#blood and fungus

[skeleton-in-a-hoodie]

Think I've come up with a way History Doesn't Repeat could continue.

Under a readmore cause I'm just spit balling.

I'm going to need to delete the last three chapters. I'll put the original versions of chapters 2 through 4 on my tumblr and then put a link to them on ao3. That way if anyone did like those chapters, they can still read it, and once Blood and Fungus is over I'll put them at the end, kinda like a deleted scenes section.

Going to need to re-edit chapter 1 to make it fit with the new plot, as Ardosia's Run is going to be completely overhauled. Instead of teams competing for prizes, it'll be more like one person enters and if they survive a course they'll get something they asked for. The more dangerous the course, the bigger the prize. Which means that rather than seeing Micha working with the rest of the fam, they're going to be going solo through the Run and getting their ass kicked.

To compensate for that, the section of the rest of the family getting to the space station will take place over several chapters. That way them arriving isn't so they can compete too, it'll be so they can grab Micha by the scruff and being like "What in the actual hell is your problem?"

Does mean that there's going to be less time for Micha and Ben to come to terms with *gestures at Wikus* everything, so I'll need to find a way to compensate for that in the last main arc.

Maybe there being more chapters set on Sol's ship will give Ben some time to forgive Oliver and Sherry. Think she'll forgive Oliver faster, because he was just a kid when the decision to keep her and Micha in the dark about Wikus was made, but Ben is going to hold onto her anger towards Sherry for longer.

Could give me a chance to make North more interesting too.

Speaking of which, I doubt this thing'll be as long as I originally planned. I'm throwing out most of my original plans because I honestly don't have the enthusiasm for them anymore, and to some extent I think I was being over ambitious. The new timeline will be Everything an Ordeal in Area Family, Blood and Fungus, the last main arc, and then the typing up loose ends stuff. So it'll be about four fix at the absolute most, as oppose to however many I thought of originally. Don't know if any of the one shots I previously planned will make it, most will properly just get absorbed into the larger fics anyway.

To keep certain characters in like Hive, I'm going to need to rework them. Hive was originally going to be another contestant in Ardosia's Run, but the Run doesn't have people fighting against each other anymore. I still really like them though, and I still like the thing I was going for with 3rd parties having tried to recreate the fluid and instead ending up with something more like the ooze from TMNT. So in order to keep them and mostly maintained their original character arc, I'm going to combine them with Meg from Everything an Ordeal. Think that'll make Hive more interesting anyway. Also the way I'm going to combine Hive and Meg makes the Captain significantly more deranged and also highlights just what a bad decision Nova crossing them was.

Might need to re-edit Everything an Ordeal to make bits of lore more consistent.

Plus I've been considering taking Donna, Micha's dog out, and instead making her a therapy dog Micha gets after they get back to Earth. Or even make her the Captain's dog Regina just, decides to keep.

[morggo]

Stereum

Prints here.

[sporeclan]

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Short but somehow VERY eventful moon this time! Sorry to any Cinnamonpaw fans out there </3

[piosplayhouse]

Honestly the more I think about it the more I really think the sun and moon dew mushroom rlly should've been an amorphophallus instead

- extremely rare and take an immense amount of expertise and tedious care and special conditions to bloom (to the point where one blooming is an incredibly proud event for gardens and often publicized to draw visitors nationwide)

- on average take 5-7 years, sometimes even 10 for some varieties, to reach maturity

- human sized

- called the "corpse flower" (because it smells like rotting flesh)

- weird penis shape

- variety called amorphophallus yaoi

[mycoblogg]

HORROR WEEK- FOTD #150 - red-juice tooth! (hydnellum peckii)

the red-juice tooth (also strawberries & cream, bleeding hydnellum, bleeding tooth fungus, & devil's tooth) is a hydnoid fungus in the family bankeraceae :-) it is mycorrhizal & forms associations with conifers across north america.

the big question : will it kill me?? not at all !! it's edible. however, the blood-red guttation is extremely bitter. ^^"

h. peckii description :

"the fruit bodies typically have a funnel-shaped cap with a white edge, although the shape can be highly variable. young, moist fruit bodies can "bleed" bright red guttation droplets."

[images : source] [fungus description : source]

[thewallshaveeyes]

Yes I used a color filter over a normally colored drawing shut up at least it looks cool (original colors below the cut)

I'm also gonna be posting some sketches soon, so be prepared 👁️👁️

[hybbart]

Day 108: It’s taking a lot of hard and creative work, but slowly the worst of the sculk infection and chain embedded in his neck have been removed. Tango’s already named him Revenge before Jimmy could think of something better. The ranchers could also use some TLC of their own.

