It took me a while to finish these—I've been super busy lately, but I finally wrapped up the Mirror Realm art pack! 🥹🩵💙✨☁️🫧 I tweaked Parallel Magolor’s design a little bit this time :3💙
And I’ve realized I really enjoy creating big bundles of art like this - there are so many more ideas I want to explore!
But for now, I hope you enjoy these Mirror Realm pieces! 🥹🩵🫧☁️💙✨🌟
"What if," she says morosely, "there's nobody? There's nothing. You're yourself and everyone is everyone else. This impermeable wall between you. Oh, God. Nobody understands. Nobody ever will. We're shouting into the dark. There's no such thing as love. It's delusion. Am I the only one who gets it? Love! It makes me sick. Happy people only make me sicker. Ignoring reality. Projecting themselves onto this other person to tell themselves they're the one. Soul mates. Unnggckh! Only stupid people believe that. Stupid people have simple souls. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. I hate this stupid world. I hate myself. I hate myself for having a soul nobody else will ever have. I hate being alone. Why can't everything be simple? There are just so many things. So many parts and pieces. The sum of all human knowledge in a single stupid"—she holds up her phone—"library. And it hurts to even try. That's the worst part. It hurts to even try to make enough sense of it so you can find someone else who makes the same sense of it as you. Nobody understands me. I don't understand anyone. And it keeps getting worse. Oh, God. It gets worse and worse."
Mystic Mirror On The Wall, Who The Fuck Are Those Turtles?/A Genius’s Curiosty/Mirror Realm Activities snippet 2
To put it simply, I think it’ll be cute to see what type of shenanigans the turtles will get to as strangers in a realm safe from their realities. And how they’ll interact as strangers and eventually into brothers.
Snippet 1
Subject 03 crashes face first on a flat and cold surface. He doesn’t feel pain as his body slides to a stop, no sign of scraping skin. But it hurts where he landed when he had been sparring with Master.
“Whoa! A new guy!”
Subject 03 flinches. New guy? Who else is here? He quickly jumps to his feet, wielding his weapon out of sheer habit only to realize his staff is gone.
But three green figures have replaced his staff.
They’re not ghosts like the one he saw on the other side. They’re real, well, as real as one can be wherever he is.
He briefly looks around to see they’re enclosed in a cube, the material is unknown to him—almost otherworldly. If he were more mystically inclined he might have been able to break down what this place is or what makes it. The cube is bright, nearly all mist like the ghost he had met moments prior. There are no signs of light or light fixtures, but somehow it remains brightly lit. There aren’t any furniture to sit on or even to look at. In fact, there’s nothing but the three others.
The three that look like… him.
Not exactly like Subject 03, but they’re clearly mutants. There’s an air around them that aren’t like the yokai he has run into in the Hidden City. And they’re far from human as he noticed from their skin.
One of them is large in build, larger than Master from the looks of it. And a long, scaly tail drags behind this mutant’s pointy shell. A turtle, that much Subject 03 can make of it. Not a softshell like himself, but a turtle nonetheless.
This behemoth stands awkwardly away from the others, staring with a confused look on its face. But most intriguing about this large turtle are the strange, vericose-like veins scattered across its arms and legs. These veins are pink, pulsing with an unknown energy that is nearly identical to mystic energy but foreign to Subject 03.
The closest is the one standing in the center. Its smaller than the behemoth, around Subject 03’s size. Yellow stripes scatter across its limbs and its tail is thicker than his own. When it turns around to face him, he notices the red stripes that cross both its eyes like blood. It narrows its eyes at him, but smirks upon seeing him.
He doesn’t like this one.
The last, standing close to the center but wearing awful armor. It’s incredibly small, especially in comparison with the behemoth turtle. Orange spots freckle its shoulders and head, partially hidden by the fault metal posing as its armor. It’s more cheery to see him than the others, an optimistic grin on its face despite the scars littering its fingers. Its tail is wagging, a short and stout little thing that sways from side to side with a strength to create a breeze.
Subject 03 stands, cautiously keeping a safe distance and asks, “Who are you?”
The smallest steps forward, happiness overwhelming Subject 03 and making him step back. “I’m called the Titan Terrapin! But you can call me Titan!”
Subject 03 scowls in response, Titan doesn’t look like someone who should be named “Titan”. Poor naming on his account…
The largest looks around, a small click click escapes its mouth. It looks at Subject 03 for answers, for something.
