#mikey’s the one to convince april/splinter to let draxum try to be better and draxum ends up adopting the bros | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

meggahamicide · 3 months

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Okay, i've decided that i'm just gonna drop/dump some lore on Vermin, so if you're interested, read below! It's really long!

...o.0.O.0.o...

Personality:

Like canon-Leo's head-cannons, Vermin hides his true emotions behind a smile, but their differences are in the execution. Vermin's smiles are more wicked, more cruel, and he find amusement in making people fear him, having experience in getting people to listen to him by intimidating them.

He pretends to be indifferent to how the brothers act around him, but always keeps an eye out for any signs that they aren't as they say they are. Donnie specifically.

Big emotions are a no-no, so he hides them behind a passive face, empty of anything he's feeling so he can convince those he's talking with that he feels nothing, that he is unaffected by any stressors and anxiety. If anything get's too overwhelming, he retreats to a hidden corner to wait it out and tries not to remember how Draxum treated him when he let his emotions get the better of him.

Because he was raise without certain privileges, he gets extremely giddy around new experiences, such as sampling new foods and trying out video games and skateboarding. It's probably the only time he lets his guard down because he's so entranced by whatever is happening he forgets that he's not supposed to be showing emotion.

...o.0.O.0.o...

Relationships:

Raphael:

With Raph, Vermin just doesn't know how to deal with him. An injury brings Vermin to the lair and Raph is the one who heals him, but Vermin in uncertain whether or not he can trust someone with such obvious strength he can easily use to harm Vermin. He doesn't understand why Raph is so kind nervous when he could dominate his enemies.

Michelangelo:

Mikey is the one Vermin accepts the easiest other than April. Mikey has a way to handle Vermin without being too invasive and without threatening the slider in any way shape or form and eventually shows Vermin that there is kindness that is not expected to be repaid. He also helps Vermin lean into his chaotic mindset without it becoming harmful to others, like teaching him how to prank the other brothers.

And of course, Vermin loves trying his food, so Mikey basically tempts the slider like he might a feral cat.

Donatello:

Donnie is the one Vermin has the hardest time accepting. He's convinced he can easily beat the soft-shell in a fight, but once he discovers that Donnie is a scientist, he becomes wary of him, skittish and uncomfortable whenever he's around. He knows that there are other ways to get someone to obey than simply fighting.

It takes Donnie being patient and showing him that he means no harm over time that earns his trust. The softshell just has to break through the notion that all scientist are evil and only seek to destroy that which is closest to them. Donnie even goes as far as to promise to never let anything happen to Vermin ever again.

April O'Neil:

The first one to show kindness when Vermin leaves Draxum's lab. She shows the slider a side of society that he was being deprived of when he was with Draxum, helping him see that there is a place for everyone, that things don't need to hurt to be beneficial. She pretty much forcefully adopts him as her little brother and is even protective of him when he interacts with her other brothers.

Baron Draxum:

Was raised by Draxum. More info in the timeline.

...o.0.O.0.o...

Timeline:

Content Warnings: blood and injury, references to child abuse, loss of limb, needles, non-consensual drug use (kind of), non-consensual experimentation and surgery.

It gets dark, so be cautious of the warnings!

Age 0-4:

In the beginning, Lou Jitsu, later known as Splinter, only rescues three of the turtles, who eventually go by the name Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo. The remaining turtle, identified by his red markings, is picked up by Baron Draxum before the lab explodes, destroying his life work. The only remaining bit of his research is the tiny creature small enough in the palm of his hand.

Quick to find a place to stay and recover, the Baron begins working to piece together his research using his subject. He starts a book, scribbling down anything worth noting and refraining from any larger tests besides bloodwork and skin-scraping until the subject is larger, better able to withstand any more intrusive tests.

He begins raising the creature, claiming it as his own.

Age 5-8:

Called by the title Red, the slider reaches acceptable cognizance to begin training by the age of five. He is small, just below the Baron's knee, but he is intelligent enough to understand complex problem solving and language. Weapons training is less successful than desired, but that could be related to the subject's weaker limbs and child-like nature.

Baron Draxum is relentless in his education, always prepared to deliver swift punishment should Red be unable to comply with his desires. Red hates the punishment, often times covered in bruises from the extra training or with a headache from spending his nights in 'The Room,' but he is just as stubborn as his guardian, if not more so. He always seeks to make his boss proud, ignoring the voice that always tells him he's not strong enough, not good enough. Baron Draxum always has a reason for saying things like that, so Red knows he just has to try harder.

He's not exactly sure what a human is, but the Baron is convinced that he needs to kill them all.

Every other week, the Baron brings Red to another room where he 'collects samples.' Red doesn't know what they're for, but he's seen the elder gather some of his freshly peeled chutes and teeth when they fall off, always writing in that journal with a little turtle drawn on the front.

One night, when he's just turned eight, Baron Draxum leaves in a hurry. He's gone for hours, leaving Red to his own devices and wondering if maybe the yokai had finally got bored of him, wondering if he just left him behind because he couldn't satisfy him. Red tries not to listen to the little voice in his head that says maybe that's a good thing, maybe it's better if he stays gone.

Red doesn't see him until the next day, well into the night, and suddenly, he regrets ever thinking those nasty things of his guardian. The yokai is hunched by the door, missing an arm and looking very tired. Red runs to him, but the Baron doesn't even acknowledge him, holding a towel to his stump.

Red is crying. He knows he shouldn't, knows that tears mean weakness, but he's afraid for his boss, afraid of what is happening, because that's a lot of blood. He feels something well up in his chest as he sits next to his guardian, the feeling swelling into his lungs and arms, weaving through his bones and into his fingers, bright, blue light zapping over his fingers. Something guides his hand, pressing them against the yokai's injury and forcing the light into him.

He heals Baron Draxum.

Baron Draxum looks at him like he's solved the world's problems.

Age 9-10:

Test after test after test. Red is sure he's never been through so many tests, but he finally sees the Baron's pride and he wants to impress him, so he doesn't complain when the needle digs too far, or when the scalpel scrapes a little to much skin. This new power is good, that's all he knows. Baron Draxum calls it mystic energy, says that it was a power he was seeking all along, so Red doesn't complain when all of the test make him tired enough to pass out, or make him cry himself to sleep because his chest aches from how long he had to work. Baron Draxum is proud, proud enough to give him a portal sword and teach him how to use it, proud enough to hand him a pair of tonfa and guide him through the motions of building a shield, proud enough to smile when Red uses the kusari-fundo for the first time.

Red trains his new skill until he's sick, until he can't stand, until he can't feel the first time Baron Draxum uses that strange, green liquid on him.

Baron Draxum was proud.

Age 11-13:

Red is pretty sure his name isn't Red any more. It's Vermin. At least, that's what the Baron has started to call him.

Ever since he stopped being able to use mystic energy without fainting, Baron Draxum has stopped using that old name. Now he was a pest, a creature incapable of healing, or portaling, or simply making things float. He is weak.

Baron did something while he was sedated; took apart his plastron and looked around inside. Vermin thinks he was looking for what was so wrong with him, why everything the slider does ends up in failure. He now has a shiny new plate of metal on his chest and a paranoia of falling asleep.

He lost count the amount of times he was put to sleep, but every time he woke to something different, and injection of mutagen transforming his body while he was so out of it he couldn't even open his eyes. His toes and fingers become more flexible, grow sharp talons attributed to some sort of owl. His tongue becomes forked, able to scent things by merely breathing. His hearing and eyesight become sharper, a fox's DNA granting him night vision. He becomes stronger, faster, more agile, but it's never enough.

Vermin's starting to think that it never was going to be enough.

