bliss redesign based off one I made in my teens
thought process + various other bits and bobs under the cut
I was 15 and annoyed by everything that moved when this character first came out, so in my own head I was very much making a Point with this redesign. Hence, I made very minimal changes. I wanted to work with what was already there and basically just make the existing design more thought-through. Little breakdown ahead (keeping in mind i myself am very much An Amateur who doesn’t know shit and am just ranting about my opinions and i also haven’t seen a single second of the 2016 reboot so i don’t know much about Bliss to begin with)
1. one of my Biggest pet peeves with Bliss is that the powerpuff girls each have bangs that are simple, memorable, and iconic while also being unique from each other and being reminiscent of irl little girls hairstyles. It’s very neat and clever and I like it a lot
and then Bliss has this confusing jumble of shapes that looks like it changes in style halfway across her forehead
i have absolutely no idea what the intent is here. My only guess is maybe it’s meant to look weird on purpose like she was trying to cut it herself or something (I suspect it’s something like that since she seems to have normal looking bangs as a little kid from what I can see) but it doesn’t really come off that way if that’s the case. It just looks like baby’s first PPG OC where you Understand that it’s meant to be hair and that it is made out of shapes but have 0 understanding of hairstyle or character design in general. Heck I might have put this exact hairline on a character in the past at the age of like 8
So in my redesign she’s got 5 even notches across her bangs, not thee most exciting change but it does the job I think. It is pretty reminiscent of Blossom but they look different enough from each other that I wasn’t too worried about it
2. low-hanging fruit time, Bliss’s hair color is horrible on the eyes. I’m bewildered at the decision to do this, especially since there is just so much of it, I struggle to think of how she could exist in any scene without hogging all the viewer’s attention constantly. That said, I understand they wanted her to have an unnatural hair color to really signal that she is a Fresh new Teen character from the late 2010’s, which is. Whatever, that’s fine, so she gets purple hair now. I kept the streak for the same reason, especially since she’s got a lot of hair, so no harm in a little extra interest in there.
I also learned recently that her hair glows sometimes? which i did Not know when first drawing her but well i think the darker color helps anyway. It adds some contrast for when she’s normal vs when she’s glowing and makes the latter appear more,, idk threatening or powerful or whatever the mood generally is when she’s doing that.
I did re-add that toothpaste blue to her eyelids though. I like to think it’s also the color of her lasers. It’s a cute color, just not as like 70% of this character’s palette
3. real talk I was drawing this from memory and didn’t mean to change the way her hair flares out from her head. realistically I think the original is fine, maybe just a little boring but fine, so that part of the redesign was an accident. Only thing is, it’s in the exact same position in every screenshot I’ve seen? It doesn’t seem to whip around when she’s flying or anything which looks weird and probably looks weirder in motion, especially since it takes up so much space onscreen. Idk it’s a strange decision, esp since the original show liked to use the ppg’s hair to emphasize their movement, so I’d just bring more movement into her hair. I mean if nothing else it’d make her look cooler.
very very rough little visual of what I mean
I also ended up making it shorter in my redesign—again, not really intentional, but I think it’s better that it eats up a little less of her silhouette
4. Her headband is largely the same, I didn’t hate the idea of her having an accessory, so I just toned down the colors. I’m not personally a fan of the powder blue and that pink heart is very bright and just doesn’t go with the rest of her (once again the color of her hair is doing it no favors). I also moved the heart over. Not necessarily needed I think, but I feel like it reads quicker as a headband and not a weird crown that way+introduces some asymmetry into her design that I think is nice.
5. my biggest gripe other than her bangs are her hips. I’m not against adding anatomy to this character design to make her read visually as older than the girls, but it’s so awkwardly done and distracting. I feel like it even interferes with her line of action more often than not (which is not helped by her unmoving hair).
Part of the issue is she still has the teeny tiny torso, just… with those square-ish hips slapped on, which makes her legs look all gangly and stretched out. I tried to balance out the proportions more in my redesign, as well as change the hips to a flared skirt. I think it helps differentiate her from the girls and still implies hips underneath, it just also functions as a less clunky transition from her torso to her legs.
