#beyond the mirror

[chloe-spade]

Beyond The Mirror

A mirror stood in front of a shadow, a cookie giggling as he enchanted it with a beautiful spell of dimension-hopping. The Cookie? A beast known as Tainted Vanilla Cookie, a healer to the public eye, a heartless jester at night. He, like his fellow beast, was imprisoned within the fae kingdom and escaped.

The Beast of Ignorance, Tainted Vanilla, managed to escape, with his fellow beasts managing as well, so he went into hiding with his fellow henchmen, Corrupted Raisin Cookie and Strawberry Mecha Cookie, who stood by him despite his manipulative tension and unpredictable personality.

Today was a special day, a very special day indeed. Tainted used his magic towards the mirror, revealing an image behind it. They watched as the little clown enchanted the mirror. And the sight behind it made him laugh.

A perfect mirror image of Saint Vanilla Cookie, but he was…good? An ancient?

"Another you?" Gasped Corrupted Raisin.

"Oh, what joy! I wonder…" Tainted Vanilla chuckled. "He looks so…weak. He reminds me of that professor, Blueberry Milk..even has the same soul jam! What is your name, other me?"

"Pure Vanilla!" Cries Strawberry Cookie. "Wizard accidentally blew up the lab!"

"Oh? I'll be on my way," Pure Vanilla called out.

"Pure Vanilla?…even your name is as dull as his.."

"Ugh, can we strike already?" huffed Mecha Strawberry Cookie. "It's getting boring watching him."

"Patience," Tainted Vanilla smiled. "I want to see what's he like before things escalate."

"Boring," Mecha Strawberry pouted.

On the other side of the mirror, Pure Vanilla followed Strawberry to a nearby area where smoke and ooze surrounded the tiny corner of the boat, which made him giggle.

"Did something happen here?"

"Wizard Cookie," Gingerbread coughed.

"It was an accident," Wizard pouted. "I can't help that this ship is bouncy and unpredictable with its movements. And besides, you were a lousy partner!"

"L-lousy!?" Gingerbrave gasped. "But I was willing to help you!"

"Boys, it's alright," Pure Vanilla cooed. "Accidents happen, and we can't keep arguing whose fault it is. This place is such a mess."

"Yeah, you're right," Gingerbrave sighed. "Sorry, Wizard."

"It's fine…I'm sorry I called you lousy."

"See, now we are all friends again. Can we please clean this up? I don't think the Creme Republic would like this if they saw this mess."

Gingerbrave, Strawberry, and Wizard nodded before rushing to get some cleaning supplies.

"Children," Pure Vanilla sighed happily. "Wizard isn't the type to make this sort of mess, though. I wonder what could've happened."

Pure Vanilla chuckled again as he remembered that he was also the same at that age, so he couldn't be a hypocrite. Wizard was still a child who was inspired to be better, and Pure Vanilla admired that about him.

But his eyes couldn't help but stare at the mirror…it was making him uncomfortable. Mirrors were something he still didn't want to look at. Ever since his time in Shadow Milk's castle, he could never see mirrors the same way. It made him feel like he was always watched, no matter who it was, regardless of whether it was actually Shadow Milk or not. But Pure Vanilla should not let mere mirrors scare him as such, so he turned around and started to clean up.

As Pure Vanilla started to clean, Tainted Vanilla, Corrupted Raisin, and Mecha Strawberry watched.

"Is he afraid of the mirror?" Corrupted Raisin asked.

"He is." Tainted Vanilla remarked. "He is, like the coward I preceived him to be."

"Hm, he does remind me of Blueberry Milk," spoke Mecha Strawberry. "Wasn't he afraid of mirrors as well?"

Tainted Vanilla grinned like a cat as he walked towards the mirror, tracing his magic around it. Corrupted and Mecha knew that meant that he had a plan and was ready to hear it.

"You got something, Ol' Saint?"

"I do, sweet Mecha," Tainted spoke. "I could switch with him. We look almost identical."

"But what if people notice?" Corrupted Raisin questioned.

"And what do we do with him when we do sucessfully capture him?" Mecha continued to question.

