#alligator skin belt

[rootsofdread]

hello everyone!!! i finished my killer skin entry for unknown just now before work, i really wanted to post it, so here it is 🥺❤️ i am incredibly proud of how it turned out and super happy with it, i really hope i can at least get into the finals, but it's okay if i don't! i had fun regardless. i hope you all love my design as much as i do!! :-))

under the cut are my original concept sketches and details about the design and my process! 🫶

so here's my page! my main inspiration was my favorite slasher, jason voorhees. my original ideas, before i even sat down to concept, were a lot more like him! but i decided a lighter inspiration would suit the design best.

as you can tell, the body changed quite a lot from my concept art -- i actually decided pretty late into drawing the final design to axe the overalls. although i found them charming and unique, i didn't really like how they looked with everything else, so i gave them a baggy pair of jeans instead.

their belt also changed heavily! i moved the skull with the tongue to the middle, with the frog and catfish on either side. i made them fully intact over skeletons because i thought it would add little more intrigue and detail to the design. i imagine that they just stumbled upon the dead animals and decided to take the poor creatures with them.

their necklace is meant to be alligator AND human teeth, the original necklace was taken from an alligator poacher (along with everything else they're wearing, of course). they were intrigued by such a novel idea, and took the poacher's teeth before killing him.

[obsidiancreates]

Out Of the Shadows and Into The Neon (Part 10)

“SERIOUSLY, HYPNO!” Leon flips over one of the sharpened magic connecting rings that zips through the air. “THIS IS NOT HOW SETTLING DOWN WORKS!”

“IT IS IF YOUR CHILD DESERVES THE BEST!” Hypno shouts, pointing at the controlled Raphie and then pointing at Leon. Raphie growls, running at his brother, but Angelo catches him with a nunchuck chain and yanks him off-path!

“Hey, do NOT turn this into a parenting thing!” Donald infuses his bo with ninpo and leaps, doing a mid-air spin to charge his attack even further! He slams Hypno into the wall! And then something small and squishy smacks into his face. A full-body shudder leaves him vulnerable as Raphie shakes off Angelo’s chains and charges!

“We aren’t insulting your parenting!” Warren Stone declares as he launches himself off of Donald and at Leon. “Only saying we are the best fathers ever!”

“Oh yeah, you’re setting great examples for your kid,” Leon drawls, easily batting Warren away with the flat of his katana. “I’m sure she’s totally well-adjusted.”

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“WHAT IS WITH THIS CHICK?!” Raph rolls out of the way as the beak-shaped hammer comes down where he’s been standing a mere moment ago.

“THAT’S RACIST!”

“I MEANT IT LIKE GIRL, NOT BIRD!”

“THEN IT’S SEXIST!”

“NO, JUST YOU-IST, YOU WEIRDO!”

Donnie gives a shout as he jumps at her, but she turns on her heel and ounces on him while he’s mid-air! Donnie gets the wind knocked out of him as they both land, her crouched on his plastron! “Hey, Raph? How about you STOP MAKING HER MAD!”

“We need a plan!” Leo runs over and shoves her off. “And-and to not kill each other!”

“I don’t want to kill you!” Tweetie looks genuinely horrified by the idea. “Okay, time-out!”

Mikey helps Donnie stand up, and the four brothers all look at Tweetie as she sticks out her tongue and pulls a Warren Stone Official Collectible Notebook out of her suit. “Anyone have a pen?”

The four brothers share glances. Other than their belts with their panic buttons, all they’re wearing is some wrappings and joint-pads, like their fathers. 

Leo’s navy-blue knee pads have Jupiter Jim stickers on them, and he’s written motivational quotes on his off-white wrappings, but as he pats down his belt the only thing he finds in the side-pouch is an old piece of taffy, which Mikey promptly plucks out of his hand and eats.

Donnie checks between his own off-write wrappings, stained with bright purples and greens from his chemistry lessons with Draxum. He checks under his purple-gray elbow pads in case of a little pencil stub being trapped between it and his skin- it wouldn’t be the first time- but comes up empty. There’s nothing in his identically-colored knee pads either, except for a post-it note reminding him to wash them before his first patrol (oops).

Mikey spins around a bit, checking not only his pouch-covered belt but also the inside of his shell. He fully removes his dirty-orange (really almost brown) pads, then peels off the alligator sticker on the top right of his plastron– not really to check, just because he took the pads off and it feels right to take the sticker off too. He puts them all back on and shrugs.

Raph crosses his arms and huffs. He doesn’t check his brick-red pads, nor the two pouches on the back of his belt. Instead he sighs, and reluctantly pops off his panic-button buckle. Stuck in the back is a bright green marker, which he hands over to Tweetie. “You better give it back! That colors and exact match for the family ninpo!”

“I will,” she assures half-heartedly as she begins scribbling in her notebook. “I’m writing up an agreement. A contract!”

“A contract?” Donnie scratches his head. “I-I don’t think villains and heroes have contracts. Do they?” He looks to Leo.

Leo, resident hero enthusiast, thinks. “Well… sometimes they have peace treaties, like in Jupiter Jim and the Waterlily Plutionians 9.”

“This is more like, um…” Tweetie pauses writing and thinks. “Um… rules? I don’t wanna kill you, and you don’t wanna kill me, but we wanna fight.”

“Oooooh, I get it, yo!” Mikey grins. “Like the Lair Games agreements!”

His three brothers Oooooh in understanding as Tweetie finishes writing and shows them the rules.

Don’t kill each other.

If an adult attacks us we all fight together.

Don’t insult each other’s dads anymore.

“I can get behind this!” Mikey grabs the marker from her and signs his name next to Tweetie’s, holding it wrong so his hand smudges the ink as he writes the words.

Raph and Leo both look at Donnie as he thinks about the rules.

“They… seem fair.” Donnie accepts the marker from Mikey and signs as well, his printing less smudges but similarly scratched-out as he rushes his signature.

“We’ll take your word for it.” Leo signs next, his handwriting neat and small.

Raph snatches his marker back, shoulders sagging in relief. “Fine.” He signs, in big blocky capital letters.

“Great!” Tweetie closes her notebook and tucks it back into her suit. “So back to fighting?”

“Finally!” Raph jumps up and goes for a flying-kick! “HYAAAAAAAA!” 

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“No calls from the guys or the boys,” April mumbles as she sits on the couch with Casey and Cass in Draxum’s apartment. “Why do I feel so nervous?”

“Because our boys can be idiots?” Draxum offers.

“Call my nephews idiots again and I shall SLICE OFF YOUR MANBUN BEFORE YOU CAN BLINK!” Cass throws a shuriken into the wall next to Draxum’s head as warning.

“Right, they’re not idiots! The kids are just… a little too excited to be like their dads, who can be idiots. … Maybe we should check the news just in case.”

Casey nods and turns on the TV, flicking through channels.

“– ther news, some kind of fight is rocking the office of Eastman and Laird Reality Group! We go now to amateur footage uploaded to social media!”

The footage doesn’t show much in the way of figures in the fight, mostly the puffs of dust and brick-chunks coming from the building as the distinct sounds of Raph roaring, Hypno mezmeroo-ing, and the other three shouting can be heard under the crashes and crumbling.

“Oh, man,” Casey says, wincing. “Maybe we should call that therapist Raphie was seeing, this might–”

“He hasn’t had a serious breakdown about mind-control in years now,” Draxum says. 

“But Hypno is making him fight his brothers. Including Ma- errhg! Leon!”

“... Hmm. Fine, I’ll book him an appointment. Better call Lou while I’m on the phone anyway…”

“Wait. Look!” April pauses the TV and jumps up, pointing at the corner of the screen. “On that rooftop!”

Everyone crowds in, staring intensely at the screen. Sure enough, in the shadowed and blurry depths of the shaky phone footage, they can see four small outlines on the neighboring roof– looking up at another small outline holding a hammer.

“I knew they’d forget to call me!” April grabs her helmet and dashes out the door. “I’M COMING BOYS!”

“Should we join her?” Casey looks around for his hockey mask, but Cass lays a hand on his shoulder.

“Trust me, Casey. Whoever that lone mutant is, they will be NO MATCH for our April O’Neil! ESPECIALLY IF THEY HURT OUR BOYS!”

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Oof!” Mikey is slammed into Leo as Tweetie knocks him aside with her beak-hammer. “We’re totally beefing it, dudes!”