Lengthening her torso also allows the stripe to look more like a belt above the skirt, which I think helps to sell her as “similar, but not the same” from the ppg
6. Her leggings(? Idk Im not a fashion person) aren’t a bad idea I think. like a more mature version of the girls’ stockings, but I think the white makes them look really distracting. It would help to make them a darker color I think, but since I wanted to keep them reminiscent of the girls’ socks I kept them white and just shortened them.
7. Not really sure what Bliss is wearing on her feet. I think they’re Mary Janes, but they’re drawn a bit different from the girls’ and I honestly think it’s too babyish a shoe for her to wear. I’m not sure what she’s actually wearing in my redesign either honestly, but the goal was just to make them look like the girls’ Mary Janes while clearly being something different.
8. Uh her signature color is something I’ve contemplated changing a lot but to be real I think it’s fine. I feel it was a very bad idea from a marketing standpoint because people were hype about Bunny and would obviously be mad they didn’t get her once the character actually dropped (and in the long-run she would just end up being overshadowed by the character everyone has already assigned that color to) but I’m personally not bugged by her being purple beyond that. If I were to draw them together though I think Bunny would have a more pinky shade of purple and Bliss leans more blue.
Loosely on the same topic, because of Bliss I’ve had a running headcanon that “only child” types of powerpuffs tend to come out purple. Kind of like how trios tend to have a red, blue, and green. It’s a fun little piece of fake lore to rotate around in my brain
Anyway with all that out of the way, here’s some redesigns I decided to have some fun with. Wasn’t being too precious about recognizability or simplicity or anything like that, but I did run out of steam partway through. There’s also one based off Whoopass Bell bc idk, why not
Finally, here’s some OCs I only ever drew once before out of a desire to give Bliss her own teen girl archetypes to form a team with. This is Bee and Beetle, who I’ll probably definitely forget about again immediately after posting this
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yeah so uh, Shadow Joker eh?
this whole thing started with me thinking about a PhantomThief!Mishima, and then i started drawing stuff based off this one fic i read and then we got to here. oh well
i might turn this into a comic maybe??? depends on how hard finals slaughter me, but I’ll cross that bridge when i get to it
also here’s the lore on this guy cuz i legit spent too much mental energy scraping through the wiki figuring out how shadows and personas work and then coming up with a way it could work for joker
Basically, since someone’s shadow is a manifestation of their distorted desires, then a Shadow Joker, would be the manifestation of the protagonist’s (I’m gonna call him Ren from here on. cool? cool) distorted desires. What might those be? Well, during his awakening, Arsene notes Ren’s strong desire to help people and makes him think about whether the resolve he’s shown in the past was valid or not. This becomes the basis of the rebellious will that allows him to forge a contract with Arsene. But now with Shadow Joker, that desire to help people has been distorted into a kind of mix of hero and savior complex. So instead of just helping people in need, on some subconscious level he has started to see himself as the only one that can help and save people.
In personality he’s about the same as regular Joker. But that’s only at first glance. He’s much more unpredictable and dangerous, basically taking the whole “wildcard” thing very literally. I’d also like to think that all of Joker’s theatrics become even more emphasized with Shadow Joker.
For his palace I was thinking of him seeing the whole of Tokyo as his stage, wherein he’s an actor in a play of which he is the hero. For this I was kinda looking to the “The show’s over” on his all out attack screen, as well as hero = play, play = theatre, theatre = stage, and all that jazz. I’m still not exactly sure on how it’d look; maybe just the city as it is at night with open stages everywhere, spotlights floating through the dark nigh sky both as aesthetic as well as acting as traps for the thieves to avoid, so if you step into one of them the security level goes up. Or maybe each area that they go through would be like a different part of a theatre, so the treasure room would be Shadow Joker’s changing room and the final confrontation would be on a grand stage, idk. One thing is though, I think that his Palace Tokyo would feel really empty. Like there’d be people, but they’ll be more like faceless ghosts kinda milling about, so not at all like the ATM-guys or robots in Kaneshira and Okumura’s palaces. Also probably no cognitive versions of the other thieves or anyone else he knows, as I was thinking that Shadow Joker would be going by an “I don’t need anyone but myself” idea, and since he’s the all-powerful hero he doesn’t need “sidekicks”.
