#The mirrors and reflective objects are a coincidence

[nelkcats]

A cold era is hitting Central City, the main suspect is Captain Cold, but no matter how many times Flash question him, Leonard gives Barry a pout and shows him the cookies he was baking, apparently he's going through a baking stage.

However, the speedster is not going to be fooled because everywhere where it's frozen there is a mirror or a reflective thing, so it must be Captain Cold and Mirror Master, he is sure.

On the other hand, ever since he moved to Central City to finish college (¡Their aerospace program is amazing!) Danny has been having trouble controlling his ice powers, causing blizzards or even freezing buildings by mistake.

Clockwork tells him that it's nothing medical and it's just him instinctively fighting with the speedforce because of their near presence, but ¿what is a speedforce? ¿Would it hurt Clocky to stop being so cryptic once in a while?

[ilongfor-the-arts]

Just read the museum marquis fic and I love it. I wonder what would a fanfic where the marquis de gramont met a ballerina reader?

Poetry in Motion

Pairing: Marquis de Gramont x fem! Reader

Warnings: mild language

Summary: A tall and handsome man has been watching you preform for a while. What will happen when he finally chooses to introduce himself?

Word Count: 2.5k

I got multiple reqs for this! So, here ya go! Enjoy!

“You’re late Y/N!”

I dashed into the locker room, tossing my bag atop the dressing room counter.

“I know! I know! I’m really sorry! My apartment door wouldn’t lock and there was traffic and then-”

My director held up a hand, silencing me.

“I don’t care. Please-just, be ready to go by showtime.”

I nodded vigorously.

“Yes, yes, of course. I will be ready, I promise.”

She quickly turned on her heels and began walking in the opposite direction. Her blue dress swayed gently as the dancers rushed around her. Her spine was straight, her posture rigid.

I don’t blame her. I'm just as nervous as everyone else to see how this performance goes. Unfortunately, I'm a dancer, so rigid posture isn't ideal. I'm forced to keep my anxiety bottled up inside my head.

“Y/N.”

My friend called my name, jolting me from my trance. She was fully dressed, with a full face of makeup. She stared at me, completely stunned.

“Y/N, you better hurry! Everyone else is ready to go!”

I moved rapidly, quickly opening my makeup bag, praying I had enough time.

“What took you so long?”

I slapped my palms against the table, annoyed.

“Oh, Clara, it’s been such an aggravating day.”

I stared at my reflection, watching as the foundation completely coated my face.

“Do tell.”

I took out my eye makeup.

“Well, first my apartment wouldn’t lock.”

I closed one eye and applied eyeshadow as quickly as I could.

“My key wouldn’t work! And of course I couldn’t just leave my apartment unlocked so I had to bother my neighbor to get the spare key I gave her.”

I moved on to the other eye.

“Then there was so much traffic. Then I couldn’t find a good parking spot because I got here so late. Then I had to walk almost six blocks.”

My eye makeup looked... alright. Sure, if I had an extra hour, I could make it look fantastic. But, due to my unfortunate situation, I had to settle for average.

“Wow girl, that’s rough. I’m sorry.”

I pulled out my blush.

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, I think that cute guy will be here tonight.”

I scoffed loudly.

“He’s always here. If he goes four days without seeing a ballet, just assume he’s dead.”

Oh my goodness, that blush color was really clashing with my eyeshadow. Shit! I didn't have time to remove it and start over. Perhaps I could just add another color to my eyes, creating a strange hybrid color that would blend well with the blush.

“I don’t know Y/N. I’ve been here longer than you, and he only started going regularly once you got here.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Yeah, right. It’s probably just a coincidence. I doubt he’d spend a shit ton of money on fancy ballet tickets just to see some pretty girl dance.”

I watched Clara shrug from the corner of my eye.

“I dunno. He always dresses like he’s ready to meet the queen, and he sits in a box. He doesn’t seem short on funds. He definitely could be the type to buy ballet tickets just to admire you.”

Okay, the blush and eyeshadow looked fine. I could handle "fine." I could work with "fine.”

“I don’t know Clara. You know, when you watch a performance, faces and names blend together because there are so many people on stage. I doubt he picked me out of the crowd and decided I was going to become the object of his affection.”

I put on some red lipstick, trying not to be distracted by the fact that all the dancers I saw in the mirror were fully prepared.

“Besides, a handsome man like that?... he probably has a girlfriend.”

Clara perked up.

“Oh, so you admit you think he’s handsome.”

I rolled my eyes for a second time.

“I mean, come on Clara, look at him!”

Clara let out a loud and obnoxious laugh. My face turned hot. Thankfully, the makeup covered most of the natural pink that had begun to appear on my cheeks.

“Oh my God you have a little crush on him, don’t you!”

I held up my hands in defense.

“I am not having this conversation right now!”

I stood, rushing over to the costume rack.

“I’ve never seen him with a girl Y/N! I think he’s single and ready to mingle!”

Clara’s loud voice drew some attention. I swiveled on my heels and placed a finger to my lips.

“Sh!”

-

The show was finished, and the final bows were taken.

The roar of the crowd washed over me like a wave. I was moved to know that they were all applauding for this performance. As the entire company gathered for one final bow, I observed the crowd's faces contort into bright smiles. I felt moved knowing that at least one person in the audience was thinking about what a wonderful job I did tonight.

I hoped it was the man whose appearance I had grown accustomed to over the past few weeks.

The gold theater sparkled. The red seats gradually vanished as people rose to pay their respects to the performers.

I was unable to avoid glancing around at the various people in the crowd. I started in the box seats, hoping to spot a tall man with a penchant for fashion.

No luck.

My gaze was drawn to the floor seats. I scanned them all as quickly as I could. Maybe he sat closer? If he truly came to see me, it wouldn't hurt to get the best view possible in the front row.

No luck.

I'm not sure why I was so desperate for him to be here. Nonetheless, I felt my heart sink slightly as I considered the possibility that he missed tonight's performance.

We finished with a company bow. We waved goodbye, and quickly scattered off the stage.

“Y/N!”

Clara exclaimed as we walked back to the dressing rooms.

“You did so well! Jesus, I thought for sure you’d be all scattered from coming in late, but you really pulled it off well!”

I didn't notice her hands cutting through the air as she spoke. I didn't even bother looking at her. I kept my head down, stuffing various cosmetics into my black backpack.

“Thanks Clara.”

I said flatly.

“Alright, what’s going on? Who’s got you bummed?”

I grit my teeth.

“He’s not here tonight.”

Clara leaned in.

“What did you say?”

“I said he’s not here tonight!”

I snapped involuntarily. Clara retreated.

“Woah woah, how do you know this?”

“I didn’t see him in the crowd.”

Clara furrowed her brow.

“Come on Y/N, there’s thousands of people in that crowd! There’s no way you could’ve checked every seat for him!”

My lips were pursed. Clara wrapped her hands around my shoulders, soothing me. She leaned into my ear, lowering her voice to a whisper.

“I bet he showed up tonight. And if he didn’t, it was his loss entirely.”

-

The cold Paris air bit at my exposed skin. The chill penetrated my tank top, chilling me to the bone. I drew the sides of my peacoat together, attempting to conceal my torso and thighs from the wind.

I began to stroll, trying to enjoy the lovely Paris evening despite the fact that so much was less than ideal.

After about thirty paces, I was struck by an uneasy sense that someone was watching me. I initially ignored it. There were numerous high-rise apartment buildings. I'm sure that feeling came from being a window away from someone's living space, and the possibility that someone was watching me inadvertently.

I couldn't shake the feeling even after another thirty paces. The buildings in this particular neighborhood were completely dark. That is, everyone was sleeping, and if anyone was watching me, it probably would go unnoticed by bystanders.

I took a peek over my shoulder to ensure my intuition was correct.

About thirty feet behind me was a tall, lanky man in a black coat.

Alright, probably just a coincidence-

Wait.

I did a double take.

Holy shit.

It was the guy from the ballet!

This all is just one big coincidence.

I kept my head down, trying to maintain my composure.

His footsteps became audible. I focused on them, noticing that they were becoming slightly louder with every step.

Shit.

Shit!

God, this guy is a total creep! How could I be so stupid?!

I’m about to get totally kidnapped!

I started to move faster, trying to appear calm despite being aware that my heart was pounding in my ears. My blood rushed to my heart, leaving my face pale and cold.

God, he’s getting closer!

Jesus my stomach is in knots!

“Don’t look so frightened, darling.”

The man’s velvety accent pierced the air like a knife. My heart jumped.

I’m fucked.

“Really, I just want to talk with you.”

No way in hell was I stopping. My calves burned. My eyes were wide. My hands trembled within my pockets.

My chest came into contact with something solid. I stumbled back, looking up.

Oh my goodness, he was right in front of me.

How did he get there without me hearing?

The heat left my body.

I stood, wide eyed and perplexed.

The man's neutral gaze softened as he noticed my anxiety.

“I am very sorry to have frightened you, madame. I am simply a fan wishing to pay my respects.”

He placed a hand on his chest.

“I promise, I mean no harm. There is no reason to be frightened.”

He was considerably taller than me. In two seconds, he could pick me up and throw me into the back of a shady white van.

Nonetheless, his luxurious accent and courteous eyes made me believe he was telling the truth. So I allowed myself to relax ever so slightly.

“Did you come and see the show tonight?”

A smirk played on the corners of his lips.

“But of course. It would be foolish of me to disregard the opportunity to observe such talent.”

Wow, I'm going to give credit where credit is due. He’s a smooth talker. He speaks with such elegance. I'm unable to ignore his words. With bated breath, I await each sentence.

“Well, that is very kind of you to say.”

He slipped his hands into the pockets of his black overcoat, shrugging nonchalantly.