Third Rancher Acquired.

[botherbug]

source

[evolutionsvoid]

After a long day of preparing the fields, working the mines or fighting in a war that seemingly has no end, nothing sounds better than a good meal! All that labor really gets the appetite going, and hot food on a full table would be a blessed sight to any soul! And now with a war going on and supply lines disrupted, food has become more important than ever before! So lets see what's on the menu:

1. Hair Bulbs - Collected from hair fields or hair farms, pulled straight from the ground! These fleshy pods are at the end of harvested strands, and removal of them is necessary to use the keratin stalk. These bulbs are oily and meaty, often roasted either whole or in slices. They can also be squeezed for sebum oil, which can be used for cooking, lubrication or protective coatings.

2. Chitin Flour - A staple in baking, this substance is made from the pulverized exoskeletons of arthropods. As long as the shells contain chitin, any insect will do. Most of the time, chitin flour is made from all the leftover pieces of a hunted arthropod, as a way to use every piece of a kill. The flour you find in most villages is made up of an assortment of different species all ground up and mixed together. The finer stuff you find in high end bakeries are made from one species only and from specific parts, as food snobs claim that combining multiple sources into one muddles the flavor and makes poor quality flour. To be fair, using one species tends to preserve their exoskeleton color in the powder, while mixing usually results in the same drab brown.

3. Kumis - The star of any bar or tavern, kumis is an alcohol made from milk. A popular drink for any, its flavor is dependent on its source, as kumis can be made from any creature that lactates. While milk from beasts is often the common and cheaper option, many say that human breast milk makes the finest kumis. The demand and love for both milk and kumis is what led to the creation of milk maids, those who have trained their bodies to make copious amounts of the stuff. Popular bars typically have known milk maids under their employ, and pride themselves on having the pure stuff. In some cities with a vibrant nightlife, there are famous milk maids in some establishments whose product is widely sought after by fans and kumis connoisseurs, as they specially monitor their diet and lifestyle to produce their iconic flavor.

4. Louse Egg Kebab - A common food in villages that are near hair fields. The eggs of the Field Louse is harvested by taking the whole strand, as the secretions used to glue them to the keratin is too obnoxious to deal with. While trimming the hair can release the eggs, most folk go the simple route of stiffening the strand and then cooking it over a fire. The eggs are then eaten straight off the stalk, and the rest is discarded. A favorite for travelers passing through hair fields.

5. Eye Stalk - A fleshy growth that produces eye-like fruit. These are either eaten as is, or cooked into eye jelly. Belief is that they help improve eyesight, though some folk dismiss that due to their lack of Tears. Since Tears are an unofficial humor of the eye organa, folk would imagine that anything truly eye affecting would be tied to the chilling fluid. Regardless, the fruit is still pretty tasty, and the jelly is a popular spread for breads.

6. Clot Cakes - A baked treat that is made from copious amounts of clotted blood. Typically made by mixing clots and chitin flour, it is a dense loaf with a sharp flavor. Its heaviness and ability to survive travel well makes it a good ration for those on the move. "Clot Cake" is also a derogatory term for the Crour.

7. Bile Salt - Made from specially dried Yellow Bile, this substance of cleansing and purification can also be used for cooking. Its addition to a dish adds a pleasant pop and burn. It is a favored seasoning for travelers and nomads, as it serves as both a flavor enhancer and disinfectant for wounds. If used on an animal bite, you are sure to get the common quip of: "oh, did they complain to the chef?"

8. Black Crust Oven - A crude cooking technique that involves molding thick Black Bile clay around a piece of meat. This giant wad is then cooked directly in a fire, where the clay hardens and the flesh is roasted. When done, the solid chunk is fished out and cracked open. The meat inside is infused with Black Bile as well as a thin dark crust. Is said to give it a nice earthy flavor. A meal for the busy man, it can be chucked into the fire and left to cook as they work elsewhere. And then when you get back, a hot meal is waiting for you!

9. Termites - A food either collected from the wild or harvested from termite farms, these are the go-to whenever one needs a boost of Black Bile in their system. The majority eaten are workers and soldiers, as their dry roasted bodies are either enjoyed as is for a snack or sprinkled onto a dish for crunch. Queens are a rare treat, as harvesting them deals a hefty blow to a colony. When a Queen is served as a dish, it is a meal to be shared and for showing off. Their flesh is said to boost mental capacity, and it is an iconic dish at scholarly banquets.

