#perhaps this is my way of asking people to ask me about my tmnt

[magsterdragster]

I wanna talk about my TMNT but idk what exactly to talk about... And most of the time when I wanna talk about something I don't bc I tell myself I should draw stuff to go with it. But then my stupid brain is like "okay but if you spend all that time drawing and no one asked?? Like?? Why??"

Ugh..

[phoebepheebsphibs]

Where Are We Going? (And Where Have We Been??)

@littlemissartemisia @tmntaucompetition

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Dee-Dee -- er, Donatello took Misa to a small side desk in the far corner of the room while April and Karai took the three boys into the bathroom to wash their faces and brush their teeth.

Misa was so confused and nervous. She wasn't sure why she felt so anxious about this whole situation. It was only Donnie... It was just "DvD". Huh. She'd forgotten that nickname...

"Alright then, Misa, sit down," he instructed. His voice was stern, commanding, but not at all scary like she'd figured he would be. He seemed pretty steamed when he'd first seen her.

Misa sat down at the corner of a bed, while DvD got the chair out from the desk and turned it around, sitting the wrong way down on it so that he could rest his arms on the back, his legs dangling out from the edges.

"So," he said, pure exhaustion in his voice, "How. Did. This. Happen."

"I don't know," she responded. "Last thing I remember, I was with my dads --"

"Wait, what? What do you mean, 'last I remember'? You were here with us the whole time."

Misa stared at him.

"...No, I wasn't. I was home with Hypno and Warren, we were getting ice cream, when suddenly a pink cloud exploded around me and then I was here!"

Donnie's eyes went wide. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to understand.

"Okay, so either you just somehow... got pulled through time, or the magic that turned you into an adult transformed your memories to fit accordingly. Which means you're either a time-traveler, or a precognitive clairvoyant. Both are equally terrifying and incredible."

Misa swallowed, her fingers twiddling as she looked around the room.

"Where... where are we?" she finally asked.

"The TMNT AU Competition. More specifically, the apartments they give to the contestants. Do you... remember that?"

Misa thought hard.

"I... kind of remember the competition. It was this big arena, right? Lots of stalls and stands selling all kinds of stuff, and people giving out gifts, and the med ward where I met --" she froze, suddenly remembering it all. "Mikey. I met Mikey in the med ward. I gave him..."

Her hand went down to the friendship bracelet on her wrist. It was old and frayed, the colours were slowly fading, but she wore it every day. Even after she'd forgotten who she'd given the other bracelet to. She made so many and gave away so many as a kid, she couldn't keep track after a few years. But each one had signature colours, and this one was a mix between bright orange and cotton candy pink.

"...I gave him a friendship bracelet and 'adopted' him. I forgot that, I can't believe I forgot that." She smiled before her eyes started to sting with tears. She looked up at DvD. "Why did you leave me?"

"What are you referring to?" he asked, obviously confused. "Misa, you've been with us the entire time!"

"I... what? No, I told you, I--"

"Based on what you've told me, from your perspective you left the competition and went back to your own home dimension?"

"Well, yes!" she exclaimed. "Most of my early childhood is kind of a blur... hopping from one dimension to the other... but I did go back to my own world, where I was taken in by Warren Stone and Hypno Potomus! They raised me, pretty much."

"You mean... that mutant hippo and the worm guy? I think I remember them from my universe..."

"Yeah, Hypno took me in to help me learn how to control my powers."

"What powers?" Donnie asked, eyes wide as he stood up suddenly. "You never said you had any powers!"

"You didn't know?"

"No! Of course not! Obviously not!" DvD calmed himself down, smoothed out his shirt, and sat back down. "You were four years old... possibly you didn't know that you had abilities, or more likely you just didn't think to tell us. Perhaps you purposefully didn't tell us..."

"Has it really been nine years?" Misa wondered out loud. Wow. So much could change and be forgotten in only nine years...

"So you're thirteen now?" DvD asked.

"Yup."

"You're the same age as Mikey is-- was."

Misa looked up in fear.

"Was?? What happened to Mikey?"

"Didn't you see the kids go into the bathroom?"

"THAT was MIKEY?!" she yelled, standing up and looking back to the door, behind which three toddlers were getting ready for bed. "He's... he's teensy! What happened to him?!"

"The exact opposite of what happened to you," Donatello said with irritation, as he slapped his face and slid his hand down his face.

"That doesn't explain much..."

"I suppose not. Basically, there's been a weird epidemic of people being turned into different ages. So far, it turned Leon, 'Phael, and Mikey into 7, 6, and 4-ish years of age. Apparently, it turned you into a 13 year old."

"That's weird."

"No weirder than a talking mushroom with a musical fetish."

"OH MY GOSH, I FORGOT ABOUT THAT!" she laughed. "I thought I dreamt that up!!"

DvD smiled softly as she cackled at the crazy memories.

She could just barely catch the dark circles under his eyes, the weak hold he had on that fragile smile. When she was a kid, she remembered seeing him and thinking he was kind of scary or grumpy all the time... Lee-Lee Leo had called him 'Grumples' once, didn't he? But she remembered seeing him sometimes with a wide grin and strange smile. He would say funny things about arson and world domination. While she hadn't understood it at that age, it made her giggle. She smiled at the memory...

"So your brothers are basically toddlers now?"

"OUR brothers, yes."

Misa smiled.

Well, at least one thing never changed. Once a family, always a family.

She had assumed that because they'd never visited her world, that meant maybe they hadn't cared after all, or they'd forgotten her. But that didn't seem to be the case after all... if anything, it might have been the other way around.

"So... we should probably catch each other up to speed, hmm?" Donnie suggested.

"I guess so..."

"Alright then, you start."

Misa began giving him the gist of her life, her abilities, her friends and family and the many adventures she'd been on during her 'absence'. Donnie filled in some details about their situation afterwards, how the pink mist had transformed their little brothers into little-er brothers, and even helped fill in the blanks from some other memories, such as Karai's arrival, the fear fungus, the other competitors that met her, and so on. After a few minutes, Karai and April took the boys out of the washroom.

Misa couldn't help but stare at the boys. Mikey was all smiles, and had to be held back to keep him from running up to her and slamming into her knees for a hug. Raph looked at her with curiosity, but held onto April's leg with desperation. Leon just simply glared at her, half-hiding behind April and Karai.

"Hi, guys!" she said with a smile, kneeling down on the floor to get closer to their height.

Mikey wriggled himself free and pounced on her, giggling like a madman as he wrapped himself around her like a monkey.

"Meezie!"

She laughed at that nickname. The vaguest of memories came back, of a tiny toddler in rags calling her that...

"Is it really Misa?" Karai asked. She hadn't apparently witnessed the transformation, having been in the kitchenette making some tea.

"Yep. It's her," Dee said with a nod.

Leon grumbled angrily.

"Traitor..."

"Leo, be nice," April rebuked.

Raph slowly meandered out from behind the teenage girls and crept towards her.

"Misa? How'd ya get so big?"

"Magic, apparently," she said, rubbing the back of Mikey's shell. He was still clinging onto her.

"Stupid, bad magic," Leon grumbled again.

"Aw, c'mon Lee-Lee, I'm the same as before! Just... taller."

"You're a stinky grownup now," he said, crossing his arms and pouting. "You're a traitor."

"You'll have to grow up one day too, ya know."

He pouted again, hot tears in his eyes. Tears? Oh, he wasn't mad that she 'betrayed' him and grew up. What was he mad about?

"I don't wanna be a stinky grownup. They're mean."

Misa slowly recalled his adverse reaction to Raphael when he'd first been turned into a tot. He hadn't even trusted Mikey when he saw him! He'd said something about... what was it, a mean place? The orphanage! He'd grown in an orphanage. With mean adults... and now Misa was an 'adult'. So to him, did it correlated that since she was now a grownup, she was automatically going to be mean to him, just like all the others. He thought she was a 'traitor'...

Misa tried to smile at him, to reassure him that she wasn't going to betray him or hurt him. Leo refused to meet her eyes.

"Hey, I promise that I'm not a stinky grownup," she said, scooting closer to him. "You're still my big brother, okay?"

Misa held out her pinky to him. He eyeballed it with concern, trying to decide whether or not to trust her... Well, if he could trust Miss Karai and Miss April... he could trust Misa again, right?

He wrapped his pinky around hers.

"Okay, big sister."

[turtlevariabilis]

Ok, this post is going to be somewhat long because I want to vent about a topic and ask for advice. I've noticed that in this community, there are many neurodivergent people, perhaps because Rise Donnie was confirmed to be on the autism spectrum, and Rise Mikey was confirmed to have ADHD (which wouldn't surprise me at all if it were the same in any version of TMNT).

Well, the thing is that BEFORE discovering Rise Donnie in early 2023, I had already spent a year with a strong suspicion that I might be on the autism spectrum due to something very specific that I discovered about myself (this is something I normally don't share with anyone, but since I'm anonymous here, I don't mind talking about it).

Back then, I discovered that I had ARFID (an eating disorder in which your diet is extremely selective). It’s something I’ve struggled with since I was a baby, from the first food I ever tried. I won’t go into detail about this part, which has always been very difficult in my life, but when I found out that what I was suffering from had a name… it meant that I wasn't the only one in the world 🥺 I'm 26 years old, so I've been suffering from this since 1998, and I found out that it was only given a name in 2013, and I only learned about it in 2022!

There wasn't much information, but I definitely discovered something about this disorder that disturbed me greatly.

Most people with ARFID (though not all) are on the autism spectrum. And something clicked in my mind. Because I've always felt different, I've always had social difficulties. When I was in college, around 2011, before Asperger's was included within the autism spectrum, I had already researched it and concluded, with doubts, that it wasn't my case. I didn’t have a good memory, nor was I very intelligent—I got good grades in school because I worked hard and was interested 🥺 (when I was in elementary school, they suspected I might be dyslexic, another diagnosis that was never pursued because it eventually "got better"). I also ruled it out because they say people on the spectrum are very routine-oriented and organized, and I considered myself the opposite.

But in 2022, I started searching for a lot more information (yes, somewhat obsessively—I even read books on the topic). And in 2023, I discovered rottmnt and Rise Donnie, which intensified my search for answers about myself...

The thing is, recently, I've been reflecting on 2019, the year I hit rock bottom mentally (and irresponsibly, I never went to a psychiatrist). I thought it was depression that I'd been dragging on for years... but what if it was something else? The way I tried to push myself forward was completely opposite to what is recommended for people with depression... and what if it was autistic burnout? Depression and autistic burnout share symptoms but require opposite treatments! (Talking about non-medical treatments, of course).

I made a list some of my autistic traits, things I've been gathering, and I'm sharing them here:

1. ARFID: I'm extremely selective with my food, and I have been for as long as I can remember.

2. People have told me that I "seem like I'm from another planet."

3. I've been told that I don't know how to comfort people (not in a bad way, just as an observation).

4. Before I turned 15, I barely spoke at all outside of the house. But I knew how to communicate in other ways... If I needed to complain about something to a teacher, I would write a note on paper and hand it to them. If I wanted to play with other kids, I could easily join in without saying anything.

5. I discovered this recently: when people talk about their problems, I tend to propose solutions instead of simply understanding what they're feeling.

6. I also discovered this recently: I don't understand what's happening with my emotions until they accumulate and I break down in tears.

7. I’m not comfortable with physical contact. Even as a baby, I wouldn’t go into the arms of strangers. And people, even family and friends, naturally ask me if they can hug me before they do... and of course, if they ask, I'll say yes!

8. The few times I listen to music, it’s rare and always on loop (just one song on repeat, and I have to force myself to stop after a while because I don’t have a natural limit).

9. My obsessions, like TMNT (though I've had others at different times in my life).

10. The simple fact that, at 26 years old, I’ve never had a boyfriend, and I’ve never kissed anyone, despite imagining it many times.

11. The times I’ve gone out to party late at night, I would end up crying when I got home, even if I had a “good” time. Now I understand it’s because I was exhausted.

12. I’ve always described having a switch in my mind that allows me to disconnect from my surroundings if the noises are too much (so they don’t bother me). Even though my mom told me that once, when I was little, she took me to see fireworks, and I apparently had a meltdown and covered my ears because of the noise, this never happened again, and I wouldn't say noise is an issue for me.

13. I NEVER, and I mean NEVER, make eye contact unless the other person isn’t looking directly at me. The thing is, I never realized this could be bothersome to some people. No one ever told me I had to look into people’s eyes, so I just never do it!

