Donnie: Sensory Overload Is Such A Weird Thing To Describe. In A Nutshell, Sound Is Attacking Me

Donnie: Sensory overload is such a weird thing to describe. In a nutshell, sound is attacking me

Nerdy Guardian Sailor Gio

I couldn't resist including my self-insert in this series of drawings.

I felt that Sailor Neptune would be a good fit for Regiomontanus. After all, what better combination would there be than the Sailor Senshi with ocean powers and a sea turtle OC? There are other reasons, though. Michiru is a musician and an artist; though I play the piano and draw instead of play the violin and paint, music and art are two things I love. (I...also tend to get Sailor Neptune as one of my most frequent results on personality quizzes. ^^') And just as Neptune is an Outer Senshi rather than an Inner Senshi, Gio here is an OC rather than a canon character.

This may be it for now, but we still have Tuxedo Mask, the rest of the Outer Senshi, Chibi Moon, the Asteroid Senshi, and Chibi Chibi. I'll take suggestions for characters (or other OCs) to fill those roles!

Ranking my Monster High Collection, just because

I've been into Monster High for...a while. I don't remember how I got into it, but I know that I immediately latched onto Lagoona; I always go for the blue characters (except for TMNT, because Donnie). Though it's not huge compared to what others have, I do have a sizable collection of Monster High dolls. Here, I'll rank and discuss them.

Here's a key for the meaning of the colors: birthday/Christmas gift, bought during initial sales, bought second-hand.

~

S Tier - The Best of the Best

Boo-Riginal Creeproduction Lagoona - I'd always wanted a first-wave Lagoona, but this is even better! Her hair is curly and fluffy, she isn't derp-eyed, and I didn't have to fork over hundreds of dollars for her! There are so many cool details scattered throughout her design, too. For example, her tank top? That's actually a one-piece swimsuit. And her shorts are sparkly! I was lucky to find her and the other creepros at my local Walmart during the initial drop. Wish I could say the same about Reel Drama...

Haunt Couture Lagoona - Man, was I lucky with this one! She sold out in about six minutes, from what I heard. But anyway, people don't like her because she doesn't reference her basic look as much as the others, and I get why they feel that way. However, I feel like she looks the most "deluxe" of the HC line (except for Draculaura, because OF COURSE), and the most couture-like. Her outfit is the only one I could see on an actual fashion runway. And her face is super pretty! I like how they gave her eyes a more segmented look instead of the other ghouls' gradient shine. Oh, and her fish GLOWS IN THE DARK.

Boo-riginal Creeproduction Clawdeen - I'm not particularly attached to Clawdeen as a character, but her design? Beautiful. There are so many flashy elements--the tank top with its sparkly tiger stripes, the fur-lined jacket, the layered skirt, the knee-high stockings--that you'd think would clash, but they really work well together. And like Lagoona, Creepro Clawdeen has wavier, fluffier hair than her 2010 counterpart. Perfect for our "werewolf equivalent of Rapunzel."

School's Out Lagoona - I adore the shoes and tote bag. The material they're made of is super satisfying to touch. The outfit itself is amazing, too. The asymmetrical fishnet details really complement the strapless jumpsuit. It feels fancy and hip, but still Lagoona-like. And the fish skeleton earrings are just amazing!!!

Isi Dawndancer - From what I've heard, Isi is controversial because Mattel combined elements from a ton of different tribes to construct her without consulting any actual American Indians, homogenizing/stereotyping them in the process. I can't say that I have much room to speak on the matter, just that I definitely get why people find her offensive. But good gosh, I can't help but love how colorful she is. And her deer-like features, like her white freckles and her hooves (yes, actual hooves instead of feet!!!)? Absolutely amazing. If she comes back for G3, I hope they handle her more respectfully.

C.A. Cupid (Signature) - Beautiful in every way. Her face? Amazing. The heart-shaped highlights in her eyes are super cool, her heart/rosebud-shaped lipstick really stands out, and the blush on her cheeks is a great touch. Her outfit? Spectacular. All of the fabrics work well to give her dress an eerie yet romantic vibe. Her accessories? Perfect. It's bow-and-arrow everything; her earrings and the heels on her shoes are an asymmetrical bow/arrow set, and her ring is a miniature bow and arrow. Her hair? Needs de-gluing and restyling, but it's still lovely. Shorter hair on Monster High dolls is always awesome. She also has this really cool white-to-black gradient on all of her limbs, plus some lacy detailing. You just need to see her to believe her.

