#I ain't seen NOTHING

[liyazaki]

sam x taking care of bae

GAP THE SERIES | EP. 4 [2022-2023]

[truths33k3r4]

CHAPTER 30 - A Chance

Don had only ever heard his brother’s shrills filled with anger.

The freckled mutant knew that Raph usually preferred the potency of his words over the volume he spoke them in. And even when training had gone wrong, and Raph accidentally fell or scraped his knee, he had never made more than an annoyed grunt.

Don’s pupils constricted in horror as he was forced to listen to something he never thought he’d ever hear. Something so awful it made him nearly recoil into his shell, only being stopped by the chains holding his limbs to the ground.

His brother’s cries of pain filled the small room instantly as the Man pressed down the plunger of the syringe.

PLEASE NO!!!!!!

The Man reached his hands around Raph’s head. The fiery mutant was too busy screaming to notice his brightly-hued mask being pulled off.

Don let out a threatening growl as he gave another harsh yank to his chains. The lack of vision and control had made him resort to more..instinctual measures, especially seeing how he still refused to speak in front of his and his brother’s captor. But inside he was fighting- fighting to keep himself calm. Fighting to reserve his energy for the shred of a chance that he and his brother would miraculously be given the opportunity to escape.

Don’s mind scrambled to think of something- ANYTHING he could do.

He couldn’t attack.

He couldn’t run.

He couldn’t hide.

He couldn’t see.

“USELESS~” The whispers of his mind taunted, “The only thing you’re good for is your brain. And now even THAT is defective.”

Don physically shook his head to escape from the clawing voices.

NO.

No- I’m..I’m not-

There’s still a chance I can figure a way out of here.

JUST. NEED. TO. FOCUS.

With hesitation hindering every movement, Don regretfully turned his gaze away from Raph, shut his eyes, and tried to drown out the piercing cries of his brother.

“You can do nothing for him.” The voices continued to whisper.

Raph’s screams began to heighten, forcing him to cough violently. As hard as Don was trying to not be distracted, he couldn’t stop himself from opening his eyes and yanking his head to look towards his suffering brother. A blaring green hue began to glow from Raph’s arm as the Monster began to snicker in amusement.

“Perhaps now you’re realizing that biting someone has consequences, Red.”

Don’s blood began to boil with a protective rage his twin would’ve been proud of.

GET AWAY FROM HIM.

Don’s chains began to shake as he clenched his fists tightly.

Even through his blurred vision, Don could sense the Monster was now facing him. The same chill crawled up his spine as his captor began walking to his precious experiment. The blurry Specter crystalized into a man once more as he knelt down next to Don, making sure to place himself just out of the mutant’s reach.

“And you.” The Man grabbed Don’s face again, barely dodging as the mutant attempted to lash out like his fiery brother, “What to call you..”

The Man smirked as he looked down to see Don’s mask still slightly hanging out of his pocket.

“I suppose “purple” would be appropriate going by your little accessory.. What do you think? Any opinion on the matter?”

The Man’s glasses reflected Don’s furious expression as the captor returned his empty gaze into the eyes of his prisoner.

Don’s hazel irises ignited with his burning temper.

Tōsutā o motte shawā o abiru.

The Man released Don’s face as he stepped back again, making sure to steer clear of the mutant’s reach.

“..Hmm. Nothing to say? Funny. You had plenty to say back in my garage.”

Don’s eyes minimally widened in realization. But besides that slip of silent information, the freckled mutant kept his features as still as stone.

HE’S KNOWN WE COULD SPEAK THE WHOLE TIME?!?

….The surveillance camera…

Don inwardly cursed himself for being so indiscreet back when he first woke up alongside Raph in their first ‘cell’.

If I had been able to SEE I would’ve known the camera was there..I would’ve signed to Raph- or nudged him- or tapped the floor or-

“Failed to do the simplest of tasks. Tsk tsk.. Seems Master Splinter’s training was all for naught. A true disappointment.” The voices vengefully returned, their wails louder than before.

“Uselesssssssss” The voices rang.

“How about Spots? Freckles? Such lovely names for a pet.” The Man taunted, as if trying to name a new dog, rather than a title for his next subject.

Don blinked back into the reflective eyes of the Monster.

“Hmm. Or maybe Dot. Speck. Am I getting close?”

“Ikimono.” ( “Creature.” ) Don snarled through gritted teeth. The act to hold back his words was pointless now that he knew the Man had heard his conversations from earlier. Don wanted to test if the Man knew other languages, so he resorted to his second spoken dialect. If there was a chance Raph and him could communicate without being understood, he would take it.

“Aw, look~ You found your voice. Japanese is it? Could’ve sworn my team told me you spoke English, but I wouldn’t put it past them to make such a foolish mistake..”

Don internally grinned that his experiment of the Man’s knowledge was a success. It seemed the Man recognized the language, but didn’t understand the words.