Vermin is awake when Baran Draxum puts in the ports, ignoring how painful it is and preferring to strap Vermin to a table while he digs into the slider's neck and arms, leaving six, shiny new devices embedded in his skin. The Baron has Vermin carry around a canister of green liquid on his back, a 'empyrean variant' he said, and with a click of a button, the canister sprouts tubes that dig into his ports, releasing the substance into his bloodstream. It hurts, floods his system with fire, but Vermin was used to pain. Now he just has a few more scars to show for it.

The substance grants him more power, more strength, more speed. His senses, already sharp, become that much more, overwhelming his sensory intake, but he learns how to fight past the side-effects. Missions outside of the lab become easier, training obstacles the Baron create become simple to dispatch, he always hurts but there is no other option.

It's always been the Baron and him, but maybe... maybe it doesn't have to be.

He's tired of hurting, tired to running himself to the ground, tired of covert missions that paint Baron Draxum as the ultimate threat when he's doing all the work, tired to sneaking around New York City in a futile attempt of gathering information that will likely never be useful. He tired of being compared to the experiments that didn't live through the first test, he tired of living up to a trio of dead beings that weren't even strong enough to compete with him. He tired to the punishments, of the bruises, of the empty room, of the nightmares, of the expectations.

He's just tired.

On the morning of his fourteenth year, Vermin comes to the conclusion that Baron Draxum isn't the be-all-end-all, that his ideals do not have to be his own. It fills him with a giddiness that leaves him trembling, his heart pounding.

In the middle of his fourteenth year, Vermin leaves.

Age 14:

The first person Vermin officially meets a human named April O'Neil.

Age 16:

...Vermin is starting to think his name was meant to be Leonardo all along.

#art #drawing #rottmnt #tmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rottmnt leo #sketch #update #rottmnt vermin au #finally some lore #this turned out a lot longer than i wanted and yet still feels like i didn't explain enough

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cupcakeslushie · 2 years

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Separate Donnie is just so precious but also I want to put him in a jar a shake him like a kid with a firefly

DONNIE TIME!! Strap in, this one’s gonna be long

@raisondetre2012 @cutesybumbleb

Donnie struggles a lot in the beginning with distinguishing his brothers from his hallucinations. It helps that his real brothers act so different from the harsh figments that constantly torment him, but his brain will still trick him into listening and believing what they’re saying. The family has to be very careful at first when Donnie’s deep in one of his episodes, as there’s no telling how he’ll react to them intervening. Sometimes they’re able to guide him back with soft spoken words of encouragement, and other times he’s convinced they’re just trying to get him to let his guard down and he’ll get pulled deeper into the fog of his hallucinations.

The family’s knowledge of everything Donnie went through with Draxum is sort of limited down to: traumatic events Donnie has mentioned jokingly in passing, the horrifyingly casual way Donnie talks about testing things on himself, and just seeing with their own two eyes that Donnie has clearly been put through severe physical and psychological trauma for a long time. Mikey is probably the only one brave enough to ask about specific scars like Donnie’s metal plate and his wrists, but after hearing the blunt and honest recounts from Donnie, no one really feels a strong desire to dig any deeper.

@redheadedhypocrite They all have their own issues but Leo and Mikey are better able to mask theirs, unlike Donnie who can’t really contain his own panic any time he thinks he’s done something wrong. They just try their best to avoid any land mines, because hearing Donnie grovel and stutter his way through apology after apology for any little perceived mistake is pretty heartbreaking for all of them.

Donnie has a hard time with accepting that he deserves his place in the family, and thus will often still refer to himself silently as Three. He doesn’t really understand that the things Draxum did to him were unforgivable. He was always led to believe that Draxum was just trying to make him stronger so he could stand next to his brothers once the time came that they were all reunited. It doesn’t help that when they are reunited, even if it’s not in the way he’d thought—he’s kept from joining his brothers in their patrols for months. Leo and Mikey are left to babysit him for a while, but even then, they rejoin Raph and April before Donnie is allowed out. And the way Splinter treats him is so alien to Donnie, the doting and the affection. He wants to be Donnie so badly, but he hasn’t done anything to deserve it. Life was so simple with Draxum. Three would do something, anything really, and be punished. Nine times out of ten, Three was able to predict how the end results would play out—with Donnie, everything is an unknown—and he hates not knowing.

Donnie’s first run in with Draxum is fine in the moment, his brothers and April are there, and Draxum’s attention is more focused on Raph, Leo and Mikey and trying to convince them to join him. And his family instinctively puts themselves in between Draxum and Donnie so there’s no mistaking where their opinion of Draxum lies. It’s only towards the end where for a split second in the chaos of battle, that Draxum gets a moment alone with Thre—Donnie, but that’s all his previous guardian really needs to throw Donnie off. The battle ends and they retreat, but Donnie can’t help but over analyze Draxum’s words for the rest of the night, getting no sleep and replaying the encounter again and again. Sleep doesn’t come, and in the morning…

@imtiredandcoffeeismylifestyle

Not sure if you guys checked out the character sheet, I’ll link that above, it’s got all their ages, and then the start of the comic, where Mikey gets rescued, is a sort of prologue and then when Leo and Donnie’s stories comes in a year later would be the start of the show, so ages are 14, 15, 16, and this takes place over two years with a bunch of stuff in between before the finale fight with Shredder, then a two month break where Leo goes on a type of vision quest and has to return quickly as the events of the movie call him back home.

A lot of Donnie’s scars are from experiments, while most of his psychological scars are from punishments. We’ll see a lot more of what Draxum did to Three so I wont go into much detail there. While with Leo, most of his scars are from him failing to follow through The Shredder’s orders or expectations. Most happened early on, during training, and as Leo grew, so did his ability, which meant fewer punishments, and more praise from Saki.

Three was fed pretty close to a regular soft shell turtle diet, mostly fish and 🤢 insects and frogs—bleh. Which he didn’t really…enjoy, but it’s not like he had much choice. As he got older and was able to fix his own meals, he would more often choose flavorless juice smoothies, and only fall back on the other options when he needed the variety. Donnie is pretty picky when he joins the fam, but he trusts Mikey’s suggestions over his other two brothers. All in all though he much prefers the diet he has now.

@tksmainhellhole The bandana is to cover up the scars on his head, which were some of Three’s first, and so he was more self-conscious and attempted to hide them. Eventually though, he has so many that he doesn’t care, but for some reason he likes the feeling of the bandana and so he keeps wearing it.

Raph, Leo, and Mikey can kind of remember enough turtle to instinctively communicate back. Leo’s pride prevents him from doing it unless Donnie is in distress. Otherwise Raph and Mikey think it’s adorable and have fun with it.

Three/Donnie would normally hate being covered in grime and he’ll usually wash off the oíl as quickly as he can, but he loves picking off the dried spray paint (omg he’s just like me fr). So with it there, it’s a great alternative to, ya know—other bad habits.

Donnie and Raph will both go non-verbal when pushed to a certain point. Raph tends to hide when he does this (except from Splinter or April), but Donnie will seek out comfort.

@snailsnaps When Donnie is overstimulated he tends to either shut down if it’s really bad, or if it’s just enough to give him a headache or irritate him he’ll go find someone to latch on to who he can zero in on and ground himself in. With how quickly his brain works, being under stimulated happens far more often, and is usually what brings on his work binges and some of his more chaotic ideas.

He’s more aggressive before sleeping, when he’s gone on a five day bender of zero sleep and constant tinkering. Getting him to finally pass out is where the struggle comes in. He’s pretty hard to wake up once he’s out, even in the midst of a nightmare, he’ll come awake on his own. Leo and Mikey are more the, don’t approach after waking, or risk being attacked types. But sometimes when Donnie goes into his own headspace, and dissociates too deeply, it’s best to leave him alone, since he doesn’t like to be touched during those moments. That’s when you could lose a finger.

Donnie and Raph have a great relationship, and Raph is the one who Donnie probably goes to the most when he’s overstimulated, because a Raph hug is better than any weighted blanket—Donnie can focus on Raph’s calm breathing and his heartbeat and the warmth of his arms around him, nothing at all like the cold, hard vines that Draxum would entangle Three in until he was practically suffocating.

