i_speak_softly | Seventeenth Theory [Action/Incidental Voice]

[Raph hates studying. Hates it. He has no idea why building something would need this many books.

He sits across the library table from Don and his mountain of reading materials, hunched forward in his chair and impatiently drumming his fingers on the table.

An entire week of restless pent-up energy has just about reached its breaking point.]

How much longer are we gonna sit here?

I just need to finish this. [By "this", he means the enormous stack of books at his elbow.]

Great. [He sighs in frustration, shoving away from the table and standing. Time to start pacing again.]

Raph! [Loud enough for Raph to hear, hopefully not loud enough to disturb other library patrons.]

[He stops, snapping over his shoulder.] What?

Come back.

[He wanders back, this time standing behind Don with his arms folded, glancing at the open books over his shoulder.]

You can read back at the apartment.

You really want to run that far every time I need another book? [Pushing his current book to where Raph can see it, and pointing at an entry in the bibliography.] Find this.

[He glances at the title, reading it over twice more to put it to memory.] At this point, I wouldn't mind some runnin'.

[Then he turns and heads off toward the section he needs. Lucky it's all alphabetical.]

[Closes his book, opens the next. He's reading as fast as he can.]

[Several minutes later Raph returns with the book, setting it down rather loudly on the table before taking his seat opposite Don again.

As his brother reads, he starts inventing new ways to entertain himself. First it's tilting his chair back, trying to balance it on two legs, but once that gets boring he silently takes out his sai and starts secretly carving at the side of the table with the tip.]

[The chair-tilting was a little distracting, but the table-carving is downright irritating.] Raph. A little respect for public property.

[Glancing up quickly, only to look down again and continue.] Like anybody cares.

[Muttering into his book:] Juvenile.

Nerd. [Still carving away, not even looking up.]

[Reading.]

[Reading.]

[Reeaadiing....]

[Suddenly -- Don lets his book drop back against the table, and slaps his hand near where Raph is carving.] Stop that.

[Oh this is far more interesting than watching him read.] Make me.

[One-handed, he closes the book and puts it on top of the 'done' pile.] All right, I'm finished. We can go.

Finally. [He gets up and reaches for one of the piles.] We takin' any of these with us?

Can't.

Hm. [Probably something to do with evidence and the Malnosso finding out about their plans...] Right.

[Actually, something to do with the fact that he hasn't had the guts to get his own library card yet.]

[Already heading out the door.] The smithy next. Think you can manage to keep yourself out of trouble there?

I only work there, yanno. Plus it's way less boring than this place. [YES. Fresh air. FINALLY.]

[Graciously refraining from the easy argument. And without any sarcasm:] I'm sorry you were bored.

Nah, it's fine. I'm just goin' stir-crazy is all.

To be honest, I didn't find it that interesting either. But now we're getting to the fun part.

Just whose idea of fun are we talkin' about?

Well, I don't know, Raph. How do you feel about building a high-tech lockpick? It might cause an explosion... [Read: If we're lucky!]

Lockpick. Is that what we're callin' it? Seems a little...bland. [Oh god, why is he encouraging you? Is he seriously that starved for something other than brooding?]

Well, it's a device for breaking out of a cage, so... We could call it the Shell-eton Key.

[OH GOD THAT'S THE WORST ONE YET.

Raph cracks a grin, elbowing Donnie in the side.]

You're hopeless. You know that, right?

Raph, I'm hurt. All my dreams of a bright future in product naming...

It's for your own good, Donnie. The world can't take that much dorkiness. Er...um, creativity.

Edited 2010-05-26 01:26 (UTC)

I guess I should just become an accountant after all.

Accountant? Bro, I don't even know what an accountant does. You're smart. You could be a...rocket scientist or something. Or at least do something cool like building custom cars. Now that I could get into.

Accountants do math, Raph. Smart, uncreative , [dorky] people make great accountants.

Well I think if you and me ever got a chance to get a real job, we could open up a shop. Get some recognition for the sweet rides we've built, y'know. That is, as long as I get to name the stuff. You're good at everything else.

Hm. So your proposal is, I draw the designs, build the bikes, man the sales floor, and handle the business details, and you... name the models. [Totally raised brow.] And how are we splitting the money, again?

Hey, I can build bikes! Nothing fancy, but I could figure it out! [Oh ye of little faith. You suck, Don.]

And yet you've been here four months and still don't have one. Couldn't be because you can't do it, doesn't seem like a shortage of motivation... [Thoughtful.] What's that third thing lawyers look for? Ah, opportunity. You've just been too busy.

