Inspiring others to see beyond where they are and strive for everything they could be. Believe it!....It's possible! Welcome to my blog! My love and interests have a wide range including my Christian faith, superheroes, cartoons, pop culture references, music, and occasionally just random bouts of silliness ;P
Burdens of the Soul: Book 3 of the Logic of the Soul series
AO3
Fanfiction.net. ➡️ I will no longer be posting Burdens of the Soul or future stories on Fanfiction.net due to spam issues. Future chapters (including Chapter 10 and beyond) are now exclusively on AO3.
Completed Stories:
Logic of the Soul: Book 1 of the Logic of the Soul series
AO3
Fanfiction.net
Between Logic and Heart: Book 2 of the Logic of the Soul series
If you are enjoying my original tmnt story and comic series, then I think you will want to join my YouTube channel tomorrow morning, (the 27th of December), at 10 AM to watch my SIW Christmas Special. :) It's a short animation I made this past month, celebrating both Christmas and officially reaching 10,000 subscribers!
I'll tag all the moots that I usually tag for my chapter updates-- but anyone is welcome to come watch! :)
"The Strength in Weakness" Comic - Chapter 1 - "Observations and Obligations"
Part 6
Raph takes "slap some sense into you" a little too seriously sometimes haha. XD
(For those not in the know, this comic is a continuation of my written story "The Strength in Weakness". It specifically takes place right after Chapter 20 of Book Two.)
Chapter 12 of Burdens of the Soul is officially complete.
it’s a character-driven chapter — emotional, intimate, and focused on Casey and his family. no big twists, just the kind of quiet, heavy moments that shape the story moving forward.
I’ll have it up on AO3 soon — thank you all for sticking with me through these chapters and loving this story the way you do 💜
My biggest tip for fanfic writers is this: if you get a character's mannerisms and speech pattern down, you can make them do pretty much whatever you want and it'll feel in character.
Logic: Characters, just like real people, are mallable. There is typically very little that's so truly, heinously out of character that you absolutely cannot make it work under any circumstance. In addition, most fans are also willing to accept characterization stretches if it makes the fic work. Yeah, we all know the villain and the hero wouldn't cuddle for warmth in canon. But if they did do that, how would they do it?
What counts is often not so much 'would the character do this?' and more 'if the character did do this, how would they do it?' If you get 'how' part right, your readers will probably be willing to buy the rest, because it will still feel like their favourite character. But if it doesn't feel like the character anymore, why are they even reading the fic?
Worry less about whether a character would do something, and more about how they'd sound while doing it.
I've been noticing a lot of sadness around me as of late. Whether that be from friends who caught colds, friends suffering from chronic illnesses, or... others who are dealing with mourning and loss.
I meet a few of these criteria right now-- things have been hard.
But something that God has taught me these past few years-- is that hopelessness is never an option. As long as there's breath in your lungs, you and your situation are capable of change. For me, one of the battles I have faced has been involving my health these last few years. And no matter what doctor's office or specialist I went to, no one had any answers as to why I would faint and have crippling attacks. I felt so defeated and tired. I was angry and bitter for the lack of answers.
So I prayed. I went to the One Who knew exactly what was happening inside my body and if it was possible to overcome it. I studied about anxiety. The class was called "Quieting a Noisy Soul", and it hurt me so very deeply because it spoke truth and revealed to me just how many LIES I was believing. How often I was LOST in the past and letting it taint and poison my present. How much I tried to rely on myself instead of God.
How much I didn't truly trust Him.
"The root of anxiety is UNBELIEF." Is one of the many phrases from this study that hit me like a freight train. It revealed to me just how much negativity and hopelessness I had allowed into my heart and soul involving my health.
"This will never go away."
"I'll always be a burden."
"Nothing will ever change."
If you have believed these things, I am telling you right now, begging you to STOP. This is where spirals begin. Spirals so dangerous that they will infect your life like a disease. Because I believed these things, my physical, mental, and spiritual health plummeted. I was constantly thinking and fantasizing "what if's". Playing out fake scenarios in my head of past conversations that did NOTHING but grow my anxiety.
