#Fs for splinter

[pen-and-umbra]

It caught my attention that one of the later First Soldier chapters not so subtly shows Stamp. The Beagle variation, which we see throughout the Final Fantasy VII Remake. Now, I'm basing my speculation on a widely held belief that any Stamp represents a splinter timeline, a branching reality that, while sharing similarities with the original game, is NOT 100% true to the original. So, Stamp represents a deviation from the original track. FFVII Rebirth exposes it by bringing to light several branching realities that Aerith, Zack, and Cloud appear to travel through. All of these highlight a different breed of Stamp. As a result, while the first part of the trilogy (FFVII Remake) appears to closely follow the original plotbeats, it's still not exactly true to the OG.

Now, First Soldier also features Beagle Stamp during a helicopter ride, which suggests its course of events differs from the original game's outcome. Something or someone affected the chain of events at some point, and the ripple effect seems to reach far into the past. The nature of this event and how Beagle Stamp reality differs from the original for Sephiroth specifically remains a mystery. Perhaps it involves some knowledge of Lucrecia. In the original game, it's heavily hinted that Sephiroth only hears his mother's name, while Beagle Stamp First Soldier gives him a photograph of his actual mother. Or it could be something else entirely.

There's something else to consider: the number of stars on each Stamp breed. According to u/nzivvo's brilliant Reddit post, the number of stars may correspond to the order of timeline creation, e.g., 2 stars = second world to be born, 3 stars = third, and so on. According to this theory, something or someone is constantly attempting to change OG time, with the party from the FFVII Remake and Sephiroth from FS being the result of the fifth attempt, as the Beagle Stamp mascot bears 5 stars.

Nzivvo writes:

If this is ends up being true then I would suggest it means the following:

1* timeline would end up being OG/Fate.

This means that to find out what's caused this entire trilogy we'd need to go backwards and learn more about the 3* timeline and more importantly the 2* timeline.

Rebirth strongly suggests the 3* timeline is one created by Omni-Aerith, which is very likely in response to Sephiroth messing with time.

Which means that 2* timeline is the big one (from a causality perspective of 'where this all began') and is very likely Sephiroth's first time-fuckery timeline creation - probably around 20-30 years prior to remake.

Which actually works very well from a story-telling perspective and also could line up with the way Ever Crisis has seemingly linked Edge of Creation Omni-Sephiroth to an event about 20+ years in his past.

As nzivvo points out, there is a direct link between First Soldier events and what we see in the FFVII Remake (EoC Sephiroth). That means that a lot of reality do-overs have already occurred.

It certainly explains why young Sephiroth from Ever Crisis appears to be experiencing glitches in the same way that Cloud does when past realities bleed into the present.

It's literally not their first time living through all of it.

[ultimatelyre]

Taylyn ficrec/masterlist for all your sapphic needs ;)

So...i went over all 7 pages of the Taylyn tag, (backed tf out of the many tyler/aiden centric ones in there cause this is strictly ~taylyn time~) $ - mature (minors dni) ** - incomplete ^^ - character study vibes all fic writers are welcome to share their fics in the chat, also pls lmk if you see your fic here and want yourself tagged!

THEME I : FLUFF

i awake when you awaken - prolly my fav one, ashlyn breaks chara and i love it (post canon)

strawberries milkshake - them on a date. that's it actually>>

I Don't Know How. - ^^ first kiss, really cute

like a splinter in my heart - eelios being an SBG powerhouse fic writer

would you be so kind - i tried my hand at taylyn :) Shorter fics (nonetheless fun to read): Tay has hand pain, Ash helps Sleepover with feelsGirl dinner One hell of a time - trampoline park green eyes - first kiss, cutesy

THEME II : Give my girls a fucking break aka ANGST HOURS

just for a while - ** They escape the facility and kiss and everything is complicated

As the world caves in - ** not canon compliant, interesting to read, Ash POV

Heather fic - ** out of character ash (for ME), might be your cup of tea? cute writing fs

a fine line between - ^^ jealous of ash(?) Tay

Based around tyler's 'death' : - The aftermath - guilty Ash :( but muscular tay agenda ;)) - my home moves with you - ^^ ash comforting taylor

THEME III : These ones got a lil kick to them (≧∇≦)ﾉ

Sleepover - bold taylor $$ Favorite - blushes HARD $$

Action packed 💥 I Didn't Mean to Hurt You - Ashlyn almost "kills" Taylor bruh Screams Of the Damned - This time Ashlyn almost dies WELP

Hope this list comes handy when you're in your Taylyn feels! Will add to it as i go, every friday :D

If you're a fic writer and didn't find your taylyn fic here, please don't mind! I probably haven't gotten to it yet (not that this ficrec is any 'validation' you're missing out on, you're not!)

[prismaticpichu]

@rosy-crow ahhhhh forgive my dumb butt for accidentally deleting the ask while it was in my drafts, but!! A LONG OVERDUE GIFT ❤️❤️❤️ 🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛ I hope you enjoy, and thank you thank you thank you THANK YOU for all the kindness and wonderful energy you bring to this fandom!! So much love!! 🫂

Prompt (provided by the lovely Crow!): Miniroth is pulled away by the Jenova illusion sometime down the line in FS Chap 2… HOWEVER, he sees both sides now—the illusion and the mother, the darkness and the light, the comfort and the chaos.

And it’s only bc of a certain honorable SOLDIER that Sephiroth is able to remember what true care & concern is after all, and not a mere facade of it.

(Also!! Decided to ultimately discard the Masamune stuff for now, just so there can be a clearer focus on Jenova’s manipulation <33 No need to make things more messy shshshshdh xD)

~

Opening his eyes, the boy found himself surrounded by color.

Nature.

Rich, violet blooms pooling at his feet; gold-dusted pistils beading their centers; swaths of grass bursting beneath the flora and a maroon swirl of shadow that seemed to define land from sky, far from close, foreground from background…

He recognized this place.

This dream…

He sat up against the flower bed, inadvertently crushing a petal beneath his glove, thin strands of silver brushing against his nose with the sudden movement.

There was no wind here; no temperature, either. Just a tepid numbness, devoid of heat or cold, weatherless. Sunless. Moonless. Starless. He stared off into the blotted horizon, unsure of what he was even staring at, what he was looking for. He couldn’t seem to even remember what he was even doing before this; everything prior to his awakening was like a nebulous blur, a hollow memory. Where… was…? Time itself didn’t even seem to exist here, splintered and shattered and left to one’s own imagination, their own control. Ang…There was only emptiness here, distortion. Vagueness. Uncertainty. An illus—

“Sephiroth!”

And, at last, clarity.

The boy’s eyes widened.

“…Mother?”

He turned around, his heart jolting, his head whipping behind his shoulder to see a woman standing amid the flowers—Her… Jenova. Mother. Cladded in holy white, chocolate hair tied pristinely behind her neck, arms opened wide…

For him.

For him…

He was suddenly on his feet, racing across the purple blooms, running into her embrace: burying, burrowing, straining, clutching…

Everything made sense again.

“Sephiroth…?” Mother tilted her hand, a kind gesture of amusement, concern. “What’s wrong, dear?”

Sephiroth buried his face in her coat, dissolved into the familiar aroma—perfume, chemicals, flowers… “I’m-I’m sorry, Mother,” he quavered, shivering. “I’m so sorry…”

“Sorry?” Mother blinked, placed a soothing hand on his back, canting her head just a bit further. “What are you sorry for, dear? You have nothing to apologize for…”

Sephiroth sucked in his breath, a jagged inhale. “No… I do: I keep losing you,” he quavered. “I keep forgetting you. I…” He shook in his head, clutched fistfuls of the snowy coat. “…I even lost the locket I had of you…”—he trembled, he choked, he quivered—“…And I just want to be with you, Mother… all the time. Every evening. Every morning. I don’t want a picture of you… I want you. Every sundown. Always. Every single day…”

The boy strained his eyes, shivering, feeling like nothing more than a lost and helpless child…

But that was okay.

That was alright.

He could be vulnerable with Mother; he was safe with her, secure. Protected. Cherished. Wanted.

Always…

A slight shift, a squeeze, and he felt Mother’s arms tighten around him, pulling him closer.

She began rubbing gentle circles along his back.

“Oh, Sephiroth…” she placated, hushing melodically. “You’re so sweet… Do you know that?”

Sephiroth opened his eyes, the teal fissures luminous against Mother’s angelic attire, the words catching in his throat.