“Well, seeing how I’m not the greatest with titles, perhaps you’ll earn your own name- like Rabid Red over there.”

The Man gestured to Raphael, who was now barely conscious hanging limply from his bonds. Don could tell from his brother’s blurred form’s posture that he was fighting to stay awake. The screaming had finally stopped, leaving the fiery mutant gasping and shivering through the pain that still burned through his arm. The glow had finally begun to fade.

“Ah! Speaking of which! The injection should begin to take effect right…now.”

The Man rose from the ground and began returning to the hazy pixels of darkness, as Don twisted his neck as far as it could go so he could ( somewhat ) see what was about to happen to his beloved, exhausted brother.

“Alright, Rabid Red. Let’s see if you can finally take an order properly.”

The Man pulled out what appeared to be some kind of rectangular control from his pocket, while accidentally dropping Raph’s mask. Don’s captor was so focused on his subject that he didn’t notice the crimson cloth slowly float to the ground in front of the freckled mutant.

While watching the hazy blurs of his brother and the Monster, Don caught the faint sound of the click of a button.

The pixels that made up the form of Raph’s right arm turned from jade to neon green.

“GRAGHHH!!!!AG-! AGK!!!” Raphael’s screams began once again as the Monster’s poison started to take effect.

“Now that you know what will happen if you fail, let’s try this again.”

Again?

“What is your name?”

Raph tugged and yanked with each scream, acting as if he was fighting against an invisible foe.

Or rather- one hidden deep in his veins.

Raph hang on!!! HANG ON!!!!!

“UUURGGHHH- HIIHH-AGHHHH!!!”

“Stop trying to fight it. It’s physically impossible.” The way the Man spoke so matter-of-factually made Don want to rip the Creature’s tongue out.

He’s acting like we’ve already LOST. Like no matter what, we have no chance…

DON’T LISTEN RAPH!! DON’T LISTEN!!

Don sent his suffering twin silent message after silent message begging him to hold on; To not tell the Creature anything.

“I don’t have all day you dumb turtle.” Apathy oozed throughout the Man’s features and tone, as Don heard another dreaded click of the button.

DON’T DO IT, RAPH!! STAND STRONG, BROTHER!!!

Another awful chorus of cries sounded from Raphael, this time far more raspy and choked. Don shuddered at the aching burn Raph’s throat must’ve been feeling through all his cries.

“Again I ask. Who are you?” The shadowy form of the man bent over, staring directly into Raph’s pained face.

“HHAAAIIIGH!!! UGGHH-hhh….I…” The fiery mutant choked.

RAPH DON’T!

“ I’M- “

The Man edged closer.

RAPHAEL PLEASE!!!

Deathly silence filled the room as Raph’s body fell slack again, his head hanging limply to his plastron.

“Well????” The Man expectantly huffed.

Don didn’t know if the pain had caused his brother to pass out, or whatever the creature of a man had injected into him. Fear racked the genius’ brain as he leaned as close as he could to his brother, trying with all his might to be able to make out what was happening.

And then.

Raph finally spoke.

“-I’M GONNA KICK YOUR BUTT ALL THE WAY TO NEW JERSEY!”

In one quick motion, Raphael took the precious opportunity given him with the Man’s face so close to his. With all the force he had left in his shaking body, Raph pulled back his head and slammed it dead into his captor’s face, shattering one of the Man’s lenses, and most likely his nose.

“AGK! YOU LITTLE DEFECT!!! AGH!” The Man turned away from Raph’s side with his hand clasped over his profusely bleeding face.

Despite all the pain that was tormenting his brother’s body, Don knew Raph was making a vengeful grin as his captor continued to lose crimson liquid from his nasal cavity.

As the Man almost sprinted past Don, he noticed the twit had grabbed a familiar purple hued cloth to cover his bleeding nose. Don sputtered angrily, mumbling incoherent insults.

YOU LOUSY PIECE OF CRAP.

Just as the Man left out the only door, Don turned back to his brother. The pixels of Raph’s arm still glowed, and he was shaking.

“Kyōdai? Daijōbudesuka?” ( “Brother, are you alright?” )

Going by the Man’s earlier statement, Don figured speaking in Japanese would be a safer form of communication between him and his brother. At least for now.

The blurs of his brother’s head rose and turned to face Don.

“Hai, Dōshi.” ( “Yes,Comrad.” )

Raph groaned, still shivering as the burn in his arm continued. Raph’s accent wasn’t as defined compared to Don’s, seeing how the fiery brother only learned the language as necessity rather than luxury in school, but his answer was still coherent enough for Don to understand every word.

Don slumped in his chains, finally releasing the horrible, chafing ache that constricted into his wrists. His heart continued to pound against his plastron, but the fear and adrenaline was finally dissipating. Even if it was short-lived, Don would take the seconds of peace he was given over nothing.