Boo-riginal Creeproduction Draculaura - Pink isn't really my thing, but I can't deny that Draculaura looks cool. Her vest and her cravat are probably my favorite parts of her outfit. I also like how neatly folded her skirt is, compared to Clawdeen's more irregular pleats. Oh, and I de-glued her bangs when I got her, and she looks SO much better that way!

~

A Tier - The Clawsomes

Mad Science Lagoona - Her hair was an absolute mess when I first got her--tangled beyond belief, glue everywhere, braids partially undone... But I've done my best to restore her, and I think she looks better now. I just love her in general. Both her dress and her casual outfit look cute, and the accessories are on point. She has a notebook, a pencil, a beaker, one of those three-eyed frogs from the webisodes, and a gargoyle egg, among other things.

Dead Tired Lagoona (2011) - Yes, I've got the Hydration Station, too. Yes, it's amazing...when it works. I think I might need to replace the batteries and/or clean it. (Any tips? I'll take all the help I can get!!) But right now, I'm talking about Lagoona herself. She may be simple, but she's great. Her blue lips really do feel like her natural lip color, and her ponytail is a nice hairstyle. Her pajamas look really comfy, too (minus the platform slippers, but that's just MH custom), and she even has a matching sleep mask. I'd wear them myself if I were more of a tank top person. Neptuna has a little mask of her own as well. That's just cute. :)

Boo-riginal Creeproduction Frankie - Pretty simple, but also super cute. I love her fishnet sleeves and her belt. G1 Frankie really is the epitome of "simple, but effective."

Skull Shores Cleo - What can I say? I'm a sucker for turquoise and gold. I like short hair on Cleo, too. Oh, and her shoes being little statues holding her feet up? Absolute genius.

Skull Shores Ghoulia - She looks just like she stepped out of the 1950s...except for the blood dripping from her shoes and bracelet, of course, but that contrast is why I love a lot of Ghoulia's designs. Her weird little brain butterfly hair clip is neat, too, and I like how she has green glasses this time around.

Skull Shores Lagoona - Her headband gives me pirate vibes for some reason, and that sparkly fabric around her shoulders never ceases to amaze. Needless to say, I love her.

Skull Shores Frankie (Color) - Frankie in neon blue is awesome. Frankie with short hair is awesome. The industrial nut-themed accessories are awesome. That sounds like a recipe for an awesome doll to me.

Skull Shores Frankie (Monochrome) - The silver lipstick, neck bolts, and swimsuit add some flash where Frankie herself is a matte gray. There are also more obvious clouds on her waist wrap compared to her color variant, adding a bit of additional uniqueness. I just happen to like the color variant a bit more. I think it's because the accessories here are cloudy instead of clear.

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B Tier - The Greats

Dot Dead Gorgeous Lagoona - Hot take: I think DDG Lagoona is better than DOTD Lagoona. But that's a ramble for another post. Anyway, the oyster-themed hair clip and shoes are cute, and I love how the polka dots on the dress are bubbles. The layers of mesh/tulle/whatever really pull the whole look together. And the purse is a sand dollar!!!

13 Wishes Lagoona - Super strange and kind of heartbreaking, but also super cool to look at. I love her turtle necklace/bracelet, her dragonfly earrings, and her grass shoes. And that sparkly seafoam green fabric on her dress? Absolutely perfect! It looks just like shimmering water. She'd be higher up if she were in better condition; her dress is kinda stretched out, and Neptuna's bowl is shoddily taped together because I was a dumb child.

Fearidescent Lagoona - Blue Lagoona > Pink Lagoona for me, and the polypropylene hair is a bit frizzy at the ends. That said, she's still beautiful. For one, her color scheme is gorgeous. It's one of the first color palettes chosen for G3 Lagoona that doesn't make me want to tear my eyeballs out. Her pearl purse is cute, too, as are her shoes. I mean, her ankle boots have little teeth in the heels and fish skeletons as the buckles! Some clothing combinations are more cohesive than others, but again, not making me want to claw out my own eyes out of overstimulation is a huge advantage for a G3 Lagoona doll.