He didn’t say a word.

Mother chuckled at his silence, closed her eyes and canted her head even further, holding him closer against her chest.

“Well, my treasure… You do know there is a way for us to be together, right?”

A hum; a coo; a whisper… Her words were something of a joyous sound, if not a little too carefree. Too saccharine. Cloying. A masquera—

For the first time since awakening, Sephiroth felt a hint of suspicion in his chest.

Something… something wasn’t…

But he couldn’t stop himself from asking, anyway: “There… is?”

Mother chuckled louder, carefully unwound her arms so that she could cup his face instead, the sylphlike fingers grazing the smooth skin of his cheeks as she gazed into his eyes… So warm. Glittering. Ponds of brown. Heavenly mirrors. Authentic. True. Honest. Warm. Loving…

Sinking into her touch, he let his eyes fall shut.

“Of course…” she whispered, breathed. “You just have to let go, Sephiroth.”

He didn’t want to open his eyes, too comfortable. “Let… go?” he repeated, dreamlike. Almost stuporous.

He heard Mother nod. “That’s right,” she repeated, hummed, chanted. “You just have to let go, dear… let go of the life you cling so desperately too… Let go of the useless bonds that tether you so… hold you back. Keep you and I from being… together…”

Somehow, the last word seemed to pulse in his skull, echoing and throbbing in his psyche, reverberating. Hammering. Coaxing.

It hurt.

Sephiroth winced against the painful sensation, the silver brow furrowing as he began to squirm and shift in his Mother’s grip.

Something… something wasn’t…

“What’s wrong, dear…?” Mother canted her head, and that ghostlike quality to her voice lingered, deepened. It echoed louder now; it seemed to make the world around him throb, strobe. Quick flashes of sickly green. “Don’t you want this, Sephiroth…?” she echoed, incanted. “To be with me…?”

Sephiroth squirmed faster, his heartbeat beginning to thunder, his breath sharpening in rising panic and realization:

No… No… NO…

He couldn’t move.

“Come, now…” Mother’s eyes pulsed, flashed before his own in blazing bursts of purple. “Don’t be difficult, Sephiroth…”

“What… what are you….?—“

“Shh… it’s alright now, dear. It’s all alright now…”

Suddenly, he found himself being drawn back into his Mother’s chest, his cheeks burning against his Mother’s touch, his feet skidding and kicking and balking as he tried to resist the pull, to pull his own arms free…

“Shh… Mother’s got you, Sephiroth…”

His hands only sank into her body, melted into her white-coated flesh like a limb sinking into quicksand—dissolving, submerging, disappearing, combining…

Sephiroth’s eyes widened in pure, unadulterated terror.

“Stop… STOP IT…!”

Sephiroth… Hey. You’re not really gonna run off by yourself, are you?

“Mother’s got you now…”

“No… No…!”

Sephiroth… you’re not acting like yourself… C’mon. We’re a team now… Hey! WAIT…!

“Shh…”

“Get… get…”

SEPHIROTH…!

“You’re safe, Sephiroth…”.

“Get AWAY from me!”

It all happened so fast, so suddenly: the pulses, the flashes, the scream. The roar. The gurgle. The burst of blood as he finally tore his arms free, stumbling backwards, falling to the ground, the feel of the flowers rotting beneath his back, dying. Degrading. Fading. The crack of the sky tearing asunder as her mirage was shattered, all at once, and a dense darkness gushed into the world to fill it in its wake; a brutal breeze whipped by, temperature and weather returning. Clouds. Stars. A moon. Trees. So many trees… A forest. Wilderness. Lost. Wutai. A mission. Desertion. Betrayal. A place had had run away to, running and running and running—

“YOU… TRAITOR…”

.

.

.

.

.

Reality.

He gasped, coughing on the frigid air, coughing the mud and rain out of his lungs…

The world pulsed around him.

“Oh, Sephiroth…”

His gloves sopping with blood and viscera, Sephiroth raised himself to his knees, crawled himself around to face the source of the distorted, garbled voice:

“Y-you…”

The woman was kneeling now, having sunk onto the grass, the gush of chocolate hair now gushing messily down her face as her shoulders trembled, quavered…

“Oh, Sephiroth…”

She was sobbing.

“Oh, my Sephiroth…”

The pulse in Sephiroth’s head died down, seeming to fade away, wane…

“Sephiroth…”

As did his anger.

“Mother?—“

“…Oh, Sephiroth…” she sniffled, choked, thin rivers of tears crawling down her face, trickling onto the grass. “I’m so sorry… Please…. Forgive me. I, I just…”—Her voice quivered, rose and fell in pitch—“I just… I just want my baby boy back. I want you safe… Oh, Gaia, I just want you safe…”

Even if he couldn’t feel its sting in full (he couldn’t seem to feel much of… anything), he knew his heart was twisting in his chest, contorting and warping into all sorts of unbearable shapes, sharpening and bleeding and burning.

He began to crawl toward her.

To see her… so vulnerable…

“Don’t… don’t cry, Mother…” he croaked, his voice fading away all again, dwindling into something of a numb smoke, “please…” Were those green flashes returning, or… or was that just his own head? A migraine? “Please, Mother…”

Crawling to her side, Mother finally lifted her gaze, those beautiful brown eyes glistening with torrid tears, strings of hair plastering to her dampened cheeks…

It almsot broke him.

“Please, Mother…” Sephiroth repeated, whispered. “What can I do…?”

Mother snuffled again, waiting a pregnant second to respond.

“You… you hate me,” was all she said.

The words seemed to form on Sephiroth’s tongue before he could even taste them.

“No… I don’t. Of course I don’t.”

She snuffled again, biting her lip, blinking hazily against the velveteen darkness.

“Yes… you do. I see it in your eyes.”

“My eyes are lying, then.”

She waited another beat after this, blinking again, swallowing thickly.

“…Sephiroth.”

Sephiroth immediately perked up. “…Yes?”

“Would… would you do anything for me?”

The response was immediate, reflexive.

Too reflexive…

“Anything.”

Sniffling once more, her lips curved back into a relieved smile upon hearing this, pawing at her dampened eyes with a dampened hand.

“…Then let go, Sephiroth.”

The words were clearer now, less echoey. More sincere. More earnest. More raw.

Sephiroth only canted his head now, listening.

“…You have to let go…” she repeated, pleadingly. “Let go of the worthless life They chained you to…”

Sephiroth’s eyes flickered, absorbed this. “…They?”

“That foul company…” Mother elaborated, a teardrop plunking onto the ground. “And all the worthless creatures you encounter…”

W-worthless…?

Sephiroth blinked, narrowed his eyes a fraction, feline slits widening for a beat. “But, Mother…” the boy’s voice was apologetic, poignant. “I… I can’t leave them: I’m… a SOLDIER.”

“No…” She immediately shook her head in denial. “You are my son… And you deserve better than Them…”

Mother reached out, sniffling, caressed a lock of silver hair in a gentle, tender stroke.

“…You deserve Love…”

…

Love…

Sephiroth closed his eyes, sank into her touch all again.

He felt himself going numb.

When… when had someone ever treated him so kindly…?

“That’s it, dear… Just let go.”

When… when had someone ever wanted to be with him…?

“Perfect Sephiroth… perfect…”

When…?—

“Perfect…”

I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do together, Sephiroth…

Sephiroth’s brow twitched, his eyes briefly straining.

It’s an honor…

He grit his teeth.

Hey… you don’t look so good, Sephiroth… I think we should take a break.

Concern.

He shook his head.

“…What? What are you doing, Sephiroth?”

C’mon… we’ll make a good team.

Kindness.

I’ll show you…

Not all people are like that.

Warmth.

“S… stop…!”

He clenched his teeth, forced the syllables out through his caged jaw:

“Ang…”

I’m just a rookie, you know…

But I heard a lot about you.

“…Geal…”

Rumors spread, but… I don’t really believe them.

If you ask me, there’s a lot more to you than meets the eye…

And I look forward to finding those things out…

Sephiroth cracked his eyes open, fought through the crushing gravity that tried to keep them closed, weathered through the darkened storm that threatened to consume him, engulf him.

“STOP IT…!”

…I really look forward to being friends…

Sincerity.

Honesty.

Friendless.

Companionship.

“STOP IT—!”

Reality…

“ENOUGH…!”