@space-is-spooky Check out this post here for your answer on Splinter talking about Donnie!

@redheadedhypocrite I think I mentioned a while back that Donnie is more wistful when he thinks about what could’ve been his childhood, but he’s not bitter so much, as he doesn’t even really think he deserved to be rescued. He’s just grateful that he’s even allowed a place in this perfect, happy family, when he’s only ever been a disappointment.

@ifyourereadingthisblinktwice

Donnie, when he is finally allowed to join his brothers in battle, has a hard time with larger groups of opponents, since he’s got the least amount of field experience. He tends to do much better from afar or from higher ground where he can see the whole picture. He’s probably the stealthiest after Leo, but with Leo on the front lines directing the team with Raph, Donnie is the one who gets sent in for recon and intel gathering, and then he’ll take more of a backseat role, taking out stragglers and calling out positions. This doesn’t mean he’s helpless though, he’s just more used to fighting one on one, as that’s how Draxum trained him. He’s still a master with his bo and once he taps into his ninpo and has more training on how to work with his brothers, they all feel better about letting him jump into the thick of it without worrying that he’ll get hurt in the choas.

Also Donnie would 100% use explosives in battle if he didn’t have to worry about his bros and April being caught up in the blast. When he unlocks his ninpo he can create some pretty specific weapons that allow him more controlled, but just as fun explosions!

#separated au #ask slushie #rottmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rottmnt separated au #rise of the tmnt #rise donnie #sep!au infodump

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boots-with-the-fur-club · 4 months

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Inverted Confrontation chapter 6! Next is the last one!

@daboyau

“You already know I wanted to end humanity! Is this really such a surprise!? I made you all for war and experimented on dozens of animals. Obviously I was going to make sure you were suited for it.” Draxum crosses his arms.

“This is so not helping your case! How are we supposed to convince these guys to stop being villains when you basically made it impossible for them to be anything else!?” Leo grips his own face and pulls on it in frustration.

“Maybe we can talk to them now that the situation is reversed? They might be willing to listen!” Mikey suggests.

“No way they ever would. Reasoning doesn’t work!“ Other April insists.

“What do you say we do with them then?” April questions.

“Let me take them back and we’ll deal with it. The people in my universe deserve justice.”

“Are you going to kill them!?”

“It’s up to everyone who’s lives they ruined! This is the only chance I’m ever going to get!“

“Woah woah woah, heroes don’t send people to their deaths!” Raph gets between them.

“They’re murderers themselves if you need reminding.” Draxum comments.

“Yeah, because of you!” Leo points his finger in his face accusatorially.

“We can’t give up on them. Villains and other universes or not they are my sons.” Splinter chimes in.

“They also tried to brainwash your real sons though.” Donnie casually adds.

Everyone begins arguing with each other, allowing Mikey to slip away to the room they’re holding them in.

He’s surprised to see that Champion is awake, but not exactly…..present. It reminds him a little of Leo with a concussion but this seems much worse.

“Are….are you okay?” He hesitantly reaches out to him.

When there’s no reaction, so he quickly touches his neck to make sure there’s a pulse. Luckily there was. Unluckily, it means he has no idea what’s going on with him.

His head was drooped slightly, his eyes were….gray, half lidded, sort of empty.

“This is bad….I have to get help-“

“Stop! There’s only one thing that can help him, you’d just make it worse!”

Mikey jumps a bit at the voice coming from behind him. Dr. Rude apparently has woken up.

“What will help?”

“Me! He needs me.”

“I can’t just let you out, you just tried brainwash me and my brothers! Tell me what to do, I won’t mess it up.”

“You can’t be the one to do it.” He breaks the mystic bindings fairly easily.

Mikey panics, quickly holding onto Champion. He’s not sure why, but something feels wrong.

“How did you break it!? You shouldn’t have had your powers!”

“Just because I can’t use them doesn’t mean I wasn’t strong already. Let go of my brother.”

“What are you going to do to him?”

“I don’t have to explain myself to you!” He starts coming at him.

Mikey holds Champion closer and jumps out of the way.

“You do if you actually want to be able to do it!”

“If I don’t help him he’s just going to get worse! Do you want him to die because you’re being stupid!?”

“I’m not being stupid! I’m trying to make sure you’re not doing anything weird!”

Champion begins to shift in his arms. Mikey immediately notices the panic on Dr. Rude’s face.

“P-Please! I have to do it now!”

Mikey frowns, trying to figure out what the right thing to do is. His unease was brought on by something but it was just a feeling. They loved each other, he wouldn’t hurt his brother right?

He hesitantly moves Champion closer to him. There’s immediate relief on his villain counterpart’s face. Maybe this was the better option.

Dr. Rude mystic powers start surging through his arms which makes Mikey confused.

“You’re going to be okay again….just like before….”

“What are you doing!?”

Both Mikeys snap their heads towards Hyde who .

“I-I was just….it’s….” Dr. Rude is at a loss for words.

Hyde breaks his bonds and rushes over, scanning Champion with a device he materializes.

“…..Mikey.”

Dr. Rude freezes. Mikey knows that reaction. He gets the same way when Splinter calls him Michelangelo instead of Orange.

“Hyde, it’s not what-“

“Why are there traces of your power in his system?”

“You don’t understand-“

“Then make me understand! What were you about to do? What have you been doing to him!?”

Dr. Rude shrinks in on himself a bit, glancing at Champion. Hyde moves into his line of sight, blocking the view.

“Tell me I’m wrong! Tell me that you haven’t been puppeteering our brother!”

Dr. Rude begins breathing heavily.

“….You did it….didn’t you? For how long!?”

Dr. Rude tears up, holding his arm and looking away.

“Mikey! If I’m going to fix him, you need to tell me everything!” He grips him by the shoulders.

Dr. Rude looks back at him with anger before tackling him away from Champion.

Mikey takes several steps back at seeing this, then rushes out of the room.

“You think you can fix him!? What I did was the fix! He was failing! You weren’t there! You don’t know what it was like! Draxum was going to get rid of him if I didn’t do something!” Dr. Rude holds Hyde down, his arms still full of mystic energy.

“Mikey! Be careful!” He fearfully glances at them.

“I-I swear I didn’t do it on purpose at first! I was just trying to help! And it worked! I-I didn’t even know I could do that! I thought it was just helping his abilities!” The energy begins to seep into Hyde’s arms.

“Stop it! Please!” He looks at Red to see if he’s awake.

He’s only slowly beginning to stir.

“I was trying to keep him alive….and then….h-he and I were so in sync….we worked so well together….we were perfect. Too perfect….”

Hyde struggles against him as the energy spreads more. He glances around next to get help from regular Mikey but couldn’t find him.

“I couldn’t have known what I was doing….but something was wrong. He never questioned me about anything. You remember those things dad made us, right? Leo’s stuffed unicorn was the only one Draxum never found. You remember how angry he was when he found ours, what he did to us….Leo was so good at hiding his, but I just knew it was a matter of time, so I told him to tear it up. He loved it so much, so I didn’t think he’d actually do it! He was going to do it without a second thought if I hadn’t stopped him!”

“You could have stopped after we were free!”

“I tried stopping! I-I got scared after the unicorn, but it was so much worse when I didn’t do it….Draxum got even angrier. Leo couldn’t handle what he was feeling anymore, Donnie! And that was only after a week! After how long it took to get out of there!? It would break him!”

“But now you’re doing it to me!?”

Dr. Rude’s tears drip onto Hyde’s face.

“I have to. It’s the only way. I’m taking care of us! You’ll feel better, he always does…..”

Hyde shouts in pain.

Red blearily wakes up at the screaming, immediately breaking his bonds and instinctively grabbing Dr. Rude as soon as he sees him.

He looks around in confusion for the actual attacker, only assuming Dr. Rude was trying to help Hyde.

