#tried to find the source but only found the vid on x

[grogumaximus]

Gianni: Someone in the chat said you have the voice of an angel.

Max: Yeah, I hear that a lot, actually.... Lewis said the same.

[meticulouswriting]

Helpless

Pairing: Jaina Shepard x Garrus Vakarian Fic Summary: Garrus has rarely ever felt helpless. But Shepard has a way of turning the galaxy upside down. Rating: SFW Warnings: None

AO3

There have been very few times in his life that Garrus Vakarian had ever felt helpless.

The first time red tape had blocked him from stopping a man he knew was guilty; he’d felt it then. Like all his training and skill and effort meant nothing at all. The man had been caught eventually, but not before claiming one more victim. A victim that might’ve gone on living for decades more if Garrus had been allowed to act. He’d hated that feeling, hated knowing that he could’ve helped people if there hadn’t been so many damned rules getting in his way. Remembering that moment, and the others like it that followed in his years at C-Sec, had made going with Shepard an easy decision to make. It felt like freedom, being able to act as the situation called for, without waiting for half a dozen superiors to approve every move he made. Even when they were done hunting Saren, when he left the Normandy and tried going back to work on the Citadel, he’d felt lighter.

He’d felt helpless, again, when he found out that the Normandy had been shot down. That Shepard had been shot down. Even though he knew that his presence probably wouldn’t have been enough to save her, he still felt like he should’ve been there, should’ve been able to do something.

Should’ve been able to tell her how much she’d meant to him, at the very least.

Then he was on Omega, and he was finally getting back a sense of control, leading his men and actually making a dent in the crime that seemed to be everywhere. Until Sidonis’s betrayal, where he was helpless again, unable to see through the ruse or act fast enough to save his men. He couldn’t even hunt down the traitor and avenge them. In a way, it felt right that he should go down fighting, not far from where his men had done the same. At least then he was doing something, and maybe he’d take enough of the mercs down with him to cripple the organizations for a long while after he was gone.

But he didn’t die on Omega. He was saved by a ghost with an assault rifle, the one person he’d never expected to see until he ended up in whatever heaven was waiting for human Spectres and Turian vigilantes. Shepard came with a mission, and just like that he had purpose again. A way to actually do something that mattered, just like the good old days on the SR-1.

Well, not just like them. This time, he was the one who came to Shepard’s cabin in the night, interspecies awkwardness forgotten while they “blew off steam” in the best possible way. This time, he realized that she was more than his best friend, more than a soldier he looked up to. This time, Shepard was his, and he was hers.

Knowing that made leaving the Normandy easier. Garrus was frustrated when the Alliance seized the ship, furious that they couldn’t see that she’d had no other choice but to blow the Alpha relay, but this time he didn’t feel helpless. The Turian Hierarchy was finally ready to listen to the warnings he and Shepard had been giving for three years, and, token task force or not, he felt like he was actually doing something. He missed her, desperately, but he knew that if anyone could find a way out of the situation and back into the fight, it was Shepard.

But then came the invasion on Palaven. And on Manae, Garrus watched Palaven burn. He realized then that, skilled as he was, there wasn’t a single thing within his power to do that could even put a scratch on the enemies they faced. Even seeing Shepard again--and Spirits, was it good to see that woman--didn’t help the crushing weight of the lives that were lost every day on his home while they were forced to make nice with politicians.

Fighting the Reapers helped. Working with Shepard, with Tali, Ashley, and Liara, it felt a little bit like it used to, like it was them against the galaxy, but this time they had the resources and support to make a real difference. The Crucible was coming together, and after months of running errands, making threats, and gritting her teeth through negotiations, Shepard somehow managed to get every race in the galaxy to fight at their backs. Garrus didn’t know if they’d survive the final assault, but at this point he thought only an idiot would bet against Shepard.

Of course, things started to go wrong as soon as they landed on Earth. Shepard’s team fought their way through wave after wave of husks and Reapers, only to be nearly crushed by one of their own tanks, sent flying by a Reaper beam. 

He tried not to see the irony in the fact that, after so many times fearing for his life in a Mako with Shepard at the wheel, it was one she wasn’t even driving that finally managed to put him out of commission.

And now Garrus was helpless again, limping onto the Normandy while Shepard went on to the beam. He didn’t miss the fact that she hadn’t promised to come back. More than ever before, he felt useless, sitting in the med bay while the only woman he’d ever loved was facing off with whatever last defense the Reapers were throwing at her.

Garrus heard the shouts of triumph over comms when she managed to open the arms of the Citadel, then of confusion and despair when, for a few long minutes, nothing happened. He limped his way to the CIC, where Traynor was doing everything she could to get some information on what was actually happening. He waited for what seemed like hours, waited for orders, for answers. 

Then a blast of energy fired from the Crucible, and in the chaos that came in reaction, Garrus had a few glimpses of the vids from the assembled fleets.

Vids of Sovereign-class Reapers, powering down mid-attack. Vids of Reaper forces on the ground collapsing without taking a hit.

Vids of the Citadel, large chunks breaking off and falling out of orbit to the planet below. 

Even in the middle of the celebrations starting to break out, he couldn’t help but imagine Shepard on every one of those falling sections of debris, drifting through space again, but this time with no Cerberus to find and revive her.

The thoughts were harder to banish the longer they went without hearing anything, and soon people started to murmur, things about a heroic sacrifice and a noble death. And Garrus was totally, completely helpless.

Somehow he had found his way to the mess, gazing blankly into the cup of something hot someone had set in front of him. As if from a distance, he heard Liara confer with Ashley and Joker about “making arrangements.” About the memorial wall that seemed to laugh at him from its place in front of the elevator.

They put up Anderson’s name first. Ashley, as the highest-ranking Alliance member on board, putting it carefully into place in the center, under the Alliance crest. She said something about Anderson’s commitment to humanity, his tenacity fighting the Reapers, his pride in the Normandy and her crew. 