“At Least it can’t get worse?” Donnie says, going for a spinning-strike that Tweetie dodges by flying straight up. Donnie’s bo hits Raph instead, knocking his brother aside. “AHH!”

“Donnie, don’t say that!” Leo stands in front of Mikey protectively. “Whenever someone says that on TV-!”

“Take a chill pill!” Tweetie doesn’t shout it, but sings it, and as she does magenta circles of mystic power emulate from her beak. Donnie yelps and rolls out of the way, but Raph doesn’t get the chance as he’s not recovered from the friendly-fire. The magic hits him and he stiffens for a moment before slumping, plopping onto his butt and yawning.

“Raph?!” Leo keeps in front of Mikey, arms spread wide. 

“Is it nap time? I… told you I’m too old for that… Dad… yawwwwn…” Raph lays down, using his hands as a pillow. “Mmm…”

Mikey grabs his head. “SHE’S GOT MYSTIC POWERS!”

“Why’d she wait until right now to use them?!” Leo shouts. 

“I dunno!” Donnie runs for cover behind a shed on the roof, and Leo yanks Mikey behind some kind of air conditioning apparatus. 

Raph snores from out in the open. Tweetie lands again, and rolls Raph out of the middle of the “battlefield” by pushing him with her hammer. As he snores, she yawns a little as well. Donnie, watching from behind the shed, gasps. While she’s busy pushing Raph out of the line of fire (and far away from her in case he wakes up), Donnie runs over to leo and Mikey.

“I think her power made her sleepy too,” Donnie whispers. “If we can get her to use it enough, she might fall asleep herself!”

“How do we do that?” Mikey peeks over the unit. “She’ll totally get us all before we can make it!”

Donnie thinks. “Leo, your dad keeps some of those little portal-stones in his room for when he’s too tired to use his own portals, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you have any on you?”

“... Um…”

“I won’t tell.”

“... Yeah.” Leo reaches into his side-pouch and pulls out a few small yokai stones capable of opening one-time portals for a few seconds each. “I just grabbed them in case something really bad happened and we had to run aw- uh, retreat!”

“We’re running away?!”

“No, Mikey.” Donnie counts them out- three portals each he divides them up. “If we use these, we can quickly dodge her power! It looks like it works by direct contact- none of us got sleepy even though we heard it- so we can tire her out this way!”

Mikey’s eyes shine. “This, is, AWESOME!”

Leo looks up to see Tweetie has just finished drawing eyebrows and a mustache on Raph’s face with his own marker. “She’s done being distracted! Let’s end this fast, before our dads get back to see us fighting!”

They all three share a look, and nod at once. They leap out from behind the unit, and Leo cups his hands around his mouth. “Hey Tweetie! You uh– you were off-key!”

Tweetie whirls around. “Was not!”

“Totally off-key!” Mikey shouts. “And um- uh-”

“And your breathing sounded really inexperienced!” Donnie adds. “And um- and it wasn’t good!”

“I’ll show YOU good singing!” She takes a deep breath, flying up again and belting, “Why don’t you rest while I riiise!”

But before she even finishes her line the three boys have used the stone to open portals. Her power hits nothing but rooftop, and she chirps in shock. She spins in the air, lifting up her hammer. “Where’d you go?!”

Mikey pops out of his portal and it closes right after. “Right here, Squawksong!”

“My name is Tweetie!” she sings out, fuming. Mikey laughs and flips away from the blast, popping through another portal as he flips right past Leo, who stands with his swords drawn. Leo points one at Tweetie.

“Mikey’s right! I think your villain name is Squawksong now!” Leo declares. 

“That’s lame for a- yawn- a villain name!” she sings again. Leo throws down his stone, the portal swallowing him and closing before her power follows him through. 

Donnie jumps out from behind  the shed again. “HEY!” he shouts, getting her attention. “Not as lame as copying your dad’s suit gimmick!”

She gasps. “This was a birthday present, you-you shell-butt jerk!” She doesn’t sing that one– just swings her hammer down. Donnie yelps, rolling away and opening his next portal, pushing himself up from a handstand straight into the pink circle.

“DOWN HERE!” Tweetie- Squawksong- turns to see Mikey standing by Raph again. Mikey puts his hands by his head, wiggling his fingers and blowing a raspberry.

“Go to sleep, stop your annoying peeps!” This time is more of a rap cadence, her power coming out in bursts rather than one single blast, but Mikey grabs Raph and jumps both of them through his last portal. Squawksong yawns again, dropping a little.

“Nice try!” Leo taunts from behind her. She turns again, slower this time, rubbing her eyes. “My Uncle Donald is a way better rapper!”

“Then let me try a power ballad!” But Leo avoids it just as easily as before with his final portal, opening it just over the edge of the rooftop and sprint-leaping right in.

Squawksong spins around again, eyes drooping and losing steam in her flapping by the second. Donnie, crouched on the other side of the billboard, looks at his last portal stone. “Please let us win our first fight,” he whispers.

He runs out from behind the billboard. “HEY SQUAWKSONG! I BET YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW THE DONNIE DEWEY DECIMAL RAP!”

“Of course not, because that sounds stupid!” She tries to swing her hammer, but in her sluggish and tired state she missed Donnie by a wide margin. She rubs her eyes again, yawns once more, and takes a deep breath. “My dads are the best, better than the rest!”

Donnie cartwheels away and tosses down the final stone, popping out the other side of the portal to meet his four brothers behind the roof shed. Mikey and leo hold Raph up as they all peek out.

Squawksong yawns again, and drops– one foot, two feet, all the way to the rooftop. She sits down, yawns again, and then tucks her legs under her and wraps her wings around herself.

Soon enough they hear tweet-snores, and Raph yawns and begins to wake up. “Wha’ happened?”

“We… we won!” Leo looks at Donnie and grins. “We won!”

“You totally saved our shells, Dee!” Mikey wraps his brother in a hug. “We’d have gotten in sooo much trouble if ours dads knew we were-!”

“Y’ALL WERE IN A FIGHT?!”

“AHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

April zips in front of the boys, hands on her hips. “You know you were supposed to call me if your dads got into a fight! And who the heck is that?!”

“Uh… Hypno and the worm guy’s daughter.” Leo winces. “She… wasn’t happy our dads are fighting hers.”

April pinches her nose. “Please tell me you did not knock her out. We made a deal with them, they don’t mess with you and we don’t mess with their kid!”

“We didn’t knock her out! She used her powers until she got all sleepy! Honest!” Mikey clasps his hands together and gives April his most sad, pleading look. Raph yawns again as Mikey takes away his arm, and rubs his eyes. 

April’s expression softens. “Alright. Looks like you guys had a big night, huh? And I’m guessing you don’t wanna leave until your dads get done?”

“Nuh-uh.” Raph blinks at her sleepily. “I gotta hug him when he gets back. He’s gonna be upset.”

“That’s really sweet of you, Raph.” April rubs his head. “Alright, let’s go grab the bird girl–”

“Squawksong!”

“Oh, no way they named their kid that! I’ll report them to, uh… I don’t know, Yokai protective Services?”

“Mikey named her that as her villain name,” Leo says.

Donnie nods. “Her real name is Tweetie.”

“Well then, let’s grab Tweetie and make sure she’s out of the way of any hurtling giant turtles and wait for the boys to wrap things up.”

“You um… you won’t tell them we got into a fight, will you, Auntie April?” Donnie taps his fingers together nervously. “Uncle Leon said we shouldn’t, even with Yokai kids.”

“I have to, Dee. You guys only got into this fight alone because you didn’t call me as soon as your dads stepped away. Look, I’m super proud of you four for holding your own, but this is a big deal. You just had your first real hero-villain fight and you’re only ten.”

They all sag, mumbling apologies.

“Hey, I forgive you. And your dads will too. But you need to stop rushing into trying to grow up.” She pulls all four in for a hug. “You’re still our little turt tots.”

“We love you Auntie April,” they all chorus softly.

“I love y’all too. Now let’s settle down. I think I smell Raphie’s ‘Just broke out of hypnosis’ stink from here.”

[ruh--roh-raggy]

Heart Of Wires (Sundrop/Moondrop x DCA!OC Piper) Part 2

Hello hello! I am so sorry to all of my Monty fans for this chapter, I love him I promise but who better to play our villain this chapter? A couple warnings in this chapter, mostly just super fluffy and sweet as Piper and our Daycare Attendants get to know each other and start falling for each other. I hope you enjoy!! If you would like to be added to the tag list please let me know!!