His treasure is his Phantom Thieves mask, as that would be the source of his distorted desire to help, cuz it’s the thing that represents him getting his persona and being able to help people on a larger scale in the first place.
When the other thieves first enter the palace, they won’t be in their thief outfits, as i think Shadow Joker’s desire to help would still outweigh him seeing them as a threat -- plus they’re people he knows. He’d talk and interact with them like regular Joker would, but maybe a bit more openly and with more theatrics, so the other thieves will have some trouble with thinking of him as a legit threat and not just their pal who’s a bit too quirked up. But when Shadow Joker realizes that they’re here to steal his mask, the switch flips completely, and the others have to really scramble to get out with their lives.
Then follows the general infiltration thing and blah blah blah. For the infiltration I thought it’d be neat if they go through all the different districts (that are walkable in-game) and the safe-rooms would be the areas where confidants hang out -- The Untouchable in Shibuya, Crossroads Bar in Shinjuku, Gigolo Arcade in Akihabara, Takemi Medical Clinic in Yongen-Jaya, etc.
There might also be a progression reason for which the gang will have to go into Shinjuku Academy, wherein the safe-rooms would be Ren’s classroom and the roof. Maybe there’s something in the school that they need to clear before they can progress through Aoyama-Itchome and go to Shibuya, idk.
The treasure room would be in the Leblanc attic (because ofc).
For the boss battle, when the other thieves try to steal his treasure but get caught on the way out (cuz that’s what always happens to these fools), Shadow Joker takes the mask from them and actually uses it in the battle, which allows him to switch between a number of different personas as a mechanic. Their levels and attack would be comparatively lower that the thieves’, but the sheer number of skills at his disposal as well as his unpredictability would be trouble enough.
there might also be a phase two, where he rips off the mask he’s wearing and replaces it with his original phantom thieves one, and ends up transforming into a fusion of himself and Arsene, so now he’d be technically using only one persona, but with higher stats
(also i was entertaining the thought of this being the general theme of the palace and this being the theme of the final confrontation. i feel like the first one’s just kinda eerie enough to suit prowling through your friend’s subconscious)
and then pertaining to the design itself, i was basing it off of the regular Joker outfit but spiced up with more flamboyance, because to Ren, Joker would be like the epitome of him feeling like a hero. I kept the mask on to also keep that Joker vibe going, however i made it a more extravagant variation on the original, to kinda push the theatre vibe. I also gave him a cape -- i think that one’s self-explanatory. The walking stick is to give him even more flair, but also uh, concealed weapons is like the perfect Shadow Joker thing to do. Basically think of Lucious Malfoy’s wand-walking stick but with a dagger instead of a wand.
anyway I want it to be clear for the record that I have never once looked up the shadow joker tag on here before i started drawing this but i’m glad we all share the same braincell when it comes to his outfit, fellas
(also holy FUCK @waifujuju‘s Shadow Joker design is so fucking clever, i am in awe)
that PhantomThief!Mishima thing is still in the works by the way, though i’ve hit a roadblock trying to come up with a persona for him. So far i’ve been thinking of something along the lines of Merlin but idk, it doesn’t seem rebellious enough so the only thing that fits is the vibes, and even that’s a maybe. this whole process has also been exacerbated by the fact that i’ve got a really cool costume going for him that involves a bolt-action rifle which i am very fond of and very reluctant to let go off. all this to say, if you’ve got any ideas please shoot me a message or write a comment cuz rn my brain is kinda frying itself trying to think through this. ty
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Phantom of the opera Arcane AU ideas
This has been eating away at my brain for weeks dear god I need it out
Big shout out to @thehistoriangirl for getting my brain started on this!
So this would be post act 2 when Viktor is Machine hearld (Idea from @thehistoriangirl ty again!)
The reader is either an aspiring singer and dreams to one day sing for all of piltover
But for now they’re just a choir member
Not 100% sure if it’d be set in an opera house or like a music branch of the academy
Zaun is kinda like under ground, similar to the Paris catacombs so I thought it would be neat if there was a route that was close to emberflit alley that perhaps viktor would go to listen to the muffled sounds of music and singing from above.