10. Chewing Fat - Strips of fat taken from a beast that are often considered too poor for eating. Rather than cooking them into tallow, one may take these thin layers and chew on them. While by no means a meal or even a substantial snack, it is an enjoyed sensation of gnawing on these chewy strips. They can be dusted or infused with different flavors, and are a fun treat for kids. In war times, this enjoyable gimmick has taken a more grim purpose. Due to issues with food supply, hunger is rampant in the war torn regions, and these strips of fat taken from the rare kill are used to help curb these pains. It is believed chewing helps fool the body into thinking it is eating, and the act of doing so makes the stomach growl less.

11. Clot Shot - A drink made of fermented venom and a dose of blood that has congealed into a clot. The venom and crimson patty are downed in one go. A favored shot for warriors and hardened folk, who feel that the burning venom and meaty burst of Blood helps invigorate them and get them into the fighting spirit. Some folk cut up the inside of their mouth so that the fermented venom can seep inside, allowing the effect to be even stronger. Be warned, as getting too much of a dose can knock you out cold, which is the opposite of what you want when going into battle.

12. Finger Fungus - An edible fungus found growing in damp dark places, often crevices or buried under leaf litter. Their growths give the impressions of hands reaching up, and horror stories tell of ones that can drag you down into the earth. However, they are just a simple fungus that is used in a variety of dishes, with folk normally cutting off the fingers and leaving the rest so it can regrow.

13. Scab Crackers - A thin crisp baked food that is made from pulverized flesh and fluids that has been dried. These crackers have very low nutritional value, as they are often made from the worst quality supplies. However, they can last a very long time and they help fill the stomach, thus they have become infamous rations for many travelers and soldiers. Though they get the job done, these crackers are always met with groans whenever they are the sole star on the day's menu.

14. Oliphant Gizzard - A prized cut from hunted oliphants, these organs are how they grind up solid food that they have inhaled. This tough piece of meat requires lots of marinating and cooking to help breakdown its chewy nature. Despite the amount of work needed to prepare it, it is considered a delicacy. Eating it is said to help with memory, with some famed dishes claimed to allow one to remember snippets of a past life. As one always knows: Oliphants never forget.

15. Madman's Tongue - The fleshy appendage taken off of an Arimakki Hara, the reason why anyone would want it is a mystery. Arimakki flesh is tainted with Feverish Sweat and considered inedible. However, there is a way to "cook" it so that consuming it doesn't destroy your body. Due to the intense sickly heat their form produces, Arimakki meat must be "cooked with cold," immersing it in a pot of chilled icy water. This tongue has been freeze cooked with Tears and skewered. Eating it causes intense hallucinations that can last for hours. Some claim it is the gateway drug to joining the Arimakki, as eating too many of them can make you start thinking like them. For obvious reasons, consuming Arimakki flesh is strictly forbidden by the Church.

16. Blood Meal - A simple powder made from dried Blood, used as a spice or added into meals to help with one's Blood levels. Where this crimson dust really shines is for vampires, who find it vital for a Blood fix on the go. Pouring this into water is their version of a quick crude meal, and it is far easier to carry around than the humor. If you ever see anyone eating this powder as is by the handful, then you know they got a Blood problem.

17. Gourd Maggot - A larval bug that buries itself in the soil and absorbs nutrients from its surroundings. Targets more fleshy regions, where it can get more meatier soil. Pulling them out is incredibly difficult due to their swollen bodies and backward facing barbs. Most folk dig them out so that they can be cooked up and eaten, but some people with something to prove insist on yanking them out by hand. Typically done to show off, as there is literally nothing to gain by this outside of letting others see your strength. And often it winds up with people seeing you fail, as they are, indeed, very hard to remove by hand.

18. Clogged Popper - An appetizer made from a sheet of skin that has been stuffed with meat, veggies and fat then bundled. Cooked up til they are bloated and sizzling, then popped into the mouth for a wonderful flavor explosion. Very juicy, have a nice burst to them and the varieties are endless. Some like to categorize them by the use of white meat or dark meat.

19. Vein Eel - A boneless creature that slithers through ancient veins and underground fluids. Fished up to be cooked and enjoyed. What fluid it has been immersed in recently affects the flavor and quality, thus folk get picky on where they are harvested. Be wary of its bite though, as it has sharp teeth and an incredible grip.