WARNINGS: Monty is kind of a creep this chapter, he makes Piper uncomfortable, unwanted flirting, robot on robot violence, fighting, yelling, punching, mentions of workplace harassment, mention of a stalker, some swearing, I think that's it, if there's anything you would like me to add please let me know!

You can find my Masterlist here!

Word Count: 4,946

Part 1 - Part 3

Piper adjusts the strap of her messenger bag on her shoulder as she rides up the escalator. This was the first morning she wasn't greeted with Merry’s cheerful expression as she walked into the Pizzaplex. Piper had been working in the daycare for almost a month at this point, she didn't need anyone to show her how to get there, but there was something odd about the bubbly blond being missing from her usual post. Typically, when Piper arrived, she was busy handing piles of maps to the line of Mapbots that were going through their daily pre-shift checks, wishing each of them a Faz-tastic day as they sped off. The Pizzaplex made Piper feel uneasy, being the only sign of life in such a massive space didn't feel right. She guessed she never really noticed that feeling with a friend by her side. She jumped out of the way of Staff bots that whizzed by her, carrying new boxes of neon balls over to the mini-golf course, bags of paper cups to El Chip’s. “Piper!” She nearly jumped out of her own skin when her voice was suddenly called. Her head snapped to the side, finding Merry heading in her direction. Piper froze in place, happy to see her friend, but terrified by the sight behind her. It was important to note that Merry was not a small woman. She stood around 5 '11, her whole body was broad and muscular from years of doing strenuous, physical labor, being the lead service technician here Piper could only imagine how strong Merry was. She would be willing to bet that Merry could crush her head like an egg with her bicep alone. So, at the sight of the hulking green alligator that sauntered behind her, absolutely dwarfing Merry, Piper had to stop herself from bolting to the daycare in search of safety.

“So this is the new DCA.” The Gator, she thinks his name was Montgomery, rumbles. “You didn't tell me she was cute.” He gazes at Piper hungrily, lips pulling back into a smile of sharp teeth. Piper swallows thickly, goosebumps erupting across her skin as she holds his leering gaze. There was a soft ‘tink’ of Merry slapping the animatronic’s arm.

“Stop it.” She shoots him a warning glance. “Piper, this is Monty. I figured I'd introduce him ahead of time since he’s going to be swinging by the daycare for a party later.”

“Yeah, I remember Sun telling me about that.” Her eyes stay subtly trained on Monty, not wanting to let him out of her sight. She could see him roll his eyes under his yellow and purple star shaped sunglasses.

“I thought you said it was just going to be me?” He mutters to Merry.

“Sun is going to be there to show Piper the ropes, okay? I know the two of you don't always see eye to eye-”

“That's an understatement.” He scoffs.

“As I was saying,” she cuts him off with an annoyed glare. “Try to get along.” Her expression softens as her attention turns back to Piper.

“It should be an easy day, you just have to keep them on schedule.” She reassures you. She groans as her pager beeps on her belt, she unclips it and quickly reads the message. “If it wasn't bad enough… first you have a golf ball lodged in your shoulder joint-” she trails off grumbling to herself. “Come on, I have to get you back to Gator Golf.” She waves for Monty to follow her. “We’ll catch up later, I want to hear all about your first party.” She smiles warmly at Piper, clapping her on the shoulder as she passes by.

“Guess I'll be seeing you later.” Monty winks at her as he passes by, quickly snapping his jaws in her direction so that she would get startled. He chuckles at her expression, giving Piper one final wave before he follows after Merry. Piper makes the rest of the trip to the daycare in silence, the whole interaction with Monty not sitting right with her. She sits on one of the brightly colored wooden benches in the daycare’s lobby for a moment. Piper remembers other men she had issues with in the past who started out acting like Monty just had with her. Being backed into office corners, trying not to gag from their coffee stained breaths as they stood too close to her. It took her years to shake the ex coworker who had started stalking her after she rejected him. She shook the thought from her head. She discarded her messenger bag in the staff only room before flinging herself down the slide with growing familiarity. She clatters into the ball pit, letting the feeling of the cool plastic pressing into her skin ground her from a moment as she allows herself to lay there. She hears Sundrop’s long, even strides approach her.

“Good morning Piper!” He greets her cheerily, pausing when he sees the agitated look on her face. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, just had a weird interaction this morning.” She explains with a sigh. “I think I just need a minute to level myself out.” When she spoke again Sun noticed the unmistakable tremor in her voice, she was nervous. He sits down on the edge of the ball pit, not wanting to risk overwhelming her by invading her space, he figured it would be best to let her decide whether or not she would come to him.

“Why does she look scared?” Moon’s voice rattles in the back of Sun’s head.

“Did something happen?” If he found out someone had hurt you-

“Have you ever met someone and the whole interaction just feels off?” Before he had a chance to fly too far off the handle she spoke up, the sound of her voice reminding him that this was about her, he needed to make sure she was okay before anything else. “I know I probably sound stupid, but just the way he looked at me… I don't know.” She glances to the side at the sound of plastic clattering against plastic. Sun was currently wading into the ball pit in her direction.

“Sunbeam,” he crouches down next to her, a look of concern painted across his features. Piper had to resist the urge to reach out for him, he was the only thing that seemed to provide any comfort to her at the moment. “I want to make you feel better, but for the life of me I can't seem to think of how I can do that.” He lets out a soft chuckle.

“He called me cute,” his entire body froze as he remembered Moon calling her pretty the first day they met. “It made me feel gross, I don't know how else to describe it.” He carefully retracted the appendage that rested closest to her, the temptation of taking her much smaller hand in his own flashing through his mind, but he knew that's the last thing she probably wanted right now.

“I’m sorry-”

“Sunny, why are you apologizing for something he did?” His eyes finally met hers, perfect blue little ponds that stood out like sapphires against her pale complexion.

“Well it's just, the day you started, Moon called you pretty. We just don't want you feeling gross about us, too.” He explains in an almost embarrassed tone. Piper sits up, stumbling slightly as the balls threaten to send her crashing to the floor beneath them. She maneuvers herself closer to him, putting herself directly into his line of sight.

“I need both of you to listen to me.” Her tone was firm, Sun had never seen her be so serious before. “Sunny, Moon, you are both wonderful. I look forward to coming here everyday because I get to see you. I don't think you're gross.” She chuckles as she reassures them. Her cheeks grew warm as she continued, “if anything I’m flattered that you think I'm pretty.” She smiles bashfully at them, causing him to feel that strange pang in his chest again. “He made me feel small… objectified…” She carefully chooses her words, not exactly sure what the passing comment from Monty made her feel but it was definitely somewhere in the neighborhood of what she was trying to articulate to Sun. “The two of you have never made me feel that way.” She finishes quietly, her eyes averting from his. He shifts slightly, wanting to pull her into a hug. Before he had a chance to agonize over asking for her permission or to just let it go, Piper made the decision for him. She pushes forward, wrapping her arms around his slim torso, his metal body cool against her burning cheeks. He thought he had blown a fuse for a second, he couldn't seem to think. But as he glanced down at her everything seemed to fall into place. Her body perfectly slotted against his, the soft smile that graced her lips. He embraces her tightly in return, her shoulders noticeably relaxing as if being close to him like this was enough to erase all the stress from her body.

“We won't let him make you feel like that again.”

Who Piper assumed was the birthday boy bounded up to Sun the second he crawled his way out of the ball pit. “Well hey there, Eli! Happy birthday!” The large animatronic scoops the boy up into his arms with ease. “This is Miss Piper, she’ll be here to help make sure your big day is extra special!” He gives Piper a shy wave that she happily returns. The boy's bright green eyes scan around the room.

“Where's Monty?” Piper caught Sun twitch slightly out of the corner of her eye at the mention of his name.

“He’s going to be coming by later when we go upstairs for cake and ice cream!” He explains, bouncing the boy on his hip as he carries him off to his group of waiting friends. The party itself was simple enough to handle; 15 kids, a few extra activities than the normal day to day routine, nothing crazy. Sun had decided to keep a close eye on Piper, the whole ordeal this morning obviously making her a bit anxious. He loved watching her interact with the kids, she truly was amazing at it. Sun couldn't help but smile as he watched her admire a paper pal she was being presented with, the face nothing but googly eyes.

“I need to apologize to her.” Moon rasps.

“She said there was no need to Moon, she’s not upset with us.” Sun responds.

“Still, I would like to say something.” He grumbles. “And I would like to find out who exactly she had an interaction with this morning.”