What, you wanna be a lawyer now? Please. The only reason I don't got a bike right now is 'cause there's no parts and nothing to run it on.

[Raised eyebrow.] So what makes you think I could build one? Because I assume your casual segue to the topic of bikes is really a veiled request for one.

It's not. I was just talkin' about it. Yeesh.

[Mm-hm. Keep deflecting, bro.] Raph - if the lightning rod fails and we can't get home, I will build you a bike. That's a promise.

No, then we start thinkin' of another way out. Don't waste your time on me.

I'll need something to keep my hands busy while I think. Anyway, isn't the barrier several days' walk from here? If we're going to be going there often, we'll want transportation.

[Shrug.] Suit yourself.

[Oh hey look, the smithy! Raph walks right in, maybe a little too eagerly, crossing the main shop and into the workshop straight toward Winry's workbench. But he visibly deflates when he finds the entire place empty. Sokka must be on his lunch break...or something.]

Hm. It's not usually so quiet here, is it?

Don't know where Sokka is, but he said Winry didn't show up yesterday.

Edited 2010-05-27 02:03 (UTC)

She can't have gotten kidnapped again, can she?

[His eyes are glued to her empty workbench, lines of worry on his face.] I don't know. He called her over the journals, but she never answered.

[Moving to the bins, quietly gathering what he needs.]

[Raph sighs and joins his brother. He was mad yesterday, but today he just can't summon the emotional energy. He's so damn tired of this crap.]

Are you okay?

Fine.

[Still digging through stuff.] You were close with her, weren't you.

She drives me insane.

Things only drive you insane when you care about them.

[He sighs again, then says quietly, under his breath:] Yeah.

[His hands still, but he keeps looking into the bin.] Something happened between you and her, didn't it.

[Raph freezes like a deer caught in the headlights. Suddenly it feels very, very hot in here, and it ain't because of the forge.]

Uh...[He clears his throat nervously.] What gave you that idea?

Raph, I'm not stupid. You suddenly stopped talking about her, a few weeks ago. If things were going well, I'd still be hearing about it at dinner every night. [Long pause.] Do you want to tell me?

I don't talk about her that much. [Yes he does 8|]

Standard deviations, Raph. [Resumes searching through the bin.]

Whatever that means. [And so does he.]

[Skipping the mathematical explanation.] Are there any batteries here?

Don't think so.

[Then he pauses, realizing he has no idea what he's actually looking for. So his attention drifts to his own workbench, seemingly untouched since the last time he was here.]

Whaddya think I should do about my stuff? It'll disappear once I'm gone, won't it?

Mm... I don't know. Some of the buildings here were built by the residents, and I haven't heard that any of them disappeared when the person responsible was sent home. [Smile.] Maybe some of the things we do here do make a difference.

Maybe. [Still kinda bummed though. He walks over to the bench and starts pocketing the mostly finished shuriken in his belt.]

[Scooping a couple of things into his duffel bag.] I think I'm done here.

All right.

[He sidles up to Don again, ready to go. But before he leaves, he holds out his hand for his brother to see - four intricately designed shuriken, all in different styles, two finished, one mostly finished and the other still in the preliminary stages.]

I was makin' these for you guys.

[He picks up one of the finished ones, examines it, then holds it higher and sights along it to a stretch of empty wall.] Should I try it out?

Go for it. [He's not really sure if they'll actually work, being so fancy, but it'd be kinda pointless if they didn't, so why not.]

[He throws the shuriken; it hits the edge of the knot he was aiming at.] Hm. A little off, but that probably has more to do with my arm than your shuriken's balance. [He retrieves the shuriken and gives it back to Raph.] It's good.

[He takes it back and tucks it in his belt with the others.]

Thanks.

[He's still feeling a little mopey over god-knows-what.]

Ready to go now?

Sure. [He'll just follow, not really paying attention.]

[Don matches Raph's slow, distracted pace. Sooner or later, the older Turtle might get his thoughts in order and say something.]

[No such luck. He has so many mixed feelings about leaving this place, he's not even gonna try to put it in words.]

Hey Raph? ... Do you think the people here are different from the people in our world?

Whaddya mean?

An open-ended question.

Ah, jeez. I hate those.

Guess the short answer would be no.

No? [He folds his hands behind his head, and walks along, eyes raised thoughtfully.] Then why can we do this, here?

Because people either got stuff like us in their own worlds or got no reason to bother us if they don't.

What if they have people like us in their world but don't know it?

What's that got to do with anything? All people care about is what they know...or what they believe, at least.