"Well, my children, you can simply keep him here, or maybe just to torture him, let him pretend to be me!" Tainted Vanilla beamed. "It wouldn't be that horrible, now would it?"

"No, great saint, it's a perfect plan," Corrupted Raisin spoke.

"I'm glad you agree, my sweet children," Tainted Vanilla grinned, looking back at the mirror and Pure Vanilla. "Wait for my signal, my children. We should wait until he lets his guard down, and then we can strike."

"Finally!" Mecha cheered.

Tainted Vanilla watched how Pure Vanilla turned his back against the mirror.

"Dear me, that was a hassle," chuckled Pure Vanilla, looking back at the mess. "Best to check on the children. They are taking an awfully long time with those supplies."

As Pure Vanilla walked away, he heard something behind him. he froze, not knowing if he wanted to turn around to look, but he only hoped it was a clink of a glass.

Before he could register what was going on, he was suddenly grabbed by two unknown individuals and pulled towards the mirror. He couldn't scream as one hand covered his mouth. But as he looked, he felt the mirror turn fluid as they entered it.

To add to the horrifying scene, he felt his face getting lifted by a face….his face. The person in front of him was him?! But that was impossible, but the doppelganger was living proof of it all, and he waved in horror as the doppelganger transformed into a perfect replica of Pure Vanilla despite the lack of light in his eyes.

"H-hey…!!" Pure Vanilla gasped.

"Oh? So you do yell?" Hummed the doppelganger. "Pure Vanilla…"

"Who are you?"

"Hm, well, only for you," The doppelganger grinned. "I am Tainted Vanilla Cookie, a pleasure to meet the person I'm bound to replace."

"Hold him down Raisin! He's pretty strong!" Mecha pointed out.

"I only have one arm, pipsqueak!"

"Replace!?" Pure Vanilla repeated.

"Yes, it seems to me that I have one if not many worlds to corrupt under my palm," Tainted Vanilla whispered, getting close to Pure Vanilla. "I just knew you would get in the way of my plans. You are me, after all, and I can't wait to watch your face as your world crumbles down."

Pure Vanilla tried to struggle, but it was too late. Tainted Vanilla walked through the mirror, and despite his struggles, he couldn't escape the clutches of the minions; they looked down at him as he fainted, suddenly too weak to move.

🪞

Blueberry Milk had a bad feeling. He shouldn't have one on such a peaceful day in his kingdom, but he did. Blueberry Milk groaned as he floated high up to the highest shelf, putting books away.

"Blueberry! Blueberry!" Green Apple Cookie panicked. "Something happened to the sky!"

"What do you mean, my pupil?" Blueberry Milk pondered, now worried.

He landed down on the railing, opened the doors to the outside, and gasped as he noticed a black starry rift with a golden eye glaring down upon it. Blueberry Milk felt a chill down his spine as he knew what that golden eye meant, and he did not like it one bit.

"What is Tainted Vanilla doing?"

(quick credit to @kodaswrld for the divider!)

[beyondthemirrorau]

Answering the AU game in the Linked Maze discord server because I am not, in fact, dead! I'm just doing a bit of messing around with my art style, rethinking the textured linework stuff. This is super low effort and not reflective of my art style in all likelihood, I'm still messing around.

Bonus: TOTK Zelda design! I'm dubbing her Light, because... Y'know.

[itsonly4-ever]

Chapters: 3/3 Fandom: Labyrinth (1986) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Jareth/Sarah Williams, Jareth & Sarah Williams Characters: Jareth (Labyrinth), Sarah Williams (Labyrinth) Additional Tags: Obsessive Behavior, Smut Summary:

In the end, the smallest change is enough to move worlds. It's just a lipstick, but if you move it this way...