Truthfully Garrus didn’t really hear any of it. He was too busy staring at the nameplate Liara had pressed into his hands. Commander Shepard. It seemed too small to represent everything she was. Everything she used to be. Not just to him, but to the galaxy that now owed her everything. And if he did nothing else with what was left of his life, he was going to make damn sure they remembered that.

He realized that Ashley had stopped speaking, and that everyone was staring at him expectantly, with mixtures of sadness and pity on all of their faces.

He took a step forward, wiped an invisible speck of dust off of the plaque he clutched like a lifeline. No words came out when he tried to speak. But then again, he didn’t know that there were words for this, in any language.

The ship’s comm chimed to life, EDI’s voice coming over the system. “I apologize for the interruption,” she said, “but there’s something you all need to hear.” 

Garrus was opening his mouth to demand why she thought now was an appropriate time to give a status report, when he heard it: ragged breathing, distorted by interference. And a voice. One that he’d recognize anywhere, from a hundred firefights and dozens of nights spent together. “This… is Commander Shepard. Broadcasting on all channels…” her voice was weak, interrupted by hacking coughs, but it was hers and it was there. “Time… unknown. Location… unknown. Somewhere…” she drew in a long, shaky breath, “somewhere on the Citadel. Condition… not great. But alive. Repeat, I am alive.”

She repeated the same message several times, EDI leaving the comm line open as the crew went into a frenzy of activity. In just a few minutes, Ashley, Tali, and Liara were all on comms with their people, trying to pinpoint the signal, to set up a rescue team as soon as possible. One of Liara’s Shadowbroker agents got ahold of Miranda, transporting her to the best hospital facility available to wait on standby. The Quarian fleet was ready to bring in any supplies she needed to restore Shepard once again, and an Alliance emergency team was dispatched to the source of Shepard’s signal. A squadron of Turian fighters volunteered as escorts for the medical transport that would be rescuing her.

And Garrus, once again, was left helpless, not able to do a thing to speed up or assist with the rescue. The ship was too far away to make it to the Citadel quickly, their shuttles not equipped with what was needed to get her out and keep her alive. All they could do was monitor the rescuers over comm, listen to Shepard still gasping out her message, and make their way to the hospital as quickly as possible to await her arrival.

He sat with the rest of Shepard’s people in the waiting room, perched on one of the molded plastic chairs that were clearly not designed for anxious Turians. He waited as they brought her in, as Miranda and a team of surgeons did their job. They wouldn’t let him--or any non-medical personnel, for that matter--in the room, so he was forced to rely on reports that one of the doctors gave every few hours.

Extensive physical trauma, they said. Her Cerberus implants had staved off the beginnings of infection, but even the Illusive Man’s tech and Miranda’s expertise could only do so much. Broken bones, internal bleeding, lacerations from falling debris. Even with his admittedly limited knowledge of human anatomy and medicine, Garrus knew that none of what they said was good.

But this was Shepard, and so as awful as the waiting was, he believed that she would make it through this, too.

He had to believe it.

After seventeen long hours--seventeen hours of waiting, of sleeplessness, of ignoring the dextro rations someone had found for him--Miranda herself finally entered the room, still in medical scrubs. Garrus straightened in the seat, nudging Tali, who at some point had fallen asleep leaning on his arm, and waited for Miranda to speak.

The woman was more exhausted and less put-together than he’d ever seen her, with her hair in an untidy bun and dark circles under her eyes marring her flawless complexion. But she was smiling. “She’s going to make it,” she said. “It wasn’t easy, and she’ll need time to recover, but she’s awake, and she’s coherent. A few of you can go see her now, but…”

Garrus didn’t hear the rest of what she said, already halfway out of his chair by the time she spoke. He stormed through the doors to the hallway, exhaustion forgotten as he made his way to Shepard’s hospital room. One of the guards at the door almost tried to stop him, but the other--one of the women who had been stationed at the Normandy’s war room--waved him through and whispered something to her companion.

He stopped in the doorway, taking a moment to look at Shepard before she noticed him watching. She looked… tiny, in the sterile hospital bed. She was propped up by pillows, her red hair fanning out beneath her head. Nearly every bit of skin he could see was covered in either bruises or bandages, and even under her thin blanket he could make out a bulky cast on one leg.

But she was there, in one piece, and, most importantly, alive.

She turned her head at the sigh of relief he gave, smiling weakly when she saw him. The right side of her face was nearly covered by ugly scrapes and deep purple bruising, and there was a line of stitches curving from the edge of her brow to just past her cheekbone. But her eyes were as bright as ever, even with one surrounded by battered flesh. He took a few steps closer, almost afraid that a sudden movement would make her disappear.

“You look like shit, Vakarian,” she said, her voice hoarse.

He laughed at that, crossing the rest of the distance to stand at her side. And if the laugh sounded a little bit like a sob, she didn’t mention it.

“Look who’s talking, Shepard,” Garrus replied, and gently took her unbandaged hand in one of his.

“You should see the other guy.” And she was still bloodied and bruised, but the crooked, cocky way she grinned up at him was undeniably Shepard, and he practically collapsed into the chair beside her bed. She pointed at the injured side of her face. “Look,” she said, “we match.” And he laughed again, not caring that this time it was undeniably watery.

She squeezed his hand as tightly as she could--and he tried not to think about how much stronger that squeeze should’be been--and listened as he told her about what had happened after they’d parted, that the crew were all alive, all waiting to see her, that the ship was in one piece and the Reapers were disabled. She didn’t say much, seemed too exhausted to do more than smile and squeeze his hand periodically, but she was awake and clear-headed enough to listen. He rambled on about everything he could think of, and sometime between telling her that Vega had cried when they’d heard her message, though he denied it, and describing how loud Tali snored, even through her mask, she drifted off to sleep. 

