Anaera tried to get a good look at herself in the compact mirror.

"Impressive," she breathed, and the mirror grew in size so that she could see all of herself, “Most impressive."

"Who’s vain now?"

"Hey, you heard me think of you as vain?”

“I’m in tune to your thoughts, remember. Before I could speak we communicated mentally. Course, even then I had more interesting things to say.”

“Maybe I should have named you Narcissus!” Anaera scolded. For some reason, the word “hotohori” came to mind when she thought of narcissism. “I can’t help admiring myself in this, but you’re just a mouse! Of course, there is something missing from this outfit…”

“Exactly!” Orpheus cried in his queer baritone, and he scampered into her Hammerspace™. He reappeared, tugging something in his mouth. “Luf wud Ah fumbd…”

“Huh?”

The mouse finished pulling the helmet out and dropped it in her arms. He was a strong rodent! “I got your daddy’s helmet!”

“The Helmet of Darkness! Where did you find it? Wait, I don’t think I want to know. With this, I’ll be able to travel unseen in this strange place and when I don’t have its power active it will complete the look.”

“Yeah, I even changed the plumes to purple feathers so that it would match better.”

“You sound like a girl,” Anaera muttered as she fished something out of the helmet. “What’s this?” she asked as she pulled a picture out. She caught only a glimpse of purple hair before a brown blur took the picture away.

“Oh, uh, nothing at all,” Orpheus stuttered as he hid the picture in Hammerspace™. “Anyway, the helmet won’t do much good if you don’t get rid of that aura.”

“My aura is always hidden thanks to…” she trailed off as she noticed that there WAS a silvery-periwinkle glow around her. “What in—"

“No, don’t use that expression again! It’s your bishounen aura. No, don’t speak, I’ll explain telepathically.” Orpheus sent Anaera a stream of explanatory thoughts and images. “There, that ought to explain.”

“So, that’s what the dream was about. So where is this – Chichiri?” she breathed the name, then slapped herself for sounding so lame.

“Chichiri? Oh, he’s here-ee. Hee, hee!”

“Thanks a heap. I’ll keep my eyes open. Will you at least explain where I can find any of these other – girls.”

“Just damp that aura, activate the helmet, and start walking.”

“How ‘bout first I feed you to that tiger! Tiger? Ares’ Awesome A__!” Anaera was astonished to see a tiger step out from the trees before her, and more astonished to see what – or, more appropriately – who followed…