Well, you posited - and I'm filling in some blanks here - that people who have never seen beings like us aren't prejudiced against them, and so leave them alone if they ever do chance to meet them. But if that's the case, why do we always have so much trouble back on Earth?

That ain't what I said, Don.

No? Explain it to me again, then.

I said people here don't got a reason. There's no money to make, and no glory to get out of dissectin' us. If things were different, it'd be all the same.

So it's all about the extrinsic motivation?

Uh, yeah...that. [He has no idea what that means.]

That's sad on so many levels.

That's life.

And that's pessimism.

It's called bein' realistic.

No, being realistic is assessing the situation accurately and then doing something about it. You're just... giving up.

Who said anything about givin' up?

You did. Unless I'm misinterpreting your arguments again.

Yeah, you are.

[Long pause, then:] This is usually the part where you yell a lot and wittily insult me concerning my intelligence or lack thereof.

What, you want me to fight with you?

It tends to make you feel better.

I'm fine.

I'm not that dense, Raph.

Whatever, Don. Drop it.

[ 8| ]

Talk to me, guys. We got all our body parts or what?

Anatomically, yes. Metaphorically, no.

... You don't happen to have a pair of rubber gloves laying around, do you? Preferably three-fingered?

[In the background:] Why're you askin' him that?

[Then, louder:] Hey, Case.

... Just gonna take that to mean you guys managed alright. [ Gloves? ] Sorry, can't say I do. Need me to go on a hunt for a pair?

[ And two out of...technically two. RELIEF. ] Yo, Raph. Doozy of a week.

I'm asking because I don't want to get electrocuted; I'm asking him because... actually, I have no idea.

We're going to be at the item shop later. Want to meet us?

[Raph just shakes his head at Don's weirdness and hopes Casey says he'll meet them later. Having him around would definitely cure some of his boredom.]

Sure, no problem.

Y'know- long as razor-blades don't fall outta the sky on the way over.

Raph, I think I'm done here. Are you ready to go?

Yeah, sure.

Don't give 'em any ideas, Case. They might take you up on that.

We're headin' over there now if you wanna swing by.

If they get it from me, you guys can have the good umbrella.

See ya there. [ He will be there like a boss, possibly a little fidgety until he actually catches sight of you guys. ]

Casey. [Hands you a list, obviously written quickly and with little to no regard for the limited nature of Casey's vocabulary.] See if you can find any of these.

[Raph's content to peek at the list in Casey's hands, throwing his buddy an odd look. He's got no idea what half that stuff is.]

[ ...well. ]

Enough trouble findin' the things on the piece of paper, jeez.

[ But he'll head off like a good little pack-mule. ]

Right. I'll get what I can.

[Intently digging through bins.]

[And Raph is digging through his bins too, but gets distracted by something - somebody's electric guitar. He picks it up, inspecting it for a while.]

You think somebody could play guitar with three fingers?

[ Huh?

Shrugs. Goes back to his hunt. ]

Don't see why not, if you get it figured out.

Raph, not to discourage your musical ambition, but is now really the time to be picking up a new hobby?

Yeah, whatever. [He sucks at this lightening the mood thing.] Can you use this?

[Runs into them in the item shop where Smoker is stocking up on rope, grappling hooks and lighters.]

Yo. [Half-wave, half-lazy as all hell salute that would get him in trouble with the brass in a second if they saw.]

Hi, Smoker. [Looking at your collection.] Planning to climb something?

((LET'S TRY THIS AGAIN ORZ))

[That peaks his interest. Raph glances up from where he's sifting through the bins.]

((BANZAI!))

Climb down technically. What are you two up to? [Has actually been wondering for a while why he's never met Leo, but Smoker assumes he's reclusive.]

I've been trying to build Raph a motorcycle, but... [Patting his new duffel bag.] - around here, it's a serious undertaking just to find the parts.

[Raph cracks a cheeky grin. Don, you're such a freakin' liar.]

But Donnie here'll pull it off.

[Mild shock, he misses his bike so much damn it.] You can do that?!

[A shrug, somewhere between carelessness and modesty.] I've done it before. [Changing the subject.] So, what are you climbing down?

[Unlike a certain brother of his, Raph has a major problem with lying. Thus, he tells half-truths. Totally different, right?]

He built me one at home. Was missin' it, I guess.

[He'll just go back to picking through all this useless stuff. You ladies do your chit chat.]

Edited 2010-05-24 23:19 (UTC)

What kind? [Too late Raph, he's completely gone into motorcycle geek mode and he will drag you back in.] Checking out the tunnels.... seriously though, you think you can do that here?