He panicked for a moment when her grip on his hand relaxed, but a nurse who was monitoring her life signs assured him that there was nothing wrong, and that the sleep would do her good. Garrus refused to leave her side, even when one of her doctors tried to usher him out. But apparently someone important enough to give orders backed him up, because after a little while a Turian-style cot was brought in and set up less than a foot away from Shepard’s bed.

He stayed there, at her side, for as long as she was there, only leaving for quick showers or when his family managed to get a comm through. Even then, he made sure someone he trusted was with her, and he was never gone for more than half an hour. When the hospital staff brought in meals for her, they also brought a tray of dextro food for him. Their friends visited, a few at a time, whenever they could, bringing small gifts and stories about the beginnings of the rebuilding effort.

The galaxy still seemed to still be reeling; the Mass Relays had gone dark for about seven Earth-days in the wake of the Crucible blast, then had started come back on with no warning, one by one. Some of them had taken damage, but the relay system was on its way back to being fully operational. Most civilizations seemed to be focused on cleaning out the remains of Reaper forces and securing safe places for their people; true reconstruction of what they’d lost would take a few months to get underway.

Shepard didn’t like to talk about what she’d seen and done after entering the beam to the Citadel. But after a few days, she started opening up a little when the two of them were alone. From what they could piece together, they figured what she’d seen had been some kind of security protocol programmed into the Citadel itself, a last-ditch effort by the Reapers to turn her away from her goal. The consequences she’d feared hadn’t seemed to come true, other than the Mass Relays shutting down, but even that had been temporary. Her cybernetics were still working, EDI was still running the Normandy, and the few messages they’d gotten from Rannoch showed that the geth were still functioning and helping the Quarians reclaim their home. More than anything, Garrus wished that he’d been there to help her through her encounter with whatever the child had been, instead of waiting on the Normandy and feeling helpless.

And Garrus still felt helpless, whenever the pain medication didn’t cover the worst of her aches, or when the doctors gave each other concerned looks over Shepard’s chart. But Shepard was making progress, recovering along with the rest of the galaxy.

And Garrus was by her side, every step of the way.

[imma-lil-teapot]

Each TMNT Incarnation and Where They Stand With Me :)

(Nervous chuckle) ... Yeah no, I suck at titles. Moving on! 

Y’all can go ahead and skip this part if you’re not interested in senseless rambling and just wanna get to the TMNT fun~ ;) 

Soooooo, I’ve recently updated my Tumblr page to a blog dedicated to all my fandoms (musing, headcanons, writing, gifs, pics, the works, basically anything and everything in relation to them) since I wasn’t really ever doing anything with it other than using it to share pics mostly. But ever since I stumbled back into the TMNT fandom, I’ve been searching Tumblr for fan content and OMGOSH, did I hit the jackpot! Headcanons, fanfics, Turtle x reader stories, so much juicy stuff! Am hooked! Dunno why I never tried searching for similar stuff in the past for my other fandoms! I guess I just... didn’t realize there was so much content here. :O But anyway, I always wanted a place to share ideas and thoughts regarding my fandoms outside of sites like Deviantart and Fanfiction.net, and heck, it’s been here under my nose all this time... Y’all gonna have to forgive me; I’m an old fart. ;P (Insert image of Slowpoke for reference) So without further ado... 

LET’S GET THIS PIZZA PARTY STARTED! 

Imma start this blog off really simple and, as the title states, just give you all a small-ish idea of where each TMNT universe stands (or ranks?) with me, personally... Note the ‘personally’ part so please don’t feel offended if I don’t share the same opinion as you on a particular verse. ^^; I have my own tastes and will respect the next person’s when it comes to them. ;) Also, please beware the typos (which there most definitely will be)...

IN RELEASE DATE ORDER: (Hopefully they’re right)

MIRAGE COMICS~

Imma just say it: I haven’t read any of them yet. :/ There probably are sites out there that would allow you to view them online for free, but in truth, I’ve been a little slack about trying to find any... That may however change someday as I always tell myself I should really seek out the source material so it’s only a matter of time. What I do know, however, is that they’re of course a lot darker than most incarnations (which I don’t have a problem with personally) and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious as to exactly how much darker. X’D The closest I’ve come to ‘knowing’ these Turts comes from watching the Turtles Forever movie and they weren’t in it for a long time so it’s very difficult to say what they actually mean to me, so we’ll just put these guys down in the ‘not sure’ column for now. ;)

1987 CARTOON~

HAHA~ I think any fan of the franchise as a whole knows this little gem! The series that really hit it off and spawned over a 190 eps! Quite an impressive feat for a Saturday morning cartoon! It made its way to TVs the year before I was born, but it would take another few before it would reach our tubes (we’re always a few years behind the rest of the world :/ ) so I was around four when I was first introduced to it and needless to say, I loved it back then! Michelangelo was initially my fav due to him being my older brothers’ fav and the one they mainly spoke of, but it didn’t take long before my favering gravitated towards Leonardo (even at such a young age) and has been that way ever since. ;) But where exactly does the series stand with me as an adult nowadays with so many other verses we’ve been exposed to? I do hold a lot of nostalgia (as many older do) for it, and I mean, come on, that theme song is ageless, and I even started watching a lot of vids involving the original VAs and the shenanigans they get up to and seriously, it’s so heartwarming and fun to see them! But I have to be honest...