[lotus-pear]

free will is drawing ur two favorite characters together and making them gay

[culkinzzz]

rory culkin in black mirror (2023)

[frostfires-blog]

Sousou no Frieren Hanakotoba Analysis

┏ · ──────── ·𖥸· ──────── · ┓

-> 1) Blue-Moon Weed [蒼月草│Sō gessō]

The Blue-Moon Weed (Sō gesso │ 蒼月草) is a blue, fictitious flower in the universe of Sousou no Frieren endemic to Himmel's hometown. The flower can be described as having blue anthers, yellow filaments as well as five petals that range from deeper blue at the tips to lighter blue in the centre. Although the Blue-Moon Weed is fictional, it appears to be inspired by real-life plants—namely Baby Blue Eyes and the Asiatic Daylily.

During episode 2, Frieren cleans a statue of Himmel the hero, afterwards a local herbalist proposes planting some flowers around the statue to brighten the area. This causes Frieren to recall how Himmel once told her his favourite flowers were Blue-Moon Weeds. This motivates her to search for these flowers over the next six months, despite these plants not being sighted for decades. After much frustration on Fern's part, the two eventually discover a small meadow of Blue-Moon Weed flowers atop an abandoned watchtower. This allows Frieren to use her spell to decorate the area around the statue with these flowers.  During this incident, we learn that Frieren’s penchant for collecting odd spells partly stems from Himmel expressing his appreciation for them—particularly the flower bed-making spell which is currently her favourite. Although Frieren couldn’t grant Himmel’s desire to show her Blue-Moon Weed flowers before his death, she was still somewhat able to fulfil this desire by finding the flowers and planting them around his statue as a tribute. Her willingness to devote half a year towards finding the flower showcases her remarkable dedication and nuanced sentimentality.

-> 1,2) Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophila sp.)

The most apparent inspiration for the Blue-Moon Weed is likely Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophila sp.). Although the leaves of the Blue-Moon Weed have an elongated shape, the shape and method of attachment differ from those of Nemophila—the shape and colour of the flowers are very similar to Nemophila. Baby Blue Eyes flowers are known as Rurikarakusa (ルリカラクサ) in Japan. In hanakotoba, Nemophila symbolises success everywhere, daintiness and forgiveness. In Western floriography, they represent victory, tenderness, sensitivity, harmony and trust. These symbolic connotations are closely linked with Himmel’s personality and accomplishments. Nemophila also represent the transient nature of beauty and life, encouraging us to treasure every moment and appreciate simplicity—which is a core theme in the series and is a lesson that Frieren is slowly learning throughout her journey.

The scientific name for Baby Blue Eyes, Nemophila, is derived from Greek and roughly translates to "loves small woodlands". This is derived from Nemophila's tendency to grow around the margins of woodlands. In a way, this is reminiscent of Himmel and Frieren's first encounter in the forest when the former became lost. After pointing him in the right direction, Frieren casts the flower bed-making spell leaving a lasting impact on Himmel. Specifically, it is hinted that Himmel sought Frieren out to be the party's magician since that event was the first time he perceived magic as being beautiful.

-> 1,2) Asiatic Dayflower (Commelina communis)

Another possible inspiration for the Blue-Moon Weed is the Asiatic Dayflower (Commelina communis). In Japan, this plant is known as tsuyukusa (露草) meaning "dew grass“. However, in ancient times it was called tsukikusa (月草) meaning “moon grass” which is similar to the name of Blue-Moon Weed. Although the two plants both possess blue-coloured flowers and similar leaf shapes; how the leaves attach to the stem differs, as does the shape of the flowers. In hanakotoba, the Asiatic Dayflower symbolises nostalgic relationships, secret love, transience and changes of heart in love. In Western floriography, they symbolise harmony, growth, prosperity and abundance. These symbolic associations—particularly those of nostalgic relationships, growth and changes of the heart in love—resonate heavily with Frieren’s relationship with Himmel. While the flower’s symbolism of secret love and transience resonates with Himmel’s feelings towards Frieren.

-> 2) Mirrored Lotus [鏡蓮華│Kagami renge]

The Mirror Lotus (Kagami renge │鏡蓮華) is a fictitious flower in the universe of Sousou no Frieren. However, its name suggests it is based on a real lotus (Nelumbo nucifera). Furthermore, the shape of the flower on Fern's bracelet is quite similar to that of a real lotus, which lends credence to this notion. In episode 14, it is noted that the silver bracelet Stark bought Fern for her birthday features a Mirror Lotus design. As Frieren studies the bracelet, she realises it has the same design as a ring she received from Himmel in the past. Sein then reveals that the Mirror Lotus symbolises eternal love.