“I only convey the complete truth. In my lifetime, I have seen hundreds of ballets, operas, and plays. It is uncommon to find such a passion for the arts in the hearts of the prefromers. Few people allow creativity to encompass every aspect of them. But, I have noticed fire within you.”

He glanced deeply into my eyes, as if he wanted to capture some of the "fire" within me and preserve it for himself.

“I can tell by the way you dance and command the stage.”

The gentle breeze rustled the end of his overcoat as his pale eyes shone in the pale moonlight. He exuded a sense of mystery that beckoned me to embrace the unknown.

“Your blood runs red with creativity.”

He came to a halt, his piercing gaze catching my lips before darting back to my eyes.

“And, your beauty is unmatched.”

Forget about my face being cold; it was now scorching hot. I just hope I kept enough blush on my cheeks to hide the natural pink.

He extends his leg, the buckle of his pricey loafer catching the moonlight. He steps closer, the wonderful aroma of whiskey and bergamot wafting into my nose. The scent cloud muffles my brain, making me dizzy with anticipation.

“How long have you been dancing for?”

I raise my eyebrows.

“Oh, well, my entire life. I started the moment I could walk and I’ve pretty much been in the dance studio everyday since.”

The enigmatic man nodded, pleased with my response. I took my hands from my pockets, as they were sweating despite the chill.

“And… Do you enjoy it?”

I nodded vigorously.

“Yes, I remember, um-.”

I took a deep breath, careful not to trip over my words and reveal that my heart was racing.

“I remember my first official dance class. I was- about four or five.”

I swallowed, a lump forming in my throat.

“All the kids were complaining. I mean, y’know, at that age it basically is just an excuse for the parents to get their obnoxious kids out of the house.”

He chuckled.

Yes!

“But I never complained, not once. I loved it from the start. And, it’s completely consumed my life since then.”

He took another step forward. The distance between us was almost non-existent now. To meet his gaze, I had to almost completely crane my neck back.

“I can tell. You don’t just dance, you float over the stage. It really is beautiful to watch.”

His voice dropped to a sultry whisper.

“You are beautiful to watch.”

My stomach flipped.

My breath caught in my throat as he cupped my face with his hand. His grip was gentle, as if he were coddling a baby bird.

My mind was empty, a void waiting to be filled by him.

He exhaled deeply, a breath fanning over my face. I instinctively leaned into him, craving his warmth, craving his scent, craving…

Him.

He ran his calloused thumb along my cheekbone. My face was burning. I knew he could feel it beneath his palm.

He grinned.

“You have a very bright future in the arts. Paris is only the beginning.”

I could sense the tension rising. I was on the edge of my seat, waiting for something magnificent to unfold.

A hug?

A proclamation of love?

A kiss?

“I hope and pray that you will allow me to be an integral component of your bright future.”

He slipped something into my empty pocket sneakily. He smiled broadly. My heart skipped a beat. His smile was enticing, so simple yet so effective.

“Call me, Ma chère.”

He took a step back, turned, and began to stroll away. My shoulders loosened. My chest gave way. My cheeks had lost their warmth. The tension had been released.

I could breathe.

I could think.

“Wait!”

I shouted. He glanced over his shoulder.

His figure looked very intriguing. Most of his ridges and curves were hidden by his long coat. It enticed one to venture into uncharted territories.

“What’s your name?”

He scoffed.

“When you call, I will tell you.”

[distantdarlings]

BENEATH HIS SHIRT // t. nott

RATING: PG-13 / 3.7K WORDS

Theodore Nott x Female Reader Insert

+ SUMMARY - *Requested, based on this* When Theodore Nott discovers an old artifact with interesting properties, known as a Time Turner, he comes up with the idea to use it to perfect his asking you out. (Romance)

+ WARNINGS - Language, using Time Turner, lots of thinking about reader, fem reader insert, not proofread! nothing else (lmk if I missed any)

+ MUSIC (listened to while writing) -

All My Love - Noah Kahan

- - -

(Note: Hello there, all you beautiful people! I am finally back and ready to knock out the rest of your requests! I am so sorry I was gone for so long but I’ve had a lot going on in my everyday life. Thank you all for being so patient and please enjoy the story!)

Theo’s leg bounced beneath the desk, the wooden floorboards creaking every so often. His fingers nervously drummed against his notebooks. His eyes darted around. The teacher droned on and on.

Every so often, he felt his hand raise to his chest to gently nudge the cold weight that rested beneath his shirt. He figured it was a bit of paranoia stemming from the valuable thing around his neck, but he couldn’t stop it. He wasn’t even supposed to have it.

He’d found it when rooting through Professor McGonagall’s office last week. He knew how bad that sounded, but, in his defense, he didn’t mean to grab it. He was trying to grab the small chain he’d gotten at Hogsmeade last year—he’d been playing with it during class, and McGonagall had become annoyed with him. She had said he could have it back at the end of the month, but he wasn’t going to wait that long. He’d spent his money on that necklace, and he’d wanted it back.

The realization that he’d grabbed the wrong necklace hadn’t hit until he’d finally gotten back to his dorm. He’d run the whole way and failed to look down even once.

The item he’d held clenched in his fist was a golden chain with a single spherical charm at the end. It was golden, as well, with intricate carvings encasing it. He didn’t know what the hell he’d grabbed and figured it was some girl’s that McGonagall had snatched up, just like his.

He had rolled his eyes in annoyance, promising to head back tomorrow to go grab his necklace and return the one now settled in his palm.

Except he hadn’t gone back the next day. In the midst of getting ready for bed in the empty bathroom that night, he’d begun to mindlessly fidget with the golden object whilst brushing his teeth.

His fingers had traced the end of it, watching the rings around the charm twirl in on each other. The minty suds had spilled over the edge of his bottom lip, and when he had gone to catch the mess, his finger had jerked against the side of the charm just barely, and he was standing straight up again.

The suds still sat on the edge of his lip. They slid slowly, slowly, then pushed over and hit the ground with a wet splat. His eyes stared forward at the reflection of the necklace in his hand.

He didn’t know what the hell happened. It felt like his body had glitched out of reality for a moment. Surely it was just a coincidence, and he’d just had some more minty mess dribbling from his lips than he initially thought. But then, where had the original bit of toothpaste gone? He surely hadn’t caught it. He stepped back and looked around, searching over the stone floor and his person, attempting to find the missing blob of toothpaste. What the hell was going on?

His eyes found the necklace clutched between his fingers. He brushed his thumb over the golden jewelry just as he’d done the first time.

The earth glitched again, and the toothbrush was back in his mouth, and he was a step forward, closer to the mirror. He’d gasped and dropped his toothbrush and the jewelry in the sink, backing away wildly.

And after he’d played with it a few more times, he had decided to research it in the library. And now, as he sat in class, waiting for it to end, he felt as if it couldn’t come fast enough. He needed to get to the library so he could figure out what exactly this necklace did.

If he had to guess, he’d imagine that it turned the world back a bit at a time. Every time he touched the charm in a specific way—a small knob-like detail on the side of the globe itself—the day would jump back, and he’d be standing where he had been a few minutes before.

He was unsure of the extent of its power or if it really even did turn back time, but he intended to find out.

“Class dismissed!” McGonagall’s voice flashed through his mind.

At the sound of her announcement, he quickly gathered his things and rushed off toward the library, not bothering to excuse himself.

His breaths came out in quick, rasping pants as he appeared before the main entrance to the library. The hands that grasped his coat and bag collected beads of sweat rapidly, the small droplets slipping down his fingers.

“Nott? Everything alright?”

He whipped around, searching for the owner of the voice that had just grabbed his attention. Just before him, nearly a foot shorter, was Hermione Granger.

She stared up at him—eyes concerned, lips parted, hair bushy and wild, arms gripping a large number of books. One of her eyebrows quirked as if she was awaiting his response.

“Oh, sorry, Granger,” he chuckled nervously. “I was just trying to get to the library ahead of everybody…I’ve got some studying to do.” Wow, what a pathetic lie. Hermione knew it, too.

“Okay…did you need any help?” she asked. “I am a library ambassador.” Her voice was proud, chest perked out.

Just before he was about to blurt a loud, suspicious ‘no!’, he had a revelation. Hermione Granger was a Gryffindor and a tad annoying, but she was also one of the smartest students in the entirety of the castle, perhaps even in the Wizarding World. If anyone was able to help him at this moment—who wasn’t a professor and/or blatant snitch—it was her. He swallowed thickly.

“Actually, yes,” he said, nervously toying with the shoulder straps on his bag.

“Perfect, let’s get set up at a table!” she smiled widely, gently pushing past him and leading the way.

Theo had not been wrong in recruiting Granger’s assistance. She was bloody brilliant. The only information he’d given her, as suspicious as it had sounded, was he was doing a project about “magical objects—specifically jewelry” in his Defense Against the Dark Arts class. As dumb as the cover was, it seemed to work.

She’d set to work instantly, selecting tens of twenties of thickly bound books that had to be at least a hundred years old. When she pulled them from the shelf, her fingers fell away from them, allowing them to fall down to about waist height, where they would catch themselves in mid-air. As she scanned the shelves, they floated alongside her.

Theo was in awe of her incredible knowledge; he actually found himself interested in the millions of side tangents she went on. It was clear she was very intelligent.

The two of them had sat at a quiet table and set to work, with Hermione leading the way. She had pored over each book she’d decided upon, choosing between a number of fantastical objects, including a goblet that never let itself empty and a collection of garden tools in Sweden that did their own work without ever having been tweaked by a Wizard. It was fascinating.

Theo had even started working his way through one of the books when he’d spotted it. On a dusty, yellowed page, he saw a near-perfect sketch of the object now strung around his neck. Time-Turner. A small gasp left his lips, and his hands went to clutch against the necklace. It was an involuntary reaction, but one that hadn’t gone unnoticed by Hermione.