It’s not my fav verse, honestly. I will always adore them, of course, because of the nostalgia and the goofiness... But it’s the latter that’s mostly the reason for it being placed a bit lower on the favoritism ladder. While its a fun watch if you want something lighthearted, I still prefer the idea of the darker undertones that comes with being associated with ninjas. It’s just a preference. Plus, the Turtles designs are big one for me, and I’m sorry to say, but I keep seeing these fellas as more frog-like than turtle, despite the shells. X’D So yeah, no big reasoning for it, and even if someone were to ask me if I like these guys, I’ll still say yes, just that they’re not my ultimate fav is all. ;)

Also, we won’t talk about the Japanese Anime Ninja Turtles: Superman Legend or something to that extent... We’ll just let that one be gently swept under the carpet. ;) Only ever saw the trailer for it and that’s all I’ll ever need to see in my lifetime.

1990 MOVIES TRILOGY~

Now funny enough, I really don’t remember ever seeing these movies as a kid, though it’s possible I did and just maybe blocked the memory, but I highly doubt it... So yeah, I saw these movies as an adult already. The first is praised by most fans, and honestly, I can see why: it’s pretty good! :D The acting is very decent and the humour’s brilliant! The two sequels... not so much but still okay. ;) Where they sit with me... Not too far on the ladder again I’m afraid. :/ While I do really enjoy and appreciate the acting and that humour (”I made a funny.” X’D) it mostly comes down to the Turtles designs again... I really can’t see past them being actors in costumes rather than characters. :’( Granted, good actors. ;) And heck, Jim Henson did a phenomenal job! They’re just not really the movies for me is all, even if I do go back and watch ‘em every now and then. X’D I do however melt every time at the scene in the first movie where Raph wakes up in the bath and Leo’s there and apologizing and all... Makes me all gooey inside! X’D The feels are real! Speaking of Leo, though, he sounds even younger than Mikey. Small nitpick, that, but... why? X’D

But yeah, let’s just say, they’re good movies, just, not my favs.

Also, Coming Out Of Their Shells tour... Yeah, I’m gonna just... pretend that doesn’t exist for a minute. 

THE NEXT MUTATION~

Nope.

Saw one ep as a kid and am not interested in seeing anymore.

Although, VA Matt Hill voices Raph. That’s one good thing.

2003/2k3~

Well it wasn’t already apparent by my avatar... Ladies and gents, I present to you... My fav TMNT verse to date! Oh my goodness, where do I even begin with this delicious series?! :D Firstly, animation: so appealing, comic book-y style! Their designs: without sounding pervy, veeeeeeeery appealing (hehehehehe), no seriously, they sometimes have a bitta bulk to them but it honestly works, and dem muscles, and the cool eyes! The VAs: spot on! Perfect! Wouldn’t have ‘em any other way! Make me melt, Mr. Michael Sinterniklaas~ (cough) Their personalities: Omgosh, just yes! So perfect! They’re easily differentiated and yet still work together so well. Leo’s mature and level-headed (well, most of the time ;P ) yet still gets tested a lot and even has a fun side that’s shown on occasion. Raph’s grouchy and violent but is shown on more than one occasion that’s he’s total softie and really does care. Don’s just a sweetheart and freakishly smart and even has slips ups from time to time. Mikey... omgosh, best Mikey ever! So much fun! So hilarious! And just a bundle of energy, but not at all an idiot like he’s sometimes portrayed in other verses. He’s witty, mischievous and just so adorable! Heck, even Master Splinter, April, Casey, the lot of them are just awesome in this series! And wow, they really do lean more towards the source material (or so I’m told) when it comes to the plots! It’s darker than the other previous verses yet still remaining kid-friendly (although I question it at times XD) and omgosh, it’s just everything I want in a TMNT universe! Granted, it’s not perfect perfect, but it nailed it for me. ;) It really showed so lovely character developments, alsortsa different genres, the humour will leave you in stitches, the Turts are all just so lovable, I can’t get enough of them! This series was really my high point and I’ve yet to find one that tops it~

Btw, this even includes Fast Forward and Back to the Sewer (BTTS). The former being my least fav of the series simply due to the setting and again, it’s just preference. I even liked BTTS, even though I’m not overly fond of a cyberspace setting, but I found myself really liking the art style and the general plot. :D 

2007/2k7~

As with the last, if you’ve picked up on the page’s header/banner, you’d have probably guessed that the 2007 movie is also a good candidate for one my favs... And you’d be correct. ;) I’m actually very fond of this movie, and it’s largely due to the Turtles designs. I love how they were done! They just look so cool! <3 Subtle differences tell the viewer who’s who even if they didn’t have a mask or weapons. The VAs were also pretty good~ Now, the story isn’t the greatest, I’ll admit. Personally I thought it was okay, but know many fans think otherwise. But I did like the confrontation between Leo and Raph! It got real there, peeps! :O Now here’s also where it falls a little on its face for me: I didn’t really like how they handled Leo’s personality (if you haven’t already picked up on it, yes, I’m a Leo fangirl and I’m picky when it comes to how they handle his personality) but it’s a nitpick again, yet, I still feel compelled to state my opinion: the whole “I’m better than you.” comment really took me back and made me think they pushed it. I honestly like to believe he’d never actually say something like that... at least, 2003!Leo wouldn’t. X’D But that’s just my problem: I’m comparing a different verse’s Leo to this one and whether I like it or not, he said it. :/ Oh well, it still made for some fun action scenes and I’ll still always like the movie.

Bit of a goof on my side: I honestly thought that this movie was made to tie in with the 2003!verse due to the timeline in which it was produced, but turns out, it’s actually closer to the 1990′s timeline although still considered it’s own verse.