He shook his head; he roared; he tore away from Her spellbinding grip, pushed her hand away in a cold, furious rejection, scrambled away from the womanlike form, scrambled onto his feet.

“You’re not… you’re not REAL!”

He kicked the illusion, heard an unholy sound tear from the woman's lip, heard it growl and hiss and garble as it crumpled to the ground.

“How… how DARE YOU attack your Mother…?!

“My Mother…” Sephiroth’s eyes blazed with hot mist, “is DEAD…!”

And he ran.

He ran and ran and ran.

We… we are ONE…

He ran away from the facade, away from the illusion, away from the Lies.

You… cannot… ES… Ca… PE M…. E…!—

Those PESTS… THE… Y’LL…

…

THEY’LL LEAVE Y—

He ran and ran until he couldn’t hear Her anymore, until the horrible voice was severed like a bone, until he could see the first glints of dawn peeking over the shadowed horizon, until he saw the vague shape of a tent in the distance, in a clearing… Until he saw Them, his team… The cameraman… The burly outline of a SOLDIER, a proud sword…!

And he ran faster.

“Angeal…!”

The closer he got, the more dawn illuminated his face, allowing him to see the kind, concerned, warm Mako eyes as they widened against the gloom…

“Sephiroth…!—“

He didn’t even register what happened next, didn’t even care to process the passing of seconds:

All he knew was that, in some nebulous swath of time, he was embracing his ally, pulling him close, nearly bowling him over

“Sephiroth…?!”

And that some moments later, those burly arms were wrapping around him turn, holding him steady… Protectively. Warmly.

He couldn’t fight the tears anymore.

“Hey, hey, hey… it’s okay, Sephiroth… it’s okay… Holy, you’re shaking… Alright, alright… We’ve got you now… We’ve got you…”

“Wait, where the hell did he go…?!” Bachman roared.

“Not relevant right now!”—then, turning back to him, calmer”—It’s alright, Sephiroth… It’s alright now…”

His eyes still strained, Sephiroth managed a sniffle.

“…Angeal?”

“Yes?”

Sephiroth swallowed. “Thank you…”

“For what?”

“…Everything. For everything.” He cracked his eyes open, let a hazy bead of mist plunk onto the other’s arm. “For being my friend…”

A good, good friend…

To his surprise, Angeal only chuckled in response, a warm and cozy sound that rumbled against his chest. “Well… you know what? I’m gonna tell you the same thing I told my old friend Genesis…”

And he held him closer, sealing their embrace with a single phrase and promise:

“You’re stuck with me, friend. Forever.”

[soldier-lodbrok]

So saddle up kids, because @holyguardian and I screamed back and forth and she dug up a few thoughts I already had but pointed out all these nice connections, so now I HAVE to make a post about this theory. It is probably just my copium, but ya'll can't stop me. You can thank Muddy for this. She shoved my brain on every aspect.

Of course spoilers for Remake, Rebirth and Ever Crisis FS ahead.

Glenn Lodbrok is still alive theory

"Glenn Lodbrok" in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Okay. First things first. The man seen as "Glenn Lodbrok" in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth definitely is NOT the real Glenn Lodbrok. In no way or form. It just is a black robed man that Sephiroth puppeteered to take on the appearance of Glenn. His behaviour, his speech patterns, his apparent goals, nothing fits the real Glenn Lodbrok.

Even his appearance is off.

The black robed version looks extremely gaunt. Glenn in general has a large frame and muscular built. Here his cheeks are visibly sunken in, his hair is unruly and uncut, as is his beard, which is also way longer (and more prominent above his lips) than when he supposedly was last alive.

The SRC Situation/Where was Glenn last His last goal in the world was to establish the Shinra Resistance Committee, especially in Wutai and lead it against Shinra. They took over the Wutain government and installed an interim-government. According to Yuffie it is supposed to only last until the war is over and they can have independence from Shinra; then tthe Wutain people can decide what kind of government they truly want next.

The SRC does loosely associate with AVALANCHE, but they are two different factions, with the SRC seemingly using more political and Wutai-based moves, while some splinter groups of AVALANCHE go down more extreme routes closer to Midgar/within Midgar.

Glenn wasn't alone, but with Matt and Lucia in the SRC at this time.

It is notable that in Rebirth in the side-mission "Protorelic 4" in Cosmo Canyon Matt and Lucia are name-dropped:

So they are confirmed to still be alive at the point where the Shinra HQ was stormed by AVALANCHE in Remake. Now suddenly as leaders of AVALANCHE troops for the HQ in Midgar. So something must have happened between them being in Wutai as interim-government members for the SRC and now suddenly active in AVALANCHE.

Alteration with Rufus The alteration that happened, where Rufus shot Glenn probably all cooks down to that Glenn either:

- discovered that Viceroy Sarruf is actually Rufus Shinra

- or he knew all along that Sarruf = Rufus, but had an argument with him, because he found out that Rufus was not at all interested in a peaceful solution and letting Wutai be a free state from Shinra

It is more likely that it is the second option, since in Ever Crisis Chapter 8 Glenn mentions that "he has friends in high places" and gets his intel through them. He possibly is hinting at this being Rufus. Plus Rufus in Rebirth seems to allow "Glenn" around, as if he knows him.

He probably threatened Rufus, either with revealing his identity or with cutting him off from the SRC. It had to be something that enraged/threatened Rufus enough to shoot Glenn in the back cowardly, when he turned away.

Then it gets muddy.

Rufus clearly is surprised seeing "Glenn" again in Junon, stating that he thought he was dead. It is a "thought" and nothing more certain. Indicating that Rufus had not checked upon Glenn really being dead. [Also the wikia indicates he was "left for dead", the wikia is not the most reliable though]

So there is a possibility that Glenn survived this. Possibly being rescued by his friends Lucia and Matt. They aren't shown to be present at the attack (maybe just out of frame?). But they could have been led there by:

- Refu: the dog formerly belonging to Rosen, he already proved to be loyal to its owner and 'call' others attention to when his owner was in trouble and needed help; he did so for Rosen

- Sephiroth: the man was friends with Glenn, even in the Wutai war. Glenn gave him intel to rescue other soldiers and Sephiroth would likely have done the same for him in return. It is strange that Sephiroth seems to exactly know how Glenn was shot in the back, he uses the phrase "In the back, just like good old times." when Rufus tries to kill "Glenn" a second time at the end of Rebirth. So either Sephiroth witnessed it, saw Glenn afterwards or heard about it. Sephiroth is shown to still be conflicted back in EC FS, being loyal to Shinra in a way or seeing himself forced into that role. If we mirror Glenn's "You know I can't help openly, that is why you have to do it", that could work with Sephiroth directing Matt and Lucia to Glenn for help. He is Shinra, he can't outright act against Rufus then, but he can see to get sufficient help.

Anyway, Lucia and Matt could have rescued Glenn and brought him to safety but turned their back on the SRC or fled the area due to there clearly being dangerous traitors at work within the SRC. That is how they could have ended up with AVALANCHE HQ, finding refuge there.

Where Glenn could be during Remake/Rebirth times So why are just the two of them mentioned as leaders for AVALANCHE?

Either Glenn simply is not part of that particular mission, SE didn't want us to know, he didn't want to work for AVALANCHE or he isn't able to help yet.

Last option could be likely due to the severe injury he apparently got from Rufus' bullet. When he is shot we actually see a lot of blood (the most shown in FF VII so far) splattering from relatively high up. Almost looks like the back of his head, though at least Sephiroth masquerading as Glenn claimed it was a shot in the back.

If Rufus hit his spine that high up, it could mean he needs a longer time to recover, if at all, even in magical Final Fantasy healing logics. Also explains, why Glenn did not fight back (if we consider the same FF logic in which several characters already got shot or stabbed worse and still were able to get up and fight back).

He could be bedridden or even in a coma for now. And you know what happens to people who are that immobile for a longer time? They lose muscle mass and of course don't shave their beard as often or get regular haircuts.

So the gaunt and dishevelled appearance the black robed takes on as "Glenn" could actually BE how Glenn looks currently. Jenova's/Sephiroth's abilities to shapeshift can't be that shoddy, so maybe this is actually the most current version of Glenn, who is hidden away somewhere in an AVALANCHE HQ.

And as Muddy so nicely pointed out: you know whom Glenn, a man who is wearing a long black raincoat (not to be confused with the black robes!) would contrast when sitting in a wheelchair by then? Rufus Shinra years later, a man in long white coats, in a wheelchair, when he suffers from Geostigma. We love some nice paralells, even if this now is probably beyond SE's scope of aesthetics.