20. Phallus Clam - A bivalve that is frequently harvested, deshelled and eaten. Due to bivalves being associated with Milk and their appearance similar to genitalia, species like these are said to be aphrodisiacs and help with fertility. For males, the size of the clam is said to determine its potency, with the notion of bigger is better. Thus, they have been over harvested by eager lovers and local populations are pretty much wiped out. What remains are more aggressive and dangerous species, making the collection of these popular dishes far more difficult.

21. Leaky Spleen Mushroom - A dripping fungus famed for its spleen-like appearance and secretions. This black liquid is compared to Black Bile, and is said to share similar properties. This inky goo is collected and used as a cooking ingredient or spread, while the fungus itself is a fine substitution for offal. Mushrooms like this are why Black Bile is often associated with fungi, even more so with the fact that termites enjoy fungus as well.

22. Adipose Fin - A large blobby fish known for its gelatinous meat, as it is equated to fat. With the other name of "fatfish," they are harvested for "sea tallow," or to be processed into flammable fuels. Due to the fatty nature of their flesh and the fact that they are bottom feeders, eating them as is is not typical. Children get a whole lot of fun from poking and slapping this wobbly fish before it is prepared. Best step in before they start throwing it at each other.

23. Brain Curry - A popular dish, served with any kind of brain, be it beast or even man. Claimed to be a soothing dish, particularly for those with restless or aching minds. Human brain curry is incredibly rare and often frowned upon, but the rich and superstitious believe this to be the most potent of them all. Some folk have even targeted high up Philosophers to get their incredible brains for a forbidden meal.

24. Ambrosia - Referred to as “Food of the Gods,” it is a rare holy food made with Ichor. Due to the toxic strength of the Godly Fluid, it is used in small, carefully measured amounts. Consuming it is said to cleanse the body of all sins and aid in restoring balance in the body’s humors. Those who eat it feel a rush of strength and energy, making one feel like a god. However the process to make it is incredibly complicated and the amount of Ichor used is extremely precise. Too little makes its effects nonexistent, but too much can outright kill the consumer. Saved only for high ranking members of the church or for wealthy “donors.” Rumor claims that the highest members of the church eat nothing but Ambrosia, which would explain their long lives.

25. Stuffed Snails - A dish for any fellow looking to replenish their Phlegm levels, snails are considered the food for wise men. Seasoned and stuffed, then served with a fine buttery sauce, you would have to search far and wide to find someone who doesn't enjoy this meal! Usually made with smaller species of snail, as they are easier to raise in larger numbers. Bigger specimens make for quite the feast, but this dining experience often does away with the etiquette and fine utensils that comes with regular stuffed snails. Some folk get too enamored with the delicious bounty before them and practically crawl into the shell itself to devour its contents.

26. Jellyfish Noodles - The tentacles of a jellyfish harvested and cut into fine noodles, a popular dish for users of Yellow Bile. Though they possess a slight burn, the noodles themselves lack a strong flavor, and thus make them good in a variety of dishes. Some folk skip the noodle step of jellyfish prep and stuff their bell with meats and seasonings. Fans of jellyfish dishes demand a stronger burn, as they develop a tolerance over time. One should be wary of what species is used in their meal, as some recipes make for a dish that could scar if you are not ready for its bite.

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I know this kind of stuff isn't what folk are really interested in, and it isn't that exciting of a piece, but I thought it was fun to think of food and what people would eat in this world. It's also a part of me trying to express the fact that people live in this place, and outside of the war and horrors, this is still a world that has a civilization and folk living their lives.

[object-vault-9]

Week 125 (4/4)

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Oops typo to fix

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[boots-with-the-fur-club]

@phoebepheebsphibs SURPRISE ATTACK!!

You know I had to do it when I read the prompt.

@tmnt-write-fight

Fandom: ROTTMNT (Until I Found You AU and No Fun in Fungus AU crossover)

Prompt: “Okay, look-I’ll give you whatever you want, just d-don’t hurt him!”

Word Count: 764

TW: In the tags

“Okay, look-I’ll give you whatever you want, just d-don’t hurt him!” Leon begs, pleads.

He can’t believe this happened again. For the second time, these spores have taken over and threatened his brother.

Audreytello peers down at him with a wide smile, eyes glowing maliciously.

“What could you give me that I would want?”

“You can feed off me! I-I’m the one with the fears, I’m the one who thinks I’m not good enough! I’m the one who knows I don’t deserve my family!”

