apritellointeractive - Tumblr blog

[apritellointeractive]

EMERGENCY VOTE!!!

The vote on what the cave looked like in Part 5 of Sworn to Devotion ended in a tie!

So to fix this, we are having a cryptic emergency vote. Readers, please pick one.

[apritellointeractive]

EMERGENCY VOTE!!!

The vote on what the cave looked like in Part 5 of Sworn to Devotion ended in a tie!

So to fix this, we are having a cryptic emergency vote. Readers, please pick one.

[apritellointeractive]

EMERGENCY VOTE!!!

The vote on what the cave looked like in Part 5 of Sworn to Devotion ended in a tie!

So to fix this, we are having a cryptic emergency vote. Readers, please pick one.

[apritellointeractive]

The poll to Part 5 is extremely close! If you haven't voted yet, please do!!! Otherwise... I might have to pull an emergency cryptic vote >:3c

[apritellointeractive]

Sworn to Devotion: Chapter 1 - Part 5

>> April decides to bite the arm of the kidnapper.

(Art by @lovelyladylavie)

While her kidnapper’s gaze is steadfast in keeping eye contact with April’s guard, his hand wielding the knife lacks the same unwavering commitment. The white-knuckled fist clenching the dagger shakes mid-air, and the jitters are enough for the blade’s tip to leave her neck. 

It’s a split-second decision. So fast in fact that April’s tasting blood in her mouth before she realizes she’s sunk her teeth into the flesh of her captor.

However, this isn't the first person she's bitten, and he won't be the last.

The man screeches as he tries to pull his hand out of her mouth. The muscles in his hand twitch and seize as April’s teeth sink deeper. The blade clatters to the floor, forgotten as the man tries to free himself.

“What are you? An animal?!” The kidnapper finally rips his hand from her mouth and shoves her away from him. 

April throws her arms out in front of her, wincing as her arms collide with the rough surface of the cavern’s floor. Twinges of pain shoot up her arms, and she wouldn’t be surprised if the sharp gravel cut through the thin fabric of her sleeves. 

“You’re gonna pay for tha-ack!”

April whips her head around to see the yokai guard thrusting the previously abandoned dagger into the man’s chest. The guard twists it, a sickening squelching noise originating from the open wound being shredded. The man wetly gasps, desperately trying to get air into his lungs—though it will certainly not save him.

The yokai guard pushes the kidnapper to the floor, leaving him to take his last gasps of life. He then looks at the dagger and scowls. 

“Condescending hum, the weapon of thieves and criminals.” He holds the blade’s hilt between his thumb and index finger—like it’s covered in filth—before tossing the bloody blade aside, far away from April and her kidnappers.

April watches her guard as he looks over the bodies once more—presumably to make sure they’re dead—before his eyes fall on her. He jolts, his eyebrows—comically drawn onto his purple mask— shooting upward as if he’s surprised that she’s looking at him.

He rushes to her side, offering his weird three-fingered hands to her. “Ahem! Princess, ah… April. Are you alright?”

April narrows her eyes. Did he momentarily forget her name? And his question lacked any warmth and concern. April isn’t going to get anything but the bare minimum from him, is she?

But she doesn’t have time to wallow in self-pity.

She takes his hands, letting him pull her to her feet before wiping the blood from her mouth with her sleeve. “Y-yeah. I’m… I’m fine. The blade didn’t hurt me or anything like that.” Her gaze drops to her arms and she frowns at the blood blotching the shredded fabric. “Scraped my arms up a bit though.”

“Ah! Let me assist you, I have a small aid kit in my possession.”

He guides her over to one of the large rocks in the cave and sits her down. The torn sleeves of her dress are pushed past her shoulder, revealing the collection of small abrasions scattered across her forearms. April hisses as the open air touches the wounds, though she tries to swallow down her discomfort.

The yokai guard does not comment, only pulling a small sack out from underneath his armor and rummaging through the contents. He pulls out an amber bottle and gauze, popping the cork off and pouring the clear fluid onto the fabric strip.

He then places the bottle on the floor and takes one of April’s arms in his hands. “This will sting.”

That’s about all the warning April gets before the fluid-soaked gauze is wiped across her arms. She bites her tongue, trying not to cry in pain as the guard makes quick work of disinfecting her arms. 

He’s certainly not being very gentle, but considering how he was glaring at her earlier this week, April’s just happy he’s taking the time to clean her wounds. He’s at least doing the bare minimum. 

Once the guard is satisfied, he tosses the used gauze on the floor and delves back into his bag. April watches as he takes a large roll of gauze and wraps up her arms, covering all of her scraps and cuts completely.

He finishes securing the bindings before nodding his head. “There. Are you injured anywhere else?”

April runs her hands along the gauze, pleased with his work. “No. I think that’s good. Though... where are we?”

>> April looks around the cave.

OPTION 1: The walls of the cave are made of grey-and-white speckled granite, smoothed over time. However, a thick layer of gravel coats the floor, and the cave continues to tunnel deeper into the earth, the path downward shrouded in darkness. Distant sounds of dropping water echo through the cave.

OPTION 2: The walls of the cave are plain gray with white quartz crystals. Some are small and barely the size of a thumbnail, while others reach right up to her hip. It’s almost magical the way the crystals catch the light filtering in from the outside. Nestled behind one of the crystal clusters is a chest, the green paint peeling away from the weathered wood.