One day he hears the reader practicing alone and falls in love with there voice
He despised flesh and valued machine much more. Humans are weak and should rebuild themselves into a new era of glorious evolution (or idk he’d say something like that)
Except there was something about the reader….. something so ethereal about there voice.
A voice that would echo from underground and soothe his long stagnant heart
One day he hears them praying for an audition for a solo to go well (Angel of music moment woahhhhh)
“Please angel give me your guidance and luck and allow me to succeed in this audition.”
Something in Viktor takes over and he responds
“Truly there is no need for guidance or luck with such a voice like yours.” (Idfk Viktor would say something fancy im bad at writing)
“Angel?! Is that you?! Have you come to guide me?!”
The reader asks excitement clear in their voice
Viktor didn’t want to disappoint them or creep them out so he just went with it
“Uh…. Y-yes! I am your guardian Angel of music hear to watch over you and protect you from harm.”
And of course over time they bond and become friends
The rest hasn’t really come to me
BUT
I can see Jayce being Raoul in this AU ! It would create a great clash between former friends.
Jayce has the same kind of loyal and almost arrogant nature as Raoul
Like in both the play and the movie Raoul tells Christine that he’s gonna take her out to dinner but she says no multiple times but he doesn’t listen
Jayce is probably like that
I also think it would be interesting if instead of having a dead parent be the person who ‘sends’ the ‘Angel of music’ aka Viktor it could be the reader believing Sky sent the Angel of music
Idk maybe they could be childhood besties or something 🤷
Also make for good angst moment bc Viktor accidentally killed sky
Anywho that’s really all my thoughts! I would love to hear y’all ideas!
To any of you who write fanfiction plz feel free to take these ideas and run with them but please PLEASE tag me I need something to fuel my hyperfixations
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Okay so I wanna make a 2012 separated au but I wanna add a rise villain lol
basically
Leo’s raised by Splinter
Raph’s raised by Shedder
Donnies raised by BM
and Mikey’s raised by April or the Kraang idk yet
mainly I think it’d be funny if BM spoiled Donnie and you just get spoiled rich boy Donnie idk lmao
— ♊️
NAH BUT THE FIRST TIME I READ A 2018DONNIE ADOPTED BY BIG MAMA FIC, MY BRAIN WENT “What if that was 2012Donnie?” AND I’VE NEVER RECOVERED BC I WANNA BUT IT’S SO OUT THERE THAT I’VE NEVER HAD THE GUTS TO TRY-
(I am so, so sorry, this has spiraled over the last few days. I am weak. Resistance was futile.)
Okay, so, like 2012 universe but Yokai exist…
So I’m going to assume right off the bat that Leo&Mikey don’t know about the Hidden City because they’re being raised by a human (Kirby) and a previous human (Splinter). How these two managed to get their hands on baby mutant turtles, I couldn’t tell you.
Okay, so I’m going to assume Leo&Mikey meet first. Both living as vigilantes in the human world, they’re bound to run into each other at some point. I doubt Splinter would let Leo travel to the surface solo. So maybe Splinter starts taking him up earlier because he deems keeping the tike with him is safer than leaving him alone.
So they get to know the surface early on. Mikey, because he sneaks out whenever he can, and Leo, because Splinter introduced it to him.
They besties who think it’s neat that they look like twins.
And then they come across Raph.
Now, a twin package is coincidence but a triplet turtle who looks scarily similar to them? That’s sus.
In fact, it’s the only reason that Raph doesn’t immediately kill them on site. He’s affronted, frustrated, and admittedly a little curious. So he decides to settle the mystery by taking them down to the Hidden City for a Mystical Relative test. (They are a thing because I say so.)
He knows the Hidden City exists because Shredder has dealings with Big Mama. They work out deals, where Raph fights in her Nexus and Shredder gets trinkets from the Hidden City.
Leo and Mikey are in awe, but also, they had a City that they could walk freely in beneath their feet the whole time?!
Then they take the test and- huzzah, they’re brothers!
And, oopsy, the witch lets it slip that they have another brother??
They press for more, but all she knows is that Big Mama will be their key to finding him.