“Interested in the Time Turner?” she asked. “Would you like to use that one for your project? It’s quite brilliant.” Her eyes glanced down to his clutched fist, fingers still curled around the Time-Turner through his sweater. He let go and dropped his hand to his lap.

“I just thought it sounded very cool…” Theo said, sounding very unsure of himself. “Do you have any more books on it?”

“Um, I could search about if you wanted to look over that one a bit more,” she offered. Theo nodded, his eyes avoiding hers. Despite his obvious avoidance of her gaze, she set herself back down at the table and forced his eyes to find hers once more.

“Theo?”

“Yeah, what’s up?” he asked, trying to appear nonchalant. He felt as though he was sweating profusely.

“I’m going to ask you a question, and it’s not meant to upset you, but…are you currently in possession of any school-banned objects?”

His eyes flickered up to hers in shock. He hadn’t expected her to ask that if he were being honest. She hadn’t even skirted around the subject or anything. He paused for a moment, trying to find the words.

“No,” he breathed, his chest tight. He could barely look at her.

“Okay,” she said, expression unconvinced. “Well, so that you know—for your project—Time-Turners can be dangerous if not used properly. Your past self can never see your present self.” Oh. That was good to know.

She nodded her head slightly, eyebrows still furrowed tightly, before turning to walk away. She left Theo staring blankly at the open book before him. She definitely didn’t believe him. He hoped she wouldn’t rat him out.

He got to his feet and quickly exited the library.

***

Once back in his dorm, a thought washed over him. He could use this Time-Turner to benefit himself in an extreme amount of ways. He could go back and fix tests he’d failed, he could correct arguments with his family, he could—

A knock came at the door. He quickly shoved the object back beneath his shirt, shouting a brief invitation at the door.

The first thing he saw was your eyes as they poked through the door. He sat up, tugging the comforter over his naked chest.

“Oh!” you giggled, stepping back behind the door. “You’re naked!”

“No, not naked! Just need to grab a shirt!” Theo said, frantically searching about his bed for a stray tee shirt. He noticed one strewn over the back of his desk chair.

“Accio!” he hissed. The gray fabric tossed itself towards him, allowing him to sling it over his head and down his torso. “Come in!”

You pushed back through the door, a sly smirk printed on your lips.

“Shut up,” he laughed, patting the bed beside him. You jogged over to his side of the dormitory and hopped into his bed, sliding your legs beneath the covers. Your cold skin raised with chill bumps at his warmth.

Theo asked you about your day, and you asked about his, and he contemplated telling you about the Time-Turner for over two hours before you finally disappeared back into your dorm. In your absence, he realized something he hadn’t before.

He could use the small golden jewelry rested around his neck to finally confess his feelings for you—and he could make sure it was perfect no matter what. He just had to make sure his past self did not see his present self.

---

And that mission consumed the rest of his week—or the rest of his Monday. At the start of the first day, he’d found himself approaching you and then flaking out; or starting to tell you, then changing the subject; or telling you he loved you! (but as a friend). He groaned and rolled his eyes at himself.

At this point, there were going to be ten little Theos running around Hogwarts. Now that it was Tuesday, all of them should have been swept away with the passage of time, but he wasn’t certain he’d gone completely unspotted by everyone around him. He could’ve sworn Mattheo, a close friend of his, had mentioned how impossibly fast he’d gotten from one side of the castle to the other.

With a clenched jaw and stern eyes, Theo told himself he wasn’t going to push this little journey past Tuesday. He was going to get it done today.

In the midst of his repeated attempts, he’d gotten creative to avoid being seen by his past self. He’d snuck little tips written onto notes in his dorm, pretended that students could not go into certain rooms so his other self could be alone with you, etc. He knew that that could be dangerous, and he definitely didn’t understand the full capabilities of the Timer-Turner, but he realized that if there was one thing he truly wanted at the moment, it was you.

This was the last time.

He pinched the Time-Turner’s little knobbed bead and turned—24 times. That should put everyone back on Monday morning, at exactly ten o’clock in the morning.

Theo watched as the air around him in the boys’ lavatory began to shift—little flashes of passersby sped around him; Professor Snape even pushed through the door at one point. The day became darker and darker until the whole bathroom was plunged into an inky blackness. Then, it began to leave quickly, becoming lighter and lighter until the rushing stopped. The lavatory was silent. It was ten o’clock on Monday morning.

He had Potions right now, but he’d already written a note to Professors Snape and Dumbledore, asking to be excused from all of his classes due to a raging stomach ache. He’d gotten unfortunately detailed in the letter and hoped they’d leave him to attend the hospital wing on his own.

He watched before him as ten Theos seemed to step out of his body and walk toward the lavatory entrance. These were his previous attempts trying to make you his.

An idea popped into his head—one that may not work the way he planned. He had failed to ask Hermione how exactly any incidents would affect his present self, but he figured he’d come out alright.

“Petrificus Totalus!” he hissed, then watched as all ten of his other bodies froze suddenly and collapsed to the ground, falling like dominos. He pulled the hood of his cloak over his head, dragged them over to one of the stalls in the furthest corner, and propped them up against the wall. Despite their eyes still staring right through him, they were not able to see his face. He was appalled at the way he was treating himself, but he figured if he wasn’t able to remember it, it didn’t really matter. It wasn’t like he’d killed himself or anything like that; he’d likely just be a bit sore in the morning.

Still, perhaps he should have thought that through a bit more… It didn’t matter. This was the last time he was going to create more of himself for no reason. He should have successfully asked you out the first time, but, for some reason, he kept seeming to screw it all up. He was pathetic, using a magical object to ask someone out.

If any of his mates knew about this…he’d never live it down. He took a deep breath, straightened his tie and robes, and stepped out of the bathroom.

You were in Defense right now and would be going to your free period directly afterwards. He knew this because this was his eleventh time trying.

He pulled himself behind one of the enormous stone pillars holding the castle up and waited for your voice to come. Every single time, you walked out of your class, your laugh jingling like a chime through the halls and melting Theo’s heart down into his stomach. He anticipated the start of the sound.

When it began, Theo poked his head around the corner and saw you there—arms clutched around books, gorgeous hair framing your gorgeous eyes, your beautiful body on display as your group of friends turned to walk towards him. He gulped, standing back slightly.

“…and I was just wondering if he was, you know—”

“Hey,” Theo stepped out of his hiding place, interrupting you. Your shining eyes met his. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

Your mouth slacked open for just a moment before you blinked a few times and nodded slowly. The two girls on either side of you seemed to be suppressing smirks and eyeing you intently. He took a shuddering breath, hoping that these girls would not be making fun of him some time in the future.

Theo had told himself that this was the last time, so if he fucked this attempt up, that was it. He would throw the Time Turner away.

One of your friends offered to take your books and bag back to your dormitory. You turned back to Theo and smiled shyly.

Gently, he led you away from the gradually increasing wave of Hogwarts students and down a mostly empty corridor.

You followed him in silence until he turned the corner, and brought you out into a silent courtyard. The sun above twinkled over the fountain in the center of the blooming area.

Theo saw you smile a bit.

“Uh, I’m sorry to have pulled you away from your friends, I just wanted to talk to you about something…” he trailed off nervously, his palms already beginning to sweat. Your eyes watched him so closely—it was becoming hard to breathe.

“I wanted to tell you that I’ve developed feelings for you—ones of, uh, a…romantic…nature—wait, that’s awful… I meant I think you’re absolutely gorgeous…uh…” he stuttered endlessly, his perfect plan drowning. “I’m sorry, can you just please forget I never said any of this?”

“Theo, why would I want to forget any of this?” You chuckled gently, a small well of tears in your eyes. “You’ve been nothing but sweet and romantic and loving these last eleven days.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve just wanted to ask you out properly—hey, wait. What did you say?” Theo stopped, blood draining from his face.

“Oh,” you frowned a bit. “I wasn’t going to tell you, but…”

You reached beneath your sweater and slipped a silver chain over your head. At the very end of the links, glistening in the sun, was a deep emerald stone, hard-cut and encapsulated in silver linings. A rough breath left Theo’s lips.

“It’s a Reversal stone,” you explained, “a stone meant to protect me from any charms, curses, or illusions placed on or around me. There’s only a few of them in the world but my family happens to be the ones who originally discovered them and their immunity to magic.”

Theo wanted to throw up. He was sure he had glimpsed one of these in one of the books Hermione had brought to him. He had never been so embarrassed in his life.

“So, you’ve seen everything?” he asked, wincing a bit.

“And remember it all—but don’t worry, no one else will.” You flashed him a dazzling smile.

“So, I guess you know about the—”

“Time Turner?” You answered. “Yeah, I do. But your usage of it was very impressive; it’s almost like you’ve used one for years. Where did you get yours—oh, wait, I’m sorry. I’m getting ahead of you. Go ahead!” You urged him along with your hands.

Theo chuckled at your natural curiosity. His eyes traced over your small smile as you awaited his prepared speech.

“Do you even want me to go through with this?” Theo asked.

“I’d love to hear it again,” you said sincerely. Theo refrained from cringing at the ‘again.’

“It’s going to be the same thing you’ve heard every time,” he laughed nervously. “Is your answer going to change at all?”

“Well, to be fair, I didn’t get to answer the first times. You always cut me off and got to work spinning on that necklace of yours.”

Theo paused and thought back to each instance he’d reversed time and attempted to ask you out. He slowly realized that he'd never actually waited for your answer. He’d gotten too embarrassed and walked away.

“If you would have let me finish the first eleven times, you would’ve known that I couldn’t have cared any less about how you asked me out,” you smile flirtatiously. “All I cared about was the fact that you were asking me out.”

“So, does that mean…?” Theo trailed off.

“I’d love to be yours, Theo,” you laughed. “I’ve been waiting for you to ask for forever and—while I didn’t think you’d need an infamously enchanted object to ask me out—I would never have said no to you.”