OPTION 3: The walls of the cave are dark grey, with unlit torches lining the stone surfaces. There are a few wooden boxes littered along the sides, all bearing a red footmark. The cave continues to tunnel deeper into the earth, the path downward shrouded in darkness. The air coming up from the deep tastes almost stale.

[apritellointeractive]

Sworn to Devotion: Chapter 1

Multichapter Fanfiction, Incomplete Fandom: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2018) Rating: Teen and Up Audiences Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationship: Donatello/April O'Neil (TMNT) Characters: Donatello (TMNT), April O'Neil (TMNT), Leonardo (TMNT), Michelangelo (TMNT), Foot Soldiers (TMNT), Foot Brute (TMNT) Additional Tags: Other Additional Tags to Be Added, focus is mainly on Donnie and April, knight and princess AU, Knight!Donnie, Princess!April, Minor Violence, Minor Character Death, Minor Injuries, minor mentions of blood, Not Quite Enemies to Lovers, But kinda close, apritelloweek, technically part of apritello week lol, although it will continue past the event week, Reader-Interactive, Interactive Fiction, Interactive, Cross-Posted on Tumblr

Summary: Knight Donnie and his twin brother Leo are helping escort Princess April back to her kingdom when their convoy is attacked! Through a series of mishaps and magical shenanigans, Donnie and April get separated from the others. It's up to Donnie to protect the princess (and in some cases, April may also need to protect Donnie) as they make their way back to the Kingdom of Old York.

-oOo- For anyone wanting the summarized version of the interactive story, here ya go! :D Feel free to bookmark and/or comment on AO3. ^^

[apritellointeractive]

Sworn to Devotion: Chapter 1 - Part 5

>> April decides to bite the arm of the kidnapper.

(Art by @lovelyladylavie)

While her kidnapper’s gaze is steadfast in keeping eye contact with April’s guard, his hand wielding the knife lacks the same unwavering commitment. The white-knuckled fist clenching the dagger shakes mid-air, and the jitters are enough for the blade’s tip to leave her neck. 

It’s a split-second decision. So fast in fact that April’s tasting blood in her mouth before she realizes she’s sunk her teeth into the flesh of her captor.

However, this isn't the first person she's bitten, and he won't be the last.

The man screeches as he tries to pull his hand out of her mouth. The muscles in his hand twitch and seize as April’s teeth sink deeper. The blade clatters to the floor, forgotten as the man tries to free himself.

“What are you? An animal?!” The kidnapper finally rips his hand from her mouth and shoves her away from him. 

April throws her arms out in front of her, wincing as her arms collide with the rough surface of the cavern’s floor. Twinges of pain shoot up her arms, and she wouldn’t be surprised if the sharp gravel cut through the thin fabric of her sleeves. 

“You’re gonna pay for tha-ack!”

April whips her head around to see the yokai guard thrusting the previously abandoned dagger into the man’s chest. The guard twists it, a sickening squelching noise originating from the open wound being shredded. The man wetly gasps, desperately trying to get air into his lungs—though it will certainly not save him.

The yokai guard pushes the kidnapper to the floor, leaving him to take his last gasps of life. He then looks at the dagger and scowls. 

“Condescending hum, the weapon of thieves and criminals.” He holds the blade’s hilt between his thumb and index finger—like it’s covered in filth—before tossing the bloody blade aside, far away from April and her kidnappers.

April watches her guard as he looks over the bodies once more—presumably to make sure they’re dead—before his eyes fall on her. He jolts, his eyebrows—comically drawn onto his purple mask— shooting upward as if he’s surprised that she’s looking at him.

He rushes to her side, offering his weird three-fingered hands to her. “Ahem! Princess, ah… April. Are you alright?”

April narrows her eyes. Did he momentarily forget her name? And his question lacked any warmth and concern. April isn’t going to get anything but the bare minimum from him, is she?

But she doesn’t have time to wallow in self-pity.

She takes his hands, letting him pull her to her feet before wiping the blood from her mouth with her sleeve. “Y-yeah. I’m… I’m fine. The blade didn’t hurt me or anything like that.” Her gaze drops to her arms and she frowns at the blood blotching the shredded fabric. “Scraped my arms up a bit though.”

“Ah! Let me assist you, I have a small aid kit in my possession.”

He guides her over to one of the large rocks in the cave and sits her down. The torn sleeves of her dress are pushed past her shoulder, revealing the collection of small abrasions scattered across her forearms. April hisses as the open air touches the wounds, though she tries to swallow down her discomfort.

The yokai guard does not comment, only pulling a small sack out from underneath his armor and rummaging through the contents. He pulls out an amber bottle and gauze, popping the cork off and pouring the clear fluid onto the fabric strip.

He then places the bottle on the floor and takes one of April’s arms in his hands. “This will sting.”

That’s about all the warning April gets before the fluid-soaked gauze is wiped across her arms. She bites her tongue, trying not to cry in pain as the guard makes quick work of disinfecting her arms. 

He’s certainly not being very gentle, but considering how he was glaring at her earlier this week, April’s just happy he’s taking the time to clean her wounds. He’s at least doing the bare minimum. 