Edited 2010-05-25 00:26 (UTC)

[It's not lying; it's ninja deception. Completely different.]

Just a little something I threw together. A four cylinder six-speed, zero to eighty in about five-and-a-half seconds... nothing much. Raph, you'd share the Shell Cycle Mark II with Smoker, wouldn't you?

You kidding? You make me this, nobody's touchin' it.

Heh. Can't say I blame you. What are you going to power it on?

Jealous overprotectiveness. [Sideways smile.] Sorry, Smoker. He's very territorial.

Jealous? Why would I be jealous. If it's my bike, I don't want people puttin' their grubby little hands all over it.

Tch. I won't touch your bike. Not like I ever let anyone near mine.

[Ah, alpha males and their toys. Changing the subject again:] What tunnels are these, Smoker? I don't think I've heard of them.

[Smoker's got a bike too? The old man's just gained some coolness points.]

They run from the center of town to out in the desert. [Gestures vaguely.]

Really? Where's the entry point?

Right in the front of the shops actually. Well more in the center outside, but yeah. Hell, look out the window, you can probably see it from here.

[Pause.] Hn. The... turtle or human thing? Whichever?? Isn't a power is it? They don't work down there. Devil fruits included.

The... what? No, it's not -- it's a hybridization of our DNA. I think. Are you saying, that if we went in the tunnels, we would de-mutate?

Hm. I don't think so. I'm not sure if devil fruits work the same way as that... but if they did, Blackbeard couldn't have stolen Whitebeard's. So you're probably safe.

...I really don't like that idea.

Then avoid them. It's a giant hole in front of the shops. Straw-Hat fell in, but that's not saying much. He could probably fall anywhere.

[Don shares a glance with Raph - Smoker probably doesn't realize what they would de-mutate into, but the two Turtles sure do.]

[Then back to the marine:] What are you looking for, down there?

A few people used it as prison cells I'm told. If something more formal could be made, at least there could be actual consequences to some of the bullshit people do around here.

I'm all for that.

[Nods.] Even if people don't die as permanently, doesn't mean people should be allowed to dissolve into anarchy. [Eyes narrow.] Especially when only a very select few actually want that.

Well it's a good thing those tunnels take away powers, otherwise we'd never be able to hold 'em. People would just magic their way out.

It seems kind of cruel...

Got a better idea for someone who finds it funny to throw flaming trees or unleash flesh-eating butterflies?

Yeah, Don. I say lockin' 'em up is goin' easy on them.

There's a difference between putting someone in a cage, and putting someone in a cage and drugging them until they can't move.

They're not incapable of moving. Just of using their powers. And if they're only going to use it to hurt other people they've lost the right to that.

My point is, for at least some of the people here, magic is an ingrained ability. Taking it away from them would be like taking away our ability to walk, or see, or think. It isn't right to do that to someone. Even if they are a criminal.

[Muttered under his breath:] Says you.

They take away something from someone every time they kill someone. Preventing that is closer to a duty than not.

And right now most people seem willing to settle for killing even though they get brought back all the same and nothing changes.

[Doesn't really want to debate Luceti's criminal justice system.] Raph, I think I have what I need. Are you ready to go?

Well I think you're doin' a good thing.

[Because he has to have the last word. He never understood Don's pacifistic mumbo jumbo.]

We're goin' to the apartment, right?

Good luck on the motorcycle.

Yes.

See you around, Smoker.

[Raph gathers up an armload of the salvaged parts and scraps they've collected throughout the day and heads for the door, giving Smoker a nod that translates to goodbye.]

[After leaving the item shop, Raph heads back home with his brother, still keeping oddly quiet. He's got a lot on his mind, but he's determined to keep a level head in Leo's place. Even if Don thinks there's something wrong with him, there isn't. This is just him holding up the fort.]

[As they enter the apartment:] Power-cancelling tunnels, hm?

You don't really think they'd demutate us, do ya? [He closes the door behind him with his hip, arms still full of stuff.] Where do you want your crap?

I don't know... I'm almost tempted to try it. Um... over there is fine. [Vague point.]

Donnie, you try that and I'll kill you myself. [He puts the crap down in the empty corner by the door.]

[Well, he wouldn't bring you anyway. He'd need a second, and it would have to be someone who wouldn't suffer the same effect when they went in to rescue him.]

I guess it's lucky we didn't find the tunnels ourselves. We would have gone in without a second thought.

He absently picks up the stuff Raph just put down, and moves it to an empty part of the living room floor.]

[Raph plops down on the couch, staring absent-mindedly out the window.]

I been around there before. Never went in.