Mikey whimpers and whines against the vine wrapped around his mouth, moving his arms and legs too in an act of defiance.

Leon knows he’s desperately trying to tell him it’s not true, he does deserve his family, and probably a lot more just in those little sounds.

That he should have more faith in himself, that it doesn’t matter what he’s been told, what he believes so wholeheartedly, that he is a good brother.

How good can he be after everything he’s done to him?

Everything he hasn’t protected him from?

Everything he’s robbed him of just by existing?

“Why would I want to feed from you instead of him? You’re too pathetic for me to even do that.”

Leon tenses, gripping his arm.

All he has is what he can offer people, how useful he can be, and it’s never been a lot. Whatever he can do is used up and then he’s tossed off to the side.

Forgotten.

By everyone but Mikey.

That’s why he has to do this.

He has to save him.

“Well…..I suppose there is one thing I might need you for.” Audreytello muses.

Leon perks up.

He hates that it gives him even a slim glimmer of hope.

“A-Anything. Please.”

Audreytello’s eyes flash something dangerous.

“I need you in order for him to break.”

“What-!?” Leon gets cut off as he’s picked up and slammed into the ground.

Mikey’s muffled screams are as loud as they can be.

“You’ve always been his weakness. You hate yourself so much you can never see how much he loves you. The depths he would go, and has gone for you. You get scared and you run, you leave him behind because you think that’s the only way he’ll be happy. Instead, you hurt one of the only people who cares about someone so truly insignificant. You hurt him in the biggest way possible. You left him alone, Leon. You always leave him alone. That’s when I come in.” Audreytello smirks.

Leon’s tears drip onto the floor, quickly creating a puddle.

“Mikey! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I-I love you! You’re the best little brother anyone could ask for! I shouldn’t have left you! I shouldn’t have run! I was just scared! I’m always scared! I’m not brave like you! Y-You’re so so brave! Don’t let him use me against you!”

Mikey’s tears are falling too, pouring.

Audreytello lifts Leon up again before repeating the process. With every hit, Mikey becomes more violent in trying to get free. As blood mixes with the tears on the floor, he loses it.

A bright glow explodes around him. The vines are incinerated by mystic fire and chains shoot out to grab Leon.

Audreytello moves the already injured boy around roughly as he also tries to dodge Mikey’s hits as long as he can.

Leon can only watch in horror as Mikey uses more and more of his power to try to save him. The cracks appearing on his hands feel like they’re on Leon’s heart too.

He’s only finally freed when Mikey’s power finally overwhelms Audreytello and makes him too weak to continue.

The power overwhelms Mikey’s body too.

Leon screams as he reaches out to his brother, barely able to do so from his injuries.

Mikey smiles softly at him before he cracks apart, gold overtaking Leon’s vision.

He wakes up with a start, breathing heavily, tears already on his face.

Mikey rubs his eyes, sitting up next to him.

“Leon….? Did you have a nightmare?”

Leon sniffles, checking his brother for the cracks he saw in his dream. He only calms down once he sees they’re not there.

Then, the memory disappears.

“Y-Yeah….”

“Another dream you can’t remember….?”

He tearfully nods.

Mikey hugs him close, smiling up at him softly. He knows seeing him happy always cheers him up at least a little.

“It’s okay. Whatever happened, everything will be okay! I’m here. We have each other.”

Leon gladly hugs him back.

“I won’t go anywhere ever again….no matter what.”

Well….let’s put that to the test, shall we?

[skeleton-in-a-hoodie]

I am still trying to figure out what in the hell I should do with History Doesn't Repeat.

Maybe I should just delete the last three chapters of Blood and Fungus, rewrite them and rework the story? A lot of excitement I had for the original plot is dead now, and I don't think anyone liked the last three chapters anyway.

Although that's assuming I'll have the motivation to write whatever the new plot ends up being, which isn't likely.

[starry-eyed-adam]

tw death, blood, and body horror

y’all remember this post?

these are the horrors vv

[hana-bobo-finch]

“am I? Or was “Leif” a cool dude?”

[iobsesswaytoomuch]

The No Fun in Fungus Group from cabin 1 made you a friendship ring from the craft table! Ignore the glow, I’m sure it’s fine.

@tmnt-fandom-family-reunion

Hey did someone order turtles with a side of trauma, A large lore dump, and some more trauma to wash it all down?