Theo’s eyes lit up and his lips parted in a giddy smile. Despite his nerdish attempts at proposing the perfect question to you, you still wanted him. Had wanted him for a while. At least that was what you’d implied. Theo could barely force the words from his lips.

“So, we’re dating, then?” Theo asked dumbly. “You’re my girlfriend now?”

“Of course…if that’s what you’d like to call me, that is,” you smiled, sending a wink towards the tall boy. His cheeks flushed slightly as he slowly slid his hand towards you. You accepted the invitation by sliding your fingers against his, intertwining them lovingly.

Theo thought his heart might explode. He was already thinking of kissing you. Your lips looked so perfect and lush… He imagined you’d taste like the sweetest of fruits in the summertime, like the entirety of Honeydukes, like—

“Would you like to kiss me, Teddy?” You asked. Theo swallowed thickly. Could that damn necklace of yours allow you to read minds as well? “I’d just very much like to kiss you, and thought that I’d ask.”

“Uh, I’d love to,” he smiled nervously.

“Theo,” you breathed, resting your lips just above his. “Relax. You don’t have to be so nervous. Is this the first kiss you’ve ever had?”

“No, but—”

“Then you’re alright,” you laughed.

His eyes were wide and frightened, his lips parted in a perpetual sigh. He could barely contain himself as your hand trailed up and along his chest before sweetly reaching his face. Your soft fingers caressed the flesh around his ear and then across his mouth. Theo’s breath caught in his throat at the sensation.

You gave him a small smile before lightly dragging your fingers under his chin and disappearing back through the entrance to the courtyard.

Theo remained standing, amongst the stone and the vines, with only his breathing and the trickle of the fountain behind him. His deep exhales brought him back to the present. He blinked sharply and laughed a bit at your boldness.

He was going to get you back.

*Tag List: @mypolicemanharryyy, @lilymurphy03, @clairesjointshurt, @bunbunbl0gs, @acornacreacure, @niktwazny303, @thestarlithideout, @sarahskakskskskajakwwnwjw, @yhiiil, @ravenclawprincess33, @xxrougefangxx, @thatblackthorn, @robinyx, @starsval, @jolly4holly, @blvebanisters, @chgrch (If you would like to be added to the tag list for any future works, please comment on this post, dm me, or send me a message in my inbox. Thanks!)

[parroset]

Reflections, reflections, reflections -- and Startouch elves

One of the more prevalent motifs in The Dragon Prince is the reflection motif. You can see many, many examples of it in the show, including Aaravos's mirror, multiple characters looking at standing water, and the short story series, which is literally called "Reflections."

Reflections are great because they force characters to confront themselves, both in appearance and in emotion (they can "reflect" on their own actions and thoughts). TDP tends to put these two ideas together, and many of the appearances of the reflection motif have characters reflecting on their emotions or decisions.

Now, how does this connect to startouch elves? Aside from the mirror itself, which obviously connects to Aaravos, the dragon scale necklace that Aaron Ehasz confirmed to be related to Laurelion has a super reflective surface.

The way that Claudia's reflection appears in this picture also reminds me a little of this scene:

I think she has a similar confused face and is puzzling out the source of the reflective object, but there may be more to it than that.

Another thing about the reflection motif is that many of these reflections are shattered/ruined by Aaravos. Aaravos shatters his mirror in season 4:

This connects back to a line from Patience:

The fact that the exact word "shattered" is used here is probably not a coincidence; he is trying to do to the other startouch elves what he did to the mirror. It's a violent way to break things, leaving jagged edges that can hurt others. Shattering something is usually sudden, and implies that the thing being shattered is delicate. There is a connection there between the mirror and "everything [the startouch elves] have built."

Aaravos has a pattern of ruining reflections. From his first appearance in the show, he "ruined" Viren's reflection by appearing in the mirror, and as discussed above, he later broke the mirror. He also has the following line in Ripples:

He is specifically talking about ruining the "perfect reflections" of the startouch elves, and at the end of the story, he is the one who touches the surface of the water and watches the ripples spread, and thereby continues to ruin the startouch reflections.

I'm curious to see what the connection is between Aaravos, Laurelion, and the necklace, and if any of the reflection imagery ends up being important in this.

[ineffable-baker-street]

Metatron's Evil Plan

Starting with Gabriel's trial. Metatron said, "No speeches Gabriel you're not going to Hell.

He then adds "which there isn't."

It would obviously be an issue if Heaven were to be viewed as problematic and out of control, with fallen angels left, right and centre. So they tried to manage Gabriel, make it so he just faded from his place of power, but he outsmarted them. And suddenly there were two former high-up's down on earth, and we all saw just how desperate they were to get Gabriel back. It's clearly A Concern.

So unfortunately Gabriel has escaped from their clutches, with a Prince of Hell no less.

Very much not a good look. So Heaven needs to act and it needs to be now. Mere minutes after Gabriel and Beelzebub leave together, Metatron is on earth.

Then he goes to the coffee shop. He asks Nina, "Do people ever ask for Death?" and the subtitles were capitalised which I do think further supports my point. We already know that seeing Death is a bad omen, since at the end of Season One right after they saw him they were both dragged away to their would-be permanent discorporations.

There is also something to be said for the mirroring of the first season and second season. I've seen theories, as well as noticed myself that many things line up. I can't find the post that laid a lot of things out but here's a few that I've noticed.

The mention of Death in the final episode, right before something bad happens (they both get taken to be punished/Aziraphale leaves Earth.)

Aziraphale and Crowley both holding someone's hands with the person in between them (Adam in S1E6 and Jimbriel in season 2, episode one or two i can't remember which)

The Nightingale reference. Pretty obvious, but ending the season on that song holds significance. I think most people have seen the theory that that's a message from Aziraphale, but I won't go into that here or this will never end.

The nightingales plus the plans to go to the Ritz being gone I think is definitely symbolic of the fact that they've lost something. Again, an obvious option, but it's an important place for them, so the fact they had similar plans, that were then interrupted, reflects Season One while also telling us that things are clearly not going to be good.

But then you also consider that it's perhaps exactly what the Metatron wanted all along, for Crowley and Aziraphale's relationship of love and trust to completely fall away, symbolised by the hopes of dining at the Ritz disappearing.

Therefore I think a pretty reasonable conclusion from the mention of Death - and the parallels with last season - from someone as sinister as the Metatron is that something is going to happen to most likely both of them. Metatron is also almost surprised that people never ask for death, as it is "so predictable." There was definite intention in that scene, and makes me wonder if he thinks whatever he's trying to make happen will make them wish for death?

This next point is a big one. At first you might think its coincidental but if you go back and watch the scene I think you'll be convinced. When the Metatron enters the bookshop, the lamps with the candle looking bulbs and the glass decorations jingle and move. I can't find a good GIF to show it but if you rewatch I promise you'll notice it. And yes, since the door has just closed and there's potential wind they might move for a few seconds, but they continue moving the entire time Metatron is in the bookshop. This scene goes on for approximately 2.5 - 3 minutes, definitely too long for them to be moving. But, I suppose you never know, could be coincidental. Until he leaves the shop with Aziraphale. They move more vigorously on his way out, but by the time (about three seconds) Crowley walks towards the window to watch them go, they've completely stopped moving. Not a coincidence. Metatron has some sort of energy that's powerful, or influential enough, that it cause material objects to move vigorously when he's near them. They didn't even move nearly as much when literal demons entered the shop, at the beginning of episode six.

Considering the fact that those lamps were completely conjured by Aziraphale for his ball, I have a strong suspicion he's particularly influential over magical objects... or magical things (entities) in general. (This is important later)

Metatron also says, "just you and me, Aziraphale, eh?" which is honestly something that sounds more like enemies facing off in a battle, than friends going out for a chat. It's like when a murderer is alone with their victim, and while Az and Metatron are talking there are no witnesses. I definitely think this is foreshadowing for next season when Aziraphale has to face off with the Metatron.

When they're leaving the shop the Metatron is all lovely smiles while Aziraphale is looking, and he seems a bit like a harmless old man, but as soon as Azi's back is turned he gives Crowley the most hateful, sinister, conniving glare, with [tense music playing] according to the subtitles and also my ears. He is up to something. This is a very strong piece of evidence that the Metatron Does Not Like Crowley.

He tells Aziraphale, "you are just the angel for the job." It could be an ordinary thing to say, but no I don't think so. I think the Metatron has been carefully considering this for quite some time, and I think this is all about Crowley. He says there are "huge plans afoot, enormous projects," and he's so careful to be extremely vague, while talking Aziraphale up. Then he uses a tactic knows will work, which is playing with Aziraphale's heart and using Crowley.

"I've been looking back over a number of your previous exploits, and I see that in quite a few of them you formed a de facto partnership with the demon Crowley."

He has done meticulous research, and it's made clear earlier that he hates Crowley. But, he knows that Aziraphale loves Crowley, and that he wouldnt be able to resist the chance to try and do what he thinks is the right thing. Metatron mentioned that he was a 'Prince of Heaven' and that it could be seen as an 'institutional problem'. Well Heaven can't really been seen to have problems can it? And Crowley has been doing whatever he pleases for six thousand years, not on the side of Heaven or Hell, and I think that they're sick of it. He's already 'corrupted' one angel, who knows what's next? They don't want someone to hold that kind of knowledge and power over them, and Crowley holds a far greater knowledge of earth than any of the rest of them do.

And so the Metatron offers Aziraphale something he knows he won't refuse:

And I have to ask, why, why would he ever have Crowley reinstated to "full angelic status?" Two seconds ago he just described him as a demon?? The answer is that he wouldn't. Somehow I don't think heaven makes a habit of restoring fallen angels. He has a master plan, and that involves getting to Crowley, which means getting Aziraphale out of the way. Eventually I think they'll attempt to use them against each other, but the first thing for them to do was gain some control over Crowley. The Metatron had offered for Crowley to come to Heaven, which does of course provide easy access to him and if Crowley had chosen to do that it probably would've worked for them. But I think the Metatron was counting on Crowley not wanting to go back, and that Aziraphale suggesting it would even drive a wedge through their relationship (which it did).

