Mirrors Part One

==========
First Mirror Floor
==========
Iroha: (....Uwa...It's pitch black in here... Where's a light...? I can't see anything.... What should I do...? Should I go back...)
Kyaaaah...! It's...bright...?
(The lights turned on on their own... Just like I thought, this place kind of feels like... a witch's mansion...)

That was something that happened one day...
I was suddenly given an invitation.
...No, it wasn't exactly 'given' to me...Furthermore, there was something peculiar about that situation too...The one who gave me the invitation...was a witch's familiar.

Familiar: )@*$#$!!
Iroha: (This is the first time I've seen this enemy...what should I do...?)
Familiar: !*$)&!@)$
Iroha: ...Kuu! (What exactly... did it launch at me...) ...Eh? ....Huh? ...This is... It's just a guess, but...a letter?
Familiar: @#*$)!@$!
Iroha: That letter was an invitation to this place. The contents of the letter were written in very poor handwriting that read,
"We invite you to the mansion and will welcome you with open arms."
...With a badly drawn map on the side... Just the name of this place was written there. The name was... "Mirror Mansion".
(I was really curiously so I came here but... The only one who would do something like this...has to be a witch, right...? Is it...watching me from somewhere...?)
Mitama: Nnnn~... Excuse me~
Iroha: Hyaaaah! ...W, Who are you!?
Mitama: Oh, did I startle you? I'm so~oo sorry! It's me, you know, me!
Iroha: Mi, Mitama-san!?
Mitama: As soon as I got here, I realized there was already a visitor who came here before me, so I was wondering who it might be. Then I took a look to find...you were invited here weren't you, Iroha-chan?
Iroha: Y, Yes... Mitama-san, you too...?
Mitama: I came here on my own.
Iroha: Your own...? U, Um, for starters, what kind of place is this? It's such a big mansion but the inside of it is all empty...Ah! There's a huge mirror there! There's two of them facing each other... Is that why this is a "Mansion of Mirrors"?
Mitama: Let's see here... how should I start explaining this...Oh.
Iroha: ?
Mitama: Iroha-chan...be careful.
Iroha: Be careful...of what?
Mitama: You know, I'm not too fond of fighting and I don't fight at all, right? So I can't go with you...to that place.
Iroha: What place are you talking about?
Mitama: Besides...Well, this place is something like...a ritual, you see. If it's you Iroha-chan, I'm sure you'll be fine, yeah...! Have a good ti~me!
Iroha: Mitama-san... What are you talking about...
???: ..........
Iroha: .....Eh!? uUuwaaaaaah!!

.....
....Nnn...
...Huh...?  ...I...
...was with Mitama-san...talking with Mitama-san...
..And then...suddenly...suddenly... What was that!?
...W, Where am I!?
(..A Barrier..!?)
(...The thing that just suddenly appeared...was that a Familiar...?)
(If that's the case, then it just left me here...)
(...What does that mean...?)

"Ufuffufu....fufufufufu..."

Iroha: ! Who are you!?
Iroha?: Ufufufufufuffu!
Iroha: ...You've got to be kidding me...I, It's me!?
Iroha?: Ufawahaahahahah!
Iroha: Waaaaaaah! (S, She attacked me... What's going on around here...!? Besides, there's other dolls too...?)
Iroha?: Fufufu!
Iroha: Ku...! (Her attacks are working...That's why...this has to be real...! ...It's probably using an illusion to make me see myself or...something...  No...Never mind the reason! Anyway, I've got to fight it...At this rate, I'll be killed...!)

==========
Second Mirror Floor
==========
Iroha: I defeated the me that obsessively kept aiming her weapon at me, pushed back the swarming dolls and kept running. Then I realized...

...Haa...Haa...Haa...
...Huh...? This place is...

