Donatello Hamato (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
purplexing) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
vivala2025-03-06 01:47 am
purplexing) wrote in vivala2025-03-06 01:47 am
Entry tags:
003 - A Body in Motion Stays in Motion
There's always room for improvement. This isn't any new realization so much as a long established fact. It seems that with ever mission and undertaking that Donnie goes through, he finds there's just so much more he doesn't know, or that he can get better at.
Truthfully the past month's left him a bit strained, or at least that's how he's felt. Maybe it's because of the raid, maybe the mission. Maybe the encounter with that horrible duchess. He doesn't know. The previous month had been busier than he'd expected, leaving him no time to go and see if his family was still where he knew them to be, but then he'd been reluctant to check after the address from the Emperor.
He's been restless, always seeking distractions, and with the Corsairs there at least never seems to be a lack for things to do. Repairs to be seen to, new ideas to be drafted and crafted. Upgrades to apply.
I. Armory A
The Armory's a normal haunt for him. He's made progress on the repairs for the Armor he'd scavenged some months back and he's eager to test it out. While he can't do any flying inside, he can at least run through movements, and with the lighter build, it makes it a bit easier to execute more natural moves.
While typically a Feder isn't armed with a polearm, for mobility testing purposes, Donnie's borrowed a spear from a Lanze. It's difficult to pull off the same maneuvers he would with his own staff, but sticking to more basic motions, he tests response times and range of movement, putting the sleek armor through a few drills.
II. Armory B
Perhaps you come across the turtlekin when he's at a workbench, carefully crafting the settings for some very small ether stones. His ENC bracer's currently being used as a paperweight atop one of many schematics he's drawn up, and off to one side his staff rests in its separate sections, along with its normally hidden internal mechanisms. Is that a grappling hook? And the slim knife is certainly a new edition.
As usual he's caught up in his work, not at all meaning to be rude towards any visitors, but you'll have to excuse him for not noticing you there. He also tends to wear his earmuffs tight when in the Armory since it gets loud.
III. Training Rooms
The training dummy before him has seen better days. Unfortunately, as a training dummy, it doesn't have much options for better days, and the rooms have seen plenty more use of late. Today's no exception, and the green lad in the purple mask isn't holding back on his strikes.
A dull metal ring echoes with each hit he makes with his staff, leaving indentations on the dummy between each spin and thrust. He's not sure how long he's been beating up on the thing, but it's a quick way to expend some restless energy. Maybe he's been at it too long, or maybe he just hit the thing too hard, but there's a clang as the titanium staff's slipped from his hands and fallen to the floor, rolling off some ways.
IV. Free Play
((OOC: Need him for anything else or want to do something elsewhere in the Vault? Insert option here!))
Truthfully the past month's left him a bit strained, or at least that's how he's felt. Maybe it's because of the raid, maybe the mission. Maybe the encounter with that horrible duchess. He doesn't know. The previous month had been busier than he'd expected, leaving him no time to go and see if his family was still where he knew them to be, but then he'd been reluctant to check after the address from the Emperor.
He's been restless, always seeking distractions, and with the Corsairs there at least never seems to be a lack for things to do. Repairs to be seen to, new ideas to be drafted and crafted. Upgrades to apply.
I. Armory A
The Armory's a normal haunt for him. He's made progress on the repairs for the Armor he'd scavenged some months back and he's eager to test it out. While he can't do any flying inside, he can at least run through movements, and with the lighter build, it makes it a bit easier to execute more natural moves.
While typically a Feder isn't armed with a polearm, for mobility testing purposes, Donnie's borrowed a spear from a Lanze. It's difficult to pull off the same maneuvers he would with his own staff, but sticking to more basic motions, he tests response times and range of movement, putting the sleek armor through a few drills.
II. Armory B
Perhaps you come across the turtlekin when he's at a workbench, carefully crafting the settings for some very small ether stones. His ENC bracer's currently being used as a paperweight atop one of many schematics he's drawn up, and off to one side his staff rests in its separate sections, along with its normally hidden internal mechanisms. Is that a grappling hook? And the slim knife is certainly a new edition.
As usual he's caught up in his work, not at all meaning to be rude towards any visitors, but you'll have to excuse him for not noticing you there. He also tends to wear his earmuffs tight when in the Armory since it gets loud.
III. Training Rooms
The training dummy before him has seen better days. Unfortunately, as a training dummy, it doesn't have much options for better days, and the rooms have seen plenty more use of late. Today's no exception, and the green lad in the purple mask isn't holding back on his strikes.
A dull metal ring echoes with each hit he makes with his staff, leaving indentations on the dummy between each spin and thrust. He's not sure how long he's been beating up on the thing, but it's a quick way to expend some restless energy. Maybe he's been at it too long, or maybe he just hit the thing too hard, but there's a clang as the titanium staff's slipped from his hands and fallen to the floor, rolling off some ways.
IV. Free Play
((OOC: Need him for anything else or want to do something elsewhere in the Vault? Insert option here!))
no subject
He has not.
Shu grows a fraction more uncomfortable, as evidenced by her pushing the lunchbox closer to Donnie so he will start eating. If there is food in his mouth when she drops her revelation, he is less likely to scream too loudly. ...Or he might choke and die.
It was fine; she knew CPR.
"He is... a turtlekin, like you. He is... fond of the color red. Very... large." She makes a hand motion to emphasize. "And he calls himself... 'Raph.'" She makes haste to continue before he can interrupt too quickly. "But he came from the dimensional portal and doesn't know anything about Esthere."
no subject
He hasn't nibbled too much of anything before he's stopping again, eyes widening. There's very little reason to mention another turtlekin. If his stare were to get any more intense with each descriptor she adds, he might very well blow a hole through her head.