14. Crowds are definitely what bothers me the most. I think I could lose my sense of reality if I stayed in one for too long.

15. I need instructions to be given to me step by step, exactly as they need to be done; I also have difficulty understanding some jokes, double meanings, and I take things quite literally. For example, when we studied metaphors in school, I never understood them, and that’s because we never talked about them at home, haha.

And I could go on with many more specific things and anecdotes!

And why, if it seems like I never really did the famous masking, did no one ever suggest that I should seek a diagnosis?

What happened is that the more I researched the topic, not only did I recognize my own autistic traits (though I wouldn’t say I’m autistic without an official diagnosis), but I also realized that my parents and sisters fit well within the neurodivergent spectrum too. This created a mutual understanding between us, and we didn’t see any flaws in each other. I think I grew up in a very safe environment 🫶🏻 and was somewhat sheltered from the outside world.

As I mentioned, I don’t know if I’m on the spectrum or if I have other neurodivergences, but after what could have been depression or autistic burnout, and all the introspection I’ve done in recent years, I’ve realized that yes, I’m different, I’m "odd" in many ways, and I need to accept myself as I am. I’ve even forgiven myself for not eating as I should. While it would be good to work on it a bit, I don't need to feel guilty about it, and as long as I’m healthy, there shouldn’t be a problem.

Honestly, I’m not sure if it’s worth seeking a diagnosis or not. I wouldn’t know what to say, who to go to, or if they would take me seriously after all the self-discovery I’ve already done… I just don’t know. On one hand, I think I’d like to know, not just for myself but also for the people closest to me so they can understand me better… but at the same time, we’re all different, and we all have our quirks and deficiencies… so I’m not sure what to do with everything I’ve learned—whether to leave it as it is or to pursue it further in a professional way.

Tell me about yourselves—if any of you suspect or know that you’re neurodivergent, and what your thoughts are on the matter.

[pianocat939]

blurb request(I think they're still open) touch starved Mc with yan 2012 tmnt. Like, MC wasn't really held or hugged as a kid, so they don't know how to react to cuddles and such, but they really want to be held. I don't know if I said this in an understandable way, so I'm sorry. Have a great day/night

This is my first 2012 content I think other than the headcanons- I put it off bcs I’m not used to writing them as I am with rise so like- you know, having to go back to the headcanons to check over some things. (Consistency is pretty important to me)

Tw: Donnie is a bit obsessive in perhaps a creepy way-, Mikey is clingy af, brief mentioning of kidnapping but doesn't actually occur

Mom but make it Boomer:

He's willing to hug and cuddle, but it's not necessarily his favourite way of showing affection. But the closer you are the more willing he is. Just ask and he'll be like "c'mere" while his eyes are glued to the TV- If he sees you standing there awkwardly (because you're nervous to ask him) he'll pat the spot beside him.

Raging little hamster:

Bro acts like he doesn't really like it but secretly he does. He just doesn't want to show himself being all vulnerable and soft- unless if he's actually confessed his feelings or kidnapped you. If you ask him he'll kind of begrudgingly give you it but in the inside he's jumping around in joy. In other words, he's always willing, just doesn't show it.

Damn No Bitches:

Here's my opinion: he's extremely willing as long as he isn't super focused on something (like his experiments) but when you do hug or cuddle him, he'll be kinda creepy about it. His obsessive traits leak through and he can't help but quietly mumble a few things to himself. (Most of the time it's like "wow, I'm finally so close to you").

Miami People Getting Thrown:

Literally, this dude is already so clingy you won't even have to ask because he will already be clinging to you- It's his favourite pastime. In fact, I say you might even get overwhelmed by how he bombards you with physical affection after having none for so long. You'll probably have to push him off gently for a break- if you can get him off that is.

[the-things-ive-seen]

Batman: Ninja

Disappointment in America, famous in Japan

As someone who started reading the Batman series a few years ago, with detective comics added to that reading schedule, it probably comes as no surprise that I entered the film with big expectations. Even if the movie turned out kind of mid, it would be a slam-dunk animated action film that would make me love Batman anywhere, at any time. I was certain that it couldn't disappoint.

I was disappointed.

For context, fanservice, according to Wikipedia, is material in a work of fiction or in a fictional series that is intentionally added to please the audience, often sexual in nature, such as nudity. I suppose that might explain why my screen was coated in DC vomit with Feudal Japanese aesthetic paper stickers blocking my view of any logic or reason. Like most fanservice, I'm not supposed to actually understand it, I'm supposed to laugh and masturbate with my friends as they point at Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, saying they recognize them from a doushinji. I'm not saying I didn't do that, I'm saying that if I had known the movie would be all over the place, I would've just watched Gotham by Gaslight to save time and hand cramps.

Batman Ninja is about Batman fighting a Gorilla, then the Joker. That's the TL;DR version since most Batman movies end up that way. It's actually about Batman being sent back in time so he can be told over and over again that he's completely useless without money and fancy machines, but he can change that by being a magical ninja. That's the second TL;DR, in case you think Batman sucks and isn't as cool as Superman. It's also about every character from the Batman universe showing and wearing time-appropriate clothes and using feudal Japan weapons, but only before the giant robots show up. That's the last TL;DR, because you either get the gist or you think the movie sounds much cooler than it is, in which case I welcome to watch it before coming back. You'll have two scenes worth talking about with your friends and nothing else good to say about it.

I wish I could say it was one of those movies that's taking a tour of Batman's cast and rogues gallery, but that describes Batman vs TMNT. This is more like one of those movies where a random guy with no familiarity with the series is put in charge, assigns characters in simple roles based on quick summary readings, and then yells at the 3d animation department that they aren't getting paid overtime. A 12-year-old could make this movie, but I'm pretty sure most twelve-year-olds know Batman was already a ninja, if a guy dressed in black sneaking up on people didn't make that incredibly obvious.

Since the story is already a wash, and the Joker is only added in to give both the movie and marketing some teeth, maybe the action is worth the watch? And it is. The choreography, the music, the animation; it feels like watching a masterpiece in kickass drama. I was so hyped when during the beginning watching Batman fight the Joker with the tricked-out Batmobile... and then losing somehow. And then being told over and over again that technology is bad, and that tradition is good, and that technology is bad, and that tradition is-

Later, the Joker, the gorilla, and the other DC villains ride in on giant mecha robots to fight each other over feudal Japan territory. Don't ask how they made those robots, or how the language barrier is gone, or worse, how they built giant robots while dealing with a language barrier. Just know that everyone of the villain characters not only did it, but all the machines actually fit together and can controlled with a wooden chessboard.

Yes. Seriously.

How does Batman fight them? Without any tech, it'll be a huge, perhaps cinematic, challenge to even- oh right! The monkeys can just work together to make a huge monkey man. Then the bats will help for some reason and make a gigantic Batman that is immune to fire. And that will be how they beat the Chessboard Mecha.

YES. SERIOUSLY.

here's a picture.

Now, there are two things I should go over before I put a lid on this ridiculous sham of a film.

One, Batman: Ninja was made for Japan with the specific purpose of introducing Eastern media to the sheer awesomeness of DC comics and the illustrious Batman who is notably tied to it. A lot of the scenes are meant to represent certain historical points in Fedual Japan, like the DC villains fighting for territory, or Joker taking over the Mecha (and the plot), not to mention the Monkeys and bats being summoned by nature gods. It was all meant to serve as subtext for Japan's history. Even the Mecha's are meant to represent Japan's weirdly advanced mechanical puppets from the 1600s. Was it worth it? Hell no. I'm not going to explain how 'story integration' because I shouldn't have to. If there is literally no connection between every historical nudge in the film and the plot of the movie, then you didn't write a Batman movie, you made an incomprehensible documentary and layered comic book shenanigans over it.

Which leads to my next point, my second thing. Why should I care? A man in a bat suit fighting a mind-control expert genius Gorilla, without guns for personal reasons, is insanely stupid in itself. Why can't I just enjoy the film as it is? My response to that is... I tried. The reason I'm even mad is that I tried. Even with the crap plot, it's hard not to see something like this as... enjoyable fluff, but in reality, is indigestible slop. There are too many what-if moments that go unanswered and far too many WTF moments that go unanswered. It just goes beyond being tolerable or acceptable; it can't be fixed with one moment of Batman turning into a semi-literal Batman. I'm still pissed off by that, by the way. All that build up and we don't see how they changed, what their time did to them, what the point of all the modern world bashing was supposed to be. All it says is that ninjas are cool... if you don't know what a ninja is.

Batman: Ninja is a disappointment. Not too much of a disappointment to stop them from making a sequel, but a disappointment all the same. Seeing it makes me cringe and reminds me why I began to lose interest in Batman movies. People see themselves in the Batman characters too much, characters who are supposed to define instability and impatience with the current world. So instead of stories about how their inherent character fails them and others, we get stories about how some characters weren't that bad, or how they have something in common with historical figures, or how they weren't that great in the first place but if they'll get better if they become a magical ninja. It's bullcrap that a film with this good animation and budget is somehow still a trashy, surface-level toy sales pitch.

I hear the Batman Ninja Manga is good though.

[pyrrhicraven]

Can we see some TMNT and RadioApple cuteness?

Pretty sure the first one doesn't count as cute but it is TMNT 🤔😊 The second one is RadioApple/Duckiedeer through Charlie's POV 🌈

Saki was sitting in an armchair, Donnie shifted to get a look at the title, 'I am a Cat'-Natsume Soseki. Donnie snorted which got Saki's attention. He placed the book down and frowned at Donatello as if he'd done something wrong.

"That's a cute title." Saki laughed and motioned for Donatello to sit next to him, which Donnie did gratefully. He'd been running around so much that a seat was just what he needed.

"It is about the Meji-era. Through the eyes of a cat, perhaps not something one would expect me to read but it was something Tang Shen liked to read and I drag it out whenever I think about her and have the time to read."

RadioApple/Duckiedeer 😈

Charlie wanted to giggle as she watched her father and Alastor having tea time together, Alastor had been rather formal with her father when he asked if Lucifer wanted to have tea time together.

She'd been giddy but Vaggie said she was reading too much into it, that there was no way in heaven that Alastor had been asking for a date. But Charlie wasn't so sure about that and watching both of them interact with civility was an amazing step in the right direction! “I hope your day is filled with people like you,” Lucifer said and Alastor chuckled and Charlie couldn't help but think her father meant wonderful sinners like Alastor. “I would love to insult you but I’m afraid I won’t do it as well as nature did,” Alastor said as he made up another cup of tea for himself. She blinked was...Was that an insult? She wasn't sure, to be honest, she'd have to ask Vaggie and Angel. Lucifer smiled at Alastor,

“You are like the sun, not because you light up my world but because it hurts to look at you.”Her father said and Alastor actually snorted and laughed. Maybe they were really getting along if Alastor looked amused rather than murderous!

I’ve been called worse things by taller men, or was that better? Darn, Now I've gone and forgotten how that goes." Lucifer flushed and instead of hurling actual insults at Alastor, he smiled with a shake of his head.

"You bring everyone so much joy! You know, when you leave the room. But, still."

[forestwhisper3]

heads up, seven up!

rules: post the last seven lines you wrote, then tag seven people. reposting, as the reblog chains get long!

. . . . . . . Yup, I'm alive (just very, very busy lately) Anyway, I was tagged by my good friend and amazing artist @joyfuladorable and thought this sounded fun. ...It may also be a sort of apology from me for being gone/silent for so long. So! Rather than the last seven lines, here are seven little teasers from fics I've been chipping away at during the bit of downtime I have- when I'm not just playing some Animal Crossing to destress, that is. It's not necessarily the most recent for some of them, but parts that I think you'll enjoy without giving away too much. Enjoy! (Also, please keep in mind that as these are still being refined, there might be parts you see here that may not be present in the final product) ============== Title Pending (Rottmnt) ==============

Not for the first time tonight, Raph had to wonder how he'd gotten to this point.

"There," his companion hissed quietly- a word he never would have used to describe her before this moment.

He leaned over her shoulder and squinted at the figures walking below. "You sure that's them?"

"OF C-!" she choked back her yell and settled for a heated glare. "Yes I'm sure! I'd recognize those ugly outfits anywhere!"

"How can you even see them from so far away?"

"That's how ugly they are."

Despite himself, he snickered a bit. Once he settled down, he crossed his arms.

"You do know this whole thing is crazy, don't you?"