And now Aziraphale is off somewhere busy working, they aren't speaking to each other and Crowley is alone on earth, no one is going to notice if something happens to him or he goes missing.

Aziraphale also really isn't that special to Heaven, he's just another angel, and one who doesn't always do as he's told, which begs the question of why Metatron would make a whole trip to earth, just to give him Gabriel's job. It could go to pretty much anyone honestly. So when Metatron says 'The Job,' I'm certain he does not mean taking over Gabriel's position. He means the job of getting demon Crowley back in order and control, so he stops causing problems for Heaven. Because wherever there's a problem, Crowley is at the centre of it.

Finally. Aziraphale's insane smile in the elevator.

DO YOU SEE HOW CREEPY THAT IS?? It's so off putting, and given he's just effectively broken up with Crowley you wouldn't expect him to be too cheerful. That is the least genuine smile I have ever seen, like it does not even look like Aziraphale anymore. At first I thought it was just him trying to make himself feel okay about everything, and it technically could be, but I'm not convinced of that. There's obviously the theory that Metatron put something in Aziraphale's coffee, but I just don't buy that (no hate to the theory ofc, definitely still a possibility). It's so simple, so human, and this brings me to my point about Metatron having influence over objects, particularly magical ones, and potentially entities as well. I think it is far more likely that Metatron is either brainwashing Aziraphale or simply has an element of control over him, but isn't entirely controlling him. Could be persuasive power, which he uses to influence Aziraphale, but technically if Az fought really hard he could fight him off. My mind influence theory is supported on multiple occassions, where Aziraphale seems to want to change his mind, or act a certain way, and then suddenly snaps back to acting like everything is okay. Examples of that are:

- Aziraphale straight up says he doesnt want to go to Heaven. He tries to play it off as a bit of a joke but he looked pretty damn serious when he says it. He looks so doubtful, but between then and speaking to Crowley, his attitude does a complete 180 flip

- "Well obviously you said no to Hell, you're the bad guys." Aziraphale would NEVER say that if his mind was completely his own. He has spent almost their entire existence saying that Crowley is nice and good and kind. He doesn't think for a moment that Crowley is grouped in with Hell anymore, but that's certainly what the Metatron would think

- Metatron walks in right after Crowley leaves and isn't at all surprised by the fact that Crowley refused, more evidence that it was what he'd hoped and planned for. "Ah well always did want to go his own way. Always asking damn fool questions too." Which is a tiny bit of further background into fallen angel Crowley.

- When Aziraphale is heavily considering changing his mind, Metatron keeps talking as though Aziraphale is saying different words. "It should be in safe hands." "Anything you need to take with you?" He's suddenly really pushing Aziraphale, even though he said there was no need to answer right away.

And that is all I have for you!! If anyone has anything to add I would LOVE to hear, this is my theory, definitely not the only possibility but I do think it's a candidate. Please let me know if there's any major points I've missed, I'm sure there probably is 🤍

@a-hearts-a-heavy-burden let me know what you think!!

[dqzaiie]

analysis of the day i picked up dazai official art

i'd like to preface this with some of these observations are made with prior knowledge of the light novel, as i have read @popopretty’s translation (side a & side b), so please keep that in mind! this may contain spoilers.

picture frames:

beginning with the foreground, the framed pictures have dark splotches on them, resemblant of debris (presumably for the same reason that other objects in the artwork are burning). there is a stark contrast between these memories and the rest of the artwork, with them being far brighter and having a higher level of exposure than most other objects.

pictures seem to be a recurring theme when discussing beast, with the beast light novel including very similar panels. this polaroid of oda as beastzai is enacting the final stage of his plan, for example.

this is important to make note of, as the pictures in the frames are beast-related artworks. (i thought this was a very neat detail to include!)

while i am not entirely sure of this, i found it to be a prominent detail: the inclusion of one circular frame amongst the square ones, with it being the only frame that contains an unobstructed view of beastzai’s face. to me, this is reminiscent of a mirror. given the fact that it is facing the fourth wall, could this be a reference to dazai’s self-awareness?

odasaku:

this idea is expanded upon in oda’s pose, with his hand extending toward the viewer. 

the light is illuminating his outreached palm, which is representative of him changing dazai’s dark perspective of the world, or “bringing him into the light”.

odasaku is the focal point of the artwork, being the narrator for this light novel. this conveys his significance to both the storyline and dazai himself. oda has a solemn look on his face, which isn’t unusual for his character, as he is typically portrayed with a stoic expression, however, he seems rather upset in comparison to his usual depictions.

in beast, it’s as though oda has assumed dazai’s role, so this may be representative of that parallel between the two of them, with oda bearing the responsibility of mentoring sskk in dazai’s absence. considering it is his right hand being extended, which corresponds with the beast side of the artwork, whereas his left hand is concealed by the picture frames, this demonstrates his ongoing role in beast, while he is no longer able to play an active role in canon.

(he is still very important to the story, mind you, but, that is a result of his memory, rather than his continued actions. this differs from beast, because he’s actively changing the narrative through his actions since he’s alive to make those decisions.)

while both dazai and beastzai have darker backgrounds, the space behind oda is white. there is a significant amount of light reflecting on him as well, mostly from the page hovering above his hand. this could be another picture that isn’t visible to the audience, but i believe it to a manuscript. 

the page is singed and torn, much like other aspects of this artwork. dazai in particular is affected by this, with the ends of his coat scorched on either side of the illustration.

canon (side a) vs beast (side b):

there is the obvious color symbolism of the background: beastzai’s side is black, while dazai’s side is grey, illustrating their differences in lifestyle, with dazai working for the armed detective agency on the side of good, and beastzai operating as the port mafia boss. similarly, beastzai is colored with cool tones, whereas dazai is colored with warmer tones. there are prominent cracks in beastzai’s background, while dazai’s has lighter, multicolored scuffs. these multicolored markings extend onto beastzai’s side before fading out into colorless ones. apart from those lighter markings, there are deeper cracks on the left side, extending into beastzai’s face and hair, from which dazai is unaffected. to me, these are reminiscent of a cracked picture frame, coinciding with the ones at the bottom of the illustration.

beastzai’s expression is blank, with most of it being obscured by bandages. his bangs hang down in front of his eye, effectively covering it. there appears to be marks of injury on his face, most of which are covered by the bandages. the bandages on beastzai’s face are attached to dazai’s own bandages, establishing a connection between the two of them. dazai wears a smile on his face, and his bandages are mostly torn, falling away from him. his bangs are mostly swept away from his eye, allowing him to see clearly. with a visible eye and torn bandages, this is indicative of the clearer perspective oda provided dazai with, allowing him to “see the world” through a different lens. (this was one of my favorite aspects of the anime adaptation for dark era—oda tearing the bandages from dazai’s face means so much to me.)

card symbolism:

the cards may be in reference to the gambling scenes between oda and dazai, which take place in side a of the light novel. much like chess, card games are often used in bsd to symbolize a battle of strategy, but also luck. for example, the cover for vol. 22

beginning with dazai, the card closest to his head is the joker, which references his intelligence, unpredictably, and “clownish” nature. there is another card nearby, but its face is obscured to the viewer. the card closest to his chest is the two of hearts, which represents quality time spent with loved ones, as well as spiritual connections, such as a twin flame, soulmate, or someone who is very important to someone’s life. this is indicative of oda and dazai’s relationship, as odasaku played arguably the most important role in dazai’s life—giving him a reason to live. 

there are two other cards visible on the right side, descending together in the background: the jack of clubs, and a card which has an obscured face. the jack of clubs is representative of action, warning against recklessness decisions. it may resonate with someone who is strong-willed and determined, yet impulsive and quick tempered. simply put, to many it means “yes”.  this card is representative of oda’s morals, and his sense of justice. his strong will, his determination—both of which lead to reckless, impulsive decisions made in an effort to maintain his promise to never take another life. this is exemplified by his death scene, in which he broke his promise to himself by killing gide and his subordinates, resulting in his senseless death. he had no regrets, dying satisfied by his actions, as though he believed it needed to happen—revenge for the deaths of the orphaned children he looked after. 

(side note: the parallel of his death scene in osamu dazai and the dark era and his appearance in the untold origins of the detective agency in which he claims “there is no forgiveness in this world…only retaliation—revenge against those who betray you.” is so, so perfect to me. the basis of his promise was ‘killing is unjust and revenge isn’t worth it’, and he broke it by obtaining revenge through the act of killing. i’m crying now.)

the card with its back facing the viewer is resemblant of dazai’s reasoning remaining a mystery to all but himself, hence why the card is visibly next to oda’s, yet unidentifiable, even to those closest with him.

there is another card on the far left of the artwork, but its front isn’t visible to the viewer. it mirrors the pair of cards on the right, the only visible difference being that it is alone. this card likely represents beastzai, under the assumption that the other two represent dazai and oda, as beastzai didn’t have an odasaku to turn to—he was alone.

as for beastzai, the card closest to his head is the three of spades, which represents heartbreak—a relationship which ends on bad terms, and a change of plans which cause emotional pain. in addition to this, it demonstrates commitment. i’d be hard pressed to find a card more fitting to describe the relationship between oda and dazai in beast. beastzai’s commitment to preserving that world, despite having to suffer for the duration of his lifetime, knowing that he would have to devote his life and death to protect it. this truly summarizes how painful the ending is, and how significant of an impact they leave in each other’s lives.

beastzai has two cards closest to his chest: one which has its back facing the viewer, and the other being ten of diamonds. the obscured card likely represents his enigmatic actions, the ten of diamonds represents accomplishment, and what is most meaningful in life. it is a good omen for success after hardship.

