Project HEARD
presents
A Gold Digger fanfic story

"Mirror, Mirror" - Part 2

{Author's note: This story, which takes place around Issue 4 of the
color series of GD, is a companion to a TP (TinyPlot, or game scenario)
that unfolded on the Gold Digger 2000 MUSH. The TP log is available at
http://thunder.prohosting.com/~gd2k/mirrormirror-1.txt and is probably
best read BEFORE this story, as it unfolded that way. Part 1 is the
initial TP; parts 2 and 3 are/will be fanfic stories; and part 4 will be
another TP.}


 Tanya groaned and lifted her head. She slowly was regaining
consciousness--why she'd lost it in the first place, she wasn't quite
sure--and someone was leaning over her and babbling.
 They were speaking, she decided a moment later, in English. They were
somewhat excited, and as sensation returned to her body, she realized
they were shaking her shoulder.
 "Tanya? Are you all right? Speak to me! Are you okay?"
 She tried to get to her feet, nodding in the affirmative at the same
time. "What happ--"
 She looked around and failed to recognize where she was. It was a
humanlike home, or no, not as large as a home, perhaps just what they
called an 'apartment'. In any case, she was in one of those, the dining
area to be precise. "Where are we?" she said to the person who'd been
shaking her, as she turned to face them. "And who are--"
 She cut herself off, unable to do more than stare at Gina Diggers.
 "Easy now," Gina said, hands up and stepping back a pace. "It's just
me.. Gina."
 "I can see that!" Tanya snapped, feeling wholly confused. "What are you
doing here?" <And what am *I* doing here??> she didn't add.
 "Calm down, calm down," Gina said. "You didn't come over like you said
you were going to today, so I came here and found you on your kitchen
floor, moaning and rolling around."
 Tanya stood, trying to comprehend what was going on. Gina eyed her and
said, "You okay? Maybe I should call the paramedics.."
 "No, no.. don't. I'll be fine," Tanya said, resolving to stay calm
until she could figure out what had happened. "It would help, though, if
you could tell me why I was supposed to be 'coming over'.."
 "Uhhh.. when you phoned last night, you said you'd had to go by the
mall quickly this afternoon, then you'd be over to drop off some reports
for Stripe." Gina paused, then said unconvinced, "You SURE you're okay?"
 Tanya looked at her number one enemy's sister for a long moment. "Do
you not remember my actions at your sister's wedding?" she asked Gina.
 Gina looked surprised. "Yes, I do.. and we've told you 'thanks' before
for that."
 Tanya blinked. "'Thanks'?"
 "We know you didn't have to do that," Gina said.
 "You're thanking me for Raphiel Rey?" Tanya said, for clarification.
 "Who?" Gina asked. After a second, she said, "I'm callin' 9-1-1."
 "No! Please don't. I'm all right," Tanya said. "I just had a mishap
with a spell, that's all." <And that's the truth.. I was in my workshop,
devising a spell that would take me back in time to when your sister met
my Stryyp'Gia, and something must have happened.. for, why else would I
be here.. with you being all.. ugh.. friendly to me?>
 Tanya thought back to what, for her, had been moments before. She'd
been in her cavern-like hideaway somewhere on Earth (even she didn't
know its exact location, as she teleported to it instead of heading
there conventionally). Time was of the essence, for the spell she was
working on would only function inside a specific time frame relative to
Earth's relationship with its moon.
 <I must have rushed things,> Tanya realized. <I wonder what exactly
happened instead.>
 "Anyway, well, Stripe and Brit went out," Gina said. "But I know how
important those reports of yours are, so I thought I'd come get them
from you."
 "Er.. yes, yes, of course.. just a moment, please." Tanya ducked around
the corner and thought for a moment. <I seem to have been transported to
another realm.. one where I am not the same as I'm used to..> She began
to look around for the 'reports', primarily to get Gina off her back, so
she could explore her surroundings and get her bearings. <I need to
figure out what happened so I can get back home! Wait.. maybe I AM 'back
home', and this changed reality is the result of my time-travelling,
which I don't remember.. no, I WOULD remember, as I'm protected against
such stuff. And in any case, this outcome isn't acceptable. I wanted to
separate them, not endorse their marriage.>
 She found the papers, or at least a stack of them marked "WEEKLY
REPORTS", snatched them up, and headed back towards the kitchen. Reading
them over as she returned, she was surprised to see that they seemed to
be copies of personal logs of hers, from her perspective as..
 "Intercultural Liason to Earth??" she mumbled aloud to herself.
<Interesting. And ironic.. here, I appear to have stooped so low as to
become friendly with the humans..> She looked around the room for a
moment. <Up to and including adopting their lifestyle.>
 <Perhaps there's a way to work this to my advantage,> she decided a
moment later. <But until then, until I can determine what's wrong and
what happened to my spell, I suppose I'm stuck here.. and I'd better
play my twin's part, so as to not arouse suspicion.>
 She returned to the kitchen with a bright smile on her face. "Here you
go," she told Gina, handing over the reports. "You know how it is,
always in the last place you look."
 Gina grinned. "I hear ya, girl. So, are you still coming for supper
tomorrow night?"
 Tanya mentally winced as she flashed a reciprocal grin and said, "Oh,
count on it."
 "See ya then, Tan."
 "Okay, Geen," Tanya answered as Gina headed out the door. Tanya closed
it and locked it, then magically sealed the lock while she looked around
'her' home.
 It was an apartment, it seemed. One of those kinds the Earthers called
a 'garden apartment', with the rooms all exiting to a common outdoor
spot. The apartment wasn't extravagant, nor was it small; above average
was probably the best term to describe it. In any case, one room was set
aside as her office, so it appeared, and all of 'her' previous journals
were kept there. She looked back through them and became both astonished
and infuriated at the same time.
 <'I' VOLUNTARILY gave up the priestesshood??> she railed to herself,
but there it was in black and white: As the cityship El Dorado left
Earth for Aebra, she elected to stay behind to act as a line of
communication between Kryn and humans--especially then-two-years-
married Stryyp'Gia and his family, wife Britanny and daughter Tifanny.
As a thankyou, Tanya's spellcasting abilities were left with her, and
she was able to continue studying and building them up, despite the fact
she was no longer part of the priesthood.
 <Blast,> she thought, reading about a son born a few months after
Stripe's return to Earth. <It'll be even harder to break them up with
kids in the equation.>
 She realized with slight surprise that she was already plotting a plan
of attack to deal with this world's version of her enemies. She thought
about that for a moment, and then said to herself, <Why bother going
'home'? If what Gina says is true, the Stripe here is likely the same as
the one I know. My only hurdle will be pretending to be my nice,
friendly, caring self to Gina and the others.. and even that charade
won't be necessary for very long.>
 Quite uncharacteristically for herself, but very in-character for the
person she was masquerading as, Tanya flopped down on the couch and
checked through the channels on her TV. 
 <Yeah,> she decided with a grin, <I think I'm gonna like it here after
all.>