And I found out, through the words of my loving, blunt cousin, that it was my fault I was having the fainting spells. That my anxiety had been the trigger for them all along. That I had TRAINED my body to respond to stress by passing out. That I had let my anxiety control me like a puppet. Facing that fact... hurt. It hurt so badly. But it needed to be done, or else healing would never begin.
And now, even to this day nearly a year later, I am still recovering from the damage I had caused to my spirit and body. But God is good, and His mercy never fails me. He's led me to a better place now, where I can eat again, where I have not fainted in nearly a year, and where I am able to shout "STOP!" to my anxious thoughts and my spirals. God showed me that it wasn't hopeless.
I hope and pray that this will encourage you. Sharpen you. And remind you that you are not alone in your pain and suffering.
Never forget that as long as Christ lives, there will ALWAYS be hope. And His love for you will never change. He will never stop waiting at your door, no matter how long it takes for you to open it. He meets us where we're at. In our darkness, in our pain, and in our hopelessness.
A few months ago, I was contacted by Fanon asking me to make an account so I can have another platform to post my comic dubs on. At this very moment there's a competition for "Best Visual FanFiction" happening that I'm currently competing in. So if you guys, my moots, would be willing to vote for my "Mutation Situation" Comic Dub, I just might win for the "Best Comic Dub" Contest. :) At the moment, I am currently in second place!
You can vote by clicking this link, then on the left you'll find a bracket of all the separate contests. Click the "COMIC DUB/ANIMATICS" block, and then you'll find my comic dub on that list! :)
Feel free to reblog this post so that I can hopefully get more votes, it would really help out the steady growth of my channel!
(PS ~ The comic series that I dubbed was created by the talented @indieyuugure !)
Just reblogging for more visibility. My friend @truths33k3r4 is competing in the above contest. If you’ve enjoyed her dubs/voiceovers of comics, please take time to show some love for the visual/audio art and creativity she so freely gives to the TMNT fandom and vote for her! 🗳️
And if you haven’t seen/heard comic dub for “Mutation Situation” what are you waiting for? Go to @truths33k3r4 ‘s page and check it out!
Y'ALL. The trailer for season 2 of "Tales of the TMNT" just dropped-- AAAAAAAAAA
(Spoilers for the trailer/season below cause I'm gonna analyze the heck out of it!)
OKAY. There is... SO MUCH TO ANALYZE IN THIS THING.
Let's start here:
Throughout the trailer we see new creatures of various designs. Are these mutants too? Or are they some crazy amalgamation of chemicals from a mad scientist's lab? Hmmmm~ (Also Mikey's face is SENDING ME AHHAHA)
2. Next note I have is from this lil tidbit of Donnie's not-so-amused glare at Mikey for choosing to sneak off to snatch pizza instead of staying focused on the mission. Don's expression here is utterly hilarious, and I love the nod to the 1987's trench coat disguise! :)
3. Here is where things start getting good. From this shot and the one after it, we see Raph dressed in wrestling/gladiator garb seemingly reaching victory in what appears to be an arena or fighting ring. Could this be a competition specifically geared towards mutants vs mutants? Or did Raph scrounge his way into one for humans? Hehehe can't wait to find out! :) Also... he looks so happy ohmigoshhh
4. Here's another quick shot of what appears to be another creature the brothers will be facing. I honestly... have no clue what to think of it. XD Like-- there's a yellow orb inside that looks like some kind of tech, but then you look at the body surrounding it and it looks like it's made of both metal and goop?? Like HUH??? So many questions. :)
5. OOoop- Andddd now we got a new villain!... another... woman. Huh. Gotta be honest-- she looks a bit more intimidating than "Bishop" did... (I use quotation marks because that character doesn't hold a CANDLE to 2003's Bishop). I mean, this here lady is donning a flamethrower-- so perhaps she'll be on the more "insane with power" side of villainy? We shall see...~
6. Later into the trailer we also see this shot which just might be in the same scene.
From what I can tell-- It looks like Leo is defending... Miiiiikey? (I think that's Mikey going by the clear orange on his shirt.) from this mad lady's fire attack. Wicked cool shot!