...I, I'm back...!?
Mitama: ...Oh my!
Iroha: Mitama-san!
Mitama: You're back! See, I knew you'd be alright~!
Iroha: U, Um!
Mitama: Now--Now--Now-- Let's calm down for a sec~
Iroha: But, earlier...!
Mitama: Ahhh~, yeah, yeah. For you Iroha-chan, that was "earlier".
Iroha: Eh...? What do you mean by that...?
Mitama: Quite a bit of time has passed since then. Let's see here...about 5 hours or so, I think?
Iroha: Eh, t, that much...?
Mitama: ...You see, this is "the Mansion of the Mirror Witch"... The thing you ran into earlier were her familiars. ...That's right, you were given an invitation too, weren't you?
Iroha: Y, Yes...
Mitama: This might be obvious, but you see, those were also familiars. The Mirror Witch gathers magical girls here. Didn't you also think that an invitation like that was sketchy?
Iroha: That's...Well...yes I did, but...
Mitama: Well, of course...it was an invitation thrown at you by monsters after all. ...But you came. Since the witch might be here...right?
Iroha: ...That's right.
Mitama: That's their goal. How do I put this...uh~m...It's kinda like...a pitcher plant! ...I guess?
Iroha: Pitcher...?
Mitama: You could even compare it to a Venus fly trap or an ant-lion. In other words, it lures you in, then...chomp! ...And that's how it plans to devour its prey, you see.
Iroha: ! ...S, So you're saying it was a trap...
Mitama: ...Hm~, but the thing is, it's not that simple you see~ The place you just came out of...That large mirror over there.
Iroha: What I just faced...?
Mitama: ...There's a space within the mirror. Where you were up until now...right? That place is called a "Mirror Floor <Kyousou>".
Iroha: Mirror Floor...
Mitama: Those Mirror Floors make up a barrier that consists of thousands of layers..."The Mirrors Without End"... That's its nickname.
Iroha: Mirrors...without end...
Mitama: The Mirror Witch...supposedly, it lies far beyond this barrier... Well anyway, it's simply something like a "Rumor" though.
Iroha: Is that so...
Mitama: But you see, there's many different enemies you'll come across until you get there. Among them, what's particularly troublesome are...the replicas...in other words, "copies".
Iroha: ...Copies...
Mitama: Earlier, when you were attacked, your "template" was taken from you.
Iroha: Template...? Template...um...is that like a taiyaki's...?
Mitama: Right, right! Correct! They took your template and created other yous just like a taiyaki!
Iroha: (...! ... Th, Then...What I fought earlier was...!)
Mitama: It's okay! It's just a copy! ...But since quite a decent amount of time has passed since they took your template, they might have been been able to make a pretty high quality copy. If not a lot of time has passed, then the quality goes down you see. Besides, it may be a copy but its personality and whatnot are different and... Hm? Iroha-chan? What's wrong? Your face is all hardened up.
Iroha: ...Th, That's because... I fought it earlier...!
Mitama: My, that was fast! As soon as your template was taken, you fought with yourself!
Iroha: ...But...it wasn't an illusion or anything...I really did fight with myself...
Mitama: Ah--It's okay, it's okay! You don't have to worry about it! In this mansion, it's a given that your copy will be taken. As far as I know, there haven't been any magical girls who've avoided that. Besides, in the end it's just your likeness made out of magic. It's okay, you can go take care of them without worrying about it.
Iroha: ...Y, Yes...
Mitama: On the other hand, you should be the one who needs to be careful. After all, there might be fakes of people you know as well. If you don't take care to distinguish them, you might end up shot in the back.
Iroha: Uuu... Y, You have a point...
Mitama: So as soon as you know it's a fake, make sure to take it out without holding back!
Iroha: ...I, I'll do my best... Wait...Huh? For some reason, I feel like defeating the Mirror Witch but...
Mitama: Eh? ...You don't?
Iroha: No...Um...From what I hear I should probably prepare myself before I go or uh...
Mitama: Prepare...? What are you preparing?
Iroha: Um...It seems like it'll take some time, so things like...water and...a bento?
Mitama: Geez~ you're not going on a hiking trip... Oh, that's right. I'll tell you something good.
Iroha: Something...good?
Mitama: From what I've heard...it seems the Mirror Witch has some kind of hidden secret. Sounds like it's some important secret that has to do with Kamihama City...
Iroha: I, Is that true...!?
Mitama: Not just that! I'm going to tell you why I'm here...If you defeat enemies in this barrier, you'll receive "Mirrors Coins"
Iroha: Mirrors Coins...?
Mitama: Right! You see, those are special materials that only I, the Adjuster, can use. This is a very special place you see, anyway there's a lot of mysteries and...anyway, if you gather the coins, I'll exchange them for something "ve~ry good"! If you do so, you should be able to further improve yourself as a magical girl!
Iroha: ...Is that true...?
Mitama: I swear upon my name as an Adjuster that...it's true! S~o~... Iroha-chan, could you give it your best shot?
Iroha: ...... G, Got it. Anyway...I'll try going in...!
Mitama: Yes! That's my Iroha-chan! It seems that the space within the mirror is divided into several floors. Got it? Anyway, you should steadily proceed further into the barrier. And! Collect as many Mirrors Coins as you can, okay?
Iroha: (...What is this...Am I being egged on here? I wonder.)