“Me too.” Sun glanced up at the clock, there was about an hour left until Monty was due to show up. “Here, spend some time with her before cake, I don't need you being more irritable than usual while he's around.” Sun makes eye contact with Piper, making the motion of opening a book with his hands to signal it was story time.

“Alright boys and girls, we have one more activity before it's time for cake.” She explains in her usual chipper tone, earning a chorus of cheers from the group. “We’re going to have spooky story time with Moondrop.” She lowers her tone as she continues, setting the slightly eerie mood that made all the kids giggle in excitement. She groups all of them up, leading them into the nap room and having them all get settled around a fake campfire that had been set up in the middle of the room before turning off the lights. Sun stepped into the dark room and shut the door, Piper heard the soft whirs and clicks as Moon took center stage. He turns to face her and gives her a bashful smile.

“Piper, I know you said I didn't have to apologize for calling you pretty-”

“And I meant that.” She cuts him off with a flustered giggle, not expecting it to bring it up to her face so suddenly. “From him it felt malicious, from you it was a sweet compliment.” She explains, trying to put him at ease. He offers her his arm, a routine she had gotten used to in order for Moon to easily guide her through the dark room. She rests a hand on his forearm.

“I hope you have your best scary story prepared, I feel like this is going to be a tough crowd.” He jokes, smiling at her soft laughter.

“Oh, I'm bringing my A-game, I hope you can keep up.” She winks at him. Piper takes her seat, Moon greeting all of the children before plopping down at her side. The small circle was filled with giggling as Piper and Moondrop took turns telling their spooky stories. “The old woman pulled the blankets over her head as the intruder's footsteps thudded in the hallway, where is my tooooooeeeee.” She draws out the word in a ghostly tone, earning squeals and laughter from the group. Piper pauses to laugh herself for a moment. “She hears her bedroom door creak open.” She mocks the motion of opening a door as she lets out a high pitched creak of her own. “The footsteps walk up to her bed, the old woman lays there as silent as possible. You have it!” She suddenly exclaims, earning more squeals and screams from the group that quickly dissolves into giggles. She feels Moon’s hand bump into the side of hers, she can't stop the blush that immediately spreads across her cheeks as her eyes land on his expression of pure adoration. There was a knock at the door before it was opened up, a staff member alerting you that it was time for cake. The children rushed out of the room in an instant, Moon and Piper chuckled at their excitement. Moon stood, offering Piper his hand to help her up from the floor. His fingers remained wrapped around her hand for a few moments after she had stood, his thumb running over her knuckles before he dropped it, clearing his throat and mumbling out an apology. The pair slowly walk up to the door, enjoying their last few moments together before Moon has to go back to sleep for the rest of the day.

“If that guy ever bothers you again I want you to tell us, we’ll make sure he won't bother you anymore.” His eyes flicker over her face, memorizing every curve of her features.

“Moon?” He hums at the sound of her saying his name. “Can I give you a hug?”

“Of course you can starlight, anytime.” He smiles softly as he carefully pulls her into his arms. Piper holds him tightly, knowing this would probably be the last time she would see him today. “Go have fun, I'll see you soon.” He whispers, keeping an arm wrapped around her as he slowly brightens the lights. She hears Sun take over, he jolts slightly as he realizes he's holding her.

“Piper,” he lets out a sigh of relief at the sight of her. “Did I hear right? It's time for cake?” She nodded, letting her arms finally slip from his waist.

“Cake just got brought in, then it's free play and we’re done.” She reiterates the rest of the schedule, knowing that sometimes when the two switch places they can get a bit frazzled.

“Let’s go have some cake then.” He places a large hand in between her shoulders as he leads her out into the main daycare, she squints slightly as her vision is assaulted by the bright colors as they leave the dimly lit room. The party room upstairs was somehow even more chaotic than the daycare on your busiest days. The cramped space was packed with children and parents alike, the kids running around at top speed, all hopped up on Fizzy-Faz and birthday cake. A little girl with braids ran up to her, hunching over slightly as she heaved from all the running.

“Miss Piper!” She yells cheerily. “We were wondering where you and Mr. Sun were!” She smiles at you. “Monty Gator’s here!” She juts a finger excitedly in his direction

“You should go say hello, I'm sure he'd love to meet you.” Piper responds with a grin of her own, trying to hide how nervous the new addition to the group was making you. The girl darts off, distracted by the swarm of her friends that had buzzed past her. Piper felt herself pale as she straightened up, realizing that Monty’s gaze was locked on her.

“Eli, it's time for presents!” You hear the birthday boy’s mom call. A smirk stretches across Monty’s features as he realized this was just the chance he needed to break away from the group to get you alone. All of the kids and parents gathered around one table as a staff member started bringing over all of his gifts.

“Well, well, well. Look who it is?” Her blood turns to ice in her veins at the sound of the deep voice that rumbles at her side. “What’s the matter sweetheart? I feel like I've been chasing you around the room all night.” He chuckles, taking another few steps closer to her. She shuffles to the side, keeping her eyes set straight forward on Eli.

“Monty, I'm trying to work.” She states flatly, knowing that wouldn't be enough to brush him off but she figured it wouldn't harm to try.

“So am I, I'm just making small talk with the newest staff member. Where's the harm in that?” She winces as he blows a hot puff of air from his nose against the side of her face. She hears the swishing of fabric, something grazes past her side but never fully touches her.

“Typical.” Monty scoffs. “Leave it to the birthday clown to always ruin my fun.” He growls. Piper finally dared to glance next to her, she caught sight of the familiar red and gold stripes and she realized that it was in fact Sundrop who had placed himself in between the pair.

“It doesn't seem like the situation is any fun if you're the only one enjoying yourself.” He snaps back.

“I don't know, I think Piper and I could be having a lot of fun if you hadn't gotten in the way.” Monty crosses his arms over his chest. Piper didn't miss the way Sun bounced his leg in agitation.

“Sunbeam, would you mind holding things down here with Brayden while I go have a chat with Monty.” Sun rests a comforting hand on her shoulder, nodding towards the staff member that looked bored enough to die.

“Sure, just be quick okay?” Her eyes darted between him and Monty nervously. Sun’s hands clenched into fists, the gator following him out into the hallway with a cocky smirk. The pair disappear into one of the other party rooms, leaving you to wonder just what exactly would happen now that they were out of the public eye.

Sundrop holds open the door for Monty, letting it slam shut behind him as he steps in the room. “It was you, wasn't it? You're the reason she was so upset this morning.” Sun jabs a finger in his direction. The two kept their distance from each other, standing on opposing sides of the room.

“Don't know what that little tart would be so upset about, I just gave her a compliment-”

“You made her uncomfortable is what you did.” Sun cuts him off, making the other animatronic snarl.

“What's the matter Sunny? Find a nice little piece of ass that can finally put up with your obnoxious personality and you suddenly want to play the hero, huh?” Monty chuckles.

“Don't call her that.” Sun responds through clenched teeth.

“And what are you going to do about it?” He laughs. “You gonna fight me for her? Make some big display about how you're a good guy who's going to take care of her?” Sun averts his eyes to the floor. Monty chuckles at his mannerisms, “pathetic, you can't even tell her, can you?” He starts to head towards the door, deciding he had enough of this conversation. “Just don't beat yourself up too bad when I inevitably win her over. A girl like that would look a hell of a lot better hanging off of my arm anyways.”

Piper’s head snapped in the direction of the loud slam against the wall from the next room, the party guests still too invested in Eli opening gifts to notice. She locks eyes with Brayden, nodding to the hallways and motioning she'd be right back. The first thing she heard as she exited the party room was the sound of two voices yelling at each other. She jogged to the room next door, peering into the window to see Monty and Sun grappling with each other, Sundrop at the obvious disadvantage. Piper slams against the door pushing into the room. “Well look who decided to show up.” Monty chuckles maliciously as he looks down at Sun.

“What a shame that your little girlfriend is going to have to watch me rip you apart limb from limb.” He snarls. Sun winds back his arm before his hand smashed against the side of Monty’s snout, leaving a pretty sizable dent in its wake. Piper screamed, slipping and slamming to the checkered tile floor as she scrambled for the phone. She rips the receiver off of the hook dialing the first number that popped into your head. Blood thundered in her ears, almost drowning out the sound of ringing as she prayed for an answer.