7. --SPEAKING OF COOL SHOTS-- LOOK AT THESE NEW NINJA OUTFITS FOR THE TEAMMMMMM!!
Oh my word they all look incredible. Let's get a little zoom in, shall we?
Ohohohoho I LOVE EVERY SINGLE ONE. They're all mostly donning black and grey, but then the darker colors are contrasted with faded shades of each of their signature hues. Also the attention to detail for each one of them is immaculate!
Raph's scarf and hat are reminding me eerily of an elite foot ninja from 2003-- 0.0 -- Leo's gear and hat look amazing, as well as the perfectly placed "L" on his shoulder armor too! Also noticing that Leo is only holding ONE sword this time! And it's much thicker and sharper than his usual twin katanas. Mikey looks a bit more on the casual side, (which very much fits with his personality and overall vibe). He somewhat looks like he's about to go hiking... XD But it still looks REALLY GOOD. Donnie's of course is the most high-tech. It even looks like he's wearing a BATTLE SHELL like something Rise Donnie would wear!! And then the eye wear to replace his glasses- his gloves- SO GOOD! Even April gets a new helmet and ninja mask for her face!
8. The excitement only goes up from here-- GUYS I THINK THIS IS TIGERCLAW. GUYS-- GUYS, TALES HAS A TIGER CLAW-- AAAAAA Look at this dude's DESIGN! The bright greenish blue eyes, the eyepatch, (2012 ref calling it now), and the overall aura coming off this dude is epic! I really hope he makes for a good opposing force against the turtles! PLEASE BE AN ACTUAL THREAT, PLEASEEEEE
9. From this shot, and the dialogue playing over it, it looks like this season, (or one half of it at least), will be about the turtles trying to take down some weird science experiments. I can't wait to see where this goes, and am REALLY hoping that the EPF will come into play here. Might even see "Bishop" again?... Either way, what the HECK kinda creatures are they GROWIN'??!
10. OOOOOOOOoooh this shot right here. This is Leo, standing atop a skyscraper in the rain with lightning flashing in the background... This... this is beautiful. The entire shot makes me feel a heavy weight on my shoulders. I really hope that this weight I'm feeling is based in the drama/story behind it, rather than the creators of the show making it to "make Leo look cool"... Please guys, we REALLY want to see some dynamic, cinematographic storytelling here!! PLEASE DON'T LET US DOWN!!!!
11. So... this scene... this lil freezeframe right here... I have a question. From the previous movie, as well as scenes from the first season, we have seen that the brothers' blood is mutagen green... So- this makes me wonder-- Did Leo just slice this creature's arm completely off?... Or do we have a "oh, don't worry, it regenerates" moment?... Hmm. Also double points seeing Leo being protective of Mikey. Protector Leo is ALWAYS A WIN. :)
12. *LEOAPRIL FAN SCREECH NOISES*
JFEHDIFHIJSRHIURH GUYS LOOK AT THEM- LOOK AT THEMMMMMMMMMM!!!! Please, show creators, I am BEGGING YOU- PLEASEEEEE do not mess this up-- Please just make these two have a wholesome, funny, realistic budding relationship-- DON'T GO DOWN THE DARKNESS OF 2012, DON'T DO ITTTTTTT
13. Overall, I am genuinely VERY excited to see this coming season. I'll be frank, the last season of the show did not impress me in a lot of ways. The first four episodes were the best-- best written for each brother, best cinematography, best character interactions and plot. But overall the first season felt extremely crowded with loud, obnoxious, annoying side characters. The mutanimals bugged the CRAP out of me for a lot of the last half of the season. I very much preferred the first part of the season with the mechazoids plot. I also wasn't forced to withstand the horrors of Raphael's VA voicing over Splinter's character the whole time either.