She grinned ferally. "Yep."

"And it's very likely that if we're caught, we'll either get arrested or- if you're right about all this -even die, right?"

"Yep."

"You're insane."

"So are you coming or not?" she asked impatiently.

He looked over the ledge again, watching as the people below continued loading trucks.

"Well, Raph's made it this far," he shrugged, allowing an easy smile to slip onto his face. "And I think I'm overdue for a bit of crazy myself. Let's do it."

"Hell yeah!" Cassandra- Casey, he corrected himself -cheered, pumping a fist. "Let's go, Red!"

The two of them jumped.

============== Dragon of the Sun (TMNT 2003) ============== "Hey, I'm fine! Really! It'd take a lot more than some crazy lizard and spoiled son to take me out!" "You have cracks in your shell. And while I'm sure Donatello has provided excellent care, you are going to the med bay." "...Yes, M'am." Raph snorted softly as he watched Ananda start dragging Mikey away, his little bro not having put up nearly as much of a fight with her as he had against him and Don back home. Then again, he wasn't really surprised either. Maybe it was because Mikey played such a big part in reconnecting her with her dad, which led to her joining the Justice Force, but it was clear that she had a huge soft spot for him.

"And you're positive that there was no lasting damage?" And it seemed like she wasn't the only one. He turned to face Silver Sentry, the usually calm man also watching them go with furrowed brows and a frown. "Not that we could see," Raph sighed. "From what I've gotten him to tell me, he needs to take it easy for a couple more weeks, but he should be fine after that. Let's just hope nothing happens until then." And he really would hope this time. Usually he was itching for a fight within a few days, but if it meant Mike going out to fight before he was fully recovered? No way. Silver Sentry gave a sigh of his own. "And here I thought we could avoid this very thing by only making him an honorary member." ============== Turning Back Time (Linked Universe) ==============

"Hey, Time, do you have any other masks?"

Wind's question immediately caught the group's attention as they settled down to eat. Warriors looked up, admittedly curious as to how he would respond, especially since he knew Time would probably want to keep those cards close to his chest in order to mess with them.

But perhaps he was still remembering Hyrule's misunderstanding from the other night, since he was surprisingly straightforward in his answer.

"Quite a few, actually."

"And are they all magic like the- bunny hat?!"

There was something else Wind was going to say there, he realized, and judging by the way the others' gazes seemed to sharpen at the slight pause, they'd noticed it too.

Come to think of it, the two of them had been together this morning, hadn't they?

He thought about that for another second, then felt a chill of dread.

Could they be working together now? Sweet Hylia, he hoped not. Just remembering the sorts of things they'd accomplished together between battles during the war made him want to run far, far away. He was ninety percent certain that half the reason Impa disliked him so much was because of these two. He wondered if it would be possible to switch sides. ============== Recollections (Linked Universe) ==============

-of Darkness who sought to plunge the world into fear and darkness under his rule. Fearing his wicked rule, Zelda, the princess of this kingdom, split up the Triforce of Wisdom into-

"-eight fragments," Hyrule weakly read that part aloud, face pale and eyes wide in dawning realization and growing horror. "T-This-…this is-…"

He whirled around to look at Time and Legend, the sickly look on his face growing even worse when they nodded grimly.

"Oh no," he murmured, turning back around and curling a bit into himself.

"Okay, that's enough," Warriors scowled, although the worry in his eyes betrayed him. "Would one of you please just tell us what's going on already?! Why's Hyrule upset now that he's figured out whatever it is you two know?!"

"It's about me," Hyrule explained, looking up at them with haunted eyes. "That story we're reading? It's what happened in my Hyrule. Zelda- my Zelda -broke up the Triforce to keep Ganon from getting it. Shortly after, I found myself on my first adventure."

Silence. Then, the implications finally sunk in.

"Oh, fuck," Wind swore.

"Can't we-?!" Twilight began.

"I doubt it," Time sighed, already knowing what he was going to suggest. "Seeing as we were all brought here, then subsequently locked in, it looks like we're going to have to finish watching before we can leave. And I know it's not going to end with just Hyrule's adventures."

The air between them felt heavy now that everyone knew what they'd be seeing, and there was a pause, as if they all wanted to say something but couldn't find the right words. Finally, Legend let out an angry burst of air.

"Let's just get it over with," he said. "I know this is the last thing any of us wants, but it looks like we don't get a choice. The sooner we watch it all, the sooner we can leave this hellhole."

An apt description for this place, Time couldn't help but agree. Absolutely no danger to be seen, but somehow just as nerve-wracking as if there was. If not more so.

Another pause, but despite their reluctance, they all knew inaction was an even worse feeling. So Wild eventually started it up again. Fearing his wicked rule, Zelda, the princess of this kingdom, split up the Triforce of Wisdom into eight fragments and hid them throughout the realm to save the last remaining Triforce from the clutches of the evil Ganon. At the same time, she commanded her most trustworthy nursemaid, Impa, to secretly escape into the land and go find a man with enough courage to destroy the evil Ganon. Upon hearing this, Ganon grew angry, imprisoned the princess, and sent out a party in search of Impa.

The black screen started fading into color, although the words remained, and harsh panting could be heard as a landscape came into focus. ============== Title Pending (Trolls) ==============

Floyd was gone.

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!!"

That simple, heartwrenching fact kept spinning and spinning and spinning in his mind until it was all he could think through the numbness that had taken hold of him.

At least, until Clay's scream managed to break through.

John flinched, finally tearing his gaze from his second youngest brother's crystalized form only to meet the furious, teary eyes of the third's. It was all he had the time to do before Clay shoved him away from where they'd gathered around, the tiny ember of rage that had been ever present in those last few days as a band finally blazing into a wildfire, fueled by the same grief that seemed to have frozen him in place instead.

"IT'S YOUR FAULT WE SPLIT UP! IT'S YOUR FAULT WE WASTED TIME! IT'S YOUR FAULT FLOYD'S-!!"

Clay choked, unable to voice that final, damning word. Instead, his face twisted as it finally seemed to catch up with him. Yet the tears that began to stream down did nothing to soften the anger that continued to burn.

Staring as intently as he was, there was no missing when that anger slipped into hate.

"I'll never forgive you," Clay hissed, his entire body trembling and tense. "We'll never forgive you."

He swallowed thickly and chanced a glance at Bruce and Branch.

They stared back in stony silence.

"I'm sorry," he managed to push through the knot in his throat and a familiar gnawing emptiness that began to settle in his heart.

Sorry he'd failed them…

Sorry he couldn't protect them…

Sorry he'd hurt them…

Sorry he couldn't be what they'd wanted him to be.

His apology only seemed to anger Clay further.

"You're sorry?! Is that all you can-?!" He cut himself off, and took a deep breath. When he spoke next, it was with piercing finality. "All you've ever managed to do is ruin things. Ruin us. So, if you're really as sorry as you say you are, you'll keep yourself from ruining what's left."

"Clay-" Viva protested, concern thick in her voice as she stepped forward.

Clay cut her off with a look and a shake of his head, but the bit of John that didn't feel numb appreciated the attempt.

She was good for him, he thought. He hoped they could be happy together.

Without him.

Because that was what they wanted, he realized. It was what they'd always wanted. Hadn't they always told him to mind his own business? To go away? To leave them alone? It was him who had been too stubborn to listen. Who had ignored what they'd practically been screaming in his face for years.

Not anymore, he promised. He'd already messed things up enough. For once, he was going to do something right by them.

Clay was distracted by Viva, and the others had gone back to looking at Floyd. It was like the universe was agreeing with him, telling him that he needed to take himself out of their lives for good.

He took a step back.

Two…

Three…

He took in the sight of his brothers one last time, knowing that it really would be the last time, and climbed into Rhonda.

"Let's go, girl."

She fought him for a moment, and he felt yet another pang of guilt- she'd gotten attached to them, it seemed -but eventually allowed herself to be steered away with a melancholy warble.

"It's for the best," he told her softly, eyes closing in resignation at the hollowness he could hear in his words.

A hollowness he'd experienced just one other time in his life and struggled to escape. Even now, he could see it overtaking him again in the way the color slowly leeched from his fingers and trailed up his arms.

That was fine. Last time, he'd pushed forward for Rhonda. For his brothers. For his-

He closed his eyes and slumped in the driver's seat as a fresh wave of loss swept over him.

This time, when the emptiness threatened to swallow him whole, John Dory looked into the abyss and hung his head.

It was time to stop fighting. ============== Journey (Pokemon SI/OC) ==============

"Satoshiii, you've got to be kidding me!" I groaned as I pulled his curtains open. "Seriously?! You promised you wouldn't sleep in!"

Ash waking up late was a running gag in the anime. I knew this. Really. I did.

I just hadn't realized how bad that habit actually was.

"EHHH!?!? Amy, what time is it?!"

Mrs. Ketchum must have had the patience of a saint dealing with this every single day.

"Late enough that you're only gonna have time to get dressed! Now, move it!"

"But, breakfast-"

"MOVE IT!"

He yelped and scrambled off the bed, and I hurried out of the room to give him privacy. Walking back to the kitchen, I huffed as I took a seat, rolling my eyes when I heard a loud thump echo from upstairs.

"Never a dull moment with that kid," Papa chuckled quietly into his tea, still a bit bleary-eyed himself.

"Good thing he spent the night. With Hanako gone, he wouldn't have had anyone to wake him up," Mama shook her head with a fond smile.

"Next time I'm leaving him," I grumbled, though it was halfhearted at best.

Mama handed me two lunches and I secured them in my bag before grabbing some extra riceballs for Ash and placing them on top.

"Is Shigeru going to be taking part in the field trip?"

"He said he hears enough about it at home, so no. Good thing too, I don't wanna babysit him and Satoshi. I wanna see some pokemon, too!"

It was a good way to test how things could be once I began my journey. At first, Mama and Papa had been a bit hesitant to agree when Ash brought it up yet again (he did so every year, but this was the first time we were old enough to actually go), but Uncle managed to convince them. I was going to be with a group, and Professor Oak was sure to have at least Arcanine with him, so I would be more than safe.

To his credit, Ash only took a few minutes to get dressed, but our house was a bit of a walk from Professor Oak's lab, and we found ourselves having to sprint for the last stretch of it.

"-guess we're setting off," I heard Professor Oak say and immediately pushed myself just that little bit more.

"Wait!" I called while waving my arms, never more grateful for all the running I'd done during training than at this moment. "We're here!"

I slid into the meeting place like a baseball player, taking care not to squish the contents of our lunches as I allowed myself to drop onto the grass to catch my breath. Ash was still a bit behind me, but they should be willing to wait now that I'd made it.

"Way to look like a total loser," a familiar, though currently unwelcome, voice cut in through the harsh pants.

I groaned. "I thought you weren't coming."

"I'm not," Gary scoffed. "I just got curious because Gramps hadn't left yet. Shoulda known it would be you two behind it."

"And I should have known you'd be too nosey to not butt in."

============== Horizons (FF7 SI/OC) ==============

Ryuu stretched as he wandered into the entrance area of the inn, not bothering to hold back a wide yawn as he tried to shake off the last vestiges of drowsiness. Overall, he felt much better than yesterday, his various pains now muted to a dull ache instead of the sharp throbs and spikes of before. Thank fuck for accelerated healing. Probably one of the highlights of being SOLDIER, in his opinion. Cassie's potions had only helped in that- he'd probably be back to normal by the end of the day or early tomorrow at this rate.

It was early- enough that the sun was just barely starting to rise -but to his surprise he wasn't the only one awake. The innkeeper was already up, phone pressed up against his ear and having what seemed to be a pretty serious conversation if his expression was any indication.

"-keep an eye out for him, don't you worry…It's the least I could do after everything your daughter's done for us. Besides, I know I'd want someone to do the same if it were one of my girls missing…" He sighed, tone turning apologetic. "I don't. Wasn't expecting her to leave so suddenly, or else I would've asked…I'm sure she'll be fine. She's a tough girl, and clever. She practically saved this town."

Wait. He couldn't mean-

Now completely awake, he rushed back upstairs, only just catching the innkeeper's now confused expression as he continued his conversation with who he was becoming more and more certain was Cassie's family, though unfortunately missing the question itself in his haste to check on her.

"Son of a bitch," he hissed upon opening all the guest rooms and finding them empty. "You little shit."

