You Can't Bury Your Gays If Their Already Dead!

I am a girl. I am a girl because everyone my whole life has told me so. I am a girl because I wear skirts and dresses, because I like talking about boys with other girls. I am a girl because I wear bras, and need tampons, and need to shave my legs every week. I am a silly younger sister, and a caring older sister. I am a girl because my body chose to be a girl, and I love being one.

But I want to be a boy. I want to be muscular and strong, and to have a flat chest. I want to shop in the men's section for button downs, and shorts with large pockets. I want someone to look at me and think "He's so handsome." I want to own Nerf guns, and climb trees while scraping my knees. I want to be a mischievous little brother, or protective older one. I want to be a boy. But I am not. Because I am a girl.

Sometimes I want to be a mix of the two. I want to be a boy who wears skirts and high heels, and doesn't feel like any less of a man. I want to be a girl who intimidates and works long days to provide for her family, and who is still seen as a woman. I want to go a long time without washing my hair or shaving, and still be called Miss in the grocery store. I want to wear makeup and curl my hair, and still be told what a fine young man I am. But I cannot. Because I am just a girl.

Sometimes, when I am alone, I will take off my clothes and look in the mirror. At my body, who chose to be a girl. (Though I do not hate it because of that choice. It did not know that the soul that lived inside of it would not match.) And I will say to myself "I am a girl", and for that second I will be. Then I will say I am a boy, and I will become one for that moment. Sometimes I will say " I am a boy and a girl." and I can be both. Other times I will say "I am just a person." And my concept of gender will fade for that moment.

But after, the words will fade and I'll put my clothes back on. And I will be just a girl again. Not because I chose to, but because that is what I have been told my whole life.

I am a girl because everyone has told me so, and they will never see me as anyone else.

(This is my experience as a multi-gendered individual. I do not speak for anyone in the community except myself. People have different experiences with gender and sexuality. Nothing is universal. If you want to understand someone, ask about their own experiences. Don't presume. Make sure to take care of yourself.)

Rise April Challenge Day 1: April O’Neil

Next - Masterpost

Ao3 link: here

Today, April had learned something very important, something that she was quite mad at her mom for not telling her. And that was that people were overrated and mean. They weren’t worth her time, and she was never going to talk to one again. Screw those stupid cartoons, the power of friendship was dumb, and she didn’t need it!

The first day of school had not been fun for April O’Neil. Turns out, that kids can be cruel and will easily turn on someone that is even slightly different.  

She laid down on the grass under an old tree and watched the other kids run around the jungle gym with narrow eyes.

She was mad, enraged even, and if her mom thought that a trip to the park would cheer her up then April would prove her wrong. This was not the type of mad that went away with swings and ice cream. This was a life changing type of mad, the kind that made people wear black and laugh evilly. Yes, this was a supervillain mad. And April didn’t think she would mind being a bad guy, they were cool, and they didn’t need any friends.

They didn’t get lonely.  

She wasn’t lonely. She was mad. She was mad. So mad that there was no room to be lonely. She-

Something fell out of the sky inches away from April’s nose. She jumped and scrambled back, fear and shock playing across her face. The thing lay unmoving on the ground as she tried to catch her breath. April looked up into the tree above to see where it had fallen from, but nothing was there. She looked back at it on the ground, and after a moment bent over to pick it up.

It was only about the size of her fist, round and purple, cold and smooth in her hand, and she turned it around. No markings or anything. Was it an egg? Could there be purple eggs? She put it near her ear and shook it. Nothing. April put it back on the ground and stared at it. What were you meant to do when things fell from the sky? Should she just leave it? Tell someone? Call 911? Did this happen a lot?

The egg-thing had apparently gotten tired of waiting for April to do something, and she watched as it sprouted legs. It was so sudden that it took April a few seconds to realize what had happened, she blinked down at its four limbs folding out of its body. Then the thing bolted away from her, towards the bushes that bordered the park.  

“Hey!” She sprinted after it, “Come back!”

