tushanshu | 001 ~ Audio

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001 ~ Audio

[The last thing Don remembers, the wooden soldier's tonfa was coming at him, and he knew he wasn't going to be conscious much longer.]

[Now, he's waking up in a bathtub. (What is it with his family and bathtubs?) A bunch of people - possibly not human people - are leaning over him, including a really unpleasant-looking guy he doesn't recognize. There's a lot of murmuring, though Don can't tell whether it's his ears, the water, or the actual volume, and then the guy leaves.]

[Don doesn't have the strength to fight back as the other strangers sit him up in the tub. He can't even speak. But as soon as he recovers that particular ability, he subjects his apparent-kidnappers to a vicious interrogation.]

[He's surprised when they answer his questions; even more so when they return his gear and weapons. It's an honorable move, if not a very bright one.]

[Before long they're loading him into some kind of ambulance, and he spends the next hour launching his heaviest verbal artillery at the unfortunate driver.]

[When they arrive at their destination, the driver all but kicks him out of the vehicle, leaving him with a stack of papers, a small bag of something heavy, and a last word of stern advice.]

[And then he's on his own. He's already gotten the impression that not too many people here will care he's a giant Turtle, but like shell is he going to follow the directions to "his suite". The trap is way too obvious.]

[Instead, he hides in the back of a nearby alley. It's not the kind of refuge he would normally choose, but it's what he has the strength to reach right now.]

[By around midnight, Don has studied all the information he was given, and is feeling as well as he did before that final tonfa strike - which is to say, still not great. But he creeps out of his hiding place anyway, to explore the city. When daylight comes he hides again, in a different place, and the following night he resumes his investigations.]

[After a few days of this migratory living, Don concludes that:

A. His current situation has nothing to do with the wooden soldiers.
B. No one here is much interested in fighting with him at all.
C. But he can't go home, and he's expected to help with some kind of war.

Armed with this knowledge, he finally goes to check out his assigned suite in ME-3B. His intention is to use the console to find out if his brothers are somewhere in this city, but a cursory inspection of the premises soon turns into taking half the gadgets apart to see how they work. Completely disassembling and rebuilding the console doesn't solve the bizarre screen display issues, but after some more failed troubleshooting, Don tries to use the network anyway.]

Ah… hi, everyone. My name is Donatello. I arrived here a few days ago, and I'm hoping I'm not the only Turtle around.

Aside from the one under us, I mean. Are there others living in the city? I'd really appreciate any information…

[He trails off, then adds:] Guys, they told me everyone has one of these consoles. Please don't be that technologically hopeless.

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Hi, Donatello. I'm Julie. Nice to meet you.

[While she did catch him saying something about being a Turtle, it doesn't fully register. So she just sticks with being polite.]

[That might be the most normal greeting he's ever received. He's not quite sure how to answer it.]

Nice to meet you, too.

[So far so good.]

[It starts with the fleeting image of a silhouette flickering across the console screen.]

[The consoles have been down for days. So have the turtles. But Leo, at least, is upright now, and fairly certain that the hallucinations have passed - ghosts of warm fur across his forehead, the smell of bitter tea - which leaves him without an explanation for the strange hazing on the console.]

[His limbs are heavy and his head is heavier, but Leo climbs to his feet and makes the rough trip to the console desk, where he slumps into the chair and clenches his eyes for a few moments waiting for the dizziness to pass. It does eventually, but when he blinks his eyes open, the screen has stopped flickering.]

[He knows he saw something.]

[Leo switches on the console. He's too exhausted to be surprised when it slowly creaks to life, audio and video coming in loud bursts of static over the speakers - but it's a good thing. They've been sitting in the dark. Now, at least, they can check up on everyone else.]

[One scattered burst of sound freezes him in his tracks. "Ë/j+ÿ/*ÜřG!?Q--turtle around--k°2Ei--guys--Iyá¡ÜvF7--that technologically helpless."]

[hell. this is a hallucination. It has to be. But even so, Leo finds his hand trailing to the audio button, his wrecked, garbled voice tumbling out of his throat in a disbelieving whisper.]

...Donnie?

[The message comes through so faintly, only his sixth sense for detecting his brothers allows him to hear it. Even so, the voice is unmistakable.]