But the striped turtle jabs a thumb in the largest’s direction. It places one hand on its hip to say, “Big guy doesn’t speak. I’m Leo.”
Leo definitely looks like a “Leo”. And enough reason for Subject 03 immediately not like this mutant.
Leo stares at Subject 03 for a little too long, enough to make Subject 03’s skin scrawl and he snaps, “What are you staring at?”
Leo smirks. “You didn’t say your name.”
Subject 03 frowns, realizing Leo was waiting for him. “I never said I would introduce myself.”
Titan frowns, “Why not?”
Subject 03 rolls his eyes, “I have no reason to.”
Leo only smiles, “Alright, we won’t force you. So I’ll just call you Asphalt, you don’t mind, right? After all, you aren’t sharing your name and we know nothing about you except watching you fall flat on your face. And eat the asphalt. No biggie.”
Subject 03 scowls and twitches with annoyance when Titan stifles a laugh.
The largest turtle’s tail flicks suddenly, a large smile stretching across his beak. It is then that Subject 03 realizes that this mutant is far different in terms of its mutation. It’s less human and more turtle—perhaps even less than that altogether and more of a creature.
“You can call me Subject 03,” Subject 03 responds coldly, correcting them instead of arguing over name calling.
Leo smiles and salutes Subject 03, “Alright Three! So, any idea how we got here?”
“That depends. How did you three get here?” Subject 03 responds, looking at each and every one of his fellow mutants.
Titan jumps up, hand in the air and bounces where he stands. “Me! Me! I’ll go first! I was waiting in between my matches when one of my walls in my room started glowing, and at first I was freaked out! I thought I was going crazy, but then a pretty mirror showed up and I stepped through!”
“You… you didn’t even think about what might happen?” Subject 03 asks, taking note how incompetent of a thinker this mutant is. “What if the mirror was a trap? Or if it wasn’t even a real mirror?”
The small mutant stops, taking in Subject 03’s words before nodding. “Oh yeah, I didn’t think of that.”
Subject 03 sighs, How did he get thrown in here with this one? He turns to Leo and asks, “And what about you?”
Leo, Subject 03 finally realizes, is standing near one of the walls and running his hand along its surface. He seems to be tapping the wall, listening to its material. He looks over his shoulder and hums in response. “What? You’re talking to me?”
“Yes,” Subject 03 seethes, “How did you get in here?”
Leo shrugs, “I don’t know. I was doing my thing when the mirror appeared, some ghost popped out, we talked, and I walked right in.”
‘Walked right in?’ That’s it?
“A ghost?” Subject 03 repeats. Could it have been the same ghost he met? “You talked to the ghost? About what?”
Leo shrugs, “About some things. You know, ghost stuff.”
Subject 03 groans before turning to the largest, about to ask the same question but stops himself short. “Never mind.”
He doesn’t know what to make of these turtles. The mirror was supposed to find his fellow warriors, but they are nothing like how his master intended. One is an airhead, the other is all muscle and no brains, and the last is getting on his nerves.
Nothing about them screams mutant warriors.
“What about you, Three?” Titan asks.
“Me? I…,” his eyes flicker to Leo who is also waiting for his answer. He lies, “I saw the mirror and looked at it for a bit before coming in.”
Leo smirks.
It sends chills down Subject 03’s spines. Did Leo catch his bluff? Already? But how?
Leo turns away and pokes the wall he was standing at earlier, “Hey, Three, do you have any idea what this stuff is made of?”
Subject 03 glares at Leo for the nonchalant attitude and tone of voice, but steps over to stand at Leo’s side. He runs his hand over the cold surface, marveling how it warps at his touch, bending at his will.
It’s magic.
He takes a step back to look around, examining the remaining walls for the same kind of texture. And sure enough, it’s pure mysticism. It’s a mystic realm within the mirror.
He stares at the others, wondering if they really could be his fellow warriors. Would Master truly be proud to see these creations and how they turned out to be? Did he make a mistake?
“Well? Any clues?” Leo asks.
“It’s a mystic realm within the mirror,” Subject 03 answers stoutly.
“So… you’re saying that the mirrors we saw all connect to this mystic realm? Why us?” Leo asks as he looks around at the other two. “Is it some kind of turtle collection?”
“No,” Subject 03 replies too quickly, offended by Leo’s question.
Leo cocks his head to the side and asks, “Oh? What makes you so sure of that, Three? Surely, we weren’t brought here because ‘the universe wanted us to come together’.”