Cabin five, sector three

@tmnt-fandom-family-reunion

Aaaaaannnnddd I also wrote a lil thing :]

Leoclese grinned at his and his brother’s counterparts, and happily took the ring from them. The mushroom on it flashed in the light, catching his eye.

“Thank you!” he said, beating the others to it. “I take it you’re a fun-gi?” he earned a chuckle from the other Leo, while everyone else groaned at the pun. He just smiled cheekily at them.

“It looks really cool!” Michelantius said as Donotos moved closer to study it in more detail. “How did you guys get it to glow like that?”

The No Fun In Fungus turtles just shrugged.

“We’re not exactly sure,” the other Donnie admitted. They all decided to just accept it. Something felt… off about the other turtles, but Leo just pushed that to the back of his miind.

“Well, we’d best be off now” Leo’s counterpart said. They all waved, calling parting words after them.

“Everyone’s so nice here,” Michelantius said happily, staring after them.

“I’ll say,” Raphodius agreed, and the other two nodded. 

Leo scrutinized the ring. It glowed an electric blue, a miniscule mushroom presented as the centerpiece. It really was a cool ring.

Shrugging, he slipped it onto his finger, admiring the way it flashed in the light of the caves crystals.

“Hey, share!-” Mikey started to speak, when without warning, small tendrils shot out of the ring and wrapped themselves around Leo’s finger. 

“AH- OW!” Leoclese cried out as the tendrils embedded themselves into his skin and spread to his wrists and hands.They lashed out, spider webs quickly interlacing and spreading by the second. 

Dimly, he heard the others calling his name, but it soon left his mind as the world was tinged blue. It creeped across his vision, the same shade the ring had glowed, and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to blink it away. A flash flared behind his eyelids, then everything went dark again.

When he opened his eyes once more, adjusting to the light, he was no longer in the camp.

He was back in the hidden city, a sword suddenly gripped in his hand and debris scattered around him.

Glancing around, he noticed a giant snake’s head, lying beside him, and leapt back in alarm. When it didn’t move, he hesitantly moved closer and realized it was dead. Of course, the hydra! He’d just defeated it, hadn’t he! Yeah, that’s right! Glancing up, he realized he had an audience, sitting in stone bleachers that were there for some reason. The spectators stared down at him silently, and his smile wavered as the silence stretched on. Shouldn’t they be celebrating by now?

“Hydra got your tounge?” his voice trembled under their gaze, and he hoped the crowd hadn’t noticed. He waved up at them, but none of them reacted in the slightest. The smile now gone from his face. His confidence starting to flicker, he walked away from the crowd and the dead hydra. A doorway made of stone was behind him, and when he made his way through it, he found himself in the bustling streets of the Hidden City. The yokai flowed around him, surrounding him. Until suddenly they didn’t flow around them. They completely ignored him, bumping into him and ignoring his protests.

“Ah– hey– stop! Hey, I’m right here!–” he kept getting cut off by a new body crashing into him, he being the only one who seemed to notice or feel it. Eventually he lost his footing, and he was suddenly beneath the flow of the unrelenting current, resorting to covering his face to protect it from getting stepped on.

He felt his eyes widen as he realized he could see through his arms.

Finally managing to make his way to his feet again, he looked down only to discover that he was translucent.

He stumbled backward, looking around desperately. Still, no one even acknowledged his existence. 

His eyes located a flash of red, purple, and orange– his brothers! He ran through the mass, pushing through the crowd until he reached them.

They only stared blankly through him, and he was pushed aside as they nearly knocked him over.

“... guys?” his voice was pitifully weak, but he didn’t care about that at the moment. He caught a snippet of their conversation.

“– it was such a good idea to come here just the three of us!” Mikey bounced exuberantly as he walked.

“Yeah, it’s nice to have all three of us together,” Donnie affirmed, and each word was a punch to the gut.

They didn’t even know Leo was gone. They didn’t even remember he existed!

“PLEASE! I CAN’T DO THIS AGAIN!” he called after them, into the air, wishing someone, anyone would hear it. “ I CAN’T LIVE BEING COMPLETELY IGNORED AGAIN!” his voice broke.

He fell to his knees, unable to see the point of standing anymore. He suddenly found himself in a small circle as the civilians stared blankly ahead, weaving around the invisible bubble that must have been there.

Normally, he would’ve made a joke, diffusing the tension, if not for the others then himself. But all other thoughts had left his mind, and no one would hear it anyway.

“Wait…” he said weakly, not expecting a response as he stretched a hand out at his brother’s receding backs.