“Merry speaking, what can I-”

“They're fighting!” Piper yells into the phone, her voice cracking as she tries to fight back tears. “At the daycare! They're going to fucking kill each other!” She heard Merry slam down her phone as it went dead, no doubt rushing to try and minimize the damage. Piper couldn't tear her eyes away from the scene as she crawled backwards into the farthest corner from them, her whole body trembling. She watched in horror as Monty managed to grab Sundrop, lifting him clear from the floor before smashing him back down onto a table. He stands over Sun’s motionless form, grabbing him by the top of the head and hauling him to a sitting position.

“You need to remember your place, clown.” He sneers. “I'm at the top of the food chain in this place… Not… You.” Just before he had the chance to deliver a devastating blow to Sun’s head Merry burst through the door, rushing at Monty in order to tackle him to the ground. Luckily, at this point Brayden managed to quickly lead the guests to another location in the Pizzeria, leaving the rest of them to be the only ones left in the daycare. Merry seemed to have finally calmed down Monty enough to subdue him after a few minutes.

“Don't move a single muscle.” She warns, pointing down at him. “Piper, are you hurt?” She asks as she rushes over to Sun. Piper couldn't even respond, she just sat there staring at the animatronic who still wasn’t getting up. “Piper!” Merry tries again, a bit firmer this time. The redhead’s eyes snap to the blond, tears welling up in her waterline as the reality of what had just happened to her friend set in. Piper shakes her head softly, pulling her knees to her chest to make herself appear smaller. A wide eyed and breathless Brayden appeared in the door.

“How bad was it this time?” He starts, pausing and looking to the side when he catches a glimpse of Piper’s terrified form. “Are you proud of yourself?” He yells at Monty. Brayden shakes his head before cautiously approaching Piper. He kneels down a good distance in front of her. “Piper, why don't you come downstairs? We should get out of Merry’s way while she's working.” He speaks slowly, knowing it would take her a little longer to process what he was saying considering she seemed to be in a state of shock. Piper stands, slowly shuffling out of the room. She takes one last glance over at Sundrop. Merry had popped off a panel on the back of his head, a focused look adorning her features as she quickly works. The sight alone was enough to make Piper well up, tears sliding down her cheeks before she hurried from the room.

Piper laid on her side in the dark room, a pillow beneath her head and a blanket draped over her still shivering form as she stared straight ahead at the wall. Brayden had moved her down to the nap room, figuring it would be best if she didn't have to see him take Monty out of the room. She hears the soft creak of the large doors being pushed open, the opposing end of the room showing a thin sliver of light before the whole room is plunged into darkness again. Piper could make out the subtle whirs of Moon coming out, she resisted the urge to rush over to him and crush him in a hug. The last thing she needed right now was the embarrassment that would come from Moon seeing her cry. He lets out a sigh before his eyes scan around the room. He finds Piper curled up in a corner, facing away from him. His shoulders slump slightly at the sight of her, he never wanted to see her scared, the fact he was part of the reason almost made him want to leave without disturbing her.

“Piper?” He calls her name softly, taking careful steps in her direction. She sits up at his acknowledgement, the sound of her quiet sniffling made Moon’s chest hurt.

“Please tell me you're okay.” Her voice was hoarse when she finally spoke.

“We’re alright.” He reassures her softly. “Some dents and dings.” He moves a bit closer to her.

“I thought you were gone.” Her voice quivered as it filled the otherwise silent space. Moon paused as it finally set in. She wasn't upset, she was worried. She watches the two glowing red dots, the only indication as to where Moon was in the room at the moment, study her from their distant position.

“Monty knocked my power supply loose when he threw me on that table.” He explains. She drops her head to her knees, the wave of relief that washed over her making her emotional all over again. This time, Moon didn't hesitate. His feet started to move before he even had a chance to process what he was doing. He sank to the floor, wrapping his long, slender arms around Piper. “I got you, Starlight. Let it out.” Piper didn't know how long she had been crying but she felt utterly wiped out by the end of it. The whole time Moon just held her, running a hand soothingly up and down her back. Moon gently takes her chin between his fingers, running his thumb over her damp cheek to wipe away any remaining tears.

“So I guess you probably figured out that he was the reason I was so off today.” She whispers, her forehead still resting against his chest. She didn't have it in her to meet his eyes with the state she was in right now. “I'm sorry.”

“What did you say to me this morning? Why are you apologizing for something you didn't do?” He cradles the back of her head gently for a moment, wanting her to know it was okay if she stayed like that, before retracting the appendage.

“Yeah, but you got hurt because of me.” She sniffles.

“Piper, I wouldn't change a single thing that happened to me today. Sure, Monty roughed me up a little, that oversized gecko only thinks with his biceps anyways.” The joke earned a weak chuckle from her. “There's never going to be a time where I'm not going to defend you with everything I have. I can be fixed. What matters to me is that you're okay, and that you know there's someone who's going to do their best to take care of you.” Moon nervously glances down at her, he sucks in a sharp breath when her pretty blue eyes meet his. “We care about you, Piper.” Her heart races in her chest at his words, she wouldn't be surprised if Moon could hear it beating.

The door is suddenly shoved open, Moon’s face spins around as Sundrop’s familiar golden points fold out. Piper’s eyes immediately land on the massive crater on his temple, Sun quickly lifts his hand in a failed attempt to hide it from her view. “Look at me, I'm okay.” Sun reassures her with a patient smile. Piper nods in response, trying her best to appear braver than she felt.

“Alright, let's get you all situated. You have a real mean left hook by the way.” Merry chuckles as she walks in the room, rifling through her tool box. She freezes when her eyes land on Piper’s puffy red eyes. “I'm going to kick the shit out of Monty for you personally.” She points at her, making Piper laugh.

“Is it okay if I stay while you work on him?” She asks softly. Merry notices Sun give her a small nod. Seeing the way Piper still clung to him, like he would disappear if she let him out of her sight.

“Sure thing, kid.”

Tag List: @yellowbunnydreams @twelvelevens @zalladane

[agent-cakeshroom]

Trolls Universe TMNT

There's at least 4 of you out there interested in my thoughts on tmnt being in the Trolls universe. SO HERE IS THOUGHTS

To start with, their species! I figured it would be similar to trolls with there being different subspecies of turtle-people(no idea on name yet). Maybe not all the turtles that exist, but some popular ones. We gotta have the obvious: Alligator Snapping Turtle, Softshell Turtle, Red-eared Slider, and Ornate Box Turtle. I'm debating on whether the turtles all live together, or in smaller groups based on their real life habitats.

Generally, they'd be about a head taller than your average troll. However, turtles like the Alligator Snapping Turtle are twice the size of a normal turtle. When designing any of them, I try to keep in mind they have sharper edges. More square vs Trolls who are more round. They only have three fingers, much like in the TMNT cartoons, although if we include Sea Turtles maybe they'd have webbed fingers?? They all have TAILS!

They're born from eggs of course, but it's more of a community thing than with Trolls. The eggs are kept safe in a pond dug specifically to house the eggs, and there's a rotation of turtles on protection duty. Parents will come and bond with their egg by simply holding them in the water, talking to them, and just being close.

Now onto TMNT specific thoughts! I wanna keep the species to the ones from ROTTMNT since they make sense. Raph is an Alligator Snapping turtle. His skin is tougher than his brothers', his shell is thicker with large spikes, and all of his teeth are sharp. His tail is nearly as long as a troll is tall, and he can control it about as much as a cat. With his size and sharp edges, Raph is incredibly careful and gentle around others. To the point his brothers are entirely unafraid and will climb all over him like a jungle gym. Mostly Mikey. Speaking of, Mikey is an Ornate Box Turtle with yellow spots across his skin, maybe like large freckles? And yellow stripes on his carapace. He's definitely the roundest of the bunch, but still more square than a troll. He's about the size of an average troll, being the runt. Leo is a red-eared slider of course, but unlike the ROTTMNT design the red stripes run under his eyes almost like eyeliner and then down back towards where ears would be. And he has two light yellow stripes on each arm from shoulder to wrist, as well as one on each side of his face from under his chin to his collar bone. Donnie, as a soft shell, is more lanky than his 'twin' but has similar stripes down his arms. However, rather than light yellow they're a dark brown, and he has a faint yellow spot on the outer corner of each eye.