[boots-with-the-fur-club]

Chapter 3 of No Fun in Fungus!

@daboyau

@theawesomeninja-xd

@nights-flying-fox

@phoebepheebsphibs

Leo chokes and wheezes on the yellow cloud that infiltrates his lungs. There’s a dull ache in his plastron. It could be from his old injuries, but he was well aware of a possible other cause for the sensation.

Asthma.

Leo would experience most attacks after getting upper respiratory infections, which he had a lot when he was younger.

It was nothing compared to what Donnie went through though.

His immune system sucked and the cold sewer with polluted water did not help his case in the slightest.

More infections meant he needed an inhaler more times than Leo did.

He never asked Splinter how he got one that first time, but he always remembers the bloody bandage around his hand.

He also remembers the birthday he asked for his supply packs.

Dad sewed it together for him.

The contents of the pack changed a lot over the years, but there were three things that never did.

A pack of dinosaur bandaids for Mikey.

Raph’s epi pen.

Their inhaler.

Despite it being years since Donnie’s last attack, that inhaler was never going to missing.

Leo takes it out immediately. Donnie was right next to him before those things came, he couldn’t be far.

“Wretched little pest….”

The voice chills him down to his core.

It’s typically believed that there are several fs when it comes to reacting to fear.

The two most well known are fight or flight.

However, there’s also freeze and fawn.

Fawn would be when Mikey tells Raph he’s the best oldest brother in the world as he hides a broken teddy bear mug behind his back.

Freeze is when you spend an entire flight in an escape pod having a panic attack and can’t even move when you get back because you just left your brother to die.

How ironic is it that someone who can never stop talking can’t say a word when he’s truly terrified?

The face man, curled up in a ball like a pathetic-

Leo covers his ears.

Where were those thoughts coming from?

Were they even thoughts?

It sounded like someone was saying it directly to him.

He feels the immediate need to curl up, not move and hope that it makes it all go away.

Seeing the glowing red eye through the thick particles in the air only makes that feeling worse.

What is happening? How could he be here?

The clanging of metal on the ground in front of him seems to give him an a answer.

He doesn’t want to look at the item in front of him.

The ninpo created weapon he left in the prison dimension.

It should have stayed there, because if it’s here, then it let him come here too.

The laughter he hears nearly makes his heart stop.

“You thought you could escape me?”

Leo can’t stop the fearful tears pricking at his eyes, quietly mumbling no repeatedly.

“You allowed me to come back. As thanks, I’ll kill you last.”

Leo hates how the words he wants to say die in his throat.

“You can watch as I slaughter your siblings, as you took away mine!”

He can hear the sounds of metallic footsteps coming towards him.

Leo can almost see his life flashing before his eyes. It makes him wonder how this response to fear came about.

Why wasn’t he like Donnie who made those escape pods?

Why didn’t he use his skills like Mikey?

Why didn’t he fight like-…….

Raph.

That’s it.

If something truly scary was happening, it was Raph who protected him.

He could freeze up and Raph would be there to shield him from literally anything that would come his way.

Even if it was something impossible like giant freaking aliens with razor sharp tentacles.

Even if he hadn’t given him a good reason to want to protect him that day.

He was right next to him too before the spores came out.

Where was he now?

Leo wanted his big brother.

He screams out his name in fear as the mech that carries the main Kraang finally stands in front of him.

Just like that, Raph appears too.

Leo realizes he’s brought him right into danger and tries to warm him.

Raph kneels down and smiles at him widely.

“What’s the matter, Leo? Raph’s here, it’ll be okay.”

“D-Don’t you see him?”

“Everything is fine, Leo. I promise.”

Leo relaxes for a split second until blood splashes on his face.

Raph had been impaled where he almost had been before.

Leo’s throat begins to hurt, is he screaming again?

He can’t tell.

His face goes to the floor, body curling around himself and the inhaler still in his grip somehow.

The screaming from him is in fact happening, others could hear it even if he couldn’t.

Especially the real Raph.

After the spores had been sprayed and he couldn’t see his brothers, he thought he heard them further away.

He had no clue that the hallucinations could be auditory as well.

After rushing to where they might have been, the sounds got worse.

Donnie, Mikey, Leo, all begging for his help.

No matter where he went he couldn’t reach them.

“Guys! Where are you!?”

“Casey.”

Raph whips his head around.

“Leo?�� He swears he can hear Leo again.

“Listen to me. When I get to the other side, you close that door.”

Raph feels his stomach drop, bringing up his arm to confirm what the hallucinations are making him see and hear.

On his wrist is the device he couldn’t bring himself to wear ever again.

The one that let him hear Leo making a decision he never should have made.

The one that let him hear what that monster was doing to him.

He starts rushing back to the direction he previously left, hoping his brothers hadn’t moved.

The rushing becomes more urgent when he hears Leo scream his name.

He’s moving so fast he nearly trips over his own feet several times.

When he finally sees Leo, everything in front of him turns into a hell scape.

Leo is in front of him, bloodied, bruised, cracks on his plastron and shell, and looking absolutely terrified.

The Krang mech is standing over him.

Raph can’t be sure at all that this how it was in the prison dimension, maybe this was accurate or maybe it’s just how he imagined it was.

Just like he never mentioned what he saw, Leo always redirected what it was like in those moments before Mikey was able to save him.

All he knew is what he and everyone else heard.

Raph knows this is all fake, something to mess with his head.

That doesn’t make his guilt go away in the slightest.

He wasn’t there to stop him, protect him.

When Splinter made Leo leader Raph wasn’t upset or mad because he got replaced, he seriously could not care less who led who in terms of responsibility.

He was worried that it meant Leo would take the brunt of the hits, be the shield when that was supposed to be what Raph does.

Raph is huge, that’s obvious.

None of his brothers can ever tell how small they are to him. Not just in size, but….how can you forget that you used to hug them close because they were scared of the dark?

They run out of your arms and when that’s when you realize that there’s so many things way scarier than the dark.

You want to scoop them back up so they don’t run too far to keep close.

Leo had managed to go so far away.

The Krang mech hits Leo across the face, splattering blood on the floor.

He hears Leo scream bloody murderer, screams he wished never would come from any member of his family.

Raph feels something snap in his brain that is usually reserved just for his savage modes.

He powers up, creating a larger version of himself to clap its arms together. This forces the spores in the air to disburse and clears the area.

He then stares down the fake Krang and stomps it.

The hallucination loses its hold. When he lifts the foot back up there’s just the pole that Donnie gave Leo under it.

Leo flinches, slowly but shakily lifting up his head.

“N-No….not again….please….” He nearly whispers.

Raph reaches out to see if he was real.

Leo tears up heavily.

Raph can see the utter terror on his face.

“Let him go. Stop….stop doing this. He doesn’t deserve it! Why can’t you leave him alone….!?” Leo shouts hoarsely, his throat already rough.

Raph quickly stops with his other form, but

Leo suddenly stands up and grabs at his arms before he can say anything.

“Get off him! How dare you use his body for this!? Again!? Haven’t you done enough to him!? To me!?”

“Listen to me, it’s not real! Those spores are making us hallucinate.”

Leo’s eyes widen.

“It’s….fake….? I….I didn’t bring him back here? You’re….you’re not….?”

“I’m the real deal, I promise.”

Leo feels the adrenaline that kept him standing give out along with his legs.

Ralph keeps him steady, moving to pick him up.

“N-No….just….let me use your arm, please.”

“You’re not in good shape Leo…..I heard you screaming.”

Leo breathes shakily.

“I want to know I can still make myself move.”

Raph isn’t entirely sure he gets it, but there was no way he was going to deny him what he seemed to need because of that.

He nods and puts Leo’s arm around his own since his shoulder would be too up high to help.

“We need to find Donnie and Mikey.”

“Maybe you can explain everything as we walk….I am so lost right now.”

“Not anymore, Leo.”

Leo smiles faintly.

“I’m going to let that corny thing pass since I think we could both use that right now.”

Raph smiles back and walks with him.

When the spores had first erupted around them, Donnie felt his hand get grabbed.

He knew who it was by the texture of the hand right away.

Of course the size is another indicator, but Donnie focused a lot on how things feel.

Raph’s hand is rougher than everyone else’s, both because he often uses his fists and the fact he lifts weights which causes calluses.