Skull Shores Gil - I know people give the boy dolls major flak for being ugly, and a lot of times, they're right (looking at you, Porter and Slo Mo). But I just think Gil's neat. I like how he has gills sculpted into his nose. I like the gills on his neck. I like how he has that same pearlescent kind of coloration as Lagoona. I like his fin mohawk thing. I think my Gil's face turned out nicely, too, with no notable wonk in sight. (Note: someone on Reddit recently pointed out that he has a back fin, too. That cements Gil as the best manster in my opinion.)

Picture Day Lagoona - Like Basic Clawdeen, she has a lot of bright, flashy components that you'd think would clash. Fishnet cardigan? Shimmery pink leggings? Turquoise tunic dress with a neon green trim and an iridescent orange seashell bra? It is admittedly a strange look, but I like it.

Skulltimate Secrets Lagoona - The darker/more prominent forehead scales push SS1 Lagoona below Fearidescent for me, but there's still a ton to love about her. Her jacket and hat are some of my favorite accessories in my entire collection; they're just so cute! Her blue "Surf" shirt is great as well, and I feel that all of the clothing pieces included here can create decently good-looking outfits.

Skull Shores Draculaura - Just cute. I love the sailor theme, and I love how her swimsuit kind of looks like men's swimsuits from back in the late 19th century.

Skull Shores Abbey - Her swimsuit may be a bit simple for my liking, but her accessories are astounding! Purple ice shoes? Yes! Purple ice hat? Heck yeah! She rocks the side-ponytail, too.

Skull Shores Clawdeen - I love the actual swimsuit, and the poncho is great in concept. I just wish the poncho wasn't so annoying to move around for poses. But Clawdeen's tried-and-true deep orchid purple + neon green color combo is back, and I think it works amazingly here. Her earrings are cool, too. They may just be simple triangles and squares, but it's a neat deviation from her typical hoop earrings.

~

C Tier - The Goods Competing with the Greats

Original Ghouls Ghoulia - Not first-wave quality, but she still has her good points. Her hair is nice and silky (probably kanekalon), all her accessories are intact, and I honestly like her face better than first-wave Ghoulia. Still, her clothes all being one piece is a let-down, and they didn't even bother to wrap her cherry-print top (printed on this time, by the way) all the way around the shirt. But she's still Ghoulia, so she's still cool.

Dance Class Lagoona - She's cute, but also very simplistic. Even as a kid, I knew something was off about her unpainted accessories. Even so, I love her, and I retain a special attachment to her since she was the first member of my collection.

Inner Monster (Shockingly Shy/Scared Silly) - I like the take apart/put together gimmick. I like the changing eyes and the face plates. I like the skeleton and the different charms you can attach to it. I just wish she was more monstrous...and that the wig didn't look so awful.

Original Ghouls Lagoona - I got her back when I thought she was the closest I'd get to an actual Basic Lagoona, and even though my opinion of her has hardened a bit after getting Creepro Lagoona, I still think she's okay. I don't like how her swimsuit and shorts are sewn together, but at least there's a ribbon "waistband" separating the two halves. Her hoodie might be slightly less detailed, too, but it's still perfectly fine. Mad Science Lagoona is borrowing her fins, though.

~

D Tier - Mattel, why?

Original Ghouls Clawdeen - Her face turned out okay...but that's really it. Her shoes are completely purple aside from the buckles, her shirt and skirt are sewn together, and her jacket has purple thread at the edges instead of an actual cotton trim. And that isn't even getting into the more minute changes. At least she isn't as bad as Original Ghouls Draculaura, but that's a low bar to clear. ...Yet I don't hate her. Pity, yes, but I just can't hate her.

Incorrect Quotes Generator Shenanigans: Part 8

Splinter: Hey, wanna hear a funny joke? Cassandra: I only like dark humor. Splinter, turning the lights off: What do you call a fake noodle? Cassandra: Splinter: An IMPASTA!

~

Leo: I’m sick and tired of being called 'mortal' like, you don’t know that. Neither do I. I have never died even ONCE. Nothing has been proven yet. Stop making assumptions. It’s rude.

~

Donnie: Get in loser, we're going shopping. April: This is a McDonald's drive thru.