Once the guard is satisfied, he tosses the used gauze on the floor and delves back into his bag. April watches as he takes a large roll of gauze and wraps up her arms, covering all of her scraps and cuts completely.

He finishes securing the bindings before nodding his head. “There. Are you injured anywhere else?”

April runs her hands along the gauze, pleased with his work. “No. I think that’s good. Though... where are we?”

>> April looks around the cave.

OPTION 1: The walls of the cave are made of grey-and-white speckled granite, smoothed over time. However, a thick layer of gravel coats the floor, and the cave continues to tunnel deeper into the earth, the path downward shrouded in darkness. Distant sounds of dropping water echo through the cave.

OPTION 2: The walls of the cave are plain gray with white quartz crystals. Some are small and barely the size of a thumbnail, while others reach right up to her hip. It’s almost magical the way the crystals catch the light filtering in from the outside. Nestled behind one of the crystal clusters is a chest, the green paint peeling away from the weathered wood.

OPTION 3: The walls of the cave are dark grey, with unlit torches lining the stone surfaces. There are a few wooden boxes littered along the sides, all bearing a red footmark. The cave continues to tunnel deeper into the earth, the path downward shrouded in darkness. The air coming up from the deep tastes almost stale.

[apritellointeractive]

Sworn to Devotion: Chapter 1 - Part 5

>> April decides to bite the arm of the kidnapper.

(Art by @lovelyladylavie)

While her kidnapper’s gaze is steadfast in keeping eye contact with April’s guard, his hand wielding the knife lacks the same unwavering commitment. The white-knuckled fist clenching the dagger shakes mid-air, and the jitters are enough for the blade’s tip to leave her neck. 

It’s a split-second decision. So fast in fact that April’s tasting blood in her mouth before she realizes she’s sunk her teeth into the flesh of her captor.

However, this isn't the first person she's bitten, and he won't be the last.

The man screeches as he tries to pull his hand out of her mouth. The muscles in his hand twitch and seize as April’s teeth sink deeper. The blade clatters to the floor, forgotten as the man tries to free himself.

“What are you? An animal?!” The kidnapper finally rips his hand from her mouth and shoves her away from him. 

April throws her arms out in front of her, wincing as her arms collide with the rough surface of the cavern’s floor. Twinges of pain shoot up her arms, and she wouldn’t be surprised if the sharp gravel cut through the thin fabric of her sleeves. 

“You’re gonna pay for tha-ack!”

April whips her head around to see the yokai guard thrusting the previously abandoned dagger into the man’s chest. The guard twists it, a sickening squelching noise originating from the open wound being shredded. The man wetly gasps, desperately trying to get air into his lungs—though it will certainly not save him.

The yokai guard pushes the kidnapper to the floor, leaving him to take his last gasps of life. He then looks at the dagger and scowls. 

“Condescending hum, the weapon of thieves and criminals.” He holds the blade’s hilt between his thumb and index finger—like it’s covered in filth—before tossing the bloody blade aside, far away from April and her kidnappers.

April watches her guard as he looks over the bodies once more—presumably to make sure they’re dead—before his eyes fall on her. He jolts, his eyebrows—comically drawn onto his purple mask— shooting upward as if he’s surprised that she’s looking at him.

He rushes to her side, offering his weird three-fingered hands to her. “Ahem! Princess, ah… April. Are you alright?”

April narrows her eyes. Did he momentarily forget her name? And his question lacked any warmth and concern. April isn’t going to get anything but the bare minimum from him, is she?

But she doesn’t have time to wallow in self-pity.

She takes his hands, letting him pull her to her feet before wiping the blood from her mouth with her sleeve. “Y-yeah. I’m… I’m fine. The blade didn’t hurt me or anything like that.” Her gaze drops to her arms and she frowns at the blood blotching the shredded fabric. “Scraped my arms up a bit though.”

“Ah! Let me assist you, I have a small aid kit in my possession.”

He guides her over to one of the large rocks in the cave and sits her down. The torn sleeves of her dress are pushed past her shoulder, revealing the collection of small abrasions scattered across her forearms. April hisses as the open air touches the wounds, though she tries to swallow down her discomfort.

The yokai guard does not comment, only pulling a small sack out from underneath his armor and rummaging through the contents. He pulls out an amber bottle and gauze, popping the cork off and pouring the clear fluid onto the fabric strip.

He then places the bottle on the floor and takes one of April’s arms in his hands. “This will sting.”

That’s about all the warning April gets before the fluid-soaked gauze is wiped across her arms. She bites her tongue, trying not to cry in pain as the guard makes quick work of disinfecting her arms. 

He’s certainly not being very gentle, but considering how he was glaring at her earlier this week, April’s just happy he’s taking the time to clean her wounds. He’s at least doing the bare minimum. 

Once the guard is satisfied, he tosses the used gauze on the floor and delves back into his bag. April watches as he takes a large roll of gauze and wraps up her arms, covering all of her scraps and cuts completely.

He finishes securing the bindings before nodding his head. “There. Are you injured anywhere else?”

April runs her hands along the gauze, pleased with his work. “No. I think that’s good. Though... where are we?”

>> April looks around the cave.

OPTION 1: The walls of the cave are made of grey-and-white speckled granite, smoothed over time. However, a thick layer of gravel coats the floor, and the cave continues to tunnel deeper into the earth, the path downward shrouded in darkness. Distant sounds of dropping water echo through the cave.