2012/2k12~

Oooh boy, lemme prepare for the backlash real quick... I’m uhhhh... not a fan of these boys. :/ I don’t mind them, but I’m honestly never gonna watch the series again. It’s hard to top your fav when you’ve kinda already hit your high point, ya know. Now before you light your torches and sharpen your pitchforks, hear me out: I will never bash the series, or make fun of anyone who likes it! Or anything to that extent! It’s just wasn’t for me, plain and simple, and it’s got nothing to do with it being ‘new’ or I’m just an old fart stuck in my ways. Heck, If you’re still reading, you would’ve found out that even nostalgia couldn’t beat the series that grasped me in my teens! So no, it has nothing to do with age. But if you do need a reason: I wasn’t overly fond of how they handle the characters. For one, they look and act a bit too young, Mikey is just... wow, something else. Donnie’s... sheesh, pretty snappy and antagonising. Raph’s well... okay, he’s meant to be angry half the time, and they did give him some more layers with Spike and Mona Lisa and whatnot, but he still kinda never learns his lesson if I can say that? He’ll learn that he shouldn’t cause issues with others, yet next episode he’s back at it again. :/ Leo’s... wow, just not like other Leos. X’D Best way I can describe him is... young? Very childlike. And even when he was progressing to becoming this better leader, I honestly couldn’t even see the change. My mind was just stuck on this “He’s a babeh.” notion. Also, I’m not even gonna start on this April and Casey. Just. No. Most of the characters were annoying and I just kept seeing recycled plot after plot. What I did like was the romance that blossomed between Raph and Mona (albeit far too rushed) and even Donnie liking April was adorable (but seriously Donnie, you can do so much better), and there were some really heartfelt moments, like Splinter telling Leo to leo his brothers with his heart and not his head, and the scenes when they were Tots will always make me squeal... But yeah... without leaving any spoilers.... about Splinter... just... thanks, Nickelodeon. Y’all know what I mean. Not once... But twice.... Really? So yeah, look, I realized some of those reasons might even be petty, but again, it’s just not the series for me, but anyone who’s a fan... You keep being a fan! ;) I’m glad you can enjoy something I can’t. ;)

2014/2k14/2016/2k16 AKA BAYVERSE~

HAHA~ Every fan’s favorite... If only. X’D Jokes aside, despite many fans claiming the Bay movies ruined the franchise, these two films gathered a small following... And I’m apart of it. :) Funny enough, I honestly didn’t know what to think of them when the movie first came out. I think I was just taken aback by the sheer amount of detail and all that went into their designs. I didn’t not like them, but again, their designs were a lot to take in. :O Even now after seeing the movies quite a few times over, I find myself constantly discovering something I didn’t notice on them before, be it a strap or a scar etc. And it honestly took some getting use to their sizes, I mean, sheesh! :O Not to mention the different background story, and Megan Fox’s wooden, expressionless acting, but despite all that... I found myself actually growing attached to these hulks of Turtles. They still have a lot of that heart in them and plus they’re just so much fun, I mean, can we say ‘Elevator scene’? X’D Now again, not perfect by anys mean, but still fun and pretty decent incarnations to add to the franchise. Again, Leo’s been given this ‘Better than you’ a bit which irked me to be frank. Not always but it’s there sometimes, but otherwise alright. Raph’s a decent Raph. Even had some tender moments. Donnie’s adorable! X’D This slightly potty mouthed geek that you just gotta love. And Mikey... although given that bitta ‘idiot’ feel, is also just as lovable and you want to hug him every time he’s onscreen! 

In short, I like ‘em. :) They’re actually closer to the top of the ladder than some others.

RISE OF THE TMNT/ROTTMNT/2018/2K18~

Yeeeeeeeeuuuuuuh... no. Sorry. Not for me. :/ Again, gonna remind y’all, nothing to do with age. Nothing to do with change. I will say that the fluid animation is nice, and the fact that they chose 2D animation. :) Buuuuuut, wow, they were certainly a lot to take in. Almost as much as Bay’s Turtles. After watching a few eps, I will conclude that they really just aren’t what I’m looking for. I found that the constant joking, while sometimes funny, got a little bit much, plus such short eps. Raph being leader was a switch and one that took awhile to get use to and honestly, I’m just not for it, I don’t even know where to begin with Donnie, Mikey’s okay, Leo... (deep breath) I don’t know what they were thinking... Let’s not even go to Master Splinter. But anyways, I get that change was what they were going for and that it was more so based on the 1987 toon with the silliness so that’s fine. I’m glad it’s got so many fans. :) And honestly, I wanna end off just by saying...

That no matter what your thoughts on what I’ve said, I hope you can respect my opinions and choices cause at the end of the day, they’re just my own, and I will always respect yours! :D If you adore the verses I’m not too crazy about, that’s great! :D I want you all to love the heck out of them! And honestly, this is what’s so great about this franchise: there are so many verses to choose from! So many options and tastes to suit any and all! You don’t have to follow the masses! You go enjoy whichever incarnation(s) you want to! ;) 

And there we have it, my first fandom bloggy thingy~ Hope there’ll be many more where that came from! :D

This is Drag0n-Mistr3ss signing off~

[pb1138]

Custody Arrangements

So, don’t ask me why because I really don’t know, but I just seriously needed to write this headcanon I have about Odo adopting a daughter. (I blame this episode. It’s the one where Odo and Dax are helping find 22 missing people and Odo is having to “interrogate” a little kid.)

Quick summary: Odo recalls different points in his daughter’s life as he walks her down the aisle at her wedding.

Warnings: Some minor gory details in the 3rd paragraph.

OC with Dad!Odo, OC x Jake Sisko

This came out like 10x longer than I thought it would and I am very not sorry. (It’s 9 pages in Microsoft)

Out of everything Odo could turn himself into, one thing he never in a million years thought he would be was a father. He certainly never thought he would be a single father, on top of that, not that he was interested in romantic relationships anyway. Or children. Maybe once or twice had the very minor thought of maybe procreating if maybe they were able to find others of his species and maybe he could find a mate and maybe that was something his species did anyways.

It was a routine day, a handful of petty thefts and a minor altercation between Quark and an angry Bajoran. Nothing too out of the ordinary. That is, until 14:65 when a damaged Klingon vessel came to the station and Commander Sisko called Odo and Bashir to the docking bay. One very injured Klingon had woman stumbled out of the doors and promptly collapsed into Bashir’s arms, fading fast. Bashir called for backup medical teams and then had Ops transport him to the infirmary. Odo nodded to Sisko and Major Kira as they all drew their phasers and entered the ship.