[Don kneels by the pile of stuff, and starts sorting through it.] Oh? Why not?

[Because he got bad vibes, but was too drunk to deal with any shit, but he won't say that much.]

Had better stuff to do.

[Having sorted their haul, Don leans back and contemplates the ceiling.] Raph, which is your least favorite household appliance?

[Well that catches his attention. Have an odd look.]

...What?

[Sigh. Follow the train of thought, Raph.] What modern convenience do you feel most able to live without?

You gonna start takin' stuff apart? If you need the parts, just do it.

The parts are all the same and I only need one set. It makes no difference to me. [He gets up and heads into the workroom to find his tools. If Raph is still apathetic when he gets back, Don will just pick something.]

Take it all for all I care.

I'm picking the oven, then. It's not like we do that much cooking anyway. [And he wanders off into the kitchen.]

[Offhandedly:] Not like Mikey's here to care.

[There might be a brief hitch in Don's step as he disappears through the kitchen doorway. Then, only a lot of clanging noises.]

[Oh, he knows what he did. Still, he's gonna act like everything is perfectly fine. He raises his voice so Don can hear him.]

We've been doin' good, just you and me.

[Loud clatter.] What? Oh, mm-hm. [Bang crash screech.] Raph, come help me with this.

[No reaction, huh? Well fine. (Maybe he did want that fight after all.)

Raph gets up and jogs into the kitchen.]

[Don is flat (sort of) on his back, trying to see and reach into the narrow space under the oven, which has been pulled away from the wall a little.]

Lift up the front of this for me?

[Raph pushes the top of the oven unit backwards to rest against the wall with one hand, steadying it with the other and watching his brother work in silence.]

[Don scooches up, until his head is under the lifted oven, and gets to work prying out the parts from the bottom of the unit.]

Raph -- You've been to the barrier before, right?

Yeah. I tried cuttin' through it the first day we were here.

The first day? How did you get all the way out there so quickly?

Ran. [In the freezing snow, at that. When fueled by anger, Raph's a force to be reckoned with.]

Clearly. [Tinker tinker.] How did you even know it was there?

((OOC: Kind of irregular, but in light of Raph-mun's internet problems and my impending hiatus, we decided to continue this thread over IM. The transcript follows, broken into sections because it surely exceeds the character limit for comments. As you might expect, Raphael's tags are in red and Donatello's are in purple.))

Someone told me when I first came. I was in the woods and some lady wouldn't leave me alone. I thought she was with the Foot. She was tellin' me where I was and how I couldn't get out. So I went to go see for myself.

Hm. So. You arrived in an unknown place, had a conversation with a stranger, and on the strength of her information immediately travelled a fairly great distance to attack an impenetrable barrier. Raphael, has anyone ever told you you are impetuous?

If that means insane then yeah. [Faint grin.]

Indeed. [Points to tools.] Hand me that.

I'm kinda holdin' this thing up. Get it yourself.

Fair point. [Retrieves tool with his toes.] So, what did you attack the barrier with? Your sai?

Yeah. [Aside:] Don, that is so weird when you do that. The doin' stuff with your feet thing.

Huh?

Never mind.

Ummm... [Mentally elsewhere.] When I arrived, I didn't have my bo. Remember, we had to go to the weapons shop for it.

I found mine in a bush.

Really. [Intrigued.]

...Yeah.

What about Leo and Mike?

I don't remember. I was kinda keyed up.

You don't remember?

That's what I said.

Raph, focus. Where were they? Where were their weapons?

I don't remember! Jeez. Mikey went into town before he saw me and talked to some lady. Leo came later but I wasn't payin' that much attention to it.

[Tinkering.] Hm. And then all three of you went to the barrier?

Well...I went and they tagged along. Mike wanted to go to the village. Convinced Leo of it too. But I wasn't gonna go anywhere until I was sure there was no way out of this.

Mm. [Slides out from under the oven.] Okay, put it down.

[Does so, looking at Don intently. Is there a point to this conversation? He doesn't think so, but he's waiting for it.]

[Says nothing. Sorts oven parts.]

[Leans against the wall with his arms folded. Just as he thought, no point whatsoever.] You hungry? Maybe we should grab a bite before you start workin'.

[Holds up a metal piece, inspects it more closely.] ........ [Looks up.] Sorry, what?

[Eyeroll.] Stay with me, space cadet. I said you should probably eat something before you start workin'.

[Looks at the dismantled oven.] I feel there is irony here somewhere.

[Chuckles a little.] Like either of us would ever use an oven.

[Smile. Packs up tools and oven parts.] No, food sounds good. What did you have in mind?