Leo’s hand is the softest because of his use of gloves during their fights, and the incredibly long list of skin care products he owns.

Mikey’s hand usually has something else on it, chalk dust, or finger paint, or, one time, peanut butter, which made Donnie gag.

That’s the hand that pulled him away.

They moved fairly fast.

“Ugh, this smells like when we found that cheese dad was hoarding so it could age. Be careful Mikey, we could start hallucinating at any moment.” Donnie warns.

“Maybe if you could do more than spend your time on dumb inventions we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Donnie rips his hand out of his grip.

“You’re not-!….Am I trying to say something to a hallucination? Great, now I’m a cliché.”

Saying that other part out loud was also pointless, he knows.

He was basically talking to himself right now.

Those stupid invasive mushrooms were trying to turn baseless thoughts into tangible visions.

What he doesn’t understand is how and why it happened this way.

If it followed the pattern of what Mikey and Raph saw, he would see something he’s supposedly scared of relating to the Krang.

However, feeling and hearing shouldn’t have been part of it.

Had it been that case, what he did to help Raph wouldn’t have worked.

Was it the amount of spores? Was there a certain set of rules he wasn’t aware of?

He missed some variable, this is exactly why he hates when he’s missing data.

Donnie turns around to try to get back to where he was taken from.

“I can’t believe you chose those jerks over me.”

He’s taken aback by the new voice but tries to remind himself that it means nothing.

“It’s always about what you want. She makes fun of me and you join up with her just for a jacket? Do I really man less to you than a jacket…..?”

“That is not how I feel! She knows that!”

“Maybe…..maybe Donnie thinks we’re too dumb to be his brothers. He wishes we were like him.”

What? Mikey again?

“Are you kidding? I bet he wishes he was an only child. Donnie never cares about what we’re doing, he just waits to talk about what he’s doing.”

No, Raph wouldn’t say that!

He turns, only to see Leo right in front of him.

“Stop it! I know you’re not real!”

“Thanks for the advice, Donnie.”

“I didn’t give you any!”

“Sure you did. Back when Ghost Bear showed up. “Leo, sacrifice yourself? Buy us some time?” Does that ring any bells?”

Donnie freezes.

“I-It was a joke.”

“How about when I was supposed to protect you because I sell the least amount of toys?”

“Obviously another joke!”

“No, Donnie. It pushed me to do what had to be done. I’ll do it as many times as I need to.”

Donnie grits his teeth.

“No! You won’t! I’ll stop you!”

“Stop me? How? With another gift disguised as a way to tell me you hate me?”

“It was a real gift! I thought it would help!”

The shock collar suddenly appears on Leo.

“It’s a real pain in the neck, Dontron.”

It shocks him, making him writhe and scream in pain.

Donnie can’t help but scream as well.

[tmsh-au-blog]

More lore for my AU? Buckle up!

This is a MUCH darker take on the AU.

I personally prefer a darker reason for Dream eating the apple. Either that or baby boy has WAY too much pent-up negativity and SNAPS. (I am evil and no I'm not sorry. Dream is a fun character to experiment with).

Shade needed his family and said family was not there for him. Desperation and fear drove him to do the unthinkable. To willingly SHATTER himself. Alone, afraid and out of options he ate the apple.

TW: Stalking/harassment, one night stand, alcohol, and attempted R word. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

He was being stalked by Yan (fallen stars Swap) who despite Shade making it clear that the sake fueled one-night stand meant nothing, nor did he want to date Yan.

Splinter (FS Ink) had gone completely mad on red and pink paint so he enjoyed tormenting Shade for entertainment.

Yan tried many times to force himself on Shade who by this point was all alone.

When he begged Illusion for help, he was turned away by Daemon (gatekeeper of the system. Illusion has DID) very coldly. Daemon being paranoid decided Shade was lying and refused to protect him from Yan. Shade being too weak from the imbalance turned to the remains of the tree of feelings in desperation to gain enough power to FORCE Yan to leave him alone.

This is before Shattered fully takes over when the transformation is still fresh and all Shade can hear is angry whispers : "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

Yan did NOT leave him alone even after gaining that power.

Yan also stalked Shattered though he didn't really pay Yan any mind because he was more afraid of Jax finding him and the shattered balance caused by Shade eating his apple.

[dandylovesturtles]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 WILDCARD LET'S GO

god this ask has been in my inbox so long I'm so sorry alsdjkf;s

(for context the prompt is: Reblog this if you want readers to come into your ask box and ask for the “director’s commentary” on a particular story, section of a story, or set of lines.)

So I've mentioned before that I used to have a completely different plan for chapter 2 of IMBI and then I basically ended up scrapping and completely changing it, which ended up changing a lot of later stuff about the fic. Originally it was... darker, in a way, because they got as far as preparing to unplug Leo from life support!

Basically, my original plan was that at the end of Donnie and Raph's fight (when Raph said Donnie didn't care if Leo died), when Donnie told Raph to get out, Raph would realize he went out of line and try to deescalate. Donnie isn't having it in that moment, for obvious reasons, but it would lead to Raph thinking over what Donnie said and eventually (after several days) deciding to tell Splinter and Mikey about the situation. Splinter, like he does in the current version, would take that decision off Raph/Donnie's shoulders and decide to give Leo time to see if he'll recover. However, Leo does not (obviously) and, after waiting for him for almost four full weeks, Splinter decides they have to let him go, because he isn't improving and it's becoming difficult to keep the life support running and care for him as much as he needs and so they'll have to let him go. It was then Leo begging Mikey not to let them do this and saying he didn't want to die that ended up breaking through so Mikey could see him.

I changed this mainly because it felt like... way too much lol, like taking the silly turtle show and having a scene where a father has to seriously consider taking his son off life support just felt TOO MUCH and I was like I can't do this als;d;;fs I gotta do something else.

So my first big thing to figure out when I backtracked on this plot was, well, how and when does Mikey see Leo then? And that was when I got the idea that Mikey would become so desperate to save Leo that he would try to go back in time. But why would he do that if they aren't getting all the way to pulling the plug? Well, maybe Raph doesn't deescalate - maybe Raph keeps trying to fight and then emotions are just running way too high, and everyone is trapped in a pressure cooker.

And that's when I just had the image of Mikey having to physically separate them and then we were cookin'.

I really feel like the story I ended up writing is stronger because of this change, because it ended up leading to a bunch of downstream changes that I liked a lot better. I said in my chapter 2 author's notes that sometimes you have to tell yourself no and that was very true then and is still true now!

Thanks for the ask!

[earlysunshines]

What kind of music do you mainly listen to? Do you have any recs I’m bored🤕

hi!!! as of lately ive obv been looping all of newjeans' discography (mainly supernatural, cool w u, and ditto I think) other than that a mix of everything!! but since it's summer I've bene listening to other songs a lot more than others esp like rnb and rap and whatnot

ANYWAYS im a huge music nerd/person so like I'm so serious when it comes to this which is yeah aynways

my favs as of rn!! they're purely based on mood and feeling:

for car rides/relaxed but vivid, lively moments: loyalty by kendrick lamar and riri, love by kendrick lamar, juliette! by ph-1 ft umi, cosign by ph-1, rush by twice, witchy by kaytranada ft childish gambino, do 2 me by kaytranada ft anderson paak, snap my finger by kaytranada ft pinkpantheress, splinter by fig, and july by dean, floor seats by a$ap ferg, jam and butterfly by dpr live, dragonball durag by thundercat, nike shoes by beenzino, underwater by red velvet

for lounging (my late night loops): me against the world by 2pac, beauty and essex by daniel caesar and free nationals, clairos new album, eighteen by dvwn, wake up call by mel blue, not for sale by zion.t, daisy by wte, light by wte, peach eyes by wte, floral sense by yesung, love belt by jonghyun, episode III by charlie burg, callback by charlie burg, nangs by tame impala, tired by lo-fi levi, you by lo-fi levi, dancing by black party, slow down by mac ayres, anything by chet baker really, untitled 08 by kendrick lamar, anything off laufey's everything I know about love album, night drive by sam wills, come back to me by rm, dirty dancer by orion sun, slidin by kai, say you love me by kai, scene-1 by sebastian mikael, under the moon by alex isley

with friends: yah by kendrick lamar, humble by lendrick lamar, v by zion.t, the hillbillies by kendrick lamar and baby keem, I think by tyler the creator, a boy is a gun by tyler the creator, bleach by brockhampton, rental by brockhampton, the weekend by stormzy, summer breeze by piper, zombies by ph-1, ANTHING off ctrl by sza, duckworth by kendrick lamar, shut the f**k up that's mine by dabber, gas station by june, nobody's business by rihanna, a day of weather by june

misc: wasting my time by elujay, magic ways by tatsuro yamashita, telephone number by junko ohashi, city pop by sugars campaign, (unreleased and only on yt) 3am freestyle by dean, tabber, and kim xinya, chi-ka by dean and tabber, satin by destin conrad, in the air by destin conrad

yeah thats a lot but some good ones fs (lots of Kendrick bc he's an artist, a creative mastermind that changed the industry IMO)

