Donatello Hamato (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
purplexing) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
route666radio2025-12-01 10:07 pm
purplexing) wrote in route666radio2025-12-01 10:07 pm
[Audio]
Hey, it's me again. Donnie. [He feels the need to tag that on as he considers what he wants to talk about here.]
...I know it's not going to get any easier the farther we go. That carnival was... Well. If you know, I doubt you need a reminder. But it's only proof that we don't know what more we'll be coming across, and how badly anything will affect us.
It's bad enough there aren't many warnings for the things that do change us, but it's worse when we don't even realize it. Maybe you remember back in the desert, something was messing with our heads, making us forget things, or think we've lived in this screwed up world all this time.
Leo and I made some notes to ourselves- records, basically, written and recorded. Something to help us remember the truth, who we are if we lose ourselves again. But after the carnival...
...
I don't think it's enough. Not if we won't be able to remember to listen or read those testaments. I know we're pulled from all sorts of places, but I don't think any of us want to forget who we are- we can't forget. So I think it'd be beneficial for all of us if we recorded something about ourselves, something we'd think would help us remember, if the worst case ever happens.
You can write it or say it- I have means to keep both, I'll save it on file too, just in case. But it's something we can have on hand. In case any of us slips...
And even if we can't remember ourselves, at least-
At least other people can. And maybe we can help each other.
[He falls silent for a moment, drawing in a deep breath before he lets it out slowly.]
A-anyway, let me know if you need anything or you can just find me at the Turtle Tank. I'm finishing up a strongbox to keep things in. Maybe we can put it in the main train.
...
Donnie, out.
...I know it's not going to get any easier the farther we go. That carnival was... Well. If you know, I doubt you need a reminder. But it's only proof that we don't know what more we'll be coming across, and how badly anything will affect us.
It's bad enough there aren't many warnings for the things that do change us, but it's worse when we don't even realize it. Maybe you remember back in the desert, something was messing with our heads, making us forget things, or think we've lived in this screwed up world all this time.
Leo and I made some notes to ourselves- records, basically, written and recorded. Something to help us remember the truth, who we are if we lose ourselves again. But after the carnival...
...
I don't think it's enough. Not if we won't be able to remember to listen or read those testaments. I know we're pulled from all sorts of places, but I don't think any of us want to forget who we are- we can't forget. So I think it'd be beneficial for all of us if we recorded something about ourselves, something we'd think would help us remember, if the worst case ever happens.
You can write it or say it- I have means to keep both, I'll save it on file too, just in case. But it's something we can have on hand. In case any of us slips...
And even if we can't remember ourselves, at least-
At least other people can. And maybe we can help each other.
[He falls silent for a moment, drawing in a deep breath before he lets it out slowly.]
A-anyway, let me know if you need anything or you can just find me at the Turtle Tank. I'm finishing up a strongbox to keep things in. Maybe we can put it in the main train.
...
Donnie, out.
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It's miraculous.
[Edward moves his damaged leg forward, trying to feel his way into getting the leg attached.]
I'd like to try putting it on on my own, but please direct me if I start running afoul of something.
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Of course. It should be fairly straightforward. I wanted to keep it a simple as possible.
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Yes, it's very intuit--oh!
[He was adjusting the leg while speaking, and the end of his actual leg slipped right into the cup of the prosthetic. It fits like a glove, and even without the straps done up, Edward is able to put some weight on it. He lifts his head and beams at Donnie.]
It fits!
[Okay, bending back down to mess with the straps now.]
Did I get all of them?
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Yes, perfect. Let me know if it needs any sort of adjustments or additional support.
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Oh, that's interesting.
[He does it again, and smiles.]
Metal on metal makes different vibrations. I can... they go further, than they would if I used my other feet.
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Can you get a better sense of what the Tank looks like?
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Oh. Oh!
[He takes a step forward, towards the chair in the centre of the Tank.]
You certainly weren't exaggerating about the size of your Raphael.
[That is a noticeably bigger chair than all the other ones.
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Not at all. He can grab all three of us pretty easily.
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He must be built like a rugby player.
[Edward gestures back down at the prosthetic.]
Now, if I wanted to change to my human form, do I need to take it off first?
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[Donnie looks at the leg and its attachment, nodding to himself.]
Probably preferable. Given the shape, it would make things very awkward to keep on, I think. Also, I'm not sure how the whole change thing works in general.
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[It's not that Edward is particularly shy about it, but it has never come up before, except in the cage at the carnival, and he doesn't expect Donnie to remember or have paid attention to it then. He bends over his leg to carefully unstrap the prosthetic. It takes him awhile to do it now, but he knows he'll get faster with practice.]
You wouldn't happen to have a towel or a sheet I could borrow, do you? Something large enough to wrap around myself?
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[He turns to go and grab a blanket from the things Raph had managed to find.]
Yeah, one sec. [Once he's grabbed one, he lets it unfold, shaking it out as he walks back over to hand it to Edward when he's ready for it.]