Only when he notices the orange spreading through his veins does he fully understand what’s happened. His attention turns back towards his youngest brother.

“You….did this?”

Dr. Rude breaks down in tears as he looks back up at him.

“I-I didn’t know what else to do. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” He hides his face in Red’s shoulder.

Red hugs him closer, his shock turning completely to understanding.

“Oh Orange…..”

Dr. Rude hiccups in response to the nickname he hadn’t heard in a long time.

“I-I’m a monster…..I’m just like he was…!”

Red rubs his shell.

“No. Never, ever like him.”

“But I-“

“It’s not his DNA we’ve got. You messed up….and it’s bad. Real bad. We’ve all done bad things. We did it for a reason. How would ya even know what was crossin the line? We sure didn’t teach you. We sure didn’t really have anyone to teach us. The real monster….he never cared about being a monster. His reasons never were for anybody else. You’re different. I know you are.”

Dr. Rude further bursts into tears.

That’s when everyone who was previously fighting rushes into the room. Original Mikey had managed to get them to listen long enough to tell them what was happening.

“Why did I even bother making those bonds when they broke out immediately?” Draxum crosses his arms.

“Not the time, Barry!”

Both Aprils rush over to Hyde.

“What do we do!? How do we stop this!?” April panics.

“I don’t know! I’ve never seen it stopped before!” Other April answers.

“I-Ignore me, Champion needs help!” Hyde winces, holding his arms in pain.

Splinter quickly goes over to Champion.

“Blue, can you hear me?”

Light starts returning into his eyes. His gaze meets with Splinter’s.

“D-Dad….? You can’t be….you’re….” His eyes widen in a split second.

He screams out in a wail, gripping his own head in what seems like a lot of pain.

“No! I-I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! He killed you because of me! And I-!….Oh my god….I killed him….I actually did it, how could I have-?” He sees Draxum behind Splinter.

His screams change from pain to absolute fear. He curls up into a tight ball, shaking like he’s about to fall completely apart.

“Blue!” Splinter tries to touch him but Champion only flinches.

“Okay, since Champion is down for the count, Leon is taking over! Whoever can help fix Hyde stays in a room with Draxum. That includes the Aprils to watch over him. Whoever can calm Champion down stays here. Having Draxum around is only going to freak him out more. All good?”

Nobody seems to have any problems with his solution. They all split off into the designated groups. Red, Raph, Donnie, Mikey and Splinter stay with Champion. Draxum, Dr. Rude, and the Aprils go with Hyde. Leo leaves the room with them but pauses, not sure if he could really help either.

“P-Please, don’t leave.” Hyde pleads.

Leo is surprised but quickly catches up with them and goes to his side. They all get to the med bay and lay Hyde down on the bed. Everyone else takes a step away from him in order to talk about what the next course of action would be. Leo stays next to him.

“That looks like it hurts….”

“O-Only because I’m fighting it. It’s….trying to spread but I’m not letting it. H-Humans can’t really fight against this, their mystic powers are nonexistent.”

“Are you sure you want to keep talking if it hurts this much?”

“I….I miss when you were like this.”

“Like what?”

“All the dumb jokes, the way you were unsure, when you let yourself be scared….”

“Well now you just make me sound like a loser. I thought it was cool how you believed in him, called him Champion, how he could actually be leader, but that was all kinda a big lie because of all that puppeteering.” He crosses his arms.

“You were you. Not….fake. Not a mix of something else. If you were a loser that way, we were losers together. Y-You’re my twin and it felt like I lost whatever we had. Now I know….it was replaced by what Dr. Rude created…..”

“What….we had?”

“Y-You and I both know what it was. The way you can tell if he’s in pain. If he’s in a bad mood. Wh-When he needs you.”

“I knew that wasn’t just in my head! I caught him watching scary movies at 3am because him being scared wouldn’t let me sleep.”

Hyde smiles softly.

“I’d give anything to have that happen. Th-That’s why I agreed to this. I don’t just miss you….I-I miss Mikey too. Hyde and Champion….they became like we were the same person. I-I guess they sort of were. It felt like it was just me and Red at times….I just wanted to spend time with my little brothers.”

“Hey, I’m not letting you say that just because you’re not feeling well.”

Hyde’s smile changes to a smirk.

“I tested us. I’m older.”

“What!? If you weren’t such a bad liar I’d be calling pants on fire!”

Hyde chuckles before he grits his teeth in pain.

Leo frowns and looks at his arms.

“There has to be something I can do.”

“D-Dr. Rude himself doesn’t know how to stop it. I-It’s not your fault.”

Leo looks at his hands, then back to Hyde.

“Here goes nothing.”

“Wait, wait-!”

Leo recalls the surge of energy that Champion had forced them to dip into. He thinks hard about how he wants to help Hyde, putting aside the fact that he isn’t from this universe, ignoring what he attempted to do.

Right now, he was family.

Hyde’s shouting drew the attention of the others in the room. He can sort of hear Draxum and both Aprils yell at him to stop. They’re all ignored.

They can lecture him after it works. Or take pity on him if it doesn’t.

Energy prickles in the palm of his hands. He grabs Hyde’s arms and does his best to will the energy that wasn’t supposed to be there away, somewhere, anywhere that wasn’t in Hyde.

The energy fights him, not wanting to leave. He fights back, insisting that it was not going to get any further. He can feel something in Hyde helping his own energy kick out the harmful one.

Eventually, finally, Dr. Rude’s energy changes into his own. He pulls it all back, out of Hyde.

He’s pulled away just as he finishes, getting yelled at a lot more.

He doesn’t really pay attention.

Hyde’s arms are back to normal. He’s not in pain anymore.

He looks at him in complete shock.

“Ha, there was something I could do!”

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remmushound · 3 years

Text

Bay/rise 37!! @errorfreak88 @selfindulgenz @digitl-art-monstr @brightlotusmoon @yarchurr @dakotafinely @sententiously-sarcastic @sprinklestheditty

Content warnings!! Mentions of death

The ringing in Leo’s ears was deafening. After his humiliating defeat, the best thing he could think to do was find someplace quiet to think. The single place in the lair that offered such solitude was Splinter’s room— the only single-person bedroom in the entirety of their home. It was small and Leo could barely fit through the doorway, and laying on the bed made him feel colossal, but he didn't care. He buried his face in the pillow and it smelled like his father and that was all that he cared about.

He didn't care about losing the spar. Sure, it was a bad sting to his self esteem, but at least his dad hadn’t been there to see it. But maybe if Splinter was there he could have talked some sense into Leo before he made a fool of himself in front of his brothers. He didn't know what he was doing and he admitted that to none but himself. He had been leader for almost four years— and even before then he had always taken well to bossing his brothers around. That’s why he had been made leader in the first place! Because Splinter saw something in him and chose to highlight that above all his flaws and faults. Leo still didn't know why!

As a kid, though he had always taken charge, his personality wasn’t just that. Not like what he was reduced to now. He remembered running the sewers with his brothers and mapping out the tunnels with their minds alone and how he was always the one who could find the way home even when Donnie’s techniques failed. He remembered Splinter taking them up to the storm drains so they could watch the parades go by in the streets. The colors, the people dancing, the music sounding off and filling Leo with such a bubbly, warm joy that he just wanted to dance along to any song that carried down the tunnels.

That was what ninjitsu was to him at first. Dancing. Memorizing the moves and following through as fluid and free as the dancers he saw on the streets and in movies. Trying to emulate what he saw— feeling the melody in the very blood that coursed through his veins. Then a fun hobby turned into an obligation. It wasn’t a game anymore— it wasn’t something to enjoy or a fun thing to practice in his free time. It was his duty, his responsibility. His honor. And he couldn’t let his father down!