[2005noroithecurse]

That toji oneshot? ate so mf hard there's not even a plate left

pls this made me so happy <333 he's stuck in my brain rn like a splinter I would risk it all for ten minutes in a room w him one of us walking out pregnant fs

[ayoitsiris]

hi guys sorry i litterally died here are some late rottmnt hcs

this is one of the holidays that april and splinter take very seriously for the turtles. it’s by far raphael’s favorite because it’s the one he gets to relax a bit (and he’s got a thing for rom coms fs)

donnie, not really getting it made a robot to analyze them and give them good gifts, mikey finds this out and gets upset, hijinks ensue

mikey forgets to give everyone presents and has been riding on that one family portrait he made like a billion years ago.

leo goes out for pizza every year and tries to find someone to be his valentine. if (let’s face it WHEN) this fails because people thinks he’s obnoxious, he comes home and asks donnie, he’s done this for 4 years.

[starlightshadowsworld]

Behind the Hockey Mask

Saw this scene on tik tok

And just

Raph standing up but immediately pushed behind Casey.

Casey standing between Raph and Splinter like a great wall.

Shielding Raph and holding him with one arm.

And meeting Splinters anger with his own.

Part of him is shaking.

Part of him is afraid.

But Casey won't let that stop him.

He glares at Splinter, taser in his hand that no one saw him grab.

"Stand down"

"Casey Jones you will cease this at once, I am talking to my son."

"Talking my ass, you know exactly what the fuck your doing... Stand down and I won't shove this thing so far up your arse you'll be able to taste it tomorrow."

They are all looking at Casey but he doesn't see it.

He's mapped an escape, his whole body is on high alert and yet his arm around Raph is gentle.

Splinter takes a step forward but Casey is faster.

He's pinned Splinter to the ground with his taser at his throat.

"I warned you"

It's only because Raph is begging... Actually begging him to get off his dad that Casey does so.

Splinter stays sitting down, taking a few calming breathes before saying their conversation will happen later.

He leaves.

Casey doesn't take his eyes off him till he's gone.

Before holding Raph, squeezing his shoulder with a smile that is nothing but kindness.

The change is instant.

It reminds Raph of Leo.

"Case?"

"No one gets to use intimidation tactics like that...and call it a lesson." He says, sitting down beside Mikey who shuffles closer to him.

Casey rubs his head like he would ruffle Angel's hair.

"Anger can be self destructive no shit. Any emotion can be if you let it get too far. Love, you could love someone so much it destroys you from within because you forgo everything you are to keep them happy... And than they leave."

Casey gazes up at Raph "your hot headed but you know when to cool your self down. Your not self destructive Raph, your protective. Your kind, your an arse hole and a brother...You don't got nothing to worry about."

Raph blinks, a small smile making it to his face "thanks man."

Casey nods, looking at the door where Splinter left "man needs to remember he's not just your sensei..."

Maybe Splinter was ill too?

Casey hoped not but if it came to it he'd look after the turtles too... April if he had to.

No one got hurt on his watch.

He would destroy himself before the ones he loved was hurt.

[aviagin]

ROTTMNT Personal HeadCanons

The way I’m a Leo kinnie longed to be Mikey, seen as Ralph, and could never be Donnie is just wow to me. A couple of stray thoughts.

Leo gives Jake Peralta from Brooklyn99 vibes tell me I’m wrong you can’t

Mikey learns how to make teapots to be able to replace ol'skully for their dad. RIP pour one out for a beloved member of the family for generations.

I bet Splints probably misses the taste of plastic and evil too lmao. Mikey makes two versions he made the “Jupiter Jim sure taste funny” and the “before a sports ball was found.”

Leo starts chipping away at his shell to compensate for breaking Raph's shell. They start to notice the carelessness he has for his shell. Donnie is the first to realize how often he’s just softening blows or covering Mikey. Sure he can walk it off but just as easily he could have dodged.

Raph goes into Leo’s room and sees him picking at his shell. “Now I know I’m not the medic but he’d tell me to not pick”

Leo gets startled and does immediately stop. “Raph! What can yours truly most handsome brother do for you!?”

Raph sits with him not sure how to approach the topic. Of course, Raph has always been a talk less act now type of turtle why should that change now. He can’t hesitate, not when it comes to his brothers. . .his family. He brings it up. . .Seeing the twinge of guilt flash across Leo’s face is enough for him to want to drop it. No he has to explain and reassure Leo it’s not his fault. He didn’t break his shell the Kraang did. “But if you start to break yours for me. That means I’m causing it. Come on you want big bro Raph to lose his #1 EXboss mug.” And Leo is just like no I would never want you to lose your mug. He would lightly chuckle teary eyed. Raph would give him the warmest bestest most big brother hug he can give Leo. “Let’s go we can’t leave the mad dogs watching pops commercials for too long!” They both head out feeling relieved. When they join the fam Donnie let’s a sigh of relief. Mikey has a bright smile. “Told y’all Doctor feelings is never wrong. Nothing can heal unless we disinfect the area ain’t that right doctor.” Mikey winks a Leo. April laughs hyping Mikey up. He shakes his head ready to have a movie marathon with the fam.

Donnie has fs Raph proofed everything that’s been destroyed. Of course he could do it all in one go scan what’s most likely too fragile and Raph proof it but BORE YAWN!!! Wheres the fun in that. When something does get broken usually by Raph hence the name Donnie makes sure it only happens once. He makes bets with the rest on what breaks next. Any on on purpose breaks means zero claim to the pot. They take their gambling very serious and have no idea how April keeps wining.

Leo gaslights and starts fights for the fun of it or causes fights for fun. He makes remakes like “me personally I wouldn’t take that” or “daaang bro you gonna let that one slide!” Just egging both sides.

Splinter tried his hardest to get his sons to call him master splinter or sensei at least during their training but clearly he didn’t win that war and now he knows when they get mad at him they call him splinter. He won’t say it out loud but he prefers it when his sons call him pops/dad/papa and finds it funny when they come up with new ones.

Leo and Donnie are nail biters. If Leo is a nail biter one hundred percent Donnie is too. Or vice versa. They compete to see who can go the longest without biting their nails, who bit less nails, and the loser who has shorter nails. Both started to get concerned for the other when their nails were so short there was a thin line of blood. I love the idea of how In sync they are without knowing. They’re both like I’m going to trick him by making it seem like a competition then he’ll have to stop! Nothing feels better to him then beating me what a great plan! It works for the most part. It started backwards at first with them biting even shorter to lose and give the other a win. Then one of them gloats too hard it finally flames the fire of competing. Of course there’s good weeks and bad weeks.

Sooo we all agree Leo is the type to make a big deal out of small cuts he’d ask nay he’d dramatically plead for a pretty blue bandaid from his brother Donnie. “Donnie it’s so dark I think I’m not going to make write my final Will please” when he trips. “Raph I can see the light gram gram what are you doing at the other side of the river” when it’s a scratch. But when it’s a serious injury “Tis but a flesh wound” he’ll take care of it himself pssh no need to worry. Your just being dramatic omg and multiple eye rolls. He still can’t understand how his brothers know is a serious injury or when it’s a bad one. Leo doesn’t realize he uses his brothers colors with bandaids.

