They just kept coming. It was like every time Jester turned around, she added another oddity to her and Dorian's ever growing collection of Weird Coursers. The silent heraldic was still shadowing their camp, and took the first opportunity to dive into the depths the minute Jester and Dorian suggested it. What they didn't realize was that yet another courser had followed them down into the depths, someone entirely new.

Their presence was discovered during a particularly difficult break-in. Dorian was convinced he'd seen treasure on the other side of this strange, wooden door so they'd spent the last few hours scouting and securing the area around the door.. and when the time came, they made to break it down. Normally, wooden doors shattered easily.. but this one stood firm for far longer than was normal, long enough that it was almost concerning. Dorian's frustration was palpable, though the occasional flick of that long lion's tail or an understanding twitch from their silent friend seemed to take the edge off. Barely.

Jester was almost certain there was a hum of magic around the outside edges of the door, but after a few more mighty kicks from the others - they broke through. Dorian was the first inside, his silver eyes alight with glee and triumph.. before the feeling was sucked right out of him. His face fell, causing Jester to frown in concern. She stepped over the splintered door, nodding in gratitude to 'Tarnished' - the name she'd given the heraldic, for their strange coloration and an homage to the mirror on their chest - as they shifted a particularly large chunk of wood from her path. They were.. sweet. Sweet and strange. She liked them. Her attention shifted back to Dorian, who was scowling towards the center of the room.

It was entirely empty, save for a giant, ornate mirror - or at least, it seemed like a mirror. Perhaps it was a painting? Jester wanted to laugh at the irony of it, but a small part of her felt very, very small. Their efforts had all been a huge waste, if all that was in here was a mirror. Tarnished was still by the door, staring out.

"Dorian," Jester murmured.

"Save it." The overo said, letting his head and tail droop more than usual. "I messed up."

"Did you?" Jester asked, softly. "Maybe it's more than it seems.. Since we're in here, it'd be a shame not to check it out?"

He didn't look convinced. "There's nothing in here."

"Perhaps."

Jester was quick to call on Tarnished, and together the two of them flipped the giant, incredibly heavy ornate frame around to face them. It was a mirror. But there was something strange about it.. that weird magical vibration was back, and it made Jester set her teeth as she looked into the mirror.. and gasped. She recognized herself.. but barely. Instead of her shorter, thicker build.. her body was replaced with something lighter, much more delicated. Her hooves were feathered, and a long plumed tail like Tarnished's swayed softly behind her. Breaking eye contact with herself she looked down at her hooves, confirming that there were no feathers and the quick swish of her tail once again proved she was still herself.

She chanced a glance at Dorian's reflection, shocked to find his reflection was wearing full plate armor with a massive greatsword strapped to his side. He looked bigger, more confident - stronger. Nothing like the silly little foal she'd met on his first dungeon run, nothing like the courser who nearly leapt off a ledge last week.. how very strange. Was that how Dorian saw himself, or was that.. who he wanted to be? Her eyes flicked back to her own reflection, and she was certain she knew the answer.

It was weird that Tarnished was unchanged in the mirror, their long messy mane still covering their face while the mirror on their own chest glowed and caught the light - as it always had. They were.. the same. How very odd. It was then that movement in the corner of the mirror caught her eye, and she whipped around. There, in the corner of the room, was a creature she'd never seen before. Certainly, it was a courser but it was.. wrong. So very wrong. Dread coiled in her gut as the strange hairless horse stepped into the light, and turned it's horrible sightless eyes on her.

"What do you see?" It asked, stepping closer.

"Who are you?" Dorian demanded, before Jester could say anything. "State your business."

It spoke again, but voiced the same question. "What do you see?"

Jester spoke up, cutting off whatever Dorian's reply was. "Myself."

"Yourself.. as you are now?" The question was pointed, strange.

Jester was uncomfortable, but answered nonetheless. "No. Who.. I wish to be."

"I see."

"Do you?" She asked, studying it's eyeless face and mildly amused expression.

"More than you, I imagine."

That stung, and Jester tried not to take offense even as Tarnished briefly pressed their nose to her flank. She shot them a look full of gratitude.

Dorian's nose wrinkled. "What are you?"

"A tale for another time," It said, stepping further into the light.

Goodness it was wrinkly and spotty and just. Horrible. Jester could truly say she'd never seen it's like. "That's close enough." She warned, putting some steel into her tone.

"Paranoid, aren't you?" It quiered, stepping up to the mirror.

Jester, knowing full well it couldn't see her, craned her neck to catch a glimpse of the newcomers reflection in the mirror.. and was surprised when it was also unchanged. Neither Tarnished nor this new beast changed in their reflections, at least not in the obvious ways - not like her and Dorian. How.. peculiar.