tushanshu | 001 • [audio]

[ Casey opens with about five seconds of space to start with, since he's rechecking his console operational stats as a precaution. His voice is stiff and a little muffled, but easy enough to understand. ]

Alright. Definitely got this working! [ Moderately loud enthusiasm abounds for a brief moment there, and it is promptly tamped down. ] Sorry. I asked about how these worked just to be safe, but I also hear I got a pretty thick skull, y'know? [ And here there are two quiet thumps followed by a light hiss, because he sure did knock on the side of his head for emphasis. ] Wanted to make sure I got it.

So, uh. Hey. Name's Casey. I'm from New York, and if you don't know what that means, I feel sorry for ya. I guess I'm here to wake up half-drowned and defeat evil like everyone else? The half-drowned thing is pretty new, but I actually have some experience with evil, so here's hopin' I can put myself to good use. I mean, between giant turtles and fightin' bad guys and studying for English Lit., I'll take the bad guys.

If there's anything bigger than the welcome wagon that a guy should be let in on or a familiar face or somethin', though, I'd really appreciate gettin' that outta the way now. Maybe directions to a good sports equipment store? [ Pauuuuse. ] Thanks. Really.

[ That equipment store is really important though. ]

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My deal? Well...uh. Okay. Hold on, lemme see if I can get this thing working again....

[The video feed crackles and then springs to life. There, on the screen, is Mike. He looks pretty much nothing like the Michelangelo that Casey is expecting to see, and yet...there's still something in the way his face crinkles when he smiles that's just so similar.]

Well you know, I like Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain.

[ Casey... welp, probably doesn't look familiar at all. That's the hard-knock life. He's just sort of a guy whose face has recently been pounded in. He pauses for a few seconds, takes in the differences (takes in the similarities, too, because they are there, it's a Michelangelo if ever he's seen) with a quizzical frown, but he's still got a smile to offer at the end of the day.

So different turtles, different cities, different universes.

It's a small multiverse after all. That's kinda cool. Maybe there are some other Casey Joneses out there somewhere cleaning up the streets. ]

Ah, sure, water and turtles. If you wanna stereotype yourself, man.

[Mikes smile falters. That...that's pretty much what Mike looked like not too long ago, thanks in part to his cousin Raph. Mostly though, it was his own fault for pretending to be his cousin Raph at a No Holds Barred fighting arena.

Remind Mike to never do that again.

But this guy, damn.]

It's not a stereotype, it's living the dream, my friend. Living the dream. Did you uh...

[He gestures to his own face...vaguely.]

Get the license plate of the van?

Huh? [ Casey did you seriously forget what you look like right now... He takes a good three or four seconds to mull his answer over, because it's all sort of a long story and a hot mess and not the kinda thing he wants to dump all over every ninja turtle he ever meets in his lifetime. Like, man. Going through the whole backstory and stuff again. What a pain. ]

Oh, right. Not really the kinda souvenirs from home you wanna bring in, huh? But you should see the other guy.

I have no idea what you're talking about.

[Mike lifts up one of his arms, twisting it just so to make sure the camera gets the best view of the ragged scar that snakes its way across the skin of his forearm.]

The other guy doesn't wear a red bandanna, does he?

[ This succeeds in both visibly surprising Casey, and in making him feel oddly... conspiratorially connected. Hard as it is to try to reconcile the idea of a version of the guys or Splinter not apparently doing the straight up hunky dory, family meetings all the time, die for each other, mushy talks about feelings and how regrettable having to murder the enemy is or whatever, family picture with each other. Raph back home's got some issues, but he'd never turn them onto someone who doesn't have it coming. Casey's the same way. It's why they get along so well.

Hard as that is to reconcile, people'd probably have some trouble doing the same thing with his own circumstances. He guesses he's also got the proof right on camera in front of him. ]

...nah. Just a nightly gallon of booze and no tolerance for a 'smart mouth'. [ And not a returned bruise on his miserable face from Casey's hands. ] Got it taken care of, though.

[Mike winces again. He knows that kind of story all too well, and not just from television. Living under the streets gives one a perspective of New York that rarely makes it onto 1980s ever television.]

Well, that's good at least. You uh...need someone to take a look at that? I've got some stuff around the house that might help.

No kiddin'? [ He mentally rescinds that immediately, because dumb question. ] Man, if it's not a cuppa "healing tea", I'd really appreciate that. You get pulled onto a big turtle island and it kinda throws your usual routine off.

Oh no, I'm totally kidding. Especially after that healing tea crack. You are totally on your own now, dude. Good luck with that.

[He almost gets all the way to the end of that without cracking a smile. Almost.]

Edited 2014-04-08 04:13 (UTC)

Ain't it just my luck. I dunno how I'll live with myself now. [ Smart-ass mutant ninja turtles. It feels a lot homier around here now. ]

Only the Shadow knows, my friend. Only the Shadow.
But, while you're waiting for him, why not come by WA-3b, and I'll see about patching you up. Might even have some frozen meat for that eye of yours.

Michelangelo, patron saint of the frozen meat hocks. I'll swing by once I got my hands on a map. We can, uh. I dunno, do second first meeting twenty questions or somethin'. [ Whatever... people do in these situations? All things considered, this is a way tamer first meeting than the last time he did the first meeting thing with the turtles. Or at least, it's lacking broken doors, ninja ambushes, and hot dogs. But it's weird having a Mikey with the same name and sense of humor and turtley status around that he doesn't already know pretty well, but it is still Mikey.

Man, this is why he leaves the thesis stuff to the professionals. It's a miracle April's helped him get his grades anywhere. Casey will obviously just have to do what he does best: go into a situation deliberately without thinking too much about it, and then handling any shit as it does or does not hit any fans. ]

Somethings never change, no matter where you go.

[He laughs once but his smile turns quizzical towards the end.]

Here how about this: I just come to you. It'll be easier for us both, and there's less of a chance of you scaring the heck out of any children and old ladies on the way.

Do I hear someone doubting my Hollywood charm? [ That's rude, green jeans. Okay, no, he can... see where this might be a less embarrassing arrangement all around, honestly. Dignity, saved by the turtle. ] I'm in ME-3A. This console stuff really cuts into mobility like that.

No! No way, never, Mr Merrick. Not in a million years.

[Mike grabs a piece of paper and a nearby pencil and writes down the address, commenting as he does so.]

Ooooooh, the Metal Sector. Well well well, aren't we fancy. Okay, I can be there in a jiff. Any requests?

[ He's learning something new every day. Like how apparently his new digs are fancy by general city standards. Which, you know, makes sense just from the little looking he's gotten done. Most of his observation's been reserved for "ehh, it's almost like New York if you squint and pretend you can smell a sewer." ]

Whatever you're willin' to pawn off, Doc. I'd be happy with an aspirin and a bag of frozen peas at this point. [ He's pretty sure that all the frozen vegetables in his life are exclusively not for actually eating. ]

I'll see what I can scrounge up and be over. I'll be there soonish.

001 • [audio]

voice -> video (Turtle encryption)

video (Turtle encryption)

video (Turtle encryption) until otherwise stated

likewise on this end :|b

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