OPTION 2: The walls of the cave are plain gray with white quartz crystals. Some are small and barely the size of a thumbnail, while others reach right up to her hip. It’s almost magical the way the crystals catch the light filtering in from the outside. Nestled behind one of the crystal clusters is a chest, the green paint peeling away from the weathered wood.

OPTION 3: The walls of the cave are dark grey, with unlit torches lining the stone surfaces. There are a few wooden boxes littered along the sides, all bearing a red footmark. The cave continues to tunnel deeper into the earth, the path downward shrouded in darkness. The air coming up from the deep tastes almost stale.

[apritellointeractive]

Sworn to Devotion: Chapter 1 - Part 4

>> Without hesitation, Donnie sucker-punches the assailant in the stomach.

Could this day get any worse?

It had been a pleasant day outside. April had watched the dense foliage of the forest—familiar and comforting—pass by within the safety of her royal carriage. And while it was nice to hear the familiar chirps and songs of the birds native to her kingdom, it could not distract her from her tumultuous thoughts.

No, all she could focus on were thoughts of her future. How this might be one of the last times she would see the familiar forest and mountains of her home. How she was being married off—for her kingdom—to the Crown Prince of Terrapathia, whom her people have had on-and-off wars with for decades.

But her father desperately wanted peace and stability. The Hamatos—the royal family of Terrapathia—seemed to have similar goals as well. So a marriage between her and the Crown Prince was arranged to symbolize peace and prosperity for the kingdoms and their people.

Of course, there would not be any peace or prosperity for her.

April’s stomach churned as she remembered the conversation she had with her father about the marriage—she had very little input on the matter. She was to be married off, a mere pawn on the political chessboard, whether she liked it or not.

At least Prince Raphael was kind. 

She'd spent a little over a week in the foreign kingdom, meeting with her husband-to-be, his father, and a few other lords and ladies April couldn’t bother to remember the names of. While Prince Raphael was a towering beast of a yokai—a snapping turtle close to eight feet in height—he was surprisingly gentle and respectful of her.

He listened to her far more than her own father, though that was not a high bar to pass. It was still surprising, considering their kingdoms’ history.

But still, how would she be treated after she was married and stuck with the Crown Prince? Was he just putting on an act in front of everyone?

Would he–

She didn’t have the time to finish the next question plaguing her mind when the sound of crows surrounded the carriage, halting her entourage in its place. There was some shouting, and one of the yokai guards announced they would investigate the disturbance. When she had peaked her head closer to the window, she noticed that the turtle yokai dressed in purple—the one who had glared at her from behind Raph during important meetings—had ventured off into the forest. The other yokai guards looked on alert as well, some watching their brother-in-arms while others looked around the carriage for signs of mischief.

Well, at least the yokai guards were committed to fulfilling their sworn duty to defend her, even if she wasn’t their queen yet.

It was probably nothing…

But then all hell broke loose.

The next moments are a blur, but April quickly finds herself being ripped from her carriage by black-robed assailants. She puts up a fight, kicking and punching at anyone who gets close to her. But she can’t fight in these foofy royal dresses she has to wear, so it’s all in vain. One of the kidnappers manages to get a firm grip on her and rips her from the carriage—no amount of continued struggle weakens his hold. 

As fear truly starts to grip April’s heart, she notices a yokai guard—the same one as before—racing toward her. For a brief second, April feels a brief sense of relief that someone armed and ready is coming to her defense.

That is until the purple-clad idiot decides to sucker-punch one of her kidnappers in the stomach rather than use his katana.

“Idiot! You have a sword!” April screams, bewildered that this is the choice that the yokai guard thought to be appropriate.

But neither of them has time to consider the tactical blunder. The yokai guard grabs her arm just as a red glass orb drops from the hand of the winded kidnapper. No one has time to catch the object, and it shatters upon impact with the ground, surrounding them in red smoke.

Despite not moving, April’s stomach drops as the sensation of falling overwhelms her. She grips her kidnappers, if only for some stability, as the smoke swirls around them. The smoke dissipates, disappearing in whisp-like patterns to reveal they’re in some sort of cave. Daylight is filtering in behind them, so the entrance must be close by.

“Dude! This ain’t headquarters!” One of the kidnappers shouts. 

“Well, I didn’t exactly have time to–ahh!!!”

The other black-clothed assailant is unable to finish his retort before a katana plunges straight into his chest. He lets go of April and falls to the ground, mortally wounded. The other kidnapper pulls her away from the yokai guard, his arm firmly around April’s midsection as his other hand fishes for something in his pocket.

“Shit! Wrong thing!”

April watches as something neon green enters her peripheral vision and sails through the air toward the yokai guard. He blocks, but whatever it is breaks and spreads on the blade, consuming the metal rapidly. He curses and drops the handle of the katana, as that is all that remains.

Before April can say something snarky about how the kidnapper is bad at his job, the steel of a small dagger appears in front of her, its tip pointed at her throat.

“D-don’t move! Or the princess gets it!”

The guard halts in his tracks, eyes fixed on the man behind her. As the guard and black-clad assailant begin their staring contest, it gives April enough time to reassess her situation.

Then April decides to… >> Throw her head back into her kidnapper’s face. >> Bite the arm of the kidnapper. >> Mock her kidnapper.