As anticipated, his mouth begins to open, but there it hangs as she slaps him with a phrase that for all that he knows what it means still sounds so impossibly jarring that it's hard to comprehend.
"Wh....what?"
It sounds so hollow, so small and unsure. Maybe...maybe he'd misheard, somehow. But there's so many words in that sentence that would make no sense without the other, but he's still hoping that perhaps, somehow...
no subject
"I had my suspicions, being assigned a turtlekin named Raphael to my exploration team. We were scouting the ruins underground. But he was an excellent asset in battle, and when he began to use a sort of magic native to his world, I thought perhaps it was some sort of bizarre coincidence. But then... he called out for 'Donnie' partway through the battle, exclaiming that he was the smart one and would know what to do."
Eerily reminiscent of the last conversation they had.
"Afterwards, I confronted him. He has three younger brothers: Leo, Donnie, and Mikey. They match the descriptions you gave me before. They live in a place called New York somewhere, er, underground. And they were raised by a martial arts master."
"The only conclusion I could come to is the idea of parallel universes."
no subject
Understand?
How was this possible? Hearing his brother's name, associated with someone who's apparently joined the Corsairs recently, sets his heart thudding hard within his chest. His brother's here. And yet somehow, at the same time, he's...not?
The name New York means nothing to him. Parallel universes... He knows of dimensions but the concept of something so similar and yet not, has never once come to mind in the realm of possibilities. And he's not sure what to do with that information, with any of this.
He doesn't comprehend the uncomfortable feeling settling in his gut, save that it's sufficiently quelled his appetite.
His brother's here, but he's not. That hurts and he's not sure why.
no subject
Shu lapses into silence, concluding her story. There isn't really anything she can do to ameliorate whatever feelings are racing through Donnie's mind. Heaven knows how she would react if she were to find that there were parallel versions of herself floating around out there.
After a sufficient period of time, she performs the only action that comes to mind, a ritual more than anything. Unscrewing a thermos of hot tea, she pours some into the cap and slides it towards Donnie.
"Drink. It will soothe you."
In body, if not in spirit.
no subject
His brother's here, but not.
As much as Donnie hadn't wanted his brothers to get involved in the Corsairs, he can't deny some small, selfish part of him wanted them to be together. Maybe this is someone's idea of a joke, maybe some deity or another is laughing at him, which itself would have been laughable if not for the fact that there's apparently someone representing Hades hanging around the halls now.
"H-heh."
How's anyone supposed to respond to this? It's incomprehensible on a completely different scale from witnessing the atrocities of the Empire's endeavors in experimental research.
Mechanically he reaches for the tea, but he can't bring himself to take a sip. He highly doubts a drink can soothe anything.
no subject
This is offered in a neutral tone. It is not a suggestion or a note of encouragement. Simply a statement, a reminder that his family is here in this world, not too far away, and to some extent, no doubt hoping to see him once more. Sensing that the tried and true tea strategy is not working, Shu places a hand on Donnie's knee, a light physical gesture to ground him.
"And if it is at all appealing, I believe he would like to get to know you. He was worried when I recounted what I knew about your background here."
no subject
"Not with the Empire doubling down on us. If they haven't been found, I...I don't want to be the reason that our home would be compromised." He's running again and he knows it, but he still feels his reasons valid. The Emperor's address had scared him, maybe as it was supposed to. But there's frightening Imperials out there, powerful ones.
Hesitantly Donnie looks over at Shu again, eyes glassy with frustrated tears that haven't decided whether to fall or not.
That...sounds like a Raph thing. His Raph would always look out for him, like he would all his younger brothers, but he seemed to take it upon himself to be Donnie's shield because of Donnie's soft shell.
"...where is he?"
no subject
Regardless, this was an issue for another time. Shu pats him gently, like she had her younger brothers long, long ago.
"He didn't say, but I looked up some of his information. He is staying with the Flotsam fleet. I am sure you could reach out to him by communicator as well."
no subject
He's a little relieved not to be called out on it, already overwhelmed as it is with this revelation.
"Flotsam..." That could mean anywhere, then, given its current state, but...at least Donnie has a better idea of where to find Raph. He nods, not necessarily agreeing to the method. Ideal as the ENCs can be for such an instance, he's not sure he wants to use that method.
Maybe he's just trying to put it off, or at least...not take such a fast approach to things. "...I need to think..." Or maybe he needs to not think too much on it. Usually impossible for him, but at this moment there's just too much that it's hard to grasp and trace any singular thread. His head's still spinning, threatening a headache, but that might also be partially because he hasn't eaten in a while, although he's still not sure he can stomach anything.
His hand moves away from the tea, gently pushing away that and his lunch to rest his arms and his head on the table.
no subject
She rises, then, because she does not think he wants her to stare at him uncomfortably while he is experiencing emotional turmoil. Her soundless steps take her to a position behind his seated form as he buries his head in his arms. A gentle squeeze of the shoulder as she passes by.
"Keep the dishware. You may return it whenever is convenient. I will give you some time with your thoughts."
By the door, she pauses and offers this final note.
"...If it is at useful, I do not think anyone has ever regretted having more people to care for - or having more people to care for them."
no subject
His only response to her parting words is to pull into himself tighter, but perhaps the traitorous sniffle that might have escaped is lost amidst the other sounds of the forge.