route666radio | [Audio] Just A Lil Buggy...

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[Audio] Just A Lil Buggy...

*with the whole hitting up Nirvana thing and it NOT being the actual end of the road trip from hell, there were still lots of things to do. While others poured over information and the like, Raph braved the roads when the storms around the area weren't too bad. His bike was strong enough to take it and he had a feeling there was more to discover on the outskirts before they all moved on*

*even if he didn't have much luck, he parked at one point to radio in, since the winds made chattering to the rest of the convoy difficult at times*

Not much luck finding anything worth looking at within the agreed upon scouting range. I'd keep going but I know we're going to leave in the next few days so we'll be going further out anyway.

I'll be doublin' back in a few since I need a break.

I swear the terrain out here is trying to rattle me right outta my she--

*right in the middle of his report back, there's a sickening CRUNCH that cuts him off, following only with a scream of pain as the radio goes quiet for now as he dropped for the time being as another new monster form decided to sneak up on him*

[OOC: I promised I'd get this up before next event but Raphie's got double trouble coming his way. He'll pick up the radio to answer people who audio's back at him after he catches his breath but this boy's getting his scarab wings! :D Which means his shell's cracking to accommodate it. Otherwise you can come find him if you want.]

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Definitely not, given the whole...tryin' to get us here bullshit... but m'not surprised, either.

*he slow blinks at that before oh-ing*

...man, I always forget that they can do that. Handy trick.

I'm so going to crash... *though he shivers as the wings flick, their revitalization nearing completion* ...still a little bummed it's not like, cooler wings. Just had to be bug with my luck.

Well, just think of them as some other type of wings. I mean...don't those pixie things from movies have wings like that too?

[Although as soon as he says it he has to try very hard not to laugh. Raph may not be thrilled to be a pixie-turtle either.]

*he normally wouldn't be thrilled about that either, but given the fact that he's exhausted now, that's going to make him laugh*

Pink is not my color, Dee! If that happened, I'd be so sad at not being able to use my sai with them being iron.

Is that a thing? Huh. -but who says you have to stick to pink? I'm sure you'd be stunning in red camellia petals.

[Well if Raph's going to laugh then there's nothing keeping Donnie from snickering.]

Anyway, if you're up for it, let's get you back to the city.

*that just makes him laugh* I am not a delicate flower; I can't see it.

*but he smiles and nods*

Yeah, I think I can manage. *he says, shifting his weight and trying to get his legs under him. He's a bit unsteady still, given how wracked his form is from the transformation, but he pushes through it to at least try*

[Donnie lets out a cackle at that image. Clearly he can see it.

But as Raph tries to get up, he also moves to do likewise, if only to keep level with the other turtle to better steady him.]

I'm not sure that in-...pixie wings are for gliding, otherwise I'd just say to keep them open. But I shouldn't have any problems carrying you back either way.

*Raph would give you a playful shove if he wasn't using you as a crutch, Donatello, but he takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. There's nothing he can do about the change, so he'll have to get used to it. At least he doesn't have to LOOK at them*

Okay, lemme just... test it.

*this is the hard part for him - accepting it for what it is... but the wings respond, fluttering a few times as they are multilayered and he's testing it like a muscle. It aches some still, yet he manages to keep them open and unfurled*

*he doesn't look at them though* ...am I doing it?

Hmm...

[Donnie glances behind Raph, nodding.]

Yeah, more or less. Can you move them? You were doing it a moment ago. I think these sorts of wings operate more like... a helicopter. Constant motion to stay afloat.

-but we can work on that once you get some rest. I'll handle the piloting for now.

[He makes sure Raph is balanced before he hops up, wings flapping. With it he pulls in the winds, causing them to swirl around them to help keep him aloft so he can come about and over the other turtle to hook his arms beneath Raph's.]

I think so? It feels...weird, but that's to be expected.

*he gives it a shot, thinking about how the back muscle would work, given how the shell isn't there in the ways it used to be. Sure enough, the wings flutter a few times, but he gives a whuff-sounding exhale and stops*

Did that...work? *another yawn escapes him as he just feels so weary now* Oh, yeah, definitely...I don't think I could keep doing it right now if I wanted to.

*he gives Donnie a nod that he can stay upright, letting the other turtle do what needs to be done to help get them home. The wind feels nice even with how they pull to keep Donnie upward, but he keeps his new wings open and outstretched like Donnie asked him to as he gets snagged - ready to tuck his legs up if he needed to be smaller for the flight home*

It's weird, right? I think it's one of those things you just end up doing better when you're not focusing too hard. But I think it's a good start.