Is this what it felt like to have a younger sibling? He was pretty sure this was what it felt like to have a younger sibling. This sheer frustration and annoyance- suddenly, all of his friends' complaints made so much more sense. Not to mention the worry. What if she ran into something else she couldn't fight? She said that bodyguard of hers could keep her safe but how could he be sure of that? She hadn't even let him meet the guy!

Cassie'd left early on purpose. He was sure of it. The question now was why.

He wanted nothing more than to chase her down and find out, but as it stood, he couldn't. He'd updated ShinRa on his status the moment looking at his PHS didn't make his head feel like it was going to explode, but while they'd allowed him some recovery time, they were also being very pushy in their reminders that he report as soon as possible. He could understand the insistence- absolutely no one had expected what sounded like a run-of-the-mill monster extermination to put a SOLDIER out of commission, even if only for a day or so -but he wished he could just-

His PHS buzzed in his pocket, and he sighed, heading for the stairs again.

============== ============== ============== And there you have it! Hope you enjoyed the little clips! Like I said, I am working on them. It's just a lot slower than it used to be since I have a longer commute to and from work now, and by the time I get home, I'm usually too tired to write. I'll be going on a short vacation in about two weeks or so to visit my bro, and I hope to get a good chunk of writing done during that time. You may see a few chapters pop up then. Fingers crossed, at any rate. For now, I think it's back to chipping at them a little bit more. Take care!

[thecomicsnexus]

TMNT: NIGHTWATCHER #1

August 2024

By Juni Ba, Fero Pe, Luis Antonio Delgado, and Nathan Widick

There's a vigilante in Mutant Town taking care of the vulnerable mutant population. But this vigilante may have found a conspiracy that is putting mutants against mutants.

Also revealed in this issue the secret identity of the Nightwatcher!

SCORE: 10

Don't worry, I won't go into much detail before the spoiler section. I'll leave my reaction to the reveal out of this section as well.

It's fascinating that what was really well done about this issue, was the interviews. The characterization of the people talking for and against the vigilante were pretty much taken from reality (well, except for the mutants talking).

There is some level of, I would say, confusion, that comes from the many narrations in this episode. It's like I have to wonder all the time who is talking, but that is mostly because I don't know (as I am reading it) who the Nightwatcher is. And we do not get just one narrator, and to make it harder to follow, they are not always on panel. That's d be my only complaint, but I feel it's something that may go away on a second reading.

The art looks amazing, and again, the subtleties in those interview pages are what made this book special to me. The body language, the natural reactions, it may be basic for some people, but it is something that surprised me in a good way.

On the other hand, I know we've seen Fero do Turtles before, but this issue in particular reminded me a lot of Freddie Willams II, many times. Am I the only who saw the similarities?

Ok, let's go to the main spoiler...

Back when this book was announced, it was clear that Jennika was not going to be featured on the main book, and I think many of us simply assumed that Nightwatcher was going to be Jennika. However, that seemed like too low of a hanging fruit, and our brains started looking at many possibilities. This issue at points makes you wonder if you are looking at a turtle, and which one it might be.

So, story-wise, it seems like Jennika is doing vigilante stuff behind Sheena's back. Could be to protect her, but also to keep her relationship healthy. I am sure she'll eventually find out.

But behind the panels, what does this mean for this character? Jennika had two mini-series, but overall, it doesn't seem like the masses were asking for a solo book for her. Making her the Nightwatcher could be a genius move, or the ultimate betrayal for those readers who felt they had enough of this character.

I think it makes sense. Jennika had good reasons to hang out with the Turtles, but I always thought she had more potential as a solo character. Not only that, the people she is defending, were also (mostly) humans like her once. So that already gives her enough motivation that the other Turtles, perhaps wouldn't.

What do you think? Is this a good move or a bad move for Jennika?

[usagiverse]

This is a bit of a strange ask, but I'm still confused over Usagi's last name. Some tell me that is Miyamoto his last name and that Usagi is his first name... but then others tell me that Usagi is the family name 😂

Just wanted to ask.

hi

Gelu. You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this ask. I have been preparing for this very moment. I'm ready to answer this and I already know I'm going to fail miserably at explaining. Here goes.

Usagi Yojimbo. In the comics, "Miyamoto" is the surname / family name, we know this because his father is Magistrate Miyamoto. This makes our titular character Usagi, his first name.

Usagi Chronicles. In this animated series, we know that Yuichi is descended from Miyamoto. However, his name isn't "Miyamoto Yuichi", Yuichi is in fact his surname / family name. That means they both share the same first name, Usagi.

In Japanese fashion, the family name comes BEFORE the first / given name. Let's take George Washington for example. To do so properly, it would be "Washington George". So if we see "Miyamoto Usagi" and "Yuichi Usagi", that means their last names are in front of their first names. If you watch any Japanese shows or movies, they introduce themselves with their last name first and given name after, and people will call them by their last name. In TMNT 2003, he specifically introduces himself (and we will ignore the poor pronunciation of Japanese words including his own name) as "Usagi Miyamoto". This is so that the Western audience knows Usagi is his first name, Miyamoto last. (Also told the audience his last name was Miya-ma-to but uh. We're ignoring it, right?) This is not the proper way for him to introduce himself if he were being strictly Japanese… we say it's fine because it was for an English audience at the time, but this is the only time (that I can recall) his name being introduced in this way.

Typically in Japanese fashion, when you first meet someone or are on acquainted terms, you would only refer to them by their last name and add "-san" to the end, until you become closer and can use a different honorific or use their given name. However, all of the Usagi series have been adapted for western consumption, so they use their first names in all of this familiar media. The western version of "formal" or "polite" in a Japanese setting is taking the first name and adding "-san" to the end instead. So in 2003, Usagi calls Leo "Leonardo-san", and Leo calls him "Usagi-san" back. In 2012, the same thing. When you meet someone who is older than you in the west, you would usually say "Mr./Mrs./Mx. Lastname". That is the English equivalent of what "-san" is, loosely. I'm not sure why western media wants to flip names and add -san to it anyway, since we do use last names sometimes? Mr. Obama… Miyamoto-san. We can also chalk this up to relationships, as Leo and Usagi have been close in every iteration, perhaps they just went to the "first-name-basis" immediately. (copium)

I don't know if you've noticed, but there are a lot of Usagis! Even just 2 is too many, and I have 4! (Well, one was married in, but still.) In my case, I wanted to be able to have multiple samurai rabbits out in the world of Rise, but I couldn't have them all named "Usagi" unless that was all their last name-- which meant they all also had to be directly or indirectly related to each other. Which posed other problems, like… what about Magistrate Miyamoto?? Well.. he's still related, just differently. I know some important plot points get washed out when you move characters and their specific roles around, but that's exactly what ROTTMNT does, and excels in. So we do some problem solving, we write every idea down, and then we iron out the edges.

I am not an expert in the naming culture of Japan, though I can understand why people might be confused or spread misinformation as though they are correct. It takes just a little bit of reading and context to understand, which I hope I've been able to provide. TBH I still get confused, but that's because I am actively doing it differently by going against what it normally is.

TL;DR - Usagi is the first name in all published media, with Miyamoto and Yuichi both being family names. The proper way to introduce oneself in Japanese is [Last Name] [Given Name], which Miyamoto Usagi and Yuichi Usagi both follow this rule (and are both Japanese). In my fanon, I have too many Usagis in one time period, so Usagi is the family name and everyone can still keep their original name. Hope this helps!

[thedoggoesed-ward]

under cut;

[so tmnt 07 is one movie that kind of combines the 90s movies, 03, and mirage all in one place, and tonally is is similar to the show that will come after it, 12. if the 90s movies give us conflict between leo and raph, and 03 gives us the unconditional understanding between the two, 07 takes these two aspects and creates a story out of it. (debate in your own mind if this movie is a literal sequel to the 90s ones or not, its not that important)

the set up of this movie is we are in a post killing the shredder world. leo has been told by splinter to go get training elsewhere, there isn’t much context for what happened to cause this, but i would bet its a similar cause to 03, where he had ptsd and lashed out at his father to which splinter sends him to his grandfather to get better advice than he thinks he can give him. the difference here is there is no grandfather hes sent to, he’s sent on a journey of self discovery around the world to learn about it and himself.

the thing about leo as a character, and this goes for all leos, he’s has a very black and white way of thinking. leo thinks he’s been sent away because he’s failing his family, that he’s not a good enough leader. so he stays away for longer because he doesn’t feel good enough. he finds a place where he can help and he does that. leo always needs a bad guy to fight, or else he’s fighting his own demons. so he stays there for a long time. finding a place he can help quietly, never letting anyone see him, and becoming a legend to the locals because no one knows what’s really going down.

april manages to track him down and tell him about whats going on with his brothers, how they’re holding up without him and without being a team, and i think thats a good reminder for him that they miss him. he doesn’t tell april but he finds a way home only after hearing about this. when he arrives and speaks to splinter, he says “i was so caught up in my own world i forgot about everyone else, i’m sorry i failed” he still doesn’t feel like he’s done anything of worth.

i’m gonna jump in here and say, you know how we all love rise raph? cuz hes the big brother and some traits that come from that are like being overprotective and taking on everyone else’s problems and trying to handle emotions alone? well that’s a trait thats usually leo’s. but the difference with leo is sometimes that concept doesn’t make you as likeable. sometimes it means you come off like a nagging mother hen who thinks they know best but in an arrogant way. sometimes it makes you mirror being a parent when no one asked you to be. leo’s less of a passionate character than raph, hes more analytical and full of himself. he takes splinters lessons more seriously, and hes always trying to do whats best for everyone so they don’t have to worry. this is something evident with 03 and 12, but its so specifically noticeable here because these traits make up the main conflict. i just want to bring that up so we start seeing leo as no different than some of our other favourite iterations.

splinter responds to his apology by saying “you owe me no apology, but perhaps you should talk to raphael, your absence has been particularly difficult for him, though he’ll never admit it” but when leo greets him raph is brushing him off.

on raph’s end, this is him being angry that leo left, and angry that hes back and everyone wants to pretend that he wasn’t gone at all. as if the time he was gone didn’t happen. hes lashing out because he too cant handle talking about these emotions. and hes lashing out by becoming a vigilante in his own right.

i see a lot of people misunderstand what raph is doing here, that “this is what the turtles always do” or “this is the same as what leo was doing how could he be mad” when that is not true. that’s what casey does. its true that both leo and raph have been fighting bad guys on their own (as a way of dealing with their issues) but raphael has made himself a costume to disguise himself which means hes prepared to be seen. hes riding a motorcycle around, which is loud. this isn’t stealthy, this is aggressive. his vigilante name is in the news. the turtles are ninjas, they silently help where they can and fade into the night and, very specifically, they work as a team. these turtles live in a dangerous world, what if something happened to him while no one else was around? they would never know because he never told anyone.

so raph is lashing out, and leo doesn’t have a good way of dealing with it. he tries to slide back into being leader, doing what splinter says but he forgets how his brothers are, and with raph egging them on they get into fights they shouldn’t. which leo specifically gets in trouble for, as the oldest brother, and as their leader. leo tries to be this better leader hes supposed to have learned to be, but it doesn’t work and raph ends up back out there in his vigilante get up. leo tracks down said vigilante, and in his peak “leo knows best” moment, lectures him, not knowing its his brother. there’s a scuffle, and the mask comes off. let me point out that casey knew this vigilante was raph but his own brother didn’t, because leo has been gone that long.

so lets get into what this fight is really about. on the surface, its “wow you’ve been going out at night alone putting yourself in dangerous situations with no backup” and “so what you’re just mad that i can do it without you” which leo would be right about. and this is the analytical leo, he really thinks that’s all that’s going on here. what hes missing is that raphael has missed him as a brother, and hes hurt that leonardo left and just came back no big deal. that he wants everything to be normal. raphael is always a character with big emotions and the only outlet he knows to express them is violence.

leo, who as we’ve established, went away to learn to be better for his family is angry that raph doesn’t see that. he’s mad raph doesn’t appreciate the effort he went to, and he thinks he’s just angry because he’s not in charge. each brother sees the other as being arrogant.