He wasn’t human and he could never be human. He shouldn’t want to be human! He was a turtle— he was a mutant— he was Splinter’s son! He had to live up to all the stories he was told about how great he would be and he had to live up to his father’s expectations and he had to live up to what the people in the city needed him to be! He didn't need to dance, he didn't need to like his work—he shouldn’t like his work! Work is work and work isn’t meant to be enjoyed. He was a savior— a messiah in the form of a grotesque monstrosity and it was him and only him that could protect his brothers and the city and the earth and he just wished the ringing in his ears would stop—

Then he opened his eyes again. The ringing wasn‘t just in his ears. It was all around him. An alarm— Donnie’s alarm— sounding a warning of some enemy approaching. Leo looked up and dried his tears just as Donnie came rushing into the room.

“Leo! An alarm went off in the south tunnel! We should check it out! Are you gonna…?”

Leo stood up quickly, shoving his way past Donnie and reclaiming his swords on the way to the entry tunnel. He didn't dare look up at any of his brothers or their counterparts as he passed them by. He was a leader and he had to be strong and silent and he wasn’t allowed to cry. He wasn’t allowed to be weak. He had to be the best— he was the best! Even if Leonardo had beaten him.

They traversed the tunnels in silence. Leo’s brothers were all gathered around him, Mikey with his head hung low like a puppy and remarkably silent. Donnie gave Leo space instead of being right at his side as usual, and Raph put some distance between himself and his Leo for completely different reasons. He needed a chance to cool off before he strangled Leo for how the stubborn leader had been acting the past few dates. He could strangle him later, Raph told himself. Just wait until the sensei’s are safe.

Leonardo was in the lead of his family, Michelangelo clinging to his arm for security against the rushing water that tried to force him off his feet. Leonardo, slippery as he was, always had a better grip under the water than the land-dwelling box turtle could hope to achieve. Donatello was tapping away on his watch, though Michelangelo was half convinced that it was actually just a game. In the place of Raphael, who’s exhaustion couldn’t be moved even by the loud scream of the alarm, was April taking up the rear. She had yet to get her special baseball back, though whoever this Casey Jones was had promised to get it out of police holding for her. In its place she had a new, regular bat covered in nails. Not as effective as her mystic bat, but she was sure it could pack a punch nonetheless.

They came to the place where the alarm had gone off. All eight of them slowly came to a halt when they saw the intruder just standing there, calm as day, as if he had been waiting for them quite some time. Leo and his brothers all took an audible gasp as they stepped back, Leo putting his arms out to protect those behind him. Leonardo and his family, however, gasped for a whole different reason.

“HUESO!”

Despite Leo’s wide motion for them all to stay behind him, Leonardo lead his family to all ignore the leader and dash forward under Leo’s arms to greet the skeleton man. Hueso looked filthy, his normally flawless suit stained with the sewage he had to wade through and dripping even after he had found an almost-dry spot to stand on.

“Oh Hueso! Es bueno verte! I can’t believe you’re here! I’d hug you if you weren’t so gross!” Leonardo laughed and held his arms out for a social-distanced hug.

“Yes, I’d do the same if not for similar reasons.” Hueso grumbled under his breath.

“How’d you get here Hues?” April asked, walking closer to the calaca than Leonardo dared.

“It is a very long story.”

***

“You go on ahead Cassandra. I got some loose ends to tie up.”

When Cassandra left through the rift and the portal closed behind her, only then did Draxum put Hueso back on the ground and release his vice-grip. Hueso gasped softly as he clutched at his throat, his eyes full of hate and locked on Draxum like he were the scum of the earth.

“What do you want from me?” Hueso asked finally, his eyes never once leaving the sheep yokai.

“We have a common means, calaca.” Draxum said, calm and steady. “I hear you are fond of the one called Leonardo.”

“Fond?” Hueso laughed, “I wouldn’t much call it fond as I would call it a... hostage situation.”

“But you know of him. You care for him?” Draxum made a fist and raised it to the air. “You are a very clever Yokai, I can tell. And I could trust no other with a message as important, and to accept what I am about to ask of you would ensure riches and safety for you and your family.”

A glint came to Hueso’s eyes. “What is your request?”

“My creations think me cruel. They know not of my plans, and I need a carrier to bring the news to them so we may unite our forces to take down a common enemy.”

“The Shadow Fiend…” Hueso whispered softly, looking to the place where the rift had once been. “He is not whole. He cannot be defeated in the state he is currently in.”

“Yes.” Drauxm growled softly.

“He must be made whole again, and the only way to do that is…”

“A sacrifice. A sacrifice of Hamato blood will bring the Shredder back whole. He’ll be defeatable.”

“But the cost...”

***

“...would be great.” Hueso finished. “You would be able to destroy The Shadow Fiend once and for all! He sent me here to be your guide.” Hueso looked to Leonardo.

“So he’s not bad!” Michelangelo said quite loudly, his voice echoing all around them as he ran fast to hug Hueso, almost tackling the older skeleton. “DRAXUM’S NOT BAD! I knew he wasn’t!”

“You… you’re just…” Leo pointed at Hueso.

“Just a bone man, yes.”

“Hm.” Leo smacked his lips together as he nodded ever so slightly. “Okay.”

“Can I touch your bones, dude?” Mikey asked, his mouth hanging open and eyes wide.

“That is extremely disrespectful.” Hueso spat, “You should show more respect to your elders.”

Everyone just stared at him.

“Well? Data prisa! We haven’t got all day!” Hueso started to usher the teens back down the sewer tunnel, his confidence and booming voice enough to compensate for the shorter and weaker form he had compared to the brothers. “Malditos chicos! Tan lento!”

The mutants scattered along at his urging just as they would if their Splinters had done the same. Hueso grabbed Leonardo before the blue ninja could get far.

“Talk with me.” He said in Spanish before they started to walk again.

“Why the Spanish?” Leonardo spoke with the same tongue and in a hushed voice. He hoped none of the counterpart-brothers could understand what was being said.

“We must talk of your father in private.”

“Splinter? Why? Do you know something?”

“I told you the ceremony requires blood magic! It requires the host to be bled and possessed by the Dark Armor. The host would be your father with his hamato blood.”

Leonardo’s eyes went wide. He stopped walking for a moment, but Hueso grabbed him by the arm and forced him to keep going.

“B-but if we destroy the shredder then he’d be free right?”

“To destroy The Shredder, we will have to destroy the host.” Hueso looked up at Leonardo with mournful eyes. “If we go through with this, then you will have to kill your own father.”

#OHHHHHHHHHHHH #what’s gonna happen?!#find out on the next installment #OF TMT #(Turtles Meet Turtles)

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un-bearablysweet · 4 years

Text

Spider mom Au Headcanon

Even though Big Mama did my man dirty and used Master Splinter for her own gain, I can't help but wonder what life would be like if she had said yes to his proposal. Imma calls it "SpiderMom" Au.

Picture it, Lou Jitsu proposes, and Big Mama confesses that before she can give him an answer, he has to know the truth. She then reveals herself to be a Spider Yokai and a crime lord and asks him if he still loves her? Even when in her Yokai form. She had seen the previous girls he had been with, why would he again choose her to marry?

This gonna be a little longer than usual, so bear with me.

Lou Jitsu, at this point, is too far gone to even think about letting Big Mama go. He's shocked at first, but once he looked into those eight beautiful eyes that this was still the woman he loved. No matter what she forms she took, she was still is his sassy sugar badger. Besides the whole crime boss thing, it was a minor inconvenience. Lol

With no further hesitation, Lou Jitsu stands by his proposal.

Big Mama agrees, but before the can get hitched, Lou Jitsu has to prove his worth to not only hear but to the Yokai community and her associates. These lead to Lou Jitsu's fighting and winning at the battle Nexus to prove himself. Kinda like how animals in the wild have mating dances or fight challengers as a show of dominance and that they are the best choice.

Lou Jitsu wins, and he and Big Mama are happily married a couple of years passed. And while Lou does remain champion after suffering nasty injuries after a particularly lousy fight. He and Big Mama agreed that he should retire early with zero loses; by then, Draxum had already seen Lou Jitsu fight and is still moving along with his mutation plan.