It was fast, scurrying across the ground like a spider. Dodging and weaving its way around rocks and sticks. It was too far for her to reach, and it was about to disappear into the scrubs, never to be found again. But she was April O’Neil, and it would not get away that easily. She flung herself forward, arms outstretched, and eyes shut tight as she dove into the bush. Her knees scraped against the ground as she slid, and the branches scraped and caught on her clothes as she broke through the wall of leaves. But her hand had closed around the sphere. She had it.

“Ha!” she shouted “Got ya!” She opened her eyes and stopped when she saw two tennis shoes at her eye level. April looked up and met two wide black eyes, framed by square glasses.

“Uh...Hi?” April said. The masked kid jumped backward, stumbling away from her and falling onto his butt. “Hey! It’s ok, I was just chasing this thing.” She held up the purple sphere so he could see it. “It fell out of a tree and grew legs!”  

The boy did not respond, shrinking into his oversized hoodie, sleeves falling over his hands and the collar covering the bottom of his face. Silence stretched between them for a few seconds as April waited for the kid to talk. He didn’t.

“My name’s April, what’s yours?” Silence.

“Are you ok?” Nothing.

“Can you talk?” The boy shakily nodded. Well, that was a little better. She slowly sat up on to her knees, before looking at the other kid again. “Sorry it I sacred you, this thing was just super cool, and I didn’t want it to get away.” The boy uncurled slightly and leaned a little forward.

“You think it’s cool?” April blinked at the odd question but nodded.

“Yeah, it just fell out of a tree and grew legs all by itself!”

“Well not all by itself.” The boy reached into his jacket and pulled out a blocky remote control. He punched a few buttons and the thing in her hand wiggled out of her grip and ran toward the boy. April’s mouth dropped open.

“It’s a robot?” she asked, amazed.

“Yes,” the boy said sitting straighter and smiling proudly, “I made it.”

April’s eyes widened “Really?”

“But of course. I am testing out different joint attachments and its flexibility so it can climb and cling to different surfaces, that way-”

The boy sat up straighter as he talked, arms waving and gesturing to the bot as he talked. April smiled and listened. She decided that she liked this kid, he was weird. But in a cool way, and he was going to be her friend. But he had acted super jumpy before when she had tried to talk to him before, she would need to be sneaky.

The boy was lost in talking about wires and frequencies, legs kicking out in excitement. Perfect. April scooting closer, nodding and smiling even if he wasn’t really looking. Almost. Almost. He stopped talking when she shoved her hand in front of his face. He looked up at her, scrunching his eyes.  

“My name is April.” She said with a smug grin, happy to have managed to confuse him enough that he wouldn’t just run away.

“Yes, you said that already,” he responded dryly.  

“Yeah, but you need to tell me yours and shake my hand.”  

“Why?”

“Because.”

“That’s a stupid reason.” He turned his head away defiantly.

“Well, I can’t be your friend if I don’t know your name.” She said. The boy’s body stiffened, and he slowly turned towards her.

“You want to be friends with me?” he asked shakily. She smirked.

“You have to tell me your name first.” she demanded. He hesitated and squirmed, April stood still holding her breath. It was all or nothing now. The boy took a breath and locked eyes with her.

“You can’t take it back.” The boy declared.  

“Deal.” She reached to take his hand, but he pulled it back.

“And! You have to be my brothers’ friend too.” April shook her head. While more friends sounded exciting, she wasn’t going to just agree without meeting them. Kids could be mean after all.

“No, I haven’t met them. What if I don’t like them?” The boy paused to think.

“If you like them, then will you be their friend?” He asked. She nodded, that seemed fair. The boy reached out and took her hand. “I’m Donatello.”

April eyes widened as she staired down at her new friend’s green, three-fingered hand, and after a moment smiled at him.

This was going to be way more awesome than being a supervillain.

Next - Masterpost

Ao3 Link: Here

Please check out @zee-rambles who came up with this challenge.  Also take a look at @rise-april-art-challenge​ for more submissions. Please give feedback if I need to work on something.

