| The Glass Prison FAQ |
| The turtles being captured is an old story idea which will make the fanfic fairly popular. Why did you decide to include Venus; a character that is loathed by a large percentage of TMNT fans? With all honesty, I wouldn't be writing this fic if it wasn't for Venus. Because she is a female, I can introduce a lot more themes and complications to the story, and therefore increase it's length. The reason I don't think there are many fics like this, is because there simply isn't enough things to do. Let's face it, being caged up is fairly boring. If I didn't include Venus, then Leo and Raph would probably just fight all the time and the story as a whole would be rather short, and wouldn't have that much in it as far as the plot went. Venus gives that much needed variety to the story. Also, another reason I chose to set it in TMNT:TNM is because of Bonesteel and Dr Quease, where both characters fit nicely in with the story. In order for the turtles to be placed in a zoo, they need to have a villain to catch them in the first place, right? If I didn't set it in TNM, then Shredder would be the one to catch them. Now I don't really know about that character too much, but I don't think it's really Shredder's style to do that. Which brings me to my next point. I grew up with TMNT:TNM, so I am more comfortable with those characters, which will make the story easier for me to write. |
| Why can't Venus just use her powers to get them out of there? Venus' powers all come from chi energy and potions and such. I don't know much, but I do know a little about chi energy after taking Tai Chi classes for school sport. I think that in order to use your chi on others, you have to be touching them, or you have to be in the same room as the other person. In any episode, I don't think I have seen Venus making mental contact with another person unless she is touching them or has a possession of theirs. In the show, she has been seen opening locks with her magic, but she did that through the use of a powder/potion, which she now obviously doesn't have access to. Most of Venus' powerful magic is aided with the use of something else. Venus could control her own chi energy and do freaky things with it, but that won't help them in escaping and will only draw the scientist's attention to herself, which she doesn't really want. Venus might be able to read the other turtles' thoughts, but this power wouldn't be picked up by the others, as shown in the second episode of TNM when she freaks the boys out. So it still wouldn't be full communication. What Venus can do however, is cross over into the Dream Realm through meditation, so at least her spirit can be free. As a final note, it shouldn't be a surprise to you to know that Venus' powers can't help them. I mean, in the show, Venus can't even escape from a net! What did you expect? |
| In chapter four, Venus isn't allowed to go into the enclosure at first, while the boys are. Why is that? At that point in time, Dr Welner was leading the study. He believed that the ninja turtles behaved similar to ordinary turtles. With that theory in mind, the males were allowed out first so that they could establish their territory and become more comfortable with their environment, so when Venus was released, there would be a better chance at breeding. |
| Why aren't the scientists dissecting the turtles? With zoos, the animal's welfare always comes first. The turtles are a very rare species indeed, with only five in their total population. Obviously it'd be smarter to increase their numbers first before studying them internally. Also, they are earning a lot of money by showing the turtles to the public, which doubles the pressure to keep them alive. |
| Why did you take Splinter, April and Casey out of the equation? I wanted the turtles to be on their own, otherwise you'll be sitting back and thinking 'April and Casey are going to save them' throughout the whole story. I thought about keeping them alive, but Splinter would have been placed in another enclosure altogether, becoming a dead end in the plot, while April and Casey would be breaking a lot of rules in order to save their friends and would probably end up in jail. Also, in TMNT:TNM, Splinter is shown as being very elderly. This story is set after the turtles defeat the dragons, and I think that by then Splinter would have been completely over the hill. On top of that, I'm not too comfortable with Splinter's character. He's a bit too mysterious for me. April and Casey on the other hand aren't even shown in TMNT:TNM, and really shouldn't be in the story at all. But I included them in as non-TNM fans would question their whereabouts. As a character, I'm not too comfortable with them, so I decided to just leave them out of the story. The same goes for other characters such as the Prof. Perry, Keno, Danny, Irma etc... |
| Why did you place Venus with Raphael? This question is sort of answered by the scientists in chapter 5. Raphael was in a cell of his own at the time, which made it quite easy and efficient for the scientists to put the two together, rather than spearating either Leo, Don and Mike. It's as simple as that. |
| Why?! Why Raphael?!? Because he was an easy target :o) Actually, in zoos they don't really like to keep aggressive males. Raphael was giving the scientists a hard time and the only thing that was stopping them from just finishing him off was his rarity as a species. Dr Welner knew what Raphael's personality was like, which is why he reacted the way he did when he was scared. Out of all of the turtles, Raphael was the one who was handling the situation the worst. He was becoming really sick in the mind and the only that was stopping him from being totally insane was Venus. He didn't have much of a future really as he wasn't going to be placed in a cell with any of his brothers. It is a tradegy after all... |
| How come you know so much about zoos? I'm actually a member of a youth program which helps out behind the scenes of Taronga Park Zoo. I do a number of things there including reptile handling and public education, and I also get to hang with some of the animals and zoo keepers. On top of that I did my Year 10 work experience at a small private zoo, and my American host family's mother was a zoo volunteer, so I followed her one day and spent time with the cougars, wolves and bald eagles. I've always been interested in animals and it's been my dream for years to work in a zoo. |
| Who's Bonesteel? Who's Dr Quease? And who the hell is Venus? Okay, this is an emergency. Please visit my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation For Beginners webpage immediately!!! |
| Have any more questions that you would like to ask me? Thought of something that should be addressed on this page? Then ask me your question through a review, or email me at [email protected], making sure you tell me what fic your asking a question on! I don't want to have to guess! |
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| Why did the scientists do that to Donatello? After the turtles were pictured writing, a lot of moral and ethical issues about their state as animals was raised. To avoid conflict, the scientists decided to target Donatello and make him out to be the only intelligent one. This was so the media would focus all of their attention on him, so when he was taken away, the cameras and issues would follow, leaving the scientists and the zoo in peace. |
| Why did you finish the story there? I know that a lot of people would have liked to have a more finalised ending. I agree, there are a lot of questions left unanswered. Yet the story does have a tragic tone to it, so it would seem odd and predictable if it all ended with everyone being happy. I also didn't want to leave the audience too depressed by having a completely sad and horrible ending. So I decided to leave it open-ended, yet I hope that you have felt a happy tone to it. Also, some questions aren't meant to be answered. For instance, if the turtles went to Sydney, I would think that I'm biased, while if they went to London, then I would be writing myself into a corner as I haven't been there and I don't know much about it. Some other things are left unknown, mainly because I feel that the story sort of follows the influences of the media. When the turtles aren't seen again in society, neither do we. On a final note, I have no plans in making a sequel as it would be predictable as to what it would be about, and secondly I would have to face the location problem I mentioned earlier. Sorry, I'm going to leave the rest up to your imagination. UPDATE The sequel has been completed. Yeah, I know I said that I had no plans, but I've listened to your pleas and I've changed my mind. See I'm not that evil after all :o) It is currently posted on www.fanfiction.net and it is called The Concrete Prison. Visit my fanfic page for more details. |