there are two cards falling toward oda, both of which are visible to the viewer: on the beast side, there is the ace of spades, and on canon side, there is the four of spades. when researching the symbolism of the cards, i found conflicting meanings for the ace of spades, which provided me with two vastly different interpretations. the first being: the ace of spades represents strength and authority, as well as new beginnings. this  this illustrates oda’s role in beast—a new path, a new novel, a new subordinate, a new journey. conversely, the ace of spades represents misfortune and death, which closely aligns with dazai’s arc in beast. tragic as it is, i believe this meaning to truly represent how saddening the storyline is. with dazai so openly accepting death to ensure the safety of his closest friend.

i believe both interpretations to an extent, as they coexist within the beast novel, hence why i decided to include both.

on a slightly lighter note, the four of spades said to represent struggle, daily life, and interpersonal relationships. after a deeper look into its meaning, i found it to describe a period of introspection, which is precisely what dazai experiences after meeting odasaku, having his expectations subverted time and time again, which causes him to reassess certain aspects of his beliefs. also, the idea of interpersonal relationships is related to this, as dazai and oda’s friendship is the focus of the light novel.

if you stuck around, thank you for reading all of that.

apologies if any of my thoughts were worded or expressed improperly, or if any of the provided information is incorrect. if this is the case, please feel free to correct me! 

this is my favorite light novel, and i simply CANNOT wait until its official release!!! i am weak with anticipation LOL. i would love to hear your thoughts on this official artwork!

[the-illiterate-pirate]

No Rest for the Wicked (Villain AU La Squadra)

WARNING: Series focuses on some dark content, such as murder and torture, yandere characters, stalking, kidnapping, and may contain nsfw writing and dubious consent

The hero association "Passione" takes pride in protecting Italy and it's citizens. From the everyday purse thief, to carjackers... To the underbelly of Italy's society of villains with their arrays of dangerous powers and abilities. But with such strong super heros like Golden Experience and Napoli's own Sticky Fingers, surely you'll be safe.

Right?

Hello! Hi! Welcome to my Super Villain LS AU! V excited to finally post this because the idea has been molding in the back of my brain for a good year now. Each member will get multiple chapters for their own stories, maybe even mixing together every once in a while, I'm not sure when I'll be able to officially start posting any of them but in the meantime PLEASE ask me questions about this au if you're interested. Especially if it has anything to do with outfits and costumes because that's my favorite part hehe. *Au won't include Sorbet and Gelato x Reader but they do make their appearances!

File: Somebody's Leavin’

Alias: Little Feat

Formaggio, originally the low fame superhero "Little Feat" has only recently turned to a life of crime, but proves to be a formidable foe. This change now allows him to use his abilities to their fullest extent. With a single scratch, Formaggio is allowed to shrink any living being at will, along with manipulating the size of inanimate objects as well. With a mix of these abilities as well as hand to hand combat, Little Feat originally scouted lesser populated areas and dealt with lesser threats such as purse snatches and bank heists. Now, Formaggio uses these abilities without consequence, reaping chaos. Around this same time, a missing persons case has opened up. The disappearance includes a barista working at a popular cafe in the city Little Feat used to protect. Coincidence? Still unsure.

File: Somebody's Watching Me

Alias: Man in the Mirror

People have reported seeing faces in the reflections of their homes. When called in for police sketching, all reports include a very similar man for each victim. Well built, with fair skin and dark hair, with goggles and his lower face hidden behind a beak shaped mask. He has been titled "The Man in the Mirror", otherwise known as Illuso. Most people that have been visited by the man have stated finding his "calling card" within the frames of their mirrors. These people have wound up dead. The Man in the Mirror seems to only attack the rich and those in power, so citizens who have seen him are asked to stay calm, but alert public authority immediately.

File: Happy Together

Alias: Beach Boy

Pesci is stated to be a freshly turned villain, but despite his late start proves to be difficult to challenge as he's been found shadowing the villain "Grateful Dead", a formidable evil that has been terrorizing Italy for some time now. Though his abilities are ideally for tracking, Pesci makes up for it with brute strength and his incredible size. Studies report that not a single casualty has happened during brushes with Beach Boy, but the same can't be said for the future. It's only a matter of time for the brute to turn away from his humanity and officially become one with the super villain underground.

File: Vermillion

Alias: Grateful Dead

Prosciutto, otherwise known as "Grateful Dead", is a well known and quite popular villain. Despite his title, women and men alike fold at the knee due to his charming appearance and suave personality. Prosciutto doesn't like to get his hands dirty, but will do what the job needs him to. He mainly focuses on the gambling scene and a chain of bars and sultry clubs. His abilities are lesser known, and are quite confusing to understand how they work, but it's easy enough to say if a contract of his doesn't end with a bullet in the head, they're rotting into the dirt instead.

File: Crimewave

Alias: Babyface

Babyface rarely leaves the villains compound, and when he does it's almost always for business. He goes under the alias "Melone" and owns a booming unisex cosmetics line titled "Molto Dolce Productions", enjoyed by men and women and everyone else from all ages as his makeups and serums are vegan friendly and animal cruelty free. As Babyface, he prides himself with a remote controlled army of handmade robots who do his biding for him. His so called "children" range from entirely metallic suits and grotesque cyborg abominations. He lives in a laboratory underground and spends most of his time creating life.

File: Love is like Oxygen

Alias: Gently Weeps

Ghiaccio never wanted to become a villain, but was born into the life of crime. Abandoned by his own family, he stole to survive, he cheated people out of money and food, and at the crisp age of seventeen Ghiaccio was officially brought into the villain hierarchy. In his years of work he's rose through the ranks and has become the villain known as Gently Weeps, and uses cryokinesis. Under a fake name he pretends to be a citizen, walking among Italy's streets, trying to live a normal life as best as he can, finishing school and even joining a gym to help with his icy temper.

File: Enter Sandman

Alias: Metallica

Not much is known about him, as Metallica keeps to the shadows and has never been seen by the naked eye. He lives only to kill, every murder happening in the dead of night. Not a sound to be heard, save the faint jingle of a bell. They say before you die at his hands, you're stared down by the blood red eyes of the devil himself. Each contract dead at his hands are found with their throat cut open, and a pair of bloody scissors settled on their chest.

[ireneaesthetic]

Wilhelm and Simon's rooms

This is probably an already overdiscussed topic, but i've been requested to analyze it my own way, so here i am!

• Colors •

It's the most vivid aspect to notice in the show when it comes to comparing their bedrooms. the coloring reflects the different worlds they're part of in such a clever way.

The warmer tones of simon's room because it is, for a fact, his cozy room: he's at home, living with his family and inviting his best friends over, he managed to be creative and express his true self making those walls, literally every corner of it, speak for and of himself - things he loves and he's passionate about.

His room is probably simon's safest place but also we, as an audience, get to know a lot about his character just by walking in and looking at it.

The cold tones of wilhelm's room shows the complete opposite instead: it's very 'crown prince' shaped and communicates so little about the real wille. He changed room once, got a bigger one to be more comfortable, but he never really had the chance to make it his own. It's cold and plain in tones but in its aesthetic too, in how everything is placed and the presence of very few personal elements - the frog, erik's picture and red lights. it feels empty in a lot of ways.

• Appearance •

I call it 'appearance' but what i mean is basically how wille's mental and emotional state seem to affect his room's space most of the times: also tidy and clean, but all over the place whenever he's confused or overwhelmed. It's in those messy moments the real wilhelm stands out tho: they're the clearest representation of what he's currently feeling and going through, whether it's sadness, anxiety, anger or else - like taking a picture of his state of mind. it is brilliant.

In simon's room i didn't see much of a difference, apart from the messier nightstand and desk in season two, but still not as impactful as wille at least. The fish tank is the main thing i focused on: who would have thought that the choice to turn a tank could mean so much? - here's a previous post where i briefly talk about it.

• Red lights •

The scene in which red lights are lit in both of their rooms, not long before wilhelm's speech and simon's confession - this is why i feel like it is significant.

Simon's lying on the bed looking at the sparkling lamp (the first object wille touched when he was there) and wilhelm who lyes down too with his thoughts running. They are kind of mirroring and thinking about each other: red lights that warm up the atmosphere, radiating a sense of comfort but internal conflict at the same time, can't be just a coincidence.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Hi raven! i really want to share my opinion with you about certain plot point in twst. welp i think the M*ckey is an bad plot point and seems very out of place in the game,while i'm not able to explain how it feel…shoehorned??as if yana is forced to include it (because she's writing for d1sney obviously,she gotta insert their mascot) but she's not sure in what to do with him,like what the point of his existence?wil he fight OB!Grim?(i hope not because it will look very unserious); and with the current story themes i cannot see how he could affect the course of events; it would've been a lot better if he remained as just an easter egg imo

But that's just my current feelings it might change later,maybe Yana will reveal the real plot of twst very late just like Black Butler!

Sorry for ranting!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

While I do agree that Mickey was kind of jarring to see at first, I think that’s only because his aesthetic clashes with that of everything else in the game. If Mickey were presented to us as another conventionally attractive anime boy (or, vice versa, if the TWST boys were drawn as simple anthro animal cartoon characters like Mickey), I feel like the fandom shock would eventually fade into the usual excited squealing 😅

I don’t think Yana was forced to include him because of Mickey being the face of Disney. His inclusion appears to be very purposeful and serves a role in the larger narrative. He doesn’t necessarily need to fight, but it’s very clear that Mickey is closely associated with the player character/Yuu, and that he may even be the key to helping them find a way home, or to understanding how Yuu ended up at Night Raven College to begin with. Just because we have vague details doesn’t mean the devs don’t know what to do with him; there have been many hints sprinkled throughout the game that will ultimately come together at the conclusion. When we get there, it will probably recontextualize all the breadcrumbs that have come along the way.