Leo at first felt some resentment just the tiniest bit and even when he denied that resentment he still felt it. It was resentment towards Mikey his little brother, the tiniest turtle out of the 4. He loves his brother, he loves all his brothers of course he does…but why does MIKEY get a softer treatment from their one parent, why does Mikey get to be irresponsible because he’s younger. Why does Mikey get all the attention from their dad when here’s there too. Then one day when Mikey starts to really get into art he goes to Leo right away for his opinion on his first pieces. Leo feels that tangle in his feelings unravel. Then it happens again when Mikey starts to cook his first taste tester/judge was Leo and it happens again when he starts something new. Over and over Leo would be the first person to approve and praise his creations. Of course what kind of big brother could Leo call himself if he didn’t still get annoyed of Mikey from time to time. He gets it now tho. That tangle unraveled the moment he saw the enjoyment of watching Mikey grow. He felt pride in being the first one Mikey went to before showing off to the rest of the family. Leo likes to joke how he does have a favorite brother and won’t tell. But no matter how much thought, time, and effort he puts into answering that question it’s always the same answer they all are. Raph is his big brother their overprotective gentle boss man plus he practically carries them of course he’s his favorite. Donnie well Donnie is his twin of course he’s his favorite, and Mikey oh sweet sweet Angelo watching him grow *clutching pearls* becoming so strong with his naive trustworthy heart of course he’s his favorite. So yeah he does have a favorite. . .it’s April.

[supermassivebutthole]

Another thing we don't talk about in regards to t\er/fs is like,,,, they treat men like shit. Like ofc this transphobia is a pressing and immediate issue but it isn't a non-issue or a non-related issue that any community that allows or encourages terfs also hates and is reviled by even positive representations of masculinity and manhood.

I don't have to couch this statement in a million declarations of feminism for it to be true. Men are not the problem. The corrosive power of hierarchy and toxic masculine power structures are the problem. Men are not disgusting. Men are not unsalvageable. Masculinity is not inherently disturbing or threatening or abusive.

Framing masculinity as an objectively negative thing just validates the kind of dangerous splinter cells of violent men that believe it is their gender-given right to act like entitled monsters.

[praeyrp]

Lore Update: Factions;

Our factions are largely player-made and open to anyone, both in joining and creation! Here on FS we adore groups that allow our members to tie their characters to as many other characters as they’d like! 

Below the cut are all our current standing factions; all of them are joinable by anyone and aren’t limited in numbers or opposition! 

Factions;

Black Market

Leader: Justin Warrin

About: A long standing institution the local black market is a splintered transplant from New York, moved and led by Justin Warrin. As with its much larger sister operation in New York the SF black market deals in anything that’s needed and can’t be obtained through legal means. With several headhunters in its ranks the black market can be contacted to obtain anything that’s desired, for a price. Strict in his rule the SF black market is a well oiled machine, dealing smaller scale goods and services through the like-owned bar My Father’s Place the bulk of its wares are housed off site and rotated through a series of warehouses as needed. The daily operations consist of; arms dealing, gambling, drug dealing, underground fighting, rare reagents & grimoires. The market also houses a brothel off-site & tied into the basement of the local strip club, Bottoms Up.

Joining:  joining ooc is loose and open, just contact Sarah! IC you'll need to prove your worth to the man in charge, but he's not all that picky so long as you do your job, you'll keep your head~

Syndicate

Leader: Demetrio Dimas

About: The Syndicate was founded in the early 1900's as a safe way for contract killers to be hired. A middle man so to speak, ensuring that client, and the contract killer never met, allowing safety and security on both sides. Clients are able to visit the various hotels around the globe, owned by Demetrio, to leave your job, and payment method and the Syndicate does the rest. Over the years they have breached out into more than just contract killing, handling organ harvesting and body disposal.

Joining:  The Syndicate reaches out to prospective contract killers, are watched in action before being given the key to the kingdom so to speak.

The Blood Alliance

Leader: Diego Cortez

About: Founded in the early 1980's, the Blood Alliance, or, known by most, the Cortez Cartel, quickly became one of the most feared cartels within Mexico, eventually spilling out into various locations outside of Mexico. As they became one of the biggest hands within international drug trafficking, money laundering and organized crime, shipping more cocaine into the Americas than any other cartel. They, themselves breached out appointing various Cartel Heads in various major cities to ensure that the flow or drugs and everything else they had their hands on, moved smoothly between the cities and Mexico. The Blood Alliance has their hands involved in everything, with information on various key members of the city and around the world, and holds strong ties with the Black Market.

Joining:  A ranked member often brings in lower members to do the dirty work of the cartel.

The People's Temple & The Order

Leader: Matthias Irbson & Morgan  Delvaux

About: The People's Temple has been a long standing fixture of faith within San Francisco, or at least it's congregation has. A popular place of worship for decades the little Catholic church burned down in an accidental fire eight years ago, leaving its Sunset district neighborhood and congregation without a place of worship. Five years later and several failed attempts to fund-raise by an old tired minister and an angel investor would wipe their deficit and then some, clean. A new temple was built a block from the old, re-branded, renamed, and within its walls its people and their faith in a new youthful minister, grew.

The Order consists of everyone who's either conscious of, or blindly willing to follow, the teachings of Morgan and Matthias (known to most as Judas, they don't question its symbolism) and their ministry. The main objective of the ministry is simply to gather willing souls for the end of days, something Matthias has convinced the order and via Morgan also the flock, is coming. The Order is just your run of the mill doomsday cult, masked behind the beautiful façade of a kind and giving temple of worship.

Joining:  the temple is free and open to everyone. The Order however requires you to prove yourself to Morgan firstly, and if that works in your favor, you'll meet Matthias. A few exceptions will be made but you need to have worth and benefit to them in order for them to consider you for their inner circle.

Legion: the hunter order;

Leader: The council (NPC) > Regent Lord (NPC)  

Creed:  Legion is a fraternal order with one collective purpose; the survival of humanity through purification.

About: Where most people believe this means a vast and swift punishment to everyone that falls within the crosshairs of their hatred, the actual goal of the Legion is not to eradicate everything personally, but rather to topple the pillars holding up the foundation and then watch it fall on its own. They’re not here to become the overarching villains, they’re simply here to help protect what they believe is sacred; humanity’s claim to this world. This order is ancient, spanning generations; an order that’s secretive, elaborate, and hidden behind the veil of politics and careful steps. Every esteemed house within their ranks will have a beneficial member in politics; a family must be of benefit to the Legion or they’ll be extracted, period.

Hunters, as they’re known the world over, are not people who wander this world and brashly kill what doesn’t fit within their view, rather they’re tactful and exceedingly careful in every step they take. Their agenda and every step taken is handed down by The Council to the Regent Lord and finally to the Commanders (heads of households) who then command the foot soldier. It’s these soldiers that see things enacted; the actual hunters.

Organization Hierarchy: The Council (NPC) > Regent Lord (NPC) > Commanders > Foot soldiers

Commanders:  the political heads of household; playable but will be monitored. Typically the parents or grandparents of the foot soldiers, they must have a political seat (local or national).

Foot Soldiers:   the majority of the Legion are foot soldiers and are comprised of well trained family members of the Commanders. They’ll always have been born into this life in some part though late bloomers are possible, this is a highly opinionated and bigoted order so this must be taken into account for the late-bloomers.

As with any organization, there are bound to be rebels and pushback, just keep in mind that everything that opposes or threatens is dealt with swiftly, severely and above all, silently. There is no margin for error within the Legion; anything that goes against the order or fails to benefit their cause, is plucked like a weed.

Joining: In order to join Legion you need to be either well trained and catch their eye to warrant an invitation (will be absorbed into a family and made one of their own), or from one of the esteemed houses that make up their higher orders. One can not simply join Legion. Copy cats and self-entitled (false) members do happen, and as with anything that opposes the Legion, are dealt with in due time.

[theclaravoyant]

Top five fitzsimmons fics??

I’m pretty terrible at keeping track of my recs ngl, but here goes.

PS - I’ve also narrowed it down to ones that focus on their relationship, though I also tend to read and write a LOT about one or the other of them as a focus with each other or the team and so forth.

Top 5(ish, it counts right?) by other people

Meet Cute: A Team Engineering Writing Project - Fitz and Simmons are actors playing ‘themselves’ on a TV series where basically, each week they get together in a different scenario. I thought it was very creative, a lot of fun, and an excellent example of how fab fandom can be. What a great collab!!

