "Not here, which is good because I do not want to be eaten." The three mirrors shuddered, and Mirror Reina squeezed her own jewel, "I'm getting Toby over here, Choko and Mitsumi too, and anyone else who wants to help. And we have to find the girl that the Other pushed through the mirror, because she gets eaten as well"

Mirror Mish-Mish looked out the window into the low-def cosmos outside, "All of my circuit mates will want to help; one of the Vanellopes, maybe #15 or something, she got eaten on top of our data and Roxie remembers a bit of that." She shuddered, "No details, just oogalies."

Mirror Pommy stood up, "Imma go rally up the cause. Mish, do something about that hand, will ya?" She and Mirror Reina headed out the door, Mirror Pommy asking, "Does your other know?"

"She knows something is up," Mirror Reina cracked her knuckles, "and it's only a matter of time before riots break out in that pretty little castle."

Bye Nell, we hardly knew you.

Seriously, the original version was waaaaaay more gorific but I toned it down because there could be kids here. Not to mention Vanellope's hand, the Other and Oreanne's general creepiness, and just poor Nell and Mirror Vanna.

Plot wise, this is super important cuz Vanellope's mutilated, Mirror Vanna's perfection is shattered along with Nell,and the Other is on top but with a revolution rotting her control. Let's see what else I cook up in the coming weeks...

...which might be a while, because I just got a job, and an editor position at my university's literary mag, and study abroad crap, and all the other joys of being a college junior. Hopefully, I'll make something around WiR's anniversary, even if it's something unrelated.

Anyway, I hope you liked this super depressing chapter! Reviews make me happy!