“I don’t have to answer that,” Subject 03 replies.
Leo mocks Subject 03 with his hand, opening and closing it like his hand is talking. “Blah blah blah, I’m Three, I don’t have to answer anything because of my big ass forehead.”
Titan stifles yet another laugh, and the large turtle’s tail sways with glee.
“I didn’t come here to be ridiculed—whatever. You’re all coming with me,” Subject 03 replied angrily and grabbed Titan’s wrist. But much to Subject 03’s surprise, Titan twists out of his hand in one swift movement, and redirects Subject 03 to lie flat on the floor.
Realizing what he had done, Titan squeaks, “Oh! Shit! I’m so sorry, Three! That was pure instinct—habit!” The small turtle jumps a short distance from Subject 03, shame and embarrassment evident on his face.
Leo whistles with amusement, “Nice moves, Titan! Where did you learn that?”
“From Mama!” Titan answers with a proud chirp.
“‘Mama’? As in Big Mama?” Subject 03 asks as he rises from the floor.
Titan’s tail wags with excitement and he rushes to Subject 03’s side, “You know her? Isn’t she the best? She’s so nice to me!”
Subject 03 scowls. Big Mama? Nice? The woman was a pain in his ass. It was always mind games with her, unnecessary trickery with the windiest roads to getting to the point. And the way she speaks? Ugh, it’s like she doesn’t know what a dictionary is.
“Sure I know Big Mama. I was about to head on over there after this,” Subject 03 lies as he massages his wrist.
But the lie goes over Titan’s head as he jumps at Subject 03’s side, “Really? Can you take me with you? I need to get home or she’ll get really worried about me.”
Unlike Subject 03’s first kid, Leo is quick to point out this lie.
The striped turtle clears his throat and says, “I don’t know, Three. Sounds like you don’t really like her. Are you sure you’re going to take Titan to his mama?”
Subject 03 narrows his eyes, he really hates playing these mind games. But he gets the feeling Leo is just another Big Mama. “I’m good friends with Big Mama. I often do small jobs for her, like fetching her pretty artifacts.”
The striped turtle shrugs and leans on the skittish behemoth’s shoulder, who surprisingly doesn’t love from Leo’s touch.
“I don’t know, Titan. Can we really trust Three? I mean, we just met him and all we know is that he fell on his face like a loser,” Leo goads on Subject 03.
“Then how else do you expect to leave this realm? You didn’t even know what it was before I told you,” Subject 03 counters.
But Leo only smirks. He taps the large turtle’s spike and the large turtle shimmies to the side, only to reveal a glowing mirror.
That’s why the largest never moved. It was a test for Subject 03!
Leo taps his chin and makes a play out of his ‘discovery’, “Oh! What’s this? Could this be our exit? Whoa! Can you believe it? Three? Did you know about this? Why didn’t you tell us?”
Subject 03 clenches his fists tight. Stupid mind games…
Leo pushes the largest through the mirror, then pushes Titan through. Now alone, Leo steps up to Subject 03 and says, “I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but I think you should think twice. I don’t trust you one bit, and I’m not going wherever you think you can take me. Say ‘Hi’ to the ghost for me, we have a bond of sorts.”
Without waiting for a response, Leo salutes Subject 03 and steps through the mirror.
But Subject 03 stands still. Very, very still. If he so much as tries to move, he’s not sure how he’ll be able to keep his temper from reaching its boiling point.
They were right there—in arms reach. He could have brought them home to Master and finally free himself of the work meant for four. Finally gain Master’s recognition. Finally be free of Master’s incessant ramblings how he isn’t good enough. —how he’s faulty without the others.
He’ll need to earn their trust if he wants to bring them to his side. He’ll need to play a game.
I love the idea of Leo being a master manipulator lol
Anyways, Donnie was raised under the name Subject 03 under “Master” Draxum’s care, Mikey was raised under Big Mama’s care as The Titan Terrapin and is usually fighting in the arena, Raph has no name and was raised under the Krang’s care within the prison dimension, and Leo is a mystery who often frequents both the surface world and the yokai world. Splinter remains as a traveler, searching for clues on the missing turtles he lost in transit lol
Sam Scudder makes a deal with the inhabitants of the Mirror World. Little Evan McCulloch, who somehow came along for the ride, would really rather just go home.
After Carmine Infantino; based on a scene from Flash vol. 1 #126. Evan was not in the original story; I added him in because I wound up with some extra space.