[Shrugs.] You pick.

[A look that says "You should know better".] Raph, if left to my own devices right now, I would forget to eat for the next twenty-four hours.

I know, that's why I'm tellin' ya. Just pick something before I just start raiding whatever moldy shit is left in the fridge.

[Nervous glance at the fridge.]

What? What's that look?

We really are incapable, aren't we.

No, we're doin' fine. We just gotta remember to...do the other chores too, I guess.

What's the last thing YOU ate, Raph?

Uh...a sandwich. This morning.

Really. [Impressed.]

Yeah. That's when I saw the stuff was gross in the fridge.

... And were you motivated to do anything about this?

[Apprehensive look.] You know how I feel about throwin' away food.

It's not food anymore, Raph.

Some of it's still good! I could eat it no problem.

... Please don't do that.

Except for maybe the strawberries. That stuff is alive or some shit.

[Stands up, playfully backhands Raph on his plastron.] Come on. Let's go get something that isn't breeding. My treat.

Your treat? Says the turtle who doesn't got a job in a land with no money.

Exactly.

Moron.

You fail to grasp the local economy, brother mine.

Yeah, 'cause there is none. People just do what they want when they're bored. I got no idea how that's still workin'. ... Anyways. Does this mean you're gonna pick?

Ah, Raph. [Puts his arm around your shoulders and leads you out of the kitchen.] Let's get food.

[Is led.] Okay, okay. Just tell me where we're goin'.

[Leaves his toolbox on the floor by the front door as they go out.] You'll find out when we get there.

Don... I hate surprises.

[Thoughtful pause.] Let me put it this way: I'll find out when we get there.

You do realize there's only like three places where we can go.

... Three?

Azzip's, the Cafe thing and...I dunno, the grocery store.

... Let's skip the grocery store.

Or the bar. [Smiles a little. He's just yanking your chain.]

How about, instead of getting drunk, we go to Azzip, get some sandwiches, and go have a picnic by the lake?

Sounds good to me. [Snorts a little picturing Don drunk. He's probably the one brother he'd never want to see inebriated.]

[... Thanks, Raph.]

[It'd just be weird and wrong!]

Why are you laughing?

No reason you'd find funny.

Do tell.

No, I don't think so. Bet you're missin' that thought bubble thing. [Devious grin.]

... In some ways. [Holds open door of Azzip.] After you.

[Walks in, looking at Don oddly.] What, 'm I your date now?

It's called common courtesy, Raph.

Pff. Just order your damn sandwich.

[Rolls eyes, looks at the menu.] What are you having?

Same as always.

Mm... Turkey and swiss. Everything on it.

[And Raph orders his too. Omnomnom.]

[When Don gets his bag, he glances in it, then gives Raph a ready-to-go smile.]

[And Raph's got his and feels like he's suddenly starving. Guh.] So the lake, right?

Yes. [Glances up at the sky, wipes his brow.] It seems like a good place to be today.

Almost makes me miss bein' underground during the day.

Agreed.

Yeah, but that's the only thing I miss about it.

[Distracted gaze.]

When we go back I'm gonna go nuts bein' trapped down there. But I guess it ain't much different here. Either way we're trapped. So whatever. [Mumbled:] Just a different kind of cage...

[Comes back from his mental wanderings.] Everyone has them, Raph.

Has what?

[Shakes head.] Never mind.

No, now you gotta tell me.

[Quite deliberately:] Nothing you'd want to hear.

Oh, well jeez. You want me to tell you what I was laughin' about? It was picturin' you drunk.

[Pause.] Delightful. [Picks a spot on the grass near the beach.] Let's sit here.

[Sits in the grass and opens up his sandwich.] Okay, now you gotta tell me.

[Eats sandwich thoughtfully.] Is the idea of me intoxicated really that funny?

Ah...sorta. Mostly it's just weird.

Hm. [Stretches out his legs.] So, funny in a because-it-would-never-happen way?

Funny in a I-never-want-to-see-it-happen way. [Takes a huge bite out of his sandwich. Good table manners as always.]

[Smile. At your brutal honesty in words and actions.]

[With his mouth half full:] Now you tell me what everybody's got.

Ahhh... [Lowers his sandwich, looks out at the water.]

[He'll just eat in silence and stare at Don until he talks.]

[Darn. Can't avoid the question.] A cage, Raph.

Thought so.

Hm. [Continues eating sandwich.]

Well, I wanna be the one guy who doesn't.

[Smiles, then reaches out to squeeze your shoulder.] Do it, Raph.