[apritellointeractive]

Apritello Interactive Story Masterpost

This will be pinned to the top of the blog to ensure people can navigate the stories more easily. Will be updated fairly frequently.

(Art by @lovelyladylavie) Sword to Devotion Chapter 1: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

[apritellointeractive]

Eyecatches for @apritellointeractive

[apritellointeractive]

A piece for @apritellointeractive and their ongoing story "Sworn To Devotion"

Its a poll-based story, so you get to go help and decide what the characters should do! Go show them some love and:

Decide their fate!! 😇 😈

I was chatting with the author, and they said there was going to be a knight/princess romance, which immediately made me remember this painting:

Hellelil and Hildebrand: The Meeting on the Tower Stairs

So i was hit with a fervor and had to create a replica for them!

Process pics and details below:

I started with the background, bc if I recall correctly, the tight space of the tower steps was key to the original concept of a fleeting, allowable bit of intimacy in a passageway. I feel like the space *could've* been tighter, but that's my own nitpicking huhuhu

The samurai-style armor was the author's request, letting me know what they imagined Donnie’s look to be like! Very nice choice, and I had fun researching for it!

I really had a interesting time working with light and shadow for this and even using color washes before laying down the top colors. I even made thumbnail color-blocks to see what worked best.

Anyway, I am looking forward to seeing how the story unfolds and hope you participate!!

[apritellointeractive]

Sworn to Devotion: Chapter 1 - Part 4

>> Without hesitation, Donnie sucker-punches the assailant in the stomach.

Could this day get any worse?

It had been a pleasant day outside. April had watched the dense foliage of the forest—familiar and comforting—pass by within the safety of her royal carriage. And while it was nice to hear the familiar chirps and songs of the birds native to her kingdom, it could not distract her from her tumultuous thoughts.

No, all she could focus on were thoughts of her future. How this might be one of the last times she would see the familiar forest and mountains of her home. How she was being married off—for her kingdom—to the Crown Prince of Terrapathia, whom her people have had on-and-off wars with for decades.

But her father desperately wanted peace and stability. The Hamatos—the royal family of Terrapathia—seemed to have similar goals as well. So a marriage between her and the Crown Prince was arranged to symbolize peace and prosperity for the kingdoms and their people.

Of course, there would not be any peace or prosperity for her.

April’s stomach churned as she remembered the conversation she had with her father about the marriage—she had very little input on the matter. She was to be married off, a mere pawn on the political chessboard, whether she liked it or not.

At least Prince Raphael was kind. 

She'd spent a little over a week in the foreign kingdom, meeting with her husband-to-be, his father, and a few other lords and ladies April couldn’t bother to remember the names of. While Prince Raphael was a towering beast of a yokai—a snapping turtle close to eight feet in height—he was surprisingly gentle and respectful of her.

He listened to her far more than her own father, though that was not a high bar to pass. It was still surprising, considering their kingdoms’ history.

But still, how would she be treated after she was married and stuck with the Crown Prince? Was he just putting on an act in front of everyone?

Would he–

She didn’t have the time to finish the next question plaguing her mind when the sound of crows surrounded the carriage, halting her entourage in its place. There was some shouting, and one of the yokai guards announced they would investigate the disturbance. When she had peaked her head closer to the window, she noticed that the turtle yokai dressed in purple—the one who had glared at her from behind Raph during important meetings—had ventured off into the forest. The other yokai guards looked on alert as well, some watching their brother-in-arms while others looked around the carriage for signs of mischief.

Well, at least the yokai guards were committed to fulfilling their sworn duty to defend her, even if she wasn’t their queen yet.

It was probably nothing…

But then all hell broke loose.

The next moments are a blur, but April quickly finds herself being ripped from her carriage by black-robed assailants. She puts up a fight, kicking and punching at anyone who gets close to her. But she can’t fight in these foofy royal dresses she has to wear, so it’s all in vain. One of the kidnappers manages to get a firm grip on her and rips her from the carriage—no amount of continued struggle weakens his hold. 

As fear truly starts to grip April’s heart, she notices a yokai guard—the same one as before—racing toward her. For a brief second, April feels a brief sense of relief that someone armed and ready is coming to her defense.

That is until the purple-clad idiot decides to sucker-punch one of her kidnappers in the stomach rather than use his katana.

“Idiot! You have a sword!” April screams, bewildered that this is the choice that the yokai guard thought to be appropriate.

But neither of them has time to consider the tactical blunder. The yokai guard grabs her arm just as a red glass orb drops from the hand of the winded kidnapper. No one has time to catch the object, and it shatters upon impact with the ground, surrounding them in red smoke.

Despite not moving, April’s stomach drops as the sensation of falling overwhelms her. She grips her kidnappers, if only for some stability, as the smoke swirls around them. The smoke dissipates, disappearing in whisp-like patterns to reveal they’re in some sort of cave. Daylight is filtering in behind them, so the entrance must be close by.

“Dude! This ain’t headquarters!” One of the kidnappers shouts. 

“Well, I didn’t exactly have time to–ahh!!!”

The other black-clothed assailant is unable to finish his retort before a katana plunges straight into his chest. He lets go of April and falls to the ground, mortally wounded. The other kidnapper pulls her away from the yokai guard, his arm firmly around April’s midsection as his other hand fishes for something in his pocket.