this leads them to the big fight. no one can disagree that this is the best part of the movie (seriously watch the movie for this scene if you haven’t seen it before) , but the real best part of it is that raphael wins. raph proves hes just as capable of a fighter as his brother, if not more-so. he uses those sais as they’re supposed to be used, catching leo’s swords and in a fit of rage he fucking breaks them, leaving leo defenceless and completely vulnerable to attack. you’d think he’d be smug that leo lost but he pauses, going through a lot of emotions in a moment, questioning what he’s doing, why hes doing it. and leo finally looks his brother in the eye and sees raph going through something he didn’t before, realizing raph hasn’t been angry that he’s back, but that he’s angry that he ever left. they don’t have a conversation, because raph cant handle all these emotions and he runs away, crying as he does. leo just watches him, taking it all in and realizing the error of his ways.

hearing leo scream turns raph around, but he’s too late to help him, and this is where raph regrets his own actions because right then, leo is also proven right in his argument. because he gets kidnapped. if leo hadn’t chased raph down, there is a very good chance that would have been raph being kidnapped. with no backup, with no one knowing what happened to him. that’s why its important that the turtles are a team.

raph goes home full of guilt, and there’s a good moment of showing how he cannot open up emotionally here, because he grunts, punches the wall, knocks over some weights and forces splinter to ask him what happened, because that’s how raphael is. he laments to his father that he finally understands why leo is the better son, proving that to raph none of this was about their team, but about their family. conflating the two ideas in his head. splinter gives him a talk that mirrors what he said to leo when he returned earlier in the movie, encouraging him that he is a good son and brother. this shows that these brothers have very similar insecurities about their value to their family.

the rest of the movie plays out as you expect, they go save leo, they stop the bad guy, they reconcile and behave as the team they’re supposed to be. but i just want to point out that the villains plot is mirrored in leo and raph’s conflict. the ‘villain’ here is a brother who has been cursed to be immortal without his own siblings. for 3000 years he lived to regret his actions and decided to undo his curse, but he used the cursed stone versions of his siblings to do so. no communication, just thinking he knew better (which maybe he did) and lying about it. that caused them to lie to him right back, and try to overthrow him and destroy the world. this is just one family whose inner turmoil could have destroyed the world. you might say, oh that’s not a very interesting turtles villain, but its not supposed to be. its not the focus.

this movie is all about the complicated relationship between a family, and i see so many people talk about it by trying to ask who’s right and who’s wrong. that’s not how it works. life is more complicated than that, people are more complicated than that. its boring to look at this movie and just say “leo is wrong and raph is right” because that’s not even how the characters see it. this movie is about leo and raph being mirrors of each other in their arrogance, in their insecurities, and in their stubborn pig-headed refusal to let the other know how they feel. splinter says as much at the start of the movie. this whole movie shows that without each other, they need to be fighting something so they don’t get swept up by their own emotions, which they are both bad at processing. they are SUCH brothers. they are so similar emotionally, yet they have such a hard time understanding each other.

personally 07 leo is my favourite leo for his complexity, his flaws his strength, his growth. its sad we never got those sequel movies to get into the other brothers heads as much as we got into leo and raphs heads.

also nolan north and james arnold taylor gave the best vocal performances in this movie and they deserve all the credit for it.]

ok i wanna talk about tmnt 2007 and the way i think this is the best version of a leo and raph conflict, and also leo as a character

for context i've been talking about tmnt things kinda chronologically, so i'm gonna mention an unconditional understanding in 03 i bring that up in a previous post about that show and the family dynamics in it here if u want context for what i mean

i think this movie can really be appreciated for the place it has between adaptations, and the way character-wise everyone is more or less the same as they've always been but with a more interpersonal relationship as the focus. the main villain of this movie doesn't really matter, the conflict, the fights, that's not where the strength is (although, it is reflected in the conflict and ill get into that)

so tmnt 07 is one movie that kind of combines the 90s movies, 03, and mirage all in one place, and tonally is is similar to the show that will come after it, 12. if the 90s movies give us conflict between leo and raph, and 03 gives us the unconditional understanding between the two, 07 takes these two aspects and creates a story out of it. (debate in your own mind if this movie is a literal sequel to the 90s ones or not, its not that important)

the set up of this movie is we are in a post killing the shredder world. leo has been told by splinter to go get training elsewhere, there isn't much context for what happened to cause this, but i would bet its a similar cause to 03, where he had ptsd and lashed out at his father to which splinter sends him to his grandfather to get better advice than he thinks he can give him. the difference here is there is no grandfather hes sent to, he's sent on a journey of self discovery around the world to learn about it and himself.

the thing about leo as a character, and this goes for all leos, he's has a very black and white way of thinking. leo thinks he's been sent away because he's failing his family, that he's not a good enough leader. so he stays away for longer because he doesn't feel good enough. he finds a place where he can help and he does that. leo always needs a bad guy to fight, or else he's fighting his own demons. so he stays there for a long time. finding a place he can help quietly, never letting anyone see him, and becoming a legend to the locals because no one knows what's really going down.

april manages to track him down and tell him about whats going on with his brothers, how they're holding up without him and without being a team, and i think thats a good reminder for him that they miss him. he doesn't tell april but he finds a way home only after hearing about this. when he arrives and speaks to splinter, he says "i was so caught up in my own world i forgot about everyone else, i'm sorry i failed" he still doesn't feel like he's done anything of worth.

i'm gonna jump in here and say, you know how we all love rise raph? cuz hes the big brother and some traits that come from that are like being overprotective and taking on everyone else's problems and trying to handle emotions alone? well that's a trait thats usually leo's. but the difference with leo is sometimes that concept doesn't make you as likeable. sometimes it means you come off like a nagging mother hen who thinks they know best but in an arrogant way. sometimes it makes you mirror being a parent when no one asked you to be. leo's less of a passionate character than raph, hes more analytical and full of himself. he takes splinters lessons more seriously, and hes always trying to do whats best for everyone so they don't have to worry. this is something evident with 03 and 12, but its so specifically noticeable here because these traits make up the main conflict. i just want to bring that up so we start seeing leo as no different than some of our other favourite iterations.

splinter responds to his apology by saying "you owe me no apology, but perhaps you should talk to raphael, your absence has been particularly difficult for him, though he'll never admit it" but when leo greets him raph is brushing him off.

on raph's end, this is him being angry that leo left, and angry that hes back and everyone wants to pretend that he wasn't gone at all. as if the time he was gone didn't happen. hes lashing out because he too cant handle talking about these emotions. and hes lashing out by becoming a vigilante in his own right.

i see a lot of people misunderstand what raph is doing here, that "this is what the turtles always do" or "this is the same as what leo was doing how could he be mad" when that is not true. that's what casey does. its true that both leo and raph have been fighting bad guys on their own (as a way of dealing with their issues) but raphael has made himself a costume to disguise himself which means hes prepared to be seen. hes riding a motorcycle around, which is loud. this isn't stealthy, this is aggressive. his vigilante name is in the news. the turtles are ninjas, they silently help where they can and fade into the night and, very specifically, they work as a team. these turtles live in a dangerous world, what if something happened to him while no one else was around? they would never know because he never told anyone.

so raph is lashing out, and leo doesn't have a good way of dealing with it. he tries to slide back into being leader, doing what splinter says but he forgets how his brothers are, and with raph egging them on they get into fights they shouldn't. which leo specifically gets in trouble for, as the oldest brother, and as their leader. leo tries to be this better leader hes supposed to have learned to be, but it doesn't work and raph ends up back out there in his vigilante get up. leo tracks down said vigilante, and in his peak "leo knows best" moment, lectures him, not knowing its his brother. there's a scuffle, and the mask comes off. let me point out that casey knew this vigilante was raph but his own brother didn't, because leo has been gone that long.

so lets get into what this fight is really about. on the surface, its "wow you've been going out at night alone putting yourself in dangerous situations with no backup" and "so what you're just mad that i can do it without you" which leo would be right about. and this is the analytical leo, he really thinks that's all that's going on here. what hes missing is that raphael has missed him as a brother, and hes hurt that leonardo left and just came back no big deal. that he wants everything to be normal. raphael is always a character with big emotions and the only outlet he knows to express them is violence.

leo, who as we've established, went away to learn to be better for his family is angry that raph doesn't see that. he's mad raph doesn't appreciate the effort he went to, and he thinks he's just angry because he's not in charge. each brother sees the other as being arrogant.

this leads them to the big fight. no one can disagree that this is the best part of the movie (seriously watch the movie for this scene if you haven't seen it before) , but the real best part of it is that raphael wins. raph proves hes just as capable of a fighter as his brother, if not more-so. he uses those sais as they're supposed to be used, catching leo's swords and in a fit of rage he fucking breaks them, leaving leo defenceless and completely vulnerable to attack. you'd think he'd be smug that leo lost but he pauses, going through a lot of emotions in a moment, questioning what he's doing, why hes doing it. and leo finally looks his brother in the eye and sees raph going through something he didn't before, realizing raph hasn't been angry that he's back, but that he's angry that he ever left. they don't have a conversation, because raph cant handle all these emotions and he runs away, crying as he does. leo just watches him, taking it all in and realizing the error of his ways.

hearing leo scream turns raph around, but he's too late to help him, and this is where raph regrets his own actions because right then, leo is also proven right in his argument. because he gets kidnapped. if leo hadn't chased raph down, there is a very good chance that would have been raph being kidnapped. with no backup, with no one knowing what happened to him. that's why its important that the turtles are a team.

raph goes home full of guilt, and there's a good moment of showing how he cannot open up emotionally here, because he grunts, punches the wall, knocks over some weights and forces splinter to ask him what happened, because that's how raphael is. he laments to his father that he finally understands why leo is the better son, proving that to raph none of this was about their team, but about their family. conflating the two ideas in his head. splinter gives him a talk that mirrors what he said to leo when he returned earlier in the movie, encouraging him that he is a good son and brother. this shows that these brothers have very similar insecurities about their value to their family.

the rest of the movie plays out as you expect, they go save leo, they stop the bad guy, they reconcile and behave as the team they're supposed to be. but i just want to point out that the villains plot is mirrored in leo and raph's conflict. the 'villain' here is a brother who has been cursed to be immortal without his own siblings. for 3000 years he lived to regret his actions and decided to undo his curse, but he used the cursed stone versions of his siblings to do so. no communication, just thinking he knew better (which maybe he did) and lying about it. that caused them to lie to him right back, and try to overthrow him and destroy the world. this is just one family whose inner turmoil could have destroyed the world. you might say, oh that's not a very interesting turtles villain, but its not supposed to be. its not the focus.

this movie is all about the complicated relationship between a family, and i see so many people talk about it by trying to ask who's right and who's wrong. that's not how it works. life is more complicated than that, people are more complicated than that. its boring to look at this movie and just say "leo is wrong and raph is right" because that's not even how the characters see it. this movie is about leo and raph being mirrors of each other in their arrogance, in their insecurities, and in their stubborn pig-headed refusal to let the other know how they feel. splinter says as much at the start of the movie. this whole movie shows that without each other, they need to be fighting something so they don't get swept up by their own emotions, which they are both bad at processing. they are SUCH brothers. they are so similar emotionally, yet they have such a hard time understanding each other.

personally 07 leo is my favourite leo for his complexity, his flaws his strength, his growth. its sad we never got those sequel movies to get into the other brothers heads as much as we got into leo and raphs heads.

also nolan north and james arnold taylor gave the best vocal performances in this movie and they deserve all the credit for it.

[twistedtummies2]

Fandoms

For the sake of people wanting to commission me, or perhaps do some sort of trade, I’ve decided to list the fandoms I will work with. The list below may be updated over time.

I am a WRITER, not an artist; any art you find in my Archive is not my own. I will happily work with both kink-writing and non-kink writing for different fandoms; for the sake of consistency, the fandoms I list below are ones that I am willing to “kink-ify,” since if I went into EVERYTHING I’m a fan of, we’d be here all day. (For instance, I am a huge fan of “Death Note,” BUT I don’t like any of the characters “that way,” so it is not listed here. That’s just one example.)  I belong to a LOT of fandoms, but here are the ones most relevant to my page (based on both public experience and private discussions) that I will kink, in no particular order. I am only listing the fandoms, not specific characters...if you have questions about specific characters, either from things listed here, or even things not listed here, feel free to shoot me an Ask to inquire.

Twisted Wonderland

Moriarty the Patriot

Castlevania

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

Black Butler

Alice in the Country of Hearts

Pandora Hearts

DC/Marvel Comics

The Devil is a Part-Timer!

Obey Me!