It was utter carnage.

There were multiple hull breeches barely held together by weak shields. Dozens of systems were offline. And the bodies. There were at least a dozen Klingons strewn about the place, thrown over consoles or under chairs. Sisko and Kira went around, checking pulses and Odo pressed deeper into the vessel. More bodies, some of them not Klingon, decorated the hallways and other rooms. The dining hall was the worst. The Klingons had obviously been carrying passengers, although to where Odo couldn’t fathom. There were a handful of other species involved here, Bajorans, a few Cardassians, even a Ferengi, and several humans. Families, Odo noted with dismay, including children. He walked through the bodies, looking for signs of life among the massacre, but seemed to find none.

He was joined moments later by Sisko, who upon seeing the destruction, brought his wrist up to his mouth, perhaps to stifle a bout of nausea. He looked at Odo, his eyes filled with a mixture of concern, sadness, and expectation. Odo shook his head slightly and Sisko let out a heavy sigh. “Well, I suppose we should begin reviewing the system logs before this whole ship falls apart.”

Odo nodded and started after Sisko. He was almost out of the room when he heard it:  the smallest of coughing. He spun around, eyes darting around the room, searching for the source. “Commander!” he shouted, spotting the small hand moving behind an upturned table. He ran towards the child, sliding to his knees as he found her. It was a child, seemingly human, female, approximately six years. She was injured, but alive. “It’s ok, it’ll all be ok,” he said to her.

Sisko came running into the room, medical team on his heels. “Odo?” He ran to the other man, dodging the obstacles in his way.

“A child, Commander,” Odo called. The girl opened her eyes and for a moment, time fell apart. Odo was met with lovely, deep chocolate brown orbs that looked straight into his soul. He smiled down at her and told her she’d be fine again. As the medical team set up around her, her eyes drifted shut again and he handed her to them ever so gently. They immediately transported to the infirmary with her, leaving Odo and Sisko in the dining hall alone.

Sisko clapped Odo on the shoulder. “Good work, Constable,” he breathed. “Let’s go see about those logs.”

The logs had revealed that the transport was a passenger ship on its way to the Gamma quadrant to establish a colonial settlement. They had had the misfortune to come across a small band of pirates who had made quick work out of scanning and attacking them. The Klingon vessel had managed to severely damage two of their ships and even completely destroyed one before they had retreated, but the damage had been too severe, damaging all major systems including navigation, life support, and basically everything but the emergency beacon and the shields covering the hull breeches. It’s a miracle anybody was left alive.

A few days had passed, and with them, the Klingon captain. The girl had almost pulled through, needing just another day or two of rest and treatments. For some inexplicable reason, Odo felt compelled to visit the infirmary multiple times a day to check on her progress. Everyone, even Dax was surprised by this sudden outburst of concern, but most found it endearing.

On the fifth day, Odo had been having a disturbingly quiet day at work, so he decided to visit the girl a while longer than usual, not that Bashir minded. Odo had been reading through reports when he heard the smallest of voices from the bedside, “You have a funny face.”

Odo looked up in surprise and immediately stood to cross closer to the bedside. “You’re awake. Do you feel alright?” He tapped his combadge, calling Bashir to the infirmary.

The girl looked up at him, her gigantic eyes looking into his soul again. “What are you?” she chirped out.

He folded his arms behind his back and leaned down slightly. “That is a very impolite question. But to answer, I am a shapeshifter.”

She only blinked once in response and turned her tiny head to look around. “Where am I?”

“You are on a space station, in the infirmary. Doctor Bashir is on his way to check on you.”

“Are you sick?” she had taken the tricorder from the table near her bed and was looking at it.

“No. I just came to see that you were alright.” He stopped her from reaching for the laser scalpel, pulling the table away from her.

She didn’t answer again, pulling herself to sit up in the bed. He watched her for a few moments as she observed the room around them. Odo felt that she had an unusual maturity for a child her age. Probably to be expected, given what she had just been through.

Bashir finally arrived to the infirmary and beamed at the girl. “Well, look who is awake.” He started on his barrage of medical questions, confirming that she is, in fact healthy and well.

Once he got the all-clear, Odo began on his basic security questions. “What’s your name?”

“Talyssia, but I don’t like it very much.”

“Oh? And what do you like to be called instead?”

“Tali.”

“Ok, Tali. My name is Odo. It’s very nice to meet you. How old are you?”

She had to think for a moment, putting a tiny finger up to her chin. She pulled her messy mop of brown curls away from her face and into a weak ponytail. “Seven.”

“My, you’re practically a young lady.” She giggled at that. “Do you know where you’re from?”

“No, but I know we were going to the Chamma Quadrad.”

He chuckled slightly. “The Gamma Quadrant. Yes, we know.”

“Where are my Mommy and Daddy and K’oroll?”

Bashir took the girl aside and explained what had happened to her as gently as he could. Odo felt that the doctor was better suited to handle this situation, so he left them alone as the girl wept.

And then the question of custody arose. They had managed to figure out that the girl’s “K’oroll” was the Second in Command upon the vessel, a close family friend by the girl’s explanation. They were able to find through the manifest logs that the child’s parents were a Betazoid male and a human female, but nobody could find through any of the computer databases if there were any surviving family members. Sisko was forced to contact the governments of both Betazed and Earth to attempt to establish next of kin. When none could be found, both planets insisted custody belonged to them.

Odo and Sisko had been listening to the two dignitaries argue over vid-com for what felt like years before Odo finally snapped. “We are getting nowhere. I think it’s time we bring the child into this. She might know the names of some family friends that can help us establish new guardianship.”