“Shit! Wrong thing!”

April watches as something neon green enters her peripheral vision and sails through the air toward the yokai guard. He blocks, but whatever it is breaks and spreads on the blade, consuming the metal rapidly. He curses and drops the handle of the katana, as that is all that remains.

Before April can say something snarky about how the kidnapper is bad at his job, the steel of a small dagger appears in front of her, its tip pointed at her throat.

“D-don’t move! Or the princess gets it!”

The guard halts in his tracks, eyes fixed on the man behind her. As the guard and black-clad assailant begin their staring contest, it gives April enough time to reassess her situation.

Then April decides to… >> Throw her head back into her kidnapper’s face. >> Bite the arm of the kidnapper. >> Mock her kidnapper.

[apritellointeractive]

Sworn to Devotion: Chapter 1 - Part 4

>> Without hesitation, Donnie sucker-punches the assailant in the stomach.

(Art by @lovelyladylavie)

Could this day get any worse?

It had been a pleasant day outside. April had watched the dense foliage of the forest—familiar and comforting—pass by within the safety of her royal carriage. And while it was nice to hear the familiar chirps and songs of the birds native to her kingdom, it could not distract her from her tumultuous thoughts.

No, all she could focus on were thoughts of her future. How this might be one of the last times she would see the familiar forest and mountains of her home. How she was being married off—for her kingdom—to the Crown Prince of Terrapathia, whom her people have had on-and-off wars with for decades.

But her father desperately wanted peace and stability. The Hamatos—the royal family of Terrapathia—seemed to have similar goals as well. So a marriage between her and the Crown Prince was arranged to symbolize peace and prosperity for the kingdoms and their people.

Of course, there would not be any peace or prosperity for her.

April’s stomach churned as she remembered the conversation she had with her father about the marriage—she had very little input on the matter. She was to be married off, a mere pawn on the political chessboard, whether she liked it or not.

At least Prince Raphael was kind. 

She'd spent a little over a week in the foreign kingdom, meeting with her husband-to-be, his father, and a few other lords and ladies April couldn’t bother to remember the names of. While Prince Raphael was a towering beast of a yokai—a snapping turtle close to eight feet in height—he was surprisingly gentle and respectful of her.

He listened to her far more than her own father, though that was not a high bar to pass. It was still surprising, considering their kingdoms’ history.

But still, how would she be treated after she was married and stuck with the Crown Prince? Was he just putting on an act in front of everyone?

Would he–

She didn’t have the time to finish the next question plaguing her mind when the sound of crows surrounded the carriage, halting her entourage in its place. There was some shouting, and one of the yokai guards announced they would investigate the disturbance. When she had peaked her head closer to the window, she noticed that the turtle yokai dressed in purple—the one who had glared at her from behind Raph during important meetings—had ventured off into the forest. The other yokai guards looked on alert as well, some watching their brother-in-arms while others looked around the carriage for signs of mischief.

Well, at least the yokai guards were committed to fulfilling their sworn duty to defend her, even if she wasn’t their queen yet.

It was probably nothing…

But then all hell broke loose.

The next moments are a blur, but April quickly finds herself being ripped from her carriage by black-robed assailants. She puts up a fight, kicking and punching at anyone who gets close to her. But she can’t fight in these foofy royal dresses she has to wear, so it’s all in vain. One of the kidnappers manages to get a firm grip on her and rips her from the carriage—no amount of continued struggle weakens his hold. 

As fear truly starts to grip April’s heart, she notices a yokai guard—the same one as before—racing toward her. For a brief second, April feels a brief sense of relief that someone armed and ready is coming to her defense.

That is until the purple-clad idiot decides to sucker-punch one of her kidnappers in the stomach rather than use his katana.

“Idiot! You have a sword!” April screams, bewildered that this is the choice that the yokai guard thought to be appropriate.

But neither of them has time to consider the tactical blunder. The yokai guard grabs her arm just as a red glass orb drops from the hand of the winded kidnapper. No one has time to catch the object, and it shatters upon impact with the ground, surrounding them in red smoke.

Despite not moving, April’s stomach drops as the sensation of falling overwhelms her. She grips her kidnappers, if only for some stability, as the smoke swirls around them. The smoke dissipates, disappearing in whisp-like patterns to reveal they’re in some sort of cave. Daylight is filtering in behind them, so the entrance must be close by.

“Dude! This ain’t headquarters!” One of the kidnappers shouts. 

“Well, I didn’t exactly have time to–ahh!!!”

The other black-clothed assailant is unable to finish his retort before a katana plunges straight into his chest. He lets go of April and falls to the ground, mortally wounded. The other kidnapper pulls her away from the yokai guard, his arm firmly around April’s midsection as his other hand fishes for something in his pocket.

“Shit! Wrong thing!”

April watches as something neon green enters her peripheral vision and sails through the air toward the yokai guard. He blocks, but whatever it is breaks and spreads on the blade, consuming the metal rapidly. He curses and drops the handle of the katana, as that is all that remains.

Before April can say something snarky about how the kidnapper is bad at his job, the steel of a small dagger appears in front of her, its tip pointed at her throat.

“D-don’t move! Or the princess gets it!”

The guard halts in his tracks, eyes fixed on the man behind her. As the guard and black-clad assailant begin their staring contest, it gives April enough time to reassess her situation.