==========
Third Mirror Floor
==========
Iroha: After Mitama more or less urged me to do it, I stepped into the "Mirrors Without End"...Since I don't know where the witch could be...as I defeated enemies that came after me, at any rate I just continued moving forward...

Iroha: Whew... (I wonder how far I've come... Anyway I came on a straight path here so when I want to go back, if I just go straight... I wonder if it really works that way... I haven't even tried it or anything... But when I was first brought here I did temporarily return, but... nothing like that has happened since then...M, Maybe I should try to go back...yeah...)
???: "Thaaaaat's why! That's why you're stupid as hell!"
Iroha: (Eh! ... W, Who...!?)
Kaede?: Heeeey! Are you listenin' to me, hey!
Iroha: (K, Kaede-chan!!)
Kaede: U, uuuuuuu~! Hya, hyai!
Iroha: (K, Kaede-chan!! ...T, There's another one of her...!)
Kaede?: Got ittt? It's 'cuz you're always like that. That's why you're a failure! You just keep causing trouble for everyone around you...I'm impressed you're okay with that, ah!?
Kaede: I, I'm not fine with that! I'd like to be able to hold myself together~!
Kaede?: Liar! You haven't even thought about it for a second, have you!?
Kaede: It's not a lieeeee~!
Iroha: (...K, Kaede-chan is being lectured by Kaede-chan! ...That means...!)
Kaede?: It's because you're always spacing out like this, that's why even now you're separated from the rest of 'em and here all by yourself!
Kaede: T, That's... Uuuu...
Kaede?: ...Alllllright....I'm going to pump myself up right now and do it. Grit your teeeth!
Kaede: ...Hya, Hyai!
Iroha: Wait a second!
Kaede?: ...aahn?
Kaede: ! I, Iroha-chan!!
Iroha: That's as far as you go! Y, You! That Kaede-chan over there! ...You're a fake, aren't you!?
Kaede?: ...the hell did you sayy?
Kaede: Y, You knew! Iroha-chan could tell!
Iroha: Well, yeah I'd know! It's obvious! ...Kaede-chan, you had your template taken too, huh...?
Kaede: Yeah... it just suddenly snapped at me.
Iroha: But why were you listening to the fake!?
Kaede: Well, it might look like me but, how should I say this, it completely has me beat as far as forcefulness goes, or um...
Iroha: That's no good! You need to keep yourself together!
Kaede?: 'The hell are you saying! I'm Kaede, you bastard!
Iroha: Geez, you're saying things like 'bastard'...You're nothing like Kaede!
Kaede: ...Hm...? Come to think of it...Iroha-chan, why are you here...?
Iroha: I'll explain later. Right now, we need to take care of that Kaede-chan over there!
Kaede?: What're you gonna do to me? ...Oi!
Iroha: D, Defeat you! ...But...You look like Kaede-chan so...
Kaede: I'm the one over here!
Iroha: I know that but, how do I say this...even so...
Kaede: It makes you hesitate...?
Iroha: ...Y, Yeah...
Kaede?: What are you muttering about...If you're not gonna come at me...then I will!
Kaede: Iroha-chan!
Iroha: U.....!.....  ....Huh?
Kaede?: Guh... W, Who the hell did that!?