Voice Acting is so good!!!!

every comic weaver drops is a gift, go to twitter/com/tg_weaver for more of this stupid ass shit. 

Rise April Challenge 21: Chaos

Prev - Next - Masterpost Ao3 Link: Here

Raph gripped the pillow under his head and tried not to shake with the force of his shivers. He hated being sick. Leo just smiled from his seat on the bed, looking down as he counted out pills from a bottle.

“Alright, big buy. Open up.”  Raph thought about saying no, but the sooner this was over with the better. He reached out and popped the pills in his mouth, accepting the straw from the cup Leo was holding. The cold drink felt very nice on his sore throat, and he grabbed the cup and drained it. Leo just smiled and patted Raph’s arm.

“So, how long do I need to stay in bed?” Raph asked, voice nasial and horse. Leo just shrugged.

“Till you feel better.” Raph groaned and buried his head in the pillow. “Oh, don't be like that, you big baby. You'll be in fighting shape in no time, if you don't get out of bed.”

Raph lifted his head and looked at Leo, ignoring the pounding in his skull.  

“Are you guys gonna be okay?”

“Hermano, were not tots.” Raph wanted to say that they could have fooled him, but he was too tired to try. He just snuggled deeper into his blankets and closed his eyes.

“I’m gonna take a nap now...” He slurred and felt his brother’s hand rub on his head.

“Night, bro. Call if you need me.”

-

Raph woke up to the sounds of crashing and screaming.

He was out of bed and halfway out the door before his eyes were fully open, bed sheet tangled around his legs.  

“Guys! What’s happening?! What’s wrong?!”

He stopped his frantic rush as his eyes landed on the mess that was the floor of the skate ramp. Paint cans, action figures, bundles of wires, books, and socks were scattered between water bottles, plastic balls, and what looked to be a curtain rood. In the middle of the disaster of random items was Mikey, lying on his back. Raph rushed over and bent over his brother.

“Mikey! Mikey! What happened? Are you ok?!”  

Mikey moaned and blinked at him.

“Raph? What are you doing up?”

“Nevermind that, are you hurt?”

“Naw, I just fell.” Raph relaxed at that and let out a sigh.

“You got to be more careful, Mike.”

“Indeed, you do.” Said a voice from across the room, and the two looked over to see Donnie and Leo coming out of Don’s lab.

“Yeah, yeah,” Mikey dismissed standing up and looked around at the clutter on the floor.  

“Alright,” Leo clapped his hands together. “No one's hurt and everything is fine. So, vamos hermano mayor, you’re on bed rest.”

Raph just blinked dumbly for a moment, the adrenaline wearing off, and the feeling of stiff joints and aching muscles reminding him that he wasn’t in the best shape.

But should he just leave his brothers to whatever they were doing? ...What were they doing actually?

He didn’t get a chance to ask before he had been shuffled back to bed by Leo and tucked in.

...Raph guessed it was nothing to worry about.

-

Raph was worried. Leo had woken him up to take more meds and the younger was covered in what looked stripes of paint, ash, and... feathers?

“What happened?” He asked. Leo just shrugged.

“Nothing important.”

Raph narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but the effect was ruined by a coughing fit, which Leo soothed with more cold water.

“It’s all good, Raph. I promise. You just sleep, I’ll wake you up when it’s lunch.” 

“You better not be lying.” Raph said, and accepted the meds Leo gave.

-

Raph had woken up about half an hour ago, and he was getting tired of just playing on his phone. Plus, he was starting to get really hungry. He was feeling well enough to get himself some soup or something, and if Leo was going to throw a fit about Raph getting out of bed, he could always point out how often Leo was out and about when he was meant to be on bedrest.

Raph put the ramen in the microwave and poured himself a cup a juice while he waited. He pulled the comforter he brought with him closer around him and sniffed loudly, he really hated being sick.