Leo!

[~~You learned to use the computer!~~ You're here!]

Listen, this connection is worse than hijacked dial-up at peak hour. Please tell me it's not like this all the time.

Edited 2014-04-27 03:44 (UTC)

[...unbelievable. It can't be. It's impossible.]

[But as garbled and messed up as that voice is, after eighteen years, there's no way Leo can't recognize it. It's Donatello. His Donatello. After over a year, he - he's -]

[Don is asking him something about the connection, but his head is spinning too quickly to really focus. Damn it all. Don. Okay, it's still a warzone out there, but if he's near a console he's probably safe...]

[The consoles. By reflex he reaches for the filter function, but when he presses it, all his console does is make a loud screeching noise like a dying whale before sputtering to a halt. It makes Leo cringe.]

Something's wrong. [He mutters under his breath. They were offline for a while, but are they supposed to be doing this? He raises his voice so Don can hear him, though all that really does is turn his words into a slightly louder croak.] Don, can you hear me?

[Well, that noise sure came through. Leo's voice is only a tinny echo, though.]

[Don inspects the console's speakers, thinking through how he reassembled them. Maybe he left a part out of alignment?]

Barely. Hold on; let me try something.

[It only takes him a moment to open the case, but while he's digging around in the circuitry, the console will send all kinds of thumping noises and visual disruptions, the images jumping back and forth to the off-tempo beat like some kind of terrible music video.]

Don - [he starts warningly, but he's too late to stop his brother from... doing that Donatello thing. Hell, it's a relief, in a way. This is really his brother, isn't it? Not even another wayward cousin picked from the ocean of the multiverse, but his brother.]

[The shock of that is just barely starting to wear off - it must be, because as keyed up as he is, his frayed nerves begin to soothe as Don works. The process is loud and unpleasant, but it's Donatello in his element. The streaking bits of video begin to make him a bit motion sickness, though, so Leo glances through the feed as quickly as he can, keeping an ear out for his brother to finish...]

[...which is how he stumbles across a text post made just before Don's broadcast. It's barely comprehensible, and Leo's eyes almost glaze over trying to decipher it, but the main message burns into his brain like an explosion of wildfire: the consoles are compromised. But why? Who would do that?]

[...Mali -]

Don! [He shouts as urgently as his ravaged voice will allow, shooting up out of the chair and leaning forward onto the desk.] You have to get off the console! Now!

["Loud and unpleasant" often describes Donatello's work, but isn't it worth it for what comes out the other end?]

[He's elbow-deep in I/O's, checking off a mental list of likely failure points, when Leo's voice comes again from the half-dissected speaker.]

Wha-- ?

[It doesn't matter. Leo gave him an order. He grabs the nearest critical component and yanks.]

[The feed cuts off with a sharp bleat of static, and Leo collapses back into his chair, panting. Crap. He just ordered his brother to sever the only contact they had, but it was too risky if the consoles really have been hacked. It's been so long, and the moment he gets to hear Don's voice again...]

[He draws a deep breath, then leans forward and rests his head in his hands, thinking. Keeliai is a big city - Don could be anywhere. Shit. Maybe he was too hasty after all. He straightens, pulling his seat closer to the console and quickly switching to the text function.]

Network compr*h3-¡jed.

どこに水が鋼を満たしているj[/3[Vfh*Ü

Ver!¤5fy.
-L

[All he can hope is that Don will venture back onto the console soon enough and see it. Dammit. Leonardo, you are such an idiot. He leans back and presses his palms into his burning eyes.]

[Leo's yelling draws out a tired-faced Raphael like a moth to a flame, maskless and squinting in the sudden light of the front room. He's spent most of the day shut in his bedroom nursing a killer headache and everything else leftover from his second round with the Keeliai flu, and people screaming in the house just pisses him off.]

Could you shut up?

[Yeah, like he was gonna ask nicely.]

[Leo practically jumps, his hands flying down from his face as he turns around and looks at Raph blearily. Raphael. How's he going to explain this?]

Raph. [His speaking voice is barely above a whisper after shouting over the network, and he rubs his face tiredly.] It's Don. Our Don.