And don't get me STARTED on the continuity errors strewn about the entire season-- One does not simply WALK OFF broken RIBS. >:( That's not a thing, even for mutant turtles, that's STILL NOT POSSIBLE. And the next time we see Raph he's TOTALLY NORMAL?! You expect me to BELIEVE THAT?! It would have been a great opportunity to see Leo caring for his bro, or at least Leo being forced to step up in his battle skills so that Raph won't get hurt. SOMETHING. >:(
On top of that, the most obvious and damaging problem of the series is the fact that the WHOLE THING... is MADE UP. FAKE. LIES. We are literally, as an audience, being lied to and expected to just take it. This is the biggest reason why I do not rank this series that high. There are some marvelous elements to it! The character designs, interactions, dialogue, and fight scenes were all really well done! I laughed out loud many times watching it! But the blatant problems are just too obvious to ignore. Because the series holds no accountability in the canon plot, it means that every time we see actual character development-- character growth-- it won't last. Because it's just a made up story.
I HATE THIS. Stories carry weight and emotional impact because it's being told to show what happened to characters. How can we feel impact or resonation when we're LITERALLY BEING FED LIES?...
OOOOOOkay... I'm calm now. :)
So... we shall see. I have HIGH hopes from the shots we've seen in this trailer. HIGH. And I honestly don't know if the show will reach the expectations that they are setting for themselves.
But we shall see, won't we? :) See you all again in December when this season officially drops.
Thank you to @ninjaaxolotlperson3 for reminding me that I still needed to finish up my SIW TMNTember challenge! So, here you go!
Day 5 - SIW Mikey meeting 2012 Mikey!
At first-- my idea for this illustration was to have the Mikeys hanging out and laughing together. Skateboarding, hoarding down pizza, sharing each other's comics and action figures... But then I realized something. One of SIW's biggest arcs in my story is that he has to let go of some childish things and grow up into his own person; his own member of the team. And there was a connection between him and 2012 that struck me far deeper than comics and being the main comedic relief of the family:
They both have a difficult relationship with their father.
(WARNING FOR TMNT 2012 SPOILERS!)
As all of us who have seen the entire 2012 series know, Splinter... is dead. Leonardo has taken the role of Sensei, and the brothers are all forced to move past the loss of their father. I do really appreciate how the show does not shy away, (especially in Mikey's case), from just how much all the brothers miss Master Splinter. Mikey mentions him- Leo mentions him- even Raph too. And the show does an alright job of keeping an honorable weight of loss on all the brothers.
Then we cut to SIW Mikey. His father is still very much alive, but their relationship and dynamic has changed drastically ever since their big "talk" back in Book Two chapter 14. As soon as Leo was brought up during their discussion, dark things that had been kept hidden were cast into the light. And Mikey's view of his father was severely altered in a negative sense.
So, when I picture what it would look like if SIW Mikey was dropped into the 2012 world and met his counterpart, it would be this: The two would sit and chat, laughing and gossiping about their brothers and their fun adventures. Except SIW wouldn't have all that much to share when it came to missions-- seeing how he's never been on one. He's been up in the city before, but never on a mission with his brothers. According to Master Splinter, until he "grows up and chooses a role in his team", he can't be with his siblings kicking butt and taking names. And it's totally UNFAIR.
As SIW listens in awe about the various adventures that his 2012 counterpart has been on, he becomes more and more jealous.
"Man, I wish my dad was like yours... He at least lets you leave the freaking house..." He grumbles, tossing a stray pebble over the rooftop both turtles were lying on. "... You've gone on so many awesome trips, dude! I mean-- You fought ACTUAL ALIENS!" He waves his hands dramatically as his expression twists. 2012 turns his head towards SIW, his smile from previous conversations fading along with the light of the sky. "You're one heck of a hero and I'm... I'm stuck waiting to be one."
2012 laughs, weak and flavorless like tea that hadn't been seeped long enough. He sounds tired. "Aw, common dude. It's really not that great once you get shellacne or have to watch your bro make out with an alien bug."
SIW blinks as his face shifts from curious to downright disgusted. "... Your what did WHAT?!"