~

S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N: I have no respect for Santa. Don’t sneak in through the chimney and undermine my authority by bringing my family presents. Walk in through the front door and fight me like a man.

~

Todd: If you get in trouble, I'm gonna be like... a lawyer to you. Ok? Mikey: Okay. *later* Raph: Mikey! Sit down on the chair, you're in trouble. Todd, whispering: Deny everything. Mikey, loudly: That isn't a chair.

~

Piel: The Ocean is a soup. Hueso: Hueso: Do elaborate. Piel: What are needed for something to be a soup? Hueso: Erm... Water, salt, some form of vegetation, and personally I prefer some meat in mine. Piel: *Tilts head* Hueso: The Ocean is a Soup. Piel: The Ocean is a Soup.

~

Meat Sweats, walking into their house: Hello, people who do not live here. Hypno: Hey. Big Mama: Hi. Repo: Hello. Warren: Hey! Meat Sweats: I gave you the key to my place for emergencies only! Draxum: We were out of Doritos.

This Freaking Game

I just need to rant about Cure Mode in Plague Inc.

I'm trying to clear all the diseases on Mega-Brutal difficulty, and it's...an experience. Bacteria and virus? Not too bad, just destroy the infection rate as much as possible and make the vaccine quickly enough. Parasite? Pretty similar, just watch out for poor countries. They're difficult, but there are reliable strategies in place for these three disease types.

And then you get to the fungus. Oh boy, the fungus. Talk about a difficulty spike. There are still strategies here, but it's much more punishing. If you don't shut down everything and get the micron air filters as quickly as possible, just give up. If you don't have the funds for noncompliance reductions, just give up. But again, it's not impossible. What is your reward for vanquishing the fungus?

The prion. It's even more ridiculous. Its lethality is just about 100% right off the bat (though it doesn't start killing right away), and it's useless to try to reduce it. All you can do is scramble to keep people calm as they watch everyone around them die. It's also stupidly infectious, so even though it doesn't have spore bursts like the fungus, you will need to lock down every continent on Earth just to keep things vaguely under control. (I'm still struggling with this one; I've only succeeded on Normal so far.) What's after this?

The nanovirus (the other one that''s giving me trouble). You need to be fast in tracking it down and developing the kill code for it. Otherwise, don't bother trying to salvage your run. Just restart. If you don't want your Authority to completely tank, you need to take every single measure possible in keeping people calm--including directly hacking their emotions. Its infection rate is also crazy, and even though it isn't prion levels of lethal, its lethality can get overwhelming. What could possibly come after this?

You've got the fair and balanced bioweapon as the finale (discounting special stuff like the frozen virus). You want to make a vaccine for the bioweapon just like the others? You want to demolish its infection rate with stuff like hand-washing and PPE packages? Too bad. Too freaking bad. Both its infection rate and its lethality ramp up with every single new country it infects, so if you take more than two seconds to track it down, everyone's getting infected and killed. The only effective strategies I've seen involve waiting for all the infected to die and kill off the bioweapon in the process. "All the infected" can range from "a sizable portion of South America" to "literally 99.9% of the entire global population."

I haven't tried anything beyond the bioweapon yet (except for Disease X to farm all the advisors), but if they're anything like the prion...nope.

Trust and Loyalty

The wheel said it's Leo's turn, but I wanted to give the story a bit more of an opening than "cut to game night in the lair with April," so I naturally wrote an entire interlude featuring Splinter. I even drew a whole new tarot card from my deck for this, just for consistency (it was the King of Pentacles).

Why can't I be this productive with my homework?

~

In the shadows of a New York alleyway, a human-sized turtle monster creeps toward the corner of East Lairdman Street and Easter Egg Lane. It wanders slowly, taking ample time to balance and readjust the tall stack of boxes in its hands. It cranes its head to the left, then to the right before kicking open a manhole at its feet. Then, it sinks below the surface.

Suddenly, though, it freezes in place. With a ladder rung in one hand and the boxes in the other, it cannot easily descend to the sewers below. It raises its body once more and attempts to place the boxes on the ground by the entrance. However, it loses its footing. Both the creature and the boxes begin tumbling toward the pipes, sewage, and concrete below.

This graceful creature is named Regiomontanus.