Just then, Donnie bolted around the corner and slid into the kitchen, throwing open the cabinets and frantically digging around inside. He likely didn’t find what he needed, because he whipped around to try another and froze when he saw Raph blinking at him.

The two just stared at each other till the microwave beeped loudly and broke the silence. Raph turned and opened the door, taking the bowl.

“You good, Don?” He asked. His words seem to snap the softshell out of whatever was going on his head. He stood up straight and cleared his throat.

“Yes, I am perfectly alright. What are you doing out of bed?” Raph lifted the bowl of ramen his hand, confused.

Donnie didn’t ask obvious questions like that.  

Donnie rocked on his heels and smiled stiffly.

“Wonderful,” the genius said. “In that case we should get you to bed right away. Chop, chop.” He was already trying to herd his big brother towards his room. Raph tried to protest, he may be tired, sick, and maybe a little slow on the uptake, but he wasn't stupid.

“Don, what’s going on? Why is everyone-”

“LOOK OUT!”

The brothers turned and saw Mikey flying towards them, riding on the back of...

What the heck was that?

Raph didn’t have much time to try and figure that out because he was being tackled out of the way by Donnie. The bowl of hot ramen flying out of his hand, while Mikey and his ride brailed screaming into the kitchen.

Oh, that did not feel good. The snapper leaned against the wall and tried to keep his head from spinning. He then squinted his eyes open to see the chaos unfolding in the room.

Donnie was tearing through the cabinets and shouting for Mikey to: “Hold it still! Watch the tail! THE TAIL, MIKE!” While Mikey tried to follow the instructions and yelled right back. “I SEE THE TAIL! WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO ABOUT IT, DONALD?! AHHHHH!”

The “it” that they were talking about was some cross between a chicken, a salamander and... a toaster? Yep, a shiny medal body with feathered wings flapping manically, and the toggle to start the toasting on its side jumping up and down, making that clicking-shinking noise. Its eyes were going in two different directions and jumping around. It had two tails too, one a roster’s plumage, all puffed out, and an electric cord that was trying to wrap around Mikey to throw him off.

…

Was Raph dreaming?  

Donnie yelled and whipped around with something in his hand.

“CATCH!” He yelled and threw a canister at Mikey. Mikey caught it, ripped off the lid and dumped whatever was inside over the monster's head. Raph just stared as a pile of breadcrumbs fell on the thing's eyes and it just... stopped. It settled down, and just stood still.  

Mikey and Donne relaxed and the youngest slid off the chicken-toaster thing, and then locked eyes with Raph and froze in the same way Donnie had earlier.

“Hey, Raph~” He drawled out.

Raph just pinched his stuffed nose, his headache worsening, and his body still shaking with chills. Dammit, he was too sick for this mess.

“Has it hurt anyone?”  He asked, not opening his eyes to look at the scene in front of him.

“No.”

“Are you going to be dealing with it?”

“Yes.”

“Do you need me for that?”

“No.”

“Is it dangerous?”

“Not anymore.” Not ideal, but good enough.

“Great.” Raph turned and walked to his room. “Have Leo bring me some food when he can.”

-

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Raph asked when Leo came in with a bowl of soup and crackers. Leo just shuffled awkwardly.

“You were sick, and nothing you did could have helped. You would have been worried over nothing.” Raph looked up and prayed to whatever was up there for strength.  

“Alright, fine. I won’t give you all a lecture, even if you clearly deserve one, so long as we never have to talk or think about whatever the heck that was ever again.”

Leo smiled and handed over the food.

“Deal.”

Prev - Next - Masterpost Ao3 Link: Here Please check out @zee-rambles who came up with this challenge and look at @rise-april-art-challenge to see more submissions by other fans. Please give me feedback if there is anything I should work on.

Join!!

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Trick or Treat Exchange! (2023)

Hello fellow turtle enthusiasts.

Welcome to the 2023 rottmnt secret Halloween, or as I'm calling it: the Trick or Treat Exchange!

I saw the idea from @ abbeyofcyn (Forgive me for the random @) and decided "Why not? It can be fun!" And so here we are.

