Why, Orcus thought grimly as she worked her way through yet another little maze-like puzzle, did I ever think that Mirrorspace was welcoming or fascinating? She’d been wandering for days, trying to go ever deeper, always searching. After a few moments of struggle, she made it past the little maze and found herself in a chamber she’d never seen before. More alarming, she couldn’t spot the way she’d come in. Instead, she stood in the center of a circle of dark mirrors. And far more worrisome, was the fact that only the mirror directly in front of her held any reflection. The rest just seemed to ripple and pulse with faint, shimmering light. Much like what one saw underwater.

When they were drowning.

Oh hell.

Pretending a nonchalance that she in no way felt, Orcus made as if to try and step around the mirror that held her balefully staring reflection. And for a moment, she thought she’d succeeded. The mirror had faded.

Oh really now, the mocking, faintly tinging voice belonged to her. Only, Orcus wasn’t the one talking. Turning slowly, the diminutive dark mirror senshi stared at her reflection come to life. Arms crossed over it’s chest, the reflection leveled a look of pained disgust at her before moving forward so that they were nearly nose to nose. You know better than that. I’m more you than you are at the moment. That cousin of yours has addled your brains.

Orcus stood quiet, staring in shock as this (oh she hated to even think the pun) mirror copy stalked around her, disparaging Alodie.

You helped save the idiot, your good deed is done, huzzah and praise Jesus!, the copy mocked. Then, without warning, it was in front of her with both hands laying lightly upon her cheeks. You’ve done your duty and then some. This is where we belong. Your cousin has the other idiot Knight to look after her. She’ll be more than fine without you. So why are you… are we still trying to go through with this insane notion? Is it Nereid? Do you want her so badly that you’re willing to throw away your life? Why? It would be the work of a moment to bring her over to our side. Think about it. And really look at me. I am everything you could be and more. Why throw that away?

Orcus wasn’t sure what was worse at this point. That her copy was saying everything that she’d thought to herself or that it knew all the things she’d hidden away inside her heart. It would be easy to ask Remarque to let her have Nereid. Just… toss her through a mirror and be done with it. Only, she knew deep down that Nereid would never forgive her such a thing. And was it really worth ruining one of the few truly pure things in her life for the sake of choosing the easier way?

No. Of that, she was certain.

Still, when her copy implored her to look, Orcus obeyed. And saw a stunningly pretty reflection of herself. Unable to help herself, she reached out her own hand to trace the lines of her reflection’s face. She was beautiful, but there was an ugly, cold sneer that marred the reflection’s face. And the glow of cold cruelty deep within it’s eyes. Had Orcus herself ever looked like that? Undoubtedly. She’d enjoyed hurting people. On some level, she suspected she always would. But this cold, aloof doppleganger repelled her. This was Orcus as she might be if she stopped trying to care about others. If she stopped trying to love her poor, dim cousin and darling Nereid.

This Orcus was a true monster. And something that the real Orcus found herself sickened by.

Her hand upon her reflection’s face froze for a moment before spasming and crooking into a clawed shape that seized that haughty, cruel face. And even as she felt her fingertips digging into that perfect little face, Orcus howled her refusal to sink to those depths. She could feel the reflection struggling against her even as she savagely yanked at that face, feeling it ripping under her fingers.

“No. I will never be you. I don’t want to be you,” she hissed, dropping the torn face to the ground and watching as it and the twitching body became shards of mirror. And nesting in the shards where the face her been rested a small crystalline shape. Instinctively, Orcus knelt down and seized it, tucking it away safely. All around her, she could feel mirrorspace reacting to her rebellion.

It was time to leave. And quickly.

Bolting from the chamber, Orcus fled madly, keeping her mind focused on moving up and out. Find a mirror and dive through. Escape.