They stifle a scream as they grasp a nearby ladder rung. Trembling, they marvel at the fact that they are still alive, as well as the fact that they have reclaimed two of their boxes. Their awe quickly turns to panic and disappointment, however, as they realize the fate of the other five boxes in the stack. They return the manhole cover to its rightful location, then hurry down the ladder to assess the situation. Amazingly, though each of the boxes has sustained varying volumes of scratching and tearing, none of them are completely destroyed. Just as they can process the damage to their precious boxes, a sharp voice from around the corner ignites another surge of adrenaline.

"Blue? Is that you? What's with all the racket?"

Gio snaps their head in the direction of the voice, only to see a short, stout rat mutant approaching. Stumbling over their words, they somehow manage to squeak out a "Who are you?"

The rat stares at them in silence for a couple seconds, then straightens his posture a bit. "I think that's what I should be asking you," he replies. "You look quite a bit like my boys, yet with anything more than a passing glance, I can easily tell that you are not one of them."

"...Your boys?"

"Yes. I have four sons. They're all turtles like you."

"...You don't mean..."

"...You don't happen to already know them, do you?"

"I...um...yeah. I met them a couple weeks ago. I came over to play some board games with them today...but then I dropped most of my stuff on the way down..."

"...Hmm. Why don't I walk you in, and you tell me how you met them?"

Gio nods silently, then reorganizes their boxes and follows the rat man down the spacious sewers. They share the story of their first meeting with the turtle brothers, taking a bit of additional time to detail on their future interactions with Michelangelo and Donatello.

"Well, I'm glad that they've found another friend...and that Purple has something new to keep him busy. He always gets so restless when he doesn't have any experiments or projects to do," the rat remarks with a chuckle. "I can't help but wonder, though... What on Earth were you doing out in public looking like...that whole situation? You know how risky it is, don't you?"

"Yeah, but at the time, I thought I just had a weird skin condition! ...I didn't always look like this. I was a normal person up until about a month ago. Then I felt this awful pain in my neck--like, the worst pain in my life--and then I was...this."

The rat's gaze softens a bit, looking somewhat forlorn. "...I'm sure that was difficult."

"Y-yeah, no kidding... But the others are helping me deal with it a lot. Mikey even...he even said that he and the others could 'adopt' me as a sibling so I wouldn't feel alone. I know I'll never quite be on the same level as a 'real' sibling. I mean, I just showed up a month ago. They've been together for...however many years. But it really meant a lot to me..."

He stops briefly, prompting Gio to stop behind him. "It sounds like you've touched their hearts in some way. Orange is the sensitive type anyway, but for Purple to warm up to you so easily... I think that means there's something special about you, beyond being a turtle."

"You think so...?"

"Of course! ...I wish they'd told me about the whole 'adoption' idea earlier, though. You'd think they'd want to get, oh, I don't know, their own father on board with a big decision like that?"

Before Gio can respond, an orange blur on wheels descends from the ceiling. Michelangelo lands between his father and his new companion, then picks up his skateboard and corrects his stance. "Sorry, Dad! I've been meaning to tell you about it, but then I just kept forgetting. And when I did remember, I was kinda worried that you'd say no... Oh, and, uh, sorry for just kind of barging in on your talk. I wanted to get some skating practice in before game night, but then I heard you guys."

The rat sighs, then pats his youngest son on the head. "I would have liked to know about your idea beforehand, but I don't think I would have said 'no.' Especially if this friend of yours really means that much to you." He smiles warmly, then turns back to Gio. "What is your name, anyway? I don't think I ever asked."

"I settled on Regiomontanus; I wanted to match the others with their whole Renaissance theme. But they usually shorten it to Gio. And, uh... What should I call you? I know you're their dad, but I also have my birth dad, and I think calling both of you 'Dad' would be confusing..."

"Splinter is fine--Master Splinter if you want to show a bit of extra respect. But if you ever warm up to the idea of calling me a second father, well... I won't be opposed to that."

Gio pauses in surprise, then smiles softly. "Thank you...Master Splinter."

Mikey grins, then gently tugs the sea turtle's arm. "Come on, Gio! Let's go set up. April and the others are waiting for you!"

"Okay, okay!" The duo sprints off into the deep recesses of the lair, eager to begin their night of games and amusement.