His facade finally crumbled, and he gave up trying to hold back the tears that came.

He’d sworn he’d never be invisible ever again, and yet here he found himself. Pitiful and unseen, once again.

Had he even been there in the first place? Had anyone even known him before? Did he even exist?

…

For a moment, Raphodius stared in shocked silence as Leo screamed, glowing tendrils snaking around his arm, before snapping into action. 

“LEO!”

Without a thought, he leapt forward, trying to drag the ring off of Leo’s finger. The only thing he succeed in was tearing a few tendrils off and leaving gashes in his brother’s skin, where it’d been ripped off. Horrified, he released the tendrils, which waved around threateningly, then were quickly replaced by more. His brothers joined them, but were uncertain in how to help.

Grimacing and muttering a small apoology to Leo, he grabbed the snaking tendrils and tried to snap them, resorting to tearing at them with his teeth, but they wouldn’t yield. Before he knew what was happening, they latched onto his face, creeping up around his eyes.

His scream matched Leo’s, before his mouth was covered by the rubbery tentacles. He stumbled backward, but only succeded in being dragged back to Leo, forced onto his knees.

Vaguley, he saw Mikey and Donotos coming closer, and tried to warn them away before his vision was completely eveloped in an electric blue haze.

When his vision finally cleared, the camp was gone. In it’s place, he was kneeling in a long stone tunnel. Figures obscured by the darkness lay scattered around him. 

Warily, he made his way to the closest one, against the wall. Moving closer for a better look, he instantly regretted that decision. It was the body of a fox yokai, their fur matted with blood and a blank expression frozen on their lifeless face. His insides roiled as he recognized them as someone he’d killed in the arena.

Eyes burning, he lowered his head.

“I’m sorry.”

He moved on, walking among countless corpses through the never-ending tunnel, wanting to curl into a ball yet unable stop moving.

He knew it was he who had their blood on his hands. There was no other explanation. He had done this.

Guilt edged inside of him, as he saw more and more familiar faces. It kept growing, a weed inside of him and choking out all of the progress he’d made after escaping the arena.

People he’d fought in the gladiator nexus, people that had been in the crowd. Faces of acquaintances gave way to loved ones, people he’d been close to. The old woman who used to work as a medic, gently wrapping his injuries and embracing him as child. The young gecko boy who had always cheered him on in the crowd. The tiger yokai who’d made sure he received food every day, despite her all but forgetting about him sometimes.

Each lifeless face made him tremble more, and kept hitting harder and harder each time. 

He skidded to a stop. The tears he’d barely managed to hold back broke free, coursing down his face.

“...Leo?”

…

Donotos accessed the situation. That was what he was good at! He was good at accessing things! He could take care of this, it was fine, it’d be fine, he was fine, they were fine, it’d all be-

Tamping down the momentary panic, he gently pulled himself and Mikey away from their two… incapacitated… brothers.

Their brothers sat there, side by side, suddenly still and eerily silent. The strange blue threads waved around them, growing longer by the second.

What had even happened?! One second, they’d all been fine, the next, Leo was screaming and Raph jumped in and then suddenly they were both roped together, limbs slowly disappearing in the sickly ropes that seemed to be causing it.

“...What do we do?”

He didn’t glance at Mikey, instead staring resolutely forward, keeping a lookout for any stray tendrils, while speaking.

“I don’t know. I couldn’t even see what happened!” he tried to keep the panic out of his voice, for Micheal’s sake. “But whatever it is, it has something to do with that ring. By Socrates, how were we stupid enough to trust everyone so easily!?” he cursed the sense of ease that had pervaded their shenanigans until now. Of course not everyone meant well! In hindsight, that other Leo had been very suspicious.

He felt a tap on his shoulder.

“What?” he finally turned to look at Mikey, and his face said it all.

Mikey wasn’t the one who’d tapped him.

“AH!”

His foot was suddenly yanked out from under him, and he heard the telltale thud of Mikey having the same done to him. A thread must have snaked around them and grabbed their ankles when they hadn’t been looking!

He twisted, struggling to rip it off of him, but his hands were yanked back by yet another tendril, binding them together.

“Mikey…” he tried to call out, but the hazy blue that had been tinging his vision suddenly collapsed in on itself, and everything was replaced with an azure fog.

When it finally cleared away, he stood in a forest. The trunks rose up around him, trunks and branches twisting around and among each other, creating a dappled canopy up top. It was achingly familiar.