[The irritated expression melts off his face, hope blossoming in his chest.]

...Donnie?

[When he looks at the screen, he expects to see his brother's face. He misses him so bad. But all that's there is static.]

On the console?

He disconnected. [Because I told him to. Leo grits his teeth and sighs, lowering his hand once more. He'll just leave that part out.] He's out there somewhere - I just don't know where.

[He ends the sentence by bunching a fist and slamming the side of it on the desk, growling.]

[Leaning over his brother's shoulder, he squints at the veil of static. It makes his head pound so hard he can't see straight, dazzling lights skittering across his vision.

He wants so bad to believe Don was there, but he's having a hard time buying it.

Clamping a hand on his brother's shoulder, he throws him a look that's part skeptical and part concern.]

Leo, the consoles haven't been workin' for days. You sure you're feelin' all right?

[He has to be hallucinating or something. That bug hit them all pretty hard, and they all still feel like shit. He just doesn't think Leo was that sick. Or if he was, he should be over it by now.]

They're running again. [He speaks quickly, head swinging back to the console. His brow furrows at the static... he can't even see the rest of the feed anymore. The interference must be getting worse.] I mean - they were. I know what I heard, Raph. It was him.

[It's about then that the screen flickers back to clear, piercing light and images through the static.

The consoles are working.

Holy crud the consoles are working.

He's out there somewhere. Donnie's really out there.

In an instant, his headache's completely forgotten.]

You didn't see where he was comin' from?

[The console shuddering back to life completely snatches Leo's attention away from Raph, and he turns in his chair to fiddle with the controls. The screen is barely legible through bars of static - and he can't bring Don's post back up. Great. At least Raph doesn't think he's crazy anymore, but they still have no idea where their brother is.]

They just came back online a minute ago. I didn't have time...

[Leo's voice falters. He didn't even check to see where Don was broadcasting from. He knows it's unlikely, given the state of the consoles, but 'unlikely' doesn't mean 'impossible'... ugh, why can't he get head in the game already?]

[Raph at the screen with an anxious type of hope, his heart hammering against the plates of his plastron. Don. Their brother is out there.

They have to find him, and sitting around waiting for the console to work isn't an option.]

Then I bet he didn't see where we're comin' from, either.

[That pretty much settles it. It only takes him a second to go to his room and grab his gear. When he re-emerges, he's still tying the knot in his mask.]

So you comin' or what?

[Mike sticks his head out of the doorway to his bedroom and hollars down the hall.]

Did someone say Donnie?

[He doesn't wait for an answer, but instead moves towards where he can hear his cousin's talking.]

[As Raph disappears into his room Leo fights with the console for a few minutes more, but he's never been technologically gifted, so it gets him absolutely nowhere. He leans back and pinches the skin between his eyes, willing the burning behind them to go away.]

Our brother is here, Mike. [his voice is a melted mess of hope, wonderment, and sadness - it still doesn't seem real, and while he feels bad that Mike is still the only one of them who hasn't seen a brother yet, he can't stop the near-giddiness creeping up his chest. Don is here. Donatello is here.]

[Raph emerges barely a second later, all geared up. Leo sits straighter and pins him with a discerning eye. None of them are in any condition to be running around the city right now... but that's their family out there, lost somewhere in Keeliai. There's no stopping Raph, and he's certain Mike would only be marginally more reasonable.]

[In that case:]

I sent him a general meeting area, but he might not be able to decipher it. Raph, you comb the Water Sector - Mike takes Metal. Keep an extra eye on the borders. I'll stay here for a few hours and see if I can hail him over the network. Rendezvous back here in six hours.

[Nothing could ever stand between Raph and a brother in need. He might feel like an absolute sack of shit, but that doesn't matter. Don is out there, and he needs him, so he'll be there.

Bobbing his head in a nod at Leo's plan, he's practically out the door already.]

Holy cats! Okay, cool. Yeah, lemme just gear up and I'll...yeah.

[Mike moves quickly back to his room, and then pays for that alacrity dearly...judging by the sheer amount of coughing that can be heard coming from that same room.

This doesn't stop him, however. It just slows him down a bit.]

Anything I should know?