The brothers aren't going to wear masks, but they'll all have an article of clothing with their colors instead. Raph has a large bandana neckerchief/scarf that he likes to hide his face in when he's embarrassed, along with dark red wraps on his wrists and ankles. Mikey wears a bright orange short sleeve cropped hoodie, and he has brightly colored stickers across the front of his plastron. He's also got burnt orange leg warmers, and a few brightly colored bracelets. Donnie has a sort of battle shell, still bright purple, but with a lot less features. He also has his goggles, a tool belt, and dark purple leather gloves. Leo I'm unsure about, so if anyone has some ideas lemme know lol. Been sat here for 20 minutes trying to parse out his design. I'm trying to avoid giving them pants because the shells, almost rethinking Mikey's top too, but I keep wanting to give Leo stirrup socks of some kind.

Ok, I'm getting sleepy so I'll stop here. Feel free to share thoughts, suggestions, criticisms, etc.

[justsomeclintasha]

“Useless,” his father scoffs, looking down at him. Clint is moving in slow motion, like he’s swimming underwater, but he can’t get to his daughter fast enough.

“Don’t hurt her.”

“Pathetic.”

“Please-“

There’s nothing he can do as his father turns to Katie. She looks at him with big blue eyes, wide with fear, as he pulls out a belt.

“Help me Daddy!”

XXXXX

Clint sits up with a start, tangled in the bedsheets and covered in a cold sheen of sweat. Shaking hands fumble for his hearing aids. He shoves them in his ears.

Natasha is already awake. She holds out a hand, palm flat, but not touching. It’s a lesson they learned early on in their relationship. He almost broke her wrist once coming out of a nightmare.

“Fuck,” he whispers.

“Hey.”

“Katie.”

“She’s sleeping. You alright?”

“I just.. God.” He pushes his hair back from his forehead, chest still heaving as he struggles to catch his breath. “I’m sorry, I know you were up late.”

“Shut up. I’ll grab you a different shirt.”

She’s up and moving before he can protest. He tosses the damp fabric on the floor. Cool air from the open window chills his skin. He pulls on the t-shirt she gives him, wiping his eyes with a clean sleeve.

“I’m gunna go check on her.”

“Okay.”

The hyper awareness from his dream is still fresh. Every sound in the house is amplified, from Lucky snoring in the living room, to the wind blowing through the trees outside.

Katie is exactly where she should be, sleeping in her bed. He kneels down on the rug and kisses her forehead.

“Daddy?”

“Hey sweetheart. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Is it time to get up?”

“No, no. It’s nighttime. I just had a bad dream and wanted to come see you.”

“You can sleep with me. Mr. Gilbert will protect you. He’s a bad dream eater.”

She budges over against the wall, her small frame taking up little room in the mound of purple bedding. He slides under the covers with her and she pushes the stuffed alligator into his arms.

“Gilbert Gator, bad dream eater,” he repeats with a smile. She snuggles up against him, eyes already closing. “I love you, Katie.”

“Love you, too, Daddy.”

[dailydoseofdeadly]

Name: American Alligator 

Scientific Name: Alligator mississippiensis

Family: Alligatoridae

Size: 8.2 feet, 200 pounds (females), 11.2 feet, 500 pounds (males) 

Range: North Carolina to Texas

Fatalities: 442 attacks in the past almost century, 26 were fatal

Conservation Status: Threatened

Fun Fact: The biggest American Alligators can weigh almost a ton 

Recently a viral sensation for trying to climb over a South Carolina homeowner’s fence, the American Alligator has earned a reputation of being the face of the American South, particularly Florida. American alligators are the only native large crocodiles found in the United States, however, very few American crocodiles inhabit the southern tip of Florida, in the Everglades. The American Alligator thrives in freshwater lakes, rivers, swamps, marshes, and oftentimes residential areas as well, from North Carolina to the Rio Grande. 

The average American alligator has a bite force of 2,000 pounds per square inch, making it one of the greatest bite forces in all of the animal kingdom. The Saltwater Crocodile, a close relative of the American alligator, has the largest bite force measured by any animals at 3,700 pounds per square inch. The American Alligator’s bite can easily tear through flesh, bone, skin, and metal. And if you ever thought that running in a zig-zag would save you from a bite force of 2,000 pounds per square inch, you would be mistaken. The American alligator can run up to speeds of 30 miles per hour in short bursts. 

The American Alligator, once driven to near-extinction by a surge in popularity of gator skin, gator skin bags, gator skin belts, gator skin shoes, has now made a comeback due to it being on the Endangered Species list. 

From National Geographic

[firewolf6783]

Saw this tmnt mutent mayhem today and I love it!

Name:Reachle 

Age: 16

​Sexuatily:​Bisexual 

Gender:female 

Speices:mutent leopard tortoise and hafe demon 

Appernace: she wears a gray mask,she has dark green skin,blue eyes, scars on her arms from her otherside,wears black shorts and a gray hoodie with purple stripes on top, she has a pouch on her with some things, after the movie she has a scar on her eye and black curly hair 

Weapon:Battleaxe 

Personality:mama bear engry, a serious leader, very protective older sister and worrier 

Likes:her family being safe, the night sky, the other mutents that are not evil, being a hero 

Dislikes:when her brothers or anyone doesn't listen and nearly gets killed, Super fly

Facts about her!:

Reachle with her sisters learned more skills to fight after she made a deal with a demon named Ray and she can control shadows as well as go into them like a portal in a way 

This version of Reachle has more control of her demon abiltys so she can do a bit more then her counterparts even a bit of control of frenzy mode 

She mostly eats meat replacements like tofu 

She also has asthma

Nicknames:

Mama bear(April)

Big sis(Raph,mikey and donnie)

Sister or sensi (Leo) 

My Shadow(Splinter)

Name:Rean 

Age:16 

​Sexuatily:​ Pansexaul 

Gender:Female 

Spieces: Mutent soft shelled trutle 

Appernace: light green skin,brown eyes, glasses that have a bit of tape on them, a few brun marks on her right hand due to experiments but her left entire arm is robotic after a insdent when reachle made the deal with Ray, wears black shorts too and a hoodie thats white with red stripes, she has a white bandana, black short hair thats mostly tied up, she has a bag with her that had medical supplies after the movie she gets stronger matraiels for her robotic arm and has a shell protector that she lets her siblings paint on

Weapon:Tesubo 

Personatily: she can be very serious to experiments but can be reckless(imange 12 donnie's experiments), can be overwhelmed with sounds so would start stuttering a bit,she hsd a high intelligence 

Likes: experimenting, learning new things, choas, her family 

Dislikes:loud sounds,mascots and thunder 

Facts about her!:

Smailer to Reachle's but has creating power, still working on it tho does test it a lot 

Rean has autism, when overestimated; she'll sign as a form of talking or just texts what she's saying 

She has a robot named mental head who fallows her commands and is a weapon in a way 

This version of Rean is smailer to Rise donnie mixed with 12 donnie 

Nicknames:

Gal in the chair(April)

Lab Buddy(Donnie)

Big sis(Raph and Mikey)

Sister(Leo)

My genius (Splinter) 

Name:Lily

Age:16

​Sexuatily:​Pansexaul 

Gender:Female 

Spices:Mutent alligator snapping trutle

Appernace:light green skin, wears black shorts and a cyan hoodie(she made them and their easy to move and fight in) with orange stripes as well as her cyan bandana, she has a belt with spray paint, she has paint on her shell as well as face, she has the longest hair thats tied in a braid, one blue and one green eye and a little star mark on her shoulder after the movie, she has a few marks on her legs

Weapon:syth

Personalty: Positive, good listener, a ball of engry, can be reckless, she can be very hard(image  dr delicate touch from rise) but can be a big softie 

Likes: playing pranks, art, cooking, her family and helping out 

Dislikes:when things don't go well, when her family is hurt 

Facts about her!:

Same with her sisters but she has lightning powers,more then once caused a power outage 

Shes the best cook and started to cook after Reachle became hafe demon 

Lily has ADHD 

Nicknames:

Sparky(April)

My Zapping(Splinter) 

Party trutle/DJ trutle(Mikey)

Big sis(Raph and Donnie) 

Sister and reckless(Leo)

Name:Erin 

Age:16

​Sexuatily:​Bisexual

Gender:Female 

Spices:Mutent red slider trutle 

Appernce:wears a black bandana, black shorts and a black hoodie with blue stripes, short black hair, redish brown eyes, has scars on her shell due to her fighting even on her knuckles after the movie she has more scars 

Weapon:kama or knuckledusters or anything she can get her hands on

Personatily:short tempered, chill at times, a fearless fighting and reckless yet screact softie tho can be a bit of a brag at her enemies when she wins 