As he finally took a much needed breath, he looked down and noticed something shiny right by his left foot. It was just close enough for him to reach. Contrary to his wrists, his ankles weren’t tied down to the floor, so carefully, he reached his toes to the shiny object, and slid it in between them pulling the item closer. Just as he grasped it, a twinge of pain pulsed through his toes, making him let out a grunt of discomfort. He didn’t realize the muscles in his foot would cramp so easily, but it made sense seeing how he never held anything with his foot. Cause…ew. Nonetheless, he successfully pulled the item close enough to where his hands could reach it. The shackles on his wrists did make it difficult, but he eventually found a way to nestle the item in between his palms, cupping it, and pulling it closer to his ever-failing eyes.

It was a single shard of glass from the remainders of the Man’s lenses.

There’s still a chance.

No matter what that CREATURE says.. WE STILL HAVE A CHANCE.

We just need to hold on.

And here we have arrived at the end of Book One of "The Strength in Weakness". :) I still can't believe I have written a full 30 chapter story here on Tumblr- And there's still so much more to be made!! I can't wait for Book Two to begin! However I will say I'm going to take a little break from posting just to really set the stage for my next chapters. :)

Thank you to everyone who has been so encouraging with their comments and sharing my story! Also- Here's the Poster for Book Two. :)

ALSO~ HUGE thank you to @poetique823 for helping me through many of the last chapters. :)

To God be the glory!

~ Melissa

MASTERPOST <- PRIOR CHAPTER NEXT CHAPTER ->

[forsty]

feels like we need to be way more vocal about bullying people who do AI generated stuff

no fucking tolerance for that soulless piece of crap

[arachnicas]

I want to read a fanfic where Miles just straight-up leaves Miguel's lab after Miguel throws that heavy trashcan at his head. A grown-ass adult threw a heavy object at him, a fifteen-year-old kid, and Miles is expected to just stick around and put up with the abuse? No. I want Miles to put his mask back on, turn invisible, and leave because an adult acting like this is wild. Maybe he gives Peter something to consider by telling him that an adult acting out like this shouldn't be running an organization.

"You're telling me that his bark is worse than his bite after he just threw a trashcan at my head like an overgrown toddler?"

"C'mon, kid, Miguel is just--"

"Just what? A bigger baby than May Day? Can't handle his big feelings, so he just throws things at people? Naw, I don't feel safe around him. See ya', Peter."

[barbagallo-raceway]

Apparently, Lando Norris is with Martin Garrix on a boat somewhere on the Amsterdam canals, celebrating Kingsday and like- Godspeed, buddy, you're about you to see things you've never seen before.

[justarandomhelluvablog]

having thoughts about how Husk actually has very little left to redeem bc he started his journey of self-change before even coming to work at the hotel, but at the same time redemption isn't even his goal- he ain't even aiming for heaven, he just wanted to be a better person and maybe now with friends and especially Angel, who he supports so much and wants to see succeed, maybe now he has a reason to be a better person

[gilliebee]

these fucking losers had better win the 🏆 for jack I am so fucking serious this is your last chance 🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪

[allpromarlo]

gege just tell us that it's called sukuna kaisen now its alright

[plusultraetc]

Just learned how to add a read more link on ao3 and it is so over for my end notes

[notitlemp3]

my review of the fontaine archon quest act v:

i thought the sumeru story was sad. I THOUGHT THE SUMERU STORY WAS SAD

[wwillywonka]

literally never not thinking about this. please release a studio recording of this version with the new lyrics... please.....

[chevvy-yates]

I wonder what causes it that texts posts (and answered asks) seem like they do not get seen at all but photos posts do? (always select photo for pics and text for only text (or wip posts), yeah).

It feels like tblr knows when I make a pic post bc I receive my usual amount of notes over a week's spawn. But whenever I do text posts its zero to max five notes unless I do tag people (e.g. wip posts).

Or is it simply the users who keep scrolling until their eyes see pictures?

[a-pirate]

[vole-mon-amour]

people that write reviews like "don't read this book alone in the dark, way too spooky!" couldn't possibly wrap their head around me falling asleep to stories about real series killers and horror books that are way more scary and disgusting in their details.

[minty-playhouse]

To the shitty anon who attacked Melody because of her Ernie fanfic: I am now going to tag all my ship doodles and ship posts about the Who with their names to piss you off specifically! Thanks for helping me decide on that!

[gible-love-nibles-archive]

"Wh— How did you solve this door's puzzle so quickly!? These symbols are utter nonsense.”

“Well, it's pretty simple when you realize that they're all depicting dragons in some way. Some are a lot more subtle than others, I'll admit. For example…”

For context: it's a puzzle about finding the oldest type of dragon that I completely made up. Just for this scenario, for the autism. Yes, each of the symbols correlates to a different type of dragon. Yes, I put too much research into this. Yes, it is the Pepe Silvia meme, but like. Positive

(Please reblog! I like reading tags :])