So Leo and Mikey are determined to look and Raph is none to satisfied to learn that, not only is his family expanding and they’re both dorks, but now he has to deal with one of the biggest mob leaders in the City? No thank you. He did not sign up for that risk.
He tries to brush them off but Leo is adamant that he help- especially if he knows who she is and how they can arrange a talk with her. Even if it’s a long shot, they have to try.
So, Raph gives in to get them off his back.
And he introduces them to the best chance that they’re going to get to receiving an audience with her- And wouldn’t you know it?
That liaison is Donatello!
Of course, everyone knows that Donnie is of pure Yokai descendancy. Big Mama would never adopt some lost soul off the street. Rumors float about but no one knows for sure how he came into her care. The only truth that the Yokai know for certain is that he’s a genius, one in charge of all kinds of equipment for Big Mam’s Battle Nexus.
But, anyway, Donnie doesn’t fit into the brothers’ physical quota.
Normally, nobody can get close to Donatello, but the minute Raph strolls into the Nexus and asks to speak with him- the genius spawns. Body guards are shooed away at the request for privacy as the intelligent turtle eagerly brings them to his workshop.
It quickly becomes clear why Raph was so reluctant. To say that Donnie was ecstatic to see him was an understatement.
Unfortunately for the loner turtle, he’d become a lock for Donnie’s OCD. And similar to how he sees April in canon, he’s (PLATONICALLY) smitten. His obsessive side makes Raph into his idol and his compulsions lead him to do everything possible to try and build a friendship. Even if that means disregarding every single one of his Mother’s rules when it comes to interacting with fighters.
Raph hates the attention, but Donnie’s their best shot.
And Donnie doesn’t hesitate to promise them a meeting.
I’m dying imaging them going on a hunt for a long-lost brother, and Donnie’s standing right there the whole time- 🤣
Assisting every step of the way in the search for himself, with everyone being 100% sure that it cannot possibly be him because Big Mama is good a sewing lies.
Donnie is absolutely a rich kid. He’s utterly mortified when he finds out that Leo actually lives in the sewers of all places.
This AU would be all the more hilarious if Donnie slowly starts to realize that Raph isn’t the perfect person that he thought he was, and the obsession calms, but then he finds out that he’s Raph’s brother and completely loses his ever loving mind.
It would be brilliant.
I imagine Big Mama to be a fun mix of self-centered but genuinely loving. I think that would be an interesting take for her to spend his lifetime using every available opportunity to take advantage of his skills and manipulate his actions… But also, she would wipe out everyone in the entire Hidden City for him in a heartbeat if she thought they posed him any real danger.
On that same note, I think about the episode where the RISE first meet her, and like, how she would react if Draxum came and launched vines not only at her, but at Donnie too. And she instantly loses her cool.
“I may have a revision to do. Big Mama has two rules. One does not steal from Big Mama, and NO ONE touches her tottering TURTLE.”
I just think she’d be great.
I keep coming back to this-
So I keep envisioning this moment somewhere in the future where the Kraang or somethin’ pose this huge threat, and Donnie (as manipulative as his mother when he wants to be, which isn’t often) is basically like “We are not making deals. I will find a way to go on this mission and I will probably die if you don’t give me reinforcements. You can support me and I’ll keep building for you, or you don’t and you’ll lose your heir.”
Not exact words but you get the gist.
He’s so stubborn in the show. I want to enhance that.
I just want him to bob between innocent and confident. His pride shatters at the slightest negativity, but he also knows exactly what to say to get what he wants. He’s a good boy, but he’s not a pushover to anyone but Raph and his Mother. He’s not a big fan of changing the terms at the last second, but that’s not to say he hasn’t before.
ALSO YOU CAN IGNORE THIS IF YOU WANT BUT I HAVE CONCEPT BECAUSE IT’S IN MY BRAIN NOW.
The very first time that Donnie saw a Battle Nexus fight, he’d been the ripe age of four years old.
His mother was sitting in her private viewing area, perfect as ever, as he stared down in the arena in awe. He’d been ecstatic to see the fights that his mother spoke so fondly of, studying the fighters curiously as they faced on another.