Firstly, I think Mickey can tie in with the story without necessarily adhering to its themes. Not every character has to exist to play into a work’s themes, because themes alone don’t define the entire work. One can argue that Twisted Wonderland’s themes are “the importance of friendship” and “even villains have their own tales/good sides to them”, but even then, that doesn’t tell the whole story. There are many smaller components which support the themes or are their own things that add to the world or narrative without necessarily supporting the theme. In Mickey’s case, I believe he exists to contribute to the mirror motif and to draw parallels between him and Yuu.

Mirrors (and, subsequently, their reflections) are vital in Twisted Wonderland. There are mirrors everywhere, serving different purposes—identification, teleportation, communication, etc. The fact that Mickey is speaking to Yuu through a mirror (an important object) already calls attention to him. Mickey is all Yuu can see, and Yuu is all Mickey can see; they are reflections of each other, living in different worlds and unable to cross into the other’s. They aren’t alike at all, and yet they were able to make this connection by happenstance. That imagery alone can sell someone on the mystery of it—and, if you look at it from a certain angle, that, too, connects to the themes of friendship in a less overt way. (Similarly, we see “opposites” reflecting each other in the presentation of other characters like Sebek-Silver, the twins, Kalim-Jamil, etc.)

Mickey ties in with the dream sequences that Yuu has between and within main story episodes. With how frequently it happens and how closely the dreams tie in with real world events, it cannot be a coincidence or just something hastily slapped in to stall the main story. We also get check-ins between Yuu and Mickey at the end of every chapter, which implies that they are building up to some kind of big reveal with him (not unlike what they’ve been doing with Yuu and Malleus’s brief meetings to build up hype and emotional stakes for episode 7). There are also other strange details that haven’t been fully explained but still feel weird to point out (almost like they’ll come into play again later): Yuu being the only one who can see Mickey, and both of them not being able to see each others’ worlds. What’s more, Mickey actually makes the Ghost Camera that Yuu received from Crowley in the introduction have narrative purpose.

We also cannot deny that Twisted Wonderland itself is heavily constructed based on Disney properties, which is highly suspect; Mickey’s inclusion could hint at more serious secrets regarding the nature of Twisted Wonderland itself. (For example, the “Twisted Wonderland is Mickey’s dream world, and Yuu’s dreams are Mickey’s world” theory.) It wouldn’t be too out of place tonally considering at how dark and existential episode 6 got (and implied 7 to be). m

If Mickey were left as just an easter egg, I think the main story I think the story would have a lot less intrigue to it (due to his association with Yuu’s dreams and their struggle to find their way home). He’s basically in the same position as Grim or Malleus; Mickey is a character that we meet early on in the main story, and someone who follows us throughout it. And just as we suspect an OB Malleus and a showdown with Grim, there’s no doubt in my mind that Mickey will be integral for whatever ending TWST has in mind for us.

[flock-talk]

Hey there, weird question, but do we know if birds recognise their feathers once they're no longer attached to my body. Like, if im in my house and I see a strand of hair, I know that it is mine, and it was once on my head. Do birds have the same thing?

I don’t know if there’s any studies on that yet!

As far as self-recognition goes parrots are largely unstudied, there’s a handful of anecdotal things and some poor quality observations by things like teaching a bird a word for a colour and attempting to teach actual language to them. Unfortunately most of these examples are taught by hobbyists, not linguistic specialists or specialized animal behaviour experts so the legitimacy of their use of language is largely unreliable. A lot of potential self recognition evidence can easily be shrugged off by handler influence, anthropomorphism, coincidence or misinterpretation.

There’s also some revamping happening to the ever popular “mirror test” where an animal is observed to see whether or not they recognize their own reflection, which parrots repeatedly fail. Since new considerations have brought up the fact that animals observe and recognize individuals through means other than visual it’s largely being considered an inaccurate test. Dogs for example use smell the most to ID an individual, the mirror doesn’t smell like them so it’s a stranger. Parrots use UV light to ID eachother, with most mirrors being made of aluminum or glass the UV rays get absorbed or filtered out which would cause the reflection to not look like themselves.

I will say considering how I’ve watched some captive birds moult a feather and be absolutely terrified by this sudden large object fluttering by them, even attacking and damaging their own feathers being presented to them, it seems unlikely that they recognize it as their own. Or perhaps environmental influences (like a lack of UV indoors) could cause them to not recognize the feather.

I would like to think they’re smart enough to know it’s a piece of themselves in their natural habitats, under normal conditions, with typical exposure and raising. Nothing currently proves it one way or the other yet though.

[msweebyness]

DuPont School for Monstrous Youths- Monster Quirks

More stuff for the monster kiddos! I was inspired by a few of my HC’s to make this, some fun quirks about the different monster species! As always, @artzychic27 and @imsparky2002!

Werewolves have the biological compulsion to howl whenever they see the full moon in the sky. This makes it very hard for people in the dorms near Kim to sleep at certain times in the month.

They also shed. A LOT. Whenever Kim gets out of the dorm showers, the entire floor is lined with fur.

Yetis and Sasquatches both have the…interesting habit of throwing rocks to express when they are displeased by something. If Ivan or Denise is mildly annoyed, they might hit you with a pebble. If you REALLY piss them off…

Whenever they’re spontaneously excited or really happy about something, phantoms have the tendency to let out an incredibly loud, earsplitting shriek. (They share this trait with banshees) Surprise parties are a BAD idea with Jean.

All vampires are allergic to garlic, but the reactions they display can vary from vamp to vamp. (For instance, Juleka breaks out in hives, while Luka’s throat swells up.)

Due to them being constantly charged with electricity, Steins are mildly magnetic and metal objects have a tendency to stick to them. If Nino can’t find his keys, chances are they’re stuck somewhere on his person.

If you have allergies, it’s a good idea to keep some over-the-counter meds on you if you’re going to be around Mylene extensively. Plant monsters are constantly releasing pollen into the air around them.

Mummies have to routinely change out their bandages for hygiene reasons. It’s an incredibly tedious process that requires a complex spell and total concentration.

Moth and spider monsters actually shed their exoskeletons once a year. Reshma’s and Marc’s happen to largely coincide with each other, and they know all of the other’s comfort needs for the admittedly painful process.

If something is trapped in a slime’s body for an extended period of time, it will dissolve, no matter what it happens to be. This is why Mireille’s kind donates their slime for excavation and construction work.

Skeletons have a special language of communicating with one another based around the sounds made when certain bones are tapped. Rose has taught it to all of her friends.

Saltwater aquatic monsters (even half like Ondine) tend to have extreme mood swings that coincide with the high and low tides.

If you remember the famous Nessie photo, you may wonder why Ondine doesn’t have a more serpentine appearance. Well, most aquatic monsters can change between their giant sea/lake monster and humanoid forms! (Ondine looks a lot like The Water Horse, just with a big, Spinosaurus-like crest down her neck and back.)

Gorgons have to use special mirrors that are engineered not to reflect their stone gaze. However, if a regular mirror is stared at by a Gorgon, if that mirror is crushed under the darkness of a new moon, it can produce a special powder that is capable of reversing their stone gaze!

Some harpies are born with a special talent that aids them more than others in their deceit and spreading of chaos, a sort of leg up over others. They’re known as ‘specials’ (Lila, for example, can imitate anyone’s voice after only listening for a few minutes. She can perfectly simulate anyone from either class. Before the others discovered this, she used it to, of course, cause a huge, messy fight with everyone mad at someone else, believing they’d said something bad about them, though this didn’t work out as she planned. It was more of an tense few weeks with everyone on edge until they all came together to figure out what was going on.)

Leave thoughts and ideas for more in the comments and reblogs!

[scrumptiousstuffs]

Midnight Museum, episode 6 - The Mannequin (aka where we see just how insanely powerful a crystal anklet can be!)

Well, the episode open up with the tale of Adam and Eve (or Adam and Hawa in Islamic tale) and how they got punished by God for eating the forbidden apple, resulting in not only the expulsion from heaven but also their separation (this diverts slightly from the real verse in Bible/Quran).

This tale was narrated by Ton, who is the next door neighbour to Dome. He has a lame right leg, prays to God and leads a lonely life, always pining for a woman companion. We later learn that he is also cursed object from Zone 16 (a mannequin) brought to live by Dome’s power and escaped during the robbery in the first episode. Due to his loneliness, he started collecting parts of mannequin to build a companion (in a shape of a woman), and by coincidence (or not, as I think Dome touched the arm that was later used as part of the mannequin to build Anne) - Anne was brought to live, albeit with imperfection (also having a lame right leg)

And while the above is playing out, Dome met Anthika (i.e The High Priestess) with the meeting engineered by the latter. However, it appears there is something more to Dome than just his amnesia and connection to the artefacts. He appears to have the power to command people, including Anthika, which impresses her (also interesting to see she cannot touch Dome - that is one mighty crystal anklet! Worth the 3 billion dollar tag price 🫣)…and there might be a new player on board (someone who appears to be higher than Anthika…is that Tay Tawan underneath the hooded robe??)

We also see Dome and Khatha pining and missing each other while June and Triphop (esp. June) are getting exasperated by Khatha’s stubbornness. June being fed up, took Dome out for a friendship date at the amusement park, but unfortunately their date ended up with a sour note - June feeling watched and Dome getting spooked by his reflection on a mirror (I will too if my own reflection started to say hi!)

It ended with Dome getting kidnap by Ton and Anne as the latter wants the perfect leg (they have already killed another woman previously to get Anne a replacement leg but that leg was deemed not a great fit). Anne clearly knows more than Ton when she decided to choose Dome (who being shorter than her means that his leg is no way a fit for her. But as Anne informed Ton they needed Dome’s leg (or really to get the anklet off), as it was his powers that brought them to live and they want to unleash said power. Khatha arrived in time, tussling with Ton who was about to chop Dome’s leg. Anne took the opportunity to do her own chopping while the 2 were fighting. However, the anklet is definitely proving its worth, and the backlash turned Anne back into a mannequin and Dome unconscious.