Splinter by @msdevindanielle - Set during early S2 this weaves together some of FS’s angstiest times with Academy bonding and idk I just really liked how it got at the depth of their friendship and what they had lost, but it’s quite hopeful in the end. I also liked the style, just how it was written. I read this one ages back so sorry if I’m being vague but it comes to mind every time I’m asked for a FitzSimmons rec so it must be good.

and here’s where I devolve into straight-up shameless cheating because I’m more of a “lots of short fics” kind of gal so while many of them SLAY me it’s hard to keep track of them all!! some of my (many!) fave authors for FS are @agentverbivore (if you’re into that ‘completed multichaps’ kinda thing, or multichaps in general), @the-nerdy-stjarna (SO MUCH CONTENT if you want a particular trope or a mood or oneshot or multichap or whatever Sanna has it. probably has 5 of it. honestly I can’t keep up with all the FS goodness she produces but goodness it is!!), and @agentcalliope, who also writes a lot of platonic goodness but that’s a whole OTHER shameless pile of author recs :P which reminds me she’s just published a new one, I should get onto that!

Top 5 by me (if I do say so myself)

Love is Not an Eight Letter Word - set during the S3/4 hiatus, Jemma realises she is aromantic and comes out to Fitz, and their relationship adjusts. This was a really meaningful fic to write and has got some absolutely beautiful feedback, particularly from people who ID as aro and/or headcanon Jemma as such.

What We Make - set after S4, before/ignoring S5, FitzSimmons are spending some time at the Simmons’ family estate to recover from their hard year. It’s hurt/comforty and fluffy and I really enjoyed writing it after what was a particularly brutal season for these two, especially Fitz.

(Let Me Stand) Next To Your Fire - This one has been a challenge in terms of the logistics, and I put a lot of thought into it, but I did that because I love the concept but wanted to make sure it was handled well. Jemma experiences a bizarre magic/science accident that leaves her blind and in these first chapters she comes to terms with the aftermath of the attack and her blindness itself. Moving forward I’ll continue to explore her adjusting to life blind, and also the ramifications of the attack on her health and potential powers (dun dun DUNN)

Spearmint - short, sweet, and underrated this is a fluffy fic again set at the end of S4, but reflecting on the Academy era and their early relationship; a story of FitzSimmons through three spearmint milkshakes. also features a lowkey appearance of trans!Fitz which is a headcanon I love very much

Running Up That Hill - one of my first FS fics, and first AOS fics, but still quite good and I’m quite proud of it. It has a special place in my heart even though it doesn’t get a lot of attention these days. 1x22/S2 Role Reversal.

-

ask me my top 5 or top 10 anything

[sterls-world]

I’m With Stupid

Pairings: HoneyBerries (US!Pap x FS!Sans x US!Sans)

Warnings: Drunk Razz, kinda OOC Razz?

Summary: In which a drunk Razz shows just how touch-starved he is, and Stretch almost fucking dies again.

Word Count: 1,088

A/N: @undertale-writing-challenges did a fic on @stretch-suggestions and @blueberry-suggestions, so here I am with one including @razz-s because I fucking love their dynamic (even though Blue only shows up here in the end lmao). Anyway, have this pile of gay garbo.

Razz stared down into his third glass of vodka and sighed, sprawling his top half out onto the bar countertop. The jukebox was playing some sort of slow rock ballad, something that Napstaton had come out with a few years ago that set the mood in the bar as melancholy and stupid, if Razz had been voicing his thoughts about it.

He didn’t have a habit of stopping by Muffets after patrol, but tonight he’d made an exception. He needed a drink… or several.

Bakery during the day and bar at night, Muffet’s was almost completely dead on a weeknight, so Razz wasn’t worried about somebody seeing him there. Not that he really cared anymore anyway.

The shop’s bell jingled, signaling another person’s arrival.

“razz?”

And there he was: one half of the two very reasons he was plastering himself across the countertop in the first place… and who was now sliding into the seat next to him with one of those stupidly concerned looks on his face.

“‘Ey, Stretch… Wasn’ expectin’ t’ see you ‘ere…”

The taller, hoodie-clad skeleton monster placed a hand on Razz’s shoulder.

“are… are you drunk right now? are you ok?”

The smaller violently shrugged the hand off, and Stretch pulled it up to his chest, looking hurt and confused- so stupid!

“‘M fine, ya nanny, jeez… ‘M I not allowed t’ drink ‘r somethin’?”

He knew his words were badly slurred, but he didn’t care. He just wanted Stretch to go away- or better yet, get mad at him for once.

“razz, your brother’s been lookin’ all over for you… he was concerned when you didn’t come home, it’s really late.”

Razz looked up at the clock, squinting.

“Fuck, ‘s that late already? Shit…”

He looked from his drink, to the door, and then back again.

“Jus’ tell ‘im I’ll be home soon…”

“i’m not leaving without you, razz. i’m gonna help you get home, so finish up and we can go.”

Razz grit his teeth and he flung his hands up, sending the drink flying.

“Fuck off! I don’ need your help!”

His shout echoed around the empty bar, accompanied by the sound of glass smashing. Stretch had been caught so off-guard by him that he hadn’t had time to react to the flying drink, and was now dripping with vodka. He took the napkin that had been under Razz’s glass and wiped his face as best he could. He looked at Razz with a sad- stupid!- expression.

“did... did something happen today?”

At this, Razz stood, shoulders up by where his ears would be if he’d had any, and stumble-stomped his way to the door.

“hey, wait!”

He whirled around, ending up almost nasal cavity-to-nasal cavity with Stretch. His magic kicked into gear, and he was suddenly holding a sharpened bone to the taller’s throat. He looked at Razz with wide eyes, as his hands slowly rose in surrender. Razz just thrust the bone forward a little more in response.

“did... i do something wrong?”

Razz growled from deep in his chest.

“Fuckin’ bein’ stupid, ‘s what you did! ‘S what your doin’! Y’ don’t need t’ fuckin’ worry ‘bout me-”

The world pitched slightly, and he stumbled forward, just narrowly missing Stretch’s neck with his weapon. He landed with a grunt on the other’s chest, and long arms closed around him, holding him in place.

“it’s ok, you’re ok-”

With a violent push, Razz threw Stretch to the floor, and summoned another bone spear. He threw it, hard, and it splintered the floorboards by Stretch’s head.

“Stop it! Jus’ fucking stop!”

There it was again! That stupid concern on his face, even after Razz had just almost fucking killed him!

“You’re so fucking backwards, you know that!”

“razz, please, let me-”

“Fuck y-you!”

The hiccup in his voice made him pause. Hot tears were streaming down his cheeks at a steady rate, and his hand shook as it curled around yet another spear.

“Y-you don’t get it… It’s not s’posed to be like this…”

Stretch sat up slowly, not wanting to incite another attack, and rested his arms on his knees.

“like what, razz?”

He flinched at the stupid, gentle tone in that voice, so calm and trusting and-

“Like you ‘n Blue! Like all the shit you’ve been doing! Pulling that stupid face when I almost just fucking killed you! You’re s’posed to run! Run away from me! Fight back! Fucking do something, d-dont just stare at me like th-that…”

He was outwardly sobbing now. If anybody saw him like this…

“Y-you’re gonna g-get me d-dusted, s-stupid!”

“you really think that lowly of me, huh.”

Razz’s eyelights snapped back to Stretch’s face. He began to get up, taking the time to make sure the smaller wasn’t going to lash out at him again, and then hesitantly approached again, this time only reaching out a hand to his shoulder. Tired, and more than a little wobbly now, Razz didn’t try to avoid it.

He loved the contact. His whole body ached for it sometimes, for someone to just scoop him up and hold him close and never let go, but he’d never admitted it out loud. And then there were the Swap brothers, who’d just… asserted themselves one day into his life and hugged him, touched him with a gentleness he’d never known before.

“i’m never going to let anybody hurt you. not while i’m around.”

The soft sound of Stretch’s voice broke him out of his thoughts, and the hand left his shoulder to cup his cheek, thumb wiping away a stray tear. Everything inside Razz’s head crashed, and he let out a long, loud wail, letting his body fall forward and burying his face into the softness of the taller skeleton’s hoodie.

“shh, it’s ok, i gotcha.”

Being held so tightly, Razz hardly noticed when Stretch teleported the both of them back to the brother’s house.

“Papy! You’re ho- oh… Razz? Are you alri- agh!”

As soon as he’d heard Blue’s voice, he’d blindly started to reach for him, and grabbed whatever he’d caught- which happened to be his bandana. He pulled the tiny skeleton into the embrace and held him tightly, protectively.

The next morning, he found himself sandwiched between the two brothers, with no recollection of how he’d gotten there. They both had their arms wrapped around him, and Blue was smiling in his sleep. Now, Razz may not have remembered much, but he did know one thing: he never wanted to leave this stupid hug.