Draxum doesn't know that Lou and Big Mama are married at this point and believed that Big Mama was hogging Lou Jitsu for herself and would only make him fight once a year to draw in a bigger crowd. Lou Jitsu only fights once a year as a part- one wedding anniversary gift. It's only after the fight that when Lou Jitsu is getting his minor cuts and scrapes healed up before he and Big Mama continue, they're planned anniversary that Hugin and Munin strike.

Rather than willing going with them, as shown in the episode Goyles, Goyles, Goyles. Hugin and Munin manage to chloroformed him with some of the healing potions in the room.

It's at this point that when Lou reawakens in Draxum's lab, Draxum does his usual villain monologue, and Lou explains that he's doesn't have time for crazy fans, and he doesn't plan to be late for his anniversary dinner. Lou Jitsu was used to be occasionally kidnapped or threatened by rivals or business associates of Big Mama.

These yokai's soon learned not to mess with Big Mama's business, let alone her hubby. Insults were hurled, punches were thrown, the mutations happen, and the lab was destroyed. Lou manages to make his way out of the fire and rubble with four baby turtles clutched in his arms. But rather than retreat to the sewers to Lou immediately makes his way to the Battle Nexus outpost to flag done a ride back to the hotel.

He and Big Mama had never thoroughly discussed the idea of children, but I guess there was no backing out now. Lou quickly made his way to the hotel and was immediately tended to by the onsite healers. Big Mama had been getting ready for the anniversary dinner all morning. She now has to process the fact that her husband appears to be turning into a rat. A group of her bellhops was trying to calm four baby turtles.

Once Lou finishes his tale of events, Big Mama is furious and immediately wants to put a hit on Draxum's head. With the mutation continuing with no way of reversing it, Lou convinces her it would be better than Draxum believe that both he and the turtles are dead from the fire. Draxum was very reclusive, and he didn't run deeply in the same circles as Big Mama so the wouldn't have to worry about word getting out. Most yokai were smart enough to not spread Big Mama's business around.

Big mama wasn't exactly sold on having not one but four children, but once the little box turtle looked up her with the sweetest look and chirped at her. She swore from then no harm would come to them. These were now her turtles-boos while she was certainly not the most maternal. Isn't that becoming a parent was about learning along the way? And the kids were a part of her husband, and she still loved him dearly they would get through this together.

She did, however, refuse to name the green 1-4. She drew the line at that. While she would miss her husband's tall stature and tan skin, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't enjoying how fluffy he and small he was. Gray was definitely his color, she had her servants set up a nursery near her rooms and knew that this was definitely going to be interesting.

The boys are then raised mostly in the Nexus Hotel topside, not wanting to catch the eye of Draxum; the boys were only allowed outside the hotel into the hidden city with at least 12 guards. The boys are given private tutors, of course, and due to Raph's "sharp" physique all his clothes, his clothes had to be enchanted but would still end up ripping. Donnie, of course, chews through tutors like packs of gum. And Big Mama loved to indulge all of her baby's talents.

She especially loved to brag how brilliant her children were to anyone who would listen.

"oh your 21yr son finished college how cute, my Donnie kins just finished building his second AI system, it's what all the 12yr olds are up to."

"My Darling Miguel has been winning the hidden city gymnastics competition for several years now."

"Oh, yes! My lovely Leo just led his Kendo team to nationals for the 5th year in the row! You must see the trophy."

"Raphael is getting so big, I'm sure his boxing coach will soon be moving him to the advanced class. 15yrs need to stay active, you know."

Everything is not always perfect, you know.

The boys are an absolute menace on the hotel as children; Donnie won't stop ripping out needed appliances and messing with the elevator. Mikey once painted over a 500 dollar rug, Raph and Leo turned the dinner carts into chariot racing.

I imagine that Big Mama is a cross of Mama bear and Tiger Mom, she's very loving and wants the best for her children. But when she's mad, it's best to stay clear. She can't stay mad at her babies for long though, family nights were a must. Lou Jitsu marathons with lots of snacks, pizza, and cuddling. And must to Lou's chagrin Jupiter Jim movies. You definitely missed being human, but being rat had its advantages. And with a cloaking necklace given by his wife, he could hardly tell the difference.

The boys still meet April while sneaking out and manage to convince their mom that she wasn't like other humans. The boys were getting older, and she couldn't keep them in the hotel forever. Cue giving them cloaking necklaces and bracelets to hide out in the human world and start going to school with April.

And all the shenanigans of trying to hide four mutant turtles in high school included.

This is getting pretty long for me, so I'll end it here, if anyone's interested in more info on my take, feel free to message me.

#rise of the tmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rottmnt donatello #rottmnt raph #rottmnt #headcanons #big mama #tmnt2018 #tmnt #Donatello #leonardo #michelangelo #baron draxum #Lou Jitsu

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fanfic-inator795 · 4 years

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Speculation on the new eps:

Sidekick Ahoy!: Sooo, I guess they’re going with Jim just being a bit off his rocker and not straight up evil, which is nice. Like other people have said, pretty much EVERY idol the boys and April have had have turned out to be evil, so it’d be nice if Jim was still a decent guy, if a bit unhinged, and didn’t just try to kill or use them all the time. If anything, maybe the Turtles interacting with him more will help bring him back to reality a bit, since he’s pretty isolated. Plus between Dr. Noe, The Purple Dragons, Baxter Stockboi, Tim Dunkman and now whoever is selling the brownies in the next ep, the Turtles could reaaaally use some more human allies. So, yeah, please don’t make him evil

Anyway, as for the plot, I could see it being another sort of Brother VS Brother thing like in ‘Lair Games’ since they all wanna be his sidekick, and in the end we get that classic “I wanna win but not if it means giving up my family” moral - which is fine! Nothing wrong with a familiar story or lesson, and I’m sure the animation and jokes will help keep the ep entertaining

The Hidden City Job: YAAAAAY MORE HIDDEN CITY! Also SENOR HUESO! I feel like we haven’t seen him OR Run of the Mill in ages (which is funny cause in season 1 we had like three eps in a row of Run of the Mill, lol). Anyway, I have no doubt that Piel’s ‘redemption’ is just a scam to get his skele-bro’s help, and I have a feeling that it’s gonna sort of parallel the Draxum storyline where Hueso’s mindset ends up kinda being like Mikey’s, where you should try to help family when you can. However, this ep will add to that mindset “yes, you can try to help family, but you can’t change them - not unless they want to change too.” And it kinda ends ambiguously, hinting at both a Draxum relapse and redemption, where Leo’s not sure which Draxum’s going to choose, but remaining cautious nonetheless.

OR maybe Piel wants to change but is struggling, and it becomes a question of “do you make this person’s problems your own because you care about them/they’re family, even when those problems can cause other issues?” and “can someone really change their ways?” Maybe seeing Piel struggle and eventually make a choice for the better convinces Leo that there’s a chance Draxum could feel the same - that there’s a part of him that would be willing to change and start to be better. Either way, I’m excited! ^v^

Always Be Brownies: OKAY CAN I JUST SAY SOMETHING? I just... It was already great seeing the turtles treat April as an equal/their big sis, but seeing Splinter treat her like a daughter and a partner in crime is just an absolute treat ^v^ They’ve got a great dynamic, work together really well, and I love how much they care about and trust each other, having each other’s backs while still snarking at one another.

Anyway, I have no idea who these “dangerous middle school brownie sellers” could be. Like, are they gonna be actual girl scouts selling brownies *thinks of that one iCarly subplot with Spencer and the fudge balls* or is it going to be a bunch of rogue bake sale moms who’ve gotten their hands on mystic ingredients? Honestly, I don’t know which one would be funnier, so either way this ep will probably be a good time ^v^

Mystery Meat: When I saw that Draxum would be living and working near April, this was EXACTLY what I was hoping for ^v^ Also I’m glad that April can get a spotlight ep without any of the turtles - I think that kinda proves what a strong character she is, that you can just throw her into any situation and it’s still interesting and fun.