To make sure this exchange goes well, this shall be the master post for the Trick or Treat Exchange 2023

Introduction of the dumdum running this

I am Strangermask, Mask for short. I am the only one running this event. If you have any questions or issues, you are free to send any asks or a private dm.

Form for sign up

Google Docs

Rottmnt Trick or Treat Exchange

This is a sign up sheet for the rottmnt secret Halloween/trick or treat exchange! All that needs to be done is to state your tumblr name, wh

*Sign up ends on September 23rd 11:59 PM Mountain time*

Rules

Please be respectful

Do not do any nsfw. If you wouldn't want your boss to see it, don't make it.

For the all loving mother Mary of god, no Tcest. You will be blocked from the blog and immediately kicked out of the gift exchange.

You are allowed to draw or write the gift you're making!

Make sure your gift does have what your secret Halloween person has list for on the table (If you are having difficulty including everything they want on your gift, you are okay to compromise.)

Please be mindful of what is not on the table for your secret Halloween person.

For now, ships will be allowed HOWEVER please be mindful of those who don't like certain ships (If this becomes an issue, I will change this rule.)

Deadlines for gift exchanging will be between October 29nd to 31st. If you need extra time, please inform me immediately so I can inform the person you are gifting.

When the gifts have been exchanged, please @ your secret Halloween person, this blog and use the tags: "#rottmnt trick or treat exchange" and "rottmnt trick or treak exchange 2023"

Have fun with this!

And of course, most importantly...

HOOOOOOOOT SOOOOOOOUP

Rise April Challenge 18: Sleep

Prev - Next - Masterpost Ao3 Link: Here

Please just go to sleep. It’s not that hard, just sleep. Just sleep. Just sleep. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep-

Leo groaned into his pillow and rolled over on to his back. The mantra had been repeating endlessly in his mind for he didn’t even want to know how long, and he just wanted to sleep.  

Leo has had insomnia since he was young, the feeling of desperately reaching out for sleep, only to be met with more exhaustion was an old friend at this point. But it could be worse.

When the four brothers had researched their respective species, they had found that Red Eared Sliders only needed about 4-5 hours of sleep a day, meaning that Leo didn’t need as much shuteye as the others. But those few hours were very important. But on these long nights, when Leo’s mind wouldn’t let his body rest, all he could do was wait for the sun to rise and drown himself in coffee in hopes of driving back the heavy pounding on his limbs.

Leo sighed and sat up. He just needed to accept that he wasn’t going to slip into the dark, and just try and relax till his brain let him sleep. He leaned out of bed, stood up, and headed to the kitchen.  

Leo’s ninja training helped keep his movements quiet as he filled the kettle and placed it on the stove. The familiar routine made him feel more centered and present, rather than just floating around in the sea of nondescript stress and exhaustion that was his mind right now. He opened one of the cabinets and considered the different types of tea inside.

Lavender, Chai, Jasmine, Marigold, Chamomile, Chrysanthemum...

…

…

…

…

...what was that noise?

Oh shoot!

The kettle had begun to whistle. The shrill sound having just barely started before Leo leaped over and yanked it away from the heat. He just stares at the stove for a moment before flicking it off and placing the kettle down.

Damn, he didn't think that he was this far along. He had to have been zoned out for at least a few minutes for the water to start boiling, which meant that he was starting on his way to sleep deprivation. That was never fun.

Leo grabbed a mug and the first box of tea he felt without looking at it. He placed the teabag in the cup and poured the water.

He watched the steam float away from the mug, transfixed by its swirling, twisting patterns. There and not there all at once. It looked like it should be whispering in hushed voices that he couldn’t understand, it looked-

Focus Leo, focus. You can stare at hot water vapor later.

He picked up the mug and walked into the living room, turning off the kitchen light. He settled down on the couch and covered himself with one of the throw blankets. He considered turning on a move but decided that the remote was too far away for him to even try.

So, Leo sat in the silent darkness.  