[Leo's scowl only deepens when Mike's coughing fit blares out from his room. They're really not in any condition to do this, but they don't have much a choice in the matter. Not when the only other option is leaving Don all alone out there.]

Don't overdo it. We're no good to Donatello if we're dead. [He turns back towards the whirring console, tapping a few keys in a valiant but ultimately futile attempt to get it working again.] The network's been hacked, so avoid it if you can... but if it's an absolute emergency, try the console cafés. It's better than nothing.

[As far as his brother goes, Don doesn't come with many warning labels. Except maybe a certain circumstantial one.]

Last time we saw Don... he was on the upswing from an illness. He didn't sound like he was hurt, but don't get him too excited.

[Raphael's expression turns grim at the memory of Don's little illness. There's no telling if time really has stood still for all the time they've been gone, but if it has...

If it has, they have more than Don just being lost in the city to worry about. After Leatherhead had warned them about a risk of a relapse, he's more than a little terrified for his brother.

All he wants to do is get his brother back in one piece.]

C'mon. [He says to Mike, standing in the open door. They need to get moving.] The sooner we find him the better.

Edited 2014-05-03 00:36 (UTC)

[An illness. He looks over towards Raph, and how he's behaving.]

I'll be on my best behavior.

[He says with as cheeky as a grin as he can muster, hoping to let some of the pressure from the situation. Then he nods at Raph as he follows the larger turtle out of the house, closing the door behind him.]

[First thing to note: the consoles were, in fact, working again.]

[Second thing to note: the individual speaking through said working consoles was a self-identified recent arrival.]

[Third thing to note: he may or may not have identified himself as a Turtle. Were this to be taken literally, and not a reference to some selective group named after the Earth reptile, Aya would be remiss if she did not point him in Mike's direction.]

Am I correct in presuming you are referring to individuals besides our sizable host, whose shell we current reside on?

[The video that flickers on is incredibly corrupted, but it appears to be showing someone humanoid and green. Of course, the color could just be part of the distortions.]

Yes, exactly. Have you seen any?

[...Team Green ftw?]

I have.

We are well acquainted, in fact. However, out of respect for his privacy, you will forgive me if I do not disclose his identity over a public feed.

[Yes but he JUST WANTS TO REACH THROUGH THE SCREEN AND SHAKE YOU.]

All I need to know is where he is.

[Please don't shake the little robot, Mr. Turtle. That would be most unpleasant.]

That, I can provide you. [It was a fair enough compromise, to be sure.] Though I am currently unaware of his location, I have found that t░▒ ░▒░▒ located in Se░▒t░▒ ░▒░▒ would be the ░▒░▒ to ░▒░▒░▒ ░▒m.

[A pause, and Aya frowned. Of all the times for the glitch to kick in. Her eyes lowered to the screen, and the sound of keys being furiously clicked on her end could be heard.]

My apologies. The ░▒░▒░▒ that appears to be ░▒░▒ several consoles is disrupting the signal. I have managed to ░▒░░▒, but it would seen the ░▒░▒ is not responding to all my subroute commands.

[Don is loving the level of technical knowledge around here. He's not so fond of the system malfunctions.]

I'm so▒░▒, you've ░▒░▒░▒ that what?

[Aya was simply thankful at this time the malfunctions had not transferred to her own system.]

▒░▒░▒░ ▒░ ▒░▒░ ▒░-est to see if that works.

[A few more clicks on her end, and the computer appears to stabilize. Momentarily.]

This frequency will not last. If we wish to con-▒░-ue our conversation, the consoles will not be suff-▒░-cient.

However, you asked for--▒░▒░. I am sending you a--▒░▒░▒░--now.

[Soon enough, a small map--partially pixilated, and with large chunks of the Turtle image missing--will come through. A single location, fortunately still contained in the image itself, will highlight a particular dojo. One where she had met with Mike in person.]

[Don scrambles for the paper map the ambulance driver had given him, to compare it to these new directions. But by the time he looks back to the monitor, the image has been entirely eaten by the creeping static.]

▒░▒░ already ▒░▒░ding! ▒░▒░ can't see ▒░▒░ore. Please t▒░▒░ -

[The connection is lost entirely.]

[Well. Shit.]

...that is most inconvenient.

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