He quickly fell into the excitement, encouraged by his Mother’s laughter, cheering along with the crowd. That is, until he watched the gorilla Yokai pin it’s opponent to the ground and tear it’s arm clean off.
The scream of agony was drowned in the hollars of the crowd.
He feel silent, a cry tangled in his lungs for another reason altogether. He looked back at her, as she smiled and watched the crowd go nuts, and then sunk in her lap. He squeezed his eyes as shut as they could be, fists over them, and blood painted behind his lids. He moved his fists to the sides of his head, but he could still hear screams.
He could remember it so clearly. His mother turned him to look at her, peeling his fists away from where they pressed against skull. She had seemed disappointed, looking down on him. Then her expression relaxed as she cooed, “Is it to loud for my whisperous turtle?”
He nodded, desperately, as she waved one of her assistants over.
They took him to his room. He locked himself in the bathroom to sob, unable to erase the image of gore stains from his mind. He’d passed out, right there on cold tiles, and woke up pressed against his mother. Granted, he woke up screaming, sobbing, and certain he was drenched in his own blood, but she rocked him, calmed his fears, and sang him back to sleep. He slept uneasily in the safety of her hold.
He spent the next week refusing to leave the room.
Eventually, his Mother encouraged him out. A year later, she took him back to the Battle Nexus. The results didn’t change. It repeated for a few more years. The nightmares got progressively more gory.
When he was ten years old, she promised him that he never had to watch the fights if he didn’t want to. He waited until she was out of sight to crumble under the weight of relief and self-loathing, her frown permanently etched in his mind.
From that day on, Donnie made it his life’s mission to support her like she always supported him. He might not understand the arena, but everyone who visited the Hotel loved it. There was no end to the complements and requests that she received when they were attending to matters outside it. She lit up under the attention. He saw no harm in making weapons and armor for the fighters, rewarded with his mother’s glowing smile and proud laughter.
She loved to show him off. The sun to her earth, helping give life to what she’d created. He gave what she asked for, sprinkling his own inventions here and there. He preferred to focus on the defensive wear; she loved the offensive weaponry.
He actively did his best to avoid the arena.
…Until the first time he glimpsed Ribenji on her screens.
Ribenji means vengeance in Japanese. Because Shredder is obsessed with it. And Raph will be his ultimate warrior of vengeance against anyone who crosses his path. Hehe. I think I’m cool.
I don’t pretend to fully understand Big Mama. I just love writing her.
Does Donnie’s name change? Perhaps.
Though I suppose I could see Big Mama having an interest in the Renaissance. That might be something up her alley…
I’M NOT DONE WITH THIS CONCEPT ACTUALLY
“Donnie dearest.” Donnie doesn’t look up from his work, wielding the last of the armor in place. He’s down on one knee and it allows his mother easy access to the top of his head, planting a kiss before stepping back to let him finish. “How’s my lil’ turtley-boo doing with Mama’s big project?”
“Almost finished.” He promises, turning off the wielder. She’s never pleased when he works and talks. She claims it makes her feel less to his work, and he’d never want to make her feel insecure.
A hand is on his shoulder, keeping him on the ground as she knocks against the metal with deceptively delicate knuckles. “Did you add the mystic fiddeydoodles that I so graciously found for you and you so endlessly prodded me for?”
Donnie feels a blush creep up his cheeks. He hadn’t wanted them at first, but after she’d mentioned how influential they were to putting on a perfect show, he couldn’t resist a couple of requests. “Not yet, Mother. I’m working on it. I swear. It will be ready when you need it.”
He studies her face, imploring, and she smiles down at him. She lifts her hand. “I know you will, my little genius. You always keep your promises.”
“I’m taller than you.” He points out as he stands, rather than acknowledge the twist of nerves which reminds him that even one failure could tear at her trust in him.
“Perhaps in this form.” She taps her broach and then she’s hovering over him, smirking with a flair that makes him rolls his eyes. “But you’ll always be my little teensie weensie tottering turtley-boo.”
“Mother.” He mumbles as he takes off his goggles. His face grows hot, glad for the seclusion of his lab. “I’ll be fifteen in three days.”