The lair draped in a stillness that only came when everyone was asleep, an overpowering sense of solitude that flowed around Leo like water. It was a little scary, but this was a part of the insomnia that Leo could enjoy. The only part of it really. It was like having a secret, like these moments were something that was just for him alone. Even if he was half out of his mind with exhaustion.

Leo relaxed into cushions and peered out into the endless shadows. The mug was warm in his hand and the blanket was soft. He took a few sips of his tea as he looked at the empty shadow-covered room but set it down on the table before he even drank an eighth of it.  

He didn’t try and force his brain to shut off, he had already tried and failed to do that all night, he just allowed it to wander. Leo let this mind think without paying it much attention and just sat and stared at nothing.

Soon Leo found his brain’s ramblings fading in and out. Going from half formed thoughts to white noise and back. Good. It meant that he would finally get to sleep, he just had to let it happen.  

Don’t force it, don’t make it, just let it happen.

It took him an hour to completely slip away, and even then, he still woke up several times. But Leo, slowly, managed to sleep his way through the night and into the bright morning of the next day.  

Prev - Next - Masterpost Ao3 Link: Here Please check out @zee-rambles who came up with this challenge and look at @rise-april-art-challenge to see more submissions by other fans. Please give me feedback if there is anything I should work on.

Rise April Challenge 23: Spooky

Prev - Next - Masterpost Ao3 Link: Here (Not my finest work, but it's okay. I like writing horror, but I didn't want to lean too heavily into that, so here.)

Flint lives in New York, has for many years now, he’s seen some weird stuff. That means that he rarely gets surprised any more. But that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t get scared.

He had been scouting out an abandoned sewar tunnel for a few weeks now. It seems that’s out of view most security cameras and he hadn’t seen anyone else using it for... unsavory business. So, Flint thought it would be a good place to do some not exactly legal art.

The tunnel was dark and smelt of old rainwater, the kind of water was tainted with the oils and gases of the city and dragged them down through storm drains, but there wasn't the smell of sewage and that was good enough for Flint.

He flicked on his flashlight and walked deeper in, the sound of his footsteps bouncing endlessly into the darkness. The light from the entrance was soon gone, leaving Flint only with the pale artificial light in his hand. The air was still, and the young vandal felt the clinging, dusty cold that came with being encased underground. It felt like the tunnel was holding its breath, staring out at him with wide unseen eyes.  

An image entered Flint’s mind of a tall, slim, shadowy figure, just a step or two behind him. Following. Waiting. He could see the way it glided forward, soundlessly so as not to alert its victim. He could see the way the darkness was stuffed and shoved into an into a tall, bulging, shape that could almost be a man. And Flint could see the way its long slim fingers reached out to grab his head and yank it straight off his-

He whipped around and shined the light right where the things face would be.  

There was nothing there.

Of course not. He was just creeped out from being in a dark tunnel alone. It was normal that his imagination acted up. Flint shook his head and carried on.

-

A few minutes later Flint had stopped walking and was working on a section of wall, illuminated by his flashlight laying on the ground. The smell of paint driving off the old rain smell, and the shaking of spray cans driving off the echoes.

He wasn't entirely sure what he wanted to paint and was mostly hoping inspiration would strike as he started to work. It was going okay, and he could feel himself slipping into a nice artistic trance when he heard the sound of footsteps echoing off the walls. He froze, wondering if someone had seen him go into the sewers and thought he was an easy target to rob, or if it was a cop.  

Except, it wasn't coming from the direction of the entrance.

It was coming from deeper inside.

Flint didn't move. He could feel his heart in his chest jumping and his mind overflowed with the images of true crime shows and horror movies.

The noise stopped, and Flint twisted his head to face it.

He could just see it, the beam of his flashlight barely managing to reveal its outline while the rest of it was cloaked in shadow. It was huge, almost twice his height and just as wide, with bulging masses of muscles the size of his head. Flint could make out the pointed shape of spikes running up and down the scaly skin of its arms. He saw more spikes curling down his back, and a few splitting from his shoulders, sharper and longer than the others. It was hunched over slightly and pinned Flint in place with two blank, glowing, white eyes.  