???: Didn't Mitama tell you not to hesitate when it comes to dealing with fakes?

Iroha: ...Eh...?
Kaede: Ahhh!
Yachiyo: Geez...being soft-hearted like that isn't allowed here.
Iroha: Y, Yachiyo-san!
Yachiyo: Hurry and defeat it already and move forward. ...We can't take our time and chit-chat while we're here, right?
Iroha: Y, Yes!

==================
Fourth Mirror Floor
==================
Iroha: In the barrier of the Mirror Witch, I ran into Kaede-chan and the duplicate fake Kaede-chan. I couldn't raise a finger against the fake that attacked me without hesitation, even though I knew that she wasn't really Kaede-chan...The one who saved us when I was in a pinch was Yachiyo-san...!
Yachiyo: ...Alright, it looks like this area's been taken care of.
Iroha: Yachiyo-san!
Yachiyo: ...Kaede. That may have been a fake, but that dirty mouth...seems like you have quite a bit of stress built up, don't you...
Kaede: T, That's just a fake and I'm nothing like...! ...Huh? ...No, that's not it! Yachiyo-san! ...Why are you here!?
Yachiyo: It's not that unusual for a magical girl from Kamihama to be here, you know? Besides, you girls are also here.
Kaede: ...T, That's true... ...nn? ...Aaahh, that's not it, that's not it either! T, The thing I wanted to ask you about wasn't that!
Yachiyo: Do you mean you wanted to ask...why I'm here in particular?
Kaede: Yes, that!
Yachiyo: ...It's...
Kaede: Yes!
Yachiyo: ...just a coincidence.
Kaede: ...Heh?
Yachiyo: You see, I sometimes come here to investigate it. This place really is a special barrier so there's a lot of things I still don't understand... That being said, I can't just leave this place as it is... That's why, I spend time investigating this barrier. And when I came to check things out, you girls were here... Hence, it's just a coincidence...you see?
Iroha: Is that so...
Kaede: So this barrier really is full of mysteries, even to Yachiyo-san...
Yachiyo: ...So, what about you two?
Iroha: I received an invitation so I was told to come here by Mitama-san...
Yachiyo: ...Haa...Geez, that Mitama. Coercing you to come here with just her tongue...
Kaede: I came here with Momoko-chan and Rena-chan...Ohh, that's right! Momoko-chan! Rena-chan!
Iroha: W, What's wrong!?
Kaede: I got separated! From the two of them!!
Yachiyo: In other words, you came here as a trio?
Kaede: That's right... this is just my second time here... Last time, I was so incompetent that we had to leave early...
Iroha: Had to leave...which means you were chased out...?
Yachiyo: You made the decision to leave out of your own wills...right?
Kaede: Yes...
Iroha: So are we free to...come in and out?
Yachiyo: That's right. ...I'll leave the detailed explanation on those things for later.
Iroha: Y, Yes! (That's a relief...so I can leave...)
Yachiyo: ...So?
Kaede: Yes...So, since I've gotten a bit more experience...and Rena-chan said she wanted to try coming here one more time...but, while I was surprised by my own fake, the two of them...!
Yachiyo: ...disappeared...
Kaede: Uu...that's right...!
Yachiyo: Before you realized what had happened, your friends had disappeared somewhere...that's not that uncommon here..
Iroha: It's not...uncommon...
Yachiyo: This is a labyrinth...and a strangely designed one at that...You're free to come in. And you're free to leave. If you come in here and feel your magical energy as you go, you can even go back to a place you've already been to. But, the ground level of this barrier has complex connections and on top of that, it's constantly changing... Hence why they call it...
Iroha: ... The "Mirrors Without End"...
Yachiyo: ...Right. Anyway, for now let's return to where Mitama is. They may have already gone back.
Kaede: ! Y, You're right!
Iroha: U, Understood...! ...Um!
Yachiyo: ...Yes?
Iroha: ...I'm sorry. ...For, a lot of...um...
Kaede: Sorry for holding you back~!
Yachiyo: ...You don't have to worry, Kaede. And you too, Tamaki-san. I've had to look after you ever since you arrived in this city, right?
Iroha: Ah, that's...how should I say this...thank you very much...
Yachiyo: ...It's fine. Now, let's get going.
Iroha: Yes...!