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[Edward carefully sets the prosthetic against the wall before he takes the blanket and promptly folds it back over itself. He then holds it in front of where his groin would be if he wasn't currently half-spider with his lower pair of hands. He also takes a step closer to the wall of the Tank, and touches it with his other right hand.]
I warn you, it doesn't sound very nice. It's painless, though.
[And with that, he shifts. The blanket blocks part of it, but Edward's spider abdomen noticeably deflates, and all its flesh starts running forward, onto his legs. The legs themselves stretch before twisting and reforming, melding together with some loud cracking sounds. For as noisy and seemingly violent as it is, Edward stays silent as it happens.]
[It's also quick, and a few seconds later, Edward is balancing on his left leg next to the wall. He wraps the blanket around his waist and tucks one end under the other. His right leg sticks out a bit from under the blanket, but it ends just below his knee, the stump a heavy pad of fully healed scar tissue.]
All right, let's see how the new leg fits in this form.
no subject
[His talons may or may not already be curling inwards in anticipation, lightly scratching against the floor. Still, Donnie can't help but watch once Edward begins to change, shuddering at the sounds accompanying it. Ohhhh he wasn't kidding. The turtle's shoulders hitch with each sharp crack.
He realizes he's never really actually paid much attention to how his own changes occur, but then the ones he's been stuck with had been mostly gradual, painful. But then when his own legs had finally warped and changed, that had been thankfully fast after all the aching he'd experienced before a Moon Warp triggered its completion.]
A-ah, right.
[Donnie nearly trips over himself as he goes to get the other leg for Edward, bringing it over.]
Same deal. Let me know if I need to adjust anything, even if it seems small. You're the one who's going to be wearing it, so there's no point in expecting to just get used to some discomfort, especially if it can be fixed.
handwave that they talked about this and the cheetah style leg isn't a surprise?
Of course. I have full confidence it will fit as well as the previous one.
[Enjoy some of that warm, butter yellow pride emotion wafting off Edward as he bends forward to fit the other leg, Donnie.]
[Edward figures out the straps faster this time, since they're similar to the straps on the other leg, but when he straightens up, he wobbles a bit and needs to keep his hands on the wall.]
The balance is more challenging on two legs than four.
[Not a criticism of Donnie's work, just an observation. Once he gets his balance, Edward takes a step forward. The leg bends backwards a bit as he puts weight on it.]
Huh. You were right. Having it be curved does make the vibrations travel along it better.
Sure!
He stands to the side, although when Edward looks like he's going to fall, he takes a step forward.]
Heh, yeah. It's actually quite a feat of balance for humans to walk around like they do. Even other bipedal creatures have other things to assist in that, and even then, they're not built to stand straight upright. Standing straight with these feet is easier than walking- I need to lean forward or go on all fours.
[Donnie grins, watching as Edward tests the leg out.]
It feel all right? Nothing digging in?
no subject
[You have to use all eight limbs when scaling a wall, Donnie. That's just how it is.]
It feels fine.
[It does, the cup fits beautifully, but it is more weight on a smaller surface, and Edward can tell already that he'll get tired faster with this leg than the one for the spider form. Oh, well. He'll simply have to train himself up to the challenge.]
It actually... it feels springy. Almost like a cat's leg instead of a man's. Like if I could run with it, it would be fast.
no subject
Digitigrade builds are more oriented towards motion than standing, so theoretically, it should perform at its best if you attempted to run with it. Let me know if you'd rather have something flatter.
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[With that thought in mind, Edward takes a few cautious steps forward. His gait lilts more than it did before, the metal leg propelling him forward with more insistence than his human leg did. He keeps his second pair of hands out at his sides for balance, but he only wobbles a bit.]
As it turns out, several weeks of walking on spider feet may have prepared me for this.
[He moves in a slow, wobbly circle around the interior of the Tank.]
No, thank you, but I think I like it this way. I may leave running until I'm a bit more used to it, though.
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Of course! Don't push yourself though. I've made it as light as possible, at least in that it won't potentially outweigh your actual leg, but you're the only one who knows your limits.
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spider leg with a gun attached WHATFor now, he's too focused on the basics to start thinking of additions.]Oh, I'm going to face-plant at least once.
[He doesn't sound upset at the prospect.]
I'm so used to using the spider legs that the human ones are weaker than normal. It's going to take some work to build them back up.
no subject
Donnie laughs.]
At least make sure it's in something soft.
Heh, time for physical therapy? Don't skip out on leg days, Ed, those are important.
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Oh lord. Please tell me physical therapy has improved since 1917. Back then, it was getting shoved out into the world with a stick and a clap on the back.
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[Edward is emboldened enough to try a little jump on his new leg, and that turns out to be a poor decision. He lands okay, but immediately overbalances. One set of arms pinwheels while the other set grabs the wall. He doesn't fall, but it's a near thing.]
Duly noted: don't do that yet.
(no subject)