[He laughs.]

Trying now would probably end up with you headfirst in the ground or the city wall.

[His wings fully unfurled, Donnie beats them more purposefully to carry them both upwards, letting the winds do the rest once they're high enough. Raph doesn't need to be doing any compacting as there's not a whole lot to be running into around here, especially not this high.

It doesn't seem like they're traveling terribly fast, but flying certainly covers distances so much easier than on the ground. Donnie can't help but smile when he's way up high like this, one of the few enjoyments he can find in this world.]

That's a fair point. I'm sure it'll get easier to roll with after I get used to it a little bit more. Really get used to the stretch like with training.

*another laugh*

I don't need a concussion on top of everything else, no. Best not to try right now.

*once Donnie has him and they're going up, he notes that he doesn't have to ball up or anything, just kind of letting the winds take them. Luckily there is not anything that they really have to worry about on the way back to the city. With how high up they are, Raph looks about, since it's a different way to scout. But he glances up and sees Donnie's smile, finding it easy to do the same even up here*

[On occasion he gives another beat of his wings to keep them at level, but when you're high enough, there's little need for him to control the winds.

It's just a shame that the area below is so barren, not much save for rocks and shrubbery to mark the land around the city, and Nirvana itself isn't difficult to sight.

Donnie starts to descend gradually once they're closer, circling the city so he can come around for a landing where the rest of the Convoy is, carefully setting Raph on his feet before lands behind him to make sure he won't fall over.]

*he almost wishes that there was more to look at, but given the fact that the city is nearby and most of the nearby surroundings were just rocks and not much else. But there's something freeing about being able to be up in the sky - it reminds him of how when he first got here. Sure, it was a bit scary there when Donnie was almost killed, but they were goofing off and he got to fly with his brother back to camp after*

*a nice little memory even after the changes*

*so he enjoys the flight for now, especially since he doesn't have to worry about his bike getting back to the convoy. Eventually they return to the convoy and Donnie starts his descent, giving Raph time to get his feet under him and back on the ground before he's let go. He wobbles a bit, but with his brother looking after him, he doesn't flop over*

Mnh, thanks, Dee.

Anytime.

[Being airborne makes it easy to forget the problems below, for a while. There's no boundaries, no obstacles to worry about. He can fly as fast and high as he wants...

Being allowed to fly helps get rid of the anxiety he usually starts to feel when he's stuck on the ground too long, surrounded particularly by so many structures. He may not have found something to hunt, but a nice flight always helped either way.]

You good, or should I walk you to the Tank? Or do you want one of the beds in the main train?

[With most of the others being around the city, at least it'd be quiet wherever Raph opted to nap.]

*he smiles, since the fresh air helped quell some of his own anxiety from the change. Yes, it would be something to get used to, but regardless, he couldn't do anything about it - and ultimately he had said to Donnie ages ago that if he ever got wings he'd want to go fly with him*

Depends; you good with me flopping in your nest?

*it's kind of a tease - but also kind of not. He'd prefer to be near his brothers in case the fear gets him again*

[Donnie breathes a laugh at that.]

You're always more than welcome to. Maybe I should've asked you that before we landed so we could have just landed right on the roof. Oh well.

[Shrugging, he comes around Raph's side, ready to offer a shoulder so they can make their way over.]

*he laughs gently at that, shaking his head*

I didn't even think of it until we landed, so no big.

*though he is appreciative that Donnie's coming with him, just in case he doesn't make it. He's definitely been through the wringer in terms of pain and panicking - and while he's gone through tough stuff before, if he falls over he'd at least want someone to know rather than assume he's dead*

Once I get this crap under control we're doing that again.

[It's probably different between people and their ability to change. Edward seems to handle his pretty easily, but Donnie knows it always tires him out going between forms, and that's when he's kind of started to be more used to doing them voluntarily. But he also hasn't forgotten just how exhausting a sudden new change can be.]

At least these sorts of changes seem more of a one-way sort of thing.

[Mostly. Akechi's the only wildcard he knows so far in that regard. Anyone else that's suddenly found themselves with one form seems to end up a canine.

Making way to the Tank isn't too bad at least. The Convoy isn't as spread out here within the walls. Once they're close enough, Donnie holds his left wrist out so he can swipe his tail across the wraps to bring up his computer, tapping at a button to open the hatch.]