Iroha: (...That aside...why...does this barrier exist...?)

==================
Fifth Mirror Floor
==================
Iroha: Kaede-chan and I were in a pinch and Yachiyo-san saved us... At Yachiyo-san's suggestion, we went back to where Mitama-san was for now.

Iroha: Mitama-san!
Mitama: M--y, Iroha-chan. You're back sooner than I thought...wait, you've got some followers too!
Yachiyo: Mitama. How are you?
Mitama: If it isn't Yachiyo-san! ...My, Kaede's here too.
Kaede: Um! Excuse me! Uh...!
Mitama: What happened? To make you panic like that.
Yachiyo: Momoko and Rena...have you seen them?
Mitama: Those two? H~m, I haven't seen them. Since I came here, the only one who's entered the barrier is Iroha-chan.
Kaede: O, Oh...
Yachiyo: ...Which means that they're still in the barrier...Well, we can't say for sure but.
Iroha: You can't say for sure...what makes you say that...?
Yachiyo: I mentioned it earlier, didn't I? The "Mirrors Without End" is a special barrier. It's a space where you can't predict what will happen...
Iroha: ...That's true...
Kaede: ...I hope they're okay... Momoko-chan and Rena-chan...
Yachiyo: ...True...If Rena knew that you were worried about her...
Kaede: Eh? ...Ah, that's right...she'd definitely get mad at me...!
Yachiyo: That's why you shouldn't worry.
Kaede: ...Yes! Those two have to be okay! I will...stop worrying about them!
Mitama: ...Tha--t's a very strange way to encourage her...
Iroha: Um... Mitama-san.
Mitama: Nn? What's wrong?
Iroha: There's something I wanted to ask you, but...
Mitama: What is it?
Iroha: Why is this barrier this special...?
Mitama: ...My, what a frank question.
Iroha: Mitama-san, you said that the goal of the Mirror Witch is to devour us...
Mitama: That's right. I did say that to you.
Iroha: But it lets us come in and out as we please and yet there's no clear end...So it's, how do I say this? I feel like the way it's set up is a bit off...
Mitama: ...There have been magical girls who don't come back.
Iroha: ...Eh...?
Kaede: !
Mitama: The freedom to enter and exit...a curiosity towards what's at the far end...because of these things, the magical girls take several steps further inside...
Yachiyo: ...And defeating witches is our duty as magical girls...
Mitama: ...That's right. That's why some of them can't ignore it. And so the magical girls come here...
Yachiyo: Like me.
Iroha: ...Is that...so...
Yachiyo: In a sense, I think this is a particularly ill-mannered witch...
Kaede: Momoko-chan... Rena-chan...
Mitama: ...My, how careless of me...I said something I shouldn't have, didn't I...? Ah---, it'll be okay, it'll be okay! We're talking about those two after all!
Kaede: ...Yes...! I believe...in them...! ...But...
Yachiyo: ...You don't like waiting here, do you?
Iroha: ...Kaede-chan. Can I go with you?
Kaede: Iroha-chan...!
Iroha: I'll help you out with everything I have!
Kaede: Thank you~!
Mitama: Yachiyo-san...what are you going to do?
Yachiyo: .........I guess I'm on board too...
Kaede: Th, Thank you very much~!

