lost in translation

Censorship Georg

This is why an increasing number of libraries are adding a requirement to their challenge policies that challengers must be residents of their service area.

in fucking tears rn

I feel like the audience of the first moving picture

grant o'brien found dead at 37

your story vs your close friends story

Being a weird little girl as a kid provides two options to you: becoming transgender or becoming a weird adult woman. Both of which are things the world needs more of

sudden urge to burst into tears. im not a toddler i just agree with their beliefs

Yeah, that checks out

Walk walk fashion baby work it put on socks you’re crazy

Acquisition / abductions

Depends on who you are asking

just to be clear-- the gemini are horrendous little goblin children who haunt the every waking moment of the hotel staff.

and their coping mechanisms are bad <3

Leonardo and Donatello perform under the moniker "Gemini" in the Battle Nexus. As the alias refers to both of them as a pair, it is a name they share. Big Mama, however, will often refer to whichever twin is her favorite at the moment as "Gemini" or "Gem." In this sense, it is a name they must take turns with.

leo's fighting style is often very protection-orientated, focusing on keeping donnie safe in the ring while he dolls out damage. they're both well aware that donnie can't weather heavy hits the way leo can without his battle shell (much to donnie's frustration) and big mama regularly takes away 'tech privileges' depending on her mood. but don't be fooled-- donnie is just as capable of defending leo.

the twins always fight back-to-back when donnie's soft shell is exposed, and their formation is nearly impossible to break.

"nu-uh" "yeah-huh" this does not support your "we're not brothers" argument, donnie.

gemini au

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So. Leo and Donnie live as the Gemini with Big Mama. Raph as Oblation with the Foot Clan. Splinter got stuck with April. And Mikey was raised by Baron Draxum... but what about those sisters he mentioned?

( oracle and prophet ) ( voice of the spirits ) ( middle sister )

enter -> venus, daughter of baron draxum

one of the two turtles left behind in the lab accident and later recovered by their creator, venus spends her time preparing to face the prophecy that inspired her and her siblings' creation. though she does not wield mystic energy with the same finesse and ferocity as her older brother, her connection to the greater universe is unparalleled. she trains as a seer and a spiritual guide, passing what wisdom she's able to glean on to her family.

despite her talent and passion, there was a time when she was largely dismissed by their father creator due to the injuries she sustained as an infant in the lab explosion. these unforeseen variables resulted in a less-than-ideal soldier, in his mind, and a flawed outcome. she was often ignored or unfavored as a young child until her brother grew old enough to begin advocating for her and her abilities.

with enough time and push from michelangelo, their creator father's view eventually shifted, and venus was brought properly into the fold with her two siblings as future cornerstones in the army that would one day protect yokaikind. still, some quiet, unspoken resentment towards her father remains for her past treatment-- now changed but still unaddressed. she is more spiritually inclined than she is a combatant but has been trained for warfare just as her siblings have, and she is just as dedicated to the cause as they.

Right. So. To recap... Donnie and Leo live as the Gemini with Big Mama. Raphael lives as Oblation amongst the Foot Clan. Michelangelo was raised by Draxum... So Splinter didn't keep any kids in the divorce? :(

( incorrect! this man is a dad whether he likes it or not-- and it doesn't even have to be his kid. )

enter -> hamato yoshi, former champion, current hermit.

after yoshi was mutated, his physical appearance altered so drastically that he could never dream of returning to his previous life on the surface, he was understandably devastated. even worse, into the world came a gaggle of little turtle children bearing his DNA...! only to be immediately torn from his grasp, lost and presumably killed in the lab explosion. yoshi isolated himself in the sewers after this, not only because he had no desire to seek out the company of others... but because he had no where else to go.

he lived as a recluse and hermit for several years in the sewers until, through some ungodly twist of fate and he presumes some amount of child negligence, he investigated an odd noise in the tunnels only to find a small, sobbing girl in his sewers. he had kept himself from the prying eyes of others for this long, and he considered leaving her and trusting that someone would find her eventually, but...