Begrudgingly, the two dignitaries agreed. Odo had retrieved her, and they attempted to see what the girl knew, but unfortunately she knew nothing.

Finally, after several more hours, it was decided that she should remain on DS9 until proper arrangements were agreed upon. Which then led to the next big question:  with whom would she stay? O’Brien was the first logical choice, what with Molly. Tali insisted she would not go with him. The next best guess was Bashir, as the doctor had spent a considerable amount of time with her. Again, she insisted she would not go.

This went on for three more names before Sisko finally conceded and asked her with whom she wanted to go. She turned her deep brown eyes to Odo and a smile crept upon her face. “Him,” she said, a tiny finger pointed at him.

And that was that.

Tali came to stay with Odo, who had arranged for a small bed to be put in his room in Security. Odo tried to keep her busy outside of his duties, but was forced to bring her along once or twice when no suitable babysitter could be found. Never anything serious, of course, usually just a minor discourse with Quark (who the girl seemed to thoroughly enjoy, much to Odo’s dismay.)

Several weeks had gone by, and still there was no word on new custody arrangements. Indeed, Odo had almost forgotten about them when Sisko called him to Ops one day.

“Odo, I’m afraid I’ve got some news,” the Commander began.

“What is it?” If Odo’s hair were real, it would have risen along the back of his neck.

“I’ve just been in contact with Earth and Betazed.”

“Oh?”

“They’ve been able to find nobody who is related to Talyssia, nor anybody who was acquainted with her family. It seems all their friends were upon the K’aghto when it was attacked.”

“Where does that leave us then? An orphanage?”

Sisko heaved a great sigh. “That’s an option. There was another option, suggested by the Betazed representative…”

Odo quirked his brow, head tilted. “Yes?”

Sisko smiled slightly, intertwining his fingers in front of his face. “Well, it was suggested that we, or more specifically you, be granted custody.”

Odo’s eyes went wide and he let out a stammer, trying to find words, any words.

“I--.”

“Of course, you don’t need to decide right this second. Take some time, think it over. See what Talyssia thinks. Take all the time you need.”

When Odo went home that night, he tried very hard to hide his indecision, but it seems that either Tali is very observant, or she is able to feel even his emotions. “What’s going on?” she asked, looking up from her coloring.

Odo furrowed his brow, considering how to ask. He sat beside her on the ground, his arms up on his knees. “Well. I’ve been given an option. We’ve been given an option.”

“Option?”

“It means a choice, a decision. You can either go to one of your home planets to live with other children or…”

“Or what?”

“Well. You could stay here. With me. If you want to, that is.”

She set her crayon down and put her hands under her chin, squinting her eyes and pursing her lips in concentration as she thought. She nodded to herself and smiled up at him. “I want to stay with you, Odo.”

Odo smiled back at her and nodded in response. “Well alright then. I will inform Commander Sisko immediately.”

…

The guests’ music was starting. Odo was standing in front of a mirror, straightening the flower he wore in his lapel. He took a few steadying breaths. Nervousness was not something he was accustomed to.

“How are you feeling, Odo?”

Odo turned to O’Brien. “Oh, I’m. Well. I’m a lot of things. I’m nervous, excited, ecstatic, worried, and—”

“I understand.” The Chief smiled at him and patted Odo’s shoulder. “I would be, too. I’m terrified for Molly’s. I can’t even imagine what it’s like to actually be going through with it yet.”

“Mostly I just keep thinking, ‘Where did the time go?’ It feels like yesterday I signed the adoption papers, and here I am today. Where did it go?”

O’Brien smiled knowingly. “If you could drink, Odo, I would give you a nice tall glass of whiskey.”

Odo smiled slightly. “I appreciate the sentiment in any event.”

…

In the blink of an eye, Tali was 14 years old, and Odo had never felt such pure agitation before.

“I just don’t understand what happened, Talyssia. You were doing so well.”

She sat on the couch of their small apartment, arms folded, eyebrow raised in agitation as she looked anywhere but at him.

“I mean. I understand skipped homework every now and then, even an hour or two playing hookey, but this? Now I have just about had it, young lady. You had better explain yourself this instant!” He hated yelling, but after finding out that you hadn’t been to class once in the last two weeks and you had been ignoring a considerable amount of schoolwork for far longer than that, he went straight into Constable mode.

He was met with moody silence, which only furthered his anger. “Talyssia, I am speaking to you.”

She glowered at him for a moment before sucking her teeth and looking the other way.

“That is it, young lady. You are confined to your quarters every day for the next three months except for school which I will personally be escorting you to.”

She gaped at him. “You can’t do that!”

“Oh, I can and I am, missy. If I need to I’ll even assign an escort to you to ensure you stay in class. Now, march it missy, straight to your room.”

She growled in frustration and threw herself off the couch, stomping angrily to her bedroom.

Odo shook his head in dismay and rubbed his face. “They weren’t kidding when they said teenagers are difficult.”

…

“How are we doing, gentlemen?”

Odo and O’Brien turned to Sisko.

“Ah, Commander. We’re doing just fine.” O’Brien smiled at the C.O.

Sisko smiled and reached for Odo’s hand, clasping it in a firm handshake. “I never in a million years would have thought it would turn out this way, my old friend.”

Odo returned the handshake. “Nor would I, Commander.”

“Please, Odo, in light of the circumstances, maybe Benjamin?”

Odo chuckled slightly. “Pardon my French, but there’s no way in Hell.”

The three of them laughed at that.

…

19 years old, Tali had taken on a job in the security office. As what, Odo still wasn’t quite sure, as she did little more than study while she was on duty. Every so often, she would complete out a small stack of reports, to make it seem like she was doing something. Odo didn’t really mind, though. He enjoyed her company, as did many of the others in the office.