Then April decides to… >> Bite the arm of the kidnapper.

[apritellointeractive]

Sworn to Devotion: Chapter 1 - Part 3

(Proofread by @lovelyladylavie / AlienMadame22 (AO3)! Thanks!)

>> Donnie decides to help Leo.

There is a brief moment—a fraction of a second if Donnie really wants to be specific—where he considers using the boom cannon to deal with the problem in front of him. Only three problems with that.

First, the boom cannon was left within the walls of his kingdom, so he couldn’t even use it if he wanted to.

Second, he could expend his ninpo to create something similar, but he doesn’t have the experience nor the time to test the limits of his power.

And last but certainly not least, the boom cannon would just kill everyone at point-blank range. 

Donnie doesn’t even need Mind Raph to tell him that!

Instead, he takes the remaining fraction of a second to reassess the situation. The human guards seem to be holding their own just fine, as he doesn’t need to race to the princess’s aid. Leo, on the other hand, looks like he’s about to get walloped.

And the only one who’s allowed to kick Leo’s ass is his twin!

The purple-clad samurai runs over, avoiding the few dead bodies littering the dirt path to get to his blue-clad brother. 

“Get away from my brother, your honorless craven!” Donnie yells as he swings his katana, managing to nick the burly man’s bicep, blood dripping down his blade.

The man roars, swinging around his fists wildly to push the two turtles away from them. While it catches Donnie off-guard—forcing him to stumble backward to avoid getting hit—Leo successfully ducks and avoids the attack. He tries to swipe at the man’s legs, but the tips of his blades just barely miss his opponent’s kneecaps. 

Donnie quickly regains his balance after stumbling backward as the burly man’s attention narrows in on him. He barely has a second to dodge another hit, the man’s fist smashing into the ground which sends dirt flying.

“Hey! No one gets to beat up my egghead brother except me!” 

The man whips around but he doesn’t have time to defend himself before Leo’s blade is on him, slashing diagonally into the man’s chest. The man roars and stumbles, his body twisting toward Donnie. The purple-clad turtle takes advantage of the situation and lands a hit, his sword also cutting diagonally but in the opposite direction. 

Their foot-branded opponent takes several steps back, his hand cradling the actively bleeding “X” mark on his chest. He glares at the two turtles, a frown contorting his wide face.

“Maybe you should have considered wearing some armor!” Donnie pats the custom light-weight armor adorning his chest. “It would have certainly helped.”

The man’s eyes flicker to something behind them briefly before his attention returns to Leo and Donnie, a sickening smile replacing his frown. “And yet, we will still accomplish our goal!” 

Donnie doesn’t have a chance to respond before the man disappears in a familiar cloud of red smoke.

He also doesn’t have time to ask what the man meant before someone screams behind him.

“They kidnapping the princess!”

Oh no.

Both of the turtles turn around and see some of the black-clad assailants pulling the princess from her carriage. She’s putting up a fight, her legs swinging wildly and nailing a few of her kidnappers in the head. However, her iron grip on the carriage door doesn’t last long, and with one violent tug, she’s ripped away from it.

Before Mind Raph has a chance to yell at him, Donnie’s sprinting forward.

It’s a bit of a blur as Donnie charges toward the princess, stepping over dead human soldiers and shoving enemies aside. He reaches the princess just as one of the black-clad assailants lifts something in the air. He’s not sure what it is, but he doesn’t like the way it glints in the sunlight.

Without hesitation, Donnie… >> grabs the raised arm of the assailant. >> sucker punches the assailant in the stomach. >> grabs the princess’s arm.

[apritellointeractive]

Sworn to Devotion: Chapter 1 - Part 3

(Proofread by @lovelyladylavie / AlienMadame22 (AO3)! Thanks!)

>> Donnie decides to help Leo.

There is a brief moment—a fraction of a second if Donnie really wants to be specific—where he considers using the boom cannon to deal with the problem in front of him. Only three problems with that.

First, the boom cannon was left within the walls of his kingdom, so he couldn’t even use it if he wanted to.

Second, he could expend his ninpo to create something similar, but he doesn’t have the experience nor the time to test the limits of his power.

And last but certainly not least, the boom cannon would just kill everyone at point-blank range. 

Donnie doesn’t even need Mind Raph to tell him that!

Instead, he takes the remaining fraction of a second to reassess the situation. The human guards seem to be holding their own just fine, as he doesn’t need to race to the princess’s aid. Leo, on the other hand, looks like he’s about to get walloped.

And the only one who’s allowed to kick Leo’s ass is his twin!

The purple-clad samurai runs over, avoiding the few dead bodies littering the dirt path to get to his blue-clad brother. 

“Get away from my brother, your honorless craven!” Donnie yells as he swings his katana, managing to nick the burly man’s bicep, blood dripping down his blade.

The man roars, swinging around his fists wildly to push the two turtles away from them. While it catches Donnie off-guard—forcing him to stumble backward to avoid getting hit—Leo successfully ducks and avoids the attack. He tries to swipe at the man’s legs, but the tips of his blades just barely miss his opponent’s kneecaps. 

Donnie quickly regains his balance after stumbling backward as the burly man’s attention narrows in on him. He barely has a second to dodge another hit, the man’s fist smashing into the ground which sends dirt flying.