Dreading what he would find, something primal in his chest telling him what he would see. Despite that, he could not stop, instead breaking into a run, as if something were chasing him. The trunks and undergrowth of the forest whipped by, blurring together as he spurred himself on faster, and faster still.

Eventually, he came to a stop.

Just as he’d feared, a broken tree lay across the path.

Limbs stuck out from underneath it, and suddenly he was six years old again, a broken leg throbbing, and [redacted due to spoilers] lying motionless before him.

“....[name redacted]?”

No no no no no no no no not again. Not again. 

“Not again” he whispered hoarsely. His mask was damp, the fabric sticking to his face, but he ignored that. Nothing else existed except the broken form, that he did not have the strength to pull out from under the giant trunk. It wavered, growing fuzzy around the edges. He desperately and desolately tried to make out the feature, but they were suddenly gone from his memory. He couldn’t even remember [redacted]’s face? After everything he’d done for Donotos?

An empty feeling spread through him, one he’d promised himself he would never let exist again, and he gladly welcomed it. It was better than the alternative.

He jumped as a rustle came from the branches behind him. Whipping around, all else was forgotten as a horrible, eight-legged creature rose from the bushes, more following after it.

No one heard his high pitched shriek as he scrambled away from the horde of spiders, and for that he was grateful. Not that it mattered.

He stood rooted to the ground as they pursued him,  spindly limbs undulating and overlapping each other, crawling over each other to get to him.

He couldn’t do anything, paralyzed as they reached his leg and began crawling up, a horrid, frenzied mass that covered him completely almost instantly.

They reached his face and he shuddered as he felt the tiny legs caressing his skin.

He could do nothing but kneel there, the blood-red arachnids obscuring his vision, and enveloped by his own failure.

…

Michelantius’ head throbbed, probably from hitting the ground, as the hazy blue cleared from his vision. What had even happened? What did the ring even do?

He had a feeling that he was soon to find out.

Glancing up, he took in the scene around him.

He stood on a vast expanse of fluffy, white clouds, pale blue sky extending around him. In the distance, a gate barred entrance to a familiar, swooping palace.

“Olympus?” he thought out loud. What was he doing back there? Wait, had he ever left in the first place-? He wasn’t sure. 

“Long time no see” he swivled around at the voice, not unlike his own, as a familiar dread immediately started fill him, weighing him down.

“Tell me, cousin, where have you been? It’s been far too long.”

Mikey gritted his teeth, restraining the urge to hurl himself out of the sky to get away.

“Wouldn’t you like to know, weather boy?” he smiled at his own reference. Hanging out with the fates had always paid off.

Aeolus tutted, shaking his head mockingly with a malevolent smile plastered across his face.

“Now now, that’s no way to treat your own family,” he said.

“You’re no family of mine,” Mikey growled, looking away.

“Such a shame, considering that you have no choice but to be with me.” The fake smile was gone, Aeolus’s face now twisted into something ugly.

Before Mikey could come back with a witty reply, Aeolus snapped his fingers.

Wind, somehow visible and bright red, swirled around him. Resisting the urge to scramble away, he stood there, flinching as the freezing air currents tightened around him, squeezing him until he could feel the blood flowing in his veins. Of course they’d be tangible. Why wouldn’t they?

“Do what you want to me,” he said, looking up defiantly. “It doesn’t matter.” As long as you don’t hurt anyone else, he finished silently.

“Well, if we both agree that we don’t care what happens to you, I’d rather not have to listen to your voice anymore,” the wind god sneered as the winds gagged him, successfully cutting off his ability to speak. That was fine. He didn’t need his voice anyway.

The wind (ropes?) sliced uncomfortably into his skin, and he knew there’d be bruises later.

He just stared, trying his absolute best not to show any weakness.

A cold glint flashed in his… cousin’s… eyes, and he flicked his wrist.

Mikey was forced to stand up straight, spine twisting as he was forced to stand uncomfortably stiffly.

“Oh yes,” he chuckled darkly. “I think we’ll have lot’s of fun together.” Mikey’s eyes widened, as he realized what was happening.

Not again, he thought miserably, as he lost his free will once again.

There was no escape. Running to the mortals would not work twice.

He should have known his freedom wouldn’t last forever.

Heheheheheheheheheheh :))))))))

Thank you so much for sending me this ask!!!!! I've always wanted to spore my own turtles :>

[sporesgalaxy]

I made up some facts about them literally just as an excuse to draw them some more god bless