 The next evening, she found herself seated at the dinner table in
Stripe and Britanny's second-floor apartment at the Diggers house. Not
only were Stripe and Britanny there, but also Gina and the fellow known
as Ryan Tabbot, and the third sister Brianna and someone by the name of
Garfield.
 <It was you who intercepted Raphiel's soul key,> Tanya thought towards
Brianna, seated immediately to her right. <You prevented me from
eliminating him for his disobedience.> Well, truth be told, it wasn't
this particular Brianna, Tanya knew, but the pain was there just the
same.
 <And you..>
 She turned to her left and, around the corner of the table, there sat
Stryyp'Gia. He was acting as a gracious host, making sure everyone had
enough to eat and drink, and reassuring himself that everyone was having
a good time.
 <I wonder if I could cast something upon them now that would.. no,
there's no time,> Tanya told herself. <Should've thought of that
earlier.> She looked up as she realized someone was talking to her. "I'm
sorry.. what?"
 Britanny, directly across from her, said, "I said it's so unlike you to
be so quiet and withdrawn, Tanya.. is everything okay?"
 "Oh, everything's fine, really," she said dismissively. "I'm just
feeling a little preoccupied lately."
 "Is something in your liason portfolio troubling you?" Stripe queried.
"A difficult case, perhaps?"
 "N.. no, Prince 'Gia," she said quietly, wishing she'd developed a
cover story. "Nothing like that."
 Stripe smirked. "Tanya, you haven't called me 'Prince 'Gia' in ages.
Why the sudden formality?"
 "N.. nothing, Pr.. Stripe.. it's nothing."
 Brianna spoke up, gently but clearly. "Tanya, you're among friends.
C'mon now, out with it."
 Tanya paused for a long moment, then said, "All.. all right. I'm.. I
just.." <Come on, come up with something.> "I see the six of you all
paired off with each other, and here I sit alone.."
 "I could set you up with Seance," Gina offered, "like you wanted me to
last year.. so long as you think you're over your cold feet."
 "Thank you," Tanya said slowly, almost as if rehearsed, "but I've come
to the decision that I'm looking for the kind of relationship that I can
only get from a Kryn. No offense."
 Britanny gasped a little. "Ohh.. and with you and Stripe being the only
two Kryn on Earth, you must feel so lonely.. I feel for you, Tan.."
 <I will not 'disintegrate' her.. I will not..> Tanya told herself.
 "I have an idea," Stripe said. "Tanya, when was your last vacation?"
 Tanya blinked at him. "My last what?"
 Stripe smiled. "I thought so," he said. "I'm ordering you to go to
Aebra for a break. Take as much time as you need, starting in the
morning."
 Outwardly, Tanya smiled with surprise, but on the inside, she was
grinning wickedly. "Thank you very much, Stripe." <You're playing right
into my hands..>
 "I will inform Archon right after supper," he said.
 Tanya gasped quietly. "No! .. er, I mean, please, allow me to do it.
I'm sure you have more pressing things to do yourself."
 Britanny reminded him, "You did tell Tif you'd play ball with her
tonight before bedtime.."
 Stripe smiled again. "I stand corrected, then. You still have your
communication system at home, I trust?"
 <That must be the computerlike device in the office.> "I do," she
nodded. "Thank you again, Stripe."
 "My pleasure," he nodded.