Flint could hear his breath hitch, and his legs shake.

He didn't want to die. Oh God, is he going to die?

The thing tilted its head and leaned slowly closer to the light. Flint could just make out the glimpse of bright red around its wrists, when something on the thing shoulder moved and two more glowing eyes opened and stared at him.

Flint ran. He abandoned his paint and flashlight, and just ran. Ran through the endless darkness towards the entrance, feeling the air rush past him and the walls closing around him, trying to trap him inside. They were inches away from touching his skin, he knew it. even if he couldn't see it, he knew it. He just had to get out.

Had to get out. Had to get out. HadtogetouthadtogetouthadtogETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUT-

he collapsed into the light of the sun right of the tunnel and stared back into the darkness. Nothing came out after him.

After a few minutes of catching his breath, Flint went home. He never went back for his supplies. He never told anyone, never posted about it on the internet, he knew no one would believe him. And he figured that if he never went back into that thing's territory, it would leave him alone.

He didn't want to know what it was; he didn't care. As the saying goes “live and let live.” So, if it let him live, he would do the same. He figured that was fair.

-

Raph blinked at the spot where the artist had stood and just put his head in his hand. Dang it, he hadn't meant to scare the kid. Mikey yawned from his spot on Raph’s back.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“Nothing,” Raph said. “Let's get you to bed, you don't think your Sleepy-Little-Brother act gonna get me not to tell Pops you were out late painting again.”

“But I am tired. It's not an act if I’m actually tired.”

Prev - Next - Masterpost Ao3 Link: Here Please check out @zee-rambles who came up with this challenge, and look at @rise-april-art-challenge to see more submissions by other fans. Please give me feedback if there is anything I should work on.

@nickelodeon Bring Back Rise

This is everything I love!

Sweet Brothers and then Heart Break!

Please show it Love!!!

I made a ROTTMNT Turtle Tots comic for Twitter about the Disaster Twins accidentally switching outfits!

MOVIE SPOILER WARNING BTW

Moments Chapter 1: Mad Dogs

Master Post – Next

AO3 Link: Here

Draxum was still adjusting to being in contact with his creations. He had thought they had been destroyed with his lab, so when he saw them alive, he had been overwhelmed. When he had lost them, he hadn't truly mourned, he had been uncertain if the experiment would work and wasn't sure what it would have created, he wasn't even certain if they would be fully sentient. The fact that they were alive and there had caused a rush of emotion. Surprise and shock, but also pride and wonder. He had called them beautiful, and he had meant it.  

As they fought, Draxum observed them carefully, trying to see what his creations had become in his absence. They had somehow managed to find the scrapped prototypes for the weapons that he had intended to give them if he had raised them. And each of them seemed to use them with at least a moderate form of success. Impressive. But what was more impressive was the fact that they could speak clearly, enough to banter with him and each other, and they each seem to have different and separate personalities from each other.  

Even though he only spent a short time with them he could see that they had become people. Not weapons, or animals, or some empty shell that could be puppeteered. They were aware, sentient, alive. It made some small and strange thing bloom in his chest. He had ignored it.  

He learned eventually that they called themselves "The Mad Dogs." Draxum had creased his eyebrows at the name, wondering why they would want to name themselves after a crazed and feral animal. But otherwise had not thought about it.  

-  

It had not been until much later that he remembered he had made them to be weapons.  

It had been a hard thing to remember. They acted up and goofed around so much, and rarely took anything seriously. Even when he had revealed a core piece of their identity, the truth about their human DNA, all they had done was squeal like little girls and jump up and down. And though he saw their power, it was easy for Draxum to continue thinking of them as nothing more than children. It took him seeing how they reacted after the Krang invasion to remember that fact.  

Draxum had received a call from Michelangelo's phone shortly after the chaos had settled. All he had managed to gather was that Michelangelo had done something mystical and had been severely injured before he was out the door and on his way to the turtle's lair.  