The Fate Series

Kingdom Hearts

Pokemon (the Pokemon themselves, specifically; not into any of the humans, sorry)

Smile! Pretty Cure (a.k.a. Glitter Force)

My Hero Academia

Toriko

The Cat Returns

FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Soul Eater (Especially Soul Evans)

Blue Exorcist (Especially Mephisto Pheles)

Puppeteer

Mario Bros. Franchise

Sonic the Hedgehog (not a HUGE Sonic fan, but I’ve written for it a lot in the past)

Tales of Arcadia

League of Legends

TMNT

Kung Fu Panda

The Bad Guys

Shrek

Extreme Dinosaurs/Street Sharks

100 Sleeping Princes and the Kingdom of Dreams.

Grimoire of Zero.

Housamo.

The Case Study of Vanitas.

Welcome to the Demon School! Iruma-Kun.

Bungo Stray Dogs

Cowboy Bebop

Lost Alice

A Villain’s Twisted Heart

Lullaby of Demonia

Guardians of the Zodiac

Sasaki & Miyano

Ozmafia!!

Helluva Boss/Hazbin Hotel

Grimms Notes

Campfire Cooking in Another World With My Absurd Skill

Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts

Loonatics Unleashed

Phantom in the Twilight

The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again Today

Fire Emblem (As of this moment, I’m only just starting to get into this franchise, so it’s a case-by-case basis if I’ll write something)

Various Don Bluth Projects

Zootopia, Lion King, Disney’s Jungle Book, all their spinoffs, and several other Disney-related things because I’m a huge Disney fan.

And probably about a billion other fandoms I currently can’t think of or just don’t seem relevant here.

For Information on how I run commissions, as well as what “kinks” I will or will not write for, please turn here: https://twistedtummies2.tumblr.com/post/669345277690478592/commission-info

[missdawnandherdusk]

Just A Kiss

Draco X Reader

Drabble Request: @gryffindors-weasley​: a first kiss with Draco

A/n: this is so cute, my lord. I don’t know where it came from but get ready for fluff and cuteness and ugggghhh. I’m also pretty sure that this is gender neutral but don't hold me to it if it isn’t.  I love you all! Let me know what you think!

“This is stupid,” Draco muttered as I dragged him up to the Astrology tower in the dead on the night.

“No, it’s not,” I argued, grinning. “It’s not every day that Jupiter and Saturn align like this! And on Christmas no less!” I couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled through my lips.

“Don’t see why that’s my problem,” He sulked as we entered the moonlit tower.

“Will you at least pretend to enjoy it?” A small pout fell on my lips as I took his hands, glancing up through my eyelashes.

“Fine, fine, let’s go see your Christmas star,” He dragged me to the nearest railing without my prompting, knowing exactly where it was in the sky. I caught the smile that played on his lips as we looked up at the stars.

“You’re excited about this as I am!” I accused, poking his side, eliciting a laugh from him.

“Am not!” He refuted, trying not to laugh further. “It’s late and cold and I’d rather be in bed right now dreaming of sugar plums,” He failed at scowling, the light in his eyes playing with the stars.

“I’m sure,” I rolled my eyes, standing at the railing again to watch the stars.

He came up behind me, wrapping me in his arms, his head atop of mine. I sought his warmth and leaned back into him, intertwining my gloved hands with his.

“Happy Christmas, darling” He murmured, warming me for another reason, from the inside. 

“Happy Christmas,” I turned, looking up at him.

His closeness caused my heart to patter in my chest, and my cheeks to flush red. Maybe he missed it from the cold that chilled our noses, or perhaps it was the same reason that he was flushed. I could see something in his eyes. Some sort of plan, a calculation. His eyes darted to mine, then to my lips and I had a good idea of what he was thinking.

We had been on this edge for a while. So close to a first kiss then one of us would back out, both too shy to act on it. But this was suddenly different. In the cold, not so white Christmas, under a planetary conjunction that only happened once every 800 years, it had to be different.

My tongue darted between my lips, pulling my bottom one back to catch between my teeth. Draco watched the entire action, his parted lips fanning my face with the warmth of his breath. Butterflies fluttered anxiously in my chest. The moment was suspended in forever.

“Are you gonna kiss me or not?” I blurted out, to both of our surprises. My eyes widened. “I—I only mean that—” I started to stammer out but not for long, because Draco found a pretty solid way to shut me up.

His lips pressed against mine, his hands cradling my face. I relaxed under his touch and the softness of his lips. I felt the chill of his nose against my cheek as we stood there under the Christmas star figuring out how to kiss. It was slow and languid. There was a pleasant twisting in my chest that begged for more. For warmth and him consuming every one of my senses. Pressed against him as one of his hands came to my waist holding me there, warmth spread through me from my toes to my fingertips.

We parted softly, just millimeters apart.

“Took you long enough,” I muttered playfully.

He laughed, mischief dancing in his eyes.

“I had to make sure it was perfect,” He noted, his gloved thumb stroking my cheek. “It’s not every day you get to do your first kiss,”

“So, you did want to see this star,” I grinned victoriously. “And you whined the entire way up here,”

“It wasn’t all about the star, love,” He mused. “But I knew you in the moonlight, pressed against me because it was cold, eyes shining like a kid on Christmas... it would be a moment I wouldn’t forget. A moment that I couldn’t say no to.”

“Sap,” I accused, nuzzling my nose to his.

“But it works,” His smile influenced mine.

“It does,”

“Now, as much as I’d love to spend all night up here with you under the stars, it is cold, and Christmas eve, so why don’t we head back inside?”

“Can’t handle a little cold Malfoy?” I smirked.

“You’re shivering, darling,” He raised an eyebrow at me.

“Just have to be right, don’t you?” I muttered, causing him to chuckle and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

Draco really must have planned the entire evening out, because in the common room a warm fire was in the hearth and there were two mugs of tea on the coffee table by the loveseat that was draped in blankets. The entire thing was lit by the crackling fire and the fairy lights that lit up the tree and garland about the room.

I paused, taking in the beauty of the room, my chill momentarily forgotten as Draco helped me out of my cloak.

“Are you coming?” Draco rose his eyebrow at me, offering my hand. 

“You... did all of this for me?” I was awestruck.

His gaze fell to the floor, as he smiled, embarrassed. “Might have been plan b,” He admitted. “If I lost my nerve in the tower...”

“Draco,” A soft laugh fell from my lips as I wrapped my arms around him. His hands reflexively went to my waist. “It’s perfect. Plan b or not, it’s still the nicest thing that anyone has done for me,”

“You deserve the world,” His earnest words made me melt. “I just want to give it to you. And I know it’s not much, and someone else could give you more but—”

It had worked earlier to shut up my doubting voice, and now with my lips pressed against his, Draco had no room to doubt himself. My fingers curled into the ends of his hair now that they were freed from gloves. The warmth that cradled me from the room met the fire that grew inside, wanting nothing more than to prove to Draco that I didn’t want anyone else and what he did was more than enough for me.

Our second kiss was just as memorable as our first one, but now that we were inside and there was no reason to stop, we didn’t. We were allowed to chase that feeling of want and warmth with soft purrs and gentle sounds. I ended up on top of Draco on one of the sofas, my senses now completely dominated by thoughts of him.

“Love,” He called, pulling away begrudgingly.

I hummed a response, my eyes staying closed, nuzzling my nose to his. Butterflies still fluttered happily in my chest.

“People will be down in a few hours for Christmas morning,” He sounded as disappointed as I felt. I must have made a face because he laughed. “Another time, I promise.” He tucked my hair behind my ear, “There’s no rush, I’m not going anywhere for a long time,”

I smiled at his words. “Thank you... for plan a and plan b. It was more than I could have asked for,”

“Not too overdone?” Doubt still seeded in his voice.

“It was perfect,” I affirmed. “You’re perfect,” I settled onto his chest, tracing abstract lines onto his cashmere sweater. Draco reached for a blanket and pulled it around my shoulders, covering us both.

“Goodnight my love,” He murmured softly.

“Night Dray,”

Draco had mentioned earlier of dreaming of sugar plum fairies, and now they led me into sleep. The security of his arms kept me warm. Thousands of stars danced in my dreams, and Draco led

the dance, pulling me into his arms, and deeper into the dream. A smile and kiss promised on his lips.

I was gently jostled, pulling me from the dream as my eyes barely fluttered open, somewhere between dream and reality.

“Shhh,” Draco hushed softly. “Just heading to bed, you’re alright,”

I smiled and closed my eyes, only clinging to consciousness long enough to curl into Draco’s arms as he tucked us into the comfort of his bed. I faintly felt a kiss pressed to my forehead before I slipped under again.

It was easy to say that Draco and I slept in longer than most that Christmas morning, already having the perfect Christmas the night before.

.

masterlist

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more like this: 

stars above

beautiful ghosts

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[milkytheholy1]

5 years alternative ending

Okay okay, yes i know i shouldnt but i just really wanted to see if theres a way to possibly get an alternate ending to 5 years? I love it but i just cant stip the idea of them traveling in the future and there a sweet babes sitting in there bouncer excited to see dad and dang fam im a sucker for the idea of him seeing they have a dmaily in the future. If you dont wanna fo this i compeletly understand

A/N: It’s weird how many people have asked me for them to have kids, but I guess if that’s what you guys want to see then here is a short version 2, if you will, of five years. Be sure to read the original or it won’t really make much sense, this is just the ending. Enjoy!

TMNT masterlist

Ultimate masterlist

Read the original

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The frames broken, if we didn’t actually move from your lab then I can go fix them.”

“Only one way to find out then, huh?” Donnie spoke, his hand trembling as he turned the door. He couldn’t focus on one exact feeling at the moment, was he flustered from you being so close to him, excited that he could have possibly just discovered the key to time travel or completely nervous about…well…everything. Stepping back as best you could, you watched as Donnie slowly opened the metal door. The light from the room beamed into the darkened pod, blinding you instantly before soon adjusting. Donnie took the first step out, not saying a word, perhaps he was in awe that he actually time-travelled; the guy was probably speechless.

He couldn’t believe his eyes, the lab, his lab, was…baby-proofed? Plug sockets were covered, his dangerous tools were placed on high shelves, screws and nails were filed away safely; Donnie had never seen his lab so clean and organised. You came around him, marvelling at the clean lab, “This is definitely not your lab,” you joked, running your finger over the spotless desk.

“What’s that meant to mean? My labs clean,” he argued with a pout, but all debates fell silent when he picked up a photograph on his desk; a family photograph to be more specific. His brothers were wrapped with their arms over each other, Master Splinter in the middle of them, you and Donnie were stood off to the side with two smaller turtles by your feet. Who were they?

Little pitter-patters of feet echoed around the lair, child-like laughter accompanying it. You glanced at Donnie with a raised brow, “Okay, your brothers are pretty stealthy but there is no way their footsteps are that light.” he could only nod in agreement. Donnie wasn’t a moron, quite the opposite, in fact, he could easily put together one and two to make three.

“(Y/N)?” he spoke, his tone unnerving. You looked at him lost, you could tell from the panic in his eyes that he was deep in thought, wandering around the caverns of his mind. First, there was the baby-proofing of his lab, the light footsteps and high laughter from outside, but the icing on the cake was the photograph. They had your eyes.

“Mommy, daddy! Barb is painting on the walls again!” Marie cried, slowly edging the lab doors open until she could squeeze her small body through. She tumbled into the lab with a sense of urgency, practically beaming when she caught you and Donnie just stood there. She rangled your leg around her arms, jostling you a small bit as she tattled on her sister.

“I-what?” you muttered out, lost for words. You quickly glanced at Donnie, a similar expression on his face, a look of anxiety but curiosity. Next another small turtle barrelled into the room, her hands covered in red and blue paint, her shell coated in purple blobs, “Look daddy, I made your favourite colour!” she mused, showcasing her purple fingertips at him. All Donnie could do was nod, the reality of these being your children slowly settling into his mind.

Both kids looked confused, why weren’t their parents responding to them? “Mommy?” Marie called out, tugging on the fabric of your jeans, startled you looked down at her with a wobbly smile. She stretched her hands out to you implying she wanted to be picked up, which you did, you stared at her face, studying all the familiar details. Her eyes were just like Donnie’s: rich golds and deep yellows encased with an added sparkle, she had freckles lining her snout, eyelashes long and curled just right; she even had a little gap on the top row of her teeth, just like Donnie.

Marie frowned at you again, “Mommy why aren’t you saying anything?” she pouted, arms crossing over her chest, adorable was a word that came to mind. “Oh ok, well, what did your…sister do?” Marie darted a glare at her sister, Barb, before replying to you in a snooty manner “She was painting over the walls.” she declared. Painting? You loved painting!

