Why does my reflection show ...? | Glowfic Constellation

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Generated: Dec 02, 2025 6:24 PM

Post last updated: Dec 02, 2025 6:24 PM

Why does my reflection show ...?

Zatanna tries to get her father's identity protection spell working

Zatanna "Zatanna" Zatara

þeremin

Zatanna stares at the mirror.

The mirror stares back. Mirrors do that.

"Okay, I can do this," she tells her reflection, and her reflection does not disagree. She closes her eyes to focus, driving any thought of her messy bedroom or her pending math test from her mind. She focuses purely on her intent — to separate the superhero name 'Zatanna' from her name, Zatanna Zatara. Then she can be Zatanna and her dad will finally let her go with him on superhero missions and she can get so much more practice, and ...

"Focus!" her reflection snaps at her, which mirrors don't normally do, but she has been a practicing magician for years now, and even if this is a teenage girl's messy bedroom it is also a wizard's private study, and there are certain standards to be kept.

"Right!"

She clears her mind again, focusing on the spell.

"!seman eht tilpS"

Zazazza "Zatanna" Zazara

þeremin

"Mmmm. Not quite," her reflection informs her.

"I know, alright! Hold on, let me just ..."

She centers her mind again.

"!arataZ annataZ morf annataZ etarapeS"

Arataz Annataz

þeremin

"No, no. Colder, I think."

She glares at her reflection. The reflection glares back, which would ordinarily be a normal thing for a mirror, but this one is doing it with a quirked eyebrow, as if to mock her.

"Oh, go get lost up a rabbithole!" she snaps, throwing a star-spangled cape over the mirror. "I can do this."

"!etavitca ,esiugsiD"

Zatanna! (Zatara)

þeremin

"Oh, this is so close — gnileef htiw ,erom ecnO"

zZzZzZz--atana

þeremin

"That's worse," the mirror helpfully comments from under the cape.

Zatanna looks down to see her reflection peeking through the fringe.

"Uggggh."

She slumps against the desk.

"I knowwww! But dad won't let me help with crime fighting until I manage it."

"Maybe you just need to take a break and try again in a little bit," her reflection suggests.

"No, I got this! !gniht eht oD"

Zzzzzzz Zatanna Zzzzzz

þeremin

... okay, that one isn't actually too bad.

".sZ artxe eht esoL"

Zatanna

þeremin

"I did it!" she shouts, jumping to her feet.

"You did it!" her reflection shouts.

She tears out of her room and down the hall to her dad's study.

"Dad I did it! Look!"

Zatara

þeremin

Zatara peers at her.

"Well done. What's the capital of Louisiana?"

Zatanna

þeremin

"Um. Bbb—

Zatanananna Zzzzzatara

þeremin

—bbaton Rouge? Or is that Mississippi? No! I had it!"

Zatara

þeremin

"You had it," her dad agrees. "And when you can keep it had while being distracted in a combat situation, you'll really have it. Go practice a bit more. Or we can go get lunch."

Zatanna "Zatanna" Zatara

þeremin

"... I could go for lunch," she eventually concedes, crossing her arms.

Zatara

þeremin

He reaches over and fluffs her hair.

"You'll get it soon. You really are making good progress."