That day had been extra busy for security, between Quark attempting to cheat Morn and several Bajorans out of their latinum, a visiting Klingon transport, and the arrival of Lwaxana Troi. When Odo had heard she was coming, he seemed positively flustered. He even went so far as to darken his hair a little bit and lighten his clothes. Tali had watched in fascination before she suddenly remembered the name and a wide grin spread across her face. “This is the elevator woman.”

Odo turned to her, eyes wide. “’Elevator woman?’”

She smirked. “Dad, I know you know who I mean.”

He cleared his throat, straightening the Padds on his desk. “Well, if you must know, yes.”

She squealed with delight. “This is so exciting!”

“What’s so exciting?” Dax had entered the office, her pockets flush with winnings probably from Tongo.

Tali beamed at her. “Dad’s girlfriend is here.”

“Lwaxana Troi is not my girlfriend,” Odo blurted.

Dax looked at Odo then at the girl. “Wow, I’m not Betazed and even I know he’s bluffing.”

The two women laughed and Odo shook his head, grumbling to himself.

“So, what’s the story?” Dax had sat beside Tali, nudging the younger girl with her shoulder.

“Apparently they were caught in an elevator for like six hours, right?”

Dax nodded. “I remember something like that.”

“Well, Dad tells me that it was ‘a surprisingly eventful and pleasant experience.’ I don’t want to think about what exactly that means, but I’ve never before in my life heard dad refer to anything as ‘pleasant.’”

Dax ‘oooo’ed this information and smirked at Odo. “Well isn’t that something?” she mocked.

Odo let out a large, exasperated huff and promptly left the office, leaving the two women laughing after him.

…

“Odo, are you ready?”

Odo looked towards the door where Dax stood in very fine clothes. Tali had asked her to officiate since Curzon had been ordained, at least as a Klingon officiator. He looked at O’Brien and Sisko who both smiled at him and gave him little, ‘good lucks’ before leaving the room to take their places.

Dax smiled at Odo who looked himself over in the mirror once more before nodding. “As ready as I am ever going to be, I think.” Dax beamed at him and took him by the shoulder, leading him out of the room.

…

Suddenly, Talyssia was 27 years old. She had taken a job working under O’Brien so she could avoid the larger crowds of people. She was an unexpectedly gifted engineer, taking to the job with an ease that surprised even her. It had been a few months since taking the job in the first place, so when she came home beaming, Odo had expected to hear she had been promoted or something of the sort.

“Dad, you’ll never guess what happened today!”

“Were you promoted?”

She rolled her eyes. “No, Dad, but nice to know that’s immediately where your mind goes. No.” She walked over to him and took her hands in his, guiding him to a chair. “You’ll want to be sitting for this.”

“For god’s sake, just tell me already,” he grumbled.

She stood back and shook her hands out, a common gesture meaning she was nervous. “Now, don’t pass out or freak out or anything like that.” She grinned at him again, her chocolate eyes alight. “I’m, well, Dad, I’m engaged!”

It had been a very good idea to have Odo sit, even moreso that the chair was plastic and bowled so when he liquified, he was caught in the chair.

She gaped at the puddle, dropping her hands. “Well, god Dad, let me know how you really feel.”

She turned to walk away but was enveloped in strong arms. He laid his head on her mess of curls, shaking slightly. She looked up at him and saw something that amazed her—he was crying. Smiling, but crying. Her own eyes teared up and she threw her arms around him, laughing with him. He pulled back and gripped her shoulders, beaming down at her. “I’m so happy for you, my darling.” He pulled her back to him and held her for as long as she would let him.

…

“Talyssia?” There was no response at the door for one or two minutes. “Tali, darling, it’s time. We’re all waiting for you.”

“Just a second, Dad!”

Odo relaxed slightly. He had begun to fear you were getting cold feet. He certainly would have hated to have to arrange for the Promenade to be cleared out again. This time nearly killed him. When the door opened, however, everything else melted away. If Odo breathed, he would have held his breath.

She was beautiful. Her curls had been pulled back and pinned with elegant crystal pins, her makeup was stunning and accentuated her eyes, the dress was just perfect. She was perfect. Odo felt tears come to his eyes again.

“Oh, geez, Dad, don’t start. It took me thirty minutes to get this eyeliner right.” She chuckled at him.

He breathed a laugh and wiped his eyes. “You look absolutely beautiful, Talyssia.” He pulled her to him in a hug, rocking them ever so slightly. “I love you, sweetheart.”

She smiled up at him and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. “I love you, too, Dad. Now, we better go before Quark starts a bidding war on whether or not I’m coming.”

“Too late!” Quark called from the hallway.

Odo and Tali laughed before Odo took her arm in his, clasping his hand over hers. Instead of traditional bridesmaids, Tali had enlisted Morn to be her bridesman and Quark as her man-of-honor. It was a little awkward, considering that Nog was the best man, but Tali felt that only made it funnier.

Odo and Tali approached the end of the walkway and he glanced at her. “Are you ready?” he breathed.

Tali patted his hand, smiling at him. “You’re not getting me to back out now, Dad. No such luck for you.”

He chuckled. “No such luck.”

They started down the aisle, and Tali caught the eye of her step-mother, Lwaxana, who winked at her and projected into her head, “You look stunning, kiddo, absolutely a knockout.”

Tali giggled slightly and winked at the older Betazed. She turned to look up the aisle and breathed a soft sigh when she saw Jake, looking very regal in his fine clothes next to Nog who had borrowed one of Quark’s smart suits. Jake was absolutely beaming at her, and even with her half-Betazed-ness, she could feel the warmth of his love as if he were standing right next to her.

She blinked, and suddenly she was standing a few feet away. Dax was smiling widely at all of them, this mashup of a bridal party before she asked, “Who is chosen to give this amazing young woman away?”

Odo smiled at his daughter, all the pride in the universe in his heart. “I, her father, am.”