Anyway, I’m wondering if this ep will actually further or develop Draxum’s character any or if it’ll just be a farce. ...Honestly, as much as I’m on TeamDadxumRedemption, I’m fine with either. It’s still early in the season, and after only getting 8 Draxum appearances last season, I’m just happy to see him getting more screentime ^v^ Though I wonder if the mystery meat monster will be done on accident or on purpose, what motives he had behind creating it if it WAS on purpose, and if seeing human kids scared/at risk of getting hurt up close will kinda get him to see that “okay maybe this is kinda messed up”.

He always talks about humans either in a past tense or in an ‘in general’ way, like they’re some giant force or giant army. So, seeing their day-to-day lives up close and kinda humanizing them (pun unintended) in his mind could help in the long run of making him see that yeah, though humans are awful sometimes and yokai should be allowed to live on the surface, maybe you shouldn’t just go around killing/mutating them either because they’re still alive too, and they aren’t too different from the kids of the Hidden City.

Anywho, those are just my thoughts. I’m excited about The Hidden City Job and Mystery Meat the most, but they should all be pretty fun and enjoyable, I would think. The only thing that’s missing is an update on the Foot which, I’ll admit, is starting to feel just a liiiiiittle bit overdue at this point... But Rise is usually pretty good at picking up plot points and not letting them hang too long, and we saw that one screenshot of Raph and Foot Lt. on DVE’s twitter, so I’m guessing we’ll finally see the Foot again and learn what they’ve been up to in episode 8 or 9.

#rottmnt #long post #random thoughts

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davids-cartoon-corkboard · 5 years

Note

Do you think Donnie will turn to the dark side and betray his bros? That’d be pretty cool and heart wrenching. Also a great device for the development of the Bros relationship.

(This is the blog’s very first ask! Thank you!)

I don’t think Donnie would ever outright flip his lid and say “forget you guys, I’m gonna go live with my evil dad now”. He loves his family and also he’d be at risk of getting thrown off a roof.

Buuuuut Draxum has a lot of powerful magitech. A situation might arise where the turtles need to get some of it to stop a bigger threat. The Shredder, for example.

Draxum has no doubt increased security since the turtles jacked up his lab in the first episode. They won’t be able to sneak or force their way in. So how do they get Draxum to let them in?

Remember, Draxum isn’t being evil for evil’s sake. He genuinely thinks turning humans into mutants/yokai is the right thing to do, and that killing those who get in his way is perfectly acceptable.

My theory is that Draxum is the only one of his family left alive after humans killed all the rest. Because sheep yokai are animals, monsters, less than human, and hey, this one has a pretty good rack! And so a young Draxum watches them remove his father’s head and carry it away. Later it will be mounted on a wall as a conversation piece. A trophy. The kiddies will play ring toss on it.

The rise turtles, as a nod to the ‘87 cartoon, are comfortable walking around in public with minimal disguises. None of the humans give a shit, because New York is just Like That.

Right?

That won’t last forever. Mutants are animals, monsters, less than human. They’ll eat our children! Make our homes vanish! Wreck our china shops!

People are going to run from our boys. People are going to throw things at them. People are going to call them names. Agent Bishop is going to crawl out of the depths of Hell and try to pick them apart in the most painful way he can.

If the turtles need something from Draxum, they’ll be able to use this treatment (and his backstory) to their advantage.

Donnie alone will approach Draxum, because a single turtle is less likely to make him feel threatened. And Donnie alone will approach Draxum because Draxum will see his young turtle, the one that took after him the most from the start (arrogant cynical softshell genius), exhausted and frightened, with no weapon and a new scar beginning to form on his shell.

He’ll hear Donnie speak to him humbly and say “The humans have discovered us. We can’t go anywhere anymore without being attacked. We’re running low on supplies. None of us can sleep at night. They’re eventually going to find out where we live. The others think there’s a peaceful solution, but I know better, and I don’t want to die. Please, help me.”

If there is any heartstring of Draxum’s left to tug, that will be it. What a young Draxum wanted more than anything else in the world was for someone to help him when he was alone, and the Hidden City was a terrible place to grow up without help. These days he’s not soft, of course, but another mind put towards his project would be useful…

He lets Donnie inside, but doesn’t let his guard down.

It was mostly a trick, on Donnie’s part. Sure, humans have given them some shit, but they’re not in immediate danger. Donnie prepped for this deception. No sleep for a week, with difficult training and splashes through the sewer throughout. It took him ages to convince Raph to rough up his shell. But now he’s inside. And if he’s patient, he can get what he needs.

Donnie learns that the “Baron” in “Baron Draxum” isn’t just for drama- he actually holds some status in the Hidden City. Draxum brings back things he considers scraps and trinkets, and they’re unlike anything Donnie has ever seen. Magic has opened up a whole new field of study for him! Imagine what he could do if he had access to more of Draxum’s stuff! He might be able to get his hands on the thing he needs now… but his chances would be better if Draxum trusted him more.

He should stay a little longer.

Huginn and Muninn’s chatter provide a familiar level of background noise, but they’re wise enough not to bother Donnie- they only watch him, as Draxum commanded. They bring him food and medicine to help him recover. They’re quiet when he sleeps. They don’t poke at and accidentally break whatever he’s tinkering with. They recognize that streak of Draxum in him better than anyone else.

Donnie hasn’t been able to focus so well in- well, ever.

While watching Draxum work, he casually offers a suggestion -human gametes form like this, so if you tweaked the mutagen like that then they’d transition to yokai gametes more easily- and Draxum smiles, adjusting his formula. Later, Draxum monologues about Unified Runic Laws in Donnie’s general direction. Sure, Donnie probably shouldn’t have helped out with the whole evil plan thing, but knowing those Runic Laws is going to make the lair’s antimagic security system go from theory to reality!

Surely Donnie could learn even more if he stayed for another week or so.

Big Mama sends some of her minions to attack Draxum’s lab- more to annoy him than anything, but they knocked a couple of things loose. Instead of grabbing some gizmos and running off in the confusion, Donnie helped fight off the interlopers and solder some things back together afterwards. Draxum examines his handiwork. Precise, organized, efficient. “Well done” he says. “Thank you.”

Donnie could stick around for a bit more, couldn’t he?

Donnie’s been gone a long time, and of course he couldn’t take his bo or any communication devices with him. The rest of the turtles fear the worst. They try to “free” him. He “rejects” them. But that’s all right. It’s just a trick to get Draxum to trust him. Giving his brothers a few bruised scales is worth the artifact he has to bring back.

He tries not to think about how Leo ran off with a limp.

Baron Draxum is not a trusting yokai. But seeing how the boy’s eyes lit up at the slightest hint of praise, how much effort he put into whatever he worked on, how fascinated he is by the magitech under Draxum’s roof… it seems unlikely that he’ll just run off.

But just in case… a present. A test. Children like presents, right? And Draxum likes tests. He gives Donnie a glowing purple staff.

Now, Donnie had refused this staff in the first episode, back when things were simple and he still had his titanium bo. But now that he knows a bit more about magic, he’d really like to see what makes this one tick.

Leo’s sword creates portals through space. Why not have his twin’s weapon create portals through time?

While tinkering with the staff, Donnie accidentally flings himself into a future where he sees what will happen if Draxum continues to influence him. If he stays too long, he’ll never want to leave.

He meets his brothers, aged and weary over a thirty year gap. And he is reminded of the pile of notes and gadgets he has back at Draxum’s lair.

Leo is blind (Donnie was working on a flashbomb/curse combo).

Raph lost an eye (Donnie had scratched out some ideas for magical whirlwinds that selectively picked up the sharpest shrapnel).