Barb made grabby hands to Donatello, wanting to be picked up like her sister. Donnie complied, albeit with reluctance, he tried to keep her messy hands away from him but soon his shoulder were red and blue; eliciting a small giggle from you.

“Oh you think this is funny?” he teased, a small smirk sketched onto his face. You nodded your head meekly, “I do,” you beamed. Donnie shared a look with the child in his arms, his beak going to her ear to whisper his devious plan, she clapped her hands in excitement, eyes going wide; “Got it!” He placed her back on the floor and immediately she rushed over to you, her hands splattered on your jeans leaving small handprints stained onto the fabric. You put Mariie back on the floor as you made an attempt to run behind Donnie, he simply grabbed you by the shoulders and forced you to take the brunt; a wicked grin on his lips.

Eventually, Barb stopped and rested against the floor, her painted-covered hands drying up. Your claw-like grip on Donnie's shoulder was released earning a sigh of relief from the terrapin, you gazed into his eyes, full of love and hope for the future. You couldn't believe this is what your life would turn out like, a small family, a husband, children. You really did it all!

"Why do you guys go find your...uncles, I'm sure they'll paint with you." Donnie offered, crouching down enough to be eye-level with them. The two girls screamed and made a dash for the lab door, stumbling as they went, "I call dibs on Uncle Mikey!" Marie shouted. Barb wasn't that far behind her, you were only now able to see the mass amount of paint on her shell and legs, "Nooo Marie, you don't even like art!" she wailed.

Once they left a feeling of peace enveloped the lab, you could feel a warmth spread through your hand at the touch of Donatello's. "So?" he mused, "So?" you replied with a grin, "We seem to have a pretty good life waiting for us here, huh?"

"You got that right," you cheered following him back to the time travel pod. Shuffling into the tight space, you questioned who named the children: "Marie?"

"Marie Curie," the name rolled off of his tongue, he turned his head to you the best he could, "Barb?"

"Barbara Kruger," you replied with ease.

[seeksstaronmewni]

The Bear Roots of Burbank Cartoons: A Lookback at Boo Boo Runs Wild

5 years ago, [adult swim] aired the greatest of all Yogi Bear / Ranger Smith episodes, “Boo Boo Runs Wild” (1999), on August 13th, 2016 A.D. at 4 AM.

Look and see, kids, how America’s not-so-average bear connects in the wide world of animation that produces many of the cartoons that you love in Burbank, Canada and more!

As and after I saw it, I knew that I found the greatest band of cartoonists out there, and that greatest band of cartoonists out there was none other than...

Spümcø, whose many creatives would end up working at Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Cartoon Network Studios, and many other popular Burbank and Canadian studios that made the cartoons I grew up and beyond watching.

Obviously, the character design is rather different, but they still look like the right characters, even with the slight color changes...

and with their items of human attire out. Ranger Smith, on the other hand...

Ranger Smith is wildly off model, and probably on purpose, throughout the picture.

Only in one scene appears he with a more familiar face.

Now, I didn’t have to watch Wild Kratts (which, by the way, features 6 Spümcø Canada creatives) to learn that “there’s only one thing a bear likes more than raiding a pic-a-nic basket.”

As the title suggests, Boo Boo loses his temper when Ranger Smith restricts him from tearing bark and decides to go primal in returning to his bear roots: “From this day forth, I’ll not dress in the man’s attire, and I’ll not speak in the man’s tongue. From now on, it’s going on all fours and grunting for me!”

Boo Boo wreaks havoc for the trees with his natural bear roots.

Unlike past episodes, however, the artists went far wilder than the usual Hanna-Barbera cartoon, making the trees alive and screaming in pain! OH, WHAT TOURTUE! Not to mention how I love Boo Boo’s goofy/manical laugh, a beautiful product of John Kricfalusi’s voice (Yes; I know that he was a formerly abusive megalomaniac who still has ADHD, but God knows what cartoons would be like today—at least those produced in Burbank and Canada—if it wasn’t for the many layout artists that he led).

Also unnatural to a Hanna-Barbera cartoon is the extreme levels of slapstick, wackiness and graphic nature of cartoons since such shows as Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures, Beany and Cecil’s DiC reboot, and The Ren & Stimpy Show. Boo Boo and now Cindy Bear are licking away at all of the honey... and bees... with insanely long tongues (may be that they’re sloth bears?). This left Yogi Bear practically speechless.

The mere sequence of dialogue between Yogi and Ranger Smith, discussing what to do about Boo Boo, involved HEAVY work in the storyboards by Vincent Waller. So many expressions that they couldn’t fit in each of Spümcø’s 3-panel storyboard pages!

As you see, in addition to Vincent Waller’s storyboards, John K. added extra poses (storyboard revisions more or less, but definitely layout poses) under the respective scenes. That way, Vincent could focus on telling and writing the story in rough pictures. (source of storyboards)

I also love the sound design. While it’s definitely true to a Hanna-Barbera cartoon, John K. and the late Henry Porch were very creative with some weird, dated and out-of-context sound effects, similar to what they and Horta Editorial did on The Ren & Stimpy Show in the first two seasons. The production music (probably APM and Capitol Records) also gave it a vintage, nostalgic feel.

Ultimately, with the aforementioned abusive megalomaniac aside, Spümcø undoubtedly harbored some of the finest animators and artists ever. Such names as Bob Jaques (Spongebob Squarepants, Buy One, Get One Free*, The Baby Huey Show), Ben Jones (DC Super Hero Girls, Cats Don’t Dance, Teen Titans GO!), Vincent Waller (Spongebob Squarepants, Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog), Albert Lozano (Inside Out, A Kitty Bobo Show), Todd White (Spongebob Squarepants), Eric Koenig (Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Madagascar, Cats Don’t Dance, The Simpsons, and The Tigger Movie), and Erik Wiese (Samurai Jack, The Mighty B!) are among the hundreds of creatives who ended up almost everywhere working in Burbank and Canadian animation.

Other names on the Spümcø team that one might recognize include Gabe Swarr (Dexter’s Laboratory, The Buzz on Maggie, Foe Paws, El Tigre), and even background artists such as Richard Daskas ( @rdaskas​ - Samurai Jack, Time Squad, Sym-Bionic Titan, Batman Beyond), Richard Ziehler-Martin (Tiny Toon Adventures, The Wacky World of Tex Avery), Hector Martinez (Tom and Jerry: Robin Hood and His Merry Mouse, Timone and Pumba, Captain N, Evil Con Carne, Dora the Explorer), and Tony Mora (MAD, Teen Titans GO! to the Movies, Pickle and Peanut). I mean: in short, these artists worked for Warner Bros. Animation, Disney Television Animation and Walt Disney Feature Animation, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network Studios!

Spümcø’s production assistants on Boo Boo Runs Wild feature Matt Danner —a fantastic character designer, storyboard artists, director and producer, whose credits range from (Johnny Test and The Legend of the Three Caballeros to Team Hot Wheels and The Looney Tunes Show—and Cartoon Brew editor Amid Amidi. Brian A. Miller was an executive in charge of production, not for but probably in association with Cartoon Network.

Spümcø’s creatives, as I said, are all over the place in Burbank animation. Other shows that still air on @adultswim​ have ex-Spümcø creatives. For example: today’s re-run of Samurai Jack EPISODE XVI features Chris Reccardi (The Powerpuff Girls, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy)...

Scott Wills (Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal, The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat)...

Lynne Naylor-Reccardi (The Shnookums and Meat Funny Cartoon Show, Wander Over Yonder) and Jim Smith (YooHoo and Friends, Tom and Jerry Tales, McGee and Me)...

and Leticia Lacy (TRON: Uprising, Sym-Bionic Titan, Wander Over Yonder, Korgoth of Barbaria).

Even outside of Cartoon Network Studios, where most ex-Spümcø artists end up, @cartoonnetwork​’s The Amazing World of Gumball, from Cartoon Network Studios Europe (AKA Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe), features ex-Spümcø artist Charlie Bean (The Powerpuff Girls, Robotboy, Batman: The Animated Series, Timone and Pumba, Creature Crunch) on The Cartoon Network Europe Development Team.

One of Cartoon Network’s biggest and craziest hits, Teen Titans GO!, also features such ex-Spümcø artists as storyboard artist, director and producer Luke Cormican (The Buzz on Maggie, Brandy and Mr. Whiskers, Brickleberry, The Replacements, El Tigre)...

Gerald de Jesus (The Book of Life, The Ricky Gervais Show, TMNT)...

and Eric J. Pringle (Fosters’ Home for Imaginary Friends, The Problem Solverz). What wacky cartoon filled with live-action images, unpredictable visual gags and extreme slapstick humor wouldn’t?

Relatively, you could even tune in to Nickelodeon, the original home of Spümcø’s ground-breaking hit, The Ren & Stimpy Show, and see names of creatives associated with Spümcø and Ren & Stimpy, such as Zeus Cervas (Star vs. the Forces of Evil, Spongebob Squarepants, Clarence) on today’s episode of The Patrick Star Show...

or even Gabe Del Valle (Mighty Magiswords, Spongebob Squarepants) on today’s episode of Middlemost Post!

Overall, Boo Boo Runs Wild introduced me to the cartoon studio whose works I took for granted and on which I was missing out all of my life, and I strongly encourage this generation to support this Yogi Bear / Ranger Smith episode, which you can watch RIGHT NOW on [adult swim]’s site. It was officially on their YouTube channel, but it was removed for unknown reasons. This short never even got a DVD or VHS release!

The last televised airing of Boo Boo Runs Wild on [adult swim] so far was January 6th, 2019 A.D., but Spümcø also produced “A Day in the Life of Ranger Smith” and “Boo Boo and the Man” (based on true events in the life of John Kricfalsui) for Cartoon Network.

As I come to a close, it’s worth noting that layout Ed Benedict, an animator and artist whose credits go all of the way back to the 1930s with Disney and continued with MGM and Hanna-Barbera/Cartoon Network Studios, originally worked on Yogi Bear episode “Yogi’s Birthday Party” as a layout artist, and reprised that very role for “Boo Boo Runs Wild”. What a legacy the animators and artists of this episode leave!

Always will I remember how Spümcø, whose legacy connects to my Cartoon Network-infused childhood, blessed me and graced me that fateful day, August 13th, 2016 A.D., with the ultimate example of the fine art of cartooning that is the Yogi Bear / Ranger Smith episode “Boo Boo Runs Wild”. I was living in the moment, and I thank God for it.

“For years they have [been] asking me to make new Yogi cartoons, but I can’t even get a half a million [dollars] to make one, probably because I actually like the characters, but 60-70 million $ to make walking corpses is economical.” - John Kricfalsui on Yogi Bear (2010)

Another Ranger Smith, Boo Boo or Yogi Bear cartoon from the people behind The Ren & Stimpy Show is highly unlikely today, due to the abuse and harassment of John K. angering the world to the point of hating and condemning the man who helped to shape not only Cartoon Network but also television animation—and animation as a whole—with an undeniable legacy of artists and animators who deserve way more credit and respect than we perhaps thought of giving as kids.

Tweet version of this post here.

[aliaslua]

Everything I wanted

Michelangelo (TMNT 2016) x Fem!reader 

Summary:  A deep friendship flourishes between the reader and Michelangelo. Despite your attempts to disregard what your heart desires, the affection between you is impossible to ignore. One day, for no apparent reason, Mike starts treating you coldly. Could this be the end of a relationship that never even started?

Category: Romantic, some angst but mainly pure fluff. 

WARNINGS: None c:

A/N: So I've been feeling super romantic lately, couldn't help but to write this fluff piece to calm my heart! Hope you like it! Also, English is not my first language, so constructive criticism is always welcome. Thank you for reading!

You can also read it on AO3 <3

How long?

You sighed deeply and continued to stir the sauce pan.

How long has it been since you realized you were in love? The memories of that heavy rainy day when Michelangelo had knocked on the balcony window were still vivid, you remember it as if it were yesterday, even though it was almost a year ago. At that time you weren't yet part of the group, effectively. You had met those vigilante - the turtles - only two weeks ago, and despite having made maybe two or three visits to the lair, their attitude towards you was still very reserved, very cautious. It made sense... They didn't know you and had a life that did not allow suspicious people around, it was the most rational thing to do. Even though you understand the point of view, it still brought you a little discomfort to be treated so coldly.