*Raph knows about the other forms that people have - except for like, the hodgepodge that is Akechi, of course. His seems to be more of a mix of the two, at least for now. The fact that he didn't revert completely to the carnival's present helps more than he'd like to admit*

I haven't heard of anyone going backwards in the changes. Was kinda hoping we could have figured something out here but...hope springs eternal I guess.

*he smiles to himself as Donnie takes care of opening up the Tank with his tail, just second nature at this point. He half wonders if the time they all had with these new forms were just that integrated at this point - but doesn't voice it. His brothers' strengths before and after the changes were something to rely on when things got tough*

You going to head back out to hunt or go through more of the records we got from the folks here? *he asks as he heads inside to find a corner to crash in. He's probably claimed one by now, but doesn't have the urge to nest like Donnie does. Just being near his boys helps a lot with the pack mentality the infernal gave him*

[Donnie knows he can basically blend his two forms as well, which is what makes it harder to pin anything down in regards to who all else might have gained another.]

...there's the medicine that they were offering. I haven't gotten a chance to see if there's any difference to the one we were offered prior to being able to enter the innermost part of the city and the one from that part itself. But...if you want to give one a try, I have an extra vial of the former.

[Technically Serph had given it to him since Donnie had claimed one for Leo. But Raph is so much more bothered by his changes...]

...not sure. Wasn't having much luck out there to begin with. Maybe I'll just see if they have anything to eat around the city.

-sure you don't want to go up to the nest? It's comfier.

*Raph pauses at the mention of the medicine, glancing at Donnie with obvious surprise*

They had something that actually helped? Did anyone test it and did it...last? *he starts to ask, though Donnie answers part of that already. He thinks on it for a moment, obviously considering...but shakes his head*

Give it to Leo before me. If he wants it. I might not like this crap, especially with this...new stuff, but I can't deny that it has been helpful where...where normal me wouldn't have been able to do anything.

*like when Donnie was literally being strangled to death - the breath magic saved him. Otherwise---he didn't like to think about that*

*he blinks at the offer, but smiles* You sure? I wouldn't want to hog your roost. I dunno how long I'll crash.

I have no idea. Our radio lead who offered them admitted they weren't sure how effective they'd be on us. At least this one was offered freely...

I wasn't offering the one for Leo.

[Donnie waves him towards the ladder. ]

There's room enough if I feel like going up later. Anyway, I insist. If you're as sore as I felt after those first really bad shifts, then you'll thank me later.

*he nods as he listens to that, before realizing what Donnie MEANS by that one - pausing only to LOOK at him*

...but what about you?

*he will take the ladder in a bit, since the roost will be cozy and it's better than crashing out somewhere not as comfortable. He was used to sleeping wherever, but he knows with how crappy he feels now? He could use a good sleep*

Alright, but if there's not enough room for whatever reason, just wake me up and I'll move.

I guess...I'm more used to things? The changing back and forth is a literal pain and gross on the sensory level but at least it's not random anymore. ...and I'm not the one that's stuck with parts of something I have a phobia of.

[He's not rubbing it in, he's just stating fact. And really he does feel bad about it, because he's not sure he'd be able to do very well himself with bug parts. But he hates seeing any of his brothers suffer, and it's particularly painful seeing his strongest brother in such a position.]

All right, I will.

[Hopefully Raph doesn't roll around a lot in his sleep so he won't fall down back into the main part of the Tank. But being up in the taxi nest is considerably different. Given how picky Donnie is about things, he's done pretty well to pad everything up and buffer the sides with bundled blankets and pillows made from stuffing clothing. There's a particularly squished one that seems to get plenty of use.]

All good here?

*considering it was fact and he did have a phobia of bugs, it made sense that Donnie would logic that out at him. Raph listens, considering the offer itself, but he knows that his brother shifts between monster forms. And both Donnie and Leo have been here longer than he has. It would make sense that they'd be able to use the medicine that might cure them before himself. At least that's the way he works*

*torn between accepting and denying it, he gives a little weary smile*

I'll think on it, but right now? Hang onto it.

*the bruiser was used to just sitting upright and sleeping somewhere, so once he flops, he'll be in one place. But the fact that Donnie is offering his sleeping spot, when he knows how particular the soft shell is, is appreciated. He won't take the obvious favorite spot of Donnie's, taking one that will let him rest on his plastron so his back doesn't hurt*

Yeah, I'm good. Thanks, Donnie. I appreciate it.

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