Likes:training, her family and watching siblings agurments 

Dislikes:bugs, when its too quite and no fighting 

Facts about her!:

She has the same as her sisters but has fire power 

She has diabetes 1(Rean made and secretly stole stuff to help Erin) 

She has the most rage and will fight anyone 

Nicknames:

Fireball(April)

Sis(Leo)

My flame(Splinter)

Big sis(raph,mikey and donnie) 

Voices!:

Reachle's voice: https://youtu.be/uMk_aYJcyfI

Rean's voice: https://youtu.be/srY8mB4QBHI

Erin's voice: https://youtu.be/FEGh4wd9Aqc

Lily's voice: https://youtu.be/GY5B94c_M28

In this version of Ray, he's still the same but Splinter knows about him before the trutles do

Art done by the amzing @audio-of-our-own

[unohanabbygirl]

HELP IMAGINE GUCCI MAKES AN ADVERTISEMENT VIDEO going on about how Lucerys Velaryon is a part of the origin of Gucci. The entire family would be running to Gucci stores immediately for their bb 😔✊

Aegon (the elder) : Y’all fr tried to clown me for wearing Gucci but now look. Rhaenyra just body slammed an old lady over sandals

Joff holding up a belt: Hey this kind of looks like one of Lukes old belts.

Que everyone running to him. I’m screaming. P.S: Aemond might love Luke but he’s good with his leather and Adidas.

While the Lucerys Valeryon collection is small campaign and a originally meant to reach a niche audience it ends up being very successful. The variety of blues and alligator skin made to resemble dragon scales blows up once some of the girlies on high fashion TikTok get their hands on some pieces.

The women in the house NEED everything from the handbags to the heels while the guys are dying to get ahold of the belts and loose fitting tops.

Things quickly turn disastrous when Corlys and another old man with arthritis and a back back get onto a full on brawl over the last belt while Daemon has to slip the security gaurds a stack because Rhaenyra beat an elderly woman’s ass over a Velaryon blue shawl.

Aemond sits at home in his custom made Adidas pajamas Alicent had especially made for him last Christmas and supports from afar!

[portpebble]

[Image ID: Papyrus and Raph side by side, separated by a red and black border with "VS" (versus) in the middle. Both images were drawn by OP.

Papyrus is a tall skeleton monster, wearing a red scarf, red gloves with golden trim, a yellow sundress that has been choppily cut in half to make a separate croptop and skirt, and a open button up shirt with a sunflower pattern. He has a sunhat with a blue flower tucked into it, and a silver badge pinned to his shirt. Papyrus is smiling with one eyebrow raised, gesturing to himself as his scarf flows. Behind him is a blue sky with clouds.

Raph is a mutant alligator snapping turtle. He has green skin with some scars, spikes along his shell, body, and long tail, and a spiky yellow plastron. He is wearing a red bandana with long tassels, a black belt with an insignia on the clasp, black shorts, and black wrappings on his arms. Raph is smiling, snaggletooth poking out of his mouth slightly. He has one arm raised in flex. The background is a reddish-pink.

End ID.]

[jovonowick]

a man must look his best when it's time to get burried .

JOHN WICK LOOKBOOK . DETAILS .

SUIT : wick only wears dark , lightweight wool three-piece tailored suits . most of them have a tactical lining composed of silicon carbide discs , ceramic matrices accompanying laminates sewn inside the fabric ; making it a nearly impenetrable cutting-edge body armour . although , it does not shelter wick from the kinetic energy of the bullet . as for the singular pieces of his suit , a wide selection of his suit jackets are single-breasted ( with a welted breast pocket ) &. have slim notch lapels with edge stitching . he sometimes wears his single-breasted vests with no lapels , typically the modern low-fastening style with two lower welted pockets . as to what trousers are concerned , he has a preference for straight , flat front trousers that rise low on his waist , allowing his vest to cover his waist line . the trousers have belt loops . through them , wick wears a black leather belt with a silver square buckle . the leather belt holds his black leather slide holster on its right side , an IWB holster in the left rear pocket of his trousers &. a double carrier for magazines .

HAIR : wick's hair is long , straight when tended to though naturally wavy &. past shoulder length . it's voluminous &. it's usually tied to a bun when he's working so that it does not get in his way . wick will only let his hair down at home . it is soft to the touch &. smells like eucalyptus or mint ( depending on the shampoo &. conditioner ) .

JEWELRY : he only has 2 piercings . in his right earlobe . one is a gold earring hanging above a gold cross . wick cannot have jewelry other than gold , surgical stainless steel ( SSS ) or titanium as it may irritate his skin . he also wears a carl f. bucherer manero autodate with 42mm stainless round case , anti-reflective sapphire crystal &. a transparent sapphire back with a black alligator leather strap , worn on inside of his left wrist .

[livealittleoc-cb]

“The souls in the masks…I hear them whispering your name.~”

Basic Information

☽｡⋆ Name: Sam Bazile

☽｡⋆ Species: Demon Witch Doctor

☽｡⋆ From Milot, Haiti [The Human Equivalent to Laridge in Astria] [Moved to New Orleans, Louisiana; Right on the Bayou]

☽｡⋆ He/They | Bisexual [Female Lean], Monogamous | 31 [02/05, Aquarius] | 5’10”

☽｡⋆ Occupation: Tarot Reader && Spiritual Guide/Advisor

☽｡⋆ “Human” Appearance: light brown skin, medium length dreads [natural hair is really curly, afro], light brown eyes [hides his growing blindness], sharper canines, is covered in tattoos [majority are voodoo symbols, has the bone shape on his right arm, fingers && left shin], has pierced ears only, no skull face paint, scars over his hands && arms, wears masculine presenting clothes, buttons ups, jeans, sneakers, loose t-shirts, tank tops, long coats, layered chain necklaces, asymmetrical earrings, chains on his belt loops, lots of bracelets && lots of rings, bandanas && headbands, wears lots of black

☽｡⋆ Demon Appearance && Information: Demon Voodoo Witch Doctor; Voodoo Magic [works a lot with symbols, blood, consulting figures in voodoo], light brown skin, medium length dreads [natural hair is really curly, afro], black coal like eyes [are turning a lighter grey, shows his growing blindness], pointy sharp canines with fang caps, has a big carving of Papa Legba’s symbol on his chest [will never heal], scars over his hands && arms, is covered in tattoos [majority are voodoo symbols, has the bone shape on his right arm, fingers && left shin], has pierced ears only, skull face paint, wears masculine presenting clothes, buttons ups, jeans, sneakers, loose t-shirts, tank tops, long coats, layered chain necklaces, asymmetrical earrings, chains on his belt loops, lots of bracelets && lots of rings, bandanas, sometimes wears a top hat && cane/staff, wears lots of black, lots of skull detailing

☽｡⋆ Personality: up front, blunt, mischievous, chill, a bit of a conman, funny, caring, trouble maker

☽｡⋆ Likes: voodoo dolls, sewing, cooking, porcelain dolls, wooden masks, gumbo, cigars, weed, daggers, fire, dancing, skulls, alligators, whisky, likes sweets

☽｡⋆ Dislikes: too cold, most ice cream flavors, the feeling of matte makeup, press on nails, nail polish, having his nails too long

Fun Facts

✮ Familiar[s]/Pet[s]: American Alligator [Petite🐊] ✮ Languages: English, Creole French/Haitian Creole, French [Slight Accent] ✮ Abilities: Voodoo Dolls, Rituals, Tarot Readings, Tea Leaf Readings, Spiritual Aspects [Dances, Baths, Chants, Etc], Serving the Spirts && Other Voodoo Figures ✮ Love Language[s]: Acts of Service, Quality Time && Gift Giving [Giving], Quality Time && Words of Affermation [Recieving] ✮ Was created && brought to the human world through a ritual gone wrong ✮ His eyes glow purple when doing rituals, chants, talking to spirits/other Voodoo figures ✮ He is going blind slowly so his irises are slowly loosing their color ✮ The Papa Legba’s Symbol on his chest was carved by him when he decided to accept him as his guide ✮ The scars on his hands and arms come from rituals ✮ Smells like smoke or rose && woody cologne ✮ Is the calming feeling of resting after a long busy day

NSFW

☽｡⋆ Soft Dom [Open to Subbing if Asked]; Body Worshipping [Giving], Size Kink, Praise [Giving && Receiving], Breeding [Giving], Toys [Giving], Light Bondage [Giving && Receiving], Marking [Giving && Receiving], Light Hair Pulling [Giving && Receiving], Light Impact Play [Giving], Light Choking [Giving], Oral [Receiving && Giving], Squirting [Giving], Overstimulation [Receiving && Giving], Edging [Giving && Receiving], Somnophilia [Giving && Receiving], Back Shots [Giving], Fingering [Giving], Blindfolding [Giving], Dirty Talk [Giving && Receiving] [He's open to most kinks if asked, might dom/sub drop with harder kinks.]

