Nineteenth Theory [Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[Donatello regains consciousness somewhere southwest of the village. He knows he's southwest of the village because when he sits up he can see the community buildings with the mountains behind them.

His journal is lying, closed, in the grass beside him; he scoops it up and tucks it into his belt. Then he stands and calmly walks back to C6.

When he arrives, he goes into the apartment - Hm, quiet - heads to his workroom, and starts salvaging the broken remains of his projects.]

((Feel free to run into him at any point. If you do, you might notice that he looks pretty good for someone who's just come back from a friendly visit with the Malnosso. Look closely, though, and you can see he has needle marks on his arms, as well as what appear to be faint burn marks.))

Comments

[i_speak_softly]

No, of course not. They aren't barbarians.

[all7seas]

Well what DID they do? [He's looking Don over curiously, but can't quite see the marks from this angle/range.]

[i_speak_softly]

A simple associational study.

[all7seas]

[At this point, it's fairly clear that Jack is willing to stay and hear the whole tale, which so far he doesn't understand at ALL because in his mind, the Malnosso are barbarians. He seats himself on a sawn-off stump, pulls out the dagger, flips it once, and then jams the blade into the ground in front of him.]

What's that, then.

[i_speak_softly]

An associational study? A standard experimental procedure for elucidating psychological correlations.

[all7seas]

I'm guessin' you didn't correlate. Because you're actin' like...

[The turtle's behavior certainly is strange. He's not making any attempt to dress Jack down for whatever perceived injuries the pirate has done him in the past, for one. In fact, he's acting...civil. And...wordy. -er.

[i_speak_softly]

... I don't think I understand how you're using that word.

[all7seas]

Mate, I can tell your "psychological" isn't on the right heading, so to speak, from the mere fact you're not yelling things at me in a defensive and/or angry fashion.

In other words, or in question-form I suppose---are you mad?

[i_speak_softly]

No, I'm not. [Pause.] Is there something unusual about that?

[all7seas]

[A patient, explaining tone.]

Yes. Because I believe you hate me, savvy? These Malnosso, they've sucked away your savage essence and replaced it with...with........

Porridge.

[i_speak_softly]

You're mistaken, Captain. I don't hate you, and I certainly don't have a 'savage essence'.

[all7seas]

Porridge? Yes. They've given you porridge-y mental innards. Look there--

[He points at the faint marks on Don's arm]

[i_speak_softly]

Yes, I know. They're injection marks. [And not for porridge. Don doesn't have too much confidence in Jack's knowledge of modern medicine, but he's not in a mood to explain.]

[all7seas]

So how's it make you feel? Were it as awful as they say?

[He doesn't care WHAT Donatello says--the turtle is acting strange and he'd almost be happy for a beatdown from the grumpy turtle he'd harassed before. Anything other than this strange...placidity.]

[i_speak_softly]

I feel fine. It's just a few needles.

1/2

[all7seas]

...

2/2

[all7seas]

[Jack picks up the dagger and leaps to his feet, threateningly.]

RIGHT. Who are you and what have you done with our grumpy fun-hating turtle friend?

Re: 2/2

[i_speak_softly]

[This is Don taking a step back and getting ready to defend himself. Why are you coming at him with a knife, Captain?]

Raphael? I haven't seen him yet. I just got back.

[Because, obviously, Jack is mistaking him for someone else who does have a savage essence.]

[all7seas]

[Oddly enough, Jack finds Raphael more cheerful than Don. Circling slowly.]

Not--not that one, not the one at the smithy. YOU. Erm, him. The other you, the one what made the playground, savvy?

[i_speak_softly]

[Don pivots, keeping Jack in his sights.] Yes, I'm him.

[all7seas]

Prove it!

[i_speak_softly]

Prove it? [Blink.] The plans for the large playfort call for 219 screws. The small jungle gym is at two/thirds scale to the larger one. The length of the swing radius is seven feet. The circumference of the merry-go-round is 20.41 feet. ... This is assuming my directions were followed accurately. [He pulls his journal from his belt.] Do you want to see the drafts?

And thus the Rainman of Luceti is born

[all7seas]

[Jack rather reluctantly backs down] Alright, then. Just odd seein' someone acting so cooperative when it comes to being prodded by those bastards.

[i_speak_softly]

[Don relaxes too, as the knife is lowered.] Many geniuses are misunderstood by the people they're trying to help.

[all7seas]

[What]

And many madmen are mistaken for geniuses...