Although Fern, Stark, and Frieren were unaware of the flower's symbolism, Himmel's interest in flowers suggests he recognised the meaning behind the ring he bought for Frieren—despite her assumption otherwise. As Frieren recalls receiving the ring, we see that after she selected it randomly Himmel was struck into silence and stared at it with a pensive expression. He then knelt before Frieren and placed it on the fourth finger of her left hand. This event, resembling a marriage proposal, reinforces the impression that he understood the significance of the flower. Furthermore, Himmel never married anyone else, alluding to the fact that Himmel must have pledged his eternal affection to Frieren through this ring. The significance of Himmel gifting Frieren a ring that symbolises "eternal love," as well as the multiple sculptures he had constructed around the world serve as a reminder of his existence. They serve as proof that his love for her transcends time and continues to accompany her on her journey.

Although Fern’s bracelet Fern and Frieren’s ring both have a mirrored lotus motif, the designs of the flowers differ in shape. The mirror lotus flower on Frieren’s ring is in bud state while the flower Fern's bracelet is in full bloom. This distinction references the difference between the two pairs’ relationships. While it is inferred that Himmel knew about the flower’s meaning, Frieren wasn't aware and only discovered it after his death. Himmel's romantic feelings for Frieren are still unknown to her, corresponding to the flower's bud shape on the ring, as their relationship remains frozen, unable to fully blossom due to the distance between them caused by their differing lifespans and Frieren's unintentional obliviousness. However, Fern and Stark discover the flower's significance together almost immediately after buying the bracelet. Although Fern, like Stark, was unaware of the mirror lotus' symbolism when she accepted the bracelet, she continued to wear it after learning about it and was enraged by Stark's proposal that she replace it with another design. If Fern hadn't had any romantic feelings for Stark, she would have been reluctant to wear the bracelet after this revelation. This, in conjunction with the flower's full bloom design on her bracelet, suggests that the pair will become mutually conscious of each other's romantic feelings and eventually end up together.

-> 2,1) Sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)

In Japan, lotuses are called ren (蓮) or hasu (はす) and symbolise eloquence, sacredness, detached love as well as a pure heart in hanakotoba. Its symbolism of a pure heart is derived from how the lotus blooms into a noble and pure flower despite rising from muddy water. This symbolic connotation resonates with Himmel’s character, particularly his remarkable accomplishments despite his humble background. Lotuses are also globally associated with purity, rebirth, transformation and enlightenment. The lotus’s symbolic representation of enlightenment and transformation resonates with Frieren’s journey to learn and understand humans better to alleviate her regret of not getting to know Himmel better. In Asia, two lotus flowers blossoming from a single stem represent a desire for harmony and a shared heart. While in Western floriography, lotuses represent grace and estranged love. This sharp contrast between the lotus’ romantic symbolism in Asia and the West correlates with the difference in dynamic between the series’ main two pairings and their narrative conclusions. Additionally, despite Himmel’s feelings remaining unknown to Frieren, due to her leaving after their 10-year journey (i.e. estranged love), she shows a desire to understand him (i.e. a desire for a shared heart) after his death.

┗ · ──────── ·𖥸· ──────── · ┛

╰➤ Other anime & donghua hanakotoba posts

[A/N: It'll probably be a while until I make another one of these posts—but if anyone has any requests feel free to send them. Also, lmk what other kinds of posts I should do in the meantime? Lastly, if you liked this post, check out my other hanakotoba analysis posts✿]

[trek-tracks]

Cinematic parallels

[animusrox]

Black Mirror 6.03 “Beyond the Sea”

[vonlipvig]

no idea where these came from, but letterboxd has comic book posters up for the new black mirror episodes!

edit: the artwork is by butcher billy!