Iroha: And so we headed towards the barrier once again...

Iroha: ...... (...Is this also part of the Mirror Witch's plan...?)

==================
Sixth Mirror Floor
==================
Iroha: When we went back into the barrier we went further through the Mirror Floors, while we looked for Momoko-chan and Rena-chan.

Kaede: Momoko-chaa--n! Rena-chaa---n!
Iroha: We haven't seen them, have we... the only ones who've appeared were all fakes too...
Yachiyo: I guess it won't be that easy...huh. I knew it, but...
Kaede: Momoko-chaa--n! Rena-chaa---n!
Iroha: Me too...! Momoko-chaa--n! Rena-chaa---n!
Yachiyo: If we could spot even a shadow... a shadow... Shadow...!?
Kaede: Eh!
Iroha: W, W, Where!? ...Ah! Over there!
Yachiyo: That's right! Standing in front of the mirror......nn...?
Kaede: ...It doesn't look like Momoko-chan or Rena-chan...
Yachiyo: Another person's fake...!?
Ria: Nn~, I am the most beautiful person...today too! (...I do believe...that I'm glad I became a magical girl...!)
Yachiyo: ...That girl is...
Ria: ...Ha! This magical energy is... noooah! ...Just as I thought! Na, Na, Nanami Yachiyo~!!
Yachiyo: Long time no see...um... .....................Long time no see.
Ria: It's Ami Ria! Ami Ria! You didn't remember my name, did you!?
Iroha: Yachiyo-san! Is this person... a fake?
Ria: ...Haaa? You can clearly see my appearance and yet you doubt it's me? Can't you feel it? This overwhelming aura of beauty!
Iroha: ...Um...I'm not too familiar with it so...
Ria: ...In that case, I'll have to teach you... I'm Ami Ria! The rival of that Nanami Yachiyo! Furthermore! I'm not a fake, but 100 percent the real deal!
Iroha: Yachiyo-san's rival...? ...You are?
Yachiyo: ...It's one-sided, but she told me once before...or at least, I feel like she did.
Ria: Why can't you remember a single detail!?
Kaede: Uu...Yachiyo-san...this person's scaring me...!
Yachiyo: It's okay, she's all bark and no bite...probably.
Ria: Wha...! Talking about me like I'm some kind of animal...! ...T, That aside, I didn't know you come here too.
Yachiyo: Well... how about you, are you here by yourself...?
Ria: Y, Yes... One person is enough to handle this place.
(...Truth is, my schedule simply didn't line up with anyone else's, but...)
Kaede: Yachiyo-san... Is this person really a real person...?
Ria: You suspect me!? I'm telling you, I am the real Ria!
Kaede: B, But!
Ami: For starters! I can't forgive those fakes! They invited me, so I graced them with my presence and yet for some reason they made a replica of me...! ...Well, I do understand why they would want to imitate my beauty but...That being said! I can't forgive them for actually going through with it! So I've been exterminating all my duplicates!
Kaede: I, Is that so...?
Ria: Argghh---enough! Here! Look at this mirror! Especially at this angle! At this angle! This beauty...a fake couldn't possibly be this beautiful!
Iroha: ...I can't tell the difference at all...
Ria: Look! How's this? Especially this angle!
Yachiyo: (...Nn? ...Did something shine...) !  You! Stop turning the mirror!
Ria: But why? ...Fufu...in that case, I'll show you too! How's this, and this! This angle! That angle!
Yachiyo: I'm telling you to knock it off! If you carelessly use the mirrors here, who knows what could happe... ...Ahh!
Ria: ...Hm?
Kaede: Eh... Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Iroha: Y, Yachiyo-san...! disappeared...!
Ria: ............U--h... Was that my fault?