Damn straight. [Nods and goes back to eating.]

[Eats to about the halfway point, then rolls the sandwich back up in the wax paper and puts it in the bag.]

[Eyes that critically.] Don, you eat like a bird. [Almost done with his sandwich.]

[Raph, you eat like a pig. He loves you anyway.]

[8|] You're not trainin' so you never got any appetite. Master Splinter would smack you upside the head so quick it'd make your eyes roll. [Grin.]

[Grimace. Knows this already.]

[Yeah, but he has to tease you about it.]

[And yet he's not allowed to tease YOU about your eating habits? Good thing he's the patient one.]

[Raph gives it out but can never take it. Just a facet of his charming personality.]

[Waits for Raph to finish eating.]

[Well he's done now. 8| Still gonna nag you 'cause you didn't respond and he CARES.] You're gettin' kinda skinny, bro. I'm kinda worried about you, I guess. Like if you go back, if you get ambushed or somethin'. And it ain't my time so...

[He freezes in the middle of getting up.]

You gonna answer me or what? At least defend yourself.

[He slowly sits back down, folding his legs into a kneeling position.] Raph, I don't think it works like that.

Like what?

I think we're in a kind of time-pocket. When we go home, nothing will have happened to us.

[Frowns. Looks off into the water stubbornly.]

Raph... I know you won't like this answer, but I don't think it matters if we train here. When we go back, we'll have trained just that morning. We won't have lost anything at all.

[Turns back to Don somewhat viciously.] So you're just gonna give up!? Just...piss it all away 'cause you don't give a shit. And what if we don't go back, huh?

[Turns away, sighs heavily.]

You're just gonna do nothin' for however longer we're stuck here? [Glares angrily straight ahead.]

Raph, you know I've never wanted it. And in four and a half months here, I've managed to not need to fight anyone. I...

[Still glaring and not looking. He knows what you're gonna say.]

[Beats his fist against the ground.] I DON'T WANT TO DO IT! [... There.]

[He turns back and blinks with a look of shock.]

[Breathing hard.]

Don, I... [Sigh.] I know you never liked it but I didn't think you hated it.

[Sad look.] Raph, I'm happy for you. You like what our family does. You're good at it. But it's not for me. [Closes his eyes.] That's my cage.

[He looks away again, muttering quietly.] Family's falling apart.

Raph, I'm sorry. I can't do this now.

[His eyes briefly flick back to Don] Do what? Train with your brothers? Protect yourself? You can't always have what you want, Don. I'd think you'd learned that by now. This ain't a damn vacation! Stop treatin' it like one!

[Hard:] It is for me. [Gets up, walks to the edge of the lake.]

[Raph won't follow him. He'll just sit there, glaring at him moodily.]

Edited 2010-06-05 03:17 (UTC)

[Don glares at the lake for moment, then wades into it. As soon as the water is deep enough, he'll dive and head straight to the bottom.]

[Raph has no idea what to do. He's supposed to be keeping things straight, he's supposed to be holding up the fort, but everything keeps falling apart, and he can't control it. For once, he doesn't even feel like fighting. So he'll just sit there and close his eyes, wishing he could ask Master Splinter what to do next. Hell, he was turning into Leo. Now that's a scary thought.]

[Fifteen minutes later, Don comes back onshore. The water has cooled him down both literally and metaphorically, and he's ready to be his reasonable self again. He sits down by Raph and drips on the grass. Still looking out over the lake:] I'm sorry. I've been sitting on that for sixteen years.

[Raph grunts at him irritably.] No kidding.

[Rubs his ankle. Purposely vague:] Does it bother you that much?

Yeah, it does.

[Sideways glance. Say more, bro.]

[He frowns. There's a million things rushing through his mind right now and none of it wants to make itself into words.]

[Glance again.] Raph?

[He glances back, clearly irritated.] What?

Why?

Why does it bother me? Do you hafta even ask?

You really don't get me, do ya.

[Steady look.] I could say the same thing.

Yeah, but it's different. I don't get anybody. You're the one who's always got stuff all figured out.

Sometimes, Raph, your logic is impenetrable.

Whatever that means. [Pause a beat. Wait, he thinks he gets it.] You sayin' I got a thick skull?

What? Raph, I didn't say that.

Then speak English!

I said that sometimes your conclusions are absolutely contrary to reason.

Well it makes sense to me. ... Whatever. We're not talkin' about that. You wanted to know why I'm pissed off at you.

[Resettles himself, faces the lake again.] Yes.