“That you will.” She hums, brushing his cheek with one of her smaller appendages. “My magnifferent, brilliant boy.”
She turns away to examine another of his projects. The only reason that she visits the lab is to get a run down of his latest one. He loves that she has a genuine interest in his work, even if she’s not particularly interested in the construction itself. She supplies his needs and works with his wants. What more could a turtle ask for?
At the same time that Donnie wants to shrivel up and hide when under her undivided affection, he can’t help but appreciate the attention. He never knows when he’ll get to have her doting every hour or if he’ll find himself isolated for a month.
Donnie quickly reprimands himself. They spoke about his intrusive thoughts. He shouldn’t think that way. He’s not completely secluded with the Hotel staff taking care of him and Gus hanging around. It’s all in his best interest. He’s safer within the hotel than out with the rif-raff in the bar or on the streets.
…It is nice to be noticed, though.
He steps closer to her, fiddling with the goggles. “Mother.”
“Yes, little one?”
She lifts one of his weapons from the table. He hopes she doesn’t test it. It’s not nearly to her fine expectations. “Have you- have you had any dealings with Saki, by chance?”
“Oh, my dormy genius. You know Mama hates talking business when we’re together.”
“Yes, Mother, of course.” He deflates a bit, watching her sigh.
“If you want to ask after his feisty Yokai pet, all you have to do is say it.”
“Have you seen Ribenji?” Donnie blurts eagerly. “Has he fought recently?”
“I don’t see your fascination with the Yokai when he barely gives you the time of day.”
“I know, Mother, I apologize for being this way.” He says, because it’s what she wants to hear. “But it’s been itching at my brain for some time. I was working on something for him, a side-project that could greatly improve his performance, not that it’s not good already, he’s a brilliant fighter, more than that, he’s inspiring and swift and he handles himself really well, which makes since for a Yokai Foot ninja, but I thought he might appreciate-”
“Donnie, dearest.” Mother sets his weapon down, and he quiets, running the strap along his hand. “I know you idolize the warrior, but please, no more side projects. Focus on your list. I don’t want you getting tuckered out.”
“But Mother-”
“Mama knows what’s best for you.” She tsks as she disappears behind her human form, a whirlwind of magic before she sets a hand in his arm. “This obsessing is unhealthy.”
“I was merely wondering if I could see some clips-”
“A wondering mind is a mind of worries.” She’s not scolding him, but it sure feels like it. The need to plead is still tangling in his airways, kept caged by the calm of her stare. “Refocus it on what’s important. Like your fantablous weaponry! And Mother will worry about her business with Saki.”
“But you always say that I should tell you when something bothers me.” He reminds quickly, ignoring her sharp look. “And it really bothers me that I haven’t been able to check in with one of your champions. Isn’t the arena meant to be mine one day?”
“Not for a good while yet.” She warns. “Until then, Mama would like to keep you away from the fiddlefaddles that bore you so.”
“Bore might not be the right word-”
“So you would like to resume your studies, then?” She looks at him, hand over her heart. “Why, you could have simply said so.”
He sighs, “You’re twisting again, Mother.”
“Do you or do you not want to give up your little hobby?”
“Oh, of course, I want to give up the one thing in the endless hotel that brings me any joy. I dream about it every night.”
“Always with the sarcasm.”
“Mother, please.”
“Mama has given her final word. A proper son knows when to debate and when to obey.”
He nods, shoulders slumping, and she considers him. She sets a gentle hand over the fist that holds his goggles, “Oh, my dear, you know it hurts me to see you disappointed. What if you were to finish your contrabulations and your beloved Mama were to see if she could get you some footage of the latest shows?”
“Oh, would you?” He breathes, daring to believe it.
She leans against him, on her toes to plant a kiss on his chin. “I will leave you to your work.”
Mother turns to leave, and he beams after her. “Thank you!”
A smooth backward wave. “Anything for my turtley-boo!”
I like to think she’d call him little to remind him of his place, tease him about the fact that he’s taller than most Yokai his age, and she sincerely still thinks of him as the tiny, weak turtle that she adopted more than a decade ago. She’s an excellent multitasker.
Anyway! Thank you for the dopamine! Sorry for the spiral!
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