2012 laughs again, his smile glowing a little brighter. "See what I mean? Totally weirdsville." He says, playfully digging his elbow into SIW's ribs. "But seriously, there are still days that I wish nothing changed... When things weren't so scary and complicated." He shifts his body, lying flat against the cold pavement as he looks up at the fresh stars glimmering in the sky. The white sparkles reflect in his irises. "... You don't want your Master Splinter to end up like mine." He says, all warmth and laughter in his voice fully extinguished. He sniffles as he continues to look at the ombre of navy and pink above.
SIW shifts his body just a little closer, subtly reaching out the tip of his elbow until it makes contact with 2012's arm. "What's wrong?... Are you okay, man?" He asks in a hushed tone, so delicate and gentle it reminds him of his oldest brother's. "Why are you crying?"
2012 sighs, closing his eyes and allowing a few tears to fall. "... Sorry, sorry. I-I'm just... thinking about someone." He squeaks, returning his teary gaze to the stars and far away galaxies above. "You think life's boring when it's predictable-- but, dude, things are so much worse when you have no idea... what's going to happen." He finally turns his head back to his counterpart, drips of tears becoming trickles. "... The day you leave the lair... start goin' on adventures... is when everything's gonna start changing." His mind flashes with haunting images of his oldest brother's unconscious body covered in shattered glass and bruises, his genius brother's form being torn into atoms by his crush, and his toughest brother's mind being taken by a brain worm and used as a puppet... His father's lifeless body as it's thrown over four stories onto the unforgiving pavement--
"I don't wanna sound all scary or anything," 2012 says, gaze returning to the sky, "but I gotta warn ya... You really need to lay off on your dad." His voice sounds strained and tight like a wire about to snap.
SIW shrinks in his shell, unprepared for his counterpart's rebuke. "... What do you mean?"
"No Master Splinter is perfect," 2012 states, voice becoming a little stronger. "but if yours is anything like mine i-" He freezes, voice seconds away from breaking as his face shrivels, "... w-was..."
SIW looks at his counterpart in horror, finally realizing why the other version of himself was becoming so miserable the more they talked. He wants to help-- give a hug, make a joke-- something! But his brain remains planted in the thick sludge of "was".
2012 takes a steadying breath, wiping the last of his tears and snot onto his arm. He brings his gaze back to the stars as he sighs, deep and healing. The expression he's wearing is one SIW has seen many a time before. One his father and brothers wear constantly:
The look of someone trying to be more.
2012 begins to smile, tears returning but expression growing in warmth. He turns to his counterpart.
"... then I'd bet all my comics and action figures that he really does love you and your bros."
Comin' at y'all with more sketches inspired by @side-shuffling-hyperfixations ' Sicktember fics. :)
Day 4 - Pneumonia - TMNT 2012
I have said it once and I shall say it again-- SPLINTER IS THE HARDEST THING TO DRAW ON FRIGGIN PLANET EARTH. ~-~ His ears- the markings- his skinny hands that are both square and slender aaaAAAAAAA
Anyways-- I present my interpretation of what this scene looked like with Splinter caring for a sickly Mikey as all the bros try to help in their own way. (Some being more helpful than others XD). It was quite a delight to draw all the bros as lil toddlers ~^^~ SO CUTE.
Day 5 - Worst Possible Timing - TMNT 1987
Guys-- being totally real with y'all on this-- I had to look up and watch SO MANY 1987 episodes to find the right refs for this. XD WORTH IT!
(Because there's no color you can't tell, but on the left is Raphael and on the right is Leonardo.)
Day 6 - The Boy Who Cried Sick - TMNT 1987
For this one I decided to jazz it up a bit and add line art and some color! This one also took way the frick too many references to get right. XD But it turned out about how I imagined it would. :)
That's all I got so far! I shall return with more once there's more to return with~ And as always, please go and check out this talented author's page!
The truth is circling closer, but no one is ready for the moment Mikey remembers. 🥀
The new chapter of Burdens of the Soul is officially up on AO3! 🎉 Thank you all so much for your patience while life kept me away from writing—I’m back, and things are about to get heavier for the turtles than ever. 💔