Mikey’s arm is severed (a simple reversal spell, and his kusari-fundo turned on him and sawed it off).

April is cold, so different from her bright and vibrant teenage self. She leads what little resistance there is, and used up all her warmth to try and keep hope alive.

They all buried what was left of Splinter ages ago.

Future!Donnie is Draxum’s right-hand turtle, his favored, only son, and if he can hold out just a little longer, Draxum will die (of old age or of coup, Future!Donnie could go either way), and he’ll be in control, and he will fix the world, and make it as it should be.

Future!Donnie got Draxum’s praise, he got his trust, he got his knowledge, he got his artifacts, he got, he got, he got…

He got a swift kick in the teeth from his pissed-off past self.

Donnie is shaken. For how long had this mission been about him, at the expense of everything and everyone else? How much time had he spent listening to Draxum ramble instead of gain intel on the object he needed? How far had he been willing to go?

The ensuing battle leaves Donnie victorious… sort of. He’s the only one left alive. He doesn’t have time to process what he’s experienced, because the staff re-activates, and rockets him back to the present.

Donnie breaks it over his knee, takes the item he was after, and burns Draxum’s lab to the ground.

#izzyitadream #rottmnt #rottmnt theory #sainw #baron draxum #rottmnt donnie #i didn't expect this to turn out so long lmao #it kinda got away from me #i know we all make jokes abt donnie being a supervillain #but hey #what if it was angsty instead?

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cupcakeslushie · 2 years

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At first they’re kind of just learning how to navigate around each other. Leo’s always training and meditating, Donnie is working on getting a new lab set up, and Raph, Mikey, and April are trying not to step on any landmines. Mikey tries to use the research he did for himself in the past year to help his brothers, but it’s slow going. Donnie is more receptive than Leo…or at least, he’s more willing to sit down with Mikey and listen to him talk. Dr. Feelings isn’t sure how much his older brother is actually taking in what he’s saying, going by the unsettling, thousand yard stare Donnie sometimes gives him. Eventually though, Leo stops being so stubborn and becomes more open to joining in the group activities Raph keeps trying to organize. Once they start spending time together, something just seems to click and they bond in the same ways we see them do in the show.

Donnie is the only one who’s never tried pizza. Raph’s practically lived off the stuff. Mikey’s more used to the fru-fru flatbread pizzas Big Mama’s chefs would cook, but he thinks the places they go to now are way better, and those idiots, Bebop and Rocksteady were easy enough to steal from when they brought outside food into the Foot Clan compound. Also (🤐) took Leo one time, after a successful mission ended with time to spare, probably one of the only nice things (🤐) ever did for him.

Donnie’s need for approval grows to a whole new, worrying level, just because of how generous with affection and praise Splinter is, and how much of a head-rush Donnie gets, every time he does something to earn it. But he does calm down his more violent impulses out of fear of doing anything that would get him sent back to Draxum. Splinter sees that fear behind all the need for attention and meets it with his own, in a way. It isn’t done consciously, but he lets Donnie get away with much more than his brothers. It doesn’t bother any of them at first. They can all see that Donnie needs the most attention in the emotional department, but after it goes on for so long, it starts to create more problems than it helps solve. Raph and April are the ones that makes Splinter see what he’s doing is really avoiding the problems, instead of confronting them. Once they bring this to Splinter’s attention, he sits Donnie down and the two have their first serious talk, and don’t walk away until Splinter has Donnie convinced that nothing he could ever do would make the man love him any less, or that Donnie would ever be handed back over to Draxum.

Leo has a soft spot for Mikey because of (🤐), but can be a bit awkward showing affection with everyone else. The easiest way Leo shows he cares is tending to their after battle wounds, and offering sound advice when they come to him with a problem.

Raph and Mikey are most affectionate with each other, and Donnie is affectionate with everyone, even though it still has something of a performative air to it. But they know he loves them by how fiercely protective he gets when one of them gets hurt. Raph is just as protective as he is in canon. He’ll check on them all before he goes to bed, let Leo take the lead in missions (after they stop butting heads, and figure out a way that actually works) so that Raph can focus less on strategy, and more on where his brothers are at, and who needs their backs covered. He’s patient with all of Donnie’s “quirks”, offers to spar with Leo when he sees he’s frustrated, but clearly trying to keep a calm face, and joins Mikey in the kitchen when the youngest is experimenting.

I’ll have to make a whole other post for our twin boys, since I’ve gotten so many questions regarding them!

These are all pretty much accurate to a T!

As for dynamics—Leo respects Raph, but they clash at first over how to run missions. Leo hates going in without having everything planned, and that’s not really how Raph, April and Mikey have done things. But Raph can’t argue when Leo’s strategies work so well, and it is something of a relief to not have to worry about being the plan guy, in addition to the protection guy.

Despite all the training Draxum put Three through, Donnie isn’t used to real combat, especially in a group, so he’ll often take a sideline role, at least until he gets more comfortable with the idea of training with his brothers.

Mikey takes down baddies effortlessly. It’s usually him and Leo on the offensive, flitting all over the place in the blink of an eye, Raph on defense unless he’s bowling down a whole group of attackers, and Donnie is in the shadows picking ppl off, or up high calling out positions. Like Raph, April switches between offensive and defensive based on the situation, but she can be a little quicker about it because of her size and speed.

Mikey is first because I love Mikey being the most in tune with Mystic energies. He’s the only one that unlocks his before they all reunite. Big Mama recognizes it as a form of Mystic art, and puts her feelers out in order to uncover more specifics, but doesn’t find anything before Raph and Splinter show up.

Raph unlocks his powers second. I do like the way it was done originally, but I’ll be throwing in a little fun twist to a much loved bit of angst we never got to see in canon 😉…

Donnie shocks everyone by being next. It’s mostly because he’s worked with Mystic energy before and it’s almost something of an underwhelming sort of “oh hey, I guess I can do this now.” Kind of reveal. He creates a bazooka to blast Rocksteady’s ass, when the mutant goes for an unsuspecting Raph’s shell with a sledgehammer.

Leo is last, because of how difficult a time he has accepting himself as part of the Hamato Clan after everything Shredder made him believe, but when an attacker is gunning for Mikey and Donnie, and Leo and Raph are too far away, he moves without thinking and is suddenly exactly where he needs to be.

(I’m not an expert on weapons so pls forgive me if my research reveals some inaccuracies 😅)

Raph has pretty much always used his sai (the ones we see in the turtle tots short. Here, they’re a bit more meaningful and don’t get broken so easily like they do in the first episode—at least I’m assuming the ones in Mystic Mayhem were the same?). Splinter started him off with a pair of tonfa when he was very young and switched him to the sai when he thought he could handle them. Mikey picked his nunchaku from the huge wall of weapons in the Nexus because he liked how quickly and fluidly they followed his own movements. He leaves them behind in the Nexus, but is thrilled to accept the pair Splinter offers. They feel different, but in the best way—like they were meant just for him.

Donnie still creates his tech Bo, and mentally scoffs at the wooden one that’s displayed in the dojo, but…after Leo tells him…🤐 🤐🤐

The weapons are only old, family heirlooms at first. But once each of the boys unlock their Hamato Ninpo, they get the powers they have in the show and use their weapons just like normal. I wont really be fussing with them getting Draxum’s mystic weapons because it would be kind of….clunky trying to figure how that would work. And as much as I loved the new take of them starting off with their traditional weapons, then getting different ones, then earning their iconic weapons in a very satisfying final showdown…I’m going more on the route of them accepting their connection to the Hamato clan, through each of them accepting their weapons from Splinter.

Check out my Separated AU tag for further lore and the art this all is based off and my pinned post at the top of my page!

As always thanks for all the kind words! You guys are the best! ❤️💙💜🧡💛

@rando-living-in-your-floor , @lilyfond , @nyxthedragon225 , @artoflittleowlbird

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