enter -> april o'neil, tamer of grouchy rats

she was a child. he couldn't just leave her, could he? banking on the fact that she couldn't be more than five or six, and therefore any tales she recounted of a rat man in the sewers would hopefully be dismissed as a 'wild imagination,' he revealed himself to her, calmed her down, and helped her out of the sewers so she could find her parents again. april was equal parts thrilled and fascinated by her rescuer-- this was easily the most interesting person she had ever met in her life. and she lived in new york city!

and after that, well...

yoshi just couldn't quite seem to get rid of her? she just kept showing back up, no matter how many times he brought her back home. he did everything he could to discourage her, refusing to entertain her questions or even give his name, (that's okay, she picked out her own name for him-- splinter.) but this did little to dissuade april o'neil. she's grown up frequently visiting the rat down in the sewers, despite his protests. he's still the most interesting person she knows-- and besides, she can't leave that pitiful old rat alone at this point! he loves her and she knows it, he just won't admit it. and she knows he's still got fascinating secrets for her to tease out of him. there's definitely more to his story... and she'll uncover it eventually. after all... she's april o'neil!

So. Leo and Donnie grew up under Big Mama's care to eventually become the infamous Gemini in the Battle Nexus... And Mikey has been raised by Baron Draxum to fulfill the prophecy... Well, where's Raph?

(treasure of the shrine) (tireless devotee) (pledged martyr)

enter -> raphael, child of the foot clan

raph grew up under the protective eye of the foot, raised on endless tales of the clan's grand mission and the essential role he would play in it. his value was very clear from the moment he came into the clan's possession as an infant, given the inherent, powerful mystical energy already laying dormant inside him. though he cannot wield any magick himself, he often spends long hours meditating in the clan's shrine, bathing in mystic energy, awaiting the day he can don the dark armor and awaken their master shredder with his life force. as per clan tradition, he was never given a name and is instead officially referred to by his title-- oblation.

though he is just as devoted to his ninja training as any other clan recruit, his future role makes him far too valuable to be sent on missions or risk combat. in fact, he very rarely leaves the safety of shredder's shrine. this doesn't bother oblation, however. he is perfectly content in his role, and proud of what his anticipated sacrifice will achieve. his faith and trust in the clan are absolute and unwavering. however...

though small children are rarely recruited by the clan, there was one other. recruit calls oblation "obby." and obby calls her "cru." they met when obby was nine and cru was ten and have been inseparable ever since, training side by side. though obby is technically considered a higher rank than her, neither of them have achieved full clan membership yet. obby will not earn his place until he completes his one and only mission, and one that he will do entirely on his own-- bring forth the shredder.

(and recruit is loyal. recruit believes fully in the clan's divine mission. recruit will give whatever the foot asks of her. but as obby's promised sacrifice looms ever closer, she finds herself harboring more and more doubt.)

So, Leo and Donnie were raised first as the Grand Nexus Hotel's most spoiled twins, and then as the infamous Gemini in the Battle Nexus under Big Mama's wing... So then where's Mikey?

(mystical prodigy) (alchemical genius) (prophesized leader and defender)

enter -> michelangelo, son of baron draxum

mikey was raised by their creator, draxum, as the beginning of the army that will one day defend yokai-kind from the prophesized threat on the horizon. he was not originally given a name, typically referred to as 'turtle' or 'mutant,' until they got old enough to want one and asked draxum for one. when draxum suggested he instead name himself, he hemmed and hawwed for some time before 'michelangelo' came to him in a dream. draxum thought it was silly at first, but saw that it made mikey... happy, and so now invariably refers to him as such.

in addition to martial arts, survival skills, and military strategy, draxum took the time to teach his son creation the art of alchemy, which he took to like a fish to water ("it's just like cooking!") and often incorporates alchemical mixes and potions into combat. he also has a tendency to add brightly colored dyes to his concoctions-- just for the fun of it.

and i don't need to tell you this boy is mystic as fuck, right? draxum was thrilled by his creation son's immense raw potential and innate abilities, and has been working to help him hone these skills since he was old enough to sit upright. donatello may be a witch, but when if mikey were to ever meet them, they would laugh and call them cute.

being raised by draxum has hardened mikey somewhat, leading to him being a bit more intense and focused, but raising mikey softened draxum in turn.