Ton got turned back into a mannequin by Anthika who then informed Khatha that “The Lord/God? Will be back and she will be the one to stand by him.” - hemmm, perhaps a warning to Khatha of Dome’s power but also giving notice that she is not planning to give Dome up?

(Ok, I’m getting more intrigue - so many questions…is Anthika part of a religious cult??? Why is she so obsessed about Dome apart from the power he has? Is Khatha and Dome really brothers in the past life? How did Anne knew about Dome to begin with??? And what/who is Dome?)….

23/03/2023

[a-mag-a-day]

MAG 60 - apple cutting

I think in the sense of paranoia the Eye and the Stranger can be very similar.

"But I didn’t open the box because I was curious, I opened it because I had to in order to fully inventory my dead brother’s possessions." - This sounds very typical of people of the Eye. Maybe they are curious, but often they fall into things because their job or situation requires it of them.

"I’d been going through all his old document boxes, and there were a lot. Christopher had worked for the history department at the University of Southampton." / ""fetish objects and totems from all around the world, small animal figures carved from bones, strings of glass beads tied together in intricate knotted patterns, grotesque quasi-human statuettes made of wood and old leather." - Based on the fact that this Christopher seems to have researched artefacts of the Dread Powers it probably wasn't a coincident that he died at the age of 38…

Is this, besides MAG 156 Reflection, the only episode featuring a mirror? I personally find mirrors quite unsettling, I'd totally do more with them.

"I can’t sleep because they’re watching me. Those unseen eyes that hover everywhere and won’t let me rest." - Lack of sleep seems also be heavily tied to the Eye (yeees, I know there's a Spiral fatigue episode coming up, but still). We know Jon had problems sleeping, his "victims" have problems with it. Also it makes sense, when you're sleeping you can't be collecting new knowledge.

"of what he called “outer cults”, small organized groups of worshippers whose beliefs weren’t simply deviations from paganism or other major religions, but seemed to focus on holy beings or concepts completely apart from what would be considered normal religious practice. Some seemed to have more in common with ancient shamanism than with organized hierarchical worship, and all were highly secretive." - So Christopher was indeed researching the Entities.

"Those eyes still haunt my dreams and follow me through the waking world, even here. Especially here." - Typical Eye stuff, haunting dreams as well as the waking world. Must have been hard for the statement-giver to be at the Institute.

"She unloaded the van’s normal cargo of filing paper and envelopes before filling it with several barrels of petrol." / "The one detail that still nags at me is that the company the Danilo Costich worked for, Paper Run Limited, is the same company that at the time supplied most of the stationery to the Magnus Institute. I have a nasty feeling about exactly where she was taking that petrol." - I wonder how much she knew about the Institute and the Archives.

MARTIN "This is an intervention." - Oh I laughed so much when I was first listening. That speculation about them planning something possibly sinister and then it's this.

JON "there are monsters out there, and I don’t know who or where they are or if any of you –" - He's losing it so much and it's super sad actually and he is also is also right with what he's about to say…

So there's some significance to cameras in the statement (statement-giver being a news anchor and getting mad about all the cameras pointed at her) and then again we get significance to cameras post-statement in the form of Elias giving the CCTV footage to Jon.

I love Ben's voice acting as Elias.

Hmmm, is the high-pitched noise and static of Not!Sasha's presence quieter during the intervention?

I also noticed that the entire episode (statement and supplemental dialogue) is spoken a lot quicker than usual. Normally Jonny takes time to narrate. I wondered, if maybe they had to pick up speed because the episode would have gotten too long otherwise, but no… Episode is only 18 minutes.

Maybe because it has multiple actors who had to finish quickly? Hmmm

Also I think a recall that there are some lonely episodes that depict mirrors

[snazum]

Project: IYKYK bts for Jackson (The e-boy looking one with the beanie) spoilers below if you care :3

Noah Jackson (referred to as Jackson to differentiate)

The original design for my ME OC, Noah Moreau, back when he was just supposed to be this asshole brother character and before I latched onto him and fleshed him out more. And then named myself after him XD

SONGS: Ful stop by Radiohead and April by The Lumineers The first song is just full of self hatred about the actions he took in past events. These events, once again will vaguely mirror the events of S.L. and Arz. There will be sprinkled in metaphors of his mental state during this time as well. The second song will be an entire metaphor for Jacksons mental state and how he deals with it.

ART STYLE: Very much my sketch art style. Since this is more grounded in reality of relating to me, but also not a fully fleshed person. So the opacity by pressure is turned on to give the lines more of a feathery (?) look. The background is just gradients or solid colours and vibrant lines to represent ideas/objects. You can also faintly see the construction lines.

Fun notes/symbolism:

Designed to look like an edgy teenage boy, cause he is one. Duh, vaguely wanted to replicate the e-boy style of clothing when I was in highschool, but also didn't want to create a complete e-boy.

There's a lot of house burning symbolism in his story to represent a broken mental state. If I pulled this from BRIGHTSIDE no i didn't, also it's sort of a funny coincidence. (I have old drafts of the original story ideas that I never followed through with, he did in fact burn a house down in them)

With the art style I wanted to represent that this is me basically explaining my emotional situation, at the time, with just the stories being fictional for anonymity sake (And even then they're probably gonna end up vaguely resembling my real life)

The background choice though is for ease sake, and the fact that it's more of a inner brain turmoil than what reality reflects.

The fact you can faintly see the construction lines also represents that his journey isn't complete, still being constructed ya know.

He represents facing your reality and all you can feel is torment and despair, viewing the world with jade tinted glasses. Hating yourself and viewing yourself as the enemy once again.

[oracleportal]

3 MIN READ

On Manifestation.

Reflection, Raising Vibrations, Mirrorwork.

Manifestation of things into your reality is not the manifestation of something from somewhere else coming into your reality. Manifestation is the result of changing your perception to a degree where you can simply start to perceive what has always been here. Everything is here and now. Every experience you could ever have, every thought, every object you could ever experience in your reality is all right here, right now with you. All in your energy, all in the codex of your theme of exploration in this life. It’s all there holographically, but you only see what you are on the same vibratory level of. So, manifestation is simply changing your vibration to make visible what is already here, that has otherwise been invisible. Don’t define it as having to attract something from so far away you don't know where it’s coming from. It’s all right here. You have it all. You have it all. You may just not know it yet.

What you put out is what you get back. The energy you give off based on your beliefs, your emotions, your behaviours and the vibrational frequency you give off is what determines the kind of reality experience you have. The measure of change is not when the outside changes, the measure of change is when you respond differently to the outside even if it still looks the same. That’s how you prove you’ve actually changed, because if you’re really in alignment with the vibration you prefer to be, you couldn’t care less what the outside looks like or what happens out there. As soon as you actually make a true change and stop caring whether the outside changes to match the things you prefer, than the outside will have no choice but to change to reflect it. "As long as you continue to see change within yourself as conditional on the outside having to change to reflect it, then you won’t ever change and therefor the outside never will."

The world is as you are. The idea to understand is that physical reality is like a mirror - it only exists as a reflection of what you strongly believe is true for you. That’s all physical reality is. If you look in a mirror and you see your face with a frown on it. You know that you don’t go over to the mirror and try to force the reflection to smile. You know that if you want to see the reflection smile, you must smile first. There is no way to change the reflection without you smiling first. Conversely, you can understand that when you decide to smile, the reflection has no choice but to return the smile because it is only a reflection of what you have put out. Since it does not have a mind of its own, it will not change until you change first. 

It’s important to understand that not having an attachment to what the reflection will be, is in itself a very powerful practice. So many of us aren’t ready to take action. We look in a mirror, see our reflection frowning and just stand there waiting for a change. We might think - I’m not going to smile until the reflection smiles - and then stand there forever. When you decide that you don’t care if the reflection smiles and decide to smile because that’s what you prefer to do - then suddenly you look at the reflection and go, “Oh the reflection is smiling, how magical, what a lovely synchronistic coincidence, life is so beautiful.” The idea is that you have to not care that it’s going to smile back, just let it be the mirror that it is, accepting any outcome and change within yourself because that is what you prefer. That is the secret to manifestation.

Haux, haux.🪶 

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Inspired by the principles of Bashar.

[creativeprojectemmamilligan]

Artist Research: Tracey Emin

- Emin creates works that, more often than not, have an autobiographical nature to them she does this through a range of mediums and techniques such as installation, painting, photography, and sculpting. Her themes of sexuality and trauma, when asked are not considered feminist by Emin herself but they shine light on female experience and a different perspective on femininity. these hard hitting themes provoke conversation about the honesty and truth behind her works. She shares her vulnerabilities and provides a ‘candid glimpse into her personal experiences and emotions.’ Emin works reflect on her identity authentically portrays part of her experience as a woman, which allows other to look back on their experience and how they can relate to her.

Though sexuality and identity can be discussed as two separate topics they coincide with one another in this instance as Emin questions the understanding of gender and how sexuality plays a part in this. Identity is an important aspect to consider when gender is brought up as there are so many stereotypes and gender norms that have us questioning if our identity and gender are correctly portrayed in the mirror.

‘My Bed’ 1998, controversial for many reasons was created using a range of collated objects that were relevant to Emin’s concept. These objects portrayed a messy, dirty bed that was filled with undesirable objects that most would be ashamed to display. Some of these objects include used sanitary products, pills and vodka bottles etc. By portraying these objects, Emin created a piece that was unique in its ability to be vulnerable as well as relatable to many people and by taking control of the narrative Emin has produced a piece that not only contains theme of identity an mental health but aspects of femininity and what it means in the contemporary world.