You sighed again. They all did treated you like an outside at that time... Everyone but him. In that night that now inhabited your mind, Mike had sought refuge in your apartment. The rain was too heavy to come home, could he stay overnight? Well, of course! So you brought towels and a thick blanket, you increased the fire in the fireplace and made him hot chocolate. He was so happy, so grateful. He was like that, after all: humorous, cheerful, positive.

So you spent the night together... Talking, cooking, playing cards and waiting the end of the torrential rain that insisted on falling. That had been the first time you had been up all night but the wait was not at all tedious, Mikey was so funny and so joyful that the hours passed like minutes and only when the first rays of the sun appeared on the horizon did you realized how long it had taken. 

"Damn, is it day time already?." He had said "Thanks for the company, Babycakes. Best date ever." He winked and chuckled. 

You shared with him a genuine smile and even after he left you continued to smile for the rest of the week.

That had been a year ago. After that, Michelangelo started to neglected his patrol shifts to visit you. You ordered pizza, watched series, played board games. He loved to watch you doing your hair and once or twice he had let you gave him a manicure session, his company was the highlight of your day and you guys started to see each other at least three times every week. It didn't take long for his brothers to find out and Leonardo gave him a scolding that seemed monstrous by Michelangelo's reaction when he told you - Well, guess you lost the chance you had to make a good  impression. At least Mike liked you - he did, a lot - but indiscipline had resulted in punishment and now he could only visit you when he was off duty.

It was during that period that you realized you were in love. The realization came through you like thunder. You were waiting for him to come in through the window, but he didn't show up. You remembered that he wouldn't come - the punishment also involved not leaving the lair for a month, only for missions - and you realized the terrible sadness of knowing that you wouldn't see him. Suddenly, his absence felt like a hole in your chest and the pain was more than spiritual: you could feel the unbearable contraction of your own heart. In the weeks that followed you tried to rationalize: "He's my friend and I like him. Of course I miss him! That's absolutely normal. Nothing wrong or unusual. It doesn't mean I am in love" Maybe, maybe. If you don't say it, if you don't accept it, if you deny it until the end, then it won't be true. It is not love.

But it was. It undeniably was. When that month finaly passed and you saw his shadow crackle on your balcony again the vivid heat that stung your chest screamed that he was the man you loved. You still remembered the feeling of being in his arms again. His scent, his skin, his laughter, his soft voice that whispered in your ear how he had missed you, you still remembered the thrill you felt in your body when he popped a kiss on your ear.

From then on things had gone downhill. Your denial transformed into a snowball that grew to a point that was impossible to ignore. You started to visited him at the Lair once a week and you still had weekly visits in your apartment, you had your own internal jokes and non-verbal codes. The hugs became longer and longer and letting go seemed irrational, while everything about him felt right: his smile, his arms, the way he scratched his neck when he needed to think, the way he tucked your hair back behind your ear , the teasing, the flirting ... Everything was perfect, it was suffocating, it was too much.

The kitchen alarm woke you out of your trance. You drained the noodle water. Today was wednesday and Michelangelo had promised to visit, but canceled at the last minute. Recently things have been... weird. One day you had arrived at the Lair and you felt a tension that hung in the air, that kind that remains after an interrupted fight. Mike started to be awkward, embarrassed, shy. This suspicious posture caught you off guard and suddenly it seemed like you didn't even know each other. He had stopped calling you by petnames, he didn't give you hugs anymore and the messages were so rare that sometimes they didn't even come. You didn't understand what had happened. What had you done? It was impossible to know. But canceling today's meeting had been the last straw and the message was clear to you. It had ended before it even started.

A deep sigh made you swallow the knot in your throat and with a forkful of your dinner, you held back your tears. Maybe it wasn't meant to be. You were too different. How could it be? He was the hero of the city and you couldn't be more ordinary. A large sip of wine warmed your body. This time, a single tear ran uncontrolled down your cheek. You would never get over him. You would never stop missing him. You would be forever haunted by the cruel doubt of not knowing where it had gone wron-

A soft knock on your balcony window made you jump in fright. You immediately recognized the noise, how could you forget? That had been a harbinger of your happiness for the past year. Mikey.

In a hurry, you wiped away the single tear with the back of your hand. When you arrived in the living room, he had already entered. There was a giant space between you. Normally you would run to hug him but it all seemed so inappropriate now. Your heart was beating so fast that you could feel it in your throat. You looked at him and it seemed that you weren't the only one who had been crying.

"Y/N I ..." He took a deep breath. He looked different. Perhaps older, matured by sadness. His eyes no longer had the sparkle that had made you fallen in love with him. "I'm sorry to come at this hour. I ... I ..."

A deafening silence filled the room.

"I can't stay like this anymore." He finally said, in a sigh "I can't, it's impossible. I can't eat, I can't drink ... I can't think of anything... I have no motivation to do anything I ... I can't live anymore with all of this in the chest. I ... I need to hear you reject me. "

"What?"  Was all you could say, astonished.

"It's all I am asking for. Please reject me. Tell me already that I am a monster, that I took advantage of your trust and friendship and that if you knew it that would came to this you would never have been so kind. Please ..." This time you had no doubts, he was crying. "Please, just tell me! End all my hopes, because I can't think of anything else. I-I can't live in peace until you finally tell me the obvious. For God sake. Tell me that you don't love me back. So I can finaly get over this stupid dream and move on!"

"What." You said pathetically, for the second time in a roll.

He crossed the room with determination. He approached you with the same delicacy and affection that you thought had disappeared and with the same care he kindly held you face.

"I'm in love with you. I am in love with you since that first day when you gave me a blanket and made me hot chocolate, when we played cards and talked about basketball. You are a sight inked on my mind and since I met you I can't think of anything else." He closed his eyes bitterly "If everything was different ... I-If I were different, I would do anything to be everything you needed. But I know ... I-I know I'm not... I am not the man you want and more than that I know that I’m not the man you deserve... But I can’t spend another minute pretending I don’t dream about you every day, because honestly, I’m going crazy. Just say it. Say that this is impossible and that I am the last person in the world that you would like to be- "

When your lips touched, it was as if an electric current was running through your body. There he was, Mike, your Mike, back in your arms, asking you to do the impossible. There was nothing to be said - You could only show him. His eyes widened with the unexpected advance, but with the same speed he returned the kiss, deepening it. His lips were everything you had imagined, warm and soft and it was almost impossible to contain your moan when he dropped his hands to your waist and pulled you closer. Your body was hot but it was no longer because of the wine, the repressed desire turned to caresses and your bodies seemed to scream "finally, oh god, finally!"

The pause for breathing was followed by two panting bodies. Leaning on his arms, a stunning view of his blue eyes was the only thing that interested you.

"I love you, Michelangelo. "You said, almost whispering." I love you, I love you, I love you. "

He smiled for the first time since arriving at your apartment, you saw clearly when his eyes started to shine again. You joined together again in a long, hot, lingering kiss. Lost in the heat between your legs, the cold in your belly and the joy in your heart, you could only think of how everything was perfect.

You sat on the couch, you on his lap. The night was still young and silence was enough to describe the joy you shared in that embrace. Finally in his arms, you laid your head on his shoulder while he played with your hair. Staying there, with him, was everything you wanted, for the rest of your life.

"I will make you the happiest woman in the world." He said while sniffing your hair.

"I already am." You said, after kissing his neck "You already did."

[vvatchword]

yonder cringe

Back when I was 11, I had to bring up a VHS tape to school. There was a science program at the end that pertained to something we were learning. So I get up at the front of the classroom and stick the tape in the player and fast-forward. An episode of 1987 TMNT is playing. Season 10, the first episode, as I recall. God I loved that shit

Well, I wasn’t thinking about it at all. I was thinking about how far away the science episode is. And suddenly I hear this low titter bubble up into laughter across the classroom.

I turn around and I’m honestly confused. Did someone tell a joke? What did I miss?

I lock eyes with one of the kids in the front row: Gabriel Ramirez. Infamous in sixth grade for sticking his hand in his pocket in history class to play ball. But anyway, Gabe was like, “Who watches Ninja Turtles?”

The following thoughts ran through my mind in this order:

Wait a minute. I’m not supposed to like TMNT?

TMNT is shameful because it’s for babby?

But I am not babby and I love it.

In fact, I know it is not for babby! (I had been accidentally given the trade paperbacks of the original comics, which are full of death and murder.)

These people don’t know what they’re talking about.

Should I not love TMNT? Is something wrong with me?

I don’t want to not love it.

Should I not love TMNT for my classmates?

LOL NO these people suck

Y’all can fuck right off.

I then proceeded to be the most badass that I have probably ever been: while standing at the front of a classroom of my peers, I stared at them without speaking or blinking while their laughter got awkward and petered off.

“Anyway, here’s my fucking Beakman episode u fuckers,” I thought. “Go to hell.” Except it was in a surge of feeling because I was a strait-laced appropriate West Texas evangelical and didn’t swear at the time.

Besides the most salient point (we were all ten and eleven. WHAT OTHER AGE IS MORE APPROPRIATE FOR 87 TMNT), this remains both one of the coolest and most sobering moments of my life. On one hand, and perhaps most importantly: it showed that I didn’t give a single goddamn fuck whether other people like what I like. It’s pointless to even worry about that shit. For that brief second where I wondered whether or not I should conform, I realized that these people impacted my life in absolutely NO WAY. They didn’t come home with me. Which stands in direct contrast to Ninja Turtles, who made me giddy with happiness every day. So, like, why should I give that up for these people who give me nothing and for whom I feel absolutely nothing?

Unfortunately, I also learned that you can’t show people the shit you love. Middle school was the beginning of this unfortunate period I’d like to call, “In which Rachel realizes she’s not on the same wavelength as literally anyone else at any point ever.” I have lost every single popularity contest I have ever been in, and the weird things I like and the weird ways I talk and present are part of the Why.

Why even start, I thought at some point in sixth grade, and I haven’t tried ever since.

As an example: while I was working as a checker at Wal-Mart, I was serving a scuzzy guy in a wifebeater, and after I greeted him, he asked me, “Why are you talking like that?” I still have no idea what I said that was weird and I was deeply concerned afterward, like: how am I presenting to other people that makes me so goddamn odd? And I get worse the younger I am, which makes Past-Me a little terrifying to ponder.

Well, this entire concept came up during therapy, and the outcome was hilarious. Where other people might find it difficult to talk about their sexuality or whatever, I have a lot of difficulty talking about TMNT, writing, art, and especially the subjects of that writing and art. It’s more embarrassing for me to bring those subjects up to strangers—including to my therapist, who knows more about me right now than anybody.

It was a shocking realization, to be honest. I have always thought that I was honest and open to an almost inappropriate level. But I realized then that, no, I definitely shield certain parts of me, and jealously. For example, I don’t tell people IRL that I write, and I don’t WANT to. Like, deeply. I feel slightly panicky if it ever comes up, even if it’s on-topic. I also don’t want strangers in my personal space—deeply, reflexively. This also explains one oddity that I’ve often wondered about: whenever I got a cubicle of my own, I never put personal things in it, only work things.

I’m protective. I need to protect my Happy Places because people don’t LIKE my Happy Places. They don’t LIKE what makes me happy. There’s also a fear that they’re going to look down on me afterward, and that’s something that I think rankles more than anything. Like, you thought I was fine until you saw I liked this piece of media, and now I’m NOT okay…? What the fuck is wrong with you? (And from that moment on, our relationship is always going to be awkward, like they’re holding me at arm’s length while being Nice, and I know that every discussion about me starts off as: “She’s nice, BUT…”)

And you can know in your mind the whole time that there’s nothing really wrong with you, not really. So you like some weird piece of media not everyone else does. It doesn’t hurt anyone. Who cares? Well, I do. And for good reason. There’s social blowback that makes life uncomfortable. What I like is just not socially acceptable, at least not in the ways that I like it. So I just don’t talk about it and it’s safe. It’s fine.

Therapist had a good point, though. If I want to pursue a romantic/platonic relationship with real live people, there’s something toxic there that needs to be undone—the way I hold people at arm’s length because I feel I can’t trust them—and at some point I’ve got to lower the shields. I do tend to drop person-to-person relationships pretty fast, probably for that reason.

She’s aiming at the following concept: that I need to be able to feel like I can communicate honestly with other people, with whom I feel both no connection and yet need. This might be genuinely painful tbh. To take Being Cringe, which I am, inherently.

RIP me