[panda-pal]

Inuyasha the Movie: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass (2002) Directed by Toshiya Shinohara

[joshhcrtnett]

Josh Hartnett as David Ross

BLACK MIRROR: BEYOND THE SEA (2023) dir. John Crowley

[beyondthemirrorau]

Sky

Game(s): Skyward Sword

He/him pronouns

22 years old

Skyloftian

The very first incarnation of the hero's spirit, Sky fought the dark god Demise and won. But not without a price, being cursed to reincarnate to fight the spirit of Demise's hatred until the end of time itself. Called upon for a new quest against a new foe, Sky seeks to fix his mistakes and protect his successors from any further harm.

[harpoonsnotspoons]

Do you think he misses him sometimes

[kxsagi]

hey! i hope to req baji keisuke x fem reader where fem reader often eats junk food to feel better but cause of gaining weight she feels ugly. she also has a lot of acne which further adds to it. tyy!!

“𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫”

a/n: reminder to all my beautiful readers that you are truly beautiful just the way you are! 🫶 please do not let weight or skin problems define you, but also don’t neglect self-care!

(art credits go to ppopoob on X, baji fanart is always insanely good omg my eyes are blessed)

you’re sitting on the couch, scrolling through your phone, a bag of chips in your lap, and a half-eaten chocolate bar beside you. it’s been a long week, and junk food has become your go-to comfort lately. but today, you just feel... off. bloating has gotten bad and when you glance in the mirror, your face seems to have more pimples than it did yesterday. 

you sigh, sinking deeper into the couch, feeling the weight of it all. 

“hey, are you alright?” baji’s voice cuts through your thoughts, and you glance up to find him leaning in the doorway, his usual wild energy softened by a knowing look. he’s all smirks and confident swagger, but you can see the way his eyes narrow, catching that something’s off. 

“yeah, just... tired,” you mumble, avoiding his gaze as you grab another handful of chips. 

“tired?” he says, cocking his head, the playful tone slipping into something more perceptive. “you’re not fooling me. there’s something bothering you.” 

you shrug, not quite sure how to explain the way you're feeling. “i’ve just been eating a lot of junk lately, y’know? and now i feel... gross.” 

he steps closer, his posture still brimming with his usual chaotic energy, but there's a tenderness to the way he watches you. “what do you mean ‘gross’?” he asks, voice softer now. “you’ve been eating junk food to feel better, right? what’s wrong with that?” 

you glance up at him, biting your lip. “i’ve gained weight, baji. and my face... it’s full of acne. i just don’t feel pretty anymore.” 

baji stands still for a moment, his lips pressing together in thought. then without warning, he pulls you into his arms, his usual wild nature giving way to something deeper, more grounded. his hands gently cup your face, tilting it up to meet his gaze. 

“listen to me,” he murmurs, his voice steady and firm. “you’re beautiful, inside and out. no matter how you look, that doesn’t change for me. you’re still the same person who makes me laugh, who makes me feel like i can take on the world. don’t let this stuff get in your head, okay?” 

you blink up at him, surprised by how serious he’s being, but it’s not the usual wild, teasing baji you’re used to. there’s loyalty in his words, like he’d stand by you no matter what. 

“you’re my girl, and i’m here, always,” he continues, his grip tightening ever so slightly, grounding you. “acne, chips, extra weight, none of that matters. you’re the one who owns my heart, and that’s not gonna change.” 

his words make you smile, a small, soft thing at first, but it grows as you feel the sincerity behind them. his loyalty, his unwavering love, makes you feel a little lighter. 

“besides,” he adds, pulling back with a grin that’s all mischievous now, “i think you look cute with the snacks. i like a girl who knows how to enjoy her food.” 

you laugh, shaking your head, feeling your earlier frustration melt away. “you’re impossible.” 

“but you love me anyway, right?” he teases, nudging your nose with his. 

you can’t help but laugh again, shaking your head, your heart lighter than before. “maybe i’ll try to look at myself the way you do... but only if you promise not to eat all my snacks.” 

“deal,” he grins, pulling you in for another hug, and for the first time today, you feel like everything’s gonna be okay. 

© 𝐤𝐱𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐢

[culkinzzz]

rory culkin in black mirror (2023)

[dietbridgetjones]