☽｡⋆ Hard Nos: feet, watersports, wasteplay

☽｡⋆ His eyes turn a lavender purple with a dark purple glow when arroused

☽｡⋆ Safe Word: Bones

☽｡⋆ Uses 🪡 on Dash

Relationships && Stauses

☽｡⋆ At Home, Content

☽｡⋆ Happily Dating No One! [0/1]

☽｡⋆ Friend[s]: Anubis [Silent Threat👻], Set [Chaos Itself⛈️], Jay [Punk Girlie⛓️], Osiris [Death Daddy😛], Odin [Sweet Dad🖤]

☽｡⋆ Tags: #🪡sam.txt [General Interaction Tag], #🎶sam music [Music Inspiration], #🪡sam wants [Outside Reblogs], #🐊petite.txt [Petite’s Tag]

☽｡⋆ Faceclaim: @/afro_obeezy on Instagram

[munderwood]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: 🧨 Brown Brighton alligator skin embossed leather silver plaque buckle B3508.

[sellndakine]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Genuine Vintage Alligator Skin Western Stitched Belt From Justin Boot Co..

[3rdand6]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Vintage 90'S Tommy Hilfiger Leather Belt Brown Cognac 34 Made in USA NEW.

[loudtravelerlight]

The Dark Reality: Animal Cruelty in the Leather Industry

Introduction

Leather, a material long prized for its durability, aesthetic appeal, and versatility, finds its way into countless products, from high-fashion items to everyday goods like shoes and belts. However, behind the glossy finish of these products lies a dark reality—animal cruelty on a massive scale. The leather industry, often glamorized for its luxury and quality, is deeply intertwined with practices that cause severe suffering to animals. This article delves into the harrowing details of animal cruelty in the leather industry, exploring the journey of animals from life to leather, the environmental impact, and the ethical considerations that consumers and industry stakeholders must confront.

The Origins of Leather: From Animals to Products

The Animal cruelty in the leather industry predominantly relies on the hides of cows, pigs, goats, and sheep, but exotic animals such as crocodiles, snakes, and ostriches are also used for high-end products. The process begins with the slaughter of these animals, often in countries with minimal regulations concerning animal welfare. The journey of an animal destined to become leather is one marked by intense suffering, from birth through the inhumane conditions of factory farms to the brutal methods of slaughter.

Factory Farming and Cruelty

Most leather is a byproduct of the meat industry, meaning the animals endure the same cruel practices prevalent in factory farming. Cows, for instance, are often subjected to extreme confinement, where they are denied basic freedoms such as movement, social interaction, and access to natural light. In these cramped conditions, animals are often mutilated—dehorning, tail docking, and castration without pain relief are common practices. The stress of these conditions leads to psychological distress, manifesting in behaviors like pacing, self-mutilation, and aggression.

For exotic animals, the cruelty is even more pronounced. Crocodiles and alligators, for example, are often kept in small, filthy enclosures where they barely have room to move. Snakes and lizards are sometimes skinned alive, as their skins are easier to work with while still pliable. These animals suffer immensely, all for the sake of producing luxury leather goods.

The Slaughter Process

Slaughterhouses, where the actual killing and skinning take place, are often notorious for their lack of humane practices. Animals are frequently not stunned properly before slaughter, leading to prolonged suffering. In some cases, animals are skinned while still conscious. This is particularly common in countries where animal welfare regulations are either weak or poorly enforced. The cruelty doesn’t end with death; improper handling of carcasses can result in additional unnecessary suffering for animals that may still be alive during the skinning process.

Environmental Impact: Cruelty Beyond the Animals

The cruelty of the leather industry extends beyond the animals themselves to the environment. Leather production is a highly resource-intensive process that involves significant land use, water consumption, and pollution. The chemicals used in the tanning process, such as chromium salts, are highly toxic and can have devastating effects on both the environment and human health.

Deforestation and Land Use

The leather industry is a major driver of deforestation, particularly in regions like the Amazon rainforest, where land is cleared for cattle ranching. This deforestation not only leads to the loss of critical habitats for wildlife but also contributes significantly to climate change by reducing the planet’s capacity to absorb carbon dioxide. The demand for leather exacerbates these environmental issues, as the industry requires vast amounts of land to raise the animals destined for slaughter.

Water Pollution and Waste

The tanning process, which transforms animal hides into leather, is notorious for its environmental impact. Tannery waste contains a cocktail of harmful chemicals, including heavy metals like chromium, which can contaminate water sources and soil. In many developing countries, where environmental regulations are lax, tannery effluent is often discharged untreated into rivers, leading to widespread water pollution. This pollution not only harms aquatic life but also poses serious health risks to local communities who rely on these water sources for drinking and irrigation.

In addition to water pollution, the leather industry is a significant contributor to solid waste. The offcuts from leather production, along with the waste from slaughterhouses, often end up in landfills, where they can take years to decompose. This waste problem is exacerbated by the fact that many leather products are treated with synthetic chemicals that make them resistant to biodegradation.

Ethical Considerations and Alternatives

Given the undeniable cruelty and environmental harm associated with the leather industry, ethical considerations must come to the forefront. Consumers, designers, and manufacturers alike are increasingly questioning the morality of using animal-derived materials, particularly in an era where sustainable and cruelty-free alternatives are becoming more accessible.

The Rise of Ethical Fashion

The rise of ethical fashion, driven by consumer demand for transparency and sustainability, has led to a surge in the popularity of alternatives to leather. Plant-based and synthetic leathers, made from materials like pineapple leaves, mushrooms, and recycled plastics, offer cruelty-free options that do not compromise on quality or aesthetic appeal. These alternatives not only spare animals from suffering but also have a lower environmental footprint, as they typically require fewer resources to produce and do not involve toxic chemicals in their processing.

Industry Responsibility

While consumer choices play a significant role in driving change, the responsibility also lies with the industry itself. Fashion brands and leather manufacturers must take accountability for the impact of their products, from sourcing practices to production methods. This includes adopting more humane and sustainable practices, such as using leather that is a byproduct of the meat industry rather than sourcing hides from animals raised solely for their skins. Additionally, companies should invest in research and development of new materials that can replace traditional leather without sacrificing quality or style.

Conclusion

The Animal cruelty in the leather industry, despite its longstanding association with luxury and craftsmanship, is fraught with issues of animal cruelty and environmental degradation. The suffering inflicted on animals, combined with the industry's significant ecological impact, calls for a reevaluation of our reliance on leather. As consumers, we have the power to demand more ethical and sustainable alternatives, and as a society, we must push for greater accountability within the industry. The shift towards cruelty-free and environmentally conscious fashion is not just a trend—it is a necessary evolution in our pursuit of a more humane and sustainable future.

[dominicmorningstar]

Dom groaned at the smell. “I might start drooling.” He said, putting the gear down. He stretched and cracked a few joints. “Think we can skin the gator and give it to Rosie for her to turn into… something?” He couldn’t think of anything besides a belt or shoes but he wasn’t the fashion expert.

“Out of curiosity, has Chompers ever eaten any Alligator?” He asked, wondering if his dad’s tastes extended to his pet.

"Happy Monday." Dom said with a grin, handing his dad a book. He was really excited for this idea. His dad had taught him how to hunt in the past but this may just be his best idea ever. The book he'd handed to his dad was a guide to the natural biomes of the other rings of Hell, as well as a guide to the wildlife there. Since sinners were confided to the Pride Ring, most of the other rings still had nature. Dominic really wanted to hear his dad's thoughts once he heard Dominic's offer. (dominicmorningstar)

"Oh, how very interesting," Alastor said, opening the book and perusing through it.

This was a very good gift for Alastor, as he liked to read and he liked knowledge. Knowledge was power. Even if he couldn't go to the other Rings, knowing what was there was useful and if there was something he wanted he could always send someone to get it for him.

"Why, thank you, Dominio," he said looking up at him. "Is there anything especially unique in here that you've seen yourself?" he asked curiously.