Thirty-First Theory [Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[The last thing they remember, they were warm in bed with their other brothers. Now they are two, and for reasons beyond their comprehension they are waking up in a snowbank.

The sun is bright, the snow is wet, and the frigid air seeps into their bones.]

Raphie, I'm - I'm cold.

C-c’mon, Donnie. [He latches onto his brother’s hand and starts pulling him out of the snow.] We n-need a better hidin’ spot.

Okay.

[The two tiny Turtles climb out of the hollow in the deep snow and, huddled against one another, strike out in search of shelter.]

((Five-ish-year-old Turtles, no conscious memories of Luceti. Replies will come from tinytechturtle and saidontmatter. April will threadjack eventually to take her little guys home, but initial rescuing is open to any kind soul who doesn't want to see a pair of young reptiles freeze to death. Have at, kind souls of Luceti.))

Comments

[saidontmatter.livejournal.com]

[And Raph's on it immediately, shoveling food into his mouth with his hands as fast as he can.]

[tinytechturtle.livejournal.com]

I'm coming! [Off. He hops down from the chair, scrambles up on the other one, and puts on his ready-to-eat face.]

[after-march.livejournal.com]

[April smiles at Donatello's sweetness and gives him his plate.]

Raph, slow down--and use your fork! [She picks it up and offers it to him.]

[saidontmatter.livejournal.com]

[In the words of Homer Simpson: Can't talk. Eating. If the kid didn't know what soap is, do you think he's ever used a fork?]

[tinytechturtle.livejournal.com]

[That's a neat kind of tiny weapon, April. You're not going to stab Raphie with it, are you?]

[after-march.livejournal.com]

No, watch: eating. With a utensil. [April puts Raph's fork back down beside him and demonstrates on the cup of yogurt that she has just pulled out of the refrigerator.] Now you try.

[meanandgreen.livejournal.com]

[No, that's stupid, and he won't stop eating for nobody. If you stop, somebody will snatch the food right off your plate. Which is...a little different without Mikey around. He and Raph are the worst plate-snatchers of the bunch. But still, he won't pause for a second until his plate is clean.

Better eat up, Donnie. This's the best food he's ever had ever and he's got his eyes on the prize.]

[tinytechturtle.livejournal.com]

[That's interesting, April, but why add a middleman when hands and mouths already work so well together? Donnie watches curiously but doesn't pause at all in his steady plate-clearing.]

[after-march.livejournal.com]

Or, you know---don't use forks.

[meanandgreen.livejournal.com]

[Annnnnd done! A vacuum cleaner has nothing on him. And now he's reaching across the table to have a go at Donnie's, his face and fingers completely covered in cheesy gooiness.]

[tinytechturtle.livejournal.com]

[Not today, Raphie. Donnie pins his brother's creeping fingers to the table with one hand, and keeps shoveling food into his mouth with the other.]

[after-march.livejournal.com]

Sloooooow down, guys. I've got more.

[April's voice is cheerful, but their behavior is really heartbreaking. She gets a sense of how tight things must have been for them growing up. Quickly she picks up Raph's empty plate and refills it.] There ya go.

[saidontmatter.livejournal.com]

[He stops his whining at that pinned hand the moment she mentions seconds, and lights up like someone flicked a switch.] More?

[Then he settles down and tucks into his second helping, finally slowing down by the time it's halfway gone.]

[tinytechturtle.livejournal.com]

[April, you are full of intriguing ideas. Is there 'more' for Donnie too?]

[after-march.livejournal.com]

Here, Donatello. [There is more, Donnie. April sits down beside you and keeps an eye on the progress being made on those plates.] Now I look back on that time you spent in my apartment and I realize how FAR you'd actually come with your tablemanners.

[meanandgreen.livejournal.com]

[Raph picks at the last few noodles on his plate, then puts them in his mouth thoughtfully. He's actually full, which really doesn't happen often with meals back home.

Now the food's gone, and he knows April must have more and it should be eaten, but he's not sure if his tummy could fit anymore. It's quite a dilemma.

So he just stares at April expectantly, making cheesy fingerprints on the table.]

[tinytechturtle.livejournal.com]

[When April sits down, Donnie's first instinct is to shield his food from her. But then he realizes he's pretty full, while she hasn't had anything...]

[He tentatively slides his plate over to her.]

Are you hungry, lady?

[after-march.livejournal.com]

[Oh, Donnie. April doesn't know whether to laugh or cry.] No, sweetie. I'm not. You guys aren't used to having a lot of food to eat, are you.

[saidontmatter.livejournal.com]

Sensei gets the food from the topside. [Raphie chirps, nodding more to himself than anybody else.] This w-what's the topside?

[tinytechturtle.livejournal.com]

[Donnie leaves the plate where it is. How could the lady not be hungry? Maybe she'll change her mind...]