“Hey! No one gets to beat up my egghead brother except me!” 

The man whips around but he doesn’t have time to defend himself before Leo’s blade is on him, slashing diagonally into the man’s chest. The man roars and stumbles, his body twisting toward Donnie. The purple-clad turtle takes advantage of the situation and lands a hit, his sword also cutting diagonally but in the opposite direction. 

Their foot-branded opponent takes several steps back, his hand cradling the actively bleeding “X” mark on his chest. He glares at the two turtles, a frown contorting his wide face.

“Maybe you should have considered wearing some armor!” Donnie pats the custom light-weight armor adorning his chest. “It would have certainly helped.”

The man’s eyes flicker to something behind them briefly before his attention returns to Leo and Donnie, a sickening smile replacing his frown. “And yet, we will still accomplish our goal!” 

Donnie doesn’t have a chance to respond before the man disappears in a familiar cloud of red smoke.

He also doesn’t have time to ask what the man meant before someone screams behind him.

“They kidnapping the princess!”

Oh no.

Both of the turtles turn around and see some of the black-clad assailants pulling the princess from her carriage. She’s putting up a fight, her legs swinging wildly and nailing a few of her kidnappers in the head. However, her iron grip on the carriage door doesn’t last long, and with one violent tug, she’s ripped away from it.

Before Mind Raph has a chance to yell at him, Donnie’s sprinting forward.

It’s a bit of a blur as Donnie charges toward the princess, stepping over dead human soldiers and shoving enemies aside. He reaches the princess just as one of the black-clad assailants lifts something in the air. He’s not sure what it is, but he doesn’t like the way it glints in the sunlight.

Without hesitation, Donnie… >> grabs the raised arm of the assailant. >> sucker punches the assailant in the stomach. >> grabs the princess’s arm.

[apritellointeractive]

Sworn to Devotion: Chapter 1 - Part 3

(Proofread by @lovelyladylavie / AlienMadame22 (AO3)! Thanks!)

>> Donnie decides to help Leo.

There is a brief moment—a fraction of a second if Donnie really wants to be specific—where he considers using the boom cannon to deal with the problem in front of him. Only three problems with that.

First, the boom cannon was left within the walls of his kingdom, so he couldn’t even use it if he wanted to.

Second, he could expend his ninpo to create something similar, but he doesn’t have the experience nor the time to test the limits of his power.

And last but certainly not least, the boom cannon would just kill everyone at point-blank range. 

Donnie doesn’t even need Mind Raph to tell him that!

Instead, he takes the remaining fraction of a second to reassess the situation. The human guards seem to be holding their own just fine, as he doesn’t need to race to the princess’s aid. Leo, on the other hand, looks like he’s about to get walloped.

And the only one who’s allowed to kick Leo’s ass is his twin!

The purple-clad samurai runs over, avoiding the few dead bodies littering the dirt path to get to his blue-clad brother. 

“Get away from my brother, your honorless craven!” Donnie yells as he swings his katana, managing to nick the burly man’s bicep, blood dripping down his blade.

The man roars, swinging around his fists wildly to push the two turtles away from them. While it catches Donnie off-guard—forcing him to stumble backward to avoid getting hit—Leo successfully ducks and avoids the attack. He tries to swipe at the man’s legs, but the tips of his blades just barely miss his opponent’s kneecaps. 

Donnie quickly regains his balance after stumbling backward as the burly man’s attention narrows in on him. He barely has a second to dodge another hit, the man’s fist smashing into the ground which sends dirt flying.

“Hey! No one gets to beat up my egghead brother except me!” 

The man whips around but he doesn’t have time to defend himself before Leo’s blade is on him, slashing diagonally into the man’s chest. The man roars and stumbles, his body twisting toward Donnie. The purple-clad turtle takes advantage of the situation and lands a hit, his sword also cutting diagonally but in the opposite direction. 

Their foot-branded opponent takes several steps back, his hand cradling the actively bleeding “X” mark on his chest. He glares at the two turtles, a frown contorting his wide face.

“Maybe you should have considered wearing some armor!” Donnie pats the custom light-weight armor adorning his chest. “It would have certainly helped.”

The man’s eyes flicker to something behind them briefly before his attention returns to Leo and Donnie, a sickening smile replacing his frown. “And yet, we will still accomplish our goal!” 

Donnie doesn’t have a chance to respond before the man disappears in a familiar cloud of red smoke.

He also doesn’t have time to ask what the man meant before someone screams behind him.

“They kidnapping the princess!”

Oh no.

Both of the turtles turn around and see some of the black-clad assailants pulling the princess from her carriage. She’s putting up a fight, her legs swinging wildly and nailing a few of her kidnappers in the head. However, her iron grip on the carriage door doesn’t last long, and with one violent tug, she’s ripped away from it.

Before Mind Raph has a chance to yell at him, Donnie’s sprinting forward.

It’s a bit of a blur as Donnie charges toward the princess, stepping over dead human soldiers and shoving enemies aside. He reaches the princess just as one of the black-clad assailants lifts something in the air. He’s not sure what it is, but he doesn’t like the way it glints in the sunlight.

Without hesitation, Donnie… >> grabs the raised arm of the assailant. >> sucker punches the assailant in the stomach. >> grabs the princess’s arm.