-  

When he arrived, he ignored the mess that the layer was in and march straight to the med bay. He threw the door straight open with a slam.  

"Would anyone care to tell me-" he started, but he was immediately interrupted.  

The Alchemist found himself tackled harshly against the wall, pinned there by a steel-like forearm across his neck, and staring down the glowing purple of a mystic technological weapon. Beyond the weapon he saw two animalistic eyes reflecting the purple light, pupils blown wide with adrenaline. Draxum froze under Donatello's gaze, the two eyes pinned him more securely to the wall than even the threat of the weapon. From behind the softshell, he heard a deep rumbling, and when he managed to look beyond the thing pinning him to the wall, he saw three more pairs of eyes staring him down intently. He felt his heartbeat pick up several notches, and his breath catch. His hind mind kicked into gear telling him to leave, screaming "threat!" in his ear. He felt like he had stumbled upon a den of predators, willing and able to kill him without thought. Like a pack of ravenous, hungry, and crazed dogs.  

"Donnie," a voice said, and all attention twisted from him to the source. April stood in the corner; hands raised in surrender. "Donnie it's okay, it's just Barry. He's here to help Mikey, remember?"  

Slowly, the purple turtle leaned back from Draxum. His weapon dissolved and he stepped away, pupils still wide but holding more clarity than before. Donatello nodded, glared at Draxum, and retreated towards the bed his brothers were gathered around.  

Now that Draxum was able to get a clearer look at the room, he nearly winced at the state of the brothers. Leonardo was by far the worst, wrapped in a huge number of bandages and looked trapped in the bed under the weight of the injuries. Raphael was favoring his left side, his right I was swollen shut, he had his body hunched over the bed pointing his spiked shell outwards and revealing the puncture wound above his shoulder. Donatello looked the best out of the brothers, resting on the foot of the bed like a sentry, but he was leaning on his bo staff like a crutch, and the Alchemist could still see bandages and patches on his arm. He also noted the lack of battle shell and the way the turtle angled his real shell away from him. Michelangelo was sitting at the end of the bed too, and Draxum saw the burns reaching up his forearms and the way his hand shook. They all still pinned him with that unnerving stare, but it was less of a threat and more of a warning.  

"Sorry," April said. "You just startled them a little, they're still kind of on edge."  

"Yeah," Michelangelo said from the bed, with a small smile, but his voice was hoarse and weak. "Sorry."  

"Don't apologize," Draxum said. He slowly approached the bed trying to keep his body language relaxed. "Now," he said gesturing for Michelangelo to show his injuries. The others' animalistic eyes still pinned on him. "Would you mind telling me exactly what happened?"  

-  

Later, when Draxum would try to go to sleep, the image of those stares would burst through his mind, and he would be wide awake again. He would be reminded of the name "Mad Dogs" and would find that it suddenly fit.  

Because no matter how childish they were, how silly, how kind, they would always have the capability to be weapons. They would always be more powerful than almost everyone they would ever meet. They would always have a wild part of themselves, that would seek to eliminate any threat to themselves or to anyone they cared about. It was a frightening thought, and The Alchemist was suddenly very happy that he had not raised the boys.  

Because no matter how much he had missed, and he had missed so much, he was happy that they had the chance to be more than weapons. Happy they had the chance to be more than crazed and feral animals. Happy that they had been raised as children and not soldiers. Happy that that wild part of themselves was not the only thing that defined them.  

Even if he still did not understand why they chose to call themselves by that title, he was happy it was a part of themselves that they could embrace along with their... humanity.

-

Masterpost - Next

Thank you for reading. Let me know if there is anything I should work on.

Thank you to @sariphantom for hosting the Rise August Challenge, which this is inspired by.

@nickelodeon Please save Rise.

Voyeur needs to be seen to be believed. The scariest movie I have ever seen.

Voyeur needs to be seen to be believed. The scariest movie I have ever seen.