Because...[Augh, too much feeling, too little words.] because that's me. It ain't just 'what we do'. It's what we are, then you tell me you hate it? [He pauses a beat, then gets up, walking the opposite direction they came, deeper into the forest.] I got nothin' to say to you.

[Don sits a while, watching the water. Then he gets up and goes after his brother.] Raph --

[Raph just keeps walking, a stony look on his face, and doesn't acknowledge his brother.]

Raph -- [Well, if you're not even going to make an effort to outrun him, Don will catch up in no time.] Raph, wait.

[Still not acknowledging. He doesn't even know where he's walking.]

Raph. [Grabs your arm.]

[Reels around, glowering, a sudden fire in his eyes as he wrenches his arm away.] What!?

[Unintimidated.] Raph, you're wrong.

Don, you ain't doin' yourself any favors. But go ahead, tell me why I'm wrong! Then I'll tell you where you can cram it. [He folds his arms, glaring stubbornly.]

[Also crosses his arms. Cram this first, hothead.] I'm not what our family does. That's not who I am; that's who I have to be. But now, here, I don't have to. Can't you see how much of a relief that is for me?

[He grinds his teeth together audibly.] Did you forget that there's a war comin' up? Did you forget what kinda maniacs are out there, killin' people, usin' everything they got to hurt people we care about? But that means nothin' to you, does it? You got all your little friends and your little La La Land where everybody's holdin' hands and singin'. If you don't want to be part of the real world, then you can go screw yourself. I ain't gonna be there to bail you out.

[Very sad.] I'm so much stronger without a weapon in my hands. But no one ever understands that. [Turns away.] Now I know I was right to never bring it up.

[If he wasn't so emotionally drained, he'd throw a fit, but all he can bring himself to do is sit on a nearby tree stump, hang his head and bury his face in his hands.]

[Stares morosely at a tree.] I wish I were more like you, Raph.

[He laughs bitterly, glancing up with poison in his eyes.] No you don't.

Yes, I do. [Turns to face him.] You are who you are, even when that isn't who people want you to be. I wish I had that kind of strength.

[He snorts at that and doesn't know what to say.]

[After a long pause.] I have this kind, though. [Deep breath.] What time tomorrow morning?

[He blinks, confused.] Huh?

Training, Raph. When do we start?

Wait...what happened to the whole "I don't want to do it" thing? Isn't that what we were just fightin' about?

I lost. As usual.

[He laughs a little at that, a smile tugging at his lips.] I don't got work tomorrow, so it doesn't matter.

[Tiny smile.] Can we pretend that I have any say in this at all, and call it ten o'clock?

Yeah, fine. [He stands and approaches Don, clapping him on the shell.] Man, you've gotten lazy.

It's not lazy if I go to bed at three in the morning.

You're nuts. I usta be able to stay up that long, but with workin' and trainin' and teachin' Isamu two days outta the week I can't keep my eyes open past midnight.

[Puts his arm around Raph's shoulders. Time to walk back to the lake?] I'm glad you've found a place here, Raph.

[Yeah, a quick swim sounds good right about now.] Eh, it ain't bad, I guess. Though I keep gettin' the feeling people at the smithy want me gone.

[Surprised.] Oh?

Yeah, but I don't give a crap.

Did something happen?

Nothin' I can think of. I just keep to myself.

[Wades into the water again, but this time just sits in the shallows.] Raph, do you have many friends here?

[He'll join you there, man, that feels good.] Some, I guess.

[Perceptively:] Enough?

I don't care if I got any friends.

[Looks down, pokes at the sand.]

[And he'll swim out into the deeper water and float on his back, enjoying the contrast of warm sun on his face and cool water on his shell.] But you're doin' good. You're always on that journal thing.

It's very interesting.

You think everything's interesting. You'd think nasty-ass sea weed is interesting. [Which, there's some right here where he's floating.]

[Indeed, swims out to where Raph is to inspect a frond.]

I was jokin', egghead. [He'll pick up a floating clod and chuck it at Don's head.]

[You missed. Ignoring you completely, Don dived to check out the lower parts of the plant.]

[Yeah, well, Raph's gonna splash you in the face the minute you come up for air.]

[If this still seems like a desirable action five minutes later, Don is besplashed.]

[And Raph will just float around pretending nothing happened.]

It's - pblflphbbbb. Raph, please.

[He just smiles cheekily.] I don't care about the stupid seaweed, Don.

[Fine then, won't tell you about it.]

[Good, because it's stupid.]

[Backfloats.]

[Raph seems to be trying really hard not to fall asleep.]

[Don't worry; he won't let you drown.]

Seventeenth Theory [Action/Incidental Voice]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]