 The group bantered some more, then, eventually, broke up and went their
separate ways for the night. Gina and Ryan and Brianna and Gar went to
their rooms in the sprawling complex below, and Stripe and Britanny
retired to their room after Tanya and the others had left.
 <Enjoy it,> Tanya said, walking down the sidewalk and pausing to turn
and regard the room with the light turned on inside. <It'll be over
soon.>
 She made her way home, to the apartment her other self called her own,
and set out to contact the homeworld. Luckily the machine was well-
documented.
 "Greetings, Archon," she said to the woman whose face appeared on the
screen. "It is Tanya'Ga."
 "Hello, Tanya," Archon said. "It must be late there."
 "This couldn't wait," Tanya said, adopting a serious expression. "I'm
afraid I have some disturbing things to report.. but I must do so in
person."
 Somewhat surprised, Archon said, "All right.. I trust you have made the
appropirate arrangements.."
 Tanya nodded. "I leave here for Aebra tomorrow."
 "Very well, but tell me.. why are YOU contacting me and not Prince
'Gia?"
 "I'd rather not say," Tanya said, "until we are face-to-face. Suffice
it to say he believes I'm coming home for a vacation."
 Archon paused, her expression nigh-unreadable. "I see," she said
slowly. "That's a serious implication."
 "I know. I can explain more when I arrive." <After I've developed a
story to tell you.>
 "Very well, Tanya'Ga.. I will see you in a week."
 Tanya nodded and closed the connection, waiting for the picture to
disappear before